I'm helping my friend Brian to pull the failed 3.0L V6 out, and install a Chevy 350 that Brian already has. The car has been automatic all it's life, but Brian wants a stick. I told him that sounds like a personal problem. But since the stick that woulda been Nissan-installed in his car was a version of the T5, and since GM used the T5 behind 305s, that's what we're searching for. I haven't yet checked whether we need cable or electric speedometer, but it needs to be the '88-'92 version. The car has 3.54:1 or 3.70:1 differential gearing, I haven't verified which yet, so we probably need the TBI 305, code LO3, version for the 0.625:1 fifth gear. TPI 305 , code LB9, versions had a 0.725:1 fifth.
The Nissan's original rollers were 225/50R16 on 16x7". But '94-'98 Mustang 17" wheels fit pretty well, so it's looking like a set of 255/40R17 tires on 17x9". Probably Dunlop Star Spec tires.
And the engine is a Hecho en Mexico special, with large-combustion-chamber heads, and dished pistons.
That gives a low static compression ratio of around 8.0:1, made even worse by our high elevation of 4500' above sea level. The valve sizes are 1.94" / 1.50", and that's not going to change. I may just sell him these vortec heads, for compression and for flow. The block does NOT have provisions for the stock roller lifters, but the Vortec intake ports stall hard at 0.475" true valve lift, and that means a COMP 224-duration-at 0.050"-lift lobe. So it looks to me like a Nitrous Xtreme 268, which specs at: 268* / 286* duration advertised, 224* / 236* duration at 0.050", .477" / .490" advertised valve lift, 113* lobe separation angle, ground 5 degrees advanced. Even assuming the best headers, exhaust, and induction, I'm figuring an uncorrected 245-250 rwhp, and torque similar, depending on shorty headers or long tubes. If we go Vortec, it most certainly will be carbureted, as I already have a Performer intake, still in the box. Even so, the Z car was factory rated as 205 crankshaft HP, which figures as just over 140 rwhp now. That makes 245 rwhp a gain of 75 percent.
If anyone is interested, I'll turn this into a build thread. Otherwise, this is just telling you what I'm doing when I'm not either (1) earning my pay, or (2) working on my adapter plate and 383, or (3) sleeping or eating.
