Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Looking for a new project and don't know what to get.
What I do want is a V8 and prefer an auto. I'd love a toyota, and Holden or Chev v8 but will look at other options , the cheaper and easier the better. I'd also like to run at least 33in tyres.
I have at the moment a VN SS Comodore with injected v8 and auto, but this may be too hard or too expensive to transplant into a 4B.

What 4b should I get to run 33's a V8 and auto. Open to all suggestions, just want a V8.

Ps: I don't want a factroy fitted truck I want to convert.

Lux's look good on 33's, and a smaller V8 will fit nicely and go well in the lighter car.

The VN V8 would be one of the cheaper alternatives as you'll have the loom and ECU etc. Also pretty common so conversion bits are cheaper.
If your gunna use you holden V8 then don't go any bigger than as Lux. GQ's, GU's and cruisers need a 350 or Gen III to make them move.

I just so happen to have a locked and loaded Lux here as well as the vn v8.
Something different anyone?

muddylux wrote:I just so happen to have a locked and loaded Lux here as well as the vn v8.
Something different anyone?

Sorry to burst your bubble but it won't exactly be the first lux with a 304 in it! But at least that means you won't have trouble getting help or advice.

-Stu

muddylux wrote:I just so happen to have a locked and loaded Lux here as well as the vn v8.
Something different anyone?

Different??? You want it to be different or do you want it to be feasible and practicle?
What's your budget? You suggested th Commy V8 conversion might be to exy$$ so you're looking to do it on a tight budget. Just about every conversion that works (and alot that don't) has been done before, so i think you'll strike out on something different.
What about a 350 in an MQ/K Pootrolly?
Holden V8's are gutless so the vehicle needs to be light weight, maybe a 720 ute? maybe a Jackeroo or Rodeo.
I'm thinking about putting a VG30 in a Jackeroo.

hey mate i am currently puting a lexus v8 in my hilux and that is running a auto. i can let u no how its runs once its donw.

Ruffy wrote:

muddylux wrote:I just so happen to have a locked and loaded Lux here as well as the vn v8.
Something different anyone?

Different??? You want it to be different or do you want it to be feasible and practicle?
What's your budget? You suggested th Commy V8 conversion might be to exy$$ so you're looking to do it on a tight budget. Just about every conversion that works (and alot that don't) has been done before, so i think you'll strike out on something different.
What about a 350 in an MQ/K Pootrolly?
Holden V8's are gutless so the vehicle needs to be light weight, maybe a 720 ute? maybe a Jackeroo or Rodeo.
I'm thinking about putting a VG30 in a Jackeroo.

I like the way you think. You have given me an idea or 2 i'll check into it.

A jackaroo or even a Pajero would be good with a V8 holden both being very light and there ant a lot of differnce between the pajeros and jackaroos just the pajeros are more of a mid range 4wd,

You may be better useing a pajero and you can pick then up cheap as two so your not going to have a lot of problems money wise.

Wade Go for it sunny

I put a 3.5L Rover V8 into my old 1984 Hilux. Cost me about $2400 including cost of motor, new clutch and mods etc. Wasn't fast but it still beat a 4.7 V8 Cruiser so I was happy! Kinda different but not...

How about a Lada Niva with a 304???

Just buy a mid 90's discovery, upgrade the diffs, do a little engine massaging and voila a comfortable V8 powered auto 4by that is capable offroad and wont wreck your back getting there.

nabstud wrote:How about a Lada Niva with a 304???

Now wouldn't that be mad.
I like it.

If you want a project you can throw a VH45 in my GU wagon for me...

(no you cant keep it when your finished )

Dee wrote:If you want a project you can throw a VH45 in my GU wagon for me...

(no you cant keep it when your finished )

Why the heck would you want to do that????????????? The 4.8 has better figures.
A GU is Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too heavy for a VH45.
A VH45 would be schweet in a navara

Ruffy wrote:

Dee wrote:If you want a project you can throw a VH45 in my GU wagon for me...

(no you cant keep it when your finished )

Why the heck would you want to do that????????????? The 4.8 has better figures.
A GU is Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too heavy for a VH45.
A VH45 would be schweet in a navara

How do you figure a GU is way to heavy for a VH?
The 4.8 has 20kw less power and only 10nm more torque in standard form than a VH45. The VH has 80% of its torque at 2000rpm and 90% at the factry 6900rpm redline.
Don't confuse a VH with a Lexus V8 as they are very different motors. The VH has torque and can be driven at low revs and is far stronger than a 4.8.

Find an old s3 SWB landy and throw in ya GMH lump at least ya can rip the roof off in the summer time tho u should fit some rangie raitos and arb centers and use the auto to a LT230t T case

nzdarin wrote:

Ruffy wrote:

Dee wrote:If you want a project you can throw a VH45 in my GU wagon for me...

(no you cant keep it when your finished )

Why the heck would you want to do that????????????? The 4.8 has better figures.
A GU is Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too heavy for a VH45.
A VH45 would be schweet in a navara

How do you figure a GU is way to heavy for a VH?
The 4.8 has 20kw less power and only 10nm more torque in standard form than a VH45. The VH has 80% of its torque at 2000rpm and 90% at the factry 6900rpm redline.
Don't confuse a VH with a Lexus V8 as they are very different motors. The VH has torque and can be driven at low revs and is far stronger than a 4.8.

For what it would cost to put a VH45 into a GU i would think it would be far more efficient to Turbo the 4.8. My point wasn't that the conversion wouldn't work, but rather it wouldn't be economical to do it. If you were going to spend that sort of coin i reckon youd be disappointed with result

Ruffy wrote:

nzdarin wrote:

Ruffy wrote:

Dee wrote:If you want a project you can throw a VH45 in my GU wagon for me...

(no you cant keep it when your finished )

Why the heck would you want to do that????????????? The 4.8 has better figures.
A GU is Waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy too heavy for a VH45.
A VH45 would be schweet in a navara

How do you figure a GU is way to heavy for a VH?
The 4.8 has 20kw less power and only 10nm more torque in standard form than a VH45. The VH has 80% of its torque at 2000rpm and 90% at the factry 6900rpm redline.
Don't confuse a VH with a Lexus V8 as they are very different motors. The VH has torque and can be driven at low revs and is far stronger than a 4.8.

For what it would cost to put a VH45 into a GU i would think it would be far more efficient to Turbo the 4.8. My point wasn't that the conversion wouldn't work, but rather it wouldn't be economical to do it. If you were going to spend that sort of coin i reckon youd be disappointed with result

Yeah taking a 4.8 out and replacing with a VH wouldn't be a very smart thing to do. Like you say, turbo the 4.8 would give much more bang for buck!!! But if you had to fit a 4.8 in then the cost of he 4.8 verses the VH would make the VH a possibility. VH's are very cheap to buy and if you are smart about it you could fit it quite cheaply ie factory ecu etc. It has been done plenty of times now so finding out what to do is pretty easy.

Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

Ruffy wrote:Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

If I was going to the cost, trouble & effort of an engine conversion, it may as well be a VH45.
Something a bit different from every other chev/holden converted fourby out there, its V8 and its nissan. enough for me...

Dee wrote:

Ruffy wrote:Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

If I was going to the cost, trouble & effort of an engine conversion, it may as well be a VH45.
Something a bit different from every other chev/holden converted fourby out there, its V8 and its nissan. enough for me...

My point Exactly. If you want something different then put what ever you want in. But if you want it to improve the vehicle considerably that's a different story. You want a VH45 to be different and keep it all Nissan, so you're happy not to have any major performance increase, That's fine. If you wanted it to boogie then you'd fit a GenIII. That's why they're popular, it works well!....

The VH has plenty of scope for improvement. By the time you fit new manifolds and give it some air it will have 250kw so it is all relative. My one has 280 rwkw and that is a standard motor with a turbo bolted on. Sure it has very good electronics and tune but once it has bigger injectors and it can rev to factory revs of 6900 not the 6000 it is currently restricted to, then 300+rwkw is quite easily produced. Currently the VVT isn't even being used!

Chev's are popular because they are popular. That means you can do anything to them easily and cheaply because it has always been done before. So that makes them a good choice, you'd have to be an idiot not to consider one. I did but I liked the idea of staying Nissan and out of the box the VH is a far far stronger motor than any factory Chev. 6 bolt mains, forged bottom end, the block is cross braced and it runs a bearing girdle rather than individual caps, VVT. quad cam, roller followers. You can run 10psi boost and 7500rpm without touching the engine! The factory ecu can safety be tuned to run 8 psi.

People often compare a VH to a Lexus. There is no comparison other than they are both Jap alloy V8's. The Lexus doesn't have the torque or anywhere near the strength on the VH. And so has nowhere near the potential.

Ruffy wrote:

Dee wrote:

Ruffy wrote:Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

If I was going to the cost, trouble & effort of an engine conversion, it may as well be a VH45.
Something a bit different from every other chev/holden converted fourby out there, its V8 and its nissan. enough for me...

You want a VH45 to be different and keep it all Nissan, so you're happy not to have any major performance increase, That's fine.

Yeah, understand what your saying ruffy. Im not runnin a 4.8 though, so i'm pretty sure the performance increase from a 3.0TD would be major enough...

nzdarin wrote:6 bolt mains, forged bottom end, the block is cross braced and it runs a bearing girdle rather than individual caps, VVT. quad cam, roller followers. You can run 10psi boost and 7500rpm without touching the engine! The factory ecu can safety be tuned to run 8 psi.

Especially when this is the case keeps options for boost pretty open for the future.
I did a fair bit of reading up on these engines a while back, and your right nzdarin, no comparison whatsoever to the 1UZ...
Are you pretty happy with the conversion? Any vids? (not planning on doing this conversion, yet, but one can dream cant they? )

nzdarin wrote:People often compare a VH to a Lexus. There is no comparison other than they are both Jap alloy V8's. The Lexus doesn't have the torque or anywhere near the strength on the VH. And so has nowhere near the potential.

I agree, comparing the UZ and the VH is like comparing apples to potatoes, there is no comparison. I rate the UZ right up the with holden 253's as an engine that is a waste of time in anything that will gross more than 1800kg.
Oh and don't forget you beat displacement for power and chev have more than VH's. A snail on a GENIII will pump out 450 safely with no bottom end strengthening, but we weren't comparing forced induction conversions.

go have a look at the grand cherokee srt 8

6.1l hemi v8 - 600nm - multi displacement engine

0-100 in less than 6 seconds back to 0 in less than 10

they are a beast

should be the occasional one on the second hand market now been here for 2 years now

if you love power these have no equal as a std rigg

tasar wrote:go have a look at the grand cherokee srt 8

6.1l hemi v8 - 600nm - multi displacement engine

0-100 in less than 6 seconds back to 0 in less than 10

they are a beast

should be the occasional one on the second hand market now been here for 2 years now

if you love power these have no equal as a std rigg

they are sweet huh...

Ruffy wrote:Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

only if you like to rev... and rev... and rev... then let the clutch out (the gen 3 has bugger all torque down low... it's noticeable in a commo, let alone a GU...) the VH sounds interesting. i've never actually heard of em.

Do they bolt up to any factory patrol boxes, or do you need the conversion kit?

tasar wrote:go have a look at the grand cherokee srt 8

6.1l hemi v8 - 600nm - multi displacement engine

That's not all that impressive. less than 100nm/litre. Ford manages 550NM from 4 litres and 2 less cylinders.

bad_religion_au wrote:only if you like to rev... and rev... and rev... then let the clutch out (the gen 3 has bugger all torque down low... it's noticeable in a commo, let alone a GU...)

It's an engine management issue not an engine issue. If they come out of the factory with shitloads of low down torque they'd be blowing CV's and tranny's left, right and centre.
If you talk apples to apples and do the same mods to a GENIII that you do to a VH then the GENIII will come up trumps everytime.
I'm not saying VH's are shite, not by a long shot, they're a great motor.

bad_religion_au wrote:

Ruffy wrote:Yeah if you had a GU with No engine a VH could be a consideration.
I still think a GU deserves a GenIII or similar to get it moving.

only if you like to rev... and rev... and rev... then let the clutch out (the gen 3 has bugger all torque down low... it's noticeable in a commo, let alone a GU...) the VH sounds interesting. i've never actually heard of em.

Do they bolt up to any factory patrol boxes, or do you need the conversion kit?

The VH uses the same auto as a Patrol!