Well after a fun filled day at MSR Houston Road Coarse me and my friends were walking back to our cars taking pics of all of the cool cars and then we saw this 350Z and my friend ask "what is that car!" as we explained the car and it's engine while walking towards it my friend said "no it's a I4" and we were laughing at him until we saw the engine , we explained that regularly 350Z's are V6 but this one is special.....







We were dumbfounded as this being the first I4 350z we've seen, so why the swap? for better agility around each corner? or for other reasons?

 

WOW, a KA24. Well, if it was turbo'ed, then it has more torque than the SR20. But I have no idea why a swap from the VQ.

 

weird. Less weight I guess?

 

I thought I've read that VQs don't handle high amounts of boost very well. Maybe they are going for a lot of boost?

 

there's not much 350z left in that car.

 

Did you ask the guy? I bet he would have been happy to answer. I'm guessing see how far back the engine is its helping the f/r ratio, along with others things said in here.

 

 

I've seen on a TV show years ago that had a 350Z engine swapped out for the one in the Silvia. The car was used for drifting. In the TV show, they mentioned that it gave the car better center of gravity (50/50) and being able to keep the revs up in the power band...

 

They might have just re-bodied an old race car that had the drivetrain in it already...

 

VERY SICK!!

Makes me wanna put a B18C5 in my TL..... uh...

 

We were dumbfounded and w/ our jaws to the floor in shock, plus the guys look'd pretty busy, they were just done slapping the whole engine together. I'm guessing it was for better cornering ability, but I really have no idea why because the MSR Houston course has enough straightaways for them to be able to enjoy the power of a VQ, unless the VQ just weighs soo much that it was worth the sacrifice.

edit: i also have more pics from the day but I dont think they're as interesting as the I4 350z.

 

thats a weird swap IMO

 

Assuming they make about the same power, a lightweight, high revving I4 is more preferable than a v6/I6 for a track car.

It is also possible that 350Z participates in some races which has restrictions such as the number cylinders...

but all of this is not new, for example if you look at cars like the Castrol Tom's Supra GT and such.

 

Yup. Look at the wheels... they're all 4-lug.

 

Reminds me of the 2JZ powered S2k.

 

I don't know much about the SCCA but do they have restrictions like that??? Because the day I was there (I did not see the 350z race) I saw a Supra, Miata, BMW 3xx and others in the same race and the Supra had it's I6 and the Miata was still a 4 banger yet they were in the same race.... So maybe there's a 4 cyllinder only class but then why a 350z if there is such a class... this whole thing confuses me >.<

 

Do you have more pictures of the interior?
As one of the others stated, the wheels are still a 4 lug bolt pattern; either it's not a 350Z, or they were seriously trying to save every pound they could.

I did a 4X114.3 "JDM ITR" brake comparison to a 5X114.3 "USDM ITR" brake setup in weight, and the 4X114.3 came out to be almost 65 pounds heavier.
The 4X114.3 brake setup was 100% stock, and the 5X114.3 brakes had lighter rotors, and studs.. who knows could just be a super weight savings tactic.

 

btw, there is a Z w/ an SR20 around here that does a lot of drifting events

 

btw, i'm with greenie, this is definately just a rebodied track car

 

No so more interior shots but here some other ones (they prolly won't help tho but it's worth a shot)


^ Shows some suspension


^ teh hood


^ A clearer and closer shot of the body itself

also what is a "rebodied track car"?

 

sorry but I didn't get any more interior shots but here some other ones (they prolly won't help tho but it's worth a shot)


^ Shows some suspension


^ teh hood


^ A clearer and closer shot of the body itself

also what is a "rebodied track car"?

 

it's most likely an old Z or something w/ new Z body (that's what a rebodied track car would be).


Look at the engine bay...no way that was ever a 350 Z Might even be a tube frame car

 

It's a tube frame car with a fiberglass body.

 

sorry for the double post, my browser acted up.....

V - Tube Frame Car?

 

Hrm well it seems to be the general consensus that the 350Z isnt' a 350z, so I'll go w/ that answer.

 

know, that's a caterham 7

 

yup tube.

looks nice though.

 

Yeah since the tail lights and headlights are stickers, that only further supports the speculations..

 

interesting...k24 on z.