In the 1986 issue of the NISMO catalog there's a picture
of an FJ20 that looks to me like an F2 or F3 racing engine.
I dont have this catalog anymore. Cant keep all junk around.
It's a short stroke engine that can rev as high as you
want and even the stock 145 hp makes a nice mechanical
noise. It's no sewing machine sound. The bottom end is
really strong too. All of this makes it a heavy engine
compared to the SR20 and there's the issue of buying
parts for it. You will need a source in Japan. Also, the
FJ20 was the Skyline engine up to 1988.
Whatever engine you pick for the swap there will always
be somebody else faster than your car. Go for whatever
makes sense and looks good.
The FJ20 has been installed in Roadsters before but
nobody will do the engine swap I'm doing.
Thomas
Brian Hollands wrote:
> Warning: Long
> I actually started this off the list just to get some info because I could
> not get the picture of Ron Hamilton's FJ20 equipped Roadster out of my mind.
> I was literally thinking about it in bed at night. Not normal, I know but I
> think we've covered that topic dealing with Diana's issues (Diana - this is
> what you've got to look forward to - You thought choosing wallpaper was
> tough?). I do love my U20 and plan on keeping it in my 69 but that FJ20 is
> a work of art. It looks like sculpture under the hood. Looks like that
> combined with more power than I can muster out of a normally aspirated U20
> is very intoxicating to me.
> I definitely have the hots for doing one of these conversions but - as I
> can't bring myself to alter my 2000 - I would need another Roadster to build
> this Ultimate Roadster. Therein lies the dilemma. I know that several
> folks on the list have more than one car. As Paul said last week though -
> once you've built that model once, do you want to build it again? I never
> did either. Then of course I went out and bought that DAMN issue of Chevy
> High Performance with the GM alternator conversion article in it that was
> mentioned on the list and of course that had a small block build up with
> these groovy new heads on it that dyno'd out at 444HP which seriously
> re-ignited my desire for a V8 Z car. I already have the Z and we all know
> that the small block is the cheapest HP there is. This of course is all
> secondary to the E-type and 911 addiction that I've been fighting for over a
> decade. This is why I laughed quite a bit at Victor's post that Diana's
> problem was that she's asking the junkies if she should kick the habit.
> That brought it all home - I am a JUNKIE. No doubt about it.
> Sooooo. What will I do? My heart (and my Cohones) say do the turbo FJ20
> and scare the ever-loving shit out of yourself and anyone else within 5
> miles. My brain echo's Mike's thoughts - Trade one worn-out engine that's
> difficult and expensive to get parts for, for another one that's even worse?
> My wallet says get your but off this damn mailing list. I believe at this
> point that I am going to skip the FJ20 conversion - brand me a wimp, I
> accept it. I think the V8 Z car will come first. Air Conditioning is nice
> in Florida and after the last 2 summers without I think I'm due for a little
> A/C with my next project. Afterward I will consider doing a swap (with big
> fender flares to put big tires under to get that power to the ground) but
> most likely with the SR20. Given the knowledge that I can make the SR20
> more powerful than any sane (in a relative junkie sort of a context) person
> would really want in a street driven Roadster and can do it with an engine
> that I don't have to import and can buy parts for, the SR20 just makes more
> sense - even if it isn't the piece of sculpture that the FJ20 is.
> Ron - Don't ever sell your car. But if you do - Call me first.
>
> Brian
>
> By the way - Thanks very much to all those who responded to my initial
> queries.
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