FE-FC Holden Discussion Forum

I am currently searching for a suitable FC ute, but will tolerate an FE if necessary, with a plan to fit a Nissan RB30 turbo engine and box from a VL turbo. The diff will either be nine-inch or VL turbo also. Intercooling is also planned if space permits.
Has anybody tried or completed this conversion ?
What major dramas were encountered ?
Any advice is welcome. I know that a Jap engine in a Holden is sacrilege, but I'm after usable grunt, and economy for a daily driver. It will probably never see show status, and audible blow-off valves will NOT be fitted.

Welcome to the Forum Chesy.

there has been some discussion on this topic in the past. Go to search at the top of the page and search for the "exact phrase "RB 30" over the past 365 days. Will give you some info pretty quick.

Cheers,

Craig.

I'm actually in the process of stripping down a 89 skyline for the same purpose albeit without the turbo.

Rod shop have the modified sump and tunnel hump ready to weld in / bolt on as the case may be.

have a look at the volvo diffs rather than the vl/skyline diff or 9" less mods req'd

From what I've measured so far you'd be hard pressed to fit an intrercooler unless you heavily modify the radiator crossmemeber as the motor's ~3" longer than a red.

Jezz

Thanks guys
I found the earlier discussion just after i posted this query.......and yeah,  a volvo diff sounds like th go. I havent heard of them ever breaking, they have the same stud pattern as the early holdens, and come standard with discs and 2 spot calipers. Makes a lot of sense.
I was thinking along the lines of one of the new water-air intercoler set ups. The ones I was lookin at were a fully self-contained system, so they can mount anywhere. Got their own separate water tank and all.
Thanks heaps guys.......will be in touch

Maybe I should be lookin towards a supercharged commodore V6..........with an intercooler. What sorta gains would the intercooler give then ?? Is it worth the trouble ? I cant see why the supercharger would be a problem.......there should be enough height under an FC bonnet.........surely.

I admit I dont know alot about intercoolers.. but arent they supposed to decrease the heat of the intake air, thereby producing a denser air?

if this is the case, intercooling would be more applicable (or necessary) for a turbo rather than a supercharger??

In either case the RB30 or V6 is a good swap which by all accounts fits well... my only advice is to have a plan and stick to it, triple the budget and double the time...

I would seriously think about throwing in a 265 hemi to get the show moving along... (quite often my ideas are a little far fetched tho).

I hope this is of some help.

Cheers

Ed

Hi.
I may be a bit late in posting this on this discussion, but there is an FC ute (with an FE front clip) down here in TAS. It is currently running an RB30 Nissan motor. I have no idea if it is legally engineered, but let me assure you, it fair frigging flies!!! Very fast indeed. You would  have to see this car to believe it. A bit rough, but rockets along.
RJ

Hi Chesy,

Am currently doing this conversion now (RB30 and auto).  It has been basically a "bolt in" operation so far.  HR front end with the mounts moved back to suit a red motor, hadfield engine mounts and sump, had a new gearbox member made, used the VL diff somewhat shortened, modified the VL radiator and used the complete VL loom.  Tunnel needs to be made larger otherwise no real cutting required.  Also used HQ stubs, rotors and calipers.  

Am hoping for a test drive by the end of august before stripping the whole thing again to detail and paint it (Black and red, of course).  Will let you know if anything does not work as it should, but so far so good.

Hey 4hammers, thanks for the clue on performance, now I really cant wait to get it going.  (very much tongue in cheek  ;), but i had to mention hadfield parts.....)

Should have some photo's to post of the rebuild soon including gearbox member and tunnel.  If anything is useful, give me a yell and will send measurements, etc, etc.

Good luck.
Graeme.

    Save yourself plenty of drama & fit a v6/automatic combo ex commodore. The engine bay is too short in a FC to give adequate length room comfortably. The V6 has more torque & a supercharger kit bolts on from rod shop easily. I have a turbo/VL rb30/5speed in my EH & there is JUST enough space- the FC is Not as long in the engine bay

Thanks guys. Haven't been in for a while, so maybe an update would be appreciated. I had a pair of FC utes lined up in Sydney, but when I turned up with the tilt-tray to collect em, the bastard had sold em, probably to one of you guys. So, it's back to the waitng game, while I find another suitable project item.
Thanks for the info anyway guys, and yeah, a supercharged V6 seems to be the simplest option, and possibly the cheapest ultimately. The naturally aspirated version of the Commodre V6 had plenty of gruntm so a supercharged one should be sufficiently scary for me.

There is a grey and white FC up in Newcastle That went from a grey to a VL motor (Non Turbo), I didnt really like the Idea of a Nissan motor but when he got it on the road I changed my mind.
The car idled quite and smooth but it hammered, I have seen it in action at the Newcastle on the burnout pad on a night when I was up there with my car, He also beet me mucking around on the street, I think he used a centura diff, the car was also running a 5 speed vl box and vl radiator.
FC's are much lighter than VL's and Skylines, infact I think there is about 6 or 700 kg more weight in the R-34 GTR skyline than a FC, maybe you should get something like the RB26DETT, I hear that there are a few of those engines pushing over 1000 hp wich would be good in a FC in situations were you might be late for work, club meetings or taking your missus to have a baby.
I have seen the 265 engines put in old holdens, I had a photo of a FB ute from the country that had a 265 wacked in when the grey died becuase it was the only motor they had around. I would say that they would have noticed quite a bit of extra power with the replacement engine, it would have been good with a set of triple webers, Although I think this motor come out of a Dodge truck, these are like one of the fastest 6 cylinder engines sold in Australia.
It would probably turn a few heads at shows if you had bonnet up aswell.
Last of all if you are willing to go japanese for the motor, I havent yet seen a Lexus V8 in a old holden yet, the 4 litre has more power than a holden 5 litre and it weighs alot less, it cant be to unreliable as lexus promises to put its owners in 1st class acomadation till their V8 saloon owners have there cars repaired in the case of a breakdown.
Ive seen these motors go for $2500 identical to those motors found in cars that sold for $140 000, they are quite, smooth, powerful, efficient and lite thanks to its alloy block and 32 valves. these motors were targeted at the US, this is were the US comes from in Lexus, the X is for export so its a jap motor but it was designed for America, it could probably sound different with a 3" exhaust out the side.