There are 580 reasons to do this.

Well the time has certainly come to decide on a power plant, and I presume the image to the left caught your eye, hence the element of surprise is lost somewhat by now.

So here it is.

The all aluminium Chevrolet Performance LSA, 6.2L Supercharged V8.

 

 

"But its a LS conversion, everyone does a LS conversion..." 

 
Do they?. Well, I am aware of the loathing in certain points of the community towards the USDM engines, the Chevrolet, Ford and Mopar gear, but is it really justified?.

Is there a engine you can buy new today, that makes such power / torque with this reliability, low weight, short block length with so much aftermarket support?.

Ive thought about this, and the answer is no. While some engines tick a box or two, they are too long, or heavy, or have no parts backup. I was considering going the Nissan DOHC VK56 V8 and a Whipple charger, but im a little tired of hand making every single part. Im happy to build a car but im tired of re-inventing the wheel all the time because I wanted something no-one else has.

Secondly, ive never been a fan of low torque clutch kicking engines, this I realised more and more with my 180SX (CA18DET) I had in Europe. Its cool but its '2003' cool, hence why I went to the TB48DET option some time ago, I wanted the torque. I know there are a lot of SR20 people now cursing out the monitor, but in all honesty, I need the torque with all that will be going on in the car with my disability aswell, feet, hands. The last thing I want is to be kicking clutches and waking it up mid turns.

So the options were

• LS3, and at 430hp N/A a fine motor to run. Down the line that has two sub options, High comp 13:1 E85 N/A and bump it to 416cubes or such, with a individual throttle body setup and try to get my own version of a SBC sprintcar / Nascar motor in a LS, something very snappy and ready to fight. This isn’t a cheap option to build on-top of the original cost of the engine.
  
  The next option is a 2.9L Whipple and thats $7k (USD) and another engine build ontop of that, so again were talking big numbers invested.

Or

• LSA. At 580hp (AU HSV version. US version is 556hp) its already a incredibly impressive setup that has a smooth torque curve and will be a charm to drift. This has its own sub-options but they are far easier to attain for now, where you can add a cam, pulley, injectors (depending in base pressure) and you’re already into the 700hp range on E85.   

Of course down the line I may go a Whipple charger on-top, but from now till then this seems to be a far better option.Turbocharging is my #1 method of fast engines, but I didn’t want a drifter with turbos, a maze of manifolds, lines, intakes ... too much to go too wrong and make you regret doing it. This is exactly why I originally wanted a high comp LS3/7 setup, simple. Oil goes in here, water goes in there, fuel goes in that and you turn the IGN on.


With the contradicting selling point of the drift community on one hand saying "bring what you got" as in chassis and engine combos, but then saying "... and no you cannot cut the firewall", you are essentially giving people the option of tired SR20's, long and heavy 2JZ's that cant be set back, or V8's ... that clearly people dislike, just so they can dislike.

Yes there are other set-ups no doubt, but its far from a generous selection of setups. Take Formula Drift US, how many SR's are left in that ?. Soon it will be the same for RB and JZ motors, and its going to be the LS cup.


Sure I could have gone 2JZ-GTE, but I have such a moral problem with a Toyota engine in a Nissan. Thats like a LS in a Mustang, ask either community what they think of that combo and the answers get ugly. Secondly, id spend the whole amount building a tired 2JZ on what I spent to purchase the LSA.

And the LSA is still unique in my opinion.

18 + 26 = 48 ... right ?

So the original thought for the skyline was running the massively under-rated and least likes Nissan CA18DET. 

This had a inspiring effect, it would alienate me while really annoying the hell out of the Skyline community, and get cheers from the ill-represented CA powered Silvia / 180SX community.

Its like dating the hottest girl in school. Some would love you for it, and some would hate your guts.

Its a great motor, sadly its not shown in its correct fashion at most times, because if its mis-treatment because its a one day "swap for a SR / RB when it finally blows up". Sure they have faults, and like any motor they can be ironed out.

 

LM-3218

V-mounted cooling with more to go back !

The original plan was to have it as a dual purpose car, for circuit, and for drift. Saying that, i dont have the money to race circuit, and ill be modifying it in a way that it wont be for circuit use in any class it would have a chance of winning, so dropping the whole circuit part. That will perhaps one day be a whole new chapter, starting with the line of ... "Toyota Echo (Yaris) .... ".

So now its a drifter only, lets go crazy, what suits my methods of fabrication where i can let my imagination do its thing, rather than a rulebook to divert me.

 

Problem #1 : Eventual peak power & reliability

I had planned with the CA18DET to run a build 500hp, and a car that weighs 1200kg or less. Both were achievable. Pulling the line RB20DE 6cyl out was a great start to dropping weight, but the CA18 at 500hp would need a freshen up once a season, providing nothing fails sooner, and its limited to that, for good.

Sure there are 700hp CA's around, but 6 seconds once a year on a dyno pull for a car show doesnt count as a race car in my book.

So 500 is a roof for that motor on the euro 4-port head in terms of actually using it ... then there is the next problem, torque.

 

Solution to problem #1 : Now problem #2 !

Thats a easy fix, RB26DETT (single T). tried, tested, incredibly fast. Thats a problem on its own tho ... RB26, really ?. Its been done a million times, AND they are expensive to buy, and rather weak standard, especially for motorsport use. So you need to pour considerable cash into it still. Thats something i know is the truth with any motor for punishable motorsport like drifting, your on something if you buy used motors from Japan and drop them in to expect big hp and reliability.

But its so bland ....

"2JZ-GTE ???". Never. I love Toyota engines, 3S, 1JZ, 2JZ, 3UZ etc ... but i dont like cross dressing. Not when one is a Nissan and the other is a Toyota, as both have incredible powerplants. So what else ?. VH45 ?. Cant put turbos onto and have a functional engine bay. Then the phone call.

 

Solution to problem #1 & #2 : Lets go off-roading instead !

Nissan's 4.8L Patrol engine

During a call to a friend and il Presidente, Glenn Campbell, the idea of running a Nissan TB48DE came up in conversation, the 4.8L Nissan Patrol straight 6.

NOW THATS not bland !. And would be a LOT of fun. It ticks all the boxes ... easy 700ps, can be made to rev, has incredible displacement, has even more incredible torque, and is known for reliability. What else do we need ?.

The initial outlay is big dollars, and then what gearbox to go behind ?. Then there is a expensive engine build, but once done, its like bringing a Gatling gun to a gun fight.

The LM-3248 is born

When ive done builds in the past, named cars or performed cool engine swaps, i have always taken a fusion of the chassis, and the engine to make a model name. The ISR LM-3218 is a ISR 'L'imited 'M'odel '32' (R32 Skyline chassis) '18' (CA'18'DET). Thus hence now the new, '48' rename.

Its sad in a way, i really wanted to lower the CA down, push it right back into the firewall, and i know the car would be INCREDIBLE. However, i need more a car for the drift setup, than circuit.Now to put the chassis onto a portable dolly, and were in business.

For your TB48 viewing pleasure ...