280ZX Styling: Racecar Problems

[JDSM]

Righto, in order to motivate myself to work on the car and also to stop being such a lurker, I thought I’d finally start the build thread for my ’82 280ZX. I’m pretty bad at taking pictures regularly, so it’s a bit of a novel…

 

A little background first…

 

 

When I first bought the 280, I knew nothing at all about cars (I was 17 at the time). So much so, I was about to buy a Fiat X1/9, which would have been a horrible decision, looking back. Long story short, the seller rescinded on a stat dec I got him to sign confirming the purchase and I was without a car again. Then I saw a this 280ZX for sale the same day. I went to look at it and then bought it for about $1500 a few minutes later. If I’d bothered to look, the car had no oil in it and if I had touched the radiator, my finger would have gone through. Other than that and the part-patina’d, part ancient reprayed paint it wasn’t too bad. Oh and some bright spark had lost one whole side of the body mouldings and decided to paint a black strip there instead, great idea.

 

A pic of it when I was moving house...

 

It was probably a bad starting point for what was meant to be a daily at the time. The car overheated multiple times, once the engine shut down and there was some insane engine knock ( I didn’t understand what a temp gauge was –haha) and I was soon realising I was in too deep.

 

Flash forward a year or so, and the car managed to teach me how most parts on the car work and how to fix them, by breaking. Luckily, I had one mate who knew cars and had a workshop I could use, so I got things like a manual conversion, new radiator, dissy cap, new tokickos, etc etc sorted in the early years and actually managed to learn something (imagine that!).

 

While all this was happening, I also was occasioned the chance to learn those crash statistics  about red cars are true. To this date, the Z has been a write-off three times, so don’t buy it if I try and sell it haha.

 

The first was the morning  after this incident (the ladies can’t resist, who could blame them  ) An Indian bloke reversed into the car at a fair speed while I was passed out in the passenger seat after a party. Luckily, he came back.... and apparently I'm a pretty heavy sleeper (or drinker?) as the crash didn't wake me up

 

 

UPDATED: Pictures of the actual damage. Still haven't replaced that grill 

 

 

 

Then a lovely young lass rear ended me on the way to work (no pics of that one).

 

Lastly, a mate and I were driving across the Hay Plain (at dusk!) and he hit a roo at what he thought was about 130km/ph while driving. I was resting my eyes at the time, so it was pretty amusing to open them to see a roo hit the car, arc over the roof and then land behind us. My mate then proceeded to ‘park’ the car at high speed into some farmer’s field.  We waited all night for a tow and were surprised by cops waking us the next morning, taping on the targas and asking us what we were doing buried in grass in a field. Ended up pulling the car out ourselves in half a day and driving it all the way back to Adelaide. Who says 30 year old cars aren't safe?

 

 

So after all that, the insurance money I had accumulated from the accidents allowed me to paint the whole car and learn how to prep and spray from an accommodating panel beater who’s now a good mate who lets me use his panel shop when I need. I’d say it was worth the stress… maybe. We cut the rust out we could find and gave her a nice new coat. Also deleted the boot lock, pretty sure I like it. Most of the rear of the car was bog and rust, so I learnt a fair bit.

 

Still not happy how this came out...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then came the engine, which dropped a head gasket and gave me carbon monoxide poisoning before I could get out of the car, pretty cool, eh?

 

I sourced a P90 from Brissy and picked up a race-prepped and shaved F54 for a song. Some higher comp flat-top pistons came from Jason (Cheers!), heat wrapped headers from Owen (also cheers) and a new dissy from the States (it would have been cool to refurbish the one I had, but it had no advance and looked complicated – haha – one day). I have a spare dissy brand new from the States if anyone wants one. They sent me two, how's that for service?!

 

Also, thanks to Owen for sending me all of those odds and ends. I used most things and the excess ‘bling’, as you put it, went on a mate’s Bayside Blue R33, nice and rice

 

Lately I’ve done a calliper rebuild all round, with new pads and braided lines and all that good stuff. Thrown a Nardi rep and a heavier Trust gear knob on for  Right now, I’m finishing the last of the painting I’ll do for a while: re-blacking the window surround and hitting the scuttle with some colour. Can’t decide whether to black all of the chrome, but the front chrome was already ruined by the PO, so why not.

 

 

I’ll take some pics when I get around to taking it home this week. Exam time, so I’m pretty busy at the mo.

 

Future Plans:

-Try to put on the RKRs I got cheap, if not replace with Wats. They are 17s, so not perfect in my opinion, but they look pretty good...

 

 

-Get some sticky tyres and maybe some strut braces, hope to have it ready for hillclimbs at Collingrove by Summer. A mate’s dad hillclimbs an old 911 there regularly, so I look forward to showing him what the ‘Jap crap’ competition can do, haha.

-Go L28ET. Got a line on some optical dissy and have some more suitable injectors in storage... other than I'll need a turbo manifold I guess... I've done a lot of reading, but some hand-holding here would be appreciated, what are people running in re. Aussie L28ETs.

-3-4 years time: pull everything off the car and have at it with a welder, etc. I’ll do the job properly once I have the space to do it at home as the under body of the car is pretty darn ugly. Also, the interior is pretty dismal too, so some period seats will go in.

 

For now though, the Z is back on daily duties as the gf needs my Liberty for her new job. I’m pretty stoked to be back in it every day, aw yeh!

 

It still has a lot of what my gf coined  as 'Racecar problems', but it's not an auto Corolla, so it does the job, haha

[imackz]

fantastic to see another 280zx getting some loving, (not by those pretty girls either)

look forward to seeing it blossom, we all have encountered our fair share of rebuild joys with our 280zx, at least yours looks pretty straightforward

 

Regards Iain 

[ZED83]

Howdy stranger! 

 

Happy to help a fellow ZX owner.

If you get stuck with anything there's plenty of great advice hear, lots of people happy to help. 

Blue seems to be a target colour also I've been hit twice  :-\ must be a ZX thing! Think weave all gone through what your experiencing! Keep up the good work Jamie you'll appreciate your car a lot more doing as much work yourself.

 

 

Owen

[luvemfast]

Great to see another barge getting some love!

What size RKR's you got? I've got some Wats, 16x7 16x8, I was thinking of going to 17's for tyre selection.

Have a look at my build in signature, we might be able to do a deal 

[JDSM]

Cheers for the support blokes. Don't worry, the rate at which the early Z boys etc are destroying 280ZXs they're going to be rarer than 240zs and 260zs, so I hope my efforts will pay off. Not crossing my fingers though considering how they look in comparison, haha

 

Great to see another barge getting some love!

What size RKR's you got? I've got some Wats, 16x7 16x8, I was thinking of going to 17's for tyre selection.

Have a look at my build in signature, we might be able to do a deal 

 

My RKRs are:

17 x 9.5 -5

17 x 9 -10

 

If my chicken scratchings are correct, they probably wont fit, but I'm willing to look at small spacers and rolling the guards, which should hopefully be easy. Shouldn't have bought them, but I just had to. I'll get my hands on the car this weekend and test fit them, but I don't think I'm too far off with my guestimations. I had the same thought re. the tyre availability, sooooo many good cheap wide tyres, especially compared to my 14s, which I love, but you can only get econobox tyres for these days it seems. I'll let you know if I give up on them, if you want to have a go. I like your Wats, but I'm not sure they have enough offset to satisfy the fanboy inside of me. More offsets and lows, bro! I hate what I've become. Then again, they look nicer than 17s imo.

[Zedman240®]

Welcome...

Nice entertaining read!

 

With some older cars, smaller wheels seem to suit better than larger ones. I'd like to stick to around 16"- 17" max.

[bullzed]

17 x 9.5 -5

17 x 9 -10

 

If my chicken scratchings are correct, they probably wont fit

 

Hey man,

 

You'll have problems both front and rear if you're running standard struts, especially with 17's afaik. How low are you going exactly? Cause it's possible to squeeze 10J -47's under the rear with a decent guard roll and low, and an 8J -37 with completely standard guards in the front. In my opinion I wouldn't go over 16's on a Z, they start to look like a rollerskate if you get too big.  Good to see another ZX driver around, too bad there aren't many in QLD.

 

Zac

[JDSM]

The 17s are stepped so they don't LOOK as big as they actually are. Tyre availability is tempting, but I'll see how I go. There seems to be a few Wat replicas going around these days, so that's my second option.

 

Hey man,

 

Good to see another ZX driver around, too bad there aren't many in QLD.

 

Zac

 

You should come to Adelaide, there are heaps here... oh wait, no there aren't any. Literally see more s30s. This time capsule parked on my street around Fringe and I occasionally see it on the ring route, but that's really it.

 

 

Plans for this one will involve s13 coilovers at some stage, but not in the near future. It's low enough that I cant get in my driveway, literally. I think the springs are the lowest that Kings go, can't remember if that's super low or what. There's no such thing as too low, as you should know, Zac

 

[JDSM]

Oh, and also, I'm not aware of anyone hillclimbing 280ZXs, but if anyone has any advice on what I should spend on to get the best 'bang for my buck'. I was thinking suspension sorted (for now), brakes sorted, next rigidity and sticky tyres, and lastly, more power....

 

Maybe I'll work with something like this for the last one.

 

http://page13.auctions.yahoo.co.jp/jp/auction/r101898726

 

 

Tempting, but unlikely.

 

Last exam on Wednesday, so pics will be up of the so-far completed product around then. I'll try and mock up those wheels, too. Too much fender pulling and too larger spacers and I'll give up, but it will be much easier to see by playing with them, rather running the sums.

 

[bullzed]

I have been so tempted to snap up that TT manifold for the last 6 months haha. There's another one up as well for a little cheaper but the wastegate pipe literally vents through the front quarter LOL. Don't think I'd have the police on my side if I drove around venting straight into pedestrians.

 

Yeah in terms of height, I know your feels. I got banked at work today and had to mosh to get it moving again. Awesome when it's in 5pm traffic. There is always more room to go lower though haha.

 

I've done S13 in the rear, pretty damn easy considering it was just swapping the top hats, in the front end, I have a friend who has played around with S13 front end into a ZX, and turns out it limits camber to ONLY positive camber, so will need a LOT of modification to actually get them in there. Personally I think the easiest way is sectioning the strut and welding in coilover sleeves.

[bullzed]

An Indian bloke reversed into the car at a fair speed while I was passed out in the passenger seat after a party.

 

Also thought I'd put it out there, I've slept drunk in my Z 3 times to date, twice without the t-tops on. Not all that comfortable.

[luvemfast]

Hate to be the fun police........

But I think it may be illegal to sleep in your car drunk. Unless you don't have the keys on you.

And I don't recommend hiding the keys before you go to sleep..............

[JDSM]

Hate to be the fun police........

But I think it may be illegal to sleep in your car drunk. Unless you don't have the keys on you.

And I don't recommend hiding the keys before you go to sleep..............

 

Not sure about the laws for you easterners,  but it's fine in SA as long as you aren't driving or attempting to put a vehicle in motion. Some states can get pretty funny about sleeping on public property, though depending on where you are. That time was in a backstreet in a quiet hills suburb near a reserve and a mates property, so who knows...

 

Also thought I'd put it out there, I've slept drunk in my Z 3 times to date, twice without the t-tops on. Not all that comfortable.

 

Each time I sleep that goddamn car, I say never again! All that glass makes it freezing, not to mention the space!

Personally I think the easiest way is sectioning the strut and welding in coilover sleeves.

 

Yeah, I was also looking at those Otomoto etc sleeve kits. Doesn't look too hard to do and you know you can't really run onto any issues as long as you get the right size.

 

TT would be so sweet, shame I'm incredibly poor. I just know I'll miss NA when I go turbo, but I've been borrowing my uncles Golf R every couple of weeks and, I hate to say it, but it's depressing how slow the Z is in comparison. I see turboing it as the most cost effective way to increase power. Don't even have to intercool the sucker for low boost applications. I've gotta beat that porker somehow! It'll be especially satisfying as my car has had next to.nothing spent on it in comparison. Maybe a little driver training is in order also... any volunteers who know Collingrove? Haha.

[bullzed]

As far as I know Simon it's okay as long as you have no intention and keys aren't in the ignition. As soon as keys touch the ignition you can be done for DUI. But then again it's not like I want to fight for the right to sleep in my Z, it's ridiculously uncomfortable and freezing anyway haha.

 

After you go triple carb, you won't want to go turbo. The sound is everything I swear. It makes the car feel faster, especially if you have an obnoxiously loud exhaust like myself. I'd love to do blow through TT triple carb setup, but being so unreliable is a massive problem. L28KAI, would be the bomb.

[JDSM]

But then again it's not like I want to fight for the right to sleep in my Z, it's ridiculously uncomfortable and freezing anyway haha.

 

This.

 

After you go triple carb, you won't want to go turbo. The sound is everything I swear. It makes the car feel faster, especially if you have an obnoxiously loud exhaust like myself. I'd love to do blow through TT triple carb setup, but being so unreliable is a massive problem. L28KAI, would be the bomb.

 

Would be nice, but my car isn't blue or a 280z Carbs would be nice, but I figure I'm going to invest iin an s30 or a ta22 in the next few years anyway, considering how prices are going. That can be my aural pleasure car.

 

On another note, finished the car this morning and drove it to uni. Had been sitting for a while so the tyres were flat, yay. Pumped them up and the car had an alarming pull to the left. Didn't end up looking at it as the pull eased off my the time I got to uni. Now it is a small pull as it normally is, which I dont notice unless I haven't driven it for a while.

 

I'll post some pics tonight, when I have time.

[JDSM]

 

Celebratory end of semester skids at uni. Jks, I wouldn't do that...

 

 

Need to put those tinted covers you gave me back on, Owen. Also, will paint te rocker cover this weekend. Red, silver Nissan letters, or black, silver Nissan letters? I'm thinking black...

[luvemfast]

Have a look in Whoray's build thread, Scuderia 280ZX.

It's red with red rocker cover.

 

[Alibaba]

 

You should come to Adelaide, there are heaps here...

 

I stole one and brought it over it vic

[JDSM]

Ok, so update time. I've been so poor and busy, I haven't had much time to fiddle with the car...

 

Having said that, I just picked up something I am pretty pumped about:

 

THE BRODOZER:

 

 

 

It's pretty darn ugly, but in a funny way I kind of like it. The real reason I bought it is that it has this inside:

 

 

 

 

I've picked it up sight unseen, and it has done a head gasket. Given the cost of transport for a non-moving vehicle, I've decided to sent it to a workshop or similar to get the head gasket done and the starter replaced. If it turns out its in decent mechanical condition I'll do something I've always wanted to do and drive across the Nullarbor back to Adelaide. Otherwise, I'll throw it on the back of a truck.

 

So, any WA boys with recommendations / advice? From my research, I'll probably get Martin Falconer to have a look at it, as he seems to have a good reputation:

 

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php?topic=12339.0

 

The plan is to swap the turbo engine over to the Z, then my N/A chugger can go in the Patrol, mmm low rpm torque. Doing this seems to be much more cost effective than building a L28ET from scratch as I've been doing and plus, if the block, etc is cactus, should be able to recoup my losses by parting the car out.

 

Only thing I'm curious about are the sumps. Without looking at the actual setups, I'm assuming the pickups will all be fine if I leave both in the respective vehicles; ie. swap just the engines. My L28 is a patrol block anywho, so I'm not really expecting many problems...

 

Cue people with helpful advice

 

[boyblunda]

I would just endorse your initial inclination to see Martin before you do anything in WA. He has a very quick turbo 280ZX, several developed Zeds, a fair stock of spares  and gets my first preference for any work to be done on my car/s - he has one of mine there at the moment and I will be dropping off a second car to him on Monday.

Dave