Bench racing fool.

[juxstapo]

Found a wrecked '81 280zx that obstensibly runs fine. Hood, one fender and most of the front clip is missing. Cancer around the door sills and around the hatch latch.. (just wanted an excuse to type "hatch latch", saying it outloud made me laugh.... I've not had much sleep lately).

Interior is seriously sun damaged but complete. Radiator is KIA as is the mount, (I'm assuming thats the correct term for the crosspiece the radiator sits on). Tires actually look like you could drive off on them.

 

Its sitting under a tree behind a nice lil' brick retirement cage, er.. house, with five acres of positively immaculately groomed lawn and landscaping surrounding it. A rather spry and sprightly looking woman of indeterminate age (white hair and lots of wrinkles but she looked like she could kick my six foot, hundred seventy-five pound ass with little trouble), answered the door and informed me that for $300 I could get that thing out of her lawn. She also said it was her husband's baby and he would be home later if I'd like to stop back by. I did so, and her husband, (equally white haired, wrinkled, and healthy looking), reminisced about the good old pre-wreck days driving his midlife crisis toy around and said he'd prolly never get around to fixing it and I could have it for $500... of course I harbored the ignoble thought "I'll just come back when your not home and buy it from your wife." :twisted:

 

Personally, despite the plethora of safety and performance improvements, I have to say I far the prefer the earlier bodies. So all this was leading up to the question; how difficult is an engine retrofit, an L28 in a '74 240z? I'm guessing the driveshaft behind the L28 might be too long for a 240? Did I hear something somewhere stating that the 280zx is a completely different car, underpinning wise?? So I might be harboring a pipe dream... All this is hypothetical until the new baby gets here and we get settled of course, but if its feasible enough my dad might front me a little cash.. (or I could sell the camaro I've got languishing with a bizarre wiring gremlin).

 

annnnd, in retrospect, I might've posted this in the wrong forum, if so, I sincerely apologize, it won't happen again.

[PZG302]

Juxtapo,

 

The L28 into a 240 shell is a quiute common swap over here in Aus.

 

Just pull the old L24 out and the L28 pretty much falls straight back in the hole. Depending on whether you want to run the injection or stick with carbs, the electrcal work is a little more, but again no real biggy to get sorted.

[juxstapo]

thx much PZG.

 

I've transplanted motors with my dad before so swapping an already running core would be much closer to my experience level instead of reviving a potentially frozen junker.

[luke_mcmahon85]

yeah, it's the same engine basically, just larger bore and stroke, so it fits nicely. you can use the gearbox as well, although i think you might have to cut a little bit of the tranny tunnel slash centre console in the 240 to accomodate the shifter. stick with the 240 carbs for simplicity and performance...the EFI will be a bit of a hassle, but not too much if you can be bothered

[24OZ]

if i were you i'd forget about cars and enrol in a philosophy course....either that or get more sleep :shock:

only joking,good luck with the conversion,the above posts have pretty much summed it up

[juxstapo]

Too right about the carbs, however the intake and exhaust manifolds were the only things actually missing from my zombie Z's (undead right now :wink: ). So I'd probably try to rig the EFI to start with.. of course like all little boys with big dreams I fantasize bout triple Webers one day.

 

Too late 240Z, I got excellent grades in philosophy. And sleep? With a 10 month old baby and a 7-month pregnant wife?? What is this thing you speak of?