NZeder

Nato is correct they do bolt up as do RB25DE head etc but again the many many issues. This has been done to death all over the internet on different forums.

And Gav don't for the that the L20ET was also used in a Zed the S130 in the JDM Fairlady Z Turbo. The L20a and L20aE along with the L20ET were used in a number of cars over the year within the Nissan stable. The Cedric's (230, 330, 430 etc), Laurel's (C31 - can't recall the other earlier body codes), Skyline's (C10, C110, C210, R30, some R31), Leopard's, Fairlady's (S30, S31, S130) and many many more but the L20ET came out in the early 80's so pretty much the later of the models listed above ie S130, 430, C31, R30. Gav I did not know the that C210 had the L20ET I would have thought this was too early. Re the C210 range there was also the C211 (facelift/Series II versions) Well we are lucky here in NZ to have a lot of JDM car = hence how I know this.

Don't stick the L20ET head on top of a L28 - why too small valves it will not flow enough for the extra 800cc. The L20ET head should be a 05L. Re how much power can you get from one. Well I know without the turbo a N/A L20a can and has made 200 RWHP yes 200 rear wheel horsepower. That was a full no expense spared race engine pulling to 9000rpm. The L20aE in the Fairlady Z S31 (having had one in the zed family stable) is rated at 130HP NET this vs the L24's 150HP NET. The L20ET is rated at 145HP NET. So with the normal prep work ie balancing, shot penning, port and head flow work etc I am sure you could get that at the wheels with not too much effort out of the L20ET. Now having said that if you are going to the expense of getting more HP from the L20ET might be better to spend the same $$ on a L28ET (ie use the L20ET exhaust manifold with a bigger turbo which you would do with the L20ET anyway but maybe not as big vs the L28ET) as you would get more HP for the $$. But don't let me influence you - your car/engine and $$ ie no one tells me how to spend my $$ (well the wife does get upset with the $$ I have spent on the zed and I still only have a bodyshell to show for it, well lots of parts in the roof and all around the place) And yes the L20ET intakes are different they do have smaller runners.

If I were you I would start looking over a downloaded copy of the DBA catalog (available from their website). given you have a R31 caliper mounting bracket already you can just make a bracket for whatever caliper you choice to run ie a wilwood or something that you can get better pads for or choice something like a Commodore/Falcon PBR type caliper that you can get the pads you need. Given you don't have a handbrake you have many many options going down this path. Pick a front rotor or rear rotor with the size/offset and solid or vented that you want then match the caliper to that. You can redrill any 5x114.3 rotor ie Falcon, Toyota, Nissan 300zx/200sx etc to 4x 114.3 with easy or chose a rotor from a car that already has 4x114.3 ie Mits VR4, EVO I II or III, then most Nissan FWD if using 4 are 4x114.3 too. The other option is (however this does not help with you pad problem) is use a 300zx rear rotor (larger than R31) then get the 300zx rear caliper bracket and put this on the existing R31 caliper = mounts the caliper higher for the larger 290mm rotor vs the R31 260mm. For the PAD issue visit a race brake shop and see if they can rivet on some good material on to your stock backing plates.

This is the 3rd time that it has been listed on "Trademe" About 12 months ago there was just a head with no valves, timing gear etc and he was asking around $4000 I think - I was told by Errol of datrats.com.au that it would cost about $10K for a complete head that is ready to go. So at $19K it is an ok buy.

That is sooooo true - no other car like a Z!!! I am 19 and I have owned 3 already (still have 2): 72 S30 - barely driven as heaps of rust' date=' 89 Z32 TT (had to be sold for financial reasons), and now I just got myself another 73 S30 - soon to be driven (need to find 240 carbs first!) [/quote'] thanks man - re the fever - it starts when you get your first zed and this in most infected cases is about age 19-21 (this is usually when the bank allows such a purchase) then as time goes by it gets worse. The symptoms step up a gear or two once you remove your first zed from the road to assist it with a common disease called rust. While you are taking care of your zed - the fever begins to burn - that yearning to drive a zed begins to build. Usually with a rush of blood to the head $$ is spent on another zed and the first zed still waits - getting more $$ spend once the rust repairs are complete. It begs for rebuild this and that, new bits, lots of new bits. Other zed pass through the household and the yearning continues so the does the constant search for parts, and maybe another zed........ .......... it continues. The fever has known to infect even those that think they are immune to ZED FEVER. You have been warned. RUN RUN now while you still have a chance (leaving the Zed to those who already have the fever)

I used to own a 280zx 2 seater as a daily driver a few year back - before moving to Australia for a few years. But this was a 79 - this car is a 82 aka series II so has the power steering in rack form (series I were recyl ball type for PS and rack for manual), also has a CV rear end - but shame this is/was an auto model so only has R180 not R200 however that can be fixed I have never owned a 2+2 Zed all have been 2 seaters as I think they look better - the roof line just makes the car look different. Pervious zed in order 260z (still own), 240z HS30-00016 (1970 - early), 240z 72 racecar, 280zx 79 two seater, Fairlady Z S31 (well Dad's car I purchased it and he paid me back - looks like a 260z 2 seater but with 2000cc EFI engine) and now this 280zx T-Top 2 seater 1982 NZ New Yes I have the zed fever and one you have it you can't get rid of it - you have it for life. re my plans - well it has a towbar - hmm did anyone say towcar for my other zed - maybe. Well the plan is to get some of my spares out of the garage and into this car so I can get it back on the road and use it again - these need to seen on the road as you just don't see them any more. So the plan is to use it for club events like our dinners, clubnights just the general stuff I will then use the 260z for the drags, track days etc. As this car is not common I will slowly get as close to original as I can so it can give our club concourse a good shot at the 280zx class (Already have a contact at Nissan looking at some part numbers I have passed on to him) Attached is the only other 280zx Series II 2 seater with T-Top that I have seen in NZ - would be nice to get mine looking as clean as this one This is an import version you can see the extra side lights at the rear - my, NZ new, car does not have these. I believe this blue car techically is a Fairlady 280z as that is what they were marketed as in Japan and the badging usually follow this - however this car has most of the badging removed might have originally only had a L20E not L28E installed.

I agree - other than contacting Nissan in Japan to find out - they might have records of how it left the factory however don't count on it if the car is an early one. Reason I say this is that when I contacted Nissan in Japan when I owned HS30-00016 they had no records of the early zeds - I believe this was due to a dispute (spelling?) between management and employees over wages so most records were destroyed by management to hide the numbers of car build = swing thing in their court.

Well I just picked up this car during the week - bit of an impulse purchase. It is a New Zealand New car and had been well looked after until about 2002 when a guy purchased it did about 200km's and then removed the engine and trans to do a V8 install (well that is what I have been told by the guy I purchased it from -who also owns a 240z - anyway he took the brakes for his 240z - and don't go there I did try and tell him that 280zx brakes are not what we call an upgrade :?) Anyway - apart from some rust that has started to come through in places it is a genuine straight/non accident no structual rust (that I have found so far) car. Anyway as stated this is a NZ new car which I would say would make it not too common as most 280zx 2 seater were imports not NZ new (well maybe 20 or less NZ new 2 seater) and given that it is a series II with a T-Top makes this not very common at all. I have only seen one other 280zx 2 seater T-Top here in NZ. The interior is in good condition with not rips or splits (just a hood lining needs redoing) the car has only done 136,800km since 1982 when it was new. So in with one of the spare L28's that I have etc get this thing back on the road. And I have sorted a parts car already a 79 280zx 2 seater for free all I have to do is remove the parts the owner wants for this 280zx 2 seater race car and all the other parts are mine ie brakes, trans, loom to replace the bits missing from mine etc By the way other than the missing engine/trans and ECU and ECU loom it is complete - including the side molding that has been taken off the door.

No - the chassis number will not help with the original colour - Nissan/Datsun did not sort the colour/interior/manual/auto/diff ratio on a single id plate like they started to do with the 280zx The only thing that might be worth a look is behind the dash etc some people when repainting a car don't go to great lengths to hide the original colour ie removal of the dash to paint behind there etc. Remove the glove box and take a look . I assume if in undercoat then the engine bay is also as this is where the original colour option sticker is usually kept - however after some 30 years most did not last - so that will be no help either.

RB engine change - is simple in the Z31 as Nissan made a Z31 fitted with on - a RB20DET for the JDM (the Z31 200ZR) - so you can still get for the right $$, the original sump/oil pick and engine mounts from Nissan etc. Do it find a 2 seater body = lighter (non targa top) see http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/article.html?&A=2849 see here for a replica 200zr bonnet scoop http://www.garymolitor.com/MFP.htm also see http://www.200zr.com/ for the last version Nissan did the widebody version (this car has had some mods to the stock body work mind you) And here is one in Oz for sale see http://www.c-red.com.au/stock/z31/index.shtml Use google and search on 200zr Z31

Here is a pic of a Fairlady Z (yes the S31 aka L20aE originally fitted - even has electric windows and a factory rally clock) with a set of the Performance Wheels Superlites in 16x7

You can still purchase new twin turbo manifolds from TRUST aka GReddy see this link for the part number - not sure but I think the twin is only for the S30 aka 240z/260z with the single listed for the S130. Go down to GReddy Turbo Parts then Sus.Turbo.Ex.Manifold http://www.trust-power.com/overseas/products.html Cost - well lets say not cheap at 200,000 yen for the twin system for the S30 and 190,000 yen for the S130 single. Remember hand made from Stainless Steel so that is $2130 AUD today (www.xe.com) for the twin and $2020 AUD for the single + shipping and taxes...wow :shock: Would be a beast with one of those on though

nice car. Re the power thing - the first 240z ie 70-71 were the lightest of the stock production cars (with special 432R lighter still but these are not a 240z but a S30 Fairlady Z I believe Gav has a blog on this somewhere) and therefore had the fastest 0-60MPH when tested back in the day. Re the cam and revs, nat0_240_chevZ is not correct as the 260z has the better stock cam in terms of duration but this was let down with the flat top SU's (and I guess one of the reasons for the different duration so Nissan could keep some of the sport car feel given the SU/emission compromise). The reason a L24 revs better than a L26 or L28 is about the stroke (and rod to stroke ratio). The L24 had a 73.7mm but the L26 and L28 share the same stroke of 79mm. The L24 use a 133mm center to center rod and the L26 and L28 130.3mm. The L24 = 1.8 rod/stroke ratio and the L26/L28 = 1.65. Typically shorter stroke engine rev quicker and this is the reason the L24 feels like it revs better = because it does. However the speed any given car accelerates is based on a number of factors and weight is part of that equation. As to which is better the early 240z or a later 260z personal choice (and car usage comes in play here). The first 240z had it faults due to its light construction they seem to rust more (well they do here in NZ) Nissan change things and made these bits bigger here and there on the later 240z and then again on the 260z (the suspension got bigger, stronger stub axles, R200 diff on some models etc) why - engineering improvement or simply due to production costs (point in case - the early 240z all have GRP, glass renforced plastic, head light buckets - why because it is ligher = no because they did not have the tooling to make them in steel once Nissan perfected this process the switched to the metal units = cheaper to mass produce, heavier but cheaper = the production of the cars could increase).

I spotted 2 in the pics - it would take a live time to collect that suff - shame about the snow (equals all that rust on those parts/cars).

Old thread but I thought I would bring it back from the dead. I also have a set of those R33 lights like you Evan (purchased them over a 1 1/2 years ago now) and was thinking of doing the same to my 260z. However I spotted this post of a 280zx 2 seater with the C210 JDM tail lights fitted so now I have mate in Japan looking for a set as these look more period IMHO. I am also onto a lead locally here in NZ but one of the lights has a broken lense but if I can pick these up and use them for getting the mounting etc while my contact in Japan gets me a better set then all good. Cheers Mike

taken from the parts catalogue Dec 79 (final edition) 240z=HS30(A)(U)(Q) Applied Date Oct69-May71=00003-00500 Jan71-Aug71=00501-01500 Sep71-Jun72=01501-14000 Jul72-Jul73=14001-101537 So that makes your car between Jul 72-and Jul73 hoever given this production run stated at 14001 it would more likely be 73.

Yep - in fact here is an interesting bit of info. The US guys talk about getting the 280z stub axles as they are stonger than the 240z/260z units (by 260z I mean their 260z not they ones we got - see the next bit). Now the interesting bit is that on our RHD market cars there is only one partnumber for the 260z stub axles and yes it is different to the 240z one. So from that I take it that all 260z stub axles are the stonger 27 spline units. I have never owned a early 260z so can't comment with 100% certainty I am just going by the parts catalogue I have (last edition Dec 79). Also a lot of people get bent out of shape about which is better the 240z or the 260z which has more value etc. And I know here in NZ when you say you own a 260z most stay "I don't like them the 240z is better" (as most think of the 260z as the 2+2). To the non Zed fan if they see a 260z two seater they don't know it is different to the 240z (all of what has been discussed above). Now also interesting to know is that in our RHD market Nissan made 101537 240z (well that was the last recorded chassis number), but only 021384 260z 2 seater (again the last recorded chassis number) so that makes the 260z 2 seater a rare car? So pickup a 240z and cut that puppy there are more of them around.....or not due to the thinner steel used (ie lighter) they rusted more (this is the case with the fisrt versions upto late 1970 as they used even thinner pressing in places). So the 260z is an improved version :twisted: stonger suspension, body, less made = harder to find, heavier due to the ++ of the stronger suspension blah blah. But still a very light car by todays standards. Hell a Nissan Mica is over 1100KG.

Great price for what looks like a very rust free shell (no rust in the battery box area looking at the photos) Not personally keen on the sun roof I would want to put a new roof on to fix that (however I am from NZ were it rains alot - which you guys need a lot of for those fires and so you can wash the zeds) Also looking at the ad they talk about the work done to the engine - some info is not correct. Installing L24 rods with the stock crank does not stroke the engine only a longer stroke crank will do that (ie LD28). Changing the rods from the L26/28 units 130.3mm center to center to L24 133mm center to center changes the rod/stroke ratio from 1.65 to 1.68 should rev a little better. However the 2mm over bore bring it close to a stock L28. The stock L24/L26 bore is 83mm so taking out to 85mm is only 1mm less than the stock 86mm of the L28. So this would make it 2.7l and with L24 rods if the deck height is good should go well (talked about the tops of the pistons machined - I hope not too much as this might make them weak and blowing the top of them could be possible if too much meat was removed) Great project - good luck to you and your mum.

And if it was manufactured after Aug 75 then it will be the later/last body shell which should have all the differences listed above as these are the later mods ie radiator supports panel being lower. The later 260z have the larger suspension struts, stonger stub axles, R200 if manual in the 2 seater, taller rear strut towers and much stonger in this area. As stated the doors are different due to the different latch setup (outside skin is the same). Intermittant wipers (and not by fault in the old wiring like some 240z :lol: ) I am sure there are more but that is the major ones anyway. EDIT: Just found it on carsales - later/last body shell alright just look at the rear strut towers. See http://images.carsales.com.au/private/1722952.jpg Also if you look at the pic above you will see those large holes in the rear panel those were for the those big US bumpers on the 280z they got as they share some of the same panels, however the US 280z did not have the shape for the bumper in the rear quarters but the rest of the back end is the same as the 280z (with the firewall different for the LHD setup, I am sure there are others between the 280z and our later 260z models but Nissan did share many parts between these models just some difference for the appropriate market)

Well I have had a L20ET front sump some in my garage for some time (need to get my #$#% together and clean the bits and send them to Australia ) and the blocks (well the L28's and this L20ET) have space for the oil pickup to be relocated - you need to drill/tap the mounting holes and drill the hole into the oil gallery. You also need to drill the hole for the dipstick. You then need to block up the front oil pickup hole (either a plate or tap the pickup hole and install a plug) and also with the front dipstick hole.