Tarquin9

Photo of my Z Car..

Yeah I'll get some pics up as soon as I can, where I'm going next week they have a digital camera so I'll get them to take some pics and I'll upload them to here. While the shocks were being adjusted it was put on a hoist and I went under for a first hand inspection. I think I have been pretty lucky really as there was no rust underneath the car to speak of, no rust under the spare tyre or under the taillights or back window seal or fuel cap. No major fluid leaks or obvious history thereof either, all wheel bearings were sound, no exhaust leaks and all fairly satisfactory. Come on warmer weather, gotta get those targa tops off for the trip...

Thanks Lynton for your good advice and sound reasoning, I will get it on a hoist asap. Finished my 50Km and 100Km round trips to test the car and it handled them flawlessly, new shocks and wheel alignment have fixed any ride and handling issues I had and the 215/65/14's were quiet and unassuming but still responsive when required. Gearbox was quiet and user friendly with a light clutch and no diff howl or wierd noises noticed. 4 wheel disk brakes were excellent with no fade or noise even after some strenuous workouts. New Radio/CD Player worked fine with the original speakers, a/c was excellent and the power steering was direct without being demanding or twitchy. Overheating problem has been totally resolved and with the addition of custom seat covers it's a pleasurable tourer and I couldn't be happier with it. Next week I do the 1,200Km round trip so that will be the ultimate test and should blow any remaining cobwebs out of the baffles. Now if only I can only stop the crows from crapping on it.... grrrrrrrrrrrrr arrrrrrrrggghhhhhh...

Just joined also, what can I say, I join therefore I am...

Well only had it less than a week so none so far, but I fully intend to rectify that as soon as I can. I guess I am a little different in as much as my Z had full Rego, RWC and was ready for driving and not needing much to drive the wheels off it when I bought it. And I can see where some other Members have done few Km's until their projects are finalised or whathaveyou and that's totally understandable. I bought my Z Car to be driven as they drive so well and look great on the road as well. I'm still umming and ahhing over whether to do a total rebuild of it sooner rather than later but I think I will just enjoy driving it on the open road for a couple of years then give it a sensitive restore so it will keep on driving well into the future. I should have around 5,000 Km's in it under my belt by the end of this month so will know by then more about what my ultimate plans are for it. Gimme a full tank of juice, a working radio and a pack of ciggies and the highway is my friend in my Z Car...

Well thanks for the welcomes everyone, nice to be here amongst other Z Car Nutters... My first real issue, after having to replace the dodgy shockers, might well be electrics. Some of the dash warning lights are not working like the high beam notification fails to light up when high beams are on and that green OK in the middle of the speedo/tacho that shows on startup shows a red square whenever I turn the headlights on for some reason. Reading thru my owners manual it supposedly means the electrics need looking at or adjusting so I better get that done as it's a darn distractingly bright red light when driving at night. Other little issues so far have been the retracting radio antenna not retracting or extending so had to be replaced and the previous owner quaintly didn't put on the rubber support for the rear window wiper and just left a bare metal washer to rub on the paintwork of the car, grrrrrrr arrgggghhhh!!! Left a nice circle of rusty metal underneath it and also a water stain where the rain had flowed over the rusty mess and stained the paint a nice rusty strip about 4 inches long. It's like some people and pets, they just shouldn't be allowed to own one. Anyhoo things progress and in a week go for my first real tour in it up north to Swan Hill of around 1,000Km's round trip, after some much smaller trips around my town first of course, up to 100Km's round trips to see how things settle down and if there are any travelling issues. Interested to see if the overheating problems have been rectified by the replaced thermostat and a backflush of the radiator. Picking up the half shed of spare 280ZX parts tomorrow so that'll be a chore but eager to grovel thru it all and catalogue everything and see just what goodies there are. I have a feeling I might be advertising some spare 280ZX parts soon to make room for other stuff in my garage, lol. Oh and I put the other gas strut back on the hatchback the previous owner had removed as they said the lid opened too quickly... well it opens a treat now, no lifting at all and automatically opens and automatically slows down near full open as well. Still waiting for a guru or afficianado who lives somewhere near Portland in Victoria to have a yarn with so don't be shy and I would surely appreciate the input. Cheers all.

Finally, after 47 years on the planet I dipped my toe into the pool of enlightenment that is ownership of a Z Car. For better or for worse... It's a 1981 280ZX and is in fair order overall. First order of business was replacing the shocks all round as they were shot and now it rides a whole lot better, especially after a wheel alignment. I don't know what I want to do with the car really, I have always admired them from afar and always dreamed of owning one but am not overly mechanically gifted so bare essential repairs only are all I can manage. Tyres are 215/65/14 so it rides very nicely and I have managed to find two spare wheels in the original 6 spoke Z car pattern with matching caps in good condition so I won;t have to rely on that collapsible spare, do they even work those things? Anyway, the lady I bought the car from has a lot of spares from a wreck she used to do up the car I bought from her and she wants me to take them off her hands for a couple hundred bucks and I think I may as well. A complete spare dash, rear tail lightsm headlight surrounds, various gauges and knobs and dohickeys, a complete head for the motor, side mirrors - just all kinds of stuff really and handy to have on board. I'm in Portland in Victoria and don't know of any other Z Cars here really or if there are any Members of this site who live around here but I sure would appreciate any advice and maybe someone to come take a peek at my new car and these spares and let me know, or indeed ease my mind, that I have done ok out of the deal - sure would help me sleep at night, ha ha. Car has a few spots of rust on the body I will have to repair sooner rather than later and as said earlier I'm probably a mechanical nuff nuff and will either need some advice or have to get it done professionally. Interior is really clean and the body is straight overall and after replacing the thermostat it doesn't overheat any longer! It has driving lights fitted beneath the front bumper and these are very bright but too low to be overly effective and I was wondering do Z Cars have issues with poor headlights as a rule as I see no purpose in having driving lights fitted if the headlights are ok? The car also has a bullbar type thing fitted to it which would proclude the driving lights being fitted on top of the bumper for example so they can only go where they are now I suppose. Sorry for rabbitting on so much but I am excited to own a Z Car finally but truly need a good friend or two ti give me advice on many topics regarding this car and I would appreciate it very much. Great Forum and thanks again for your time, cheers. Tarquin.