Bandit50

Oh Brewski, I am glad you did ask that question. I have begun to mock up this kit for final installation. If you have this kit and have looked at the installation instructions. Laugh with me, because we are going to do it my way, not MSA's way. Note this will be more work and require minor fabrication work, but the end result will be cleaner and allow you to save valued 280ZX parts that others may want for a replacement for their car which can save you some money. Let’s begin with what I have right now as a whole. I have an engine swap I will want to do by the end of the project and it will require me to have duals. So at some point between fabrication and installation. I will need to get my hands on the dual molded rear for this kit. Which I have become even luckier as the kit was brought back more recently in the spring of 2014 by popular demand. Which is great news for everyone out there. As back then, after the kit had arrived to months later it was discontinued. Ok, if you don't know what the instructions have stated for step one, as fellow Z owners out there let me inform you that it does say to Collapse the Front bumper shocks/pistons but 6 inches to make up for the difference of Screwing the Fiberglass front end over top of the rubberized factory facia. Yeah, when I read this the first time I was stunned. I proceeded with tossing out the instructions because that is something I refuse to do period. I then decided to examine another front bumper off my second donor car. I noticed that the rubberized facia can be removed from the front and rear bumper frames. Although if your car has seen salt or has been sitting for a while, or you grabbed a replacement off a junked car. You might find that these bolts and Nissan body screws are rotten thru, and the frame itself will have almost nothing left like my rear frame. So at which point you will have a few more options. You can fabricate your own frame out of 20 gauge steel. Which isn’t hard once you examine the frames forms and spot welds and figure out what piece, or piece you need to replace. You can hunt a local junk yard and find a bumper that already had trashed rubberized facia. Or you can make your own out of tubing from scratch which might be cheaper depending on what you already have to fabricate with. For me I will be doing the first option and forming my own out of 20-16 gauge steel as the folds are not overly complex, and replace what has rotten away. I will also post pictures of that project so other can make their own calls. As for the front bumper I got really lucky. Seeing as how the car is Cali Emissions Car, from Washington State. The Body bolts rusted and locked in place there this is only two ways to get them free. A hammer, WD40 or another penetrating oil and a Saws-all. I felt a Torch could melt the rubber so I didn’t take the chances however with a mini torch you might be able to heat the screws from the back and not damage the rubber. I remove both facia with no damage at all to either piece and with the right TLC prior, there in great shape.I then preceded to see if my idea would work. Which was, would the frames fit into the moldings for the kits. Of course they are molded to fit over the original facia, so I don’t see why not. Not to my surprise, they both fit in almost perfectly, consider the fiber glass is thicker than the rubber slightly. The only thing I need to do, and I know it wouldn’t have been extra work for MSA, is to fabricate small brackets so I can bolt the kit’s facia directly to the frames. I will need to do some drilling and chamfer a hole and mar glass / resin with mat, so that I can use the factory corner mounts of the frames. As you can see from this picture the bummer is sitting 1 inch lower than it should be, this is because it is merely resting on the frame and not bolted into place. It is also sitting one inch forward which when I do get this fully bolted in, the ears of the front mold, should line up with the wheels well perfectly sitting on the front bumper shocks without being compressed at all. The rear facia fits loosely on the rear frame, there is lots of room for you to create a small bracket and virtually mount it to almost any height you want within 2 inches. of the stock hieght ( 1", +/-) I will get more pictures on this in the spring. As the weather in Canada has placed this project on hold. The car currently sits with a popped crank gear or sheared distributer shaft. I don’t have the funds to move it to my dad’s heated shop for the winter, or for a weekend for that matter drop the block out and use the second one I have there. I am currently trying to picking up another engine stand. So I can build the other motor at his place myself over the weekends. While he works on his 86 chev side step. PS. I love those sticker that say my project “wasn’t funded by mom and dad.” I know mine wasn’t, I have busted my but to get what I have needed done on this car and been burned welding under the car, heck, last year I had the intake off 6 times trying to find a leak that ended up coming from the head gasket. Turns out my N47 series head was porous from factory and was literally folding the seals around the piston.it would just blow out. So I swapped it for P79. My father refuses to work on anything Jap, he does like to watch me work on it though and laugh with a few pints, it's good encouragement : /. However, I will tell you. The tools I did get to use, well you don’t realize them until they’re gone. Considering I was working out of Tool box that was 10K alone and I took care of those things as good as my pop himself. Heck anything he isn’t using for his truck I can borrow, just waiting on the jack stands for the spring XD. Or buy my own since I am more likely to be in more jams like these and gas isn't cheap. when you live almost an hour away.

Been doing some digging, to start piecing together this project build over the next decade or two. Found some interesting things here for everyone with an S130 or other models. Seems like they have 5 lug hubs, and other fun things to make swapping easier.

Hey DJZ, I am curious as to what suspension set up you used and which parts, for the front and back of this project? Would also be curious to know how you got a five lug set up. The route I want to go is a similar one with a RB26dett, and if those are what hub i think they are it would give me a lot more options for wheel sizing. Edit: Nvm found it in post 2.

Uhh yes it is, it's 200lbs MORE, then what the car already has for weight. The rb26 is roughly 700 lbs with transmission, the L28E is 523lbs. Dense much? Or can you not read? That Ego, in own world. Much Doge. -.- Uhh no, I won't help with your CAD related project.. I can do that on my own thanks Promise! More proof you didn't even read the thread.. Solution for an S13-> http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/94002-how-to-install-s13-coilovers-on-280zx-and-poly-bushings/

I stated a lot of things I already know G-E, The only question I asked, is what would you buy, about three times too XD Sound interesting What shocks would get revalved, S13? S30s? S130....... The camber gets worst because the angle of the spring or sturt's are mounted. It will pull it closer to the car throwing off the camber of the tire. Yes, I am aware of that this is geometry 101. I am just wondering with what you can get away with when it comes to mounting say s13. I feel like there is a lot of miss communication in the thread. Seriously, what Strut and brake system would you use if you where going to mount 200Lbs extra in your S130? Does the Brake system require a new hubs? OK Hybrid Z, I know I asked that question in the first post of this thread. Go ahead give me some answers.

I was, because I was starting to figure it out, and got that friendly push, which again guys thanks! Though, I am not trying to make a track car. If I was attempting to do that, there would have been a lot more cutting and welding already. There would be a four link where the control arms are now and the trunk would have two tires in it with no floor because MT E-streets are not good enough for a small block that can twist the frame of a 1986 Trans Am. The car would be tubed and only the panels would be welded to the chaise, and not even a Z anymore at that point. The bottom line is, there are a lot better drag cars to do this to. If I go track at all, which I don't intend with my Z unless its 20$ drag night, or track day for fun. Arizona Z has a good kit for a road track racing for a little bit more serious enthusiasts. The difference is 8k,versus making it yourself, which I would make mine myself. So, going fully custom for me, to you is a completely different language probably all together, rather then "bolting on" with minimum fabrication. Which I assume you know exactly what I am talking about because you probalay have already gone that route . The point is, I don't want to custom fabricate the entire system, One piece or two ok... making my own control arms well. I did honestly think about it at one point since all I was getting was chirping for a while. Then I though, no... I better show them what I "can" do, maybe then these other 20+ year olds will just be like ok he knows what a mig welder is how to structure weld. Sure, if I wanted fully custom I could get dad's buddy in the Canadian Hot Rod Association to Safety the car, Throw it back on a flat bead, or trailer and tow it back to Montreal, to be DOT X-ray scanned.....again, but remember my car was T-Boned with the A pillar twisted 35 degree from the back of the post towards the middle of the car if you look at that picture carefully, that's not what I am after. I would rather do that to so many other cars then a Z. Heck I would rather make my own tube chaise, and buy a fiber glass body and if I do that why not buy a Manta kit car at that point. Google that one if you don't know what it is. That might be, before a few peoples time. The thing is, I love my Z, for the most part the way it is. the shape the body. Sure I didn't put as much as someone like Mull did in to one or a few others on these forums, but I did fix the holes in the floor boards stiffen up the frame rails, and repair a written off car. Which is more then many want to do. Which should tell you the amount of passion someone would have for there car enough to make it right. So Mr's G-E tell me, please. What is better, than an S13 racing coil overs for around 800$ for a set. PS, My Kyb's that are currently in the car where 1200$USD. When I buy suspension, like brakes I usually do not skimp out on it my good man they're kind of important to me.. I mean you never know when the late night moose will walk out in front of you on the highway and you need to dodge at 120km/h by violently maneuvering around the beast to avoid collision. So, please I am all ears on what you would, umm buy, because fabricating is something i don't want to get into. Cheep is under 5K and so far I budget the build at 14K, just for the parts and pieces alone. So it's already not cheap, but if I could start on the suspension and brakes next year keep it under oh.. 2-3K to get a start, that would be a good step. Heck I found the transmission I wanted for around 800$, I have no block, but it could sit for a few years. I plan on re-sealing and cleaning it up anyways. Also for those out there that are like just build a hot rod dude, again a pasion in my family love hot rods. Friend of the family is building a 48 chevy pick up. The coil over kit alone was 6K flat, consider yourself lucky your shocks cost 1.5k for all four and bolt in. PS: No, I am not made of money. 14K for the whole build looks nice, it's not cheap but it is nice. No offense at all G-E. I am just curious as to what you would exactly buy, or make.

Yes, but the kits is only for a 1978 according to the Arizona site, so was there no change from the 280z of 1978? for the front and back braking system. Or is this another kit and for the fronts only?

Does this kit fit on a S130?

It's not the fab, that stuff is easy for me, lathe work isn't though. I am just wondering is there is something better or if that's as good as it gets? I would like to try to keep as much as I can of the original as possible to lower the $$$$ but honestly, I know I am going to need 4 news struts, brake rotors, and brake calipers plus the stuff behind it that powers it, like a break booster. That stuff was and is obvious. The questions is though what do you go for, what do you hunt for? I like the idea of an S13 suspension period. I know what it is, what it's out of. The problems with it to me is it's big, and if you don't put enough weight on it, well it will be no better then the opposite which would be stock springs under heavy load. A S130 is a light car, lighter then I think most people know. Most of it's weight comes from the diff, engine, transmission wheels and shocks. The car it self is not a lot. If you have too firm of a suspension, your car will Under-steer. Which is very very bad, you want some small weight transfer especially with an RB because of the inertia so that the front tires gets some grip and make better cornering. which means the back end need to be a little softer in order for it to keep it's grip. Other wise like the front it will well be and easy drift. the S13 offers all of the options however it's the major bridge for any major RB conversion. I can see why so many love it (now) as looking into it even more it was used in a lot of cars. More then what I expected. I knew the Silva, and the R32 even R33. but the 240sx as well. give me plenty of options of find a perfect fit, and can be used now and later in the project as it gets going The ground controls are not that bad either though for less fab.... Ill think about my options more on that. I guess. Again, it's not like I don't understand the concepts of the physics involved for this, the issue for me.. is finding the parts that work, and you guys got me thinking and looking even deeper.. Thank you, i think i have some of my hardest questions awnsered already.. I just need to dig deeper, but again you (this community) together knows more then (me) one person Period. The idea is to keep the stock balance as much as possible, it's perfect in my eyes. The problem is adding 200lbs to that. Making the curb weight 3024lbs you can get away with 50-100lbs difference in the suspension as you the operator add that weight to the car and it makes it slightly nimbler. Stronger brakes, mean quicker weight transfers which can be bad and also good if the suspension is stiff (good for track cars, not me). Weaker brakes means more where on your current rotors will wear and sketchy stops and early breaking not hard to compensate for a few months, however longer then that, will be just asking for bad things. You want to find that perfect in between, if you ask me it's dual piston calipers on the front, and i mean you will need duals on the back for the initial weight in breaking for S130 280Zx, is the rear contact first. Like most cars. So it needs to be strong if your going to stop the Rb26. hmmm Again, guys thank for getting my mind working around this and looking deeper for stuff to bridge in and fit. I think the trick is to start with the R33 and think backwards, to ask myself what am I going to need to stop 3000lbs of car..

Make a bridge, don't burn it ! and your doing a great job at it. Making that is

Hey, I took your advice. Now whats up? You have another problem with the s13 suspension thread being in the hood strut section? I know I do. I asked a question and I went to the place that IMO should have it. Yes it is a supension question, about an engine swap. I hope I didn't piss you off, but man it's a question. If everyone in the world knew everything well.. They wouldn't be human. Not even a top NHRA dragracers knows everything.. Look at John Forces accidents. Another reason why I tend to stay away from the LS1 idea there NewZed.. Is I have some horor stories of small block chev in Ontario that is famous for twisting frames boxed or not in the 1/4 mile, thats what I want to avoid. I assume everyone put an RB26 in there 280 or 240 for the same reason. To enjoy the car a little bit more. Either way, I know I can make the motor, suspension has always been my weakpoint. I have learned much about it over the years but well it's one thing to know how it pysically reacts and how to find the parts to make it react the way you want it to. 200lbs more, is 200 lbs more in my mind, sprung weight or not. It's still mass and if you just let that sit on stock spring you and I both know. It's going to increase the body roll and well make the cars handling worse. My question still remains, which coilovers, bolts into the S130 mount? and is there better options then the S13?

Also I found what I was looking for! In the hood strut sections !!!! Supension team you got owned by not only one Canuck who built the struts, but by me. !!!!! S13 S130 Swap This sould be a sticky, also if you know a better swap I am all ears for a project like this.

Now this! Is what I am talking about, thank you m1ghtymaxx this should make it really easy to swap in a RB26. I assume this modification will work with other series of the coil over as well such as s14 and 15.

1) Yes I did, 79-83. I mean they only made 1 model of Z for those years but let face it the suspension is the same. 2)Typical street, just want something a little more track side with look, feel and performance. Currently the car sits on the 30 year old springs and new Kyb struts.. Over all, I love how little body roll the car has now. Its repsonsive, soft yet ferm when you coner. I would love to get that with some more horsepower. 3) All koni shocks and springs are Formula 1 and or racing inspired. Is the 1978 strut able to mount in an S130? because what I have seen, it's not unless you swap the sturt mounting plate and weld in a new one. If you want to know what i have exactly.. well, it's a 1980 280ZX from Washington State. California emission car, with a L28E power-train package and I have removed the rust, and thinkened up the frame rail already with well.. Thicker gauge material. All in all the car is solid. I just need to know what I should hunt for. Wheel hub/spindles, suspension components, drive shaft, Lucky me I have the right differential the "R200" already for the project. I also have a R180 just sitting around as well. I do also enjoy adjustible ride hight, sadly so far I can't find anything that bolts to the hub of the S130 with that option and stiffer springs available, but hey that's why I am here. To find out ! PS: glad you chirped, now you get to be scared ! One wrong left hand turn and you can find yourself being T-Boned by a toyota 86. (Before) One year passes, and some good geometry pulls, paint and it's saved from a crusher! Smiling too! (After)

I have a photo to add to this section.. i cut this part out of the car to fix the one in my picture and let face it the floor wasn't there and the cars frame is gone.. not worth saving this one other then using panels and peices but even with all of these rust issue here in canada. well.. Ill let the picture speek for itself. The car is still a rolling piece even after that much of the structure is removed. I was expecting it to bow over a few months but still nothing.. I would never drive a car like this XD, but the point I want to make is unless you are completely removing the spot welded frame rails from the cars supporting the stucture should not be an issue. If you have a blackhawk table, and what to go far with the car though do it more power to you.

Looking at the weight difference between the two L28E to the RB26, is almost 200 pounds. On a 79-83 can you manage with just a simple spring sawp or is there going to need to be a switch between what is already in place for the suspension? Do formual 1 bread Koni's for a 78 bolt in with small suspension modifcations, and new mounting plates. Looking for any feedback, even chirping would be great! I would love to scare some trolls away However, those that really know me tend not to feed me after mid night. Ps the RB 6 cylinder section wasn't as helpful as I hoped. If this is to much of a bother ill just go and migrate to nico.

As the picture implys.. 280ZX !

So Mull, its been 2 years. Since you posted an update. Whats been going on? Did you finally get the power plant installed? Was there more Chassis work? CAN WE SEE PAINT!!! PS hope you update soon. I'm starting to put the interior together in mine. Also last summer was finally the first summer my car went without blowning a head gasket. Could you believe my head, had a Porous mold from factory.. >.< I couldn't!!!!... So I switched to a P79 head. However now I have a backfire at cold start up. I have checked vaccum lines, Coldstart, and Fuel regulator. Even looked up the problem in a shop manual Only thing not changed is the injectors...and it looks like I am the only one having this problem. Who knows maybe I will have to drop a RB26 in or a V8 Chevy ....I really don't want loose the awesome fuel eco of the L28E tho... ... Either way tho I might be looking into a lot of money to do something to fix the problem.. >.< Anyways hope you having better luck!!!

I got this body kit about a weeks ago!!! The only thing I am not impressed with is the side skirts. Not only do they simply screw into the the rocker. They don't cover the pinch weld at the bottom like I had hoped. A major modification is required on the 280zx fenders. Or the kit to make it blend seamlessly into the side of the car like the stock one. The rear bumper kit is very simple and it goes great with the over all kit!!! Its basically brings the body lines of the car and kit together. To blend them ! It cleans up the rear of the car very very nice. I would recommend to anyone thinking of dual exhaust, or fake duel exhaust. To order the kit, with both exhaust holes. They have a molded lip that is hard to remake for someone that doesn't normally do body work. I deem, modifying the rear to fit a dual exhaust set up is another major modification if you order it with only one exhaust hole. Other then that, I am overall pleased with this kit. It will take time, but heck all body work takes time As ZPete said he is using body guys to install his.. I am considering the same to make it look right. To anyone ordering from Z store they where great!!! They didn't charge me until I called them to verify the shipping. The shipping was about 283$ and the parts came in bubble wrap in 2 boxes. To ensure the bumpers didn't crush the Side skirts. All and all great service, Happy I got this before it went discontinued.

Thanks pete, for filling me in on the installation. Sounds like this kit was well though out in how it gets installed on the car. Replacing the flat black rubber and chrome. After doing some more research this kit is available with 3 different rear ends (probably the same one with pre-cut holes) sections for the exhaust. You can order the rear panel with dual, right or left holes for your exhaust. I'm thinking of going with duals, not only to match body lines but In case I decide to ever drop in that 355 small block. After driving my car for the amount of years I have, that idea keeps getting pushed aside. As much as I would love to here that roar, and have the power right there in my hand. I can't get over the unique sound of L28E with p79 head on Monza headers. Sadly, I love this car as much the way it is, as I would blowing the doors off cars with the same engine, that are heavier..\ Ps.. I want to show everyone. 3 pictures of my car, I am not proud of what happened, but in 2007 I got te-boned bad. The good news is this end with a happy ending.. This was 2007 This was 1 year later This is the finished result, Fresh out of the booth 2 days after paint. The miller migmatic was set to slot 3, for welding 1/8-1/4 plate, and the welds are double penetrated like a spot weld from both side of the sheet metal. Using a another 280zx side panel and door from a car that was worse off then mine. A part of the rear quarter was cut away to inspect the rear structure of the car which proved to match angles from side to side. The front pillar was pulled out and inspected form the inside of the car "thru" the fuse box hole. To insure no spot weld had been cracked from the pull. This kind of work is not new to me either. Between me and my dad. A mechanical engineering student, and a licensed mechanic, that has smashed more Camaros, Firebirds, Corvettes and Big Blocked Vegas then I can count when he was a teenager. We managed to save this car from near death.. To this day I still can't thank him and his hot roding ways enough for saving this one from the grave. Before you ask, no this is not driven in the winter.

Glad to finally see the front suspension set up done and welded in, along with the rear getting the final touches. That will make it a lot easier to move around You must be getting close to getting ready to put the engine(N1-RB26) and drive train together. I also can't wait to see that step. Looking forward to hearing from you again mull, and I hope it is really soon. Also glad to see Hugo still alive! Keep up the great work!

OK, So I was looking around on the web for good 280ZX Body kits, and I found this I love the look of it.. It cleans yup the front end of the 280ZX So well with out losing the rounded boxy look of the 80's and its like 700$. SO it sounds good but so fare I can't seem to find a picture of the rear end. I was wondering if someone has a picture of it on there car.. If it has duals exhaust holes, if it single out the back driver, or Passenger side. MSA looks like a very well know company, and it looks like they have been doing Z stuff for a while. From the looks of there other 280 kits, there quality is good.

Glad to here from you mull , also glad to see that it was your plan to use a carbon fiber roof, the power steering I was expecting... I really can't wait to see this thing done, keep on tuckin, or well in this case "Styling and Profiling" You always seem to set the bar. Keep picking away at it, you will have it done before you know it.

You know, that would be sick... but very expensive, or would it?

I know why he did it, like the others said to weld the top of the roll cage.. how ever when I saw that, just thought.. there was a better way but you know whats done, is done...I am sure he's got an idea, other wise he would have done it.. All I know is when you cage a car. You usually take your time.. you start by moving all of the cut piece's, into the car. Then you layout the top and only the top.. mock it up with ***TACK WELDS ONLY***, get your buddies or relatives, or sexy girlfriend to help you lift it up!! Make sure everything is where it is suppose to be.... then you lower it and make adjustment if need, then weld the "top" and bottom OF THE TOP PIECE!! **Note once the top piece is welded together your not taking it out of the car, meaning your piece will sit in the car for as long as the roll cage is not welded or set up! Thus it stay in until you chop it out...** then put the rest of your carefully measured piece's together, so that the top piece can stand on it own. By doing that one important step of assembling the roll cage inside the car, you make sure the top is welded without having to cut a Hole in the roof... Welcome to the world of Street Rodding.. Kids !!! (If I get yelled at!!!! For dropping my advice, or thoughts on the roll cage thing. Or I hear Your in the wrong thread!!! OMG! READ THIS WHOLE THREAD!) Mull... I really hope, that it is the sexiest sunroof when it is done!!! or else i might just **Palmface**