Tonyorlo

I’m still gathering parts. I am looking at the options to lower the car. I was considering a s14 coil over conversion but I think it will end up costing more than I currently want to spend. https://groundcontrolstore.com/collections/280zx-coilover-conversion/products/coilover-conversion-kit-280zx-front-only What about this kit? Would I have to buy a s14 coil over for the rear still?

I’ve scored everything locally I think except the drivers side fender. That will be pricey to ship.

I didn’t consider using these on this car untill now, but they are 7” wide I assume. I’m not a huge fan of them, but they won’t cost anything.

How wide of a tire can I squeeze on stock 14” wheels? i was suprised to see that I can get in 14”s 235/60 245/60 '

I really like that ride height, still driveable. Do you know what size tires you ran in those pictures? Just thinking, can you run a little more backspacing on the rear without rolling the quarter? I like the headlight covers, it looks like yours were just smoked and not blacked out?

Is MSA the best place to purchase the coils from? The car has newer struts on it, so I hate to replace them but if I have to then so be it I guess. I have not really price shopped for these parts yet. My plan is to replace inner and outter tie rod ends, as well as the ball joints. I didn’t plan on Wheel bearings unless it needed them, but if I am going this far why not. This is not my car, it came across on a google search. This is the ride height and stance I want to achieve.

Ok, I’ve seen their kits. They will work with stock struts? Also, I’m going to order busings for the entire suspension, polyurethanes the best thing to use for these cars? I’ve had luck with them on my other vehicles. Is there a way to tell my front sway bar dia? I see there’s a 22 or a 23 option for bushings. Rust can make that hard to measure, do N/A card have the smaller one and turbos the larger? The little blower on the RH side of the engine, does that just blow air to cool the injectors?

So This topic seems to be beaten to death, but how do I want to lower this car? I think 1-1.5” would be plenty, especially in my area where the roads aren’t the greatest. I really don’t want to go with a real small tire just to lower the car. Im going to order the wheels for it this week. I have found a guy somewhat local with a ton of parts. Hopefully I can score most of the sheet metal.

I kinda figured it was something like that. I also am worried about the fitment, Ive dealt with fiberglass panels and they are always a pain. I will just stick with patching my current ones. Man the options for parts for these cars sucks. Like Valances and air dams, there is really is not too many options. The best looking ones are old jdm ones that are impossible to find and cost a ton.

fiberglass fenders Has anyone used parts from this company?

I am also looking for a valance. I would like to get a fiberglass or urethane aftermarket type.

These are the areas I need. If anyone has just these sections I’d buy them. Shipping these fenders seems to be a problem.

I am searching for LH and RH zx fenders. Color, marker light, trim or extension missing is fine. I just need them to be rust free. I’m also looking for a section of the lower LH qtr panel. I will post a picture of mine, I can post a picture of it marked with exactly what I need. I am located in Wheeling WV 26003. I will drive within a reasonable distance to pick them up, or I am willing to pay shipping.

Pm sent

I just looked through your thread the other day, I don’t know why I asked for pictures lol. I guess there is no deflection with them stretched like that. Id like the look of a wider tire all the way around if I can. Like a 245. This car will be a daily driver so traction for a racing application isn’t so important. So a 245/55/15? The price of those wheels is hard to beat, do they all have the yellow stripe on the edge of the rim?

I don’t want to go any larger than 15s. I really like the Rota Shoktans, but I can get steel wheels for a 1/3 of the price. I would like to run a 245 or 255 like someone mentioned. Turbo, 245 on a 10? That’s got to be a stretch for it. Do you have any pictures? The basset wheels are all measured in backspacing. For a 8” Wheel with 0 offset, that’s the same as 4” backspacing?

I’m trying to find steel “race” type wheels. 15x7 or 8. Do you know of a source for them?

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/AEO-50-074540?seid=srese1&cm_mmc=pla-google-_-shopping-_-srese1-_-Aero-Race-Wheels&gclid=Cj0KCQjwguDeBRDCARIsAGxuU8ZDTKwfRhAvVeU1VMiplG2Wu9_aRoF2QUyNkMGHMp-m31YLhDUYhX0aAsp4EALw_wcB From everything I have read, these wheels should work front and rear right? 15x7 0mm offset. Edit: those wheels are 5 lug so never mind

Also, What is everyone doing for speakers? Could I install some 4” speakers in the dash and surface mount them? There are 6x9s behind the seats but I want to keep the sound in front of me. Maybe try to stuff a sub somewhere in the back as well. If it’s going to be my DD I need to be able to listen to music.

Well honestly I’ve never layed under a ZX long enough to even know what the suspension looks like. I did come across this exploded view of the crossmember and control arms. Assuming this is actually correct I think making a new LCA would not be out of the question for me. Using threaded heim joints would make the toe very adjustable. As for camber, I have seen mention of camber plates. Is that really a thing for these cars and if so it would seem to be pretty easy. I have also also seen coil over conversions, but they are pretty pricey. I’m changing my plans for the car now. I am either going to sell it, or sell my 78 Dodge colt and make this car my daily driver. I am unsure what I am going to do. Can I get 245s on the stock wheels? So a 245-55 r14

Looking through Rotas site, I really like the Shakotans. I have seen them on zxs when I googled it so it’s a possibility. They kinda go completely against the budget idea that I had but though. I did not see offset options on their site though. I tried searching for into on custom LCA but did not find any results. Fabricating it would not be a problem between the what I have and what friends have. As for tire size, I want to go as wide as I possibly can for traction and for looks but I think with the minimal power and weight of the car the costs to go that wide would not be worth it.

Wow I am surprised a 275 will fit in the stock wheel wells. That’s pretty exciting though. I have been a bit lazy on searching on the forum. I need to spend more time looking and I am sure I will find all my questions answered already. I have never messed with a MAF efi system outside of repairing my stock vehicles. I’ve only worked wth speed density. I am glad to hear it’s pretty basic, so trouble shooting shouldn’t be to painful. I mainly want to remove the smog equipment just to clean everything up. Also what’s the little blower for on the passenger side of the engine? Sorry i should of been more clear on the dash pad. I would like to find a stock dash to drop in it, are they hard to come by? The previous owner had a carpet cover on it. I wouldn’t be against a cover like you suggested g tech, if they fit well.

Well I see there’s always a few ZXs on eBay being parted out, and Car-part.com seems to have quite a few on there. I figure I could get some steel fenders from one of those 2 places. They will be easier and fit better than glass ones anyway. I really wanted the wheels for my dodge colt, but your car looks really good with them, I may just leave them on the car for now. I wanted to source either some aluminum slot wheels, or steel “circle track” wheels (not sure what they are called). I’ve ran megasquirt on a few of my vehicles and I would like to go that route someday. I could easily set up a crank trigger and run LS coil packs in waste spark. For now getting it running with what it has is the goal. Few questions that I do have -Are aluminum slots or mags hard to find for the ZX? -What’s the widest tire than I can fit under it front and rear? -Will the efi give me fits removing the smog and she? -Are lower quarter latch panels available? I kept coming across stuff for Zs but not ZXs. -Are good dashpads obtainable? I jist really want want to make this a autocross Car. I’ve ran on the track with my GTI but my friends have gotten into autocrossing and I am dieing to try it. This seems like a great foundation for that. Thsnks for rhe reply!

I bought this car for a very good price. It was advertised with no title which I was fine with because I wanted the wheels for my 78 Dodge colt and I could use parts from it on my 260z. When I arrived to buy it the owner found the title. So that changed my plans. I still want to steal the wheels for my colt, but I want to make this car a DD/autocross Car and maybe a track Car some day. Previous owner replaced a lot of parts and said he had the top end off and that he think the cams timing is off. The engine harness has been cut up, someone used crimp butt splices for the injectors so I will have to go through all the wiring. The shell is very solid aside from the rear lower quarters, fenders and valance. My goals/plan -Pull too end off engine and check it out -Clean up wiring -simplify vacuum system/remove smog stuff (I know some advise against it) -clean up engine compartment (plumbing and wiring) -shave rear bumper, repair rust -new fenders and valance (not sure if I will go steel or fiberglass) -clean up interior -simple stereo (amplified 2 way components) -respray the Car the factory color Im currently getting a game plan, I want to do this on the cheap, but not incorrectly. I will post pics when I make any progress.