Jump to content
HybridZ

Lowrider's 260z


Recommended Posts

Let me start off by thanking Hybridz, if it werent for this forum i would be unknowlegeable and bored.

This is my second 260Z, the first fell victom to a tree during a moment of stupidity. Well i wrecked the first car january of 08, after which it sat behind the garage with a tarp over top of it.
before the tree...
35317689914_8545c12008_o.jpg
35317689914_8545c12008_o.jpg
And after the tree...

35350037133_0d3355e89d_o.jpg
36156186035_249671cf05_o.jpg

Well, some time passed and i started my first year of college. One day my dad calls me up and says he found another 260Z in the paper, and that i should give the woman a call. I call the woman and ask the most important question, how much rust... she says there isnt any. Turns out she bought the car brand new in 73. She drove it till the 80's then only drove it on occasion. Then parked the car for good in 1990. I went up there the next day to look at the car. I couldnt believe my eyes its the most rust free "Z" i had ever seen. Payed a down payment and came back the next weekend to have it hauled home.
The car when i found it in the garage...
35988508482_fdc1f69c6e_o.jpg

more to come....

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The first thing i did when i got the new car home was swap the wheels and tires for the ones on the wrecked 260.
36023504501_2352053617_o.jpg
35988508562_5d5faa1779_o.jpg
35349908583_4ca83eef82_o.jpg

Then i cleaned up the interior:
before
35349908393_d8b6ff8c1d_o.jpg

after
35349908843_f181850444_o.jpg
a night and day transformation! The interior was near perfect too!

The next thing on the list was to get rid of the crazy Holley 4 barrel intake.
35349908683_0034f07757_o.jpg

I went ahead and gave a call to Rogger at the zbarn. Made a trip to Maryville, tn to pick up a set of round top SU carburators for the car.
35349908773_ae964dc789_o.jpg
36023504671_e0aa0cf3a2_o.jpg

After i went through the carbs and rebuilt them, i put them back on the car. The car came right to life! I did all of the pittly stuff like changing the oil and checking over and bleeding the brakes.
drove the car for the next couple days, oh and it drove good, for the exception of the dead struts.
36023504931_54b387ca58_o.jpg
35988508972_ce5cc351da_o.jpg

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some time inbetween, i buttoned up the carbs and engine bay, and was finaly ready to go after a radiator.
36023504831_5be9c1d713_o.jpg
35349909063_2ef838db27_o.jpg


The next thing to be changed was the front "lip". The lip that was on the car just screwed to the top of the stock valence. It just didnt flow very well. It just so happened i had a perfectly good Xenon airdam that was on the wrecked 260(see a pattern here?) that would look perfect.

Mock up of the airdam (hense the silver lol) :
36023504621_b7729c2147_o.jpg

I took it off and primed it black so it wouldnt stick out like a sore thumb.

35349909323_0e3f32b5b2_o.jpg
36116893616_a831bff885_o.jpg


I drove the car with the new airdam for a week. Christmas had just passed so i had some money from that. So i ordered a set of eibach springs, some u-joints for my driveshaft and half shafts, some urathane bumpstops, bumpsteer spacers, and some urathane control arm bushings front and rear. Before i wrecked the other 260, i had just replaced the worn out shocks with some tokico HP's. I robbed them from the other car to save a little bank. lol

the new goodies
35988509082_4969fd946e_o.jpg

I dont have any pics of working on the front sad.gif
but i do have pics of the rear ripped out. lol

36116892336_8fb6f9bc9d_o.jpg

whats not right here?
35349909663_2114a12426_o.jpg

35988509412_b76ab81cd8_o.jpg

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got the car on the ground and boy did it sit good!!!!
35988509602_2114a12426_o.jpg
36023505461_35acc19d02_o.jpg
Then the maiden voyage. Took it to a local dam, called Norris dam. boy it looks GOOOD!!!
lol, you can see dad in the car.
35988509812_baac060115_o.jpg
35988509872_e77e3abb1a_o.jpg

Not much has changed since then. just working the bugs out. Found out that the 15" bumpsteer spacer didnt fit, so waiting for a 14".

36023505781_e264f59dbd_o.jpg
35765502330_b12931b36d_o.jpg
36023505701_f4005ebe4f_o.jpg


both my rides together
36023505831_fcdaa1d27f_o.jpg


more to come as the project developes...

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

better interior shot:
36023506041_4e632247be_o.jpg

The next thing i did was adjust the valves. Found a not so pleasent supprise. The oil spray bar for valves 11&12 was bent... took it out and found some shoddy mechanic work. instead of straightening the piece out they decided to cut half of another gasket and silicone it together. I straightened the piece out. I mean really how hard can it be do do stuff the right way?
36023506051_4d4b01d691_o.jpg

As i said i had problems with the 15" bumpsteer spacer causeing my wheel to hit my tie rod end. I sent the 15" back in favor for the 14" version. Tried installing the 14" spacer to no avail, still hits the tie rod end. So off come the spacers... if you need LBNIB 14" bumpsteer spacers i have some for sale.
35765502720_9c884d06d3_o.jpg

So after alot of frustration i took the car to the allignment shop to get it alligned after the drop. After adjusting my toe the guy says "your camber is too much". Sigh surely someone can chime in and pm me, does lowering springs like the Tokico and Eibach springs lower the car enough that it will wear the tires badly? Im in college at the moment and can barely afford gas to get back and forth, i cant afford 4 new tires.

more to come as money and time allows.....

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bad news.... drove the car to school today(about 60 miles round trip). Ran good, strong, although it is running a little rich. Got home and parked the car in the driveway. Came back out and moved the car and there was a small puddle of oil underneath. I lifted the car up only to find that my real main seal has a leak...

So the car is down for now, it just had to happen when the first warm days of the spring came...

First idea was this is a perfect time to swap the slush box for a 5speed, but unfortunately i have no money to buy all the parts neccassary, Damn.

 

When i tear the thing apart to replace the seal, ill take plenty of pics for all. lol

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

If it isnt one thing its another.... I tried backing the car up the driveway last week, with a violent slipping metallic sound coming from the rear of the car that took me no where. So i figure the diff is dead. Tore the car appart to take the diff out. Removed the rear cover and everything looked mint. I guess the transmission is the culprit... while the diff was out it got a nice cleaning and paint job :
36116893196_77bc2ebcc0_o.jpg
35765502840_c4f78c9350_o.jpg
36116893266_6ee0911085_o.jpg
36023506201_8ee324315c_o.jpg
35765502970_990367063a_o.jpg
36116893386_4172b52f23_o.jpg
36023506281_69c49ff07e_o.jpg
36023506251_591efd3dc7_o.jpg
35765503030_c51df13dcd_o.jpg
36116893486_3eded326bd_o.jpg
36116893586_c26dcd2b34_o.jpg

After the garage gets cleaned out, the motor and tranny are coming out...stayed tuned

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

well, i havent updated this in a while... sorry. Ive been living with the oil leak, and just keeping a couple of quarts of oil in the car at all times. Been driving the car all summer, the l26 runs like a champ. Im going to try some seal softener to try and dry up my oil leak a little bit. im trying prolong ripping it apart, so i can fix the leak and put in the 5 speed at the same time, no reason to do it twice. Hopefuly now that school has started back i can start working on the car again, and make a little progress. I took the pics below a while ago and forgot to add them to the thread, whoops. lol enjoy!!

 

 

35349908013_76e9d89aa0_o.jpg

35349907933_e93a5cdd2d_o.jpg

35349908133_e4f451163a_o.jpg

36023504421_2968d38be0_o.jpg

 

Im getting new tires tomorrow, the cheap off brand tires that are on it are getting bald in the rear after only 10000 miles too. Getting a set of Fuzion HRi hopefuly they are up to the challenge. :)

Edited by lowrider
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, as i said last time i was in need of some tires. Went to the local tire shop and decided on a set of Fuzion HRi all season tires. I could'nt be more happy with them the feel and response of the car has changed dramaticly. Here are a few before and after pics. lol

 

Bald rear tires!!

Photo0476.jpg

Photo0478.jpg

The new Meat!

Photo0479.jpg

Photo0480.jpg

 

 

Well, i knew i had a problem with my front lug nuts for a while. When i had the tires put on they brought it back to my attention. The old lugs would only enguage about 3/8in of the threads. I picked up a set of lugs that were drasticly longer only to find out that they were too long and bottomed out on the hub. Luckily a good friend of my dad's, and mine owns a lathe. He cut them down for me and now im back on the road again with alot more lug holding my wheel on.

 

old V.S. new

Photo0482.jpg

The old lug with the threads on their last leg.

Photo0481.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive been making some progress on the EFI conversion onto the l26. I pulled the intake mainfold off of the l28 i have in the garage. Stripped it down and am in the process of cleaning it up so i can powder coat it. The project has kinda taken the back seat for the time being. The majority of my time this passed week has been spent working on a good friends mustang drag car. I helped him replace his torque converter to try and improve his 1/8 mile time. He took it to the track today and ran a 6.00 on nitrous, he is looking to hit 7.58 so we are going to pull the converter again in favor for on that locks earlier. During the process i got struck by boredom and took some shots of the cars that reside in the shop.

Wes's mustang

Photo0490.jpg

Photo0491.jpg

 

Daddy-o's nova

Photo0497.jpg

 

Daddy-o's 31 model A

Photo0498.jpg

Photo0499.jpg

 

The motor the intake came off of, Its a n42/n47.

Photo0485.jpg

Photo0496.jpg

 

The intake conglomeration with the wiring harness

Photo0486.jpg

 

Everything stripped off.

Photo0493.jpg

Photo0494.jpg

 

I finished sandblasting the intake today. If all goes well, it will get powder coated machine gray tomorrow.

 

I actually have a question. I plan on using a 280zx wiring harness and ecu to power everything. I was wondering what significance is the o2 sensor to the 280zx ecu? what does it control? does it have such a profound effect that it would hurt to not have it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well, I have once again changed the direction of the drivetrain for the car. I pulled the engine and transmission out of the zx parts car. I removed the head to find the cylinders in good shape. The head on the other hand needed a little work. With a simple leak test, my dad and i found out the valve seals for #1 were leaking pretty bad. So off to the machine shop the head went. Got the call the next day to come pick it up. Boy, i love fast turn around! Not much had to be done, just a valve job and a little trueing of the various surfaces. At the moment im currently waiting for the weekend to be over so i can call monday and have a head gasket kit and timing set ordered. On to the pics!!!

 

A couple pics of said parts car

100_1968.jpg

100_1967.jpg

 

The motor nested snugly in the engine bay

100_1969.jpg

 

Out!!! and headless

Photo0524.jpg

Photo0525.jpg

Photo0529.jpg

 

The "Leak test"

Photo0526.jpg

Photo0527.jpg

 

And after the spa day at the machine shop

Photo0528.jpg

 

The cam was replaced in the motor and i have no idea who makes it. I have busted out the calipers and determined that it has less lift than a stock "A" cam. A pic of the markings on the end:

Photo0531.jpg

 

Im sorry for the picture quality diffrence some were taken with my phone and the rest were from a crappy digital camera.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I have engine build pictures!!! Although it was more of a freshing up than a build. I decided not to mess with the bottom end because of the lack of funds. The cylinder walls looked good, and the rings proved suficient with a leak down test. So, as said before the head was sent off to get trued up and get a valve job. While away i painted the block:

Photo0535.jpg

Photo0536.jpg

 

 

Photo0537.jpg

 

After i got finished painting i realized that i would have to remove the front cover to replace the timing chain. A big Doh on my part, oh well. Took the cover off and stripped the paint. Then gave it a nice polishing with a wire wheel. I broke out the calipers on the replacement cam that was originaly on the head and came to the conclusion it had less lift and duration than a stock "A" cam. So i swaped the cam from the spare motor i have.

Photo0540.jpg

Photo0541.jpg

 

The spare motor that got its cam, rockers, and lashpads robbed.

Photo0543.jpg

 

The painted timing cover. :(

Photo0544.jpg

 

Head finally installed with the timing chain replaced.

Photo0550.jpg

 

Whoo front cover on, and mostly put back together!

Photo0552.jpg

Photo0553.jpg

 

I was getting excited, so i sat the valve cover on and loosely hung the intake.

Photo0559.jpg

 

Everything hooked up and ready to go!

Photo0562.jpg

Photo0563.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

I guess ill update, not much has happened since i got the motor back together. My dad herniated one of his disks and ive been running around doing errands and keeping up the house hold for him. I have managed to clean up and paint the r200 that is going in the 260z. I managed to get all the parts for the r200 swap i just need to get a day to get everything in.

I do leave you with this! I got bored the other night and though why not take a clip of how my exhaust sounds? Anyway, without further adoo the exhaust clip:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Update time! I rounded up all the parts for the R200 swap. A Rt mount, gm poly trans bushing, R200 mustashe bar, poly mustashe bar bushings, and some blood sweat and curse words. I figured that the swap would take no more than a couple hours to complete... WRONG! It took up the majority of the weekend to finish. The removal of the R180 went pretty smooth. Then i hit the first signs of resistance when i tried to fit the RT mount that i had made. It was truely my mistake because i fudged the dimensions a little with the top piece. After a little grinding, curseing, and using the BFH i got it in! next up was the mustashe bar, installed the bushings and found out that it wasnt going to fit with the bushings in, so i had to remove the cross bar that connects the rear of the control arm mounts. After that it fit like a glove. Got the rearend hoisted up and hanging by its mounts. Next came the task of shortening the driver's half shaft. I used Lazeum's method ( http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=145643 ) for the exception of using a cutting disk to cut the 1/2in off of the shaft. I then drilled, and taped a hole so i could utilize a bolt and the star washer to retain the balls and spacers. I put a spot weld at the begining of the groves to hold the balls and spacers from coming out of the grooves when fully extended. After i reassembled the halfshaft I finished up tightening and installing all the goodies i had removed. Put some fresh gear oil in the differential and took her for a test drive. Its a night and day difference between the 3.54 and the 3.90. Its alot pepier and torquier in the bottom end. Overall not bad for a weekends work. Unfortuately i didnt take any pictures of the process, i figured there was more than enough info on here if anyone wanted to see how it was done. Well thats all for this time, i might try and put up a video of me running through the gears tomorrow or the next day, till next time keep your gown down and powder dry....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, i went head first into the biggest task yet. After accumalating parts for the last month, i finally had enough parts to do the L28/5 speed swap. Dropped the exhaust, drive shaft, and trans.

The slush box on the floor...

Photo0638.jpg

 

Whoo, no more automatic!

Photo0639.jpg

Next on the list was to 8-6 the L26.

Photo0640.jpg

Photo0642.jpg

Photo0643.jpg

Photo0644.jpg

Out with the old, In with the new.

Photo0645.jpg

Its just a shell...

Photo0647.jpg

Well i got the L28 in along with the 5speed, unfortunately i wasnt too worried about taking pictures as i wrestled them in, and buttoned everything up. lol

I have some wiring left then put the driveshaft in and put in some fluids, and modify the exhaust and i should be on the road again! Swaping a motor in 12hrs by yourself isnt too bad is it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Man, its been a long time since ive updated. Ive put some miles on the new motor and trans, its the best upgrade ive made to the car up untill this point! No more finnicky cold starts, the 5speed feels excelent! im extremely happy!

Photo0648.jpg

Photo0649.jpg

Photo0683.jpg

 

Now the quest for more power begins! Ive decided to begin down the long slippery slope of turbocharging my L28. Ive already started to accumulate parts! I picked up a z31 T3 with the water cooled center, and im awaiting an exhaust manifold from flatblack280. When i have both of them at the same place im going to start mocking up my oil and water lines on my spare motor. :)

Im so excited to turbo this beast! I hear it really wakes it up.

I plan on using the na fuel injection for now. Im pretty sure ive made a list of all the big stuff i need to wrap the turbo swap up:

8:1 FMU

T3 turbo

Exhaust manifold

Turbo oil pump

24x12x3 Ebay Intercooler

2.5" Stainless tubing

Silicon couplers

Clamps

BOV

Oil/Coolant lines

Drill and tap oil return in pan

Lock out mech advance on the distributor

 

After all that and a few odds and ends i should be good to go!

Im planing on running about 5-7 psi at first so i can get the hang of tuning it!

Have i mentioned that im excited?!? lol

 

till next time, see ya

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Photo0685.jpg

Photo0686.jpg

Photo0690.jpg

Photo0691.jpg

A few new pictures for everyone! The turbo is happily hanging from the mock up motor. I then made a wastegate bracket, and adjustable wastegate arm. I got an intercooler off of ebay, i made the mounts for it and am using it as a cold air intake till i has teh boost.

Everything is moving along pretty smoothly, i have then oil lines and tee fitting. Still quite a bit left, but im making progress!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Well, the project has kinda slowed down for the time being. Driving 100 miles round trip to school everyday is kinda draining my wallet, especialy since i currently dont have a job. Besides all this negativity i have managed to get a little bit of stuff done!

 

I mounted my fmu. I decided to mount it on the side of the head where the mechanical fuel pump goes. I also mocked up my intake on the spare motor so i could get a good idea of clearances. I modified the inlet for my turbo so i could attach my braided -4 line. I painted my hotside and down pipe, yet i dont have any pictures of this.

 

anyways, here are some pictures for the time being:

Photo0693.jpg

 

Photo0694.jpg

 

Photo0695.jpg

 

Photo0696.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I finally got the majority of the stuff for the swap. I just need a few gaskets and to fab some stuff and it should all come together! I got the remainder of my silicone couplers for my intercooler piping so i decided to start cutting piping to fit. Im going to have to wait to finish when i get the turbo in. I plan on running the piping under the oil pan like KTM. so far so good!

Photo0718.jpg

 

Photo0719.jpg

 

Photo0720.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...

THE TURBO IS ON! I finished up the swap weekend before last, then finally got the exhaust last monday. I have to say im enjoying boost!

I got to tearing into it friday night, and by saturday night the beast was running.

Photo0733.jpg

Farewell NA exhaust manifold.

 

Photo0734.jpg

I couldnt resist putting it on to see how it fit.

 

Photo0736.jpg

everything mostly back together.

 

Photo0735.jpg

intercooler piping ran.

 

 

my set up consists of so far:

 

NA F54 block

P79 head

zxt exhaust mannifold

z31 watercooled T3

ebay intercooler

ebay piping kit

DSM blow off valve

-4an oil feed line

modified NA oil pan

12:1 vortech FMU

265cc ka24e injectors

NA ECU

mechanical advance locked

NGK wideband

3" exhaust

magnaflow muffler

 

Thats just about it i guess... Im currently running 8 psi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...