Jump to content
HybridZ

'72 240z LS1 swap/Restore


Recommended Posts

So i've been a member here for awhile, owned a 280z about 3 years now, but havent had any reason to make a build thread until now.

 

Maybe 3 months ago I got the itch to start working on the Z and sell my s13. So I started collecting parts while I look for a clean shell. Picked up a 2002 Vette LS1 with only 700 original miles, fender mirrors, random motor related parts, JCI mounts and driveshaft, JTR manifolds and radiator (Still waiting on), and wheels through the Rota RB-R gb.

 

Last week I found the shell i wanted, and today she was delivered! $1500 for a clean shell, parts car, and an ENORMOUS amount of spare parts including new Nismo seats, a good condition R200V, and rear louvers which I've always wanted for my 280. Sad thing is the parts car only has 48k original miles. Last date on the title is 1992, must have been sitting and rotting away since then. I only have one picture since I spent most of the time after they were dropped off sorting through parts and moving the parts car around by hand (so glad these cars are as light as they are).

 

?ui=2&ik=e4a633e540&view=att&th=120ca6a1a9879d13&attid=0.1&disp=inline&zw

 

The car is in awesome shape. It sat outside of a body shop for about 7 years so the clear is coming off. The paint on the underside of the hood is so smooth and perfect. The underbody is amazing, very little rust on the ends of the rails, but the hatch has an inch of bondo on it and is rusting badly. Thats pretty much all thats wrong with it. Cant wait to get started on this! I need to sell my s13.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 8 months later...

so i havent made much progress with this car since i got it. i havent had any room or time to work on the car yet. i sold the track car less than a month ago so i finally have space in the garage for it. but then it started snowing 8+ inches every weekend and halfway through the week, so that kept me from even pulling it in! but its done snowing for the year, and whats left is still melting so hopefully i'll be able to pull it in soon.

 

i've spent about $14k on parts so far and have the build priced out to about $30k. the car came with next to no interior parts, so i'm going to have to find and price those out too.

 

i have still been collecting parts so i'll just post some pics of what i have for now. so far i've ordered:

-fiberglass hood and hatch from johnc at Beta

-TechnoToyTuning suspension arms

-Stance GR+ Pro coilovers for a S13

-255/40 and 245/40 Federal 595s (will later move on to Advans)

-fiberglass front and rear bumpers

-HKB steering wheel fromt RHDJapan

-Boss hub adapter

-JTR stuff listed in first post

-JCI stuff listed in first post

-fender mirrors

-fender flares

-Rota RB-R's

-weld in camber plates

-and a TON of misc interior and engine parts

 

0701092040.jpg

 

0701092046.jpg

 

0217001349a.jpg

 

0217001349.jpg

 

 

and just for fun, here i am with my black 280z at a local Z Car Show (lower right corner). you can see the tip of Eiji's (Datsun Spirit) gnose in the upper right.

pic_400_1.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

i managed to push the Z into the garage last week and started work on it immediately. test fitted the fiberglass hood and hatch, both fit great! the hood is a little bowed out where it meets the cowl but thats an easy fix.

pulled out the dash, steering column, heater core, blower motor, and quarter windows tonight. when i pulled out the dash, a mountain of sand came out from behind it! hmmm.

i finally got a weekend off work so i'm gonna try to get as much done as possible this weekend.

 

0304002024.jpg

 

0304001906b.jpg

 

0304001906.jpg

Edited by iHeartTouge
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cant get a very good shot with my phone, meh. This single mirror took way too long. I had two grinding stones on my dremel grenade so I had to resort to sanding for those last few millimeters. Its not quite aligned exactly how I need it or completely flush with the fender. In due time. I wasnt paying attention when I was drilling, and the vibrations from said drilling made the mirror slowly sneak towards the edge of the fender. It fell off twice, and slightly chipped the very edge of the glass :( . Its only noticeable up close though. I'll replace it if the chips irk my nerves enough. I'm not a perfectionist.

 

0311002112.jpg

 

0311002111.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

It is always awesome to see someone making progress on their car. I bought mine almost a year ago, and have been able to do little to it, mostly due to lack of funds and inexperience. But hey what do you expect when in the military, making only 30k a year with two kids. FML!!!!!!!!!! Oh well one day I will get it done, unless I get stationed somewhere I cant take my car. That would suck.

Edited by angry_dave24
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is always awesome to see someone making progress on their car. I bought mine almost a year ago, and have been able to do little to it, mostly due to lack of funds and inexperience. But hey what do you expect when in the military, making only 30k a year with two kids. FML!!!!!!!!!! Oh well one day I will get it done, unless I get stationed somewhere I cant take my car. That would suck.

 

yeah hardest part about these cars is funds. i feel like they're rather easy to work on. the best way to learn (for me atleast) is to jump head first in and figure it out.

 

i just got my Wilwood brakes from AZC in the other day and after much deliberation, decided to add their rear Wilwood set up and parking brake caliper to my mods list. i am entirely way too antsy to finish this car! i will have some Toyota 4x4 brakes up for sale soon.

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...