JakeMonkey

Hey all, I just picked up a 1977 280z a few weeks ago, and have embarked on a quest for restoration. I picked up the car with minimal rust, a surprisingly intact interior, and a workable engine for $1250. I'm making my way around the internet, trying to find the best forums and general resources to help get me on my way. I'm in Washington, and the car has been fairly well cared for, so rust is minimal for a car of this age. I have a background in mechanics, a nice garage, and a decent income to get me rolling on the project. I have been going about the general business of removing basically everything, and so far I have the rear carpeting and tray removed, the center console, the exhaust, and the engine removed. The car was stored in a carport, and hasn't been driven since 2006. The previous owner told me that the engine is fine other than a blown head gasket, but when I started getting deep into the engine disassembly this weekend I found that he wasn't really well informed about the issues with the engine. The gasket was indeed warped and in bad shape on #6, but the real problems were elsewhere. All 6 pistons have heavy carbon buildup, and were pretty wet. When I got to the bottom end, I found over half an inch of pure sludge in the oil pan, and the oil pickup was sitting in the sludge. The crankcase, the crank, and the rods all have surface rust buildup. I pulled one of the mains and that journal looked nice at least. I'm hoping that once I get the block fully disassembled, that a good cleaning and acid bath will bring the block back to a serviceable state. My future build plans are thus: 1: Replace and build the engine internals, and go with a turbo setup. I have seen some people saying that the N42 can be a good block for a turbo platform, would I be right in pursuing that path? I am considering getting a rebuilt P90 head, but if there are better options, I am open to any input. I am planning on sticking around 300hp to start with, so I'm hopeful that this block will work for that application. I will probably do a megasquirt setup for engine management, as it seems to be a popular way to go about things. 2: Replace the original 4 speed manual with a 5 speed manual. I have seen some people recommending the T5, and a few others said you can cram a Z32 trans in there. Any recommendations for transmissions? 3: Replace the differential with an R200 diff, is there a certain version or platform I should be looking at getting a diff from? 4: Gut the brown interior, and redo everything with black carpeting, leather and panels. 5: Prep the exterior, treat and fix all rust issues, and get a quality paint job. 6: Rewire the interior, and find a better wiring harness for the engine bay. 7: Replace all hoses, and make all new brake lines and fuel lines. 8: Replace all suspension bushings, shocks, and various other suspension items. 9: Replace the hideous shock bumpers with a more streamlined setup, does anyone have any recommendations on body kits or replacement bumpers? I know that there are many, many more things that I will be taking care of in this process, but that's my initial goal for the car. Feel free to give any input you feel is necessary, I will be frequenting these boards and others in the future to aid me in my quest to bring this car to the glorious state that it deserves! I've included some pictures, and I will update them as the build progresses.