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As I’ve documented on this forum before I got kind of stift by the auction company and the previous owner of my 77 280z. The frame rails are rusted and need replacement to pass inspection and something is wrong with the rear suspension. I’m trying to not spend too much money at the moment but still want good parts that will stay on the car trough out the build as doing thing twice costs more in the long run. I will have to take the car to a body shop to get the frame rails welded so I’ll be looking to get pre made frame rails to save on labor cost. That gives me two choices, 1,5mm thick reproduction rails from KF vintage or the 3mm thick rails from Apex. The KF rails are send trough a warehouse in Spain so that saves a lot on import cost for me but the Apex rails are twice as thick which may give the almost 50 year old car some much needed strength and rigidity. Does anybody have the Apex rails on there car and how are they holding up? As for the rear suspension the question is if it is the chassis itself that’s crooked or something in the suspension. As I can’t find many stories of bend chassis online I’ll take the bet that it’s the rear suspension. That means I’ll have to look for adjustable rear control arms. That way even if the chassis itself is a little bit crooked I can tune it out for now till the car will be fully restored. Again that search let me back to Apex, there was also Silver Project from Europe which was a lot cheaper but I don’t hear much good from them. Has anybody installed the rear (or front) control arms from Apex with mostly stock suspension? I currently have a list of products form Apex which interests me and I’ll probably wait till Black Friday to see if they got any good deals. I don’t know if I’ll order everything but the frame rails and rear control arms I’ll probably order. This is what I’m interested in at the moment: - Frame rails - Rear control arms - Fender brace (If the car gets welded anyway, why not) - Rear strut brace - Front control arms - Low profile outer tie rods (I run 15” atm) - Inner tie rods (because of the threat difference) - Steering knuckles All combined should give the chassis and suspension a nice upgrade and the adjustability I need to get the car on the road. I do plan on keeping the four lug setup and the coilovers that are currently on the car. I do like there coilovers but That may be too much money for now. Yesterday I contacted Apex Engineered with some questions and they claim that the suspension components I’m looking at do work with the stock components. Are there people on here running Apex components (except the track attack kits) and what is your opinion on them.

There's a shop near me that has been advertising pre-buys for these bodies(and others). I get the impression that they're working with the manufacturer.

I answer questions whenever I've got a good answer, but I haven't tried enough different sealers to be comfortable risking your engine on my recommendation.

He does mention having to trim his stock valence a bit with the 245s, but 225s and you having an air dam is more clearance in two ways. Small chance of rubbing though.

Here's a link to pictures of @ktm's car that has 245/50R16 tires, so you can see the diameter.

You could step up to 225/60R15. They're a inch larger in diameter than your current tires, but I think stock diameter tires are a little small for the wheel wells anyway. Some guys run 245/50R16 tires, and a 225/60R15 is the exact same diameter, so I don't see why they wouldn't work.

I took a break from the project but recently started getting back into things. I also went to go visit the shell at the bodyshop earlier this month and they're doing a great job. Buttoning a couple of things up, I finished setting up the fuel surge tank. The original FPG setup had some looped fuel lines and other things I wasn't keen on. I ended up doing 10mm nylon hose to a Y block and a -10 SS hardline return into the side of the surge tank away from the wiring. Generally the whole contraption is a pretty tight fit and just about everything needed to be exact/deliberately placed. I've also been working on modifying and welding a bunch of suspension parts. Mostly plating and reinforcement, some aesthetic before sending things off for powdercoat and zinc plating. In the next few weeks I need to figure out some wiring and misc. bracketry before the engine bay gets finished out.

Well. The above mod worked and its now front jumped. Had to make a new dip stick tube and then I started on making an adjustable cam gear. Turned the inner bore out and faced the rest so ill have a good flat surface for the aluminum inner hub to bolt to. I realizing noone answers questions on here anymore and people just use it for documenting their builds. Its really sad.

Feels like the options for smaller wheels are just becoming impossible to find, at least in the US. Europe and Japan still have lots of small new cars, so I think they have a couple more options. Even the more popular size Miatas use in 225/45/15 I can only find in 200tw, but they're so much shorter than stock, I think they always look terrible and out of proportion on the Z Potenza sport looks okay. I think the 052 is out of the question as a 200tw, but moreso because of the cost. I'm trying to keep it under $200 per tire so I can spare some change for the wheels. Right now I'm thinking of the Continental Extreme Contact Sport 02. They're 340tw, but supposedly slightly better on the comfort than most other options, which I have started to care more about now that the car is much nicer haha. Know the Toyo Proxes R1R are popular for some guys running 16s, but they're only in a 225/45 profile. I appreciate the support! I know many posts have nothing people can really respond to, so sometimes it feels like you're just typing into the wind, so I appreciate that people have been enjoying the build all these years.

All my wheels are 15" and 16", so I can definitely feel your pain. Have you looked at the Yoko Advan 052? They make it in a 245/45-16 size, and it's pretty high performance. I'll probably get myself a set, once I talk myself into the that high pricetag. 😜 I've been running the Bridgestone Potenza Sports (300tw) in that same size the last couple years; and have been fairly impressed with them. Great street tire, wear like iron, and can even put in decent trackday lap times with them once they've got some heat in them. Your car's looking great....I love seeing the updates!

Update - The Kumho tires I was using as a street option are no longer available. It looks like the only tire options in 225/50 are all 200 treadwear or under, so basically track only. I'd be interested in a couple of the 200tw options, but it seems like a lot of wear and expensive for a cruiser, so it looks like moving up to 16" wheels is the only option now

Got a few small projects done. Got rid of the weird clutch pedal contraction. Ordered a brake pedal to be my clutch pedal. Had to trim it down as it was for an automatic. Welded on the side clip for the clutch slave cylinder and took all the pedals out and painted. Also cleaned the underside some more, I want to get that painted soon.

Not much to update on the car. Slowly thinking of the next batch of improvements. The struggle now is it's mostly in a really good place, so short of spending huge money on something like a change over to a Haltech R3 to control everything there's not too much. Current "smaller" considerations are the following: -Cam swap to a "small" Steve Bonk turbo cam - the lobe center/lobe separation on mine is just too wide for what I want. Bonk cam would get me more responsive in the low to mid range, with probably only a small sacrifice at higher rpm where I spend almost no time anyway. -Swap to my 3.57 r200 and rebuild with the OEM kit and OS Giken LSD I have waiting. Should give me better cruising rpm and supposedly better loading on the turbo for improved boost -New tires (and new wheels?) My tire options are just so limited for tires or something a bit more street friendly than 200tw that moving to 16" wheels might be the best solution. I'm now thinking that most of my road noise complaints are actually the current tires being near the end of their life. They've been on for years now and I think it's time to finally switch them out no matter what. -Switching back to the OEM style front diff mount with a Kameari piece, and possibly even the OEM mustache bar. There's a small chance the T3 bar is fouling against the spare tire compartment and adding to drivetrain noise, but it also just feels like unnecessary bling. Looks great from underneath, but might be wasted money.

A Chinese Metal Fabrication Company is planning to unveil a Brand New complete Early Model 240Z body at the 2025 SEMA SHOW in Las Vegas on Nov 4-7. They are looking for Distributors in North America. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOxdQynjijn/?igsh=MWk4N280Nm1zOXI= I will be attending the SEMA SHOW and will post pictures and more information when I return from the show. Please watch for my post show postings- Tool Man

Today I got a good start on the engine compartment, and also fitted the brass oil port screws to the 4200 block. The engine compartment will be factory color, with clear coats, and the engine compartment will be shaved, I also went ahead and bought a rewiring kit for the car form Jeg's.

I started the day with some kitty litter and cleaned up a big oil spot from the gear oil int he transmission when I pulled her out....yeah I didn't drain it. So, the brass fittings I bought to go into the side of my 4200 block for the oil ports I bought from Auto Meter. They were almost long enough to thread in. Then I noticed there is a stepped portion at the base of the threads. I used my die grinder carefully and ground that down, then I was able to get them in and gooped them up with pipe thread sealant to make it worry free. Then I was able to locate a bolt that would thread into the port on the side of the oil filter boss. I cut it down so it would tighten up flush, then drilled the center out. Once I get my 1/8" NPT tap I will tap it and it will become the supply for an oil pressure gauge.

Next up, is mounting the the breather reservoir. Things are tight... very tight. But I think this location will work. I was able to use a simple "L" shaped bracket, bolted to the top flange of the bracket I used to mount the tank. It wasn't very rigid... until I tied it into the vertical steel panel that drops down from the inner fender support. Now, the main panel (and breather tank bracket) is secured on three of the four sides. I am pleased with the result. I just need to tweak the mounting tab locations every so slightly to get everything vertically set at the proper angle - it is a shade off at the moment. Though a pain, I can remove the battery without disturbing any of the oil system. This was one of my requirements when coming up with mounting the brackets. Now, it is time to finalize the order for the fittings.

Next up is the oil filter remote mount. I fabricated an aluminum bracket to attach the mount to the right inner wheel house. On the 46 BRE Z, the mount is on the inside of the strut tower. I wanted it to be a bit more forward in the engine compartment, as I think that facilitates a slightly better routing of the line from the "out" of the remote mount to the input on the engine block. Essentially the line just needs to turn 90 degrees to go into the block, plus some angle to handle the height difference. Here are some pics from various angles. I am planning on running the supply and scavenge lines across the front of the engine at the front "cover plate" location, where I am running a Kaminari timing chain tensioner. I could fabricate a bracket to mount the oil filter more vertical than I have done here, but I chose this angle to keep the outlet tangential to the shock tower innermost surface. I plan to secure the hose with a rubber lined "P clamp" at the shock tower and then bend the hose for a straight (ish) run to the block. I also am thinking that angling the oil filter out like this will allow me to run the scavenge line between the wheel house and the filter (in the gap that exists) and secure the scavenge line also to the shock tower with a P clamp. If the oil filter was vertical instead, the scavenge line would have to pass by the filter on the other side, where it would be free floating - not as easily secured. That is my thinking anyway. I have never run lines like this for a dry sump system. So, doing what I think is best.

This video shows how Japan handles Automobile Recycling. They are very thorough at recycling. the video shows how effective recycling can be instead filling up land fills with waste materials.

Well my air dam and rear spoiler for my 260Z came in from Motorsport Auto (MSA) today! Replaced my new engine hoist that bent under weight at Harbor Freight, and finished up the turbo manifold header wrap for the 4200. Pretty cool day!

Well my air dam and rear spoiler for my 260Z came in from Motorsport Auto (MSA) today! Replaced my new engine hoist that bent under weight at Harbor Freight, and finished up the turbo manifold header wrap for the 4200. Pretty cool day!

10-15-2025. Busy morning in the garage. My 260Z gave up its engine and trans to make way for a future ATLAS install. And yes, it fought me A LOT. My new Harbor Freight hoist gave out midway through, but I got it to limp along with 2 floor jacks and a neighbor guy to basically wrestle it out. From now on, engine only....no more transmission attached for me. Yep....I cut the firewall bracing. It was my plan to do so anyway, and to reinforce and make it removable. I measured before cutting it and sure enough it widened 1/4 inch after cut. After I have made the brackets for re-installing the piece, I will simply use a ratchet strap to pull it back to the correct distance and bolt it in with grade 8 bolts. All nice and pretty. reinforced with thick plate steel. Inside the tubing I will put a spacer for the bolt to go through so when tightened it will keep the tubing from buckling. We move forward!

Thanks jhm. Probably get a lot of mean looks taking such a clean shell and making a hot rod out of it.

Nice find! I really lucked out with my late-model 260 as well (similar vintage and condition as yours), and was super happy with the condition of the shell. My current car (early-model 260)....not so much. 🤣 Looking forward to seeing your progress -- best of luck with the build!! 👍👍

That's Merle. He still has it. He got it running, and all is well. In the 6 cylinder portion of this webpage is the build of my 4.2. got a good start on the header wrap for the 4200 today. ran out so waiting for more.