Leaderboard

Hey guys, you might have seen my posts in the various facebook groups over the last couple of days, but finally I´ll post here too, after I gathered most infos about the commonly asked questions. I’ve a glass manufacturer on hand who will produce new glass for our S30 Z’s (2 seater) It will be thinner and therefore also lighter but still obtain all safety regulations including the E sign and also the DOT number. So fully street legal in Europe and the US including all necessary testing that goes with it. Some might think thinner means a weaker windshield and also a higher risk of damage due to stone chips or what not. I ask for a statement from the manufacturer which at least to me makes sense.... so due to the fact that it’s thinner it’s also more flexible and absorbs the impact better. As our cars are not relying on structure integrity of the windscreen, it also doesn’t change any rigidity of the car. Thicker and therefor harder glass is also more brittle. The windshield for example will be approximately 5kg lighter due to the reduction from 6,76mm to 3,96mm. We’re still looking into how to seal everything but it probably has to be glued into the window seal. Then we would still be able to use the standard gasket. But that’s also the case iaw the Nissan FSM, at least for the 280z. I’m looking for people who are also interested in new door glass and rear hatch glass as they have to build a new form for it. We need in total 10 pieces made to justify the cost for a form. The sides will be 3,15mm instead of stock 3,85mm. Same for the rear hatch window. Horizontal Heating will be possible in the aft one but can also ordered without heating. Vertical heating is still questionable due to low demand, probably. (another tool has to be made for "printing" it on the glass.) Prices are without TAX but including shipping in germany, for exact shipping quote send me your address via pm and I forward it to the manufacturer. Windshield: 390€ with 2x 1,6mm glass 240€ with 2x 2,1mm glass Still waiting on raw material for these ones... sadly...: Door and hatch glass: With 10 orders: 500-600€ a piece. With 20 orders 350€-450€ due to the tooling costs. These prices are very rough calculated as the manufacturer is still waiting for answers from their supplier regarding the blue tinted glass (like OEM) in the right thicknesses. So I hope they will go down by a lot. Should know more in that regard beginning of next week. Maybe it has to be clear, let’s see... Iaw the parts catalog at least windscreen and rear hatch glass are the same across 240/260/280z. Door windows have differences in the MJ, for now they would use a 78" 280z for the forms, I hope they´re able to use them for 240/260Z too, as the general form should be the same for the door glass, just the holes and the part which mates to the metallic window mechanism has another cutout... but lets see. Shipping and selling will be done through the manufacturer and is possible worldwide. Please comment for general interest. I´m only trying to get it going with the manufacturer. Let’s see if they actually start to produce it. Bigger group buys will get an additional 10-20% off. Alright, thats it 😄 comments welcome, please discuss the idea

When I was four years old I went with my dad to look at a 1982 280zx 2+2 with T tops (black pearl). It had the voice that would speak remind you to turn off your headlights, tan leather with ZX embossed into it. I watched my dad shift the gears and looked at all of the cool switches and interior bits since I wasn't big enough to look out the window. When we got back to the sellers house I proclaimed "This is the best car ever, we will take it!". I'm sure my Dad wanted to kill me for ruining negotiations. This would be my Dad's second Zx, and over the years he bought 15- 20 more. Always S130s, mostly 2+2 T top cars. I was always in the garage helping him tinker and perform routine maintenance. When I started driving I was the only one of my siblings that was driving a ZX( I think because I showed interest) and right about that time my dad brought home a 79 coupe. This particular car was not his typical buy, being a coupe, a hard top, and an automatic. The car didn't run and we are not mechanics by any means. Tearing into it we became aware that it needed a head gasket. This being way to much for us the car sat for several years. In the spring when I was 19 I decided to delve back into it. I had pruchased a parts car (74 260Z) with a running engine and 4 speed manual. The L26 had an Arizona Zcar four barrel manifold and needed a bunch of work! I swapped the whole assembly in, engine swap and manual conversion and this was the first time I did more than a brake job by myself. Over the course of a few weeks I got the car running and slowly fixed different issues over several months. On my way home that fall the car started over heating and I had to stop several times to refill the radiator with water. I limped it home and put it on the back burner until I would have time. The next spring, when I had time I went to investigate and found that because I had filled the block with water and let it sit over winter I had a crack in the block. The car sat for several years after that. Last winter I finally brought the car back into my shop and swapped in an L28 with 60,000 miles. I also upgraded to a five speed, both came from a car that had been totalled by my brother. I kept the four barrel and added pace setter headers ( very cheap, not very quality) as well as replacing brakes, and struts on all four corners. I have put several thousand miles on the car this year and get a huge smile on my face everytime I think about driving it. I browse hybrid Z all of the time, and made my account in 2014 but usually don't log in I just browse. I have read thousands of posts and solved most of my issues by reading old threads. I have had S30s and several S130s and absolutely love everything about these cars. I have a 82 turbo coupe, with ttops and a manual that is my next project and I would like to see 200 hp with out aftermarket engine management, I have found several good threads about this and plan to start next year. I still have several parts cars and surplus parts from all of the years with these cars. I also plan to try and be a part of the forum and helping fellow members. Thanks to anyone who has taken the time to read this and for all of the great information this forum has provided for me and my family over the years.

Picked a horse in the EPS race. Went down to the local u-pick yard and grabbed a 2007 Saturn Vue column for $65. Will order up a Bruno controller. Now just need to decide whether to use the OEM upper column or start fresh with an aftermarket column. That all depends on the ease of adapting a quick disconnect hub for the steering wheel on both columns

Brian, I just went through this nightmare. You will need to cut it all out. The rear hatch slam lid is actually four pieces of metal spot welded together. Two vertical pieces that flare out in opposite directions, one lower “backing” which is what bends and creates your hatch mounding life. The LAST piece is what is visible and available for $130 Online. I attached some photos of my cut and rebuild. It took 2-3 weekends. I don’t have a metal brake, so I had to weld the 90’s. IMG_4558.MOV

I'd be interested to hear a more in depth discussion of why mounting the diff and rear control arms to the two largest pieces of hardware in the rear of the car (that go through the rear frame rails) isn't such a good idea? Maybe something that integrates the locating holes. On my car, the factory dropdowns were woefully inadequate. Pretty flexy in lateral loading, the only real thing preventing shift was pressure from the opposite wheel. It's even been suggested by several members on my build thread to connect the factory mustache bolts to the rear control arm pickup points for added stability in cornering. I've boxed the factory dropdowns, but potentially moving to an Apex style rear subframe for additional stiffness. I'm also intrigued by the rear control arm style this affords, using inner heim joints to free up bind, rather than the traditional bushed mounts. That lower mounting hole is probably too low for most cars, but if you went up with the car for rally use, might be helpful!