afbrian13

I'm thinking of swapping out my column for one with a tilt and telescoping wheel, mostly to make getting in and out easier. Anybody ever do this? Can anyone think of some older(can be in a junkyard) cars that came with these? Are there any cars with the same size spline as our Z cars? I think I might have to wonder around the J/Y for a bit. Let ya know If I find anything. Brian

Figured these would help with the condition. Back bumper is since pulled, and the passenger door is replaced. Have ZX wheels and a good set of tires too. Just figured it would be interesting to see. Thanks again, Brian

I will preface this question with the idea that I know its my decision, blah blah blah. The reason I'm asking is because nobody knows z cars inside and out better than the people on the forum, and nobody has a soft spot for them like those on this forum-and I value the opinion of you guys on here. With that said... I have a dilemma. I have a 76 280z, currently running, driving with a stock 81 motor lots of miles but fires right up. Not rusted, but has some dents and dings, newer front body work. Needs a bit of love before paint. Inside is stripped down to minimum needed to drive, but I have most of the stuff already. I've parted out a couple cars, and have most of the parts. Currently my nice weather DD. I have a Superduty and Routan also, so its not like its our only ride. I've had the Z for about 6 years through different engines, periods of sitting, thoughts of selling, 3 kids and a wife, and keep coming back to keeping it. I'm really trying to not make this an emotional decision, but I think its just part of the deal. (I grew up in a Z, my kids have helped work on it-my 3year old helped me bleed the clutch alright. they fight over who gets to ride "In Daddy's race car") I know that in the next couple years I'm going to have to move for work, and can't take all this extra stuff with me (military)However we've decided that no matter whats going on I'm going to have a car, preferably a fun one. I'm right at the point of dumping more time, $$ and effort into the Z. Got the bushing kit, ready to buy the suspension, have my buddy lined up to help with the body etc, so I need to decide where I go with this. I find myself talking about my Z like a bad girlfriend-she abuses me but I just keep coming back for more. I've been thinking of selling the car and everything that goes with it. A friend of mine wants to make me a deal on a 2000 A6, twin turbo, 6 speed, AWD, loaded. Chipped, a few other mods, spare turbos, set of wheels, etc-a good deal for that car. It is fun to drive, but very refined-thats good and bad. If I had my druthers I'd buy it for a DD, and go nuts with the Z. Only problem is financially its one or the other. It would be nice to have a car that is newer, safer (I hear about this one from friends, but not the wife), backseat (I know-the thought hurts) and get rid of ALL THIS Z STUFF TAKING UP ROOM! If I elect to buy the A6 and sell the Z, I would gain a garage and shed worth of space, the time of not working on it, and a pretty nice ride. If I keep the Z I could spend 1/2 the $$ (shocks/springs/bushings, garage body work, some wiring is noth that expensive), put the rest towards bills. Logically I think I'm trying to talk myself into selling the z-but not doing a good job of it. I think even though I've talked it through at home( my wife understands and is completely behind me either way-but I do know she doesn't really care for the Z and likes the A6-whatever , with friends, etc. Typing all this out is helping make up my mind. I think if I take a couple $$K from what I would have used on the A6 and dedicated it to the Z(instead of scrounging here and there), I would have a pretty nice 280. The main reason its given me problems and been a general P.I.T.A. to me is from trying to be cheap about things. Patching motors together instead of a good rebuild, delaying fixing the interior, so its still drafty, cold, and have boxes of crap sitting around. Generally half-assing things, and knowing how to do it the right way, just not doing it. A bit of focussed time and $$, start selling all the extra parts laying around, and I could still have my Z. Sell everything, buy A6, have a nice car ready to roll, but I wonder how long till I get the itch to mod it? What would you do? I think I know the logical answer, the emotional answer, and what I'm going forward with. Thanks for reading, putting up with me, answering questions over the years, and the free therapy session! Look forward to seeing your thoughts. Brian

All this debate is kinda why I have been considering an A6 (like I posted about in a different thread) Of course its a nice ride, great everyday handling, twin turbo 6 speed AWD-where I live its snowing right now, plus I have kids. They're really fun to drive if you've been considering a M3. I really like the Z3 and Z4's though. I'd like to get the A6 and keep my Z, but I don't know if thats an option for me right now. Just figured I'd toss the Audi idea out there. S4?

I figured that nothing was quite going to feel the same based on driver position. If money wasn't an issue, I would drive a M4 in a second. To me they seem more like an S30 than a new Z does, or at least a 350. I'm still on the fence. I was die hard "I'm not selling this car, etc, etc" but I've been waivering as of late. Don't know if its frustration, stagnation with the project, loss of interest or what. Everytime the idea gets in my head, I go for a drive and then want to keep it, but when I think on it I feel like selling it, and all the extra stuff. I've done some pretty daunting projects (body swaps on trucks, put a turbo motor in this car-and pulled it again, etc)so its not that. Maybe thats it-all the extra crap around my house could be the problem. Thanks for the info and insite everybody. I do value the opinions of the people

Wow thanks a bunch for the posts. Just to clear things up a bit, I'm not as much worried about ride comfort as handling ability. I've been through a lot with this car over the past 7 years and as much as I love it, I keep feeling like I'm talking about an abusive relationship when disussing this car. I just keep coming back! I grew up in one of these things and like the one I have, but when I look at a twin turbo Audi v6, 6 speed, AWD, chipped, sport package plus upgrades for 5.5 to 6K, ready to go (a friend interested in selling his car)it gets hard to not pass up. I have so much crap (extra suspesion, engines trans, random boxes of Z parts, 2 extra wheel sets, complete dash, hoods-all from parts cars) laying around taking up space too. I want to restomod the thing and at the same time I'm almost tired of it. I hate to drop X amount of $$ into something for it to still be sub par compared to a 10year old car. I could care less about retail for the record. As a airplane mechanic for a living, wrenching has turned more to work than the hoddy it started out as.

Hi all! So I know a new econobox handles better than a stock, not redone Z (albeit with a severe lack of style). I have a still stock 76 280 (with 81 stock n/a motor and 5speed)and I want to get it closer to a new car performance wise. I have driven an RX8 and compared to my Z it corners like crazy, but feels odd with zero low end. What newer car would a 280z, with tokico blues, arizona z 2indrop springs, urethane bushings all around be equivilant to? Engine wise i'm thinking a mild v8, basically a mustang gt drive train with an aluminum top end. I guess you could say a budget street build for spirited driving. Inside some miata seats. How big a differance does it REALLY make over stock. I don't have a pipe dream and you wont insult me, I just want an idea. Want car could I take for a drive that would show me what this setup would feel like? Any idea? I understand "if you want a car that handles like new, buy a 370" but I'm just trying to get an idea. My other vehicle is a F250 4x4, so I don't really have anything to compare to. Thanks! Brian

I've been tossing around different colors for my 76 280. I was stuck on a blue with some flake, but everything out there is blue these days. I've considered a real dark gunmetal, black out the chrome and add black zg's. Then I saw a new Camaro in Synergy Green. Wow thats a cool color-really pops! Plus my car was originally the british racing green(blah)so its kinda correct:-) What does everybody think? Synergy green, chrome gone, limo tint windows, black zg's, blacked out 240z thin bumpers, urethane airdam and side skirts, a set of 16in wide black steel wheels with just enough drop (2in) to look just right. I think I have a winter gameplan ready to go...

pulled the glass that was good, pulled all lights and good interior parts. the hatch only has 2 SMALL bubbles starting on it so it is ashame your not closer. windshield was cracked. pulled the wimdow motors and switches, power mirrors-with wiring and switches. I think with the right body kit (type 2 or 3) they actuall wouldn't look bad on a 280z, plus power mirrors would be great for the pass. side. pulling all the matching lock cylinders and ignition switch with key:-). seats shot, fenders shot, doors rusted out, floor rusted out, weather stipping shot. I already have a complete 78 dash sitting in my shed and don't really feel like keeping another one around. might see about the gages. I'm getting tired of it taking space in my garage, especially since I have people that want me to work on their cars!$$. Its pretty well stripped and I'm keeping the wheels off of it once I get to the JY anyway. If anybody needs something hit me up for shippiong costs, I'll let you know if the part is good. Like I said, hate to pull the plug on a Z, but at least she can keep as many others going as possible! Know when its time...

I bought a 81 Zx for the motor, trans, and wheels/tires. its pretty rusted but mechanically is pretty decent-excpept the blown rear end normally i would never trash a Z, but frame rot and body rot worse than usual has led this N/A to its death. I've grabbed the good t-tops, some decent interior parts, and the brake booster for my 280z. what other stuff should I grab before I ditch this thing? Any other parts that I can use to mod my 76? Are the rear disks worth keeping for my Z? This isn't a for sale thread, I just want to make sure nothing gets wasted. Thoughts? Thanks!

If its like my 76 there is a white power wire on top of the steering column that has tension on it. I had a bad headlight ground so it pulled extra current, heated up the wire, and unsoldered itself. I re soldered it and a couple days later off it came. I'm just going to run all my lights through relays since its all old wireing anyway. BTW-all the interior and marker lights went out when this particular wire popped off, but under that plastic is a lot of wiring under tension. good luck

When I bought my 76 it didn't have any door panels. Along the way I got a 78 for the motor, and it happened to have a pretty decent set of black door panels. I know all about the difference in the different years, and thats not my question. I'm debating if I should put a couple holes in them for the window crank and door lock then put a plastic plug in the original holes for now, and recover them down the road, or keep searching for decent black 76 panels. On principal I do not want to screw up a good stock set of panels, and on the other hand I have these and havent had any luck finding the right ones? Opinions? I'd also like speakers, but don't know if I can bring myself to cut those holes in some good panels. Instead of devil on one side, angel on the other its a rodder on one side and a restorer on the other! Opinions? Suggestions?

what I really like is that these seats still have a "stock" look to them. Obviously they aren't and don't look the same, but they have that "feel" to them. I don't like how crx, etc seats make it seem ricy. Nice job, now to find black miata seats...

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/wiringdiagrams/240z/71_Aus_240z_lights.pdf I plan to do this to my 76. I found this link, and even though I know how to wire relays and everything, its always nice to see it laid out. I've also swapped my combo switch for a 78 version. My old one was all kinds of hosed, and I had a 78 column. Spliced some wires etc. Add this to the list of odd issues:(and no-not related to the above combo sw swap!) My car in particular has an issue where it pulls so much current with the headlights on that a power wire on top of my column un solders itself. I resoldered it and off it came again. All my interior and marker lights went out, on the highway, in front of a state trooper. ASked him to hold his flashlight for me while i found the offending wire, temp fixed it so i could see home. He still gave me a fix-it ticket

I have the factory 280z theory and troubleshooting manual and it has served me well with my 76 I see it was written in 75. I would guess most of the info is good for any fuel injected motor. How accurate is it for an 81zx N/A? I'm sure other than some emissions stuff its pretty much the same setup from what I can tell. Anyone know the official for sure answer? Or should I just track down an 81 FSM? I'm troubleshooting a rich running low end stumble. Still need to do the usual stuff. Thanks!

so i got it to run, but only after jumpering the efi relay. just need to figure out why the efi relay isn't being energized when i turn the key. Either way, the kids and i went back and forth in the driveway and into the garage under its own power! progress.

I'm taking my 76 280z/5speed and putting an 81 n/a in it with all the 81 sensors wiring etc. Why? Because I have had engines in and out, stock, turbo, this wiring and that. Right now my toy has just been sitting and i want to put it together daily driver. My stock motor should have been ok but the harness is questionable. I think it's part of why it wouldn't run right. Along came a stock, untouched though very rusty 280zx with a blown rear. Starts right up, runs better than mine has for a looonnggg time. So swap here we come! I pulled the engine,trans and all wiring attched to the engine out and bolted into my 76. The idea was to not even break the electrical connections to the sensors, injectors, etc. It ran fine when I pulled it, no excuse not to run fine again. Plus i get a regular, easily sourced relay instead of that old combo deal no under dash transistor unit and no ballast by the coil! The only place that I've come to thats a little hairy it the coil wiring, tach etc. The ecu power is easy. Just take the fuse links from the 81 by the batt. add terminal ends and voila. The drop resistor brackets swap and then bolts in stock location. Looks like a larger black wire by the ecu plug that should just be a grnd. much better than the case ground on the older ones. theres a 2 wire plug that the diagrams say isn't used (gee nissan-than why is it there?) I found a good write up here(I DID NOT MAKE THIS) on swapping a zx dizzy into a 240, but some wires are a little different. http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/electrical.htm Theres some other very good info on that site. Looking at the 2 diagrams (76 and 81)I took: 81 Ignition unit wires to the + and - on the coil. 76 Blue from the neg on ballast should go to a resistor and on to the tach;hook to coil neg 76 black/white from ballast pos term ( on and start 12vlt+ from ignition sw.); hook to + on coil Here is the part I may need double ch'd: looks like theres is a terminal on the dizzy that should hook to a condensor then to the wire between the coil + and the ignition sw. Is this correct?(should just be for "noise reduction" so thats why it wasn't even hooked up on the 81 and the radio buzzed like when you have a bad alternator condensor-just a thought. Also-the 81ecu looks like it gets a signal off the neg coil to pin 18 on ecu( a yellow with bullet terminal.)Looks like this is the standalone wire with the one wire plug. it turns from yellow to blue at this plug. Over by the battery there is a 3wire plug coming out of the harness right by the fusible links. What are these for? can't find this plug on the diagram. I just need to hook up a new fuel pump relay since my 76 was rigged with a on off sw on the console - not really a good plan. If anyone has any insights, ideas, suggestions or opinions please let me know. I'll will post if my proposed wiring works as planned! Other plans for the parts car: I plan to take the electric mirrors and add them to my 76. I think they'll look good once i get my msa type 2 kit. We all know that once your sitting and strapped in there isn't any reaching the pass side to adjust mirrors! Also going to take the relay pack and rewire my headlights to use relays instead of melting wires on my column! novel concept. I plan to use the a/c compressor, condensor and dryer along with a 78 evaporator to add some A/C. I think i can modify the power window mechanics to work in my 76. my passenger regulator in BENT anyway and doesn't work right. Use the marker lights with black mounts on the 76 because i want to black out my chrome so why not just take it off the corners? If anybody's interested in a good hatch, ttops w/bags and other misc stuff pm me. I love to trade stuff better than $$. I need some 76 interior door panels even that need recovered. My car didn't even come with crappy ones.

I am going through wiring this weekend. I have a 76 putting an 81 motor and harness in mine. Last night i swapped the drop. res mount so i JUST looked at this. They are different. The z resistor is actually 2 different ones bolted toghether. one for 4 injectors and one for the other 2 injectors(8 wires). the zx has one resistor for all 6 and the power wire coming from the efi relay (7wires). I don't see why you couldn't just look at the 2 diagrams and wire it up. Take both sides of the zx plug with some wire would make it easier. you only need one power wire instead of the two. Shouldn't be too hard. Have fun!

So I bought the 81 ZX. Its too rusted to fix it, but the engine fires right up and all power works. Looks like it will be sacrificed so that my 76 can live again. Good wheels and tires, t-tops with original bags, great hood and hatch. maybe I'll make a couple bucks off the parts I can't use, and add some power options to mine.

I looked through all the searches and faqs and I'm pretty sure I've got this down. Also, i know this may sound backwards in a way. I have a shot at a cheap 81zx5speed that needs diff and u-joints replaced. this would just be for cruising around, not to get built up (i have a 76 for that) I have a complete 78 auto rear subframe, diff to brakes, struts, half shafts, bar - everything. I should be able to swap this rear in no problem right? Would i need to use the 78 mustache bar and mount, or would it bolt right in. both rears are u-joints. I know the ratio may/will be different and its a weaker(slightly) rear, but for a daily with t-tops and a stock n/a 5 speed I think it would be fine. Input?suggestions?will it work? thanks Brian

Does anybody just leave their urethane body kits black? My 76 came with an unpainted urethane airdam that has sorta grown on me. The car is currently a fashionable Rustoleum special, but will eventually be a very dark midnight saphire (blue). I'm thinking of getting side valences to visually lower the car and hide some shotty rust fixes on the rockers.(not mine btw!). I don't want to actually lower the car because I live on the moon when it comes to roads - aka Omaha, NE. A rear airdam instead of the big crash bar(with custom hibben crash braces), and just using bumper black on the urethane. I was thinking of the chrome trim, emblems etc and got scared $$$. I remember bumber blacking my dads 280zx when it was basically new after we washed it. It looked great. So...basically a very dark blue car, black urethane body kit all the way around, tinted out windows, black out window trim, black (instead of matched) hood louvers/vents, shaved emblems, black mirrors and grill. I think it would look pretty mean, be cost effective, and easy to maintain. Any thoughts or pics??

76 280z No smog or inspections needed of any kind! I've had different motors in this car and am just putting the stock motor and wiring back together. My question is what stuff do you guys delete as not needed/just causing problems from a stock manifold? You know, when everthing gets shaved clean. I know-"If everything works properly you should leave it all there" haha. I'm not going to fight stuff I don't need to. I've decided a nice running stock Z is better than a really cool turbo/v8/other swap sitting in the garage. So...Injectors(duh), AFM, Dist., Temp sensor, injector drop resitors and ECU(another duh!) oil PSI. What else? I know you can ditch the EGR. What else? I searched and everything seems to be for modified and swapped setups. Any input would be great. It warmed up outside and I want to drive it instead of looking at it! Thanks, Brian

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76 280z block, supposedly rebuilt head from early 80's maxima (which I didn't know) Engine was running like crap when I pulled it out of the car. I just pulled the head off. 1st off, the 2 and 3 intake valves are white. Everything else looks fine under the head. A couple cam lobes, funny enough the same valves, are scored like they where running dry. I turned the cam with the head removed-this thing isn't going back on like this anyway, and all vlaves opened and closed like they are supposed to. So what would cause just the intake valve to be white but the exhaust in the same cylinder to be black like the rest of the head? Needless to say I'm going to check the entire engine electrical harness with a meter and FSM before hooking it to any other engine Thanks Brian

Thanks alot for the replies. The reason I'm asking is I have a chance to by some nice looking 17's w/500mi rubber for a few hundred bucks.(guy sold the car) They came off a honda and are the duel use lug pattern wheels. I'm pretty sure the are konig zero-ins with kuhmo Kumho Ecsta AST 215/45r17's on them. They look like they should work but I haven't bolted them on since I need to get lugnuts. Not sure the backspace. Anyone see any issues? Thanks again, Brian