Yardbird

What happened? Did the monkey get spanked?

Ah, it's only two years, but who's counting? PM answered....

Well, I've sold my other two Datsuns and the 810 will be up for sale within the next couple of months as well. I haven't set a price yet but the car will come with an extensive collection of hard to find spare parts. Things like an extra center console, dash pad, power antenna, EFI parts, AC parts, etc. I'll post the ad here and on the other Datsun sites I frequent when I get everything together. Ultimately, I plan to buy an 05-06 Pontiac GTO. I realize that's a considerable change but the details of that would be the subject of another thread.

I remember that car. It was a red 4 dr., 77 or 78. He autocrossed it but I don't think John would call it a racer. Last I heard was that the kid that bought it gave it a 'pimp my ride' type of treatement (oversized clown wheels, etc.) and since then it just kind of disappeared from the scene. It's been about 3 years since I last saw that car. This is what it looked like before the wheels etc. were changed:

They are virtually impossible to find as the windshield in a 2 dr. is unique and it's the only one that will fit. Luckilly, I've been trhough that so I've done the research. Contact Robi at Glass Seekers/Syosset Glass & Mirror in Syosset, NY. 1-800-345-4527. Ask for a N.A.G.S. #FW403. I'm pretty sure they still has some as they had 6 of them May 2007 when I purchased mine. These are brand new, aftermarket, and I can attest that they fit and work just fine. Don't know if the price would be the same today but they charged me $365 including shipping. They will only ship to a shop, however, so if you have a local glass shop that you like to use, it will have to be shipped there. When I bought mine, or actually when Allstate Insurance Co. bought it, they had 5 more left. Two with the tint at the top and three without. I got one of the ones with tint.

I think we need to leave the 910 (80-84) out of the discussion of the 810 (77-79 with a handful sold as 80). I know the difference but Nissan didn't help matters much by badging the first gen Maximas as 810s. I actually seen some that say NISSAN-DATSUN 810-MAXIMA on the trunklid. The car in the middle pic in my signature is what we're discussing.

Never looked into it. Maybe Steve (zcarnut) could answer that since he's done more research into 810 mods than I. EDIT: I knew he'd have the answer.

That won't work on a 810. That works on a 910 (Maxima) because they have rack and pinion steering.

My 78 280Z was my daily driver for the first 5 years I owned it until it got stolen. No exhaust fumes in any of my Datsuns, not even the 64 truck.

Chris, do you have a factory service manual? They are on eBay from time to time like this one.. I also have a 810 parts microfiche cd in .pdf. If you're interested in that, pm me.

Steve, I guess I missunderstood what you said about the ZXT steering.

Depends what you mean by 'easier'. More can be done with the L28 but you'll have to do the oil pan/strainer/dipstick mod unless you change over to the ZXT steering.

Joe, those oil pans and strainers can also come from a RWD Maxima. You can also even use the Maxima diesel oil pan which will give you and extra 1.25 qts. of oil capacity. We also get a handful of Maximas in the 'yards out here so if you can't find one, let me know. The first thing they grab on the diesel cars is the crankshaft but they usually leave the pan behind since it won't work on a Z. But the L24E is a much easier find than the L28D. Chris, your car looks like a good starting point. Does you power antenna work? Or your power mirror and AC? Mine has both power mirrors.

Yes and no. The US 810 has the same body except that the front end is strecthed to fit the L6.

L28E/ETs do not fit 'very neatly' in 810/RWD Maximas. The 810s and Maximas are front sump engines so it would take a bit of machine shop work on the bottom end (oil pickup/dipstick location) of the L28E/ET plus the use of a 810/Maxima oil pan. Do-able, yes. Drop in, no. If you're going to do that, might as well do a stroker too like Steve (Zcarnut) did, though his isn't turboed. Might have an exhaust clearance problem on an 810 with a turbo.

I know, Ive already got one of his in my car and I rebuilt the other one that I took out for backup. The 810 evaporators are on his 'parts dump' list, however.

I bought the last two brown dash pads that OEM Surplus had about three years ago. Put one in the car and stored one. The only other color he had was burgundy. He probably still has those. The only body change I'd ever want to make would be the thinner Australian bumpers but I've more or less given up on that idea.

Is that the one that some kid in L.A. 'pimped out'? If so, what a shame. I remember that car. It leaned as much in a corner as mine does:)

Nah, the only thing I still really need is a good pair of pillar garnish moldings. Joe, I still say your car is a 79 like the rest of ours and the 78 on your title is due to a DMV error when the car was originally registered. 78s would have round headlights and there weren't any 2dr. w/round headlights. There were a handful of them built late enough to be 1980 models but none early enough to be 78 models. (according to all I've read and seen)

Chris, I'm glad you found your way here. I answered your pm. There aren't many others out there that own 810s, especially 2drs. Wherever I take mine, it's always the only one there. In the 5+ years I've owned mine, I've only seen three others on the road, one 4dr and two station wagons. Four 810 2dr. owners on one site is probably the largest gathering you'll ever see. Looks like mine will be the only 'stock' one.

Glad to hear that you're keeping your 810. I contemplated selling mine a couple of years ago and I'm glad I didn't. Doesn't seem to be much interest in them but there aren't many of them around. Mine has 122K miles on it now and still going strong as a daily driver. I put a 83 ZX five speed in it last year after having some problems with the original trans.

78 voltage regulator is internal.

That is sweet! Makes me almost think about putting my old butt on a motorcycle again. I hope your 810 finds a good home. I so rarely see them. I see Skylines more often than I see 810s.

From what I read on another site I visit, Joe (240Ztt) is selling the dark blue one in this thread. Too many projects, not enough time, I guess.