grannyknot

Ooooow, look what I just picked up on ebay, I won't get it for a couple of weeks but will post numbers when I get it.

Any idea how much weight savings you'll get with all those panels?

I don't think bathroom scales are up to the task but if I can find somewhere that will loan or rent me a hanging crane scale I could lift each end one at a time with the engine hoist and calculate that way.

I have had two 240z striped down and on a rotisserie and they are certainly light, about 5 yrs ago when I was working on the first 240 I read on a thread here on Hybridz or ClassicZ that a 240 bare shell weighed in at about 550lbs, I remember thinking at the time that the guy saying it was well know and reputable. Having spun my 240s on the rotisserie hundreds of times I would say 550 would be pretty close. ATM I have a stripped 77/ 280z on the rotisserie and although it is noticeably heavier to spin I,m not sure where that weight is hiding. There is the extra weight of the bumper shock housings at the front, maybe 30lbs and probably 30-40lbs of bumper shock reinforcing at the rear. The floor pan rails extend back another 10-12", even being generous that is 10lbs and there is the heat baffle between the spare tire well and where the muffler would hang. I have to assume the rest of the 280 weight is in the doors, the R200 diff and all the extra bells and whistles in the engine bay.

I just bought one of these, haven't received it yet but looking forward to it, the old one is crumbling away.

Sweet, and you still have room behind it for one of those small Braille batteries if you want.

What did Zfever have to say? I hope they gave you some money back, that's just incompetence.

Those OEM exhaust manifolds look pretty tight and streamlined, everything but the connecting flange. I guess there is no way to cut off the flange and extend it down, cast iron is pretty weird stuff to weld.

Everyone wishes that someone would reproduce them again, they are a difficult to find.

Sure, there is all kinds of room under the battery/wheel well.

Very sweet, where are you going to find room for the oil reservoir?

At least everyone loves the driveline.

Honestly man, it doesn't sound like you want a 280z at all, you like the way it looks but you want to change absolutely everything else on the car. It can be done with enough time, money and expertise but I think your budget will start at $40,000 and go up. I don't think this engine exists, you can have 2-3 of those 7 wants but not all, you can also get the whole brake and suspension from TTT or Arizona Zcar and the car will handle great but it still won't feel modern, it certainly won't feel like your 5 series. I don't mean to stamp on your enthusiasm but I think you will have to be a bit more realistic, I have resto-moded two 240z and like you I wanted quieter, more comfortable, more power, handling ... the last Z was the more successful of the two. I did all the work myself to keep the costs down and I stopped counting the dollars flying out of my wallet after $35k. After all that work it still drives just like a Z, much better than a stock Z but still the same, which is okay by me. It might be good idea to start with a list of all the mods you want to do and then price them out.

What does the TUV have to say about motorcycle brakes? Dust covers disappeared motorcycle calipers at least 15 yrs ago, maybe more.

Beautiful! Really nice work.