BQR280Z

Check out my Z in the post - "Just finished my Z" - I used 2003 Viper Race Yellow. It is a very solid bright yellow, mine is a little softer than standard Viper Yellow because I buried it under four coats of clear with heavy gold pearl. The paint was over $300 a gal. in Dupont basecoat/clearcoat, but was only $165.00 in Sherwin/Williams basecoat. So it pays to shop around. Bill

The tires are Champiro 205/50-15's. The wheels are Enkei Blades and are 8" wide with zero offset. The result is an old-school deep dish reverse style wheel with a very agressive look, wide stance. I know it is old-school but I like it. Bill

The paint system is Basecoat/Clearcoat. I primed the car in grey sealer/primer, then shot Viper Race Yellow over the whole vehicle. I covered the yellow with two full coats of clear, let it dry over night. Then taped it up for the stripes, shot the white, and buried it all in 4 more full coats of clear with heavy gold pearl added. 1.5 oz. of pearl to 6 quarts of activated clear, the effect is very metallic in direct sunlight, and it also softened the Viper Yellow just abit. The reason I shot clear over the full yellow was for taping reasons, the Fine Line striping tape comes off the smooth surface of the clear better than just raw basecoat. I didn't do any wet sanding, just a good carefull buff after about a month of drying time. Bill

Thanks Georgia Flash - You are right the front end doesn't flow like your fiberglass bumper setup. But my build was more about what I had to work with than spending a bunch extra. The entire project net cost is under $1000 with the paint and Nitrous. And the most important part of the project was that my 20 year old son learned that you don't always have to buy the "latest, greatest, most expensive" to have a cool car. I have plans to add a aero splitter to the front spoiler, I machined some brackets from aluminum billet and have the turn-buckles and hiem joints all set to go for it. But if the buyer whats it just the way it is, I'll save them for the 300ZX. Thanks for the feedback, it's always refreshing to converse with "real" Z people. Bill

I have a pretty solid buyer for the Z. Just wondering if someone here has a "good" website for 90-96 ZX's? I plan on buying one with the proceeds from the 76. Thanks Bill

They seem to be playing with the link site!! Here's the pic. Bill

Looks very clean... nicely done! Now if you can get a clean looking elbow that will let you go through the hole in the radiator support, you can mount the K&N in front. Bill

Has anyone built or considered building an aero splitter for a Z30??? The chin spoiler I have would make it an easy add-on, and I would then run it all the way back to the cross member. I personally like the looks of the splitters with classily done supports (made with Heim joints, and turnbuckles). I was considering an aluminum one, and then some air directing fins to add some extra air to the inside of our front brakes. Maybe a couple of reverse scoops behind the radiator to help flow. Tell me what you have tried, thought, or seen, please. Bill

80LT1 - Send me an email at wmmaske@yahoo.com and give me directions to your place, I'll take a ride over. I didn't get the email about 12 people, just that they were trying to start the Wisconsin club with a car show in some park. Sounds like an OK time. Last year there was a car show at the Stadium View Bar (Green Bay) in October, I hope to get to that one this year. It would be cool if we could bring all the Z's together for that. I just quit my paper mill job and will have every weekend off for the first time in 22 years. Bill

ON3GO - I will probably sell my "Baby" to finance my next Z purchase. I have never been an "owner" but much prefer to be a builder. I have all the pictures from the project, so it can go away. Bill

240hybrid - The wheels are 15x7 and the tires are 205/50-15. The suspension is currently stock with Energy Suspension poly bushings on the sway bars. Larger anti-sway bars are next. Bill

ZFAN - no they are not Mustang tails, they are actually truck/trailer lights. They are LED versions, with that wonderful crisp on/off but they came with flat lenses that I didn't like. So I cut them apart and molded on the lenses from the regular (convex) truck/trailer lights. All six are tail-lights, the inside four are brake lights and the outside two are turns. Bill

Here's some shots of my "Baby" - 1976 280Z It has been a fun build and is a real riot to drive. The head turning ability of Z30's is amazing considering all the other big buck, high tech iron running out there these days. Just finishing up my Nitrous system, built it totally stand-alone. It has it's own fuel supply and inter-locks on fuel pressure, WOT, and clutch engaged only. I love it but I think I would like to build a Z32 next. Tell me what you think, I always value the opinion of fellow Zer's. Bill

I picked up a Turbo Thunderbird fan set. The fan motors have older long shaft motors, but the shroud was interesting because it had two "flappers" in the closed area. They would blow open at speed and then be sucked closed when the fans were on at around town speeds. How about that - Ford actually did have a better idea. Bill

All the vacuum lines but one can go. The only connection I have is to the brake booster and a T in that for my vacuum guage. Bill

I have an 83 ZX motor in my 76 - I used a Clifford manifold, a straight bolt-on. And YES you can trash all of the EFI crap, I pulled all the wiring harness out, ECU and the high pressure fuel pump. I am using a Mallory Uni-lite distributor and it runs super. Bill

After the article in the last SportZ mag on stock aging Datsun temp guages, I would hook up a good aftermarket guage and see what you have. I took the fan off the motor and went electric, when I built my new motor. I connected one to a an automatic thermal switch and a second to a console mounted switch. With a 180 degree thermastat, I have never had to click on the extra fan, even in 90+ temps. The water pump and radiator are new, but stock Datsun. Bill

I started with a 6" chrome air cleaner, threw out the filter and bent-up a piece of 2.5" band iron into a circle that would fit inside the chrome top and bottom. Then took a peice of 3" exhaust pipe and ovalized it to fit on the side, some grinding, drilling, welding, and you have a snout for cold air intake. The rubber sections are 3" radiator hose from a Mack truck, some 3" tube, and cone filter. Bill

Sorry, try this. http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/eaae3e25/bc/My+76+280Z/__tn_Zdone-rear.jpg?bckYL8.A3GOdSGAI Bill

Thanks Guys, My son and I have had a great time building the Z. The hood is all steel and needed to clear the 390 Holley and the 1" thermal spacer and the 1/2" Nitrous block. The tail lights are trailer lights, available at Fleet Farm or any Automotive store. The surrounds are built-up stock Datsun, because I liked the look of the stock reverse lights. The tails are also LED's which came stock with flat lenses. I cut the flat lenses off and bonded on convex lenses from standard oval trailer lights. I agree the look is 67-68 Mustang, but I used to have a 67 Mustang GT-390 and always liked the rear end. If people don't notice the DATSUN on the windsheild they won't know what it is from the backend. Hey Mat73GNZ, the temp plates suck, I got my new ones but I'm going to leave the temps till they expire. Because there is only ONE and the "man" won't give me any crap about no front plate. Bill

Yes, they are trailer lights but with a twist. They are LED with the flat lenses cut off and the convex ones from standard trailer lights bonded on. I didn't like the look of the flat lenses. Wasn't cheap, over $300 invested but I like the look. And that is what our Z's are all about. Bill

http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/wmmaske/vwp?.dir=/My+76+280Z&.dnm=Zdone-rear+right.jpg&.src=ph&.view=t&.hires=t

I just finished the Z - and am happy with the result. Take a look and tell me what you think. I did it all myself in my shed. Bill http://photos.yahoo.com/bc/wmmaske/vwp?.dir=/My+76+280Z&.src=ph&.dnm=Zdone-left+side.jpg&.view=t&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/bc/wmmaske/lst%3f%26.dir=/My%2b76%2b280Z%26.src=ph%26.view=t

I just got my Z on the road and I too thought the back end of our Z's needed something different for tail-lights. http://us.f1.yahoofs.com/users/eaae3e25/bc/My+76+280Z/__tn_Zdone-rear.jpg?bcafE8.AgM12SGAI Let me know what you think. Bill

I added a dual remote filter kit to my Z, then just continued out the remote filter to a Ford SHO trans cooler, then back to the adapter plate. Ran it all in braided stainless, have about 300 miles on it and all seems good. Bill