T-Bone028

From a support standpoint...you would think that Eibach or MSA would provide some sort of documentation for install...I'm pretty shocked that nothing was marked or basic install directions were included with the order. Honestly, how hard is it to include a sheet of paper with a couple of directions???

Whats up all, figured I'd share this link. http://jalopnik.com/5505442/when-men-were-men-and-rallying-was-certain-death Its an old video of rally racing, and around 1:19 into the clip, you'll see a S30 sliding around a winter track. Also, another Z catching some air at 6:52 Sorry if this is a repost. Regardless, its an awesome video of old school rally racing.

Looks good! Now just get rid of those bumpers! And regarding the 2002 Spec V...I have one as my daily driver. I try to keep things in the family too.

I would agree, small hammer, block of wood, and try to get it as flat as possible. Then generous amounts of gasket sealer.

I would also agree that the rear vents should be removed. It is entirely too busy in my opinion. As far as filling the holes...I think whatever screw/rivet/bolts etc that matches the lexan window screws would be the way to go. Lastly, not sure how committed you are to the Datsun 240z badging, but removing it wouldnt be that bad of an idea in my opinion. With the hatch pins and the rear lexan straps, there's enough things going on to attract the eye. But again, just an idea you could play with via photochop. I'm on the fence about that one. I suppose I never really thought the idea through or researched composites. I never realized that there would a "wavy-ness" or indentation of the support frame that would be visible upon closer inspection. My good friends mustang hood is fiberglass, and I've never noticed any wavyness. Not sure if is a carbon-fiber thing only, or all composites. I also didnt think about the weather-proofing hurdle with the Lexan. Got to thank you for doing a detailed write-up on it! It will definitely help me down the road if I decide to put my Z on a diet. Regardless of the very minute imperfections (some might say nit picky or obsessive, but arent we all?), I think it looks great, and I have no doubt the two products are two of the best available on the market. Lastly, race car that looks like a show car...now thats something I have to really ponder. Seems like an impossible task, but I think yours is pretty damn close.

I would second the Miata seats. Really, anything you can think of that is a small compact or roadster type of car will probably fit. Z3, Z4, GTI, etc. Just bring a tape measure before you go!

I know you are looking for a particular fender flare set, but if you are interested in another option, check out: http://www.zccjdm.com/ Its under fiberglass parts. IMSA race body kit. HUGE flares front and rear.

My plates are antique plates so no vanity plates allowed. However, at one point I was thinking about a V8 Z, and I thought "eleV8td" would be a cool plate. Feel free to steal that if you like it!

HA, I debated on even commenting to begin with. But hey, everyone has their own opinions and has their own ways of having fun with their car. But I know we all cringe when we hear of another Z getting into some sort of accident. Have fun, and stay safe. Best way to do both of those in my opinion is on a track, but to each his own.

I beat a Z06 in a parking lot once...it was almost like he was standing still. I barely even had to get on the throttle and put like 3 cars on him in less than a second. Honestly though, I'm glad I never got involved with the whole street racing nonsense. Too many risks involved. Not only from a law/fine/impound standpoint, but mainly the fact that there are other drivers on the road not trying to get killed by other drivers.

I could only imagine your frustration...so many folks admit to having their car in body shop jail, and have to wait months to even a year or two until they get it back. And thats after they actually find a shop willing to do non-insurance related bodywork! What started as a hood and hatch repaint, turned into a full body makeover. The only words of inspiration I can say is, once its finally out of jail, I have no doubt it will be all worth it. The attention to detail and commitment to quality work will really make it standout. The body line "sharpening" is something that I really envy. Subtle, yet absolutely striking. I would love to see the finished car with the lexan window installed. I've always wondered how it would look with paint on a finished car.

Looks like a good start...except for your comment on the frame rail and floor rust...hope its not too bad. Where are you in Virginia? I'm in Northern VA...I've always been interested to go for a ride in a turbocharged S30. Never have had the opportunity to.

Thanks for the input guys...its what I figured. Desirable to those that need it for race applications limited by class specifications. I guess one of these days I'll put it for sale, until then, it will have to sit in my garage and constantly be in my way.

Again, good luck with whatever you decide on. If you're dead set on N/A and just debating cylinder head choices and modifications, then I would suggest giving a post from BRAAP a read (post #15). http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?showtopic=39134 Once you decide on how you want it to breathe, then I think your next big question is how are you going to feed it (Fuel/Spark). I think most people would say Megasquirt fuel and spark all the way. If you're really serious about it, I think actually reaching out to someone like BRAAP for some ideas/directions and a price quote would be a worthwhile investigation. Want to get crazy and upgrade to ITB's? Take a look at www.extrudabody.com and combine that with megasquirt or EMS of your choice.

Looks good! If you have skills with some fiberglass or even metal, I think a thin bumper near the top of that gap, sitting flush with the headlight buckets, along with some turn signals to fill in the gaps below, would look really nice and clean. I have an image in my mind, but that would probably be best for a new/different topic. I still think that rear spoiler has got to go though Regarding turbo/NA/etc...I can appreciate what you're saying. If you arent comfortable with a turbo swap, dont do it. Besides just the changes you want to make to your head, you need to think about the factory EFI. How will your factory EFI compensate for all this increased air? For the money that it will take to open up the head and add a hotter cam, springs, rockers, bigger or polished valves, port/polish, unshrouding the curtain area...it wont be cheap and the factory EFI will hold you back and probably wont know whats going on. It might be easier converting to carb then say going megasquirt or some other method of re-working the factory EFI, especially if you arent familiar with it or have someone in your area to take it to. To be completely honest, I'm not very familiar with the limits of factory EFI, so I may be talking out of my @ss. I dont know what the current kit is or approach for dropping a Chevy 350 into the 280ZX...but if you know your way around carbs and you spend some time looking into a V8 swap, that might be a little more bang for your buck. BTW, I love how so many people on this forum say, I would do this or I would do that...we never seem to consider how much money the other person has in their bank account for their toy. Good luck with your project!

I know there was a time when the E31 head was the hot-ticket for cylinder head choices. It seems now a days, because they are more rare ($$$) and other heads can realize the same flow characteristics with a little work, it seems like the E-31 is only desirable to folks that are limited by certain race classifications. I have an E-31 head just sitting in my garage...I feel like I should keep it, but at the same time I know I will never use it and it could be used by someone else. Whats the consensus on its desirability? Whats a fair price to ask if I were to post it for sale? If this is in the wrong section, my apologies.

While you contemplate how much power you want, and how you want to get there...I want to say that your ZX is one of the few 280ZX's that I find tolerable to my prejudice eyes. It would look even better in my opinion if you got rid of that front bumper and rear spoiler! But, to each his own. I know thats a back @ss compliment, but your ZX looks great! Back to topic...I agree, dollar for dollar, a L28et swap will be the best bang for you buck and will put you in good shape to have even more power potential down the road if you decide you want more. If you want to stay N/A, then I think you're on the right track. You just need to consider what you will do from a fuel and ignition standpoint to take advantage of all the extra breathing you're engine will be doing. Good luck with your project!

Zmanco, thank you for that link!

Full-time student, plus reliable does not equal 30 year old car! I'm sure others have done it before, but from what I've experienced, these cars are addictive and money pits on wheels. You will always be "improving" something or "fixing" something else. Since you're just looking for advice, I would suggest buying a RELIABLE newer car and just biding your time. Lot of new cars have "graduate" deals where someone with a year or so left of school automatically qualify for a fair rate. Save your money, focus on school, get a car that will get your from A to B for the next 3-4 years with minimal upkeep, and keep your eye out for that "perfect" Z. Be willing to raise your budget for a Z in good condition. These cars have been around for +35 years. They have been bought and sold for +35 years. They will probably still be for sale after you finish school.

I would agree with Daeron, get the current engine in solid running condition, spend a little money on the things that wont need to be changed after you settle on your power route (suspension, brakes, wheels/tires, RUST...Im sure you have some). Consider finding a R-200 and installing that as well. In the meantime, pick up the book "Datsun Z car V-8 conversion manual" from JTR its about $15-$20 and will give you a good idea of what the swap involves. Search through numerous posts on this site, and start thinking about what direction you want to take your car...N/A, Turbo, HybridZ. But to answer your question, horsepower/price...SBC V8 or L28ET will most likely be your most cost friendly route to more power.