datsunlover

heh heh.. I saw one of those Jehova (sp?) folks coming up the driveway one day.. me and 3 buddys , two with, shaved heads, all of us no shirts on, some freakish tatoos showing, all of us just drinkin a beer and bench racing basicaly, leaning on my buddys mustang 5.0.. we look over at this guy... Just as he opens his mouth, one of my friends yells out "Hi there! I pray to Satan! Hail Hitler!!!!" Wow... the look on the guys face was hilarious! He didnt know what to do or say.. just stood there in shock..so my friend does the 'nazi boot stomp' stands at attention and gives him the nazi salute; smacks his hand off his chest, raises it up, "Zieg Hail!" The witness guy suddenly turned around and never came back down that street again!

Great! Thanks man.. shoot.. you've helped me out a lot lately on here! I'm still workin on that sway bar thing BTW, should have it figured out by tomorrow I think..

Cool.. thats what I was thinking first.. but then I confused myself and thought that the 5 speed might 'slow' me down.. And yes, the 2nd to 3d is AWEFULL in my 4 gear Z. It actually drops too much (Im running 195/60/14s.. yah yah, I know too small.. it's all I got right now!) and you can feel a big drop in the rate of acceleration untill it gets back above 3500. Even if I wind 2nd to 6K rpm, it doesnt seam to help.. and just burns more gas I just got back from the car (had to get a towwing co. friend of mine with an unlock kit) and verified that it is a 1981.. so I'm assuming it's got the 3.9 R200.. Oh ya..just currious.. this 5 speed will bolt right up to my engine right? I am assuming it will, but I dont like assuming.. makes an a$$ of....well, you know.

First off, I did search, and I got some info from this site; http://zhome.com/ thanks to that search. Anyway, I have a 75 280z with a 4 gear (3.545 ratio acording to the chart) and I plan on swaping in a 5-speed and rear end from a 198? zx 2+2. From what I can see in the listings, (dont know exact year of my doner car, but either way, 80 2+2s had a 3.9, and 81-84 had a 3.9) it looks like a 3.9 rear end I'll be swaping in. What I am wondering here, is this going to be a bad thing? IE; will I be slower on take off, but still buzzy on the highway? As it is now, the thing goes like a scared rabbit from a stop, but after 60mph it's just loud and gas hungry (3K rpm)... also my rear end is clunking/leaking, so a teardown is probly needed anyway.. Sorry if this sounds stupid, but I've been staring at ratios and numbers for a while here.. and Im just confused now..

Yah, thats the factory lead they put in there to smooth out the fender to roof seam. I was welding on mine (repairing the drip rail so i could put the chrome back on.. meh, I like shiny stuf) and ran into some lead suddenly.... SPLAT! drip drip... what the he!!?? I just filled it in with weld, ground it fairly smooth and finished it with a 'skif' of bondo.

Well, it WAS a 'free' car.. but you know, theres no such thing as free.. but a $250 towing bill isn't really too bad I guess. (had to get a tilt+load to go get it in Toronto) I havnt got into it yet (no key) but it appears to be an 82, judging by the bumpers... and it is a 5 speed! (not the auto I was told it was!) So Im gona try to get it going, and may get a good engine out of this deal, but really.. the tranny, M/C, diff and half shafts are worth at LEAST the $250 I have into this thing! Plus, its got T-tops(with bags), and GREAT front fenders/hood.. the doors, hatch and all the glass are good too.. looks like a good gas tank..and the interior.. WOW! Nice shape and all there.. power evrything...tan though.. Anyway, I'll be posting a for sale add soon.. just wanted to give folks a heads up.. if you want anything off this car, let me know. I can try to get pics if you give me something spesific you want.. and it'll all go cheap.. I just dont wana scrap out all this good stuf that I can't use (I have a 75 280 btw) when it could be put to use by someone here.. E-mail or PM me...

I totaly agree. The new 350z'ers have no clue (well, a few maybe..) I have tryed to strike up convorsation with a few, waved at some, and got ONE responce: from a guy in an Infinity! It's kinda sad to think all these 'yupies' have no clue about the last 30 years of evolution/design that has brought about the new 350z..

That sucks man, but it could have been worse! I think we've all done something like that. I was welding my Z in the rear wheel well and burned through the metal and into the black vinyl in the inside! I now have a quarter sized burned hole blemeshing the interior.. oops..

I am wanting to do the same swap/upgrade this winter.. and I think the 'upgrade' is the actuall M/C, as it is a larger diameter cylinder.. so you'de have to swap it in place of your 260 M/C. But someone correct me if I'm wrong..

Yah but don't you loose som HP from running that P/S pump dot? Oh wait.. Jag V12.. like it matters right?!? Good to hear it worked out for ya. Sooo.. yuor cruisin in the Z eh? Hmmm....

Hell yah! Wheres the web site?!

Danm man! SWEET deal! Om so pissed off at you now.. congrats dude.. and about the V8 swap.. Hooray for HP!!! DO IT!

Yah.. I did the back end first, and liked it so I continued with the front.. thought...maybe it'd look beter with an s30 front clip like that red one that was posted here a while ago.. It looks like I'll be getting that free 280zx, and it's gona go out to my boss's shop for now (no other place to stick it!) so I may start taking some actuall measurments to see if it's possible.. And as for welding, heh.. theres a Limo co. around here that made a stretch Chrysler minivan.. and an old school one at that! (87 or so) I might go talk to them.. or just do it myself with my boss's welders (220 mig, tig) just to learn how to use the Tig.. I'll let you know how it goes..

Well you might think about finding another car (parts) with a good harness in it. If you have the FSM for your year, it will likely have about 30 pages of wiring diagrams it takes a while, but it does go throught EVRY wire in the car and it has helped me out a few times to trouble shoot my 280. I too suffer from a p/o's hacking and splicing wiring, but luckily my dash hasn't bee messed with tooo much.. (the switches and lights under the radio dont work anymore, but I deal with it) I also got around some wiring problems by elimitating my FI, and replacing with carbs.. Just curious.. what year is your car? I am trading a 72 240 dash to a member here, and he said he doesnt really need the harness/guages, but I'm giving it to him compleate cause it's useless to me as I have a 280. As for tools, a good wire striper, side cutters, and a soldering gun/solder would be a good start; After soldering, shrink wrap or black electrical tape the conections. (sometimes I skip soldering, and just twist wires together and tape up really good) Also, a multimeter or at least a light tester (to trace wires, find continuity or lack of..) Personally, I dont like the 'crimp on' style conectors.. they dont hold up over time, and I dont trust them. Good luck with this man.. it can be tedious and it's easy to get frustrated with wiring (for me anyway) but when it's done, you'll have learned something and your car will work!

Yah, I went up there tonite and got a boot that lookes close.. I'll see it fits tomorrow... And as for the sway bar, I have to get some other things taken care of first like the air filter, carb work, wheels and tires (Im suposed to be getting some swastikas from a guy on here but I'm waiting for a buddy of mine.. also a trucker.. to get a run close to the seller, so he can pick them up for me) but I'll keep you in mind if I need something like that... Thanks man! BTW.. we have to get together sometime eh? You heading up this way anytime soon?

No problem man, glad I could help you out. Good to hear it's fixed! Always nice to hear a dead Z come back to life and lay down some rubber!

I'll agree with Drax.. A V8 swap by itself is probly going to result in a very dangerous vehicle.. I did an 85 RX7 a few years ago, and almost killed myself a few times.. I did it on a buget of $300 mind you, and with no welding skils (or welder for that matter..) all hand tools, and a lot of 'jerry rigging' to get the thing together. It was fast for sure.. but the stock brakes didnt stop it well at all. The front end was always sitting low (dead struts, weak stock springs) unless I was going full throttle, and it just plain sucked as far as handeling.. As for the SU's, man... they can be a bit of a pain, but they are SOOOO simple! I compleatly dissasembled mine, cleaned in varsol, made new gaskets and threw them back together. VROOM! Started right up! It's taken me 2 weeks of tuning/learning, but they are quite close now...(and I dont have a uni-syn yet!) The car is quite fun to drive (it's prety much stock 2.8L/4speed) but I am noticing the limitations of the stock suspension and brakes NOW. I can't imagine droping in even a mild 302 in there right now.. it just wouldn't be safe/drivable IMO.

Dude.. Im tellin ya.. These old 'stock' (or in my case and your case, WORSE than stock!) Z's LOVE being driven like that! Mine farts and coughs, runs rich, and the suspension is SHOT. But; beat the heck out of it, power shift, and generaly be as abusive as you can to it, and it will just suck it up and GO! And congrats on the destruction of that guys ego.. maybe he'll stop talking smak so much about 'old' cars..

Wow. wish I could 'bling' like that.. Geezzzz....

ROTFLMAO!!!!! : cry: so funny Im crying now...

Yah, and Im in Canada, so no dice for me. (says 'ship to USA only') Ah well.. the stock bar it is.. for now... As for the 'not looking after a big bang' I'v gotten used to hearing a slight bang from the low hanging exhast every once in a while, and I figured thats all it was.. a little louder than ussual I thought.. but didnt think it would be the sway bar! Man this sucks... I'm hoping I can find a boot with a split in it, so I dont have to take the whole dam thing apart...

Well, it was just a random thought that passed through my head.. As for the free 280zx 2+2, primarily it is going to be used for parts; for my 280z. (engine block to build up, rear end with C/V's and disk's, maybe a working FI system, ect) I figured I'd show you guys here the strange things that go through my mind.. thought someone would understand maybe..

Cool man.. do you have a part number by any chance? I have a few friends that work at the local ford dealership here that could get one for me Im sure. Im running the reverse lights off a switch right now.. kinda 'ghetto' you know?

Adobe man.. check my post in the body/paint forum. That pic took notime at all, and I just figured out the program recently. (used to use a Mac.. cant remember the program name though.._

Well, I have the oportunity to get a FREE 82 280zx 2+2... and have a line on a verry cheep 89 240sx. The free datsun is an auto (yech) doesnt run, has no ownership, key, and a rough underbody. (like that last one is a suprise..) The cheep 240sx is in great shape, but needs some minor body work and has crappy steel rims on it. (isnt it the same bolt patern as the z's? cause the 2+2 has the 6 spoke mags on it.. heh heh..) Well.. I happen to have time on my hands, and a basic undrstanding of photoshop.. Here's what I'm thinking.. http://hybridz.org/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=coppermine&file=displayimage&album=178&cat=0&pos=0 Its just a quick one (took 15 mins of choping/pasting and some 'smudgeing') but you can see the idea.. I think it would work ok.. and heck.. a nice reliable car, good on fuel, but it'd be cool to cruise around in for sure! I always thought the 2+2 looked akward/odd in the rear end.. but if it was 'raked' up a bit more.. sort of like the 944, or older euro/british cars.. it starts to look kind of mean.. Plus it'd probly add some headroom to the 240sx. Im pretty sure this hasnt been dne yet... and yes, Im aware it would have to be welded/thought out very well to be strong and safe... What do you guys think? Am I off my rocker here?