Rome Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I have a drivers door thats is dinged up badly, looking to replace. The only car i can find at the J-yard is a 78 280z. ive looked around and heard they wil fit as long as you leave 260 hinges on, and just change out the doors, but others saying it will not work. Need a straight cut anwser pleeeeeeeease! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 No. Door jam locking mech is way different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 bummmmer!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fire604 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 I know the inner door panels are smaller and not a direct fit replacement so my guess would be, no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 You would have to take the 78 door striker bar and attach it to your door frame with the accompanying required fabrication ( those things take a lot of force and abuse, back up plates, correct hardware and proper position are essential). You will have to use the 78 inner door panel as Fire604 is correct on the uniqueness of 77/78 items. Other than that, the 78 door will attach to the 74 hinges and fit in the opening. Been done many times. The far superior (smoother, easier to service) window tracking mechanism gives those later doors a real advantage as well. The relative rareity of glass and how it mounts them can be seen as a disadvantage as well if one ever gets broken... Your call, depends on how your fab skills and time allow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted December 13, 2011 Author Share Posted December 13, 2011 hmmmm, i might just try to see what i can do with the current door. all the 71-76 240z and 260z are all bare metal so kinda hard to get a hold of a door that ull just bolt up.. well thanks for the info fellas. my the search contiues to find a door... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 so what i can understand is, 75 an 76 doors ull fit my 260z?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Went to search at a yard a tad farther, but no luck, just a rusty 75. Good thing is i needed a hood, so i got that atleast, but that "door situation" is really bugging me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 75-76 doors are a perfect match to yours. Just check the door latch and make sure its the same as yours. Not exactly sure when they changed to the new latch assemblies, may have been late late 76, like 7/76 or something so beware. Happy door hunting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted December 14, 2011 Author Share Posted December 14, 2011 Sweet i though so! Finding a door is no easy task, looks like im gonna have to go hunting in people back yards! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted December 14, 2011 Share Posted December 14, 2011 "Other than that, the 78 door will attach to the 74 hinges and fit in the opening. Been done many times." Do you have any photos of this conversion? I swear the inner panel of the 78 door is about 1.5-2" longer as it's a captive internal latch that the striker goes into, as opposed to pre-6/76 doors which are 'shorter' in this area due to having an exposed latch with the catchplate on the B-Pillar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z240 Posted December 15, 2011 Share Posted December 15, 2011 (edited) I've worked on two cars that have had the conversion on at least one side. Folks just remove the old striker from the body, attach the 77-78 striker to the body, (new holes, new backing plate, weld up old holes, not simple, but do-able). Yes, the inner vinyl door panels are "unique" and only fit the 77-78 doors, they are shorter, the rear edge is at a different angle, the door lock button in ~9inches from the end instead of the usual 6, etc. One of my friends and I have been through hell trying to find 75-76 inner door panels as about three sets that we've bought have shown up and been the later 77/78 style. Anybody need any, I have lots!!! I've had all three styles of hinges and all three types of doors in the shop at once, and was amazed that as far as hinge to door goes (definitely not hinge to body), all hinges mount to all doors and appears to be in the same location/spacing position. I think some had three bolts, some had two, but all share at least two holes. So, that said, you can switch the entire door, from just about any year to any year with some work, and have them fit. Just don't start swapping pieces from one to the next. Lots in internal and external uniqueness. About the only thing they all share are the exterior door handles and maybe the little plastic cover on the end of the lock release rod. Edited December 15, 2011 by z240 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zguy91 Posted December 16, 2011 Share Posted December 16, 2011 I found this out the hard way. 78 280z door wouldnt fit my 76 280z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zentech Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Sweet i though so! Finding a door is no easy task, looks like im gonna have to go hunting in people back yards! Hi Rome, no door past 6/76 will work on your 260Z.Door will fit in the place of a 260Z door but everything including glass, door panels and door striker are different.Z technician retired. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richard Posted January 2, 2012 Share Posted January 2, 2012 I have a drivers door thats is dinged up badly, looking to replace. The only car i can find at the J-yard is a 78 280z. ive looked around and heard they wil fit as long as you leave 260 hinges on, and just change out the doors, but others saying it will not work. Need a straight cut anwser pleeeeeeeease! I would save the 260 doors, my 280 doors weigh a ton. They have those big beams in for crash protection. Find a good sheetmetal worker you should be able to have him/her make a new skin. I had one at the local heating ventilating (hvac)shop do a copy of a rocker using the opposite side rocker for a pattern also new hach panels. They are Tradesmen and like me love a challenge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rome Posted January 8, 2012 Author Share Posted January 8, 2012 I found a 76! With great doors, but low on cash now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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