Phantom Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 I've been driving my '77 280Z since 1992 and have put 137,000 miles on it in that time. I drove it bone stock for 5 years and then started making some changes. In 2003, though, the big one was the LS1/T56 combo that i worked with Johns Cars in Dallas to do and develop the conversion components that are now sold world-wide. The car was a beast right after the conversion but has slowly slid downhill since then out of benign neglect. This year that changed. I finally threw some more cash at it, got a Techno Toys suspension and fixed several minor things that had slowly gone wrong over the past several years. Doubled the area of my air filter and installed some E3 plugs in place of the ones that came with the '98 motor. Anyway - just took the car out for a bit of a shakedown ride and I'm still shaking a bit myself. Started the ride with four consecutive shifts at 6,000 rpm and finally decided to back off when I was well into triple digits. The car was so solid at speed that it felt like it used to at around 80. I then got it into a twisty curvy that was a bit rough in spots and seriously thrashed the new suspension. Cracked my head on the roof of the car a few times (I am 6'4") but the car cornered beautifully and stayed solidly planted even when I felt I was being launched. The beast is back! Now what else can I do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Akira Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 LSD? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1 tuff z Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Lower seats and good harnesses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted August 23, 2013 Share Posted August 23, 2013 Wyl E. Coyote JATO Conversion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 28, 2013 Author Share Posted August 28, 2013 Already have the LSD. Looking into lowering the seats but it won't be easy. JATO would be cool but nitrous would be a bit more subtle. Not sure the half shafts would take it though. Maybe the JATO is a better idea after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dsommer Posted August 28, 2013 Share Posted August 28, 2013 Bill to hear you're still enjoying the car! When I was putting the new floor pans in my build car I took a seat up there with me and had them "fit" the car to me, oh how nice this will be one of these days... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 6, 2013 Author Share Posted September 6, 2013 Dave, Good to hear from you. Have continued with Z's up here in WA but at a slower pace. My son moved up two years ago and brought his '73 240Z with him. You would like it. LS1, T56, R230 with cryogenically hardened CV shafts. 17x8.5" wheels with 245/40-17 BFG's in the front and 17x9.5" wheels with 275/40-17's in the rear. He's doing the Reaction Research wide body kit. That brought the Z fleet here up to 3 with my 280Z and Chris' 300ZX convertible. Then about 3 weeks ago I "saved" serial number 1779 240Z out of a field and it is now parked behind the barn. It is a basket case but has good bones. It hasn't been registered since 1996 and the title has been lost. Going through the process now to see if I can title it. Someone needs to take this car home and love on it. It has some rust but not in any critical locations and appears to have never been wrecked. Anyway - fleet is now at 4 and I'm in the middle of a home addition so I'm not doing much with any of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 4? That's a low number since starting in 92. In 92 I had my 73, and a 71RHD, and a 70 that was the mirror-image of the 71RHD. then I moved from the gated community (a trailer park qualifies, right?) on to acreage... Now there are more. They breed at night. You can't stop them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
310z Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 You guy are sick. I heard there is no cure either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 4? That's a low number since starting in 92. In 92 I had my 73, and a 71RHD, and a 70 that was the mirror-image of the 71RHD. then I moved from the gated community (a trailer park qualifies, right?) on to acreage... Now there are more. They breed at night. You can't stop them... That's what worries my wife about moving into a place with more land... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
310z Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Our wives, they sure keep us from doing what we want. Dating super models collecting car,you know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I accumulated 32 cars with a wife. Now without one I got two motorcycles at a second house on another continent and while not a supermodel...close. Enough for me taking care of the bikes while I'm away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 That is not an exact figure, I just remembered I got the F150, Supercharged 240, and 58 Datsun Coupe after she left....I think I picked up two 240Z's as well since... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 13, 2013 Author Share Posted September 13, 2013 My limit is currently held to the total number of vehicles that I can drive. Parts cars, garage queens, etc. don't count and aren't allowed. If I can't fix it and drive it in a short period of time I sell or give it to someone who will. I have 4 acres here but I maintain it like a city park (100 trees, creek, pond, 2 acres of grass) so I don't park cars on most of it. I do, however, have a 3,000 sqft barn with 7 garage bays in it. At this point my son has two of them filled with his stuff and then I also need room for the Audi A8L and the Suburban. With the home addition in progress the Suburban is about to get put outside to make room for all the bathroom stuff that's about to be delivered. Looking forward to things slowing down a bit so I can get some time with the Z's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 I see a garage addition is in order... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted September 14, 2013 Share Posted September 14, 2013 That's what worries my wife about moving into a place with more land... 740 acres, between me and my brother there are 7 vehicles, 2 fully road legal, soon to be 9 with 3 road legal. On the other hand, my '79 280ZX is soon to be rolling from the hayshed 3Km away down the back of the farm to the implement shed right by the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 TonyD, Naw. I really like driving my cars. I only work on them to upgrade or fix them so that I can continue driving them. At this point I'm putting less than 3,500 miles/year on any of my cars except the Audi which is the vehicle of choice in the winter and on long trips so I feel no need to increase the size of the stable. I only picked up the 240z to "save" it from sure destruction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xnke Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 I wish I had the income to support that kind of habit. Perhaps one day; in the not-so-distant future... Need to find a job as a wrench, or push my side business to the front and make it my business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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