Ratty2Eighty

[MN280z]

Picked up a dirt cheap 76 280z runner/driver. Always liked these cars so why not add another project to the pile. Needs some body work, but i'm not going for show car. this will end up just being a cool looking driver. I will be making or buying some new frame rails as one is pretty much toast. Also do the floor pans at the same time. Have the stock tank out, was all bashed in and not too clean. So I will be dropping in a fuel cell in place of the spare tire. Just trying to have fun with this build so there will be some different ideas and creative touches along the way. Tube bumpers, D-ring tow hooks, rear diffuser, turnbuckle style wing and splitter etc. Came with 4 new tires to throw on the old turbines, which will work fine for now. hopefully get some coil-overs on it at some point as well, get it sitting right. Just a few pictures of the start, update more as I get stuff done! 

 

(sorry for the huge dump of info/pics! had to get you caught up in the first post haha)

 

:---> Also if you can't see these pics because of photobuckets BS.. use this link and they will show up in Chrome! https://forums.redflagdeals.com/google-chrome-firefox-photobucket-hotlink-fix-2126190/

 

 

started gutting the nasty bits

 

 where I am at on motor work ( was going to go carbs..but just putting the EFi back in for now). As you may be able to see its a ATK engine so at some point someone through that in here. Will be putting a 6-1 coated header on with 2.5 exhaust.

 

 I wish the bottoms of the seats were like the rest, maybe can have someone re-do them one day and add more bolster. Or they will just be replaced with race seats ass the build progresses with a cage/harness bar.

 

Broke out the energy suspension bushing kit and started with the mustache bar. They were by far the worst in the car and it cause the usual clunk when shifting hard. Got the spare tire cut out to make room for the fuel cell. Started mocking up the rough height/area where it will be sitting so i can go get some !" square tube. All I have is round and some random box steel that is a little overkill. It got pretty cold again the other day, so i pushed the Z outside and tried that as a poor mans dry ice method on the sound deadening. Worked pretty well! combined with a few hammer taps as I moved along. Got a better idea of what I'm up against with the floors.

I will just be doing my own flat sheet floors and frame rails. I have the tools and metal, so why not save a little money. I'm not going for 100% resto anyways, Just clean and strong. I also plan on having the Fuel cell flush to the trunk floor so I can cover with some aluminum floor plates i'll make. The filler hose and vent line will have to show through but it is what it is. I plan on boxing in the cell outside with some dimple die'd aluminum panels. Or a combination of that and a custom aluminum diffuser to help hide it and just add more of the aggressive race look I want. Anyways enough babbling till I get more done!

on to some pics

nasty mustache bar


to a little less nasty bar

Removing the stock sound deadening. came out in some pretty decent chunks.

my rust free floor

rust and tar weight reduction stage 2

Fuel cell mock up. Not the greatest fuel cell in the world. but it will get the job done and get this car on the street.


I have most of what i need using my parts from my truck fuel system. Just need to grab a few more -AN parts and should be good to go. Going to be waaay more fuel pump than I need right now.

Edited February 2, 2018 by MN280z
get pictures back

[MRGierut]

Lookin' good man.  How does it look under the battery tray?

[Pillar]

Welcome!  Keep up the good work!

 

What brand turbine wheels are those?  The spokes and center hub look like Westerns, but I have never seen a set of turbines with a pronounced outer lip like that.  

[MN280z]

Thanks guys. I'll have some sheet-metal work up on here tomorrow after I get more done. The battery tray area had typical rust. It was mainly at the seem where it met the firewall and creeped into the upper floor pan.  I just chopped it all out and I'm filling it back in, Not sure yet how I want to finish where the tray was. Put one back in or just smooth it out and relocate the battery maybe.

 

As far as those wheels go. I believe they came off a 4-bolt mustang, and they also had old Shelby centercaps. I never looked at the back of them yet to see if there was anything written on them.

[Pillar]

Now is the time to relocate.  I had quite a bit of rust in that area, and was missing the original battery tray.  I decided to leave the battery in the factory location though and just rebuild the sheet metal and made a new tray.

 

Are those wheels 14s?  I will have to search around for a set.  I like the way those look better than the turbines I have.

[MN280z]

yeah it might be simpler to just shave the battery location and relocate the battery in the car at this point. Yeah they are 14's. I'll take one off tonight while i'm working on it and see if I can find anything written on them.

[MN280z]

been a while, have a little to update. Didn't get after this thing like I wanted to yet, but I'm trying. It might take a little back burner position to my Ranger as I want to get it done for a trip this summer. That and I really want to throw the 280 on a rotisserie and do the rust repair right.

 

I'll just dump a few pics of what I've done in the last few months. got my BC coils on, picked up some better condition front fenders, started messing with a little sheet metal repair, and I ended up getting a good deal on a triple carb setup so that will be going on later as well.

 

 

 

picked up the 4 bolt style so needed to drill for that. Also am going to cut out for access to the camber bolts and cut a plate to cover and reinforce the area.

 

some of the sheetmetal work. big plans for the floors and frame rails later, as I will be making my own.

 

And just a few of how it sits right now. Planning on moving in the next year, so I may wait to really dig into till I'm in the new shop just wanted to get it a roller again for moving it around.

 

 

engine and new to me triple carbs

Edited February 2, 2018 by MN280z