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Trying to make a 280z daily drivable.


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So i have just got my 280 :) 

 

i habe a common problem with my shifter. No bushing.

I am looking at buying this.

http://www.mjpshop.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=129_154&product_id=499

The only thing is it say its for 5 speed and i have a 4 speed. Does anyone one knkw if this would probable fit? 

They arent that exspencive so i may just got for a punt. 

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Perfect thank you :)

Tomorrow I will take some photos of the car 

I have removed the bumpers and front bumper shocks, but not got round to removing the back shocks yet, going to get some 240z bumpers down the line but I still prefer the no bumper to the 280z bumper 

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So been getting back from work late this week so not much time between getting home and sundown. 

Revered the car onto some ramps, and chocked it up.

Realised the gearstick knob was being held on by gravity alone and with money tight made one out of a golf ball for the time being. Just Epoxyed a nut in the golf ball. Put the new shifter bushings in at the same time, gear changes and much more precise now :) worth every penny. 

Put two new mirrors on her. Not as scary drilling into the door as I thought. 

And finally started to look at removing the read bumper struts, as in I have removed the 6 nuts from inside the boot. Still a long way off :/ hoping I can get it done over the next couple of days as it's my Bday on Saturday and would love to drive her to the parents :) fingers crossed. 

IMG_20171011_183504.jpg

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IMG-20171011-WA0011.jpeg

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Fule tank whent back in in an hour so i have now also added the bumoer plates and tryed to do a quick partch job in my exhaust. It want weleded very well and had massive holes were two pipes conected. Its only a patch job becouse i want to buy a full stainless steel exhause. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I live in CA, in the summer the heat soaking is an issue for my 76. I installed a 79 fuel injector cooling fan/blower with a duct (ebay has some of them) hooked up to a $5 ebay timer/relay which keeps the fan going for 12 minutes after shut-off. I just wired a button inside the cab to turn it on. The little ebay timer/relay is rated at less than 1 amp so it is wired to trigger a bigger 15amp relay to operate the fan. It does help.

Good luck with your project!

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  • 3 months later...

Thought i'd chip in as i'm a fellow UK 280z owner.

 

Firstly for your insurance question. Unfortunately you have a few things working against you, firstly it is a left hand drive car which puts up the price (slightly), secondly it is a classic stored outside which insurers know can be targeted because they are easy to steal and thirdly at 24 years old you don't qualify for classic car insurance (25 normally). That being said try adrian flux and with a clean driving record and a low crime area you may be able to get a quote under 1000.

 

On the issue of security please if its being stored outside at a minimum buy a steering wheel clamp but ideally install a proper immobiliser (can be a tad tricky).

 

As for the bushing you are planning to install you may have serious issues removing spindle pins to get to them. Mine wouldn't come out with a blow torch and a 50 ton hydraulic press and eventually they had to be machined out which was expensive and well beyond the capabilites of most people. Please google this.

 

Parts can also be very difficult to get as the car was never sold here. Luckily the aftermarket is big in america but shipping can be a nightmare in both time and money. Thezstore once quoted me 380 dollars shipping on a 180 dollar air dam... If you need anything from thezstore (which is MSA) then Mike Feeney at Eastern Autos is the Uk supplier. He does a shipment every couple months and its the cheapest way to get 280z specific parts i've found though ebay can be great for small items.

 

Lastly and really the reason i wanted to chime in is that daily driving a datsun in british weather could be the end of the car, unfortunately not only do we have our notorious rain we also have terribly salty roads and they destroy datsuns like you wouldn't believe. The steel on these cars is very rust prone. I don't drive mine daily and it is kept in a garage. The only person i know that runs a daily s30 in the UK has had the entire car stripped, treated, painted and then coated and he still keeps it in a garage and towels down the underside if its been a rainy day. My point is if you are thinking long term you need to think about storage as a priority. You said you are saving for a house, look for one with a garage. 

 

Best of luck, it'll be good to see another on the road over here!

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