Pictures of my 810 Hardtop

[zcarnut]

Here’s some pics (click on the thumbnails):

 

 

 

 

 

Just re-painted with re-chromed bumpers and door handles, new front and rear glass, NOS grill and headlight trim, NOS taillights and new weather striping all around. I installed a set of new 15" 1984 Z31 wheels with 215/60 series tires. The interior and trunk were completely re-upholstered and new carpet was added.

 

I also added a rear spoiler to the truck lid and I decided to compress the gas shock-absorbers that hold the bumpers on by releasing the gas. I then compressed them fully in and secured them in their fully-in position. This brought the bumpers in closer to the body, improving the appearance of the car.

 

The shocks were replaced with performance aftermarket ones and I discovered that the later Maxima front sway bar was thicker in diameter and bolted right up to my 810. I also cut off a single turn from the front springs to lower the front end by about one inch.

 

I wanted rear disc brakes and I found that the entire rear suspension clip from a 280ZX simply bolted on in place of the 810 rear suspension clip. Very convenient and it also allowed me to use the ZX rear sway bar.

 

For the front brakes I modified some '86-'88 Maxima vented front rotors so they would fit the front hubs and used this combination along with some 1986 Toyota 4-piston calipers. A 280ZX master cylinder and proportioning valve were also installed.

 

I also changed the rear axles to 280ZX CV type and installed a CV type R180 diff. Other modifications include adding the cruise control mechanism from a 280ZX ( I put the interior control unit in where the 810 digital clock originally was) and greatly upgrading the audio system.

 

I am presently working on installing a 280ZX rack and pinion steering setup. The plan is to weld the rack and pinion brackets to the 810 front crossmember. Another 810 owner I know accomplished this on his four-door 810.

 

For the engine upgrade I installed a 3.0 liter displacement engine by boring an L28 block 1mm over and using the Maxima diesel crankshaft, 9mm 240Z rods and milled Z22 pistons. To handle the increase in engine size I will be using the 240SX throttle body, N42 intake and a the mass air flow meter and ECU from a Z31. The L28 block required some machine shop work to relocate the oil sump pickup tube.

 

My VIN is 002536 and the production date is 11/78. It is a five speed. Finding parts during the restoration was always a challenge, but I did eventually locate and purchase another two-door 810 "parts car". Roger Schmidt, at the Z Barn, has several four door 810's for parts as well.

 

I estimate that I have spent at least $5,000 over the last six years on my 810. Sorry to be so long winded , but when I start talking about any of my "project" cars I can't shut up! My goal one day is to drive the 810 out to Mt. Shasta (in northern California) for the annual Datsun meet.

[blueovalz]

The memories! In 1978 I purchased a new 4-door 810 that I really did like. For $800 more I could have bought a new 280Z (still kicking myself). I ended up parting it out in '86 (after a dumb maneuver on my part that caused a collision) to a 240Z race guy wanting the rear end and some other parts off the car. If I only knew then what I know now!

[randy 77zt]

a neighbor has a clean california 810 for sale -email if interested

[Here comes trouble]

The two door has to be rare. I never saw one, but many 4 doors on west coast. Very interesting improvements.

[slownrusty]

Wow...that is a damn sexxy car!!! Love it and the beautiful clean straight lines...congrats! Very rare bird these days thats for sure.

 

Yasin

[datsunlover]

Nice! I'm kicking myself now... I had the chance to pick up one a few years ago, just before I found my 280Z for $300!! The thing had been sitting for about 5 years at a farm behind a barn. We threw some gas down her and it fired right up! Just needed some floor patches and a paint job.. I had thoughts of droping a turbo V6 driveline/suspension/brakes into it.. Oh well.. Maybe I'll find one again someday. Nice job man.. enjoy it!

[johnc]

I bought Ernie's (RacerX) 1977 810 a little bit ago with the intention of putting a Turbo L6 in it. Circumstances sent me in a different direction and I just drove the car for a while. A local kid kept bugging me to sell the car to him and I finally did a few months ago. I also sold him a F54 block and a N42 head which is being rebuilt right now.

 

[slownrusty]

Great action pic John!

[S30TRBO]

Here is some pics I took today of my '79 810

 

*Front Koni, modified stock springs

*Rear Bilstein, Quickor springs

*5-Speed Conversion (pedal set in)

*L28E Swap (1 month away)

 

Before

 

 

 

 

 

[DavyZ]

 

But it's the AFTER pictures that are truly sweet! Very nice build on a decent platform car. It think it's cool that you found out all that knowledge about the car (what swaps to what). Is the 3.0L all you hoped it would be? Turbo later or no?

 

Nice work!!

 

Davy

[Yardbird]

 

I seldom get to post pictures of my daily driver 810. It's nice to see some interest in them.

[zcarnut]

Here is some pics I took today of my '79 810

 

*Front Koni' date=' modified stock springs

*Rear Bilstein, Quickor springs

*5-Speed Conversion (pedal set in)

*L28E Swap (1 month away)

[/quote']

 

Nice Joe. Those look like the first generation Maxima mag wheels you have.

 

How are you planning to change the L28 engine from a “rear†sump oil pan to the “front†sump pan?

 

One method that I know a few people have done is to cut the oil sump pickup tube in two and weld a short section of thin wall tubing in between, thus extending the length of the pickup.

 

I decided to do it "correctly" and re-located the 810 oil sump pickup tube to the front of the L28 block. If you examine the six cylinder L-series engine blocks you will see that it is cast for either a front or rear oil pickup tube location. The factory then just drilled the corresponding “boss†out depending if it was going into a rear sump (Z cars and Fairladys) or a front sump (810, 1st generation Maxima, Skyline or Laurel) vehicle.

 

You drill and tap bolt holes in the front boss for the new front mounted oil pickup tube and drill a new passage from it to the pickup oil gallery in the block (which runs along side the block). You also have to block off the rear sump pickup gallery with a pressed-in plug and drill a new hole for the dipstick tube at the front of the block (being very careful not to drill into the main oil gallery). Lastly, you need to plug the old dipstick tube. All this cost me about $100 at a machine shop.

 

If you go this route, then I would recommend taking both your L28 and a spare 810/Maxima block (the L24E) to your machinist. Your machinist can index off the L24E block in order to determine exactly where to drill the needed holes.

 

BTW, if you use the diesel Maxima oil pan you can add another 1.25 quarts of oil to the motor as the diesel pan has a larger capacity.

[zcarnut]

...Very nice build on a decent platform car. It think it's cool that you found out all that knowledge about the car (what swaps to what). Is the 3.0L all you hoped it would be? Turbo later or no?

 

Nice work!! / Davy

 

Thanks Davy.

 

I like the low rpm torque of the NA stroker engines (I have a 3.1 liter in my 260Z). The problem with putting a turbo on the 810 is that there is no room for a front mounted intercooler which would limit the boost somewhat. However' date=' I did met someone who had swapped an entire stock L28T drivetrain into his 810 (without an intercooler).

 

It’s interesting that so many items swap between the 810 and the 280ZX. Front crossmember, lower control arms, T/C rods, rear crossmember, driveline components, etc. Since the 810 came out in 1977, two years before the ZX, I like to think that Nissan started with the 810 platform when the ZX was being designed.

 

I’m fortunate to live only twenty miles from the Z Barn. Roger Schmidt has several disassembled 810's in his yard (as well as 200+ ZX’s!) so it was very straightforward to compare parts.

 

Here’s the progress so far on my steering rack installation:

 

[img']http://home.earthlink.net/~zcarfan/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/810steering_rack.jpg[/img]

 

I’m using a spare engine with an 810 crossmember with the rack brackets from a 280ZX in the picture of the mock up. I used the ZX rack to position the brackets before welding. Clearance around the exhaust downpipe will be tight, but possible.

[Yardbird]

I am loving this thread! I have owned my 810 for over two years now. This is the first time I've seen this kind of interest in them other than the 4 cyl 200B in the UK and Australia. I've got parts lists for them and a 5 page microfiche set that I'm looking into having converted to TIF or PDF format and put on a CD. You guys have answered some questions I've had about these cars. I always thought that they were more ZX based than Z based. Does anyone know where I can get the two plastic pillar mouldings that go inside along either side of the front windshield?

[zcarnut]

.....Does anyone know where I can get the two plastic pillar mouldings that go inside along either side of the front windshield?..

 

I’ll check the ones in my parts car, Steve. It had a red interior, although they can be painted to match your interior. Since my 810 is garage kept I don't think I will need an extra set. The sun's UV rays can really damage these pieces.

 

Let me know if you need anything else.

 

BTW, have you checked with Norman at OEM Surplus?

 

http://www.oem-surplus.com/nwp/

[Yardbird]

Thanks, Steve. If those pillar mouldings are in good shape I am interested regardless of color. Let me know. I've done business with Norman at OEM Surplus/Neosho Truck Parts for some time now. In fact, I just received a new AFM from him today. I've also dealt with Charlie at Old Car Parts, Chloe at Midwest Z when she was around, several other places here and even a couple of places in Australia.

[Yardbird]

As for an L28E in a 810, couldn't you just get an L24E from a 80-84 Maxima and put a L28E bottom end in it (bored .120)? The'yre plentiful in the junkyards at least around here. You'd be pretty much limited to 2.8 but the only machine shop you'd need is the boring of the L24E block. I have one sitting on my engine stand along with a diesel oil pan but I haven't started work on it yet.

[2003z]

Beautiful car zcarnut!!! I had a chance to see it a Zdayz, and its much nicer in person. Everyone was talking about how nice it was.

[zcarnut]

As for an L28E in a 810, couldn't you just get an L24E from a 80-84 Maxima and put a L28E bottom end in it (bored .120)? The'yre plentiful in the junkyards at least around here. You'd be pretty much limited to 2.8 but the only machine shop you'd need is the boring of the L24E block. I have one sitting on my engine stand along with a diesel oil pan but I haven't started work on it yet.

 

That’s entirely possible. Of course a 3mm (.120in) overbore can be never be risk free. A sonic measurement for core shifting is always recommended before the boring operation.

 

In my instance I had a spare N42 280Z engine gathering dust in the corner of my garage so I decided to use it along with a spare diesel crank to create a “true†3.0 liter engine by going to a 87mm bore. This would be a 4mm overbore of the L24E block. Something I did not want to risk. Where I live the supply of excess L28 blocks is far more plentiful than the L24E.

[zcarnut]

Beautiful car zcarnut!!! I had a chance to see it a Zdayz, and its much nicer in person. Everyone was talking about how nice it was.

 

Thanks very much for the compliment! I received numerous comments from the Z Days attendees. I also got the “trophy girl” to pose with my 810: