Thinking about canning the 460Z project...

[Guest Battle Pope]

First off, let me tell you all a bit about myself.

 

I'm almost 20 years old, working full time, and taking part-time college courses. Exactly how much I make isn't really relevant, but suffice to say I I gross less than 20k per year.

 

At first, the Z sounded like a fun, rewarding project. I did some research, looked around, registered here, all that fun stuff. Gathered up a couple grand, and went out buying.

 

Acquired a solid specimen of Z-car in the form of a '76 280Z courtesy of 305240 down in Grant's Pass, a 460/C6 package courtesy of a local engine hoarder, and some other miscellaneous parts and pieces. Then my money ran out.

 

The engine is incomplete, on a stand, waiting for a rear-sump oil pan kit which I don't have the money for, and an oil pump and water pump and valve covers. I'm about 2/3 done cleaning the transmission so we can put the TransGo stage 2 shift kit and TCI 2800 stall converter in it.

 

If I were to somehow come up with all these parts (VCs, oil pan, pumps) then the fab work could actually begin, but then I'd be saddled with a 400 dollar driveshaft and 400 dollar exhaust system, not to mention everything required to actually make the engine run in the chassis.

 

Assuming I could get to that point, I'd have to reinforce the frame and put a 6-point bar in it to stiffen the chassis. Then I'd probably wipe out the rear-end, requiring a 9" Ford axle swap. So, as you can see, I'm thousands of dollars away from an actual performer, and I haven't even touched wheels and tires, the interior, body, insurance, or registration yet.

 

First off, let me say I would really like to see this car finished. I think it would be awe-inspiring to see that mountain of an engine in that little car. But, the money's run thin, and the obstacles are mounting. Every day I look at it and I think, "Is this really smart right now? I could always wait a couple years till I'm more financially stable..."

[JMortensen]

That's a lot of project. I think if you try to complete the project now you'll be "car poor", but if you're committed to it you should just keep acquiring stuff and then do the modifications as the budget allows. Only problem with that idea is when I was your age I moved about every year for about 8 years, and moving your horde of parts is kind of a hassle.

[Here comes trouble]

One problem is a person can become quite spread out on all the options available for a multitude of modifications for a Z project. Do not ditch your Z project but scale your 460 down to about 100 cubic inches less which will not take so much $ and work. I am doing my GTO 250 project on a minimum amount of money after seeing the Tomahawk project without a real well thought out plan which got out of hand with multiople modifications and parts to then have many items stolen and missing during my absence... My GTO body is loosely mounted on a running Z. My next step is the welding phase. Then comes the suspension modifications (coilover and strut shortening and bushings). Then the fiberglass improvements to the existing fiberglass body (additional flanges, scoop modification and fasteners) and the permanent fit followed by the paint. I am painting the car the original color (silver) and that will be done by Maaco when they have a sale (and about the only work I will contract out because they can paint cheaper than I can if not a whole lot better.. but I can do a lot better paint prep) I am scouting for deals on the simple later engine modifications .. 390 CFM 4 BBL and manifold (s). I will buff the aluminum engine parts. The prior advice concerning "moving" and relocations can be a serious reality for your projects.. My relocation and abscense really set the Tomahawk project back with loss of $ and my donar Z for the Origin convertible conversion is missing !!! But I am having a great rewarding time on this GTO project putting it together keeping my mind active with a learning experience. http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/larryjohnson97438/album?.dir=/392a

[Guest Battle Pope]

I've thought about it a lot, and moving around really isn't a problem, I've lived in the same house/will live in the same house for at least several more years.

 

I'm facing problems including but not limited to:

 

Lack of workspace (home garage is full of crap and Z-car at the moment. no room to work. the engine is on a stand at the speed shop, where I work on it when I can. I'd work on the interior at home if I had room.)

Consistently lackluster income (I did just get a raise, but it's a small one and my insurance/gas bills both went up when I bought the Q45).

 

Part of me wants to see it finished so badly that I would like to just bite the bullet and do it, but I don't want to become "car poor", and I know that I'll never be able to sell it for what I have into it.

[ZROSSA]

Sometimes thats just the way things are. I have been working om my z for a good three years now. Have another project thats has about 10 years in it. I just do what I can when I can. Try to do all the things that dont cost much. If you can weld get the welding bits done. That doesnt cost much if you can do it yourself. Body work is only expensive when you are paying someone else to do it. I think you are onto something that hasnt been done before so when it is finished you will have something to be proud of. Take a bit of pleasure in the small victory's.

 

Cheers, Douglas

[violacleff]

Have you come up with a budget of how much it would cost to finish? I know what you're going through. I am currently car poor, mostly because I lost my job though. So actually I'm just poor at this point. Fortunately you have a second car to drive around. My z's my daily. If your folks aren't bugging you to get the car out of the garage (like mine were) then why not keep it and finish it over time? If you're planning on going off too college though for a while i'd say cut your losses and sell it. I had a 57 GMC that I was building and had spent about 6k and many hours working on. My parents let me keep it in the garage till i finished college. I thought I'd get a good job after I graduated but I didn't. I ended up selling the truck for 4k and putting that money into my Z (which dissapeared quite fast). At your age and mine, its hard having such a hobby that drains the bank account when you have school to pay for and trying to get started in life.

[rusty260]

possibly a silly suggestion, but if the body is in good condition, and dosnt require much work, why not throw in a standard engine L6 and trans, and just use the car as is for the while, then you can source and build the engine etc as money does flow in, that way you dont loss a Z car, and could even sell the engine pay of a few bills and buy another one at a later stage, finding a nice z would be harder than finding a engine possibly.

 

and if its in a really really good condition, with a reliable engine, it could become your daily, thereby reducing your insurance, and maybe petrol cost.

 

just ideas, i have been there, tried to sell my z cause of a lack of cash, anyways good luck whatever the choice.

[Tim240z]

Come on dude....cowboy up!

 

Tidy up the garage and get busy. There is a lot of stuff you can do that doesn't cost much at all. You don't need to upgrade the suspension, brakes, chassis and rear end right away.....you can drive the car with the V8 for while, just do't go nuts with it......

You can save a few bucks every week and slowly upgrade the other stuff. 5 years from now, you can have a cool car, or sell it now and start from scratch in 5 years and regret it.....Maybe you are just biting off more than you can chew and need an excuse to bail? (not being mean, just realistic....we've all been there). If that's the case, then just scale back your goals a bit....nothing wrong with that. Break the project into smaller, bite sized chunks.....

 

...........or just sell everything and be a 'normal human being'

 

just my 2c worth (not sure it is worth full market value )

[mobythevan]

why not throw in a standard engine L6 and trans, and just use the car as is for the while,

 

That is exactly how I ended up with a turbo L28et car. I had the same thought and when I showed up at the junk yard to get an L6 there was the L28et, and the rest is history. Hahahahah, so don't expect things to get any different if you try to take an easy way out.

 

My advice, if you enjoy working on the car keep it up, if not can it. I'm only going to work on stuff that I enjoy, if becomes a job I will not continue.

[Guest Battle Pope]

It's got an '82 L28 and the original 4-speed in it, it just doesn't run. I don't know jack about wiring in these cars (Why I decided to go carbureted), but the engine does start and will idle while being fed starting fluid. It just doesn't like it's own fuel system.

 

If anyone is in the area and wants to take a look at it, I'd be happy to show them the heep. if I could get it driving that would be nice, because then I could at least register it and insure it, and move it under its own power.

[Metro]

It's got an '82 L28 and the original 4-speed in it, it just doesn't run. I don't know jack about wiring in these cars (Why I decided to go carbureted), but the engine does start and will idle while being fed starting fluid. It just doesn't like it's own fuel system.

 

My 280z was just like that when I got it, it had sat for like 10 years. The fuel injectors were all plugged and the tank was full of junk. If you can, take off the injectors and soak them in injector cleaner for a few days.

 

Don't give up though, just about everyone on this site who gave up on a project really regretted it later.

[Guest Battle Pope]

I thought about it over the course of the afternoon and I'm pretty much just gonna roll on with the project. I'll keep a running tally of how much I have in it in parts, though, and if someone can give me what I've got into it then I won't turn them down.

 

For now, anyway, project 460Z shall resume! ...err, resume standing still, rather.