280ZXT Daytona kit from Reaction Research

[Greywolf]

I have a 1982 280ZX which is getting built from the ground up.

 

It's a solid car, but the paint is peeling (not rust, just peel), the interior is badly burnt by the Texas sun, and the engine was last worked on by someone who didn't understand that you don't remove electrical connectors with vice-grips.

 

So...it's a perfect candidate for a lot of work and customizing.

 

Now, enter the "John Washington factor".

 

I have seen the Velo Rossa kits. I have even talked to John via email (and I'm sorry I wasn't ready to buy then, but I was serious). John's reputation is good, and he was helpful, but I don't want to waste his time again: next time I email him, I will have cash in hand.

 

I haven't seen much on the Daytona kits for the 280ZX, but what I've seen on the VR kits tells me I should have no trouble with quality, fit, etc.

 

What I'd like to know is if anyone here has used a Daytona kit, what they needed that wasn't supplied, etc, etc.

 

What is the weight difference of the kit vs stock? Where does the fuel filler go? How much more/less room is available in the engine compartment (this build is going in conjunction with an engine swap and major suspension work to allow big disks and 5 lugs); how much wider are the front/rear tracks?

 

I have done a lot of automotive work and I am an engineer, so I'm not concerned by the difficulty, just curious as to the experiences of the install, hard to find parts, coupe vs spyder install (I want to build as a coupe) because most of the stuff shows the Spyder version, headlights (do they pop up on the kit? What do you need to make those work?). Are the Daytona bumpers attached to the stock bumper bar, or do you lose your bumpers if you decide you don't want the bumperettes?

 

Thank you for your replies.

 

Ben

[b__sosick]

is this the "daytona" kit?

 

 

 

[SpeedRacer]

John is a great guy and I am sure he will answer you if you ask him your questions. I think you will find that he knows a lot of potential customers start out as "lookers" or "tire kickers."

 

I haven't seen his Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona kit

 

 

but I have bought other items from him for my GTO kit and they are very high quality. From personal experience, I have found that John stands behind his products as well.

 

If you build it, please let us know how it turns out and what you think of the kit.

[Greywolf]

Hi SpeedRacer,

 

that black Spyder is the one! I was thinking of doing it as a hardtop, in silver.

 

It seems I'll be the first person to do one on the web...I'll have to actually expend effort on my website...this is getting to be a big project!

 

I shall forward my questions to John, then, and he'll have to deal with a few more tire kickings while I finish getting the money together (hoping to be driving this next summer, so starting bodywork in fall).

 

Ben

 

P.S. Nice handle...Speed Racer was my brother name in college...something about a turbocharged Dodge Caravan and driving exploits best not described or performed ever again.

[Blackeye]

is this the "daytona" kit?

 

 

 

 

This kit looks sick, did you just find pics while searching or do you know a site that supplys it? It'd be great if you could post a link.

[b__sosick]

NOOOOO

I saw that car while driving to my co usins house here in jacksonville FL. I pulled over to take pictures. and the owner came home and talked to me about it. he was sort of a jerk. but he told me it was a rare kit called "daytona z".

[SpeedRacer]

Hi Ben,

 

Somebody used to make a Daytona coupe kit for the Z as I have seen a couple of completed ones on the web for sale. eBay had a pretty good looking yellow one a few months ago. Sorry I don't know much about them.

 

However, IMHO the best Daytona Spider kit is the old McBurnie one that mounts on an old Corvette chassis. That's the kit that was on the original Miami Vice TV show.

 

Of course I am somewhat partial to the 1962 Ferrari 250 GTO kit for the Z car.

 

 

[Greywolf]

Sure, if I had a 'Vette, I'd be looking at a different kit. To be honest, if I had a 'Vette, I would probably not re-body it.

 

I wasn't gonna totally re-body the 280ZX, but, 1) it needs so much "incidental work" on scratches and dings, and a paint job, and 2) I do rather like the GTO.

 

So, I looked at GTO kits and realized I could:

 

1. Buy a 280Z GTO kit and fudge it until it fit my 280ZX, and then I'd have a GTO kit like all the other GTO kits, for a cost that probably could have paid for buying a 280Z to begin with. But if I bought a 280Z, I'd put 240-style bumpers on it and leave it well enough alone. I like the 240/260/280Z.

 

2. Consider the Ferrari-style 365 Daytona kits, which are less common on the Datsun.

 

Or, I could build to stock, but since I always planned an engine/suspension /brake swap on the 280ZX, I'd have to add fender flares and...etc, etc.

 

So, the Daytona looks nicer and nicer.

 

Along with the custom Aussie/US hybrid 6-cylinder engine, manual transmission (still measuring the tunnel for T56 fitment, I have a T5WC if it doesn't fit and the unused trans replaces the C4 in my Mercury... ), and some manner of 240SX suspension which I'm still crawling around the graph paper on...I'll stick with stock if I have to, but that multilink rear gives me some nice brake options.

 

But I digress.

 

It looks like I'll be making a website as this goes on, as there aren't any documented Daytona/ZX builds hanging out on the 'web that I can find.

 

Ben

[ZXR_KiD]

I admire the fact of planning for all this work to be done especially to the less popular S-130s, but is there really a need for bigger brakes on them? or is it just an automatic part along with your intended 5 lug swap? or are you anticipating adding alot more weight through your engine swap?...

 

I'm just curious, don't mean to upset ya or anything... but of everything we've owned the S-130 will out brake the rest by far.

[Greywolf]

I'm hoping to keep the overall weight similar to the stock S130 weight, give or take.

 

The L28 is fairly heavy (especially with an automatic!) and the replacement engine is much lighter. I considered various flavors of the VG30 but decided to go with the Ford US/Aussie hybrid as originally designed for my sleeper wagon. Should weigh in around 300lb for 3.3 litres.

 

The T56 is pretty heavy and may throw the weights off; I'm also unsure as to the difference in weight of the 240SX rears (seting up 5 lugs, R180, LSD). Don't need the weight of the R200, I hope. Also, bracing for that suspension swap. As it's a "fun" car I will not be adding a roll cage, but may build a roll brace.

 

I'm hoping to have it driveable by this time next year, but I expect it'll be spring of 2008 before I'm ready to show it off with all the kinks worked out.

 

Ben

 

Remember..it's not what you BUY...it's what you BUILD!

[VinhZXT]

Ben,

The ZX Daytona Coupe kit doesn't look that good IMO. I've seen the yellow one someone mentioned above and it wasn't good and they wanted a ton of money for it. I now John Washington sold one more kit to another guy but I contacted him a few times and he never replied. I had the back half of this Daytona Kit on my ZX right now and it does improve the look of the ZX. I am not sure who built this kit that I bought but the quality was very bad. There are air pockets underneath the jell coat and when the sun hits it you can see the lumps now. I have to totally strip down the jell coat and fill it up with plastic. Lots of work. The reason I didn't go with the complete kit because in my opinion the front of the ZX looks good just the way it is. The ZX just needs to change the look on the rear. Anyway you can look at some pictures of my ZX in the link in my sig.

 

I also have the Cobra Daytona Coupe Kit for the Z also. This is my next project.

[OlderThanMe]

I think a s30 with the rear done up 250 GTO style and the front left Z style. I think it would look pretty good. Of course with an air dam and a nice mesh grille and a 240 bumper...

[OlderThanMe]

is this the "daytona" kit?

 

 

 

lets see..Gnose from MSA..flares from MSA...JCR-ish rear fenders with 8" added on the rear...all that and nearly stock size tires. and that color. Just sorta ugly to me. Good craftsmanship but ugly...

[Greywolf]

Hi Vinh, I'd actually looked at your cardomain pages for a while. I also feel the 280ZX front looks fairly good with round headlights, but I wanted a different bumper/spoiler look.

 

I have been in touch with John Washington; I'm hoping the Daytona will be of the quality that the Velo Rossa and his other work is. I don't see why it wouldn't be.

 

I do like the look of the Daytona, and I like the look of the 280ZX (like the 240Z better, though, or a 280 with 240 bumpers). So, it was a hard decision. I'm going to use the pop-up headlights and try to integrate cues from the Datsun 280ZX concepts into the build, to have a vehicle that is really unique, but not in the "bright graphics, big spoiler, neon lights, loud stereo" way.

 

I don't really like any of the Z taillights, I like the Ferrari/British tail look better. Too many years working on British cars, I guess (actually, was at a shop near you for some time back in the early '90s, in Perkasie).

 

But now, I'm rambling.

 

Anyway, the goal for me is to build a car with an exotic look that has a dependable, light, economical drivetrain for which parts are available and, most importantly, is fun to drive and easy on the eyes.

 

We shall see.

 

Ben

[AK-Z]

is this the "daytona" kit?

 

 

 

coulda done without the flares IMO. The rear is already wide body'd anyways.

[b__sosick]

the owner of the above z said "yeah i drive it all the time man"

which is interesting because there were cobwebs all over the tires connecting to the ground, lol.

it's a silly kit but it was neat to look at for a little bit

[ww]

He needed 9" or 10" wide wheels/tires with flares that big on the front!