No Longer Carless

[Careless]

I finally got a 280z!

 

Will post pics later =)

 

Now when people mispell my screen name, and say "Carless" instead of "Careless", I will take it as a definate insult.

 

=(

 

meanys!

 

<3 you guys.

 

 

 

She's a beaut,

 

Raffaele.

[jtmny1999]

Gratz.

 

 

Post some pics =)

[Careless]

Took off the lousy boat anchor bumpers, but haven't checked under any of the body panels. The car was hit from the rear at one point, and was repainted as well. it was originally a metalic green, then changed to a copper metalic red with gold and blue pinstripes, accents, and sunbursts (quite original, I must say)

 

The previous owner of the car had passed away. The car has not been on since the owner's wife had her child, which was 25 years ago. It say outside for 6 years, and now Karen is moving, so she needed help in judging whether it was worth keeping or not.

 

Greg from Whitehead performance had visited her house and said the car was only good for parts. While I can't question a certified restorer's opinion about the car I now own, I think it can definately be restored to a level of which I would be satisfied. She said that she was quoted in the range of 15-20k to restore the car, however, that is with someone else taking time to do their work. For myself, I can see the car being ready for a new RB25 engine for about 7000 before engine costs. so by 10,000 CDN dollars, she should be the car I've always wanted to build.

 

The deal was that if I ever choose to sell the car when it's done, that the previous owner (Karen) gets the right of refusal for the first crack at buying it from me. However, I don't think I could sell some hard work of mine such as my first Z car. So what I proposed was progress reports as well as some joy rides once the car is complete, or in running form. Also, I've now added her and family to my list of "family members"... because that's what Z's have the power to do

[Careless]

HOLE IN THE DRIVERS FLOOR PAN (going to be replaced)

 

 

FUNKY PINSTRIPING

 

 

REAR QUARTER REPAIR OVERLAP

 

 

UNDERBODY CONDITION (note: new gas tank + 25 year old gas... doesn't smell too pleasant)

 

VIEW FROM AFAR

 

 

WHAT 25 YEARS OF SITTING DOES TO A VALVE TRAIN (surprise, surprise!)

 

 

RARE CHEVIOT MAGS

 

 

TOOK OUT THE UNCRACKED DASH TODAY (do 280z's have this problem?)

 

 

SPARE TIRE WELL (doesn't seem too bad)

 

 

THAT REALLY SAYS 46,700 KM, and I DON'T THINK IT ROLLED OVER EITHER.

 

 

BATTERY TRAY IS RUSTY, FRAME RAILS GOING TO FIREWALL ARE NOT, THOUGH!

 

 

BRE SPOILER LOOK-ALIKE. MY GUESS IS THAT IT WAS INSTALLED WHILE BEING REPAIRED. IT's GOING OFF AT SANDBLASTING TIME.

 

 

WEIRD PINSTRIPE + SUNBURST DETAILS (looks weird, but COOL!)

 

 

DATSUN/NISSAN Z... KING AMONGST JAPANESE SPORTS CARS

 

[alexideways]

I see that you finally got your soulmate, LOL.

 

Let me know when you decide to start redoing floors and etc, I don't live THAT far and I never pass up the opportunity to work on a project.

If I give you a hand that'll be the 6th car under my belt so, I know what I'm doing. Give me some news and we can try to arange something.

[hotimport]

Nice score, how much did you pay for that think??

[Careless]

I see that you finally got your soulmate, LOL.

 

Let me know when you decide to start redoing floors and etc, I don't live THAT far and I never pass up the opportunity to work on a project.

If I give you a hand that'll be the 6th car under my belt so, I know what I'm doing. Give me some news and we can try to arange something.

 

thanks for the support man =D <3

Canadians rule.

You still got RB30 blocks?!

 

Nice score, how much did you pay for that think??

 

I forgot to mention that in my post...

FREE

[hotimport]

Its perfect then since nothing beats FREE!!! Good luck on project and keep us posted on the progress!

 

Good score man!

[alexideways]

No, I don't have anymore blocks as I ordered only 4 to recoupe the cost of mine but, if I get enough demands, I can get more no problem trough the same guy. The thing is that it cost the same to get 1 or 4 shipped here.

[Careless]

No, I don't have anymore blocks as I ordered only 4 to recoupe the cost of mine but, if I get enough demands, I can get more no problem trough the same guy. The thing is that it cost the same to get 1 or 4 shipped here.

 

ok, so i'll see if my friend wants to get one aswell, and we can build twin cam twin rb's

 

thanks for the headsup

[Careless]

Today's update:

 

I took off the two fenders. There was some bondo put over the bolts at the bottom fo the fenders where the two bolts are. Then they were rocker-guarded, so they proved to be a bitch. One bolt had to be zipped off.

 

Then I found two nasty looking spiders lingering around there (this car had 25 years worth of cobwebs, up until i power washed the fender wells), and promptly gave them a budge with my phillips. =)

 

I need a new passenger headlight bucket, as it caved in while i was removing it, but that's ok, I'll deal with that when i have to put the car back together.

 

The fenders and headlight buckets look to have been joined at one point with some adhesive at some point, and a layer of paint, but it's easy for me to remove.

 

The passenger kick panel and the cowl drain hose location is rusted to hell. That will have to be re welded, but I think everything else is solid as can be. (my hammer just bounced off it, even when struck forcefully)

 

overall im impressed with the front section of this car, but the TC bucket area is REALLY bad. it has to be cut completely and rewelded. so I might as well go ahead and relocate them to reduce the dive effect that was talked about in previous threads about braking hard into a corner. So i'm just planning to do the ENTIRE frame of the car.

 

when i tell people that i will be doing this, the first thing they say is "OMG YOUR CAR IS ♥♥♥♥" but u know what? it's a canadian car. that was outside for 6 years, and hasn't been run for 25. give it a break. it's still quite beautiful in my eyes =)

 

and besides, im 22, this isn't like it's the last zee i will be touching for the rest of my life. I'll just do another one when im done this one

 

 

 

I have to sandblast the fenders and do some repair work in the lower section, but I wont be using bondo as a filler for anything. it will most likely be done using lead bar and some handy tricks. I feel that they will last longer this way, and it will be more sturdy. I'm also not afraid to try new things with the car, as im used to seeing people cheese up a car most of the time. (guilty)

 

the headlight buckets look to be in good condition.

 

I HAVE snapped some bolts in pieces trying to take them out, but I will be ordering a full bolt kit for the entire car aswell. (anyone know where i can get that? i see a place on ebay, but they sell different areas of the car)

 

I had to even remove the airdam middle and passenger section with the fender, as the bolt holding the airdam to the headlight bucket was stuck behind a small square tab and it was spinning freely, so i had to zip that off with a cutoff wheel like that stripped bolt on the driver side fender.

 

overall, the fenders look really good, and the bodo was just to cover up small rust around the holes at the bottom. I'll just make a new steel lip and weld it onto the fenders i have now, so it should be just fine. The rockers seem to be relatively strong but i'll see when it all gets sandblasted.

[alexideways]

Take some "step by step" pics as you go along.

[b__sosick]

congrats on the new z!

keep the wing! I like it

 

 

as for the snapping of bolts, it's expected with our old archaic machines. make sure to spray penetrant and let it soak and dry on all the bolts you will be having to take off.

 

either that or get reeeeal good at tap/drilling.

 

it's still quite beautiful in my eyes =)

 

 

this is what makes us z guys different from others!!

[slownrusty]

Talk to Greg Whitehead he is the Z car man in Canada! And he is 20minutes from you. His business is Whitehead Performance.

 

He just finished Quentin's RB26 Skyline engine swap into his Z and has some coool project coming.

 

Good luck with your car and join the Ontario Z car club too.

 

Yasin

[Careless]

Talk to Greg Whitehead he is the Z car man in Canada! And he is 20minutes from you. His business is Whitehead Performance.

 

He just finished Quentin's RB26 Skyline engine swap into his Z and has some coool project coming.

 

Good luck with your car and join the Ontario Z car club too.

 

Yasin

 

that was the same guy who saw the car and said it was only good for parts. I fail to believe that as a diagnosis of the car's condition.

 

like i said, i'm not doubting his knowledge of the cars, because he obviously knows more than I do... but parts car? i dunno man. does that look like a parts car to you?

 

I plan to do the entire thing with my room mate, and do all the swapping and such myself. And i'll eventually RB25 or RB30 the thing (or both in sequence). The only reason to call whitehead would be to trouble shoot the current engine, which is not starting.

 

but then again, I'm sure it's a wiring problem because the under-hood service light comes on, (good battery connection) but the started doesnt even click and nothing else comes on.

 

I probably shouldn't have removed the dashboard.

 

 

do any guages have to be in for the car to start? It's FI, and i have two ECU's but im using the brand new one that i got, so i don't think the ECU is the problem.

 

there are random wires that are attached with butt connectors that are just lingering around and don't correspond with any other wires, so I'll probably just end up getting a volt meter and doing some crossexamination with the FSM and the harness i put back in the car.

[Jackhammer]

She said that she was quoted in the range of 15-20k to restore the car, however, that is with someone else taking time to do their work. For myself, I can see the car being ready for a new RB25 engine for about 7000 before engine costs. so by 10,000 CDN dollars, she should be the car I've always wanted to build.

 

 

I was searching for information about the cowl drain pipes and your thread came up about your free Z. I couldn't help but stop and read through your posts. Your estimates sound like mine 2 years ago. I got my Z for practically nothing. I looked her over and said $10.000.00 and she will be everything I could want. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: .

 

Dude.... 10K will get it stripped, blasted, up on a rotisserie, new metal welded in, sealed, primed and some ancillary parts that you will need down the line. You will not even be close to finished. That is reality. Plain and simple. A rule of thumb to go by that has proved true on my 10K resto:lol: that is now down to putting on the mirrors and tweaking the doors so they close with out slamming and most importantly 30K later. Multiply the time and money by 2.5 and you are close. If you are a certified mechanic, welder, professional paint and body man, schooled in auto electrics... minus .50 from the above.

 

Just the facts man. I am trying to throw a dose of reality at you so you are not left disillusioned.

 

Good luck.... . If you are married or have a steady girl I hope they are understanding. If you are like me ...don't plan on contributing to your retirement program for a while either. Other than that knock yourself out.

[Careless]

Good luck.... . If you are married or have a steady girl I hope they are understanding. If you are like me ...don't plan on contributing to your retirement program for a while either. Other than that knock yourself out.

 

thanks for the heads up, but I'm a diy guy.

I'll be welding the floors myself, putting in the rear suspension as well, and painting the car in the 20 x 20 paint booth i made with my room mate.

 

I know it's a big task, but 10,000 is what i'm aiming for, and I'm going to pull the engine as soon as i hear it start, and sell that to get the money for the floors and the subframe. I know a guy who can sandblast for a good price, and I will be making my own rotissieri, if not, i can use the 6 ton jacks to put it in the air and I'm sure that will be enough since i'm a small guy. The parts that will cost the most, other than the engine, are the seats, guages, and parts of the subframe that will be replaced with updated suspension pieces, like s14 coilovers.

 

I have a good idea of what needs to be done and where to get my metal for a good price, so I don't think that it would be more than 15 k in the end of it all, but im shooting for 10k.

 

I am keeping it as realistic as i can, going by who i know and what i can do by myself, and what im willing to have others do (which is a very small list).

 

if it doesnt turn out how i want it, whatever.

 

i just need something to keep me busy for the next year. I dont own a house, im not married, im not seeing anyone as of late, and i make close to 40k a year starting in jan, and my rent is cheap since it's one of my best friends and his mom who live next door. so I think I'll be ok. Plus, i dont really rely on anyone persay.. but i know some people who i've helped in the past that will pull some strings to make stuff happen.

 

BUt i'm not counting on them.

 

Do you have any pics of your project? i'd like to see what 30k looks like on a zee.