BanditJ Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Signing in here with my first post to this web site. I have a 1982 280ZX that I have owned for about 20-years now and which saw heavy use in my 20's and has been barely driven the past several years. In fact, the battery was dead for the last one-year and she just sat in the garage until about a month ago when I installed a new battery changed all the fluids and she's running again. Hearing her engine and driving her around the block a bit has renewed vigor in renovating the car now and thus am perusing all these Z sites I can find. I've performed some renovation to the ZX in the past with new carpet, new dashboard and was repainted about five-years ago. I have the Tokico Performance Handling package in the garage ready to go as well as a full set of polyurethane bushings and I'm contemplating going with new anti-sway bars but am not sure about that. She's not a daily driver. I also want to install the MSA catback 2.5" exhausts but have not purchased it yet. And lastly, am kind of toying with the idea of a lighter flywheel but I don't want anything too light that'll really mess up acceleration from a stop. Overall, I am bound to play by the California emissions rules. Here's the picture of my ZX. It's a couple years old but she looks exactly the same because she's always in the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Welcome to hybridZ BanditJ. If you're interested in engine swaps you've come to the right place, and if you need to know about how to perform a legal engine swap just PM me, I'm full of smog info I'm willing to share, just don't want to derail this tread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cartesian Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 I've had this car for about a month now. Its a 79, n/a, with a 3-speed auto. Its the first car I've ever owned that has an auto tranmission, and the first without power steering. The exterior is in great condition, and the engine only has ~104k on it. It was kept in a garage in Wyoming for most of its life. Right now the only issue with it is the crunchy front suspension. It still drives alright even a high speeds but I'm babying it right now until I can get the improvements made. I'm also ordering a new gauge culuster because the clock and voltmeter went out. Currently I don't have a lot of practical car knowledge, but I bought this car with the intention of doing a lot of work on it myself. It looks less complicated than my 94 Honda. Its not very fast, but increasing output is not what I'm interested in right now what with my budget and considering gas prices. I really just want to make it able to handle corners with confidance for now. I'll start to consider airflow after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Looks like a ZXR that's had it's wing removed, what a shame. Cartesian, does the rear hatch have a wiper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cartesian Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Looks like a ZXR that's had it's wing removed, what a shame. Cartesian, does the rear hatch have a wiper? Nope, no wiper on the back hatch. Seal and struts on it are new; thats the only thing I noticed. Did the ZXR come with different badging, because mine just says 280ZX? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 The blue sides, the wheel covers, the lack of wiper... it's a ZXR no doubt. It was a limited run they made in order to homologate a whale tail spoiler. The reason they didn't have rear wipers (the only S130 without them) is that they interfered with the spoiler, and they weren't about to modify the spoiler, so off came the rear window wiper. They're usually VERY light as most of them had almost zero options. You should be able to find more info by searching 280ZXR on this message board. I've been trying to find someone near where I live with one so I can have them weigh it, as I want to know if my guess is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cartesian Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Very cool, thanks for the info. The title lists the gross weight as 2700lbs, now that I look at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschiltz Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 The reason they didn't have rear wipers (the only S130 without them) is that they interfered with the spoiler, and they weren't about to modify the spoiler, so off came the rear window wiper. Not true, some of the early regular ones didn't have the rear wiper (like mine). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Not true, some of the early regular ones didn't have the rear wiper (like mine). I stand corrected. But the numbers are very very few. I've seen a LOT of S130 cars in person, never once seen one that came without a rear wiper from factory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 That trues. I haven't seen one either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bschiltz Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 I stand corrected. But the numbers are very very few. I've seen a LOT of S130 cars in person, never once seen one that came without a rear wiper from factory. Yup. I think I read somewhere (and I could be totally off base here) that it was pretty much only the 79s that were stripped down. Mine is kinda weird, it was a 5 speed with R180, no power anything, no wiper. I think I just got left overs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CerebralSponge Posted May 9, 2008 Share Posted May 9, 2008 Thought I'd join the list. I just bought an 83 280zx turbo. It's in decent condition. Has some rust, but not on the frame. I'm just trying to get the car running so I'm confident in it then I'll work on some fun stuff:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vspec Posted May 13, 2008 Share Posted May 13, 2008 just signed up and saw this so... Just bought an 82 280zx turbo with 74,731 miles on it! it has the normal amount of rust for a z. the guy sold it to me because it had starting problems,but turns out it sat for 2 years and the gas was bad lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_hl Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 G'day, this is my 1980 280zx. had it for about 2 years, goes nicely, just putting a new radiator in it at the moment and considering pulling out the whole a/c system while i'm in there seeing as it doesn't work anyway. Would any of you be able to tell me the sort of weight a complete air conditioning system would be? (compressor, condenser etc). Not sure if its really worth pulling out for the amount of weight reduction i would get, but the engine is also waisting a little of power turning the compressor (is this negligible?) thanks. dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 You'd probably gain a small amout of power, but probably not noticable. But you'll save AT LEAST 60+ pounds if not more. If it's not working and you don't plan on fixing it I'd say pull it. If you pull the condensor as well (no reason not to) your radiator will have cleaner air too. Well worth pulling in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83zed owner Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 I stand corrected. But the numbers are very very few. I've seen a LOT of S130 cars in person, never once seen one that came without a rear wiper from factory. just seen one yesterday it was 12/78 280zx at the local pick your part. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave_hl Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Yeah I don't plan on fixing it, i prefer cruising round with the windows down in summer anyway. Sorry for going off topic a bit... whatever the topic of this thread is, but One concern I have is i assume if i pulled the condenser, compressor, drier etc which are all in the engine bay this would not effect the heating system, but if i was to attack the cooling and blower unit in the dash would this effect the heating system? From what i've read in my haynes, it sounds like the heating and a/c use the same blower fan/unit. If there's not much weight from the a/c in the dash then i may as well not bother removing.. i'll just get the stuff in the engine bay. Or does the evaporator have a lot of that 60+ pounds in it? thanks dave. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gollum Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Most of the weight I'm refering to is in the compressor and condenser which are easily removed. When pulling the compressor be careful, as EVERY time I've ever picked one up it was heavier than I expected. When pulling it off it's crazy pulling it out of the engine bay, it's just so dang heavy. The evaporator under the dash sits between the blower unit and the control unit, so there's not much sense in removing it. It's not a lot of weight though. My main reason to ever want to remove it would be the space more than the weight. You could make a pretty huge storage compartment on the passanger side if you took that whole cooling unit out and moved the blower over. There'd be almost nothing but wires behind the first foot and a half of the passanger side dash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83zed owner Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 why not just remove your compressor's belt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobyYoo Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 i removed the compressor belt on my car, i didn't notice any different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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