fisheric Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 A guy not too far from where I live has what he describes as a 1981 280zx turbo with a 5 speed manual transmission. Now as far as I know from searching these discrepancies are confusing me: 1) the 1981 280zxt didn't come with a 5 speed 2) every year of 280zx came in some shade of gold except 1981 (according to xeons130.com's color chart) 3) in the dash board where my 280zx has a turbo gauge, his has a battery voltage meter. 4) his car has a turbo hood scoop, but it kinda looks brownish (was there a gold/brownish two-tone paint job?) 5) his car has different rims (are these the 1982 rims?) and here is da pic other info: the vehicle was in a wreck which could explain a different hood. also the pics of the roof kinda look like the same color as the hood. my goal is to get the transmission from this car for my car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgoodson@pacbell.net Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Check the door post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slownrusty Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Sorry to be sarcastic...but if someone has a turbo car for sale I would ask them to photograph the engine compartment and if there was a big onion hanging off the manifold all doubt would be addressed. Otherwise, the car you pictured there has: 1) Not turbo 14in wheels 2) Non turbo gauges 3) All '81 Turbo cars came with an Automatic 4) All '82 Turbo cars came with a 15" wheel style known as Snow Flakes Hope that helps! Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sleepyspeed Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 isn't the hood also just a 82-83zx hood Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisheric Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 the guy who has the car seems like he doesnt know/care. Its about a 50 minute drive to go check it out. Oh, i see now that the non-turbo models had the same hood. I thought the hood scoop was turbo only. So it is probably an 82/83 n/a Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddmanout84 Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Onion? I prefer snail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiwi303 Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 I vote Hairdrier. If the guy doesn't care enough to take a snap of under the bonnet for you, he doesn't care enough to sell it. offer him peanuts for it, low enough that even if it's a NA, picking it up and parting it out at home is worth the time and cash you'd get for it. That way, if it is a Turbo, you're happy, if it's not, you're still ahead with a partsmobile to sell for cash to cover the purchase and pickup costs. If he screeches about the lowball offer, tell him to buck up and get snapping in the engine bay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisheric Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 he said the car ran and wanted 800 i already talked him down to 5 i could probably get him down to 4. I really only wanted it for the 5 speed. but I thought it was the t5 5 speed the turbos came with. now I gotta do some more reading on the n/a 5 speed. as far as i can tell the n/a will fit fine into my car. my plan was to swap the transmission and then try to part the rest out. offer the big stuff locally. anyone want some t-tops? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadMaxDallas Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 Sounds like a nt swapped to a turbo. If you post the vin number for the car ill run it through my fast system and tell you what it came with originally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ben280zx Posted November 10, 2008 Share Posted November 10, 2008 I have tried to get him to snaps some picture of the engine for the last two weeks and I got nothing. If you want a 5speed, try CL again, I saw one for like 75 buck around my area. If you want I can pick it up for you if its not too far from me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisheric Posted November 10, 2008 Author Share Posted November 10, 2008 I have tried to get him to snaps some picture of the engine for the last two weeks and I got nothing. If you want a 5speed, try CL again, I saw one for like 75 buck around my area. If you want I can pick it up for you if its not too far from me. You talked to him too? Im getting the feeling that he is feigning ignorance about vehicle to dodge responsibility. i pm'd you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHADY280 Posted November 12, 2008 Share Posted November 12, 2008 id say 82, unless work has been done. those 6 spoke 14" rims were on all n/a 82+ cars. the hoods are swapable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ww Posted November 13, 2008 Share Posted November 13, 2008 Come on slow! The 81 Turbo's came with "Snow Flakes" and the 82-83 Turbo's came with "Swastika's"! The 82-83 Non-Turbo's came with the 6-spoke wheels shown in the picture. The 81 Turbo was the first to have the "turbo" hood but it was made standard on all 82-83 cars. The 81 Turbo only came with an automatic from the factory and the 82-83 turbo's came with the T5. If you just need a 5-speed, unless you're making big power (and even then the Nissan T5 is questionable) the Non-turbo 5-speed should work fine. Sorry to be sarcastic...but if someone has a turbo car for sale I would ask them to photograph the engine compartment and if there was a big onion hanging off the manifold all doubt would be addressed. Otherwise, the car you pictured there has: 1) Not turbo 14in wheels 2) Non turbo gauges 3) All '81 Turbo cars came with an Automatic 4) All '82 Turbo cars came with a 15" wheel style known as Snow Flakes Hope that helps! Yasin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zx beast Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 The 81 turbo has that hood, and does have those wheels, as well as a 5 speed transmision, same as the non turbo. 79 and 80 had a 5 speed, but fifth gear was forked with reverse, and was not good, but 81 and up was all true 5 speed. But yes, from the looks of it, that is an 81 turbo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edz280zx Posted January 8, 2009 Share Posted January 8, 2009 81 turbos did not come with a 5 speed. They were only offered that year with autos. And 81 turbos had 15" snowflakes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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