project cheap daily driver 280ZXT

[sorealsosurreal]

So I just started driving my newly aquired 1983 280ZXT. the plan is to just drive this Z and dump little money into it as possible which is easier said than done. on the other hand i dont have that much money so maybe not. parts that will be replaced will be out of necessity not of want.

 

The car is a 1983 280zx turbo with the borg warner T5 and sadly a P90-A head. exterior is in fair condition needing some pannel alignment. the motor seems to be pretty sound along with the rest of the drive train. the brake system was overhauled by the last owner. But LOTS of rust undernieth the car. the suspension has newish KYBs and is in major need of alignment and front tires. the car is pretty well equiped with power windows, mirrors, and even cruise control. Has a CD player and kill switch installed by the previous owner.

 

So when i first got the car it needed a clutch. i planned on doing this myself but since ive never had the chance of installing a clutch before and the amazing amount of rust under the car i decided to just have it done. woot! brand new exedy clutch installed. once that was done the car would not run. supposedly the injectors were stuck open. so my dad had the inhectors sent out and it ran good as new.

 

So i drive the car to school and do an oil change adding a BG oil treatment to the engine then draining it. then add fuel and another oil treatment to the 10W 30 synthetic mobile 1 oil. try to start and nothing... take plugs out since i smell gas and they are wet. thought i had the killswitch wrong so dried plugs and tried again with killswitch flipped the other way, and still nothing. after a few more times i tow it home. get a cap and rotor and plugs. and free taylor wires from my 240z that wont be running for awhile. and the car runs like a champ.

 

nice to drive a z again thats for sure.

[sorealsosurreal]

So I drove the ZX 50 miles today, it ran great. I was able to lay down a 20ft burn out infront of the parents house, pretty good for a 26 year old car. Now I've got Z on the mind. I rocked the T-tops as well, although I dont think it will happen to often unless theres a girl in the car and specially not with a dude.

 

But I've been thinking of what the car needs to be in fair running shape. First on the list is the alignment issue. Im pretty sure I need some bushings to adjust my major caster issue. then ill either swap the 14in wheels and tires from my Z to my ZX untill i can afford some new 15in tires for the swastikas. then I'll reseal my leaky rear diff. change the thermostat belts and hoses for preventitive maintanance. And a must is the speakers, the front bass just sounds like crap. Maybe I'll look into the AC come summer time when it gets a but hotter. The power steering dosnt really bother me, but ill look into what all it needs.

 

Of course I cant help but think of some fun mods. Ive got a Flowmaster 40 series i grabbed from a wrecked ranger- Free, not sure how it would sound on a turbo'd inline 6 but it will be better than no sound. Then I'll get some metal tubing and make a crude intake versues the garbage air box- $25. When I get the chance to go to the junk yard I'll be on the look for an Eclipse BOV and possibly an intercooler if i feel up to it. i work 5 days a week and go to school the other 2 days so the BOV and intercooler wont happen for a while. maybe one of the cheap ebay boost controlers if Im feeling up to it.

 

Ill try to get pictures up of the car on tuesday.