PETEW Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 I am going to purchase a '77 280Z (it was advertised here by a guy named Brad) next week and I am trying to figure out were I should start. I bought the JTR manual and it looks like it will be a huge help. The car currently runs, but it just ran into a snag, I got an e-mail of the car losing some power and he is trying to figure out why. The body and frame are pretty solid and there is only minor rust. The frame rails are clean up till the firewall where there is some suface rust. I planned on sanding off the surface rust and POR-15 that. I was also going to make sure that any body rust would be taken care of. After that I wanted to do interior, then brakes and suspension and finally changing the engine and tranny. Now that it sounds like the engine is having problems I'm thinking I might have to do the engine and tranny first, and then body, brakes and suspension. Is there a preferred way to modify the Z. In the JTR book it sounds like they put in V8's with no mod's to anything else. Let me know what you've done or are doing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owen Posted August 30, 2001 Share Posted August 30, 2001 My mods were not done in any particular order....due to availability or because I couldn't decide on what I wanted. And at other times, a better idea hits you later on and pushes your completion date back even further. I would say though...pull engine and tranny first. Widen tunnel if necessary, fix underside and engine bay rust, do brake and fuel lines, engine bay paint (mine is just black heat paint). Put in engine and tranny, check ground clearances when doing coilovers, exhaust, etc. I don't know if having the engine in when the roll cage is welded in is good or not...if the car's not level, it could permanently tweak the car? I stripped my paint right after pulling the old engine...2 years ago...rust.... Owen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JAMIE T Posted August 31, 2001 Share Posted August 31, 2001 I'm doing pretty much what you said. I'm fixing rust, and doing bodywork/paint now. I purchased a pair of doors, a hood and two new fenders for spares, and I'm working on them and prepping them for paint now, then I'm going to assemble the car with these "fresh" parts and shoot(paint) the car in the same week. Still during this process, I'm going to convert the entire electrical system to the Painless Wiring 18 circuit harness. I have already done some rust repair(raplaced the floor pans) and the car has never been undrivable for more than 8 hours. I can not have the car not running because I can't stand not driving it. I must drive the car always, heck I even have a 6 spd Z28, and I'd rather drive my Zcar. I'm sure that when it comes time to swap in the V8, it will be off the road for a month or more, as I am a detail freak and the underhood area will get the same 2 stage base/clear that the rest of the car gets. I'm not going to do much to the suspension as far as rebuilding goes since I am going to run some of Mikelly's adjustable control arms front and rear and add coilover's and big(huge?) brakes at the same time. I will likelly do the front, then the rear or vice versa since I don't want the car down for that long. My car runs so dang good that changing the engine is the last thing I'm doing. Jamie Deathstar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 24, 2001 Share Posted September 24, 2001 I just bought an 83zx and want to start working on it immediatly. It's an everyday car so I'm trying to avoid being without for more than a day.. how would I get to work? Well, with this in my mind, my primary concern is it's safety. The braking is really bad.. so I need to replace the master cylinder. After that I need to work on the suspension and steering. The alignment is off and i'm certain it's time to start replacing parts. It runs great but I need a new ignition module... no big deal. Even though it does have some rust I'm thinking I'm going to work on the body last.. it's actually in great condition and the rust is pretty minimal... I'm just scared of holding out too long. I'm planning on going turbo so I'm not sure if I should do some body work while then engine is already out. I've actaully had a hard time deciding. There's so much you want to do to your car it's hard to know where to begin. Safety first I guess... but I wish I knew where to go from there! [ September 24, 2001: Message edited by: FTSzero ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modern Motorsports Ltd Posted September 25, 2001 Share Posted September 25, 2001 quote: Originally posted by FTSzero: I just bought an 83zx and want to start working on it immediatly. [ September 24, 2001: Message edited by: FTSzero ] Are you sure your rust is very minimal? Your rails/rockers/floors/wheel well is dead solid? The more work I do on cars the more I know my next one I'll want to buy the best one I can afford so I can spend time doing 'upgrades' and not 'maintenance/repairs'. Just a cautious warning if you're starting from scratch you have nothing to loose from switching cars now.......It's always after friends dump lots of $ into fixing a car they find a much better one for a fine buy under their nose....... -if yours is definitely the one then freshening your brake system is a great start, flush it very well and check pad wear and rotor condition. And DO get an alignment shortly, they've often told the tale of a twisted car or two and you'd rather know earlier.... -then a complete bushing replacement is a fine thing to do and if timed with other related parts can save down time in the future. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 25, 2001 Share Posted September 25, 2001 Spent 2 years cutting grinding Alot of beaches from the sand blaster .Still feeling sand above 100 .Spend the money on a trip too Cali or AriZonA And go pic a good one!!Still in the SAHARA ;BUT IT IS SOLID POR-15 form head too toe . Cerberus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted September 25, 2001 Share Posted September 25, 2001 I was so pleased with myself for finding a completely rust free 73 240Z...Yeah Right!!! After spending an afternoon scraping off the sound deadening mat stuff which is stuck to the tunnel and floor boards inside the car, found that I could seen the driveway through the floorboards. Don't assume that the car is rust free until you have a good look. This is, and has always been, a Southern California car....go figure. So that's a whole day to fix the floors and upgrade the chassis legs. Luckily the car is COMPLETELY bare now and I can put it up on a rotisserie Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 Feeling your pain, Tim. My 'Arizona' car was mostly rust free until I started pulling off that sound deadener inside. Yuck. Now I'm contemplating replacement floor pans. grrr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KraZ4spd Posted September 28, 2001 Share Posted September 28, 2001 My Z had minor rust (Arizona) I didn't have to spend much time on fixing rust. Here's a tip though; take an ice pick put it to your surface rust and paint bubles and give it a little push. You might end up with a little ding but you know that it is solid. Dings are easier to fix before painting than rust after. I also decided to go ahead and strip the car. I started on the suspension & brakes, engine compartment and tunnel. By that time I should know what I've got for a base to build on. Next I plan to go ahead with the engine and tranny. Last will be paint and interior. Just seemed to make since to me. Until reached my plan of attack I actually lost sleep trying to figure it out(if you can believe that). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 28, 2001 Share Posted September 28, 2001 i bought my 80 zx from a friend's mom who was getting divorced and wanted to get rid of it. she didn't know if it ran or where it had spent it's time or anything. she just knew she wanted it gone (ex-husbands). i was kind of skeptical since one front fender was yellow while the rest of the car was blue. then there was the fact that i found the driveshaft laying next to a rear tire. but i have it stripped to the bare frame except for the suspension (makes it easier to move when the wheels are still attached ) and haven't found anything more than minor surface rust and a small gash in the sheet metal on the driverside flooran that will easily weld up. the worst thing wrong is when i took off the yellow fron frender. it has definately be hit in the nose. i have to cut out the area where the headlight sits and weld in a new one since it's no longer what i'd call properly shapen. ohter than that i'm pretty lucky with as risky a buy as that was. pretty decent deal fr only 350 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted September 29, 2001 Share Posted September 29, 2001 Well.. I would love to really chk the rust out but this my only car..a daily driver... I cant start stripping it...so what do I do? I bought an 83 just cus I needed a car that I like. I WANT a 78... but until I find one and have enough money to do a complete teardown and restore... what can I do with the 83? (other than drive it and enjoy it) any suggestions? [ September 28, 2001: Message edited by: FTSzero ] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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