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HybridZ

1975 280Z project


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With help from friends, I finally had major progress on my Z project today!

 

Short version:

- Jan 2007: Bought car locally from original owner

- Drove off and on

- Jun 2007: Bought used 3.1L stroker, 3.90 diff, 5-speed trans, header and other related parts (head has turbo injectors and intake has larger throttle body).

- Jan 2009: Sent to Westside Group on Torrance, CA for media blasting to bare metal, rust repair (pans and rails), rubber coat, bumper conversion (MSA fiberglass 240-style) and paint, which is 2004-2008 Infiniti FX Beryllium

- Dec 2009: Sent engine out for rebuild and cam swap from MSA stage 5 (too much for fuel injection) to stage 2. Raised compression to about 9.5:1.

- Jul 2010: Got car back and started attempting to get it running again with stock engine (it had been out for all the work)

- Jul 2010: Got engine back (yeah, it sat at the shop a good while)

- Today, Jan 16, 2011: Pulled stock engine and started prep for stroker!

 

That's the short version - now to get the 'new' engine in and get weatherstipping, sound deadener and interior together. I'll later be looking at whether I feel 4-piston conversion and maybe rear discs are necessary. The plan is for a fun street car, but it could see the occasional track day. Anyway, I'd meant to start a thread a long time ago and I've found this forum to be a VERY valuable resource, so this is the update, well into the project. A few more details are below and some photos from along the way.

 

Details to be finished/added: Centerforce PP with stock equivalent disc, old Nissan Motorsport header to be ceramic coated, 3-inch exhaust, old Nissan Motorsport short shifter, carpet kit and door panel material from Too Intense Restoration, some emblems, dash coverlay, etc.

 

Parts already on the car: ST sway bars, Illumina struts, Eibach springs, 15-inch Konig Rewinds (need to space a little to fit center caps) with 215/55r15, Russell stainless brake lines

 

Shot from when I bought it:

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In progess:

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In progress (paint done!):

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On its way home:

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Back home in the garage:

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Today (Jan. 16, 2011) after engine pull:

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 10 months later...

Beautiful color!

 

Am I seeing things right that the drip rails are shaved, or are they just body colored and hard to see in the pictures?

 

Thanks!

 

Re: Drip rails - Right now, they're just body color. I may just leave off the trim, but we'll see.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 3 months later...

No real update except I've been putting some miles on it. I moved across the country and back to SOCAL; so the Z is now a regular at Irvine Cars and Coffee. Anyone else here regularly appear there?

 

This photographer seems to catch me every week, but, then again, he takes a TON of photos:

 

http://www.cncpics.com/2012/June/Cars/23882067_9vDBbs#!i=1941280503&k=Rqhz5cX&lb=1&s=A

 

Game plan:

1) Keep breaking it in for a while

2) Get hole in floor pan patched - had to cut it out to clear the header

3) Change over to AEM EFI with either MAP sensor or MAF

4) Install interior!

 

All this starts when there are fewer boxes around the house to unpack.

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Edited by cegrover
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  • 3 years later...

Look, Ma, no AFM!  AEM standalone EFI is installed. Thanks go out to Mitch at MPTuning, who also tuned Rhys Millen's record-setting Pike's Peak car.  We'll get it on the dyno soon for final tuning and to see the results.

 

(BTW, yes, the project has moved across the country and has survived the birth of our child, thus the slow pace!)

post-2567-0-36591100-1437942048_thumb.jpg

Edited by cegrover
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Where did you get that AFM boot? I've been looking for something to replace my stock one with, since it's all torn up.

 

Here you go!

 

http://www.siliconeintakes.com/bending-reducer/bending-reducer-p-904.html

 

That piece is correct for a stock AFM but a 240SX throttle body.  With the removal of the AFM, I just found aluminum piping of the same diamter.  It is reducing from 3-inch at throttle body to 2.75-inch.  I guess I could technically replace the whole thing with larger tubing...we'll see if it's needed. 

Edited by cegrover
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Eh... I'll just measure it :P If you've happen to know though, it'd be nice. I never quite trust myself on purchasing stuff unless it's built for it or I've tried it in person :P

Yes, the stock '75 boot I had was too small to fit the 240SX throttle body, so the stock throttle body must have had a smaller diameter (presumably the same as the AFM?).

Edited by cegrover
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The stock throttle body is bigger than the AFM. Might just work. I'll check measurements later tonight.

This project's been going on so long that I forget some aspects!

 

I originally was trying to use a lightly modified turbo AFM on this car and that boot was ordered for it.  The turbo AFM has a slightly larger diameter and the boot fit it perfectly.  It's technically a bit too large for the current application, but does clamp down and doesn't leak, from what I can tell.

 

Long and short of it: If you're mating one to a stock non-turbo AFM, you might consider a slightly smaller diameter on the small end of this reducer, assuming that precise size exists.  Your measurements should catch that, anyway...

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  • 4 months later...

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