New user. New to z's!

C

chiefbrody

Active Forum User
Hi there. Been on this site browsing for a while, thought I'd register and post a coupla questions I have.

firstly, I have only just bought first datsun. Havent even picked it up yet or driven it!!!!

Previously Ive had minis and capris, which I have worked on loads myself and I'm mechanically competant, just dont have Datsun specific knowledge!!

Ok, Ive got a 280zx. I wanted a 240 but hey, you gotta start somewhere. its a nice shade of faded brown and worse still, its an auto. Sooooo.....


1) is it easy/hard to convert to manual? Whats involved and any nasty little surprises if I try do it?

2) its jetronic isnt it? how responsive is it to mild tuning (as in, nice manifold/exhaust and something like a K&N filter kit) will it automaticaly adjust, or will I have to play with it? previously been used to carbs!! Ahhh thats what it needs:rolleyes:

3) as for styling, any places I can get some fibrglass for it? Not a bodykit. I was thinking a small 'ducktail' spoiler and some flared wheel arch spats, and a front bib. Not a big chunky front spoiler, just a 70's style like my capri had :p

Im sure I had more questions. I'm sure I'll think of them later!!

Thanks!
 
Hi chiefbrody (jaws to his firends ?) and welcome to Datsun world ! I'm not the best to answer your questions but somebody will.
Hint: join the club and be wiser before the event (s) !
 
cheers!

haha yeah from Jaws. sorry, been using it for ages on forums and stuff.



Also just remembered another question. One that will probably get you all thinking 'what an idiot' but remember I know nothing about datsuns.

whats the difference between the z models, in terms of body shape/panels?

is my zx compatible with other earlier bits and bobs?

all I can spot is a few cosmetic changes, mostly around the back end and windows, but I've never even inspected either 'in the flesh'

ta.
 
hiya chiefbrody, welcome to the site

with regards to parts check out

http://www.mjpauto.com/

thats 'Mr F' on here btw,

also get the books: 'how to modify your datsun ohc' and 'how to rebuild your datsun ohc', great books when used in conjunction with the haynes manual.

the 280zx was the last in the z series with the 'sugar scoop' headlights, alas it is also the heaviest and slowest BUT it is also the most technicaly advanced and is a great all round car, if not as sporty as its peers. And it can be tuned with spectacular results.

now, the zx isn't that popular on this site cause all these guys (are lucky enough to) have 240's, 260's and 280z's, but check out www.zcar.com, its an american site but has a very good following with regards to the zx model.

with regards to the different body shapes, that got me at the start too!!! lol. they do all look alike don't they!! but once you have been on here for a while and studied alot of pictures you'll see the differences showing thro'.

i hope this helps answer your questions, and i also hope everything i've typed here is correct!!! lol

:confused:
 
cheers mate!!

dont worry I'll get the books :D

yeah I know the 280zx has, technicaly, the 'best 'engine (dont jump on me) and gubbins, but stifled by increasing emissions requirements coupled with safety requirements etc etc etc loaded it up with weight big ugly bumpers etc etc etc am I on the right track? :(

so yeah anyway, its my introduction to z cars so it had to be cheap, but I figure I can sort it out!

once I get some money to get rid of the injection. I like carbs too much :p

oh, and what about the tuning element though? will it need adjustment to run with better exhaust system and air filter etc or will it compensate?


As for the body shapes - good, its not just me then!! its ok. Before I got into 'minis' I thought they all looked the same too.....:rolleyes:
 
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Hi,
Welcome to ZX's!...I bought my first 280ZX back in 1986, when it was only four years old and had only just started to rust!:D
Despite what others might say, I think they are great cars, which just need a bit more power to make them the perfect ZX!Cheerz,
JEZ
 
Don't want to rain on your parade chaps but I have bought two 280zx's in the last 6 months [1980 and 1982 ] to put the 'technically advanced' bits into my 240. As we all know the running gear is virtually bomb-proof but I can tell you that having reached parts of ZX's that others probably hav'nt I cannot believe there is a single one on the road that isn't terminally rusted in more than one area. The 82 car had a MOT until last year but was so badly rusted I had difficulty finding somewhere to jack it up. The 80 car was 25% rust but at least it was visible. Personally if I'd bought a ZX with an MOT I would run it as it was without spending big bucks on mods, cause it aint gonna last long.
 
u bought two rusted out zx's in six months?

for parts i take it?



better to check the car over well before you buy then heh????




lol
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Originally posted by Nigel Brook
Don't want to rain on your parade chaps but I have bought two 280zx's in the last 6 months [1980 and 1982 ] to put the 'technically advanced' bits into my 240. As we all know the running gear is virtually bomb-proof but I can tell you that having reached parts of ZX's that others probably hav'nt I cannot believe there is a single one on the road that isn't terminally rusted in more than one area. The 82 car had a MOT until last year but was so badly rusted I had difficulty finding somewhere to jack it up. The 80 car was 25% rust but at least it was visible. Personally if I'd bought a ZX with an MOT I would run it as it was without spending big bucks on mods, cause it aint gonna last long.
Click to expand...
Hi,
You're not raining on anyone's parade, as I don't suppose that the two cars you bought were exactly top dollar, prime examples!
I believe pmac buys similar 240/260's to cut up with his angle grinder and take down the dump in the boot of his car!...doesn't mean all of them are in the same condition, though!
Cheerz,
JEZ
 
Welcome Chief, come down to the swapmeet at Blidworth you will probably find lots of not so rusty bits to replace your rusty ones. When you decide to return to Capris I've got a mint 2.8i to unload.
 
Originally posted by Derek Sulley
Welcome Chief, come down to the swapmeet at Blidworth you will probably find lots of not so rusty bits to replace your rusty ones. When you decide to return to Capris I've got a mint 2.8i to unload.
Click to expand...

Ha ha cheers mate. But when I return to capris it will be a mk1. had 2 mk3's now. gotta wait a while too, insurance is steep on a 2.8i - about twice that on the zx :(

Nigel, dont worry, its mot'd until May 2005 so I have plenty of time to find its downsides. :p

It may just be a runabout until I get an earlier car. I was thinking about getting a resto 240 and using the engine and stuff from the zx. But thats all for next year.
 
Originally posted by irishzlad
BUT it is also the most technicaly advanced
Click to expand...

Ha ha :D You mean the recirculating ball steering and rear trailing arms then ?? A big step backwards if you ask me.

Ok, I'm not being completly fair here. My engine build is based around a F54 block, I'll be using the distributor from it, I have a late manual box and a 3.9 R200 from the same car !
Oh, and a 280 brake master cylinder. So not all bad.

To be honest, it was only last night whilst whipping a gearbox from a 280ZX that my mate Jon and I were discussing whether or not they are any good. We concluded that it'd be a good tourer, a motorway muncher and quite relaxing.
I'd still favour the 2 seater though.

Let me know if you need any bits. This is an early car I am breaking.

Regards,
Rob:)
 
Hi,
280ZX's are, were, can be very good cars!...so stop nicking all the bits off them to make your inherently less sophisticated Z's faster!:D
Cheerz,
JEZ
p.s. The 280ZX was praised by motoring mags in it's day for its independent suspension, all wheel disc brakes, handling etc. etc. in an era of live axles and cart springs!!
 
Originally posted by zedhead260
Ha ha :D You mean the recirculating ball steering ....?? A big step backwards if you ask me.
Click to expand...
Hi,
My 280ZX's balls were definitely not recirculating as it had rack and pinion if I remember correctly!:confused:
But then my car was a mk2 version and being only 4 years old when I bought it, meant I was driving a quite new car with a still taught chassis and direct steering...not the same as a 25 year old neglected breaker!
Cheerz,
JEZ
 
see wot i mean Danny, so much negative vibe from these 240 and 260 guys (but they still cannibalise our zx's to bring their motors into the 20th century)

hahahahahahahahahahaha

with regards to the rust- I can go and buy ANY 20+ year old car as a rust bucket!!!!

come on guys- GET INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE THING!!!!

hehehehehehehehe
 
Originally posted by JEZ 300Z
stop nicking all the bits off them to make your inherently less sophisticated Z's faster!
Click to expand...

LOL :D ok then.

Later 280's had rack and pinion. This was because even Nissan realised how crap the recirculating ball was. And I do have experience of this as my Toyota has the same set-up, there must be an eighth of a turn of lock before anything happens !!
.......yeah, and it has a live axel.
 
Wow. Never realised there was all this excitement to be had. Fun debating point then eh?

Knowing nothing about either cars, the zx looks a pretty good machine, on paper at least – though a bit flabby and restricted. Easily fixed :p

I'll reserve judgement on the rust – but being well into mini's, that’s not a bad thing. Nothing rusts like a mini. If the guy down the street waters his garden my mini starts to blister up :D

But live axles – nowt wrong with them. Makes for fun. Cart springs? Hey if it works, it works. And you cant deny that capri's work :D each to their own but you cant seriously say that they are crap.

So anyway back to my questions – is auto to manual swap easy (any serious mods needed to anything or a fairly easy swap?

Been looking on that MJP site. Think next pay day will see me getting that 6 into one manifold and a decent exhaust, and a K&N kit. Then it'll be throttle bodies.

Whats torque like on the 6 into one? I was under impression they are good for top end horsepower but for torque maybe 6/2/1 is better?
 
hahahaha

most popular thread on the zx forum in a while... pity its basically the other guys trashing the zx and the zx owners defending them.

danny, from wot i've read(on zcar.com) the auto to manual swap is quite straightforward. i've a 6 branch and a k&n coming for my own zx. throttle body swap however will just give a more responsive throttle, not a lot to be gained horsepower wise, if any there.

wot block and head do you have on your car? the block type is stamped on the passenger side of the block under the exhaust manifold, the head type is between no 1 and no2 plug. letters numbers yer lookin for are like n42, f54 (block) and p90, n42(head).

also remember that there could already have been 'mods' carried out on the engine over the years............

anyhowz, gr8 to see another zx owner on here and actively participating in the defense of this truly great car, hehehehehehehe

u ordered them books yet?
 
irishzlad,

It's not that the 280ZX is not popular on this site, it's because the owners of said cars don't participate to the extent of the other models ! Could even be because the 280 warrants so much less attention or upgrading - think positive !

So, ALL of you, come out of the closet !

I will be 'aving a go on the 280ZX bit when money allows me to restore Cathys' 2 seater which has no power steering, rack and pinion steering and probably weighs a little more than a 260 ! Does 30 to the gallon, and when I start her every couple of weeks, she purrs on the first turn of the key !
 
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