Just bought a 280Z and its my first Datsun.

toon_herit

Club Member
Paul. Thanks for that and I knew you would pop up on here sometime.
Been a member for a while but been busy on other stuff so haven’t been back here for a while.
Amazed how quickly you’re getting the car done. Will definitely need to pick your brains on sourcing some parts when I need them.
Cheers.
 

Fosworth

Well-Known Forum User
Well that took longer than I expected but the 280Z is about ready for an MOT and UK registration. Just waiting for the new wheels and tyres ( the tyres on it are over 35 years old !! ). The interior needs finishing but that is not important at the moment.Datsun 192.JPG Datsun 194.JPG Datsun 196.JPG
 

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
Lovely job - will you be keeping that ride-height or lowering a tadge ?

I'm really getting to appreciate 280Zs now - the thinking mans' (and womans') S30 !
 

Fosworth

Well-Known Forum User
Lovely job - will you be keeping that ride-height or lowering a tadge ?

I'm really getting to appreciate 280Zs now - the thinking mans' (and womans') S30 !

Yes, it is sitting too high but I want to get the new wheels and tyres ( 15x8 ) on before I decide.
 

Fosworth

Well-Known Forum User
As Mark N says, because I like them. The car came without any badges so I looked around at what was available and noted that a lot of the American 'you tube' cars display them. It will have a 280z rear hatch badge to save confusion. I am not a purist as my Lotus Cortina shows but just like what I like as long as the spirit of the car remains. As an aside ... I couldn't wait for the windscreen fitter so I pressed on and fitted both front and rear screens myself. The front wasn't too bad but what a bastard the rear one was. A square screen in a square hole sounded so easy. The main problem was 'getting it started'. The rubber just wouldn't hook over the metal edge so I had to resort to plastic tools to hook it over. Once started it was just a very slow process but the result was worth the effort. The other thing was the chrome trim, just generic stuff from East Kent and with a little heat on the corners it made a really neat job.
 

ZedzDead

Club Member
What a fantastic job, congratulations ! Funny you should mention rear screen, I did mine today, now crippled and heading off to bed early.
 

ZedzDead

Club Member
Also not being a purist went the no badges apart for quarter panels on mine
 

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Fosworth

Well-Known Forum User
I have now made contact with the original owner of the 280Z who still lives in Los Angeles. What a lovely chap who has been able to give me quite a lot of history of the car. It was stolen in 1985 and dumped nearby but the thieves had broken some windows and taken the seats. I suspect something happened to the wheels as well but he didn't mention them. Here is a photo of it after it was recovered the next day. The owner had fallen on hard times by then and put the car away and it never moved again until it came to the UK a couple of years ago. Oh and the old lady next door backed her Cadillac into the front wing just before it was stolen hence the grey paint. Amazingly that wing is still on the car and didn't take much to straighten it.1980's photo  with Benny.jpg
 

ZedzDead

Club Member
I have now made contact with the original owner of the 280Z who still lives in Los Angeles. What a lovely chap who has been able to give me quite a lot of history of the car. It was stolen in 1985 and dumped nearby but the thieves had broken some windows and taken the seats. I suspect something happened to the wheels as well but he didn't mention them. Here is a photo of it after it was recovered the next day. The owner had fallen on hard times by then and put the car away and it never moved again until it came to the UK a couple of years ago. Oh and the old lady next door backed her Cadillac into the front wing just before it was stolen hence the grey paint. Amazingly that wing is still on the car and didn't take much to straighten it.View attachment 43552

Brilliant what a result finding out this bit of history !
 

Fosworth

Well-Known Forum User
Datsun 201.JPG Latest photo with the new wheels on. Rota RKR's 15x8 ET0 and 205/55R15 tyres. I 'think' I like them but until I sort the ride height I won't know for sure. When I was going over the suspension I noted that the shockers didn't feel as firm as I would expect so after a long phone call with Leda ( who did an outstanding job on my Lotus Cortina struts ) I now have to remove all four struts and send them off for Leda to work their magic. They will rebuild them and alter the shocks so they work correctly for the chosen ride height and then manufacture springs again for the correct ride height. I did consider 'coil overs' but I didn't realise that the strut tube is BRAZED into the carrier at the bottom and having seen all the videos of folk MIG welding them I would't want to go there. Plus keeping the original, slightly modified originals appeals to me.
 
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