My s130 2+2

[DocS30]

Hi guys,

Been browsing this forum and asking a few questions over the past few weeks, and now it's time to introduce my "new" Z.

Its an '81 280zx 2+2 GL. I originally bought it to sell (and was offered a very handsome profit I might add), but after driving it for a day or two I totally fell in love with it and decided to keep her. I have another project car so it's probably not the sensible choice but I don't need to explain why - you guys will understand.

Here she is the day I brought her home.

The infamous L28e. This one has a rare Datsun branded valve cover for some reason...

The Z in good company….

So far I've done a basic service, de-stickered it from car show and AA stickers) repaired a leaking water hose on the intake manifold. New thermostat and radiator cap, removed the black beadings, had the windows tinted in 35% all round. New steering wheel, new gas shocks for the rear hatch.

Will post more updates as they happen.....

 

[DocS30]

So here she is without the side beadings

After the window tint was added:

First pic is the OEM steering off course. I was gonna use my Sparco deep dish steering wheel at first. Test fited my Momo Prototipo which is earmarked for another project, but ended up buying a wood steering for it in the end.

The sparco is for sale btw. It's actually a suede steering I had recovered in leather over the suade.


Here is why I had to replace the boot shocks. There was only one on it and it was completely dead. Came with a PCV pipe slotted over the strut which hooked in place to keep the lid open. (Well, until you bump it and the lid falls on your nogget Don't ask me how I know that...

The car also has an incredibly long 5th gear. It is longer than all the 5th gears I've seen listed for this transmission on the internet. I actually quite like it when I'm cruising on the highways. I can go quite aggressive on the Final Drive and still have a usable 5th gear if I like.

 

[morbias]

It's amazing how much of a difference removing the side strip makes to the look of the car!

 

[AliK]

Loving the steering wheel choice



Ali K

 

[grahamjc]

Based on reg, Im assuming you are in Joburg Im heading out to SA in just over 3 weeks, spending most of my time in Cape Town.

Your GTR?

Good looking Z and I really like your steering wheel choice

 

[DocS30]

thanks guys

Based on reg, Im assuming you are in Joburg Im heading out to SA in just over 3 weeks, spending most of my time in Cape Town.

Your GTR?

Good looking Z and I really like your steering wheel choice

indeed. You coming over for holiday? cape town is nice this time of year. Ocean is coooold though. Always.

No the r35 isn't mine. Belongs to the guy who wanted to buy my datsun. He has about 75 datsuns now. All in showroom condition. 240z's, 260z's, Real KPC10 gtr etc etc.

 

[grahamjc]

thanks guys




indeed. You coming over for holiday? cape town is nice this time of year. Ocean is coooold though. Always.

No the r35 isn't mine. Belongs to the guy who wanted to buy my datsun. He has about 75 datsuns now. All in showroom condition. 240z's, 260z's, Real KPC10 gtr etc etc.

Holiday yes, but I used to live there....

Thats a shame, love mine!!! Thats quite the collection he has didnt think there was a hako in SA.

 

[Jake RAH]

I agree with Morbias, the car looks sooo much better with the side strips removed. The tint also adds a very nice touch.

 

[DocS30]

Ok so I'm currently shopping for wheels for the car. We are not that spoilt for choice over here and with the exchange rate as it is importing is rather expensive.



Friends are putting pressure on me to go with this Rotiform 5 spoke in 17x9j, but it just doesn't seem to suit the car's lines in my opinion. It's a nice wheel on the shelf but on the car it just doesn't work for me. I don't want a low profile look on the car, and adding tyre to the wheel makes these cars look too high.

I'm liking the Equip 01's in 15x9 a lot more..... Here is my crude attempt at a photochop.

and here are just two quick pics of the car as it sits now...

 

[DocS30]

Little update...

Decided to refresh all the suspension bushes on the zx before looking into how I’m going to lower the car.

Changed all the relevant mountings, sway bar bushings, tension rod bushings etc. Used peugot 404 engine mountings. Also learning about this foreign suspension and steering system as I’m going along. It’s quite nice actually. Some of the new bushes and engine mountings:

I had this clunk and slack coming from the drivetrain when you get on/off the gas. All internet evidence pointed to it being the rear diff bushing. So I pulled the old one and had it redone in Urethane.

That however wasn’t the issue. I pulled the diff cover and discovered that the pin in the diff at the spider gears had worn out the housing considerably…

Look at the worn out hole in the centre of the diff.

This video shows the actual problem in action…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdz3Ro6Ol4k

I’d love to change to a LSD diff but it required changes to the output shafts or conversion to CV shafts from the current u-joints in the car. So I sourced a direct replacement diff out of a GTX skyline. It looks marginally different but bolted right in. Holding a 40kg diff above your head while laying on a creeper is fun…

The diff has a small improvement over the old one. Forgot what it's called but it's that little block thingy you see covering the pin of the spider gears:

The drive is now rather smooth and I’m happy with the work done so far.


Went to watch a friend dyno his SR20 and ended up pulling the zx on the rollers for fun. It pushed out a handsome 92whp and 154nm after Dino adjusted the timing slightly on the dizzy. Started out on 88whp. That’s around 95kw at the fly at the coast .

I’m still looking around for the “right” wheels for the car. Will hopefully find something soon.