What to buy? 240/260/280

Really sorry to hear you had a problem after so looking forward to setting off to work in your beautiful car. But don't let it spoil your joy - it is only a setback and these cars are generally very reliable. I use mine all the time (including at one time driving to and from work in it) and it has very rarely let me down. But I know it is disappointing and embarrassing when it lets you down and plays right into the hands of all those modern euro-box drivers who believe old cars break down all the time. I had my gearbox rebuilt at an excellent place but sadly it is in Liverpool so nowhere near you. As Sean said, any decent garage can whip it out in no time. But you need a gearbox specialist to look at it. Surely someone on here can recommend somewhere 'darn saartth'?
PS. When it comes to the mechanicals, I am a 'total knob' too but it has never stopped me owning, running and thoroughly enjoying my car. What you need to find is some garage near you which is good with old cars which will look after it for you. Good luck.
 
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Things brake, that's life, and often you just can't predict when. You could have the same thing happen to any car.

What gearbox is it? Taking the box out is pretty easy. Then just take the box to a local gearbox specialist.
 
He only needs to get the box out.....then put in the revised box coming from the car's restorer - he doesn't need a gearbox specialist - a bunch of mates'd do.
 
ZeePony, first of all I'm gutted for you especially as it happened so soon.

I assume you had no warning of this, no noises, no gear selection issues etc.

I have lost 5th and first over the years but with different gearboxes. Losing 5th was a problem a few people experience and it was caused by a nut coming lose. Reverse was my own fault each time i.e. changing from 3rd to reverse instead of 4th! This was when in a hurry on track or Santa Pod.

What happened - did you just park the car and then when you came to select reverse to go you couldn't? Did you discover no 5th on your way home?

Does the gear lever feel properly anchored and moving in it's normal way when selecting 1-4?

Can you move the lever right over to the 5th/reverse position.

Can you get the lever roughly engaeg for 5th but it feels 'mushy'?

Rob
 
Rob Gaskin said:
ZeePony, first of all I'm gutted for you especially as it happened so soon.

I assume you had no warning of this, no noises, no gear selection issues etc.

I have lost 5th and first over the years but with different gearboxes. Losing 5th was a problem a few people experience and it was caused by a nut coming lose. Reverse was my own fault each time i.e. changing from 3rd to reverse instead of 4th! This was when in a hurry on track or Santa Pod.

What happened - did you just park the car and then when you came to select reverse to go you couldn't? Did you discover no 5th on your way home?

Does the gear lever feel properly anchored and moving in it's normal way when selecting 1-4?

Can you move the lever right over to the 5th/reverse position.

Can you get the lever roughly engaeg for 5th but it feels 'mushy'?

Rob
Click to expand...

Thanks all (nearly all..) for your positive contributions. Yep, another day has dawned and im feeling better about it.

Rob, firstly 5th popped out - put it back no problems. Then it started whirring a bit and popped out again - couldnt get it back in. I stopped off to see a friend quickly and upon leaving, discovered reverse would not engage at all.

Managed to get a push out of the parking space and went on my way, only to find i HAD to reverse when i cocked up a U turn! sat in the road for a minute and begged the car to go in - she did! after some wiggling and jiggling i found reverse. I headed straight home and didnt try to find 5th again for fear of extended damage and getting stuck somewhere.

Possible answers were - apparently there is a pin which locates the gears, 5th and reverse are part of the same 'gate'? Anyway, this pin/bolt could have broken.

Other possible issues are oil starvation as its been laid up for a while and not used. But to me it sounds and feels like the first answer.

Anyway, im getting a rebuilt box sent over, so just need to swap and send the other one back.

IF i attempt to fit it with clever mates, would i need a ramp, specialist tools etc?

Could be a 'deep end' (for me) entry into Z ownership which means other jobs become less scary.

Onwards and upwards.
 
Sounds possible. A (double) roll pin locates the 5th/reverse selector fork to the rod.
 
chrisvega said:
Now, now Albrecht, not like you to be cynical :smash:
Just trying to offer positive encouragement to newcomers to this site ;)
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Which is all well and good, but I notice a marked difference in reactions when different players are involved.

Had certain others (alluded to in this very thread) been involved, there would no doubt be cries of "take it back", "call a lawyer" and "string him up!" from the Peanut Gallery.


ZeePony: Swapping a gearbox like-for-like is one of the easiest 'big' jobs on these cars. It really is Plug And Play and I'd wholeheartedly encourage you to have a shot at it yourself. It'll give you a great sense of satisfaction, and will help you to bond with the car in a deeper way than just driving it and cleaning it will. Give it a go, please.
 
Albrecht said:
ZeePony: Swapping a gearbox like-for-like is one of the easiest 'big' jobs on these cars. It really is Plug And Play and I'd wholeheartedly encourage you to have a shot at it yourself. It'll give you a great sense of satisfaction, and will help you to bond with the car in a deeper way than just driving it and cleaning it will. Give it a go, please.
Click to expand...


No, no, no, he shouldn't be having to get his hands dirty at all !
I understood ZeePony purchased his 280Z from a London/SE dealer who had the car advertised at £ 32k which is a substantial ( some may use another adjective ) amount of money. Whilst he seemed to be very keen to make a purchase, I'm sure he negotiated a good reduction from asking price having taken advice from the forum ;) Either way, he paid a decent sum here.

The price he paid aside, classic cars from dealers are usually sold without warranty as problems exactly like this can and will occur randomly with old cars, even ones that have been quote ' fully rebuilt ' such as this car. Yes, there is a ' fitness for purpose ' argument that may be had, but a judge may be hard pushed to rule against the seller due to the age of the vehicle in question.

So, although the seller probably has no legal obligation to sort the problem, if he is a decent sort of chap he will feel a moral obligation to sort it out and uphold his reputation.

It seems he is already doing this in replacing the faulty gearbox which was probably under warranty anyway from the builder overseas ? So the least the seller should also do is pay the labour costs associated with the replacement/swap and ZeePony should not have worry about doing this himself. After all, it's only an hour or two's work anyway. No wonder he was miffed about it.
 
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chrisvega said:
No, no, no, he shouldn't be having to get his hands dirty at all
!
I understood ZeePony purchased his 280Z from a London/SE dealer who had the car advertised at £ 32k which is a substantial ( some may use another adjective ) amount of money.

So the least the seller should also do is pay the labour costs associated with the replacement/swap and ZeePony should not have worry about doing this himself. After all, it's only an hour or two's work anyway. No wonder he was miffed about it.
Click to expand...

I thought that it was bought from a private seller. Now I understand that it was from a dealer, I TOTALLY agree with Chris that the buyer, who's already been incommoded should have the car fixed at no charge to him.
I understand that a replacement gearbox is on the way from the builder - that's cool but it should be the dealer who's liaising all this and providing the labour at no charge.

Zeepony - what approaches have you made to the seller and what was his response after such a short time on the road ?
 
Woah woah, hold your horses guys.

It was a private sale for nowhere near the £32k quoted above. The previous owner (nice guy) purchased the car from the builder at a show in Europe last year - and never drove it apart from to the petrol station in the morning i collected it. He wasnt to know any issues were apparent and there is nothing he can do about it - i didnt even let him know as i dont see a point.

The builder is sending out a replacement gearbox WHICH, myself and a couple of mates are going to install (well, i'll be making the tea and might hand them a spanner...)

So, no dramas, everyone is being nice.

If it was a dealer, it would be a totally different story.

I just want to drive the car - its what they are built for :driving:
 
www.hvanworld.co.uk
Other classics for sale

There is a 280Z for sale looks exactly like the one you purchased ?
Same colour, same wheels, same red interior.

This was the website that I was referred to by Romas in Lithuania when enquiring about his services last week to demonstrate his work ?

Oh well, very strange.
Hope you get the gearbox sorted soon.
 
I'm confused - private sale or dealer then ?

Even is private sale, there is a moral (if nothing else) obligation to get it fixed especially if the gearbox is being supplied FOC.
 
chrisvega said:
www.hvanworld.co.uk
Other classics for sale

There is a 280Z for sale looks exactly like the one you purchased ?
Same colour, same wheels, same red interior.

This was the website that I was referred to by Romas in Lithuania when enquiring about his services last week to demonstrate his work ?

Oh well, very strange.
Hope you get the gearbox sorted soon.
Click to expand...
Why strange? It is obviously the same car. If you look at the pics Rob Gaskin posted earlier you can see one of those old Citroen vans next to it. This is the restorer's website I imagine
 
Now I am confused. The car was restored by Romas, sold to Alan who sold it privately to Zeepony. So where does the guy with the Citroen vans fit into the chain then? The vans can be seen in the pics put up by Rob Gaskin after he visited this Alan. Anyone clarify?
 
Alan is he who sells Citroen vans is the answer I think.


‘There is something fundamental in
the design of Citroen’s H van that
causes people to smile...’
Alan Lloyd, H Van World
 
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