My 280z story.

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:30 pm

Well Hi there

Im more a reader here then a writer - but now i thought its time to post my Z story

It all started 2 years ago - then i decided to buy a 280z... Search began all over the world, and finally i setled on one example on USA copart auction site... Bought it - it came home after 3 month - and it was a destruction title... so no chance to get it registered in my country... Sold it to a friend of mine - who will be using it for parts or somthere (i dont know) and started to look again for the new example... Later on - found a 280z here on this forum

Contacted a guy selling it - and bought it just from few photos. Had a friend of mine in Chicago help me out with shipping and transportation - and after 2 months it was home

As im located in Lithuania, europe - so it was a bit of a journey for this car

Honestly - i could not even dream about such condition car. It had NO RUST at all - just few small surface spots... But overall - car was just PERFECT! Acording to last owner - car was standing for last 12 years without use, and the guy sold it to me cuz he could not start it... So first thing was to get it started.

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:36 pm

After countless tryes to get it running (we got it started - but it wasnt runnning more then few seconds) we decided to get the fuel tank oout... Cuz our external fuel filter was getting cloged instatnly.

Heres what we found... 12 years of Fuel in the tank = this:

My partner trying to get the fuel pump out

We washed tenk out as good as posible, got it filled with water - and started to cut it in 2 pieces

NO COMMENTS

This is how fuel delivery pipes looked

Cleaning cleaning cleaning and more cleaning...

Spot welds drilled out - to clean it better:

2 hours of wire brush - and it looks more or less better

In the end - we got it welded together by profesionals and its working like it was brand new

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:46 pm

Later on - as i had G nose shipped from Japan, and had few spare SSR formula wheels laying around - we managed to get the 'test fit' for everything, and just to tease us to see how it will look in the end

img]http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c308/doggydpit/Datsun/DSC_2703_resize.jpg[/img]

This is how the first summer ended. We decided to start all the works on the body later in winter, but due to client project cars and amount of work - all the Datsun works started only late spring this year.. First of all - we started removing all the rusted pieces we found later:

few surface rust cleaned - and few bigger spots removed on the passenger flor:

Engine out - will be rebuilt later:

wiper cowl had few bigger rust spots - these have been welded / repaired:

Engine bay after all the parts removed:

We built custom hood hinges to support Gnose. These are working like a charm and coster like 20$ in total

BIGGEST rust on the whole car:

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:07 pm

Floor fixed:

After removing heater core - we found why there was rust on the floor:

All the bare metal treated with Brunox rust killer, its a good stuff - but needs to be primered with epoxyd primers only:

As all the body around has been done already (all the holes from side mouldings, all the dings and inperfections fixed) we started to work on the Gnose. At it was a copy or a copy of a copy - i could not expect even a good fitment... But we found out later that it was horible...

Sanding sanding sangind, and filling, then fiberglassing and etc etc...:

While epoxyd was drying - we were working on other things - like primering all the bare metal:

After shot of primer / paint - we layed out new layer of sound deadning:

After some sanding / filling and etc - we finally got the good fitment of the lamp surounds:

And first look of whole Gnose finally fitted on the car, and almost perfectly adjusted (atleast the way we wanted)

The same treatment was done to ZG flares.As i bought the from Japan also - used - they had cracks on them and fitment wasnt even ear good... Sooo after half day of work - they where fitting like a glove:

As it was too hard for me to cut the stock body - we decided to leave stork wheel arches untouched... we just rolled them to get the wheels fittin in them - and on top mounted ZG flares.... Might be wrong decidion - but it was tooo hard to get the perfect arches cut out....

Next was engine bay painting... As i aint took any photos of the preparation - this is just the finished picture of it:

Color is Datsun Honey gold - atleast the base was, in the end we modified it a bit... At first i thought we will paint the whole car in such color - but then car was in the paint booth - we changed our mind...

Next step - was dash. it had few cracks on it - so we chose the most popular method to fix it. Some foam glue - and fiberglass

We ended up fiberglassing whole dash... Lots of time was spent sanding, filling and sanding again and again till we got the first epoxyd primer layed on it:

Dont mind pink primer - its just the guide layer color to see how much to sand

After final sanding - we shot the Bumper paint - plastic structure paint - wich gives a nice grainy finish:

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:15 pm

Later on - it was painting time

Car was prepared by one preparation / paint shop - and it was painted there also:

We decided to go with the black bumper / overfenders:

And the first layer of paint was shot:

After these shots - we deciede - that color needs to be more orange... it was just way too plain brownish and wasnt anything special...

So it was shot with 2 other coats of different shade of paint - and in the end - it was looking like this:

We started assembling it 2 month ago only... had to paint all the chrome to matt black. smaller chrom parts like windows trim was wraped in 3M matt vinyl.

Whole suspension parts where removed and sandblasted:

Underside of the car was newly coated with stone chip protective Dinitrol coating system:

Suspension parts started to come back after painting:

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:28 pm

Next on the list was engine. It was fully disasembled and rebuilt. It was in perfect condition, but still we changed all the gasket to totaly new ones. and cleaned block / head from old oil wich was already like a glue - sticking all over the engine...

http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 1922_n.jpg

After some mesuring - we build coilovers for the Z using S14 coilovers. Will be intresting to see how they will perform:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 6586_n.jpg

More engine assembling:
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 0690_n.jpg

And finally engine came home:
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 0508_n.jpg

Coilovers and front suspension assembled back:
http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 6088_n.jpg

Whole new braking lines / servo and main cylinder from Nissan S13:
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 3434_n.jpg

Overall look:
http://a1.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 6364_n.jpg

As car came without any carpet inside - we desieded to build our own. Bought some carpeting materials - and started to lay / glue it inside. Came out perfect

http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 0633_n.jpg
http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 7195_n.jpg

Door cards and seats where reupholstered in the same brown leater. everything else in interior - was still in perfect shape - so it saved uf few more $

http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 2942_n.jpg

New front lights - from Golf II

They fit nicely inside original housings - and even the chrome rings fit around them!
http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 3480_n.jpg

And we started front assembling:
http://a6.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos- ... 5250_n.jpg

doggydpit · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 1:32 pm

And heres how she sits now... Still need to buy mirrors (can decide fender mirrors or door?), rear duck tail spoiler, all new badges all around, paint the wheels centers black, make glass and surround for the lights and few other small bits.. Still need to make a full exhaust - and get it running propertly... but for now - it will be done

Will leave it till spring in a heated garage - and will continue working on it once the time frees up:

And here are my 2 room mates

they will be shearing a room over a winter... My Rolla is another LOoooooooooooong project, wich im thinking about finishing this year also...

showa · **Posted:** Mon Nov 14, 2011 7:50 pm

Looking good... I like the black out trim...

Dachshund · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 12:45 am

Another 280z owner :mrgreen:

The ultimate S30

...Well I'd say add some headlight covers and a black rear bumper, and that will be just about... Absolutely perfect :shock:

Some part of me is proud of you leaving the engine mostly stock.

zzzzed · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:08 am

nice work

Hazwan · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 3:55 am

Love the paint :tu:

Eric · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 9:21 am

Nice work! Take door mirrors, fender mirrors suck. they only look cool.

Dachshund · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 9:58 am

Eric wrote:

Nice work! Take door mirrors, fender mirrors suck. they only look cool.

...Is it just me, or are the door mirrors on S30s really awkwardly placed? On mine anyway, they feel like they're right next to your head, fender mirrors almost feel like more of a "normal" experience compared to that.

Either will look fine though I think. Or, neither will make that car look bad, rather...

doggydpit · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 10:49 am

Dachshund wrote:

Eric wrote:

Nice work! Take door mirrors, fender mirrors suck. they only look cool.

...Is it just me, or are the door mirrors on S30s really awkwardly placed? On mine anyway, they feel like they're right next to your head, fender mirrors almost feel like more of a "normal" experience compared to that.

Either will look fine though I think. Or, neither will make that car look bad, rather...

Yes they are placed a bit way too close... This is why i welded shut original holes - and was going to mount them right at the beginig of the doors. I have a set of bullet mirrors with medium leg - that i might use on the doors... will figure out on the run... Still debating about rear bumper - should i put it or leave it like it is...

Kyusha_Z · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:02 pm

DAMN. looking AWESOME.

The Names Yota, Toyota · **Posted:** Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:59 pm

Quote:

Whole suspension parts where removed and sandblasted:

What wheels are these?

doggydpit · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 7:25 am

The Names Yota, Toyota wrote:

Quote:

Whole suspension parts where removed and sandblasted:

What wheels are these?

These are original Datsun wheels that there on the car

And wheels on the car now are:
Front SSR reverse formula in 15x9 ET+3
Rear AME's in 15x10 ET was -40 and pcd 110, but had them redrilled to 114.3 and ET changed to -20.

Front will get 1cm spacers still to atealst sit flush with the flares.

Dachshund · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 1:55 pm

Not Datsun wheels, even if they've been on the car since new

Datsun dealers in the US would routinely bolt on whatever sort of aftermarket wheel was readily available while the cars were still on the lot, usually it was something like slots, or turbines like those above... I'm sure someone here ought to be able to identify them by specific brand.

From the factory, a 280z could come with either metal or plastic hubcaps, or cross-type polished wheels depending on year/spec. Not that anyone cares anymore, lol.

doggydpit · **Posted:** Wed Nov 16, 2011 3:52 pm

Dachshund wrote:

Not Datsun wheels, even if they've been on the car since new

Datsun dealers in the US would routinely bolt on whatever sort of aftermarket wheel was readily available while the cars were still on the lot, usually it was something like slots, or turbines like those above... I'm sure someone here ought to be able to identify them by specific brand.

From the factory, a 280z could come with either metal or plastic hubcaps, or cross-type polished wheels depending on year/spec. Not that anyone cares anymore, lol.

Wow - thanks for the info! Actually my first datsun that i had - came with exactly the same wheels like this - and this one that i got - has the same ones. Both are 78' and both where brown / bronze color

honestly i dont even know sizes on them...

Eric · **Posted:** Fri Nov 18, 2011 9:54 am

These and Wolfrace slotmags are on lots of new sold datsuns because they were the only aftermarket wheels back in the days.,.

My 280z story.

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