datsun 280z
 

looking for one manual, good shape no rust AC. I have been finding them on ebay and CL, but nothing close that looks good.

Anybody that has owned one, if you can recall any specific probs let me know.

I had a 240z back in the late 70's but sold it (darn) when I did not have the money to fix the rear end whine (really bad right at 55).

Here's a sweet '84 300z.

http://inventory.mgmsl.com/web/used/...Ohio/21197611/

That's a beauty, but I really want to stick with the 1st gen 2 seat body.

I had known people with them, Inline 6, one guy transplanted stick with auto, he
got a doner car for that. 2 I worked on had the inline 6 and at 200K the rings were
bad, and if you took off the oil fill it would puch exhaust out the hole, and the engine
would slow down a lot.... I told him just keep the cap on.... It seemed to run ok...
They were overall ok cars, nice to drive, funny squat when you stepped on the gas good.

I don't see any around here, I think rust killed them fast...

I partially take that back.....


http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/s...ry=datsun+240z


http://hudsonvalley.craigslist.org/s...ry=datsun+280z


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rust is the issue from what I have read. I have been looking at cars from AZ and CA for dry climate, but its a gamble to buy without checking it out. So would prob have to fly out and see.

oh well just starting the process. Maybe get lucking and find a garage queen local.

Yah, garage queen is the way for a lot of cars in the 20 yr old range....
They also tend to have lower mileage too.... Good luck !

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theres a few here
https://boise.craigslist.org/search/cta?query=280z
no salt here

IIRC they came with or had as an option an oil filter that was a can that you stuck a whole roll of toilet paper in as the filter....Those had troubles with the oil system plugging from that.....Supposedly they are one of the easiest cars to put a small block (chevy IIRC) retrofit in.

The TP oil filter was an aftermarket add on, not stock. Frantz still sells them today, if you're interested. But given the progressive shrinkage of TP rolls over the last decade, I'm not sure how easy it is to source the properly sized roll. Not so sure about there being issues with the paper breaking up, causing engine failures. At least in the 50s to 70s any extra filtration was better if you were running non detergent oil.

My 6th grade teacher drove a 280Z, later traded in for an early 80s model. Definitely the coolest car in the parking lot, at least to me at the time. (Looking back, though, somebody in the staff drove a Corvair and the band teacher that came in a couple times a week drove an early 50s Chevrolet.) Yes, around here, RUST killed them all.

got one. 1975 280z picture to follow soon.

body good, interior good but needs detailed out. Lots of little things like sagging headliner, some rips in bottom of driver, but mostly original un molested.

Green with black leather, 4sp AC, period correct slotted alum wheels.

If the seat is tearing your bottom it might be time to have it looked at.....:D

Good to see you found the car you have been looking for DaveWM ! !

I'm sure there were many very cool cars in our teachers parking lots, but
the two I remember most, were these, and It's mostly because I had seen
them up close, as I use to talk to these teachers quite a bit, and back then
kids were allowed in the teachers parking lots. I bet they don't let that happen
anymore.....

A number of teachers I had - had cars that were worth watching when they
drove in ! In Middle School I had an english teacher with a '74 Mustang, they
had just come out I thought they were neat. Another later on in HS had a Black
2 Door Aspen or Volar'e with the RT or some Sport package that included a
225 Super-6 and a 5 speed, bucket seats, he brought it around the auto shop
and we got to see him drag it around the parking lot with the shop teacher's
'70 Impala 350 3 speed on the steering column. Fun stuff I bet you will never
see again at any HS..... Anyone know if there is still auto-shop in HS ??

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Seems as I remember that there was some SERIOUS problem with either this car---or the one BEFORE it...engine-wise...which killed them early on--UNDER 100K miles IIRC. Supposdedly that is why few of them exist today...or so I have been told...LONG ago..

Squirrel, it probably still exists in some places.....A college buddy a year younger took it in HS.

got the tag today, just took it for a spin, what fun!!!:D

Oh cool ! 80's window louvers ! Was the A/C converted or is it still R-12 ? If it's 12,
you can get 12 off ebay if there is a shop that will put it in for you.... Actually with the
pump, and gauges you're already 90% there... It would be worth changing the O rings
first, and loading it up with dry nitrogen and doing a good leak test on it, as 12 is
pretty expensive..... Nice color ! Love the night stealthy video..... In the next video I
think ya autta hot wire it and take it out for a ride ! !

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its Still R-12 and the vac I pulled on it has lasted well over 24hrs with NO movement so I am pretty sure its going to be leak free.

I have taken it out a few times since I got the tag on it. What a blast!! Just like I remember from back in the 70's

Anything made before about 1992 will have had R-12 originally. The 280Z had a different body than the original 240Z. They shared many elements but to meet the 1975 collision standards the front end needed to be beefed up and 5mph bumpers added. If I recall, the change actually happend mid year in the 1974 260Z.

The inline 6 L-28 engine in the 280Z is one of the strongest built engines ever put in a passenger car. It came stock with a forged crank with 7 main bearings, forged rods, forged pistons and a full skirt block. There are tons and tons of hot rod parts available for them.

The 240/280Z owned SCCA racing from 1970 to 1979 winning the C production championship 10 consecutive years. They won many many other championships.

In the late 1970s I had an opportunity to work on a project with John Knepp of Electromotive. They built the Z cars Don Devendorf campaigned in C production. At that time John claimed to squeeze over 700 HP out of a 280Z engine using the stock block, stock crank, stock rods and stock rockers. It's likely he got more than that but didn't want to tip his hand.

It's a great car with a nearly bulletproof motor if you just keep oil and coolant in it. Anyone that swaps it out for a small block Chevy is a fool.

- Pete

Good info Pete, indeed I have heard many folks say the engine is bullet proof.
I have not been able to drive it for a while as I was having fuel delivery issues. turns out the red kote lining was failing sending junk into the fuel pump. I just got the tank back from a renu tank guy that sand blast out all the old junk and relines. If that does not work I will see about getting a alum tank made up. Tanks seem to be the issue on many of these. the 75's had a full size tire and the tank is somewhat rare for that reason.

I agree with the swap for a v8, I don't really get that. I recall E type Jags got the same treatment (eng swap) but in that case it may have been the orig jag engine was too expensive to maintain?

I can tell you this, working on cars is turning into the new hobby for me, I have not even looked at an old TV in weeks.

The 280 is a good project car. Parts are available, there are lots of high performance and aftermarket goodies and a huge community of Datsun nuts for support.

- Pete

One of the mods I am looking to make, down the line is to put in a 5sp from a 77/78 model. The 5th gear is a overdrive ratio to make highway cruse a bit more relaxing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8caVXWkNLM

cruzin

Nice find. Yiu do not want to put r134a in that car. It wil not cool well especially in florida. I have R12 freon and tools and equipment. I am not that far from you and I can help you out if you need help.

I did pull a vac and recharge it with R-12, lets see how long it keeps working.
I did buy a new compressor/drier/hoses just in case the comp goes. If that happens I will take you up on it, I only have a little AC exp would be glad for any help. The current problem is a completely plug vapor hard line form the vapor separator to the canister. Its steel and I have zero exp making up hard lines. I am thinking about just cutting the old on out then routing some of the nylon stuff thru the rubber guides, zipping it to the existing fuel lines to help route it. OR maybe trying some of that copper/nickel alloy tubing that is supposed to be easy to bend. I did get the fuel lines working (supply and return both 3/8 or 10mm iirc) with some evapo rust/pb blaster and compressed air, but I suspect they are a little be restricted too. So someday I will do them all. I would like to get one of those two post lifts but my garage ceiling is too low, I plan to have a shop when I retire, will do that up right then. I kinda look at this car as my retirement project.

There were a BUNCH of those cars around here back when they were new-5-10 yrs old. Then, they just disappeared. I think tinworm disease got a lot of 'em. "Performance" cars like that tend to live rather HARD lives around here. The 1st owner generally takes care of it, the 2nd owner usually will, too, but by the time the car gets to the 3rd-4th owner, he is generally a young kid who flails the H3!! outta the car, & the car is getting some age on it, too. You see this ALL the time, w/almost any/every type of car.

and if it manages to survive or gets lucky and misses the kid, it gets to an owner like me, not going to flog it, stays in garage and does not come out when it rains. I have not seen one on the road in YEARS, I do see the ZX's from the 80's but not the S30's

I was the same way, Dave, I always looked out after my stuff pretty well. Still have almost every car I ever owned.