280Z information wanted

iidylii

hi there everyone...I am looking into purchasing an older Z...I currently have a 370 and want something older more hot rodish as well...preferably a 280z although i guess idk a ton about the older z's so im not 100% sure which model i would be most interested in which is why i would like some guidance...i am looking to make one my own though as far as some aggressiveness to the body and modding up the 2.8L engine a bit

any of you have any thoughts on some forums that could help me out with this? Im sure some of you Z owners must have some older Z's as well that you have a forum your a member of? or even if you could give me the name of a current member that may have some good info

i looked around at some forums but id rather not waste time with forums that have very few active members...anyways thanks a lot guys have a good one

kenchan

u should ask the winning captain of battleship movies.

he has a 240Z his son and he are rebuilding.

iidylii

thanks but im not sure i understand lol

iidylii

I guess i should have just posted this originally in my first post

hi guys...I am new to the forum...I currently have a 2014 370z nismo which I love but I am also really into old cars as well and would like something different then others in my town have...which is why I chose the 370...anyways I was familiarizing myself a little today with the 240z and 280z...I guess a couple of my questions are... why choose one over the other? Is one better for whatever reason? Is one easier to find then the other? I have found that it seems the 240 is of more value? what am I missing if I go with a 280 over a 240? I was all fine with just going with a 280 until I started snooping around and seen that the 240 was the original Z so when it comes to being even a little bit different then others I like the rarity of one versus the other even more


What I want out of this is...I am looking to make a little Japanese hot rod...nothing super extreme some body mods and some engine mods nothing show room worthy just a fun little car to work on and also let others enjoy seeing...so in the end... pleasing to the eyes and ears lol


im not sure I know where to even begin looking for ones for sale? I guess its just as simple as keeping up with craigslist and hoping for the best? I would like to start with one as stock as possible and doesn't need a complete restore on it...but if that isn't attainable I guess I can't be to picky


but again back to my original question...what makes one better then the other? if anything at all thanks so much everyone

Datsun Z

I'm also thinking of doing the same thing. I would want a 280zx with a manual transmission. Keep us updated on how you go.

iidylii

I will keep u posted...likewise if u find any info to pass on I'd love to hear from u

ChaseZ

Had a 280z

Fuel injection

And 19 miles of vacuum lines lol

I nearly picked up a 240z with a small block ford that came up for sale last fall but decided on a supercharger for the 370 instead.

iidylii

Yep the one your looking for is 1978+ years...I am looking for 75-77 or 69-73 were the 240z I believe and the 1974 was a 260z

Unbelievably there is a 77 30 miles from me sitting in a guys yard and is for sale he says there is minor rust and it starts and goes into gear but hasn't actually been driven in 15 years...I'm really not a body man so i dont know how much rust is to much rust and what is repairable...also not sure on how bad an engine needs to be to not be considered a waste of time...anyone have any pointers what is doable and what is just a waste of time with some or all of these issues? Thanks again

iidylii

Ha oops I forgot the best part he just wants it gone and will take $500...almost doesn't matter the condition for that price does it??

SouthArk370Z

Unless you have the resources to rebuild a car (time, money, space, tools, etc), I'd look for something in a little better shape. I've seen way too many people have to abandon project cars because they got in over their heads. They nearly always lost money when they bailed out.

Find a friend that knows about rebuilding cars and get them to take a look. If you are that serious about it, pay a mechanic with some body experience (or the other way around) for advice.

Edit: It might make a good parts car, if not rebuildable.

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iidylii

Thanks for your input...I do have a few really close friends who are "mechanics" maybe not Datsun knowledge but never the less they know there stuff...also have a friend who is a body shop guy...both of these guys will be with me when we look at the car...I'm not super concerned with the money part...I don't intend on getting it to show quality just some body mods some nice fresh paint, aggressive rims and some relatively simple engine mods...if it takes a couple few years I'm ok with that...always have the other Z to drive lol

And thanks again for your input

And again like I said i dont know exactly what issue causes a car to be to far gone without getting in way over your head but that's why I'm bringing some knowledge with me when I go look

Edit: and I guess i dont know what getting in over someone's head means exactly...I don't mind putting $5k into it if that's what it might take...I was just shooting out a number in the dark there so I don't know if that's high low or pretty close to what it might cost to make it respectable but again any info about any of this from you guys helps out tremendously and I really appreciate the knowledge from u

SouthArk370Z

In over one's head = biting off more than one can chew = hanging your hat higher than you can reach.

It's not about absolute dollars but how much you can afford. A lot of people start projects without knowing what they are getting into. You seem to have a pretty good handle on what you can and can't accomplish.

__________________
Steering Lock Links - Search The370Z Bookmarklet - FSM @ NICOclub
Mankind has progressed past the need for war but we haven't evolved that far. - NachoMahma

iidylii

Oh I know a lot of projects go unfinished for all the reasons mentioned above...the only thing which might be a concern is space for everything but I can make it work I hope

Spooler

The 280zx's didn't start until 1979. You are looking for a 1978 280z with a 5-speed. That is the best year of 280z's. IF you don't know anything about the Bosch fuel injection system you are gonna be in trouble. As far as modding. You will be looking at flipping the car to triple Makuni's or Webbers if you can find them. If you want to go turbo you can do that too but it will be way more money to get it reliable. If you have never done this, you are more than likely getting in way over your head. Rust is an issue. Floorboards, Under the battery, Frame rails, rear quarters, doors, are the most common spots. I would suggest you just buy a car already done. It will be cheaper in the long run. The problem is finding one in good shape. Expect to pay 15-25,000 for one in good shape. Everything needs to be on the car. Parts are getting hard to get. Do I have one, Yes. It is a 1975 280z turbo. I have worked on these cars most of my life and have owned one since 1986. It is going to be a challenge to me to finish my car. Time is my enemy at the moment.

iidylii

Thanks spooler...your probably right I probably would be getting in way over my head...but at the same time I don't wanna buy a fully restored done one...I wanna put some of my ideas into it as well...so I think I should probably be looking in the $5k range for the overall condition of the car and build on it from there and maybe not so much a $500 junk yard one lol. Anyways thanks for your input...and when I think about it I really don't wanna have to overhaul an entire car I'd rather buy a decent condition one and go from there...I definitely have the time for it though I'm a single 40 year old male and have a good job but...do I wanna spend all that time on one, not so much lol