[aesthetect]

first roll - friday the 13th at midnight! - CLICK HERE
some decent pictures - CLICK HERE
2015 track prep - CLICK HERE
first event - SCCA SOLO/autox - CLICK HERE
proper photoshoot - CLICK HERE
first track day - SCCA PDX at Mid Ohio - CLICK HERE

how she currently sits...

================================================================
well after a huge runaround of me trying to figure out what car i really want to build for fun, street/canyon, as well as track (HPDE -> time attack -> ?), ranging from E30 to factory five 33 hot rod to cayman S to bmw 1M, i finally revisited the idea of a datsun z car and realized it was everything i wanted. old school muscley looks, great handling, and lots of potential. a couple of buddies were coming through town with a trailer and i jumped at the chance and picked up this puppy out of buffalo.

i really dont know anything about them (as well as anything having to do with carbs) so there will be lots of learning and reading (already bought 4 books :lol. but my intention is to put a bunch of money into suspension (adj control arms, new poly bush all around ), esp since the engine/trans setup is pretty much good to go. i need to do some wheel rate/roll center measurements to figure out spring rates and sway bars. also need to figure out what i want to do about getting a LSD in there.

info as posted by previous owner:
1972 240z, cali car, brought to WV while back where he got it from a couple years ago. he bought it and basically had someone do the F54 L28 engine swap. but hasnt run in over a year. hes had a few (including a pristine 250GTO kit) so knows them well enough, but has had enough that specs on this one were fuzzy.

corrected:
its a 1979-1980 280ZX N42 Block (-10.9cc dish top pistons, 86 mm bore) and N47 head (diamond shape exhaust ports, emission liners, steel valve seats) giving 8.29:1 compression, 44.6 cc comb chamber
(N47 head on F54 block puts compression in mid 10:1 range....)

as he stated:
NYS Inspected
Custom Aluminum Intake (bought off a custom shelf?)
Triple 45 DCOE webers aluminum intake
New plugs
New wires
New cap new rotor
New fuel filter
New electronic ignition (glad for this)
new crome coil 40,000
Rebuilt carb.'s
New battery
New belts
Original spare
Gas tank removed cleaned inside and out, painted, and reinstalled (funny, doesnt look like its moved in 40 years)
New fuel pump
New intake gasket
New 2 1/2 exhaust muffler and tip
New pressure plate
New Clutch
New throw out bearing

also has 5 spd from the ZX which I'm super happy about, as that was going to be a for-sure initial mod

it seems to have been originally yellow, and somebody a long time ago did a crap job of painting right over it (with a different kind of paint that a body guy could likely identify). however it is basically my favorite color for the z so ill just clean up the edges and touch it up with rattle cans. aka it will be ratty the trim needs to go. not sure how confident i am in my welding skills to make filling the holes 'pretty' but something will be done there.

so heres pics:

astonished that its even smaller than the RS. god bless old cars and god bless small cars. and i guess that means god bless death traps :lol:

interior is super original which makes me very happy. will likely be keeping most of it from a visual standpoint in lieu of stripped track car route. basically remove sound deadening but use original carpet etc, eventually add cage.

curious as to whats under the dash cap, he said he had never removed it

engine:

yup that says N47 :lol:

L28, will check piston info from other numbers

was stupid lucky this thing already had webers. its also what sold me on buying even though ti wasnt running, just being that the collection of parts were worth the price and im ok with some work. would be good from teh standpoint of learning about the car anyway. mouth: prepare for foot.

6-1 headers im assuming are from MSA

lighting is nice so took a bunch of night pics before she gets torn apart

this is one happy dude

as you can see, working on a narrow ass one way cobblestone street sucks ass, especially in ohio winters sucks ass

so luckily after printing out flyers kindly offering to rent garage space and posting them on all my neighbors doors somebody called back!

to add to the blessing he was the only one to call back, and was offering space in teh ABSOLUTE closest garage (one pictured behind my buddy dropping it like its hot :lol

nice stable mate, 65

 

[BRZCory]

It is my sincerest hope that you prove me wrong!

*Good choice*

 

[aesthetect]

haha thanks, i probably jinxed the fuck out of myself :lol:


original plan was start with a 2.4 and swap LS1 when i got bored at the track. but the more ive read about these motors the more i like em, plus i basically have the ideal setup for one (maybe could be better heads and could use a cam). so we'll see but i also kinda need to figure it out now so as i build this rear end i can do so LS1 friendly. aka why im thinking just get it driving real quick and see how i like the motor. THEN overhaul suspension ... blah. work owns my ass right now anyway

 

[George.of.the.Jungle]

sub'd for greatness. i really miss my Z car.

 

[aesthetect]

sub'd for greatness. i really miss my Z car.

 

[BRZCory]

also, have fun with the carbs. I just rebuilt the 4 on my bike... It'll REALLY get you to appreciate fuel injection.

 

[aesthetect]

yeah i see it going one of two ways. either ill LOVE the physical/mechanical operation of it or i will tune myself in circles to severe depression :lol: either way, its something im glad to put effort into learning

also some more photos from going in and spraying everything down with penetrating fluid. mostly bad news :lol:

trans fluid is leaking, seemingly from drain plug

several bolts seem to be missing between trans and engine :facepalm:

yoke seems to be leaking as well

these 6-1 headers are a sight to behold.. thats a lot of 'convergence' haha. not sure if theyre overly rusted either...

clutch fork seems to be missing the nut..

oil pan is real rusty

 

[aesthetect]

first things to figure out:

• engine. everything. but mostly how electronics/ignition system is wired (wrongly). i was gonan put this off but i think it just got bumped to #1
• brakes. want vented discs all around, theres options, need to choose which. would like to stick with 15s but tire choice is dismal so is kind of a stupid idea (235/50 R888s are pretty much it). ideally all with an adjustable dual cylinder setup like this lots of good info on hybridz ill be reading. the silvermine kit seems to be the business but the modern motorsport kit might be enough for me
• LSD. aftermarket gives lots of options, or 300ZX turbo (easy and cheap if can find), or R180 out of subaru (have to switch to CV/stub axles)
• suspension. replace all bushings, adj control arms, add rear sway bar, do measurements to calculate spring/sway bar rates (might not have to, some people already done some and in reality tried adn true has a lot of weight over calculated numbers). im liking basically everything techno toy tuning has to offer, includinig whole coilover conversion kit from them. maybe zforce rear control arms instead. dissasemble and refurbish all hubs/ball joints/etc
• rust. replace rocker panels. grind down taillight panels and battery box. treat entire underbody for rust.
• interior. remove interior to check floor panels for rust. remove sound deadening. (low on list but might as well do while car is on jack stands). still searching for the right bucket seats. kirkey has some vintage style w no head rest, OMP has some (still not FIA), recaro pole positions will likely be conducive to lots of street use...

im basically gonna use this as a personal notepad as i get started so yall will have to suffer through all the ugly learning process :lol: anyone wiht any info or suggestion is more than willing to post or correct me. im basically starting from zero

tons of good info on my setup here: http://www.datsunzgarage.com/engine/
already got the FSM but some supplement wiring info posted here: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/...5-need-help-72-240z-engine-wiring-thanks.html

 

[chris stiles]

I've got the ground control conversion kit, + oem fender mirrors lying around somewhere lol pm me.

 

[aesthetect]

haha sweet, pm sent

 

[critict1gc]

Subbed! This is going to be epic.

 

[aesthetect]

after realizing that this picture, that i really like and have been using as a reference for what im going for visually, is basically a recreation of the devil z from wangan midnight, and learning that it is a tv series based around the z, the project has been given the name:

gooks of hazard

:lol:

BREAKER 1, BREAKER 1, I MAY BE CRAZY BUT I AINT DUMB!!

 

[teeceRS]

very excited to see where all this goes ben!

 

[aesthetect]

you n me both! haha

 

[chris stiles]

You learn alot from Hybridz.

 

[aesthetect]

yeah i been on that shit like stink on a monkey. so many options.... but thats a good problem to have





basically ive decided i need to get the engine running healthy first to make sure theres no big money surprises in there before i dump a bunch into suspension. unfortunatley thats where im the least knowledgable, combined with all the uncertainties of a swap wiring job, though it really cant be too complicated. work should be easing up so i should get a chance to actually dig in this week.

 

[chris stiles]

Let me know if you need help I've looked into options a bunch of times if you ever wanna pick my brain. I think I still remember a thing or two, I just picked up my old stuff today to take pictures for you lol including my n42 block/head combo. I remember I ditched all my FI stuff because I was looking into mukini's and webers.

 

[aesthetect]

yeah absolutely, for now the hybridz FAQs have more than enough information to keep me busy (and just z sites in general, so much info available, its fantastic)

but any info regarding:
- L28 swaps in general (common mistakes, things to check, any wiring - also regarding electronic distributors), particularly ZX/F54
- weber carb starter-guides, got tech info just trying to figure out where to start
- or anything that pops out at you as something i need to pay attention to from the above pics


also does that just look like the stock 240z R180? id assume so, its got fucking cobwebs hahaha ..number stamps are 214 721 t34 but i cant find anything on that
random useful R200 swap info i just came across, as i imagine ill end up going that route with an LSD pretty quick: Rear End Swaps For 240Z's)


thanks man. ill let you know about the parts, but for now i want to make sure the engine is solid before starting anything else

 

[aesthetect]

not getting signal from key/ignition, going to have to test ignition switch circuit, starter magnetic switch circuit... exaclty the kind of shit i didnt want to do and why i didnt want a swapped car ah well


was replacing worn vacuum lines and it appears the vacuum line for distributor advance (and fuel tank vent) was just capped rather than actually pulling a vacuum off anything. probably because it used to come off throttle body and webers dont have anything. not sure how its supposed to be though cause cant find it in FSM or elsewhere. not sure what im going to do there. maybe could attach to main vent on top of valve cover (?)

i think im going to end up flocking the dash cap thats on mine, since i dont like the cheap plasticy feel of it anyway. was looking for pics and came across this, so stinking awesome...

 

[George.of.the.Jungle]

that looks like suede..