No power to anything
06-02-2014, 07:11 PM
#26
Dude
if you are ever down south, or want to make a parts run, come down to Boise and get some parts. I have an 86 and an 84 I am parting out. A lot of the major stuff I will sell, but there are all kinds of black boxes and relays and odds and ends, I have a mostly intact tan and black interiors, both dash's are really nice. All kinds of glass and nice body panels too.
06-02-2014, 07:45 PM
#27
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,103
OK, here's my input:
Carpet: Give it a shot. Take it out, lay it flat, soak it with carpet cleaner, scrub with a brush, rinse with garden hose, repeat. If it ever gets to a level of clean and a color that you want to live with, let it dry completely and re-install. Otherwise, save it to use as a template for when you buy new bulk carpet. Trace, cut, glue down.
Bumper paint: Needs repainting. Pro-level. Amateurs fail to add the flex agent to the paint so it dries, cracks, splits and sheds. Gotta take that down to the plexi (it's urethane, I hear) and start over. Flex agent required. Choose your primer and paint carefully - and make sure flex is used. Pro-painter level only - and get a warranty for it! Lotta bonehead painters out there.
T-tops: Somebody painted the chrome (aluminum) trim black for appearance. I like it, personally, but you choose. Remove and repaint - or strip to restore classic aluminum/chrome look. Your call. There are good paints now for metals- but they require special prep. You can choose gloss or flat finish, too. If you choose to strip, be careful of chemical strippers on aluminum. They can pit and corrode it easily, ruining the finish. Use a safe one. If you just restore the black look, should be easier. Rough sand, tape off, prime and paint.
Basically, looks like a great Z with a crappy paint job. Set up a budget and a schedule and go for it! Beautiful Z in the works there!
Congratz.
Carpet: Give it a shot. Take it out, lay it flat, soak it with carpet cleaner, scrub with a brush, rinse with garden hose, repeat. If it ever gets to a level of clean and a color that you want to live with, let it dry completely and re-install. Otherwise, save it to use as a template for when you buy new bulk carpet. Trace, cut, glue down.
Bumper paint: Needs repainting. Pro-level. Amateurs fail to add the flex agent to the paint so it dries, cracks, splits and sheds. Gotta take that down to the plexi (it's urethane, I hear) and start over. Flex agent required. Choose your primer and paint carefully - and make sure flex is used. Pro-painter level only - and get a warranty for it! Lotta bonehead painters out there.
T-tops: Somebody painted the chrome (aluminum) trim black for appearance. I like it, personally, but you choose. Remove and repaint - or strip to restore classic aluminum/chrome look. Your call. There are good paints now for metals- but they require special prep. You can choose gloss or flat finish, too. If you choose to strip, be careful of chemical strippers on aluminum. They can pit and corrode it easily, ruining the finish. Use a safe one. If you just restore the black look, should be easier. Rough sand, tape off, prime and paint.
Basically, looks like a great Z with a crappy paint job. Set up a budget and a schedule and go for it! Beautiful Z in the works there!
Congratz.
Last edited by zxguy1986; 06-02-2014 at 08:13 PM.
06-02-2014, 09:37 PM
#28
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Predator: Thanks, that's really nice of ya. Maybe sometime this summer I'll have the time to do something like that. I really need a new dash, mine in split right over gauges, too the point of where you couldn't put a cover on it. I'm really gonna eventually need quite a few interior parts and some other odds and ends. I've got a pretty good list going already:
1. 5 Speed transmission to replace my auto (Pretty important to me)
2. Steering wheel and adapter
3. Racing seats to replace my cracked leather originals
4. New dash
5. Convert to a black interior
6. Sub box (Like the one you made)
7. Mechanical boost gauge
8. LED interior light strips
9. New paint
10. Replace old tint
11. New tires
12.New bushings
13. New shocks
14. Smoke the tailights
15. Repaint the exterior trim pieces
16. New tune up items
17. Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, new coolant
18. Boost controller
19. All new fluids
20. New seals for t tops and rear hatch
21. New windshield
22. Short throw shifter
And once I get it running decently I'm sure there'll be more things piled onto the list.
ZXGuy: Really appreciate all the help you've been. Is bulk carpet pretty easy to install? How much do you think it'd cost to get the bumper repainted? I'm gonna keep the black look, if there's one thing I'm not a stranger to is prep work, when I bedlined my Jeeps interior I spend a weekend on prep alone. I'm really happy that it's finally mine, its been one of my dream cars for a very long time. It's gonna be a long process though, I have a lot of projects I'm working on: This, the jeep, 3 old Yamaha DT175's, 1974 Honda Ct90 trail bike, and vintage arctic cat jag snowmobile.
1. 5 Speed transmission to replace my auto (Pretty important to me)
2. Steering wheel and adapter
3. Racing seats to replace my cracked leather originals
4. New dash
5. Convert to a black interior
6. Sub box (Like the one you made)
7. Mechanical boost gauge
8. LED interior light strips
9. New paint
10. Replace old tint
11. New tires
12.New bushings
13. New shocks
14. Smoke the tailights
15. Repaint the exterior trim pieces
16. New tune up items
17. Timing belt, tensioner, water pump, thermostat, new coolant
18. Boost controller
19. All new fluids
20. New seals for t tops and rear hatch
21. New windshield
22. Short throw shifter
And once I get it running decently I'm sure there'll be more things piled onto the list.
ZXGuy: Really appreciate all the help you've been. Is bulk carpet pretty easy to install? How much do you think it'd cost to get the bumper repainted? I'm gonna keep the black look, if there's one thing I'm not a stranger to is prep work, when I bedlined my Jeeps interior I spend a weekend on prep alone. I'm really happy that it's finally mine, its been one of my dream cars for a very long time. It's gonna be a long process though, I have a lot of projects I'm working on: This, the jeep, 3 old Yamaha DT175's, 1974 Honda Ct90 trail bike, and vintage arctic cat jag snowmobile.
06-02-2014, 11:11 PM
#29
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,103
Wow, you are buried in projects. They are enough to keep you off the street, I guess.
Aftermarket auto carpet is a pain to install in a Z but works. Friend of mine didn't like the colors available and bought regular house carpeting and used water and a big hair dryer to soften it so it could be bent around stuff and would fit his Z. Looks great today. Main thing is to remove the old carpet and use it as a template for the shape. New carpet is stiffer because more glue on the back and not intended to cover curved surfaces. It's a job but can be done. Thinner carpet would have been OK if you ask me. Your call.
Repainting is a pain. If you can do all the prep work yourself (strip, sand, bondo patch, tape, cover etc.) a pro can do it in an hour if you provide the paint. Negotiate a price. No warranty but at least you control the quality of the paint products. But your hood needs work too, looks like.
If you do all the prep work, a pro painter can do it for cheap. Take the car to him, show it as is and tell him what prep you will do first, set up a time. As long as you don't want a warranty, he'll do what you ask. It's your cheapest approach but could turn out great... Definitely better looking than what you have now
That Z is a prize.
Aftermarket auto carpet is a pain to install in a Z but works. Friend of mine didn't like the colors available and bought regular house carpeting and used water and a big hair dryer to soften it so it could be bent around stuff and would fit his Z. Looks great today. Main thing is to remove the old carpet and use it as a template for the shape. New carpet is stiffer because more glue on the back and not intended to cover curved surfaces. It's a job but can be done. Thinner carpet would have been OK if you ask me. Your call.
Repainting is a pain. If you can do all the prep work yourself (strip, sand, bondo patch, tape, cover etc.) a pro can do it in an hour if you provide the paint. Negotiate a price. No warranty but at least you control the quality of the paint products. But your hood needs work too, looks like.
If you do all the prep work, a pro painter can do it for cheap. Take the car to him, show it as is and tell him what prep you will do first, set up a time. As long as you don't want a warranty, he'll do what you ask. It's your cheapest approach but could turn out great... Definitely better looking than what you have now
That Z is a prize.
Last edited by zxguy1986; 06-02-2014 at 11:20 PM.
06-03-2014, 08:09 AM
#30
Black Dash
Since shipping a dash and all really boosts the price, and I have a black one and a brown one, you can have the black dash and any other misc black interior trim pieces you want, my 86 had T-tops, and from your pics I think yours is a slick top ? So some trim won't transfer over, but I have some slick top pieces too, in pristine condition you could paint or dye to get to match. I even have the carpet kit, it needs to be cleaned up, had a bit of mold, but looked pretty nice, just laying in my drive way atm, I need to spray it down and give it a good scrubbing. A black interior basically free, just the trip, would help me out tremendously too, because I have a lot of parts over flowing my shed, and I will need to put the lawn mower back in there this fall.
06-03-2014, 08:15 AM
#31
Windshield
Ill make you a really good deal on a windshield too, all the glass is in perfect shape except for the 84 windshield is toast from my crash, but the 86 is perfect. Mine had all the options, heated mirrorr, headlight washers, digital dash with compass, I have the compass computer and full dash harness and gauges, all that I planned on selling, just haven't posted pics yet. Also my car has the turbo trim package, side skirts etc.
06-03-2014, 03:39 PM
#32
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Since shipping a dash and all really boosts the price, and I have a black one and a brown one, you can have the black dash and any other misc black interior trim pieces you want, my 86 had T-tops, and from your pics I think yours is a slick top ? So some trim won't transfer over, but I have some slick top pieces too, in pristine condition you could paint or dye to get to match. I even have the carpet kit, it needs to be cleaned up, had a bit of mold, but looked pretty nice, just laying in my drive way atm, I need to spray it down and give it a good scrubbing. A black interior basically free, just the trip, would help me out tremendously too, because I have a lot of parts over flowing my shed, and I will need to put the lawn mower back in there this fall.
Edit: Did either of them have a 5 speed you'd be willing to sell?
06-03-2014, 05:12 PM
#33
Nope
Sorry on the trans, the 86 was w/o engine or trans when I git it, 400$, and I am keeping the NA motor and trans, to possibly drop in my 81, or another donor. My offer stands, so if you can work something out, Ill make it worth the trip for you !
It is a long drive, always hated coming home on holidays, sometimes we would meet 1/2 way or so at Brundage and have a family ski weekend.
It is a long drive, always hated coming home on holidays, sometimes we would meet 1/2 way or so at Brundage and have a family ski weekend.
06-05-2014, 03:31 PM
#34
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
OK, here's my input:
Carpet: Give it a shot. Take it out, lay it flat, soak it with carpet cleaner, scrub with a brush, rinse with garden hose, repeat. If it ever gets to a level of clean and a color that you want to live with, let it dry completely and re-install. Otherwise, save it to use as a template for when you buy new bulk carpet. Trace, cut, glue down.
Bumper paint: Needs repainting. Pro-level. Amateurs fail to add the flex agent to the paint so it dries, cracks, splits and sheds. Gotta take that down to the plexi (it's urethane, I hear) and start over. Flex agent required. Choose your primer and paint carefully - and make sure flex is used. Pro-painter level only - and get a warranty for it! Lotta bonehead painters out there.
T-tops: Somebody painted the chrome (aluminum) trim black for appearance. I like it, personally, but you choose. Remove and repaint - or strip to restore classic aluminum/chrome look. Your call. There are good paints now for metals- but they require special prep. You can choose gloss or flat finish, too. If you choose to strip, be careful of chemical strippers on aluminum. They can pit and corrode it easily, ruining the finish. Use a safe one. If you just restore the black look, should be easier. Rough sand, tape off, prime and paint.
Basically, looks like a great Z with a crappy paint job. Set up a budget and a schedule and go for it! Beautiful Z in the works there! Congratz.
Carpet: Give it a shot. Take it out, lay it flat, soak it with carpet cleaner, scrub with a brush, rinse with garden hose, repeat. If it ever gets to a level of clean and a color that you want to live with, let it dry completely and re-install. Otherwise, save it to use as a template for when you buy new bulk carpet. Trace, cut, glue down.
Bumper paint: Needs repainting. Pro-level. Amateurs fail to add the flex agent to the paint so it dries, cracks, splits and sheds. Gotta take that down to the plexi (it's urethane, I hear) and start over. Flex agent required. Choose your primer and paint carefully - and make sure flex is used. Pro-painter level only - and get a warranty for it! Lotta bonehead painters out there.
T-tops: Somebody painted the chrome (aluminum) trim black for appearance. I like it, personally, but you choose. Remove and repaint - or strip to restore classic aluminum/chrome look. Your call. There are good paints now for metals- but they require special prep. You can choose gloss or flat finish, too. If you choose to strip, be careful of chemical strippers on aluminum. They can pit and corrode it easily, ruining the finish. Use a safe one. If you just restore the black look, should be easier. Rough sand, tape off, prime and paint.
Basically, looks like a great Z with a crappy paint job. Set up a budget and a schedule and go for it! Beautiful Z in the works there!
Congratz.Predator: It's not so much the drive I'm worried about, it'd be whether or not my mom would let me drive all the way down there, (I'm 17, I try and keep that fact on the down low since youngin's are looked down upon whether their decent or not), and where'd I'd get the money for gas (That might change soon since I might be in line for a $1200 a month job at Schweitzer Engineering Labs)
I really appreciate all the help guys
06-05-2014, 03:40 PM
#35
Moms
What can you do ? Hey that's her job keeping you alive and warm and fed and all the other things moms must do. I am in my mid 50's and my mom still treats me like I need a helmet and a diaper.
06-05-2014, 03:53 PM
#36
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Well, I can work on my cars, go to school, and work around my house. That's pretty much my life. However, I do live out of town on a mountain, so when I actually have my crap running I can snowmobile, and ride my motorcycles. She's quite protective of me, she waited to the last day that my permit was good to let me get my license and since I got it I've only driven alone 3 times. Sometimes I long for the life of my friends who have more freedom, but it doesn't bother me all to much because I like working around the house and on my projects. I'm hoping to get a decent part time job this summer so I can progress on my projects some, and I'd like to get our air conditioner fixed for my mom.
06-06-2014, 06:32 PM
#37
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Alright so here's a lengthy update.
I got the carpet removed, and I was happy to find minimal rust. I'm definitely going to need to get a new carpet, it's pretty rotted and has some big holes in it. I inspected the timing belt through the cover and it looked pretty new so I figured I'd try and start it. It turns over, it has spark, and good compression, but it won't run. Which means it's lacking gas, anywhere I should check first? Also where's that little schrader valve on the fuel rail for a pressure gauge? I got the spoiler off, the frame on it was pretty rusty. I was wondering if a spoiler like this (I know the term ricer is gonna get shoved down my throat, and I'll probably be stoned or tar and feathered) would work? Do you guys think it'd look good?
It's made by Spec D Tuning and I can buy it for around $50, I'm just not sure on the specs, like how tall or wide it is, and how big the mounts are.
How do you guy's clean your engine bay? I'm really afraid to use any water on it, but I'm not sure of any other useful methods. Also, I've got an air leak up by the fuel pressure regulator, are there any common suspects around that area? I can hear it, I just can't seem to find it. And how to you guys prefer to get your cars up on jackstands?
I got the carpet removed, and I was happy to find minimal rust. I'm definitely going to need to get a new carpet, it's pretty rotted and has some big holes in it. I inspected the timing belt through the cover and it looked pretty new so I figured I'd try and start it. It turns over, it has spark, and good compression, but it won't run. Which means it's lacking gas, anywhere I should check first? Also where's that little schrader valve on the fuel rail for a pressure gauge? I got the spoiler off, the frame on it was pretty rusty. I was wondering if a spoiler like this (I know the term ricer is gonna get shoved down my throat, and I'll probably be stoned or tar and feathered) would work? Do you guys think it'd look good?
It's made by Spec D Tuning and I can buy it for around $50, I'm just not sure on the specs, like how tall or wide it is, and how big the mounts are.
How do you guy's clean your engine bay? I'm really afraid to use any water on it, but I'm not sure of any other useful methods. Also, I've got an air leak up by the fuel pressure regulator, are there any common suspects around that area? I can hear it, I just can't seem to find it. And how to you guys prefer to get your cars up on jackstands?
06-06-2014, 10:19 PM
#38
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Columbus, Mississippi
Posts: 5
You have the stock '84 radio/tape? Call the Smithsonian. They want it! You made history.
You're lucky, too. Just contact a live person at Crutchfield and ask him/her what you need to hook up one of your fave head units to an original '84 Z power feed and speaker harness. They make it easy. If they can't access your unit, buy a new one (for your iPod, dude). Buy some new speakers while you're there. Yours are blasted and hatching spiders as we speak.
You're lucky, too. Just contact a live person at Crutchfield and ask him/her what you need to hook up one of your fave head units to an original '84 Z power feed and speaker harness. They make it easy. If they can't access your unit, buy a new one (for your iPod, dude). Buy some new speakers while you're there. Yours are blasted and hatching spiders as we speak.
Are the original radio/tape decks that hard to find? I have a stock 84 radio that works great! Might be on to something...
06-07-2014, 08:48 PM
#39
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,103
SLFD: "Are the original radio/tape decks that hard to find? I have a stock 84 radio that works great! Might be on to something..."
Guys restoring a Z to 'all original' (check out omniserv above) want that original OEM look (me too, but the head unit is a pain). They buy the OEM head unit for the face, get it 'working,' (or add another head unit in the glove box that really works (!) - or don't care anyway if it doesn't work 100% as long as it looks right in the dash. Problem is that plastic face. It was easy to scratch, scrape or over-clean to the point where it has lost most of its original gloss and a lot of the lettering by 2014. Hard to find a good looking OEM head unit for a Z31. I have looked.
ThatDude: I'm impressed that you can do your own painting! Just get the flex agent and find out how much to add before you spray your prepped bumpers. It was cheap, last time I looked for it, like $14. When I posted the Q here, I got some good input. Can't locate my post about it now. But with your skill set, you can repaint every 2 years anyway!
(If you add that spoiler, are you worried that your sounds might be interrupted by radio signals from extraterrestrials? You may be directed to a desert location for an abduction - and then we'd never hear from you again. Looks darn dangerous if you ask me...
)
Seriously, I think that spoiler profile would be hard to integrate with the sleek '80s modern' style of your Z. But give it a shot. And post your final pics, please
We love the feedback.
Good luck with that classic Z, Dude!
Guys restoring a Z to 'all original' (check out omniserv above) want that original OEM look (me too, but the head unit is a pain). They buy the OEM head unit for the face, get it 'working,' (or add another head unit in the glove box that really works (!) - or don't care anyway if it doesn't work 100% as long as it looks right in the dash. Problem is that plastic face. It was easy to scratch, scrape or over-clean to the point where it has lost most of its original gloss and a lot of the lettering by 2014. Hard to find a good looking OEM head unit for a Z31. I have looked.
ThatDude: I'm impressed that you can do your own painting! Just get the flex agent and find out how much to add before you spray your prepped bumpers. It was cheap, last time I looked for it, like $14. When I posted the Q here, I got some good input. Can't locate my post about it now. But with your skill set, you can repaint every 2 years anyway!
(If you add that spoiler, are you worried that your sounds might be interrupted by radio signals from extraterrestrials? You may be directed to a desert location for an abduction - and then we'd never hear from you again. Looks darn dangerous if you ask me...
)Seriously, I think that spoiler profile would be hard to integrate with the sleek '80s modern' style of your Z. But give it a shot. And post your final pics, please
We love the feedback.Good luck with that classic Z, Dude!
Last edited by zxguy1986; 06-07-2014 at 10:07 PM.
06-09-2014, 07:37 PM
#40
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Anybody know the bulb number for the climate control bulbs? I know that they're TSD-V2's, I'm just not sure what LED size they are, T4, T5, or 74's are the likely suspects, I just don't wanna have to guess on what type they are.
06-10-2014, 02:01 PM
#41
Registered User
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,103
Since you know the bulb class/number, if you contact a place like Product catalog by email and tell them where your bulbs are being used, they can probably give you an equivalent product. 
There's another place where I can get weird bulbs for old audio equipment. Can look them up if you need the name.
There's another place where I can get weird bulbs for old audio equipment. Can look them up if you need the name.
Last edited by zxguy1986; 06-10-2014 at 02:09 PM.
06-10-2014, 03:36 PM
#42
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
I found the bulbs, the ones I bought are called T4.7 leds. On a sidenote, my gas gauge wasn't working on my dash so I decided to reflow the solder on the power supply to fix my problem, I did that and now I have no power to anything on my dash. And in addition to that my freshly rebuild Yamaha 175 has developed a bottom and top end noise. Todays just not my day I guess.
06-18-2014, 04:54 PM
#44
Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Montana
Posts: 233
07-10-2014, 05:22 AM
#45
Registered User
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 28
no power on dash
Well if all was working before you started soldering, give a good look around where you were working and see if you disturbed / broke a ground. Find all your grounds and inspect / tighten / replace them as needed. (Check fuses as well, by reconnecting a non-working item you could have popped a fuse, if that is the case please check for ground fault on the circuit you repaired, that is most likely the culprit...)
Lemme know what you find!
Lemme know what you find!
07-12-2014, 01:52 PM
#46
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 23
Well if all was working before you started soldering, give a good look around where you were working and see if you disturbed / broke a ground. Find all your grounds and inspect / tighten / replace them as needed. (Check fuses as well, by reconnecting a non-working item you could have popped a fuse, if that is the case please check for ground fault on the circuit you repaired, that is most likely the culprit...)
Lemme know what you find!
Lemme know what you find!
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