ZChief

I'm finally moving onto the body restoration of my 70z. Complete suspension and drivetrain rebuild is complete (need tweaks, but complete enough for now). This car is a Texas car that sat in storage for 20 years and then in a junkyard for about 6 months, so the body is virtualy rust free, but needs complete restoration (bad re-paint sometime during the 70s and some wrecker damage). The engine compartment and under the car have been completely refurbed which leaves me the rest of the body. A tiny bit of rust around each rear wheel well (only rust on the entire car) and some damage to the rear panel will neccesitate patch panels. The hood has bondo and my front valence panels are trashed also. I already know what I need to do to repair the rear part of the car and I know I will find a stock hood, but I'm thinking about going with the fiberglass, one pc airdam/bumper route (the one they designed for the 280s to eliminate the gigantic-mongo bumper setup offered by Motorsport). Since this is a 240 this will require a modification to the blinkers (since this air dam does not offer the blinker holes that the early zs require). My question is, will a 280 grill / blinker combo bolt up to my 240z without major mods - I want it to bolt up so in the future I can pull it off and go back to the stock set up if I ever decide I want to?

Answer that one THERAMZ (or anyone else)?

theramz

Here is some pics of the 77 grill. It won't just bolt up but you can make a couple of simple brackets and it will work great. The Xs mark the mounting points. That bumper/air dam would be my choice too. How about posting some pics of your suspension and DL work you've done?

ZChief

Thanks once again THERAMZ!! Man, I sure hate to be welding brackets to this car. Do you know if this front end would still work with a std 240z grill? I could then find an alternative blinker set up (maybe adding square blinkers to the duct / light cut outs in the airdam).

I've uploaded some pics (not sure if this has worked or not). 1 of the engine bay, one of the rear supension while it was in the works (need to get some completed picks of that), 1 of the car from the front (body work has begun). Suspension was removed, cleaned, painted, urethane bushings/kYB struts applied)

ZChief

nope - pics didn't work. How did you get them attached to your message? I uploaded 3 jps???

theramz

The grill is about 2 inches narrower than the 240 so you would have to cut some of the lower bars out of it. You could search the junkyard for a blinker that would fit in the bumper or the air dam.
You could make T shaped brackets and simply tek-screw them on. If you have the patience to drill out the spot welds on the 280, you will have the complete bracket that you can screw on the 240.

theramz

To post pics you click on "Manage attachments" and then "Browse" your files might be to big, I have to reduce mine by 50% before I "Upload"

ZChief

Sounds like a plan - good stuff! Goin for it.

My pics were to large. I think these will work.

theramz

Now that is sweet! Every hour you've spent on that suspension is going to pay off in big time fun. I just added a strut bar and it is a small noticable improvement even after all that suspension work.

ZChief

Thanks!! I still have a lot of work to do in the engine bay (detailing/adding all the little "Datsun" odds and ends). I really wish the rest of the car looked a little better so my nieghbors wouldn't laugh at me when I take a cruise around the neighborhood, but I'm making slow progress. The body is going down to the the metal / interior and glass is coming out / doors - hood - hatch will be shot off the car so when I shoot it, it comes out looking right. Thanks again for the help!!

Is that your blue coupe? Now that's cool!!

theramz

No, that's my Z after 2 hours of Nikon Photo Impression but I have dreams of doing it custom.

theramz

By the way, what's your vin#? Mine is 04884.

Spudz

ZChief,
Another option is to use motorcylce style round blinkers . Auxilery used
them in his air dam. You just need to drill a hole in the dam using a
hole saw and slip in and attach he round assembly



Mike

theramz

Damn! Hope my car comes out that nice. Since you've got a glass bumper, take a look at the corners in a '86 RX7, they might fit nicely in there.

ZChief

Wow SpudZ, that is sweet!! I still haven't bought the air dam, even after all of the good advice from theramz. Sill tossing it around. I still have time to figure all that out. I might end up going with a standard A D or splash pan (still thinking). Thanks for the suggestion!!

I'll get my vin theramz. The car was manufactured in Dec 70.

ZChief

Finally had a chance to get the vin off the car

HLS30 - 16890