I'm new to z cars and just picked up a 280z for $600. The back drum brakes where stuck. I took off the drum and what tearing them apart. I noticed that the wheel cylinders where different and was just wondering for that's normal for the 78 280z or should that be the same part?

 

Explain what you mean by different. There are left and right side cylinders.

 

They are two different parts. I was wondering if they should be the same part?

 

Again... different compared to what??? Left cylinder to right cylinder? Different pistons on each side of the cylinder? What?

Help us help you...

Pics?

 

Yes the right wheel cyilnder compared to the left?

 

This is the left one

 

And this is the right one

 

I erred earlier. The FSM shows a wheel cylinder only like the one you pictured in post #6. I verified part numbers and found only one for the wheel cylinder. This applies to 77 & 78 Zs.

 

So does that mean the guy before me must have messed around with the drum brakes? I just don't understand why they would be different.

 

That's not a bad guess.

 

Post #6 (1st photo) is correct for left or right side wheel cylinder on a 1977-78 280Z. The lower photo was the earlier style which used a different wheel cylinder for left and right sides. New 77-78 Datsun Z wheel cylinder:


https://zcardepot.com/brakes/rear-br...80z-77-78.html

 

Somewhere in the past an entire assembly may have been pulled off of another car (earlier 70-76). It should work if you replaced all hardware, shoes & wheel cylinder.