hey everyone,
just picked up a 1979 280zx! Its a driver, but plenty of little things to fix/improve. im looking forward to learning a lot from this site. any other members in central iowa??

 

w00t! Welcome to ZDriver!

 

Welcome to ZDriver!

Pick up a free factory service manual at XenonS130 - S130 Reference and check out the other docs too. Owner's Manual, etc. They will come in handy. Everybody here refers to them first before posting or answering a Q.

Our S130 pros will have some input for you when you get around to asking for it. Meanwhile, do yourself a big favor: Sign in, go to User CP menu (upper left), click Edit Signature and add your Z model, your year, your shifter, turbo or NA, mileage, etc. Saves you having to add it to every post. (These guys go crazy if you don't lock your Q to your own specific Z - every time you post...) Then click Edit Avatar and add a little Z pic under your nick. Cool? You are solid here, dude.

BTW, great looking Z! Thanks and welcome Let's keep that Z on the road!

 

Welcome here, always nice to see a new member. The fact you are here means you are now in to deep. You have the Z bug.

Driving a S130 is like driving a museum. Every where you go people will notice. Just getting gas will never be the same. Be prepared to tell your story to complete strangers, while they check your car out.

Like most long time members here we have taken these cars apart and put them back together many times. Get the FSM and read it. Than read it again while looking at your car. After awhile you'll find they are very easy to work on and understand.

 

Welcome!

Your car looks to be in very good shape. Congrats and enjoy it.

 

thanks guys!
last week i replaced the clutch master/slave, and had to bleed a few times, but it seems to be holding clutch pressure for now...
looking forward to replacing all the vacuum lines in the next week or two!
a couple more pics....

 

Looks in really great shape, looks like the interior would be perfect it wasn't for that tear, a good upholstery shop could fix that, would almost never know it happened.

 

there is a good auto upholstery shop near by. eventually, i would like to have that seat recovered and re-foamed (my back!), it does need a headliner too.
other than that, the interior is pretty good!

 

To funny,,, or not so funny.

Two weeks ago we drove our 280 to Holland Michigan about 3.5 hours from home, the farthest we have gone from home since we did the megasquirt ECU upgrade. Wouldn't you know it the clutch slave went out. Ended up sleeping in the car in a Autozone parking lot until 10AM when the part came in. Fixed it right there in the parking lot. Even while laying under the car we had at least 3 or 4 people stop and ask about it. My wife says they just liked seeing my bottom half sticking out...lol

Yours is a slick top. I'm not sure of the numbers but I hear they are rare?

 

the first two weeks i had the car, it had no clutch pressure. i would still drive it, but had to pull the clutch pedal off the floor with my foot! not sure if it just needed to be bled, but i replaced the parts anyway.
I do wish the pedal was a little (or a lot) firmer, might end up changing the clutch for something with bigger teeth. why not, right!?!?

my wife has been giving me the stink eye since i got the car. I took her out in it for the first time last night and within 3 miles she says, "ok, i get it. this is awesome". geez...