Owning a 280ZX with little experience
03-09-2016, 12:38 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 2
Owning a 280ZX with little experience
Recently I've been looking into getting a second car to re-learn/practice how to drive stick and as a project car to work on in my spare time. I don't know much about working on cars but I have a basic idea of how everything works and I am pretty confident in my ability to read manuals and figure stuff out. I saw a 280ZX on Craigslist recently for under $2k, supposedly runs fine and only has minor surface rust with a terrible interior. My questions to you guys are:
1) Do you guys think a beginner would be particularly in over their head with a 280ZX as a project car?
2) If the car is currently running and I only expect to drive it occasionally, how much $ will I end up spending to keep it running? I don't really have many tools so I figure that will factor in heavily to the cost.
I don't mind having to put in work, the prospect of learning useful skills is part of the reason I'm getting the car. That said, I'm not sure if this a wise choice for a beginner.
1) Do you guys think a beginner would be particularly in over their head with a 280ZX as a project car?
2) If the car is currently running and I only expect to drive it occasionally, how much $ will I end up spending to keep it running? I don't really have many tools so I figure that will factor in heavily to the cost.
I don't mind having to put in work, the prospect of learning useful skills is part of the reason I'm getting the car. That said, I'm not sure if this a wise choice for a beginner.
03-09-2016, 12:49 PM
#2
Welcome to ZDriver!
A good starting point would be to inspect the car: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...pection-16386/
Rust and neglect are the two main issues with the 280zx. Unless the car has always been garaged and occasionally driven, or recently repaired / restored, expect underbody rust and rotten bushings.
Having said that, these are basic cars and a good set of metric tools will get most any job done. Make sure you have the FSM in hand and it's all pretty easy.
MSA sells carpet kits and dash caps, and there are many seat swap options. It's just up to you if you want the project.
A good starting point would be to inspect the car: https://www.zdriver.com/forums/240z-...pection-16386/
Rust and neglect are the two main issues with the 280zx. Unless the car has always been garaged and occasionally driven, or recently repaired / restored, expect underbody rust and rotten bushings.
Having said that, these are basic cars and a good set of metric tools will get most any job done. Make sure you have the FSM in hand and it's all pretty easy.
MSA sells carpet kits and dash caps, and there are many seat swap options. It's just up to you if you want the project.
03-09-2016, 01:29 PM
#3
Grumpy & Helpful
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Mill Creek WA
Posts: 1,415
the L28 engine in the s130 (280zx) is fairly bullet proof. it has space around it to work on. the electronics are pretty simple. depending on where in the country you are I'd think 1000 to 1500 are more in line pricewise. Interior stuff is hard to come by. Harbor Freight Tools are cheap and reliable. Set of metric sockets, metric open end, metric box and metric combination wrenches will do most everything. probably less than $100. Harbor Freight Tools ? Quality Tools at Discount Prices Since 1977
initial parts filters, plugs, wires and dizzy cap Maybe $50 bucks if you can drive it away probably all you need. change all the fluids so you have a baseline. Engine Oil (I use Mobil One), Tranny Fluid (I use red line MTF), diffy fluid (synthetic). brake and clutch hydraulics probably need a change also particularly if the fluid looks the color of ink. If you can't do it at home buy the fluids. Go to Jiffy Lube but watch them. Here is some stuff that will prevent future problems and keep it running nicely.
Get your battery load tested. Be sure you have clean, tight corrosion free terminals on both ends of your battery cables. Be sure the ground (negative) cable goes to a bolt into the frame before going to the starter. grounding through the starter is not a reliable connection. Z's don't like low voltage. causes the electronics to act funny. it is possible to have enough amps to crank but not enough voltage to run the electronics. If you have one size fit all cheapo clamp on terminals they are a problem waiting to happen. Usually on a rainy night around Oh Dark Thirty.
Clean the connectors for the maf or afm, ecu and tps. Deoxit by CAIG is probably the best connector cleaner on the market. spray with CorrosionX after cleaning and before putting together this will help prevent any further corrosion. DON'T USE DIELECTRIC GREASE.
Replace outer tie rod ends, and ball joints. replace the bushings with poly (don't forget to lube them as directed unless you like squeaky things). New shocks. Get new boots for power steering. all those things will make you think you are driving a different car. doing them piece meal is a waste you won't see a great improvement until you do the complete job. You need to get the car realigned after messing with the front. Have your tires in good shape and rebalance. Rear bushings nice too but more work and you won't notice as great an improvement. Rear shocks also because if the fronts are gone so are the rears. if car squats when you jump on the gas the rears are gone.
initial parts filters, plugs, wires and dizzy cap Maybe $50 bucks if you can drive it away probably all you need. change all the fluids so you have a baseline. Engine Oil (I use Mobil One), Tranny Fluid (I use red line MTF), diffy fluid (synthetic). brake and clutch hydraulics probably need a change also particularly if the fluid looks the color of ink. If you can't do it at home buy the fluids. Go to Jiffy Lube but watch them. Here is some stuff that will prevent future problems and keep it running nicely.
Get your battery load tested. Be sure you have clean, tight corrosion free terminals on both ends of your battery cables. Be sure the ground (negative) cable goes to a bolt into the frame before going to the starter. grounding through the starter is not a reliable connection. Z's don't like low voltage. causes the electronics to act funny. it is possible to have enough amps to crank but not enough voltage to run the electronics. If you have one size fit all cheapo clamp on terminals they are a problem waiting to happen. Usually on a rainy night around Oh Dark Thirty.
Clean the connectors for the maf or afm, ecu and tps. Deoxit by CAIG is probably the best connector cleaner on the market. spray with CorrosionX after cleaning and before putting together this will help prevent any further corrosion. DON'T USE DIELECTRIC GREASE.
Replace outer tie rod ends, and ball joints. replace the bushings with poly (don't forget to lube them as directed unless you like squeaky things). New shocks. Get new boots for power steering. all those things will make you think you are driving a different car. doing them piece meal is a waste you won't see a great improvement until you do the complete job. You need to get the car realigned after messing with the front. Have your tires in good shape and rebalance. Rear bushings nice too but more work and you won't notice as great an improvement. Rear shocks also because if the fronts are gone so are the rears. if car squats when you jump on the gas the rears are gone.
Last edited by rogerz; 03-09-2016 at 01:32 PM.
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