Well figured I would post in this thread to keep it alive. I am getting another battery soon. So I can fire up my Firebird for once. And also start troubleshooting the '83 here soon. I am going to have to kick out some spiders out of the engine bay. LOL Will let you all know, when I get something accomplished. And make some more progress. Stay tuned.

 

Okay, I am planning on getting another battery this week. Going to start working on the '83 again. I got to get it running, I think my motor in my '82 is going to come unglued soon. Losing oil pressure, leaking more, and just a tired motor. Stay tuned everybody, I will keep you posted.

 

Allright, got a new battery yesterday, and going to work on it today. Wish me luck, and hopefully I will at least get it to start. I will keep all of you posted.

 

good luck!

 

ditto hope you have better luck than me.

 

Well I almost got it to start, turned out to be the fuel pump was no good. Now I still have a fuel line leak, and can't quite get it to start but close. Will keep you all posted, it shouldn't be long now.

 

Getting ready for round 2. Going back out, and tackle the Z some more. I am determined to get it running, under it's own power. Got to fix the fuel line leak, it is the one that is curved, and going towards the front of the car. Coming from the top. Somewhere along there, it is still leaking. I wonder if it is the fuel damper. If that is what it's called. Anyway will keep you all posted.

 

Well took off the line, and reclamped it. Thought my fuel leak was solved. WRONG! It turns out, I have a leak at the fuel damper. The line coming from the fuel pump. ARGH! And to make things worse, the damn clamp broke on there tightly. I can't loosen it to get it off, and I have been trying to pry it off. It is really friggin' irritating me. And probably will set me back another day or so. I just want to hear this Z run. Is that too much to ask?

Okay done venting, had to go inside get something to eat. And go back out there and tackle it with vise grips. Meanwhile, I took off the connectors, and sprayed them, and used a brush. Including the fuel injector plugs. Pretty much anything and everything under the hood. That is all for now, will keep you posted.

 

Looks alot like the interior in my 280 as far as the fanatical neatness. Why are you thinking about replacing digitel dash. Mine has analog with the pathetic 85 mph speedometer How high does the speedo go on the digital dash. Mine is a 280 zx with t-tops fivespeed serves life now as temp storage shed. It was running fine and one day wouldn"t start. Had no electric going back to fuel pump, than after getting back flow of current I could get it to start with squirt of starting fluid, but would die. So than the next attempt the battery croaked, got new battery , cranks good but of course the fuel pump is toast and now the ignition is no longer firing . I wish it would decide where it wants to be broken at instead of moving all over the place. So wildman where did you find the best deal on a fuel pump here in Az. Im done venting i will now go and see why it won't fire or perhaps see if I can get more stuff in my new shed.

 

The digital dash is also limited to 85 mph. It will display up to 120 kph, but I'm not sure how you would have it recalibrated. It should be similar to the analog, but you'll probably be hard pressed to find someone who'll do it.

 

Okay a little update on my '83. I have decided to get my slicktop running. Then put down my current daily driver. (T-top) And take the engine out of him. Replace the seals and such. Clean it up...repaint it. Then throw it into my '83. Then clean and fix that up. Sell it....and go from there. Mainly to start eliminating my debts.

 

I downloaded my FSM for free!! Here's the link for those of you who need one.

http://www.xenons130.com/reference.html

 

Update...though it will be a while before another one. It looks like my '83 will be my wife's next car. She decided to learn stick shift. So I am going to teach her. So first, I will get the '82 slicktop running. Then get a rebuilt engine for the '83. And fix it up for her. Will update, when I start working on it. That's all for now.

 

Sweet!! Good luck on both of the builds!

 

^ Thanks man.

 

WildmaN, you're one of the few people that have nearly as many Z cars as I do! Good luck!

 

Yeah I am getting there.I have 4 as of now. lol Anyway, thanks man appreciate it. It just takes a lot of time hard work, and that thing they call money. lol But I enjoy working on them. I am just about ready to go another round with my slicktop. heh heh

 

Allright...huge update

I am going to start working on the '83 here real soon. I am probably getting an engine for it this next coming week. I sold my '76 Firebird Formula hood yesterday. So that is going towards it.

As soon, as the Z is roadworthy, and such. My wife will learn stick shift in it. And it will be her daily driver. I will keep you all posted on the build. And believe it or not. She wants an aftermarket steering wheel like mine. lol I have certainly rubbed off on her. heh heh.

Anyway more to come. I am kind of psyched to work on the '83. I never have got it running. Will be cool to hear it run on it's own.

 

man, your really sticking to it, everybody I run into who has tried restoring a car always ends up selling them because there too much work lol, its why I buy cream puffs or simple cars lol.

 

Yes, they are an addiction. And that is what seperates the Z fanatics from the imitations. lol Hopefully this next coming week. I will have another engine for it. That poor Z, deserves to be on the road again. It will happen, stay tuned.

 

wildman, were those taillights on the car when you got it? all i can find in the way of pre 1980 taillights are a new assembly for 905$ (gasp) or used cracked ones...


and yes i am already putting together a 10grand dream list of mods and restos for the Z which i dont even own yet...what the heck is wrong with me.

 

Are you asking about the Z in my signature? ('82 Slicktop) If so, yes I bought it that way. But they are not stock to the year of my Z. The ones on it, are '79-'81 tail lights. But I do like them better than the '82-'83 tail lights.

And I know what you mean about spending money in your head. I do that a lot. lol It is a never ending thing. Good luck man.

 

i really like the 79 tail lights a lot better, and lo and behold i just found a set of A graded 79's at a junkyard just an hour from my house! i really need to stop getting ahead of myself haha. GOD i hope the frame rails are not rusty on this Z, i think i am going to go insane if i dont get one soon.

 

Here we go again......

I hopefully plan on this year getting an engine for my '83, and fixing it up to be roadworthy. Then I may keep it, and sell my Neon. Not for sure yet. I am just fed up with newer cars. Because of all the headaches they cause, with more technology. With my Z's, I know I can pretty much fix them, when they break. Because of all the things I have learned about them, being hands on, people's knowledge or reading.

So after I get my bankruptcy crap over with probably this summer. I will start working on the '83. Then decide what to do after that. I will post, when I have more to contribute.

 

Update....

I am getting an engine within the next couple of weeks or so. I decided to get my '83 running and make it my daily driver. And clean up and sell my Neon, for my next major project in the future. I would love to tell you, but I want to keep a lid on it for now. It was my first dream car. And I decided to save money and get one, and restore it.

Anyway, going to pull the engine out, and get it ready for the other engine I am getting here soon. I plan on painting it, replacing gaskets and such, while the engine is on a stand. (front and rear main seals, valve cover gasket..etc..) Once I get it running, I will go through the brakes, electrical and suspension. It is a digital dash, I am going to try and keep it for now. I can use my Iphone for a speedometer after 85. lol

So that is all for now. More to come soon....