280z that replaced the TT

[OBEEWON]

Love this thing. Good progress.

[CherryBomb]

Dude, great project! I'm really excited to see this develop. Best of luck, bro.

[makaofox]

Thanks guys! Just brought a 77 5sp today! Going to clean it up, found out my 76 4sp shifter wont fit. (I knew it wouldnt but too the off chance that it might) Got to get a 5sp shifter now >_<

[makaofox]

Hey guys small update:
Still waiting on my motor, going either tomorrow or tuesday to talk price as he is assembling it.

Working on all the bushing I did the Front control arms, radius rod (found that it was already upgraded to a ball and socket upgrade so only needed to use one poly bushing), I did the mustache bar, trans mount and im waiting to see if I should do the sway bar end links. Since I have a different set up might not even use it. The whole bushing install went smoothly but its tiresome!

Some pics of the mustache bar

and then when I cleaned it up:


Im thinking about getting a diff mount the GM one, I heard they were like $20.

Prepared some of the parts I took out and painted them.

I got a 5sp from a local guy and its pretty nice, I brought brass bushings for it:

^ $5 for though and one fits like a glove and this

Is the nylon piece, mine looked worn so I replaced it for $15.

After installing the bushing and the nylon piece I put it on the trans and DEAR LORD the transformation is night and day! I cant drive the z yet but I know she will feel good while shifting, none of that typical sloppiness.


What she looks like with the spacers and wheels. Plan on getting xxr 002 15x9 all around to hold me over. I might sell these panasports.

All thats left at this moment is adjust my MC (wilwood 1in mc) bleed the brakes, add fluid to the diff and tranny, and drop in the motor.

[tristatesentra]

that car is awesome sweet build keep it up Im old enough to remember the older Z's

[itwillboost]

I just read you had Jas do the motor, good choice that guy is great. I hope to see this car at a couple meets this year.

[makaofox]

^^ I love the older cars, they are so much better.

^ Yea the day I dropped my motor off, your altima was being dropped off lol. Im SO glad my z has not even a quarter of wiring that altima had haha. I trust jas so I know my motor will be fine and your car. I will have to be everywhere at every meet to break in the motor. :D

[makaofox]

Update:

Well super excited my motor got back from being professionally hi-temp painted and should be in assembly this week in time for my spring break next week!

What have I been doing thus far is learning that my z used to be a automatic, that they swapped over to a manual. Which means I have the smaller diff an R180. Cracking that open I learned that it is infact a welded diff. So fo now I put some oil in it a blend of lucus oil (Which is thick as a mother!) and a generic blend of 75w-140. I am putting the same blen into my 5sp tranny, once I replace the output shaft seal.

I Ordered a crap load of stuff!
Wheels: XXR 002 in red 15x9 all around, 0+ offset.
Tires: FALKEN ZIEX ZE-512 205/50/15 all around (has a nice stretch too them, nothing crazy)
zg fender flares
bre style spoiler
front spacers: 15mm
Rolled all 4 fenders and what a PAIN in the toosh that was! Paint chipped even though the heat gun was applied properly. Its ok and then a chunk fell off because it had bondo. Im not mad, just painted it black for now to prevent it from rusting.

Now onto the pics!



^ Tires new that I ordered from ebay. Not a bad deal.





^ Looks SO much better than what I had thought, it really compliments the cage.


^ Thats the reason why I need a 15mm spacer lol! 15 is a bit excessive but I need something with studs. It should push it out a nice bit and will look great with the zg flares.








^ The area where the bondo came off. Looks like the tire ripped into it and totally Fed it up lol. They did good covering it up.





^ Cant wait till she is on the ground!
Here are some of the old panasports, still trying to sell them. I had a few bites.






I loved the old wheels but compared to the panasports the xxr's are so much nicer and surprisingly so much lighter! 16lbs each!!

Now what's left is to
Find a front air dam like the 240z style thats urethane.
Find 240z turn signals.
Buy muffler and make a 3in exhaust setup.
Im sure I will find out more things as the motor comes in.

[Bacon]

how much for the panasports?

[empera]

Originally Posted by Bacon

how much for the panasports?

x2


love the car man!

[makaofox]

^ Thanks!

Looking for $500 open to offers. Not perfect but they are light as hell and still in good condition, just dirty lol. PM me for more info.

[makaofox]

Well been waiting forever for my motor and its STILL not here!

So in the mean time, I shaved my front passenger rotor which had a very high spot. Paid like $11 to fix that at a shop and they did a good job, it has a high spot still but nothing crazy, Its alot more manageable. Still gotta bleed my brakes but think ill do that once the motor is in.

Put some foam on the roll cage as I KNOW I will be hitting it a few times lol.

Then my air dam, spoiler and zg flares came in. Mocked up the flares and spoiler today.



240z xenon urethane airdam. Didnt have the fenders bolted up but it came with all the hardware, so thats going to be a blast to try and fit. I think ill have to reinforce the bottom too as it looks to me in high speed it will be flimsy. So I might just make an aluminum splitter just to prevent it from flexing. Still on the lookout for a decent pair of 240z turn signals. I think im going to keep the 280z grill and turn signals for awhile not sure yet. Here is a pic to help you see what I mean..




Mocked up the spoiler that was easy, doesnt fit 100% but I dont expect it too. Not sure if I should give it that space from the edge of the hatch or get it right up against the hatch? Opinions??








^ Gap or no gap?

Got 4 zg flares from ebay made from fiber glass. They dont fit 100% either and I didnt expect them too but they look nice. I think im going to paint them black, along with the spoiler. I still need the rubber welting. it came with the hardware to bolt it up. I think they will look great with the wheels but I dont want to do the flares just yet. I think Im going to wait until the winter to do them.












^ They are taped and I already maked the area of which to drill. I still need to mark where to cut and then I would have to weld them back together. Again I taped it but I think I will hold off on doing them, not sure 100%. It depends how the motor goes in and how anxious I am to drive lol.

[Teku18]

Damn you make me want a z even more then I ever did. I don't like the gap. I feel that the lip should start at the very edge of the hatch for better flow.

[itwillboost]

This is going to be so sexy when it's done. Hopefully by the nissan year end meet, or sooner ?

[tooslow1]

oh my i likey

[makaofox]

Im hoping to get the motor some time in april. Hopefully that will get me up and running by may or june.

I was thinking the no gap thing but after putting it at that level, I had to tilt it to make it straight. As stated its not a perfect fit so im going to see how that is. It wont be a big deal im going to put 3m double sided tape so if I dont like it I can remove it and stick it on again lol. Fist I have to clean that #5 before I put on the spoiler.

[itwillboost]

Definitely just use tape and mock it. You don't need to truly decide until your ready to drive. And May or June is plenty of time left to hit all the big meets.

[lepichichi]

car is looking good I love it

[makaofox]

^ Thanks!

Yea I decided the spoiler to have no gap. So ill pick up some 3m tape sometime and do that. I want this car to run for summer for sure or atleast some point this year lol.

[DriftCrash]

good looking Z, looks like im not the only one that found an old race preped s30 around here. the cage even looks the same as the one in mine. but overall your car is in better looking shape then mine lol