Purchased a 1981 280zx 2+2 N/A T-Top last Wednesday for $400. Run's, drives, and needs work. I was originally looking for a cheap family car to do some bodywork/light engine work to help my wife get around. But when I saw a 81zx running for $900 I went to test drive. Drove fine, but needed a lot of work and I wasn't sure of the value, so I said thanks but no thanks. Long story short, I told them I couldn't go any higher than $400, they agreed and I picked it up a day later. Wife now gets the 92 4-Runner in great shape, and I get this!

I've helped/done some resto on several Mustangs (67-71) and a Triumph TR-7, but it was mostly body work/light engine work (replacing clutch,rebuilding carb, etc...), I just hope I am not in over my head. Interior is pretty beat up, some fairly serious rust spots and dings, and one bad dent. Mechanically seems to be in great shape, some cold start issues and a sensor light is on, but runs like a top and doesn't leak oil to bad. Rear tires were to large and were on a -32 (quick calc) offset rims, so got some serious rubbing on rear fender wells. Replaced rear tires with a quick fix(smaller tires), and wow what a blast to drive. After spending the last 3 years with a SUV of some sort, its nice to get back into a car with a lick of handling.

I hope to spend some time around here gleaming as much information as I can, and will probably make a nuisance out of my self at some point Will try and get some pic's up tomorrow!

 

Welcome to Zdriver , you will find great advices/answers/funky comments and other oddities in here but all in all you will find all the answer to your question. Cannot wait to see your first Z pictures. One thing I can say about the Z's is that they have a great engine and will never disappoint you.

 

Welcome! I'm new to the Z world too, only having my 280ZX for a week and a half. Love it! I agree, the motor is this Z sure is a good one. 217K+ on the odometer and it'll still smoke anything that comes up next to it(Not literally with smoke and all). Whats yours got on the odometer?

I got mine in a similair deal. Got it way cheap, runs great, needs work. Exterior is fine, minus fading paint, but the interior is pretty messy. Needs new carpet, some rust patched up on the drivers side(Got old licence plates around? Hammer them into shape and they work great!), etc etc. Lookout for the T-tops or hatch leaking. If the T-tops do, seal where the rubber on the sides meets the body, above the windows, after the bend in the tops. Thats where mine was leaking, and some make-a-gasket rubber based silicon cleared it right up.

--Ryan

 

Hey!
Just for a little historical perspective, back in the days these came out, there wasn't really much competition in the solid dependable sports car field, unless you think old corvettes and mustangs are sports cars. About the only other stuff around was MG, Triumph, and Jaguar. The Datsun Fairlady 2000 was a good relatively dependable rig, but I don't really call a drop top a solid car. So then Datsun comes up with the 240, and wala, we now have a solid, dependable sports car available, something I don't think any of the rest had.
While l like these engines generally, and they were far better than many in the day, they can't stack up against the current crowd. Mine's got about 125k on it, and it could probably use a head gasket and some valve seals, still works fine though.
Heck, even now, I can't think of any competition that can compare on a bang/buck basis without getting into the loose your lunch ugly stuff.
Oh, and bye the way, in about 75 when datsun came out with the 2+2 I was in the Nissan Motors training school. The guy that ran it, Bob Maher, made a priority to get me to sit in one of the first here to see how I'd fit.(I'm BIG) Him and another rep both had a new z, Bob was saying the automatics were catching up with the sticks at that time, and they'd race each other. Bob would generally not win, but the margin was thin.

 

A well built L6 is a great motor, granted its no RB26dett, but they can put down some power.

The L28et I built for my 240z is a blast to drive and John's 280z/L28et runs 11.3 in the 1/4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xi68DylY42g

Johns isnt exactly stock (454hp)

 

That's pretty good. Most of the stuff I saw prior to to making the decision I did for engine was all about a bunch of guys that put every known trick, hardware and money in the book on their z, got all done and were in the 12's. Didn't appeal to me.

Edit: Just watched the run. He must be local. That track had an open day for a memorial when a friend of mine died. He'd built many of the cars that run there. That also happens to be where the 32 ford I've mentioned ran 9 flat, it's pretty well known around there.

 

he could take it to the 10's if the rest of the drive train could take it lol

that brown 280 still has full interior and is a very comfortably driven street car, lol its quiet and has everything down to an ipod hook up for the stereo.

Johns from OR City, that track is prob 10-15min from my house

 

Heh, prob 20 from me. I hear ya on the drive train life, I'm hopin to make a quick swap to something considerable lighter and stronger myself. Still considerin what exactly I'll do in the wheel area, don't like those damn springs, and carbon/fiberglass or air bags seems easy at this point. Not sure I'll keep the swing arm setup stock either, would like to be able to set my camber. Looks pretty easy to set up for that, and get a more usefull wheel bolt pattern in the process.

 

Is he the John from Gladstone that's always trying to hawk old datsun wheels on craigslist?

 

lol no, I know the guy your talking about tho. He's an interesting older gentleman

 

Thanks for the welcme guys (and the info!!) well here are some pics.... Haven't washed it yet, and probably wont until I get some of the rust taken care of (putting water on rust drives me nuts), and I haven't touched the interior since I bought it

I don't know what is up with the plate around the shift boot (looks like hell), and the driver seat doesn't lock so it goes all the way back or all the way forward, hence the large piece of wood needed to keep the seat up... Yeah.

First things first though. Need to get the mechanical figured out first, then move on to the interior, then exterior.

It needs a front valiance, bad. None of the local wrecking yards that were open yesterday had any Z's... Ebay??

At any rate, let me know what you think!

 

radioless Z's ftw. lol

and I wish I had a set of wheels with as low offset as those... lol

 

are you talking about the lower metal valance under the bumper?

I might have one laying around still from my ZX

 

I believe that is what it is. Car came with a cheap hard rubber or plastic one that bolts under the bumper but it is cracked in 3 places and feels like it would just cause problems if I attached it.

Were are you located, and I wonder how much shipping would be for a part like that?

 

Im in the PDX area

Ill see if Iv got it still in the morning

 

Skib did you ever find the valance?

 

omg, you have a bumper, AND A GAS CAP!

you're so lucky for your 400 dollar buy. my 1000 purchase didnt come with either =(

 

Thanks The interior is pretty shot however, and it was completely dissembled... The worst part, whoever owned it previous put blue carpet over EVERYTHING on the interior.... even the back hatch comparment. Don't want to replace it but it's going to look like a 80's disco in there.

 

Missed this post...

Ya I have one, PM me