Alright I haven't been around much lately, haven't really worked on the Z as it's been pretty cold all the time around here, and there hasn't been much to do.

Anyway I thought I'd throw some ideas out there and get your guys input.

As far as my ZXT goes all the engine needs to be running perfect is the exhaust leak fixed. I have the new bolts, and studs I just need someone who can help me get the broken studs out of the head. Every other problem and just about almost the entire EFI and everything related to spark has been renewed. So the engine runs pretty damn well. Compression is perfect. Turbo is kicking good and everthing. Main problem is I keep finding more and more rust. More than likely it's all very repairable, but here are some routes I've been thinking of taking.

1.) Try and sell the 280ZXT and use that money with the other money I have and put it towards getting a maybe more expensive, but much nicer condition 240Z which I've always wanted.

2.) Find another 280ZX Body and swap the turbo engine over. Now I've never done an engine swap before, but I'm sure I could get help with that, also I hear it's not terribly hard with these cars.

3.) Take money that I'd put towards another body or 240Z and put it all into restoring or at least really fixing up/improving the ZXT I have.

4.) Try to find somewhere to store or keep the ZXT, find myself a 240Z and just slowly work on the ZX and either drive the ZX for a while as a second car and either slowly fix it, or drive it until the body is shot and use the engine for a 240Z Turbo swap which I'd love to do.

Any thoughts on this? I have around $4000 at the moment for any of these options, hopefully more on the way when all the settlement from the accident comes around, and just more as I keep on working.

 

Keep the turbo if you can... you never know when you'll need an L28ET.

 

yeah just buy the 240Z and swap the motors, itll save you time and probably work out to the same amount of money. btw, ill be in ohio come this like august so if you can wait till then haha.

 

Put the L28ET in a 240Z...Case Closed.

 

Roll Some drug dealers, and do both.

 

Yeah, I've definitely been thinking about just sticking with the 240ZT idea. Probably just driving the 280ZXT in the meantime as just a Z to get around. I'm hoping that I'll be able to find space to hang onto the ZXT at least for the time being. As for snow, let me know when you get around this way, it probably wouldn't be until towards the end of the summer that a swap would start anyway.

By the way, how does one remove the quarter panels? One of the options we've been throwing around is body work and learning to weld so this might not be a bad project to mess with, but dot he quarter panels have to be cut out or is there a way to pull them off?

 

yeah, ill be in ohio in summertime in norwalk, ever hear of DSM shoot out... yup, gonna be there for that, might even sneak the Z down to it. lol.

 

ummm if youve never really done any major body job, dont start with the quarters. they cut off. there is a inner fender, and they need to line up and maintian the structure of the body when done. its not really a do it your self project. i know me and nismo have done the job b4.

 

Amen to that bro. Unless you've had plenty of practice on a shop / spare car, I wouldn't recommend trying quarter panel replacement.

 

Alright so the quarter panels themselves are in actually pretty good shape, it's the panels behind them that are rusted through, at least the lower part. I'm probably just going to sand it all down, find the strongest part and then cut below it and leave the quarters untouched.

Looking over the car there seems to be a good amount of rust, but a lot of it still seems pretty solid. So my idea is over the summer to probably get underneath there with scrapers, sanders, etc and just start cleaning up and undercoating everything I can. Also should the floor pans need replacing, would a person who normally welds be enough to take the MSA replacement pans and weld them in? I think my biggest problem right now is the firewall, it looks like a lot of the paint has come off and there's a good bit of rust there, it seems solid, but I don't know exactly how to tell. It'll probably be the same thing of sanding, priming, and coating. I'm hoping to turn the Turbo into a decent daily driver. Any good ways to tell how solid the metal still is? It doesn't have any holes at least and I can't just push my finger through any given spot like in the rear by the quarters.

 

Z with a lot of rust = A LOT (A TON) OF $$$ TO REPAIR. I've done it once (total resto)... and it was all a great learning experience... and I'll never do it again.

 

do what i did and get a rolling chassis thats in awsome shape, now the only rust i have to repair is this little hidden corner where the hatch mounts to the car, and ill just sand it off when i do paint this spring/summer.

 

Agreed. In the long run, you're much better off buying the best chassis you can afford. Otherwise, it's gonna cost you WAY more in financial and mental anguish than most people can deal with.

With that being said, I just bought another 240z... Now I have to update my signature. I don't even know what year it is... I guess I'm trying to find that magic limit of financial and mental anguish...

 

Man I need a 240Z. Are you buying them in good condition, or in a condition where they need some work?

 

im buying them where the body needs minimal attention and if it werent for me being so ambitious i would get one that can run even though its rough and needs paint, i just avoid rust.