I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

G

Gunner

It's worth keeping. I heard that years ago Nissan went around and
picked up every 280Z they could get their hands on, but there's a few left,
obviously. If I had one I'd have some fun. There's Z cars out there with
small block Chevy's and Fords in 'em.

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
| I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
| corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
| interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.
|
| Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
| restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
| appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
| idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
| cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
| already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
| storage until Im ready to do something with it.
|
| Any info would be appreciated.
|
| And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
| girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
| ride to putter around the area in.
|
| G
|
| Gunner
|

Gunner Asch wrote:
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

Sounds good to me. Decide if you're going to get your enjoyment out of
making progress or doing the work. If you have to make progress on it
to have fun then ask if you can do everything yourself or if you can
afford to have some parts done for you.

Those are nice cars, and as already mentioned you can put in a chevy
small block if you don't like sixes.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

I'm no motorhead by any means- had a 1985 300Z IIRC for a few years during
the clapped out phase of its life. Parts were very expensive, the car had
extensive structural rust damage and wasn't really worth restoring. A few
friends of mine have had 280Zs and they eventually became frustrated with
the cost and frequency of repairs. Look into what it will really cost to get
in good shape- might be more than you think. It's not like getting a Camaro
into shape.

Gunner Asch wrote in
:

I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

The 280Z was a great little sports car. Probably was the best in the 70's
as far as bang for the buck goes. I used to work at a car dealer plus my
brother had one, so while I've never owned one, I have spent some time
behind the wheel. The car is an absolute blast to drive on twisty roads.

I would get it running, repair the suspension, put new tires on it, and
flog it around a bit. Then you can decide if driving around corners at
absurd speeds in a tiny car is for you.


--

Dan

280Z isn't that bad to maintain. Fun cars. Keep the 6-cylinder
though.
Don't desecrate that nice little sports car with an American motor.
That straight six will go plenty fast, trust me.
Dunno about the 2+2, never really liked the way it changed the look of
the car.

As others have said, it's a blast to drive. Smog might be your biggest
issue. My brother had one, ended up buying a new engine, it wasn't that
much more than having the clapped out engine rebuilt to his standards.

Should have side draft constant velocity SU carbs. Get them balanced,
and make sure you check the oil in the dampers, that's what's under the
little black caps on top of the carbs. Used to run those carbs on a 510
Datsun. You know where I live now, in winter I'd run ATF in the dampers,
10-40w in summer to slow off idle response.
People looked at me real funny when I'd say "I have to change the oil in
my carbs this weekend". G

Jon

there is a tool called a "selsyn" as I recall, for synchronizing SU type
carbs - I have one for use on my Morgan - you can do it by eye and come
pretty close though, just look at the piston height.

"Jon Anderson" wrote in message
...
As others have said, it's a blast to drive. Smog might be your biggest
issue. My brother had one, ended up buying a new engine, it wasn't that
much more than having the clapped out engine rebuilt to his standards.

Should have side draft constant velocity SU carbs. Get them balanced, and
make sure you check the oil in the dampers, that's what's under the little
black caps on top of the carbs. Used to run those carbs on a 510 Datsun.
You know where I live now, in winter I'd run ATF in the dampers, 10-40w in
summer to slow off idle response.
People looked at me real funny when I'd say "I have to change the oil in
my carbs this weekend". G

Jon

Gunner,

I suppose it depends on what you mean by "restore". The 280Zs (and
especially the 2+2s) aren't worth much and are unlikely ever to be. It's
always going to cost more to restore a car than it would to buy one in good
shape, so unless you can get it going cheaply, it's unlikely to pay you back
come resale time.

I've spent a fair amount of time in a 240Z and I liked the car, but it never
was what I would call nimble, and as the 240 evolved into the 260 and 280,
the cars got heavier, softer and slower and were not much fun to drive.

If you can get it running for cheap and enjoy driving it, go for it. As a
restoration project, I wouldn't bother. Of course, if you love 280Zs and
have always wanted one, then any rational argument goes out the window, and
you are at the mercy of your automotive hormones. I KNOW of what I speak...

Peter


"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

G

Gunner

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 04:58:18 GMT, "Peter Grey"
wrote:

Gunner,

I suppose it depends on what you mean by "restore". The 280Zs (and
especially the 2+2s) aren't worth much and are unlikely ever to be. It's
always going to cost more to restore a car than it would to buy one in good
shape, so unless you can get it going cheaply, it's unlikely to pay you back
come resale time.

I've spent a fair amount of time in a 240Z and I liked the car, but it never
was what I would call nimble, and as the 240 evolved into the 260 and 280,
the cars got heavier, softer and slower and were not much fun to drive.

If you can get it running for cheap and enjoy driving it, go for it. As a
restoration project, I wouldn't bother. Of course, if you love 280Zs and
have always wanted one, then any rational argument goes out the window, and
you are at the mercy of your automotive hormones. I KNOW of what I speak...

Peter

Chuckle..excellent point you bring up. In this case.."restore" means
getting the thing running if possible, cleaned up and roadworthy.
Thats all. Ive not the time, money or interest in doing a "factory
new" type of restoration. I dont even do that with machine tools,
except when a customer pays me..and I generally try to dissuade them.
Ill take my time doing it, scrounging as needed.

Btw..I also bought a 1983 Volvo 240 today for $100. It was on a ranch
out in the middle of sweet **** all. Old lady owned it (really) and
she was having problems as it would cut out now and then. I figure
its the fuel pump relay. Pretty common with that series. The wifes 82
Volvo is developing transmission issues, and it was cheaper to buy her
another car, than to buy a tranny from a wrecking yard. Shrug. Hers
is pretty ragged inside, and a 2 door, the new one is a 4 door, which
will make life for her easier strapping the grandbaby in the car seat.
Pretty clean, inside and out. 142k miles. Shrug..worst comes to
worst..pull the tranny and stick it in her car, along with the seats
and upholstery and junk out the 83.

I actually like Bricks. Easy to work on, lots of em in the wrecking
yards to pull parts off. Hers has the K-jet injection, which around
here is rarer than the one on the new car.

Btw...was it your buddy that bought the Lorch lathe from me a year or
more ago? I would sure like to have it gone. Since I lost the
warehouse..storage is pretty rough..and as its paid for..I simply cant
leave it out in the sun.

Gunner



"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
.. .
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

G

Gunner



"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

Gunner,

Check closely for RUST. That is the reason that there is not to many of
them around. It hard to keep the wheels on the road when the mounting
points are gone. I whatched my 83, disolve before my eyes, in 10 years.

Jim


Gunner Asch wrote:
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

G

Gunner

lizardblue wrote:
280Z isn't that bad to maintain. Fun cars. Keep the 6-cylinder
though.
Don't desecrate that nice little sports car with an American motor.
That straight six will go plenty fast, trust me.

About 20 years ago, that fairly gutless 6 with its touchy
Carbs was the first thing to go when a friend redid his.

Plenty of room under the hood for a SB Chevy, in the tunnel
for a 4sp. toploader and a narrowed Ford 9" with a 4link setup
in back.

plenty of 'Go' with similar handling.

Doing that over again today, I'd say still pull the 6 and
drivetrain but Ebay it rather than scrapping it for its metalweight,
and I'd use a SB Ford w/Aluminum heads or Turbo 3.8 Buick in front of
a 5 speed, a little lighter and now no more expensive to build
than doing the SB Chevy route, and saves you some weight over the
front end, plus those two have Fuel Injection and Computer setups
that aren't bad to retrofit to other vehicles. Companies make drop
in harness kits, so you don't have to mess with Holley or Carter
Carbs (That were far better than the carbs that came with the 260,
in any case) to avoid cutting your own harness.

**
mike
**

On Sun, 28 Aug 2005 09:17:47 -0400, "James E. Baldock (Jim)"
wrote:

Gunner,

Check closely for RUST. That is the reason that there is not to many of
them around. It hard to keep the wheels on the road when the mounting
points are gone. I whatched my 83, disolve before my eyes, in 10 years.

Jim

Where I live...rust is not much of a concern......high desert, about
100 miles from Mojave/Death Valley

But thanks indeed, Ill check it over really well.

Gunner



Gunner Asch wrote:
I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.

Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
storage until Im ready to do something with it.

Any info would be appreciated.

And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
ride to putter around the area in.

G

Gunner


"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire.
Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us)
off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give
them self determination under "play nice" rules.

Think of it as having your older brother knock the **** out of you
for torturing the cat." Gunner

Drop me a note offline when you're ready to check out the carbs. If I
can't help I can point you in the right direction. Being a Triumph owner,
multiple carbs are the norm, and working with them is no harder than a
single.

"Gunner Asch" wrote in message
...
| I was just given a Datsun 280Z 2+2 thats been sitting in the back
| corner of a farm. Slight front corner damage drivers side and the
| interior is missing whatever goes around the shifter..inside is rough.
|
| Is this something I want to mess around with as a long term
| restoration project? Looking at that long assed engine..nothing
| appears to be missing and the glass is sound all the way around. No
| idea of the year yet. I was given this along with a split boom older
| cable style tow truck, but I think I have the tow truck given away
| already ..in trade for getting the Datsun hauled off and for long term
| storage until Im ready to do something with it.
|
| Any info would be appreciated.
|
| And no..Im not gonna buy a Rolex, grow a pony tail and find a trophy
| girlfriend half my age either. It just looked like it might be a fun
| ride to putter around the area in.
|
| G
|
| Gunner
|

Gunner Asch wrote in
:

Btw..I also bought a 1983 Volvo 240 today for $100. It was on a ranch
out in the middle of sweet **** all. Old lady owned it (really) and
she was having problems as it would cut out now and then. I figure
its the fuel pump relay. Pretty common with that series. The wifes 82
Volvo is developing transmission issues, and it was cheaper to buy her
another car, than to buy a tranny from a wrecking yard. Shrug. Hers
is pretty ragged inside, and a 2 door, the new one is a 4 door, which
will make life for her easier strapping the grandbaby in the car seat.
Pretty clean, inside and out. 142k miles. Shrug..worst comes to
worst..pull the tranny and stick it in her car, along with the seats
and upholstery and junk out the 83.

142k is barely broken in. My brother is the parts mgr. at a volvo dealer.
He bought an 84 with 150k and a loud bearing rap. He bought a junkyard
motor and figured he'd swap it out when the motor died. He junked it at
250k, never put the boneyard motor in. His 850 has got 240k on it now,
never has had any major engine or tranny repair. I've owned a bunch of
Volvos over the years, but have never kept any past 150k or so for one
reason or another. I sold my wifes 740 a while back and bought her her
first ever new car. An S70. Nice car AFAIK, it's not like she'll let me
drive it or anything.


I actually like Bricks. Easy to work on, lots of em in the wrecking
yards to pull parts off. Hers has the K-jet injection, which around
here is rarer than the one on the new car.

Yup. A few electrical issues is the main beef with the 240's. I like the
740's too. Outside of the distributor, it's an easy car to work on. In any
case stay away from the sixes and the early turbos.


--

Dan