16 Yr Old and My poor Z! Opinions!!

[TBK1]

Bear with me a minute! It was bound to happen, While I was out of state for awhile my 16 yr son snagged my 77 280Z AT LEAST twice! Now clutch is burnt!, 2nd gear synco grinding abit, bearing noise (tranny I think) And now smoking abit AARRRGGGHHH! prob has alot of miles anyway, speed o reads 65000 who knows.

Anyway got a Zclub buddy that has a 2600 with 3 webber setup and 5 speed attached with about 40000 miles on it. all I really know is that it has an E88 with beefed up cam (Square Ports, headers included, COMPLETE motor ) he pulled it 2 years ago to go with a pro built LT1). Good guy , Trusted. wants to get it out of garage so it will be for a song!

What should i axpect if I swap !

power from carbs versa FI

do I need to swap Computer or anything else

will my wiring harness have everthing need to run this engine

ECT ECT!!

Any opinions!!!

[TBK1]

Yes he is still ALIVE! checked laws and it's ILLEGAL to KILL him!

STUPID LAWS!!!!!!!

[mriz]

It's only illegal if someone complains!

[ZSaint]

We have a buddy that had a 260Z and his son took it out for a spin. The kid spun it into the ditch upside down. Dad bought another Z and put all of his "stuff" into the new car. I did not see his 'kid' help one time with this project. What do you think this kid learned from his actions? Do you think we spoil these kids and give them too much? Duh!

[kenz240z]

I'd think that a L26 with triple Webers & a five speed would have plenty of power and be darn quick!

I'm a 240Z guy and don't have any experience with fuel injection on the later Z's. But, being a car nut & shade tree mechanic, I'd think you should be fine with the wiring in your car. I don't think you would even need the computer anymore, either.

Here are a few things to consider. The oil pressure connector and water temp connector should be the same, so no problem there. If you keep your alternator there will be no changes required for that wiring. Without fuel injectors you won't need the wiring for the injectors anymore. Tape it up and get it out of the way. If you swap your distributor into the new engine that wiring will be the same.

The only thing I'm not really sure about is any emission control devices you may currently have. With the triple Weber setup, I'd suspect most of that has been removed from the other engine. So, it should be a matter of taping up any unused wiring to get it out of the way.

Someone here has probably done a similar swap, hopefully you'll get better advice from someone who has done this!

[MikeZcar]

I have a 17 year old who has destroyed everything he drives and or rides, now he sits around and whines because his Prelude has a knock in it, thinks if he cries long enough dad will buy another, I have a much harder head than he can ever imagine. Till he walks to a job and puts forth an effort there will be no help.

As for that motor, it's way too much trouble with the 3 carbs, feel sure you will grow to hate it. However I have a 280 motor that would go right in there and might be persuaded to work a trade on that crappy old 3 carb motor "wink wink" that's probably not much more than a boat anchor. OK OK really do have a good motor and an interest in the 3 carb motor, drop me a PM , Mike

[Ed]

Whatever you do you should also seriously think about putting a kill switch on the car somewhere.

[EScanlon]

Why not have the kid pay (cash) for everything that needs repaired / replaced.

Don't let him take it out of his "allowance" (YOU would be the one paying for it then), make him get out and get a job or something. A summer's worth of mowing lawns and doing fix up jobs for money would do him a world of good. Especially if there weren't any handouts from home to make it "easier".

Heck, take back one of his Nintendo's, X-Boxes, or something of his that can be resold, and sell it. Tell him that he needs to come up with the ALL of the money somehow. And don't back down. Would you allow an "uninsured motorist" to walk away with a simple "I won't do it again."? And, literally, tell you to go shove the bills down your gullet? I don't think so.

While you may think this is harsh, how harsh do you think it would be if he had STOLEN someone ELSE'S Z and done all that damage?

The cruelest thing you can do for him right now is to let him off "easy". All you would be teaching him is that it's OK to take what he wants with impunity.

Wait till he comes to someone else's neck of the woods and tries that. What will you do then?

2¢

E

[TBK1]

Trust me you cant say too many things that I havent already thought about, he is living with his mother now, and also the reason we split. Dad was too hard on him being retired military and all, mom gives him what ever he wants!

Plays her like a FLUTE! Think the motor also has a mallory unilite led type distrib on it! Got to sit downa nd drink a beer with the guy and see what we can come up with!

[a7dz]

It could be a lot worse some one could of been hurt. Then you would have all the legal stuff also. Like has been said. PUT A KILL SWITCH and battery disconnect switch in it. Unplug the ignition fusible link. But most of all change or repair the motor and enjoy.

my 2c

[montoya_fan01]

"No wonder Lions eat their Young." - Rodney Dangerfield

[hls30.com]

Any though of putting an L28ET in?

Will