Seeking dream car

[280chaser]

No one said you have to do anything that is said here but you did ask for advice. But if you ask for advice and then blow off that advice, why even ask? It would appear that you already have the answers.....

not my intention to blow you off, or your advice, you just kinda came of as condescending. I dont know alot about these engines, I only know what i've read and been told.

[280chaser]

Okay hold up right there. I am going to echo the rest of the statements here. You are envisioning a super fast street car roaring around town, but what is being sold is a parts bin car. It has been pieced together. How does it have 80 miles on it if it is not together yet? Did he remove parts from it? Upping the pressure by 100% is no something you can take lightly. You will need better engine management, better fuel systems, better fuel pump, better cooling. Assuming you know how to tune everything AND everything is working well enough to be tuned, you will still need to upgrade the rest of the 30 year old car to handle 300HP, like bushings, bearings, mounts, suspension, brakes, steering, electrical, etc.

What you see in your head is awesome! Never lose sight of that dream. But what the veterans and myself are telling you is that what is separating you from your dream is about 3000 more dollars at least on top of the car.

It is far better to find a mostly stock 280Z running and driving and enjoy it. You can drive it while you improve it and relive all those memories you and your mom had in a car that will start and drive every day. The more stock a car is the more the people on this forum can help you. With untold modifications you are often in left field where to start diagnosing every single ailment the car has. OEM is better for a beginner. Once you have the car running and stock, you and your son can get to modifying it together one day.

Find a reliable driver and start to freshen her up as your money allows.

I dont mind spending another 3k to get a car to that point. That is about what i have in mind to spend upgrading it. I dont expect to find a finished z around 3k, thats just unreasonable. What i keep seeing are cars with original engines that have 130+k miles on it with dirty lines and origional uncleaned gas tanks and it worries me because i feel if i go with those i'll end up spending more than 3k in the long run.

The car he showed me runs, well. All a voltage regulator interacts with is the battery so thats how it has 80 miles on it (battery requires manual charge without it.) But that does raise the question, has it been like this since he got it or was it removed?

I am concearned with lights for the simple fact that its an electrical issue and there seem to be a lot of questions and little answers for issues with the lights.

Listen i really appreciate your guys advice and i'm sorry if i came off the wrong way. I'm terrified of buying an all origional car that "runs" and its going to fall apart 1 piece at a time or one thats got a $400 dollar paint job over rust. I'm sure you can relate at least to some extent to my concearns?

that being said, if he can replace the regulator and get the lights working and prove to me that it's a reliable car i'll probably purchase it. If he's not willing to do that then that would mean there is more to it than he is saying. ( as you have been hinting at ) and i'll keep looking. Thank you for your advice and please keep me in check.

here are some videos of the car:

these are the current modifications to the engine:

81 280zx turbo motor rebuilt

Jsk fuel rail with gauge

75 280z intake manifold

81 280zx turbo transmission

New injectors k&n intake and breathers

Front mount inter cooler

HKS blow off valve

Msd ignition

Walbeo fuel pump

Custom down pipe (zstore)

Edited February 3, 2012 by 280chaser

[sblake01]

Condescending?? Not at all. It's just that you seem fairly 'wound up' about a car that doesn't sound as 'impressive' to me as it apparently does to you. Nor does it to others in this thread. You have no idea how many of these cars I've looked at over the years, and how many of them turn out not to be what their owners purport. My reaction it to the car and the ad more so than to you. As far as blowing off advice, I meant everyone's; not just mine. I didn't take it personally; it was merely an observation. Ultimately, it's your decision. I would have no reason to condescend; just trying to give the benefit of my experience, FWIW....

Edited February 3, 2012 by sblake01

[280chaser]

Condescending?? Not at all. It's just that you seem fairly 'wound up' about a car that doesn't soud as 'impressive' to me as it apparently does to you. Nor does it to others in this thread. You have no idea how many of these cars I've looked at over the years, and how many of them turn out not to be what their owners purport. My reaction it to the car and the ad more so than to you. As far as blowing off advice, I meant everyone's; not just mine. I didn't take it personally; it was merely an observation. Ultamitely, it's your decision. I would have no reason to condescend; just trying to give the benefit of my experience, FWIW....

well thank you and i appreciate it. You've definately helped me stay level headed and see the car for what it is, not what i am dreaming it up to be.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

IN all fairness, that motor does not sound great at all. The external blowoff valve is gimmicky and entirely not necessary it could vent to the downpipe and function identically but that costs more money. Tuning for that engine is NOT, let me say that again, NOT going to be easy. Having an engine run is not the same as having it tuned.

Granted it may be the camera making it sound like it has a terribly adjusted valve train.

I wish you luck, but this is going to be an enormous money pit. You are buying a car that will have Zero baseline tune. You have no manual to go off of to trouble shoot problems. If you go get it, and I do not think you should, since you are clearly infatuated with the motor and nothing else (you have not mentioned the condition of the tires, brakes, hoses, radiator, etc), then install a wideband O2 sensor to see what you are running. I would also install an EGT gage so you can see if you are on the verge of melting a piston. I come from the tuner world of Subaru WRX's and STI's, and the tune is the life blood of your engine. Get it wrong, and you will have many bad things happen very quickly.

I will say again, in earnest. This is the right car for somebody, but I do not think it is the car for you. The learning curve is too steep and I am afraid it will lead to discouragement.

Edited February 3, 2012 by Zedyone_kenobi

[Zedyone_kenobi]

I dont know alot about these engines, I only know what i've read and been told.

THIS IS THE REASON THIS IS THE WRONG CAR! When things go hokey, AND THEY WILL, you will not be able to use any service manuals to get a baseline. It is all custom part swapped together. A person with experience with these engines can probably figure it out. Be prepared to spend a lot of money paying a mechanic to 'figure out' what is wrong.

[IdahoKidd]

You can lead a horse to water.............

[jonathanrussell]

In your price range, I suggest that you look for cars like this one. Of course, like any car, this one needs to be looked over closely.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1978-Datsun-280z-/160730023223?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item256c418537

[280chaser]

love those rims

[ProblemZ]

To the OP ... if you do decide to go with the zed with the upgraded turbo and all that jazz a better website for you to check out might be hybridz.com or whatever it is. The guys on this site are fantastic everyone here has already asked just about every question you eventually will and most of them have answers!! But in all seriousness this site is more for the restoration of stock and improvement of mainly stock components, and all around bringing our 30+ year cars back in tip top shape whereas the guys over at hybrids are all about making racers and beefier engines, i just saw that you joined about a week ago but i think if you are going to be running a turbo application from a non-Z or even from a 280zx then hybridz is a great reference tool. Those guys are crazy they have done some of the most off the wall and interesting mods I've seen to these cars. But around here and i think most ppl will agree is that most of us want our cars back in tip top STOCK running condition, and i really feel like that this is the main focus of this site

[ProblemZ]

oh and FYI take a little time and do some research before posting over there otherwise the guys and gals at hybridz love to tear apart the unsuspecting/uninformed noob because they have great write ups on a lot of the aforementioned mods already and sometimes they aren't so nice about telling you that