Leaderboard

Finally another part of the body which can be called "completed". My panelbeater sent me another update with the rear upper hatch panel welded back and the whole area coated in some protective primer. Without top hatch panel installed: Primered inside as well: New Top hatch panel welded back. Well done

Hello from Pennsylvania! I joined this group back in 2010 when I had the urge to get a 280Z but the dream never materialized. The urge has re-awakened so here I am. I have a long love affair with Z cars starting when I was 11 years old in 1978. My father asked me to take a ride one day in New Philadelphia, OH. He was an impulsive person so it didn't surprise me when we pulled into a car dealership. I assume it was a Datsun dealership, but I don't remember if they had stand alone dealerships at that time. Well we walk in and my dad, who was always a car guy, trips over his tongue when he sees this beautiful black 280Z sitting in the showroom. "How much are you asking for that car?!" he asks the salesman that materializes out of nowhere as they tend to do. The salesman's response is as clear in my head today as it was in 1978. "I'm sorry, sir. That car isn't for sale. It's a special edition that we take around for promotion purposes." Since I'm 11 years old with a short attention span, and I just heard the guy say the car wasn't for sale, I walk outside and roamed around the lot while he and my dad talk. Some time later I'm surprised to see the glass doors on the showroom slide open and that beautiful black car some out into the sunshine. It drives right up to me and my dad says "Hop in! Let's go!" The conversation ensued where I voiced my confusion and he assured me that he has just purchased the car. I didn't know if the salesman was just doing a salesmany type thing when he said it wasn't for sale, but if so, it sure worked on my dad. I don't remember for sure, but I think he paid around $9500 for the car. He loved that car, and I loved that car. Everywhere he went I was asking to go along. My mother drove a 77 Trans Am Bandit edition at that time, but I only had eyes for the Z. Again demonstrating his impulsive nature, we took many trips on a whim. Basically leaving the house and ending up in places like Myrtle Beach, SC. Yep, he was impulsive, but he was also not the most responsible guy that ever lived. We had moved to Florida in the summer of '79 and the car disappeared one dark night. Yep, the repo man came and took it away and I was crushed. I had a few close calls with Zs after that. A copper color 240 for $3K that my dad talked me out of when I was 16 (probably wisely). A friend of my brother had a nice blue 260 which I had asked for first chance at before he sold, but that didn't happen. The dream faded away for many years until I got the aforementioned urge back in 2010 when I joined this site. It was then that I learned that my dad's car was known as a Black Pearl that was, in fact, a special edition. I have still yet to see photos of one that looked just like his because it had wheels that looked like a turbine with splines radiating out from the center. I wish I had photos of the car, but having only had it for two years I guess there wasn't time with all the road trips going on. Nostalgia should dictate that I want to find a Black Pearl, but my taste runs more toward the sleeker looks of the 240 and the BPs are hard to come by. I can't believe the increase in value. Pristine cars that were going for $15K back in 2010 are now closer to $30K. Man did I miss the boat! Wish me luck in my search! Bill.

I would try to source a replacement ECU before I would try a component level repair on the old one. Those kinds of repairs sometimes spiral into unexpected complications and I wouldn't try it unless you had verified the failure first and had a backup plan in place. I've got a spare ECU (from a 77) if you just wanted to try one to see if it fired all six injectors. I was told that it gets squirrelly on hot days after it heats up, and I have verified that it tests fine on the bench when cool. Would work at least to confirm that your ECU is the problem.

Just for fun, you might take the ECU cover off and make sure the transistor wires are intact, and/or not shorted. The ECU location can get moist if a leak develops at the windshield. I actually have some part numbers for a replacement transistor and did replace both on a bad ECU. But probably for the wrong reasons, they tested okay afterward. It was probably something else. Your situation though, with three dead injectors, looks like maybe a single transistor or its wiring.

I got the billet ones today installed, look great, work great.

I'm thinking ECU. The ECU has two big output transistors that fire the injectors in banks of three, and if one of those transistors burns open, you will lose those three injectors. There aren't a lot of other things that could cause you to drop three injectors like that at the same time. As you already noticed, the dropping resistor does four and two so that's probably not it. And while it is possible that the wiring to the front three of the injectors is screwed up inside the harness, I consider it unlikely. Why? Because each injector gets it's own independent wire from the ECU to the injector. So sure... It's possible that a PO cut three of those wires, but I consider it more likely that the ECU is the root cause. I'm in the Philly area if you get stuck. I'm no FI expert, but I know some stuff. PM me if you need a hand.

Got a little update from the bodyshop. he started work on the LH inner hatch area. Before: After (Custom made panel from sheet metal): Welds and corners still need to be smoothened out but otherwise it looks like OEM Oh and got this book a few days ago:

Recently i was bidding on some bigger parts on yahoo auctions in Japan and thought, while at it, why not order some smaller parts and get them shipped for free in the same package? unfortunately i didn't win the auctions on the bigger parts so i just ended up with the small bits and pieces. which are still good to have 1) R180 Differential oil seals 2) R180 differentil cover seal 3) Fine auto japan Polyurethane shifter bushings:

While i'm working on a big, new, exciting project (I'll post about it in a few weeks or months i guess) the bodyshop keeps me updated and has some nice progress on the rear end 1) The top of the rear lower hatch Panel have been remodeled out of sheetmetal and looks absolutely stunning. Raw naked steel. I have the NOS top panel which will be added, once everything is completed. a closer look at the craftsmanship: The lock mount and upper panel mounts have been removed, sandblasted and welded back into position. the red colour is just temporary rust protection primer: On the new rear quarter panel the rear corner piece has been removed (for easier installation): And been spotwelded into the correct position: My bodyshop told me he h as some spare time at the moment and i guess there will be much progress over the next few weeks

So here we go again. Last week i visited the Bodyshop to bring him the rear quarter panel as a reference for the other side he's currently working on and while there i had a little chat with him and a look around. The rear quarter is coming along nicely and i love when you can see the rare and pure metalwork with all the bondo and stuff gone. It proves that the car is in brilliant shape after work is done As you can see he also started work on the rear end. The bent rear lower panel was gone. What you see here is the panel inside the rear quarter panel where the tank lock is installed. he makes a new one from scratch since the original is scrap. Today i got another update. He also started work on the rear upper end (lower hatch area). I thought at least that area was rust-free in my car, but iw as wrong. This is how it looked after the upper panel was removed: My panel beater immediately started to create new ones from scratch: And while i write this topic just some new Whatsapp messages with Updates dropped into my phone with some detailed view of the final panel in one of the corners from the lower hatch area. Before (top panel already removed): Original panel cutout and rust protection applied: Final Panel welded in. Still needs some details but already i think this is a work of art. cant wait to see the rest done. Hoping for more updates soon