MEZZZ

ecp48, thanks for the reply. I dont blame you for wanting the protection driving around Atlanta, I was down there last week for business and its crazy down there! I understand I will be losing a certain amount of protection, but am willing to give a little to get a better look. My logic is the same in using the MSA front spoiler you use with the molded in bumper. IMO, it offers no more in the way of protection. I like the look of it but dont like the look of the rear at all, it makes the car look to boxy. I toyed with the idea of going with the MSA part up front and going bumperless in the rear altogether, but them I have ) protection, altough I have to admit, I like the look alot of our Z's with an exposed rear I'm still redoing the interior and probably wont get around to the exterior until the spring due to the cold weather approaching. I might get it all stripped down and ready for paint in that time, just kicking around some thoughts.

I was looking at my "78 last night and was wondering if anyone has done or heard of anyone doing this? I understand the ramifications of replacing or modifying the "taxi cab" bumpers but would really like to pull them in closer to the body. My figuring is in doing so, they offer no more protection than a 240 had to begin with. I have toyed with the idea of getting the fiberglass bumpers off MSA, I looked at the "body kit" style and think they make the back of the car too boxy. So, in looking, I had this thought pop in my head. I was thinking of compressing the shock mounts and pulling in the bumpers to about 1/2 inch of the body. That only leaves the rubber end pieces to deal with. If I was to take them off, the ends of the chrome bar would show, so I thought if I was to carefully cut the "ridged" part out, it looks like they would line back up. I would pull the bumpers in about 4 inches or so this way. I am thinking of trying to find a bumper end and experimenting with this, hust wondered if its already been tried. It looks like the front bumper would pull in very nice especially. Any thoughts?

I always kinda liked the halo look on the Bimmers when they came out, looked unique...on the Z? I hate to admit, I still like them...too each his own I guess...plus if I saw Darbji behind the wheel of it...well...need I say more?

, I was thinking the same thing myself Dave : ) Anyway, I will donate to the fund. Then we can start one up for me, call it the.. Ignorant Ebay buyer got scammed, help fix up his Z fund

I will jump in and add my name, I am the (not so) proud owner (almost owner, I am getting the title tomorrow after almost 3 months!) of a soon to be sweet '77 280Z. It is the "early style" where the rear floor sweeps up towards the hatch. I have the interior ripped down to a degree right now, just re-foamed and covered the seats. I am putting down insulation on the rust free floors and new carpet. I bought a leather shift boot and ebrake cover on Ebay from some guy in England for $39 made in any color you want (I went with black of course), new leather shift knob and a new wheel from MSA. I am also putting in a new stereo and am considering some type of upgrade for dash lights, either LED bulbs or the guage faces from Speed Hut. Thens its onto the exterior and mechanical issues Someday, time & $ allowing, it will be my baby, right now its more of a red headed step child

I have a couple suggestions for you, I would even offer my services and give you a free in home evaluation at absolutely no charge or obligaton to you whatsoever

I have been buying and selling on Ebay since 1999. For the most part, it is a GREAT TOOL for finding things, cleaning stuff up for $$ that I had laying around unused, etc. I have had great experiences on there, over 260 transactions, got burned once many years ago for a $20.00 item. I have bought 2 cars and a Harley and sold my Harley on Ebay, all positive experiences... THEN.............I decided to buy my Z! BAD MOVE!!! THe buyer listed the car as an unmolested, unrestored '77 bought from the original owner. Runs great, no smoke, no leaks, NO RUST, just a great car...new carpet just installed, needs seats replaced and with a paint job, this could be a show car! I send 23 follow up emails, asking VERY SPECIFIC questions...get the answers I was looking for, called seller and we spoke, I bid on the car, hit the reserve of $4,000. Bought the car, sent a cashiers check 8-17, supposed to get the title via Fed Ex once seller got my check and then he was going to drop at shippers. Waited 3 weeks to get it to DAS, and here it is oct 31 and I STILL DONT HAVE THE TITLE! Seller claims he MAILED it regular mail on 9-07, must have got lost. I pick up the car and it is NOWHERE near what the seller claimed. Rust hole on the inner front fender behind the headlight bucket about 3 inches long, RUST on the frame rail, about a 2 inch HOLE, the ENTIRE underneath of the inner hatch is RUSTED AWAY! The radio, blower motor, e-brake didnt work. The front end feels wacky and the paint was AWFUL! Looked like someone used rattle cans on it and there was OVERSPRAY EVERYHWERE! All over the engine, hoses, belts, etc as the idiot sprayed right through the hood vents...all over the windshield, weatherstripping, wipers, even the console inside the car, silver paint everywhere! I called, no response, email, no response, finally I turn the guy over to Ebay Fraud Dept. They find out seller bought the car only 4 weeks prior on a BUY IT NOW of $1750! He then flipped it with a reserve of $4000 without so much as an oil change ( as the oil filter had paint all over it too)...he didnt even vacuum the damn carpet! Then they find out after much hassle that the guy only applied to have the title transfered into his name on 10-3....6 weeks AFTER GETTING MY MONEY! And the SAD THING IS, as long as the P.O.(S) gets me the title, EBAY WONT DO A DAMN THING! He got the title 2 days ago, and is sending it to the Fraud investigator only after attempting to hold it hostage in exchange for me not pressing forward with my threatened LAWSUIT! Basically, the guy LIED about EVERYTHING, in email, on the phone and SCAMMED me out of alot of $$. And the only recourse I have is to sue the idiot becasue Ebays Fraud protection is a sham in my opinion. At this point, the only thing I can do, is keep the car, fix the problems and love the car,,,or...sell it and take my loss and wash my hands of the whole mess. I have offered a compromise, send me the title and $1000 of my money back, he still makes $1250 and I feel some vindication, but the guy has the nerve to say I am an extortionist and now wont take my call or reply to email. I may sue the bastard just because I can. So, moral is, BE CAREFUL...it only takes one idiot on Ebay to screw you up bigtime!

If it wasnt all the way in Cali, I'd buy it myself for a parts car, sounds pretty good for 600 bucks, hell, the bushing package and struts are probably worth 1/2 that

That helps emmensely, thank you very much. I wish the service manauls were written for an idiot like me to figure out so easily. I never started the car as I had other things I was working on as well as the seat replacement but will start it up tonight and check to see if the light goes out. My guess is the relay is bad because the ebrake seems to function normally when it is unplugged from the relay. Thanks again.

I took out my seats to recover them yesterday, (got one finished, my hands are killing me )and noticed the same thing disconnected under my passenger seat. I also had the connection going to the e-brake unplugged. I plugged everything back in and my brake warning light stays lit. If I unplug the 3 prong, the brake warnign light goes on and off like it is supposed to. I looked at the wiring diagram in the service manual but cant make heads or tails of it, (I am a novice to all of this). Can anyone tell me what this 3 prong entails? I am concerned if the light is on all the time it may be a sign of a more serious issue.

My '77 has a plastic piece that covers this area. It cleans up that area alot. It is held on by 2 screws, one on the center console and one under the glove box. Not sure what year they added these, I remember reading it a few weeks ago but have been doing ALOT of reading

More details please

Thanks KTM, I will look into that as well. I want a working clock and dont care if it is battery powered as long as it works. There are 2 on Ebay right now that the owners claim are in working order, I might try for one of those too, right now they are $10 and $20...worth a try for that.

Thanks or the pic...can you fill me in the clock with battery? I would trade having to change a battery from time to time over a non working clock!

Hahaha...I think thats a race you will easily win. I just pulled out the driver seat as I got the foam kit from MSA and upholstery kit. Just wrestled on the back and I am not all that hot on the way it looks. The vinyl doesnt pull that tight around the headrest and the side bolsters, even after heating it up with my wifes blow dryer. I think I will go out tomorrow and see if I can get some foam to fill in the voids or cut open an old pillow or something Thanks for the tip on the wide angle LED's, I think I will get a set of them in blue for the extra buck a bulb. For that cost, its worth experimenting . I am thinking as long as I have the seats out, it might be easier to crawl around under the dash and get to the gauges. If I could only get the clock to work! I am thinking of going and getting an Autometer clock and seeing if I can gut it and put it in the housing and use the stock faceplate. Escanlon has given me some great advice but I cant get the thing to do much more than jump a bit when I put power to it. I am also thinking about getting some of that metallic insulation and pulling up the carpet (installed not long ago, albeit shoddily by the P.O.) and putting it down. Post some pics when done and I'll do the same. If you really want to race, lets put a wager on it, if I win, you can come to my place and help work out some of the elec. demons

Thanks Dave. I will look into these bulbs as well. I am still not sure about the Speedhut kit. As I said, I have a complete gauge set to play with, the LED bulbs seem like to would be alot easier and cheaper and still retain the stock faces. I was thinking of pulling the green lenses, painting the interior of each guage white and then using the blue led's just for a different look. I'll keep you posted. If it doesnt work, I am only out 11.05 for the guages and maybe $30 or so for the bulbs

Dave, I tried to get some decent photos, I have a good one of the kit with the part installed in the dome light. I looked at the link Fun in my Z put up. It looks like the festoon bulbs might work just as well and for less. I know I read a link from you on the LED dash lights before. I was thinking of going the Speedhut gauge package but think these bulbs on the prvious link might work. Could you do me a favor and take a look at the bayonet style bulbs and give me your opinion on what might be the better of them to use...the 4 light or single wide angle bulbs? I was thinking of removing the green lens and going either white bulbs or possibly the blue to match the lighting of my new stereo. I know there are a total of 11 bulbs in the gauges as I bought a complete gauge set off another '77 for $11.05 from Ebay. Everything but the clock works. I have been playing around with the clock per Escanlons prior link to a fix without luck do far, but am thinking I would like to do a bulb upgrade. Here are the pics...first 2 with the lights on, others are with all lights off but the dome. This is a pic taken from the hatch..as I said, it was VERY hard to get a good pic of the difference, I didnt hold the camera too still while it processed without the flash on. It was pitch black in my garage when I took this.

After getting screwed on this car when I bought it...I need to save $10 Thanks TBK1, Sblake for the links! And Sailor Bob for your great sense of humor

Thanks Sailor BoB/SBlake, I will check it out. I appreciate the help.

Dave, it very well might have been you, regardless, thanks. I will post pics tonight when I get home. It is a simple setup. The kit consists of 5-6 different sizes of "bulbs" that have the wires coming off of it. Find the one that fits the dome light, pop it in, plug the LED bulb into it and you're done. The LED section is about 1" square and has 9 LED's on it. The only thin I dont like is there really isnt anywhere good to attach the little panel to, so at least for right now it is just laying inside the plastic lens shining down. I will attempt to get a pic up tonight.

That is the part. Thanks for posting it. I could have sworn I paid more...regardless, well worth it.

Thanks to someone that posted this the day after I first signed up, I got my dome light operating normally. I could turn it on manually by pushing but it wouldnt come on when either door opened. Someone told me to twist them a little and I got the light to flash. I sprayed some electrical contact cleaner on the plungers and worked them around a little and the light now works like new! Both doors now work the light independently. I was so pleased, last week when I made up an order from MSA for a few items, I included the LED dome light upgrade for $19.99. I put it in just a little while ago and WOW...total difference. The entire interior is now bathed in a slightly bluish light, MUCH brighter than the regular bulb. IMHO, well worth the $$.

Well, I got some leads tonight and ran them directly from the battery to the blower motor and it cranked right up. Now, what can I do from this point? I CANNOT find an inline fuse! I have a '77, I can see the wires coming off the switch, they break at one point, then a white and blue wire going to the blower motor. I dont see an inline anywhere in between the switch and the motor. Is there an inline on a '77? I have searched this subject and found alot of threads on earlier models. I also looked in the Haynes manual with no luck. Thanks for any light someone can shed on this for me.

Send her my way, I will accomodate her while you are waiting on parts!

...I trusted blind purchasing one too many times. I did it 3 times over the past 7 years with GREAT results...when it came time to buy my Z however...lets just say I still have one broke off in me Never again!