ecp48

People seem to forget on this issue, that there were two different (non-welded) brackets used on Maximas. This matches the fact that there were two different ZX calipers (I have no knowledge of a specific Turbo caliper). In the back listings/strings on this site, HybridZ and IZCC there are a number of articles which highight the difference. Early used the 280ZX caliper for 79 to appx. 80/81. Later used the ZX caliper 81/82 and later. There is some discussion as to whether the break point was 1980 or 1981. I would imagine it overlapped. The difference is identifiable by the backing plate, floating or not. I have the late bracket with the 240SX Calipers, could also use the late ZX or Maxima. [Casting Numbers: Bracket 19C (raised on the upper leg) and DD360 stamped on the lower; the caliper has K36 and it's slider component is K37.] When someone says the rotor won't match up, it's because they are trying to mix and match the early and late styles, ie: the brackets, rotors and calipers must be from the same period. To totally confuse things, the Maxima seems to have made the changeover after the 280ZX did. Further, while the late style brackets use the calipers from an 82-83 ZX, I have never seen a removable bracket on a 1983 or 84 Maxima, and I've looked! (four of them last week, all welded) Be prepared to adjust. There was nothing wrong with the early caliper, it's the late ZX caliper which has been heavily panned on this site and Hybrid Z and can always be replace by a 240SX caliper. The early caliper had problems with the emergency brake connection (from memory). (':stupid:') The following is currently available on ebay. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2477508204&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

Hey, I'm looking for two (2) Purple aluminum Nismo Valve spring retainers. Nismo #99996M1150. (Bought 10 on ebay) Thanks, ecp48

Frank13, I probably wasn't clear. The brackets I am using are the 81-82 Maxima bolt on brackets. They originally came on the Maxima with a caliper which "looks" just like the 280ZX caliper. I bought the brackets with a set fo 240SX calipers attached (standard bolt on). As I said, the only external/visual difference that I noted was the brake line, for which I got the stainless steel conversion pieces from fonebooth.com and the emergency brake connection. I bought KVR pads from Ross Corrigan. The rotors I am using are from the Maxima, as I had them. I am told that any of the late 280ZX rotors, 81 to 83 will work. My original misconception was that the larger rotor from the 84-85 300ZX (4 lug) would work, but they are much to big and only work with the Ross Corrigan (Modern Motorsports) or fonebooth.com aftermarket (fabricated brackets), unfortunately. Hope this is clearer. I verified that the calipers were 240SX by matching the casting numbers! ecp48

26th-Z, Thanks for the pictures. I was driving back home to Athens, GA from Raleigh, NC early Sunday morning and planned to go to the Mitty, but the weather convinced me to go on home. I flew in from LA on saturday, where I happened to fall into the MSA - West Coast Nationals the previous Sunday. Trip was not planned, but I will take whatever good comes out of "business" travel. Great show. Too bad I wimped out on the Mitty, maybe next year. ecp48

aaron-san The place to purchase manuals is ebay. You can also buy the factory manual on CD Rom from Courtesy Nissan. I got both a CD Rom and a Paper manual for my 78 on ebay, after a number of bidding exercises. From memory, my original 75 280Z manual was about $75 dollars at the dealer (bought in 1979). The '78 280Z manuals have been going for 70 to 100 dollars on ebay. The other year 280Zs have been going for less. good luck! ecp48 ps: I also tried the on line used book sellers without any luck.

Frank13 I have not installed them yet. I purchased the 240SX calipers with the brackets. They definitely bolt on. I originally thought you used the 300ZX rear rotors, but have since found that to be untrue. The 300ZX rear rotor only works with the aftermarket brackets, not the maxima. I have lined up the caliper/bracket and maxima/280zx rotors and they appear to work. I will post it next week after installation. The difference between the 240SX and late 280ZX calipers appear to be a different angle for the bracket which mounts the emergency brake cable. I also believe there is a difference in the original brake hose (280ZX vs. 240SX). ecp48

PrOxLaMuS© Yes, 3" 90 degree bend, tube. Should extend from the rubber seal at your AFM to a position in fron of radiator. If you check on ebay, there is a guy who lists one with a K&N Filter. Look at it. The only thing to add is a couple of bolts to attach the tube to the plastic shoe, which attaches the tube to the car (slip fit in to bracket/channel on the car, presently mounting the original air filter. The following link is for an ebay unit for 280ZX, no difference to speak of. Just look at for the picture. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33659&item=2477076791&rd=1 Good Luck, ecp48

PrOxLaMuS© I noticed a difference in sound, but I think it was just the induction sound, ie: no or little restriction. It reminded me of the difference btween a 350 Chevy 4 Barrel with a stock Air Cleaner, versus the free flow Moroso Air cleaner. If that helps. If you are like most students, it will be a while before you get the turbo, so make the most of it. Install the clean air intake and header. You can always change the exhaust when you get around to the Turbo or the $$$ strike you. Look carefully at the reducer section that joins your manifold to the exhaust system. It is much shorter and tighter than an earlier 280. Very restrictive. You will be pleased with the difference the header and intake will make. ecp48

PrOxLaMuS© In answer to your question, swaged or expanded means the 3" id was expanded to be a slip fit over the end of a 3" Tube. Your local muffler shop will not produce a "mandrel bent" tube. They slightly collapse the tube, creating a smaller ID in the bend. Yeh, the intake by itself may only produce a couple of HP, but when combined with headers and other changes the result is much greater. As someone has quoted many times on this site, "the internal combustion engine" is nothing but a large air pump. Getting the air in is only half the battle. However, as restrictive as the stock intake is, any improvement is a plus. I noticed the difference on my 78 280 and the addition of a new header was an even bigger plus! The exhaust on the 77 and 78 is real restrictive (area between the manifold and the main exhaust, 2 into 1). Much more so than my previous 75 280. ecp48

Clay, I have never seen "weld in" camber plates. They all seem to bolt in to the modified strut housing. Try Carerra Shocks for a race grade camber/caster plate. MSA also has both a street unit (urethane) or a metal competition style unit. ecp48

Maybe this will help! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=34200&item=7900374256&rd=1 ecp48

For what it's worth, the other post I had received (different list), suggested mixing the RIT with a carpet shampoo and applying it with a scrub brush. Apparently the brush causes the fibers to open up and the shampoo floats the dirt away? Supposed to give better penetration. ecp48

Thanks Zron ecp48

hls30.com Thanks, I had someone else suggest RIT dye on another site, but no one has suggested long it will last. I have to remove the carpets, doing some welding on the floor supports and installing a comp. rear bar, so I will give it a shot! Thanks again, ecp48 Athens, GA

Has anyone done a succesful restore on original carpet? My carpet ('78 280) is in super shape, just faded to that red/brown color from the original black. Is there a good carpet dye out there. I had a previous post I picked up for a VHT product, but it appears to have been a vinyl dye. Thanks, ecp48

Dave, I think I responded to your post on the IZCC board, but I ended up settling on an Acura Integra Leather bucket, Method of mounting using the original Z rails is on the IZCC web site, under technical articles. My second choice, was the Tiburon bucket. Long thread on HybridZ. Apparently it will fit well, though I haven't looked at one. I was on my way to buy a set of the tiburon buckets (Black with Gray insert, but stopped to look at the Integra seats and sotpped there. Try Tiburon on the HybridZ site search engine to find the thread. I can tell you the prices were outstanding! Cloth for appx 65 to 85 each in the Southeast. Leather was appx. 100 to 150 each. I will post the Acura seats once the brackets are completd. good luck, Ed Palmer/ecp48

zeiss150 Hey guy it is going to be just as smooth either way with proper tune up. The differential is performance. Higher compression, more Horse power. Also, higher cost of operation due to the need for hightest fuel. I am opting for the the near 10:1 using a P-90 head, cut .080, on a flat top piston block. the biggest difference will be that I am using an aftermarket Cam with increased overlap, which will allow a higher compression without detonation problems. This is what 2manyZs was referiing to, when he asked if you were planning to change cams. (I am also making additional changes on both the intake and exhaust sides to better utilize the compression and cam.) So the real question is: "are you satisfied with a slight increase in compression and horsepower, or do you want more". At this point, it is your call, mainly based on $$$, maintenance and fuel costs. Remember, smoothness will be solely a product of the final state of tune! ecp48

RoopZ Seems like a nice car. The problem you have is it is priced near the mid to top of the range. From what I have seen, most of the buyers here are looking for a bargain at lower price. Of course, as we both know, those bargains probably cost more in the long run. Have you listed it on Zcar.com? It allows ads that might help. I picked my '78 up from a ZCar.com listing. Good Luck, ecp48

240Zdragon72/Brian You would do as well with a 240SX throttlebody using the JSK adapter (Juan, Jsk) is on the web and he's a member hybrid Z. His adapter allows the use of all of the fuel injection system components, with the 60MM Throttle body. You will need to relieve the entrance to/throat of the manifold to match the Throttlebody, but it is worth the work. ecp48

The 1979 ZX mastercylinder (15/16ths) is only 39.99 rebuilt at Autozone. I checked Pepboys and Advance, as well, Autozone was best on the Toyota 4Runner Calipers (vented Rotor) as well, 39.99 appx. Pepboys was best for rotors, about 24.99 or 29.99 new, I think they were Raybestos. I bought bothe the 300ZX front ventilated and rear solid rotors. The Zx rear rotors were the same. Used rotors within spec make sense, the mastercylinder is questionable. They tend to build up moisture and corrosion while sitting. ecp48

240Zdragon, etc., From a very aging memory, I would guess it was a 75-76, non EGR intake with a Weber Big Throat/mouth, whatever, throttle body. And knowing Harry it was all hogged out to the max! I don't think the Turbo intake was commonly available at that time, 1981 probably about May or June. ecp48

So that no one gets led astray when boneyard shopping, the 1981 - 84 Maxima is "rear wheel" drive. Also, be aware that the majority of these cars have welded on brackets. I am presently experimenting with cutting the welds, just to see if it will work. Seems to me a narrow bead on the top and bottom only. Also the 240SX calipers work with these brackets as well. Yes the stub axles have to be pulled, no it isn't that big a deal with the proper tools. ecp48