speedyblue

I was under the impression that the coupe doors are the same, but the 2+2 doors are different. But I can't back that up and I am only about 5% sure. I am 90% sure that I could do with some better doors though. I stopped looking at the under side of the inner skins because it was getting depressed.

Did anyone notice the ad stating "you are bidding on 4 ground wires" and the picture and wiring diagram shows 5 wires. Does this mean you will only see an 8 to 12 hp increase??? I think I have too much spare time.

Will the 260z doors fit on a 240Z?? And what nick are they in?

I got a mig welder, a heap of crap and a bonnet from a TR7 sitting under the hood if my Z. Have to put it back on when I get the front sorted. In the car, I have got a stock L28 fresh from an 83 280zx (Aus spec) with the round top carbies, extractors and a 2.5inch exhaust. Very plain I know, but still fun.

Buy a pressure cleaner. Great for cleaning built up gunk and crud from most things very fast. Downside, if you go about it too roughly, you might cause some damage, but I have used this method many times without incident. Just watch loose flaking paint. That, and some quality elbow grease and metal polish.

My 4X4 has an auto in it and i wouldn't have it any other way. I have an International Scout with no roof as a weekend car. I drive it to the beach and such so I'm always in traffic and it would be a mission changing gears all the time. It uses a chrysler 727 torqueflite behind the 345 cube international donk and has a real low stall converter. The stall is generally supposed to be set where the engine makes max torque, which is at 1800rpm on the scout. It's the perfect car for dragging off guys in their Range Rovers. But for the 240Z, definately prefer the 5-speed.

Having a hi stall or low stall converter won't change the overall ratio. Just incase 280zx fevers post threw anyone off. It is like a clutch that will keep slipping up to the stall rate, whether is be 1800rpm or 4500rpm. The closer it gets to the stall point, the less it slips. Having said that, a 4500rpm stall would severely increase fuel comsumption. Auto's are made to change gears fast and hard. Most people don't want this so car manufactures restrict oil passages and stuff so that the autos sliiiiiiiide into gear smoothly, ensuring that the driver/passengers don'e spill their coffee. They also wear out faster because of this. Get a shift kit and the oil gets through better, the gears change faster, wheels chirp and less fuel gets used. Down side, it is all a bit harder on the driveline. My fathers HQ 1 tonner ute with the holden 308 would chirp gear changes with work gear in the back and 265 tyres. Until the input shaft on the auto snapped off. Also broke the teeth off a few diffs. Useless background info I know, but just incase someone was unsure.

I don't think i have ever seen a thermo fan thicker than 2 inches. That is roughly the thicknnes of the one I have. There are quite a few different fans lying aroung the house and they are all about the same size also. Actually, just realised you can just see the fan in my altivar and it is on the front of the radiator. That is why I had no worries with clearance.

I replaced my viscous fan with a single 10 inch thermo fan and temp switch on what is pretty much a stuffed radiator and it worked great on my L28. Even with about a quarter of the cooling fins gone if would only heat up to about halfway. Not running a thermostat though. No idea what volume it flows. But I do love the lack of fan noise when it revs. Makes for much quieter under the bonnet. Revs quicker, but didn't notice any different on the road.

When it is warmed up, run your hand over the radiator tubes and make sure the whole thing is the same temperature. There might be some crud in there blocking up a few tubes and reducing the area it cools with. At least then you can be sure that the whole thing is working properly. I had a car where the bottom third of the radiator didn't heat up because it was blocked. The tubes ran horizontal on it though.

A few of my mates have the ricers. They have basically saved up the cash to start with and gone from there. As you finish uni you get the better job and it all moves along faster. He started with his mum's ford laser. Swapped to a 1.8 liter engine, then swapped that for a 1.8 litre turbo engine, then upgraded that. He was lucky though. His GF's father is a panel beater and so far she has got him various body kit parts and a nice set of racing seats. This has been over about 3 or 4 years. My story, I saved a bit of money working for my father at a labourer whilst at uni, then managed to purchase my first car at the start of my second year of uni. A nice metallic blue 240Z for $2000 from a wreckers in Brisbane. Cost me another $500 to get it in the road and it has continued from there until about 18 months ago when it got parked in the garage for a while. It is getting a second chance now and should be back by the end of the month. It has always been a daily driver though, never got hotted up too much. Looked very tough and sounded even tougher with 235's all round and an L28 with a very open 2.5 inch exhaust. It has got a muffler but it is hard to tell sometimes. Scott

I don't have to worry about the fan shroud because I run thermo fans instead. Much quieter under the bonnet. I can't put the bonnet on for a while yet because the front is stripped bare, hinges, headlights and all in the ready for fittment of a G-nose so I can't go by trial and error. Thanks Scott

I just threw a 280zx radiator into my 240Z because the original one is shot. I can't put the bonnet on just yet, but it looks like it will hit the radiator because it sits higher. The 280zx is a 1983 model. Does anyone know off the top of their head if it will hit and how much it needs to be lowered by? Thanks Scott

When my car was up for sale, someone went over it with a fine tooth comb, and a stud finder. Good Idea actually. Maybe that was the body filler testing device you heard about. Good luck

Once again the 280zx member is still attached to the gearbox while the 'straight' 240Z one is on the floor. Didn't overseas 280zx models have a different, stronger 5-speed? I think I read on the Z-garage site that the rear mount was a little farther back and required something to be modified to fit it in a 240z. They must have moved the mounting points back on the car to accomodate the longer gearbox, but then neded special mounts to fit the old style gearbox to the Aus spec models. I guess by using this mount facing backwards, you could fit one of those gearboxes to a Z without having to modify the cross member. Any thoughts?

The Gearbox mounts are the same size and the 280zx one will bolt up to the 240Z no worries BUT the centre of the 280zx one is offset towards the front by 10-15mm resulting in a curved cross member.

These pieces are from a 240Z and a 1983 280zx. The steel plates that bolt directly to the engine are the same, 280zx bolted to the block, 240Z on the ground.

The little steel plate that bolts directly to the block and to the rubber bushed engine mount on each side is exactly the same as the one from the engine that came out of the car. The gearbox cross member id different!! Photos to come. Scott

The Engine mounts are the same. I pulled an engine out of my 280zx last night to pu in my 240 but I haven't checked the gearbox cross member yet to see if I need to swap it with my original one. Should have a definate answer some time tonight.

I'm swapping an L28 straight from a 280zxinto my 240Z. Should I swap the front engine pulley with the 240z one or just keep the 280zx one? The 280zx one seems chunkier. How do they hold at high revs?(7000rpm only, not trying to kill the engine here) I have a vauge memory of someone saying they don't cope with the revs. Thanks Scott