Front cross member switch

[trkbr2001]

Hello everyone. Another Z car fan here. I current have a 72 240Z and a 93 300ZX and love them both. I have owned another 72 240Z and 260Z in the past. I have a bent front crossmember on my 72 240 and have found a 77 280Z in a local salvage yard. Can I swap these out? How big of a job am I looking at?

Thanks

[jmortensen]

I know the rack bushings are different between the 240 and 280. I believe that the 240 rack and bushings will be loose on the 280 crossmember, but I'm not positive. This begs the question could you use the 280 bushings, and again I don't know the answer. Other than that I know the "horns" that the rack sits on are reinforced on the 280, but I don't think that makes any difference with regards to your question.

[ecp48]

Rack bushings are different due to the rack, not the crossmember. To my knowledge, and I've swapped a few of them, there is no difference.

I've always tried to use the early rack in the 280s, due to the grease fittings on the side opposite the pinion, the bushings don't wear as fast. All I ever had to do was change the bushings to those appropriate to the rack.