I'm restoring a 78 280Z From the wheels up (I bought one new in 78 but had to sell her 2 yrs later when the kids came along). Not much rust, six coats of paint and a cooked engine. It's about 90% complete at the time of purchse in January and I bought a parts car. The problem I have is remembering what work on my Z needs to be done, missing parts I need to order and the good or new parts I already picked up. Being an old Air Force guy, I know something about maintenance records. Attached is an Excell spreadsheet I designed to keep track of the restoration. It has really helped keep on track so feel free to use it if you'd like.

Problem.xls

Welcome to the club, looking forward to seeing your project progress!

Thanks for the wecome. I have veiwed the site for some time and found a lot good info and ideas. I'll post some pics next time. Right now I'm just taking the restore slow and doing it right. When I bought my Z it had a 5 speed in it. The seller threw in a spare 4 speed trans in the deal. Long story short, I now have four transmissions and three engines. I gotta stop doing this. New friend that hauled my parts car to the house said "I've restored 5 or 6 of the Z's and I have a barn with a bunch of spare parts you can have". Nice, after I blow $350 on the parts car I find this out. Tha next week he drops off an engine and tranny out of a 79 ZX with 64,000 miles on it free of charge. And that's how I start piling up parts.

... Nice, after I blow $350 on the parts car I find this out. Tha next week he drops off an engine and tranny out of a 79 ZX with 64,000 miles on it free of charge. And that's how I start piling up parts.

WELCOME TO THE CLUB-ON BOTH ACCOUNTS!

Too many parts can be good and bad, too many of the wrong thing can be sold to get a good example of a right part!

I am in that boat too!

Again, Welcome!

Will

Thanks again for the welcome. You're not going to believe this.........I swear this just happened a half hour ago. The guy that hauled my parts car.....he called me and wants to get rid of a 76 2+2, with title, in good shape, no engine, new turbine wheels and tires for $300 and he delivers it. Here we go again.

You could probably use some of the spreadsheets that I've made up then...Just do a search on (spreadsheets) without the brackets and you'll see some I made up to help out with my 75 280Z. If you get a copy of the Zcar Microfiche CD it will help you out quite a bit, and it will even help tie in with the spreadshhets as that's what they're based on. Believe it or not you can still buy a lot of parts from the dealers. As long as you have a P/N in hand when you go in they'll bend over backwards to help you find the part you're looking for...I've been going in so much they don't even ask me to pay up front anymore...

I've got one spreadsheet on the last post that will let you track all the P/N's, on order, backorder, item recieved...etc...etc.

webdawg1

Thanks webdawg1, I downloaded all the spreadsheets you posted. Cool. I do have a crash list for the 78 Z with a lot of part numbers. My local Nissan dealer parts guy is real helpful. He lets me call in the part numbers to see if they're in stock which is helpful since it's a 30 mile trip into town. Yeah, I live out in the country.

I have picked up a couple a sets of different series I parts over the past few years, like Will I am glad I did. Some of those are no longer available. May part with some of them next year and then I may start another series I or II car. I do not have any parts cars highly frowned on here.

If you break it down one fiche section at a time it's not so over powering...That way you just don't throw your hands up in dispair when you get going on about a zillon things at one time. I've just been checking things off as I go. (I.E. - Repair, Replace, Replate, Repaint...etc...etc) As you take things off, Bag em and Tag em...making note as to fiche section and what needs to be done to it...Item #...etc. I got a whole bunch of Staples paper boxes from work. (Free all day long) Then I put the Fiche section on both ends. That way if I need to do something to an item in a certain section it really easy to locate it.

Just work your way thru each fiche section, and before you know it you'll be done...

If you need any help just put out a cry for help...P/N's, Picture of something,

you name it...

webdawg1

Thanks, I've been tagging & bagging while taking sections apart. Sounds like you have a good system. My favorite toy is the digital camera. I take pics before and after disassembly for reference. Thank goodness for ziplock bags and white lables.

You're not going to believe this.........I swear this just happened a half hour ago. The guy that hauled my parts car.....he called me and wants to get rid of a 76 2+2, with title, in good shape, no engine, new turbine wheels and tires for $300 and he delivers it. Here we go again.

Oh MAN... I wanna be YOU!

Welcome to the club. There are a great bunch of people here and I'm sure you'll get all of the help you may ever need.

Rob

Rob, you're not going to believe this one either. I bought the 76 2+2 for $300 and it is in fairly good (restorable and no engine 85% complete) shape. He then shows me the 71 240Z (restorable and no engine also and 95% complete) he was going to restore and says he changed his mind and he'll let me have both for $600 total. So guess what I did. I'm short $600 but gained two Z cars. No major rust to boot. I should go buy a lottery ticket

Holy hell.

This is crazy. You could end up making a lot of money off of this. Restore what you can and sell on ebay or locally for some big bucks. Or you could just make your own zCar garage with a bunch of sweetness in it. All restored and perfect conditioned Z. :devious:

You could be know as the Z guy in your area!

I wish I were you.