head type I.D. on L28 running SU's

[FREE-Z]

My '72 has a '81 L28 and is running SU's. I am asumming it has the head from the Original L24 but I am not sure. Can I i.d. it without looking at the port shape(pulling the manifold)...is there a stamp or i.d. # on the exterior someplace? I have a pile of old service and purchase records and all i find is the recipt for the '81 280zx engine purchased in '97. I'm trying to do as much reserch on things before i start my restoration project and would love a little advise here so I know what I have. I'm not sure if the attached pic will help but here it is. I have been blown away at the knowlege some of you have! Thanks a ton! :classic:

[nwcubsman]

Hello Matt,

Sure you can ID your head. And it doesn't have to be the head from the L24 to run SUs. The intake ports all can use the SU intake manifold. The 2 head castings from the L24 ingines were E31 and E88, the E88 being the most common. The L28s probably have more heads than i can think of, but here it goes.

P90A, P90, P79, N47

There is a casting number on the lower RH side towards the front of the head. Very close to the block.

[beandip]

If you look between #1 spark plugs down where the head meets the block you should see a P-79 . If that is what it is . It's a head from the same engine the block is. P-90 or 90a are turbo heads and much lower compression . The block is marked on the driver side and it is a F-54 if it is a '81 . E-88 heads came on three different years of 240 , or L-24 , engines . Smaller valves and soft valve seats . 47 is 280 head with square ports . I am not sure what year . This is a head many use . Gary

[FREE-Z]

cool! thanks for the fast reply! i figured a stamp was in there somewhere. i will go out find that!:classic: I may put a header on later in the resto and after following the current thread on headers i started to get curious as to what i've got goin' on. now that i know that SU's can run the L28 head i bet it is the one that came with the L28, but i will go out and look now. Thanks a ton! :laugh:

[FREE-Z]

man.... are all the nice z's in portland area or what!? i have tons of freinds and family there and would love to see and talk cars someday. I will be moving to La Grande this summer and hope to go to the Canby show in a year or so. hope to see you guys there! thanks for the help!

[Arne]

man.... are all the nice z's in portland area or what!?

No, some live farther South. At least one each that I can think of in Salem, Albany and Springfield!

[nwcubsman]

Well, as far south as Albany anyway.

Thought I'd entertain you in your little dark, dreary room, Arne.

Matt, if you plan to come down, give us some advance notice and we'll get as many of us together as we can. We do this every once in a while. But you have to promise not to drool on Arne's car. He has to rewax it every time I wipe off my drool.

[FREE-Z]

ha ha ha .. yes I know! Hey Arne , i was hoping you would hit this one.... you may remember my car from the Walterville cedar flat area...i had a for sale sign on it for a short while just after i got the car and was working at tamra and gregs plant stand up there at the walterville store. just wondering if you ever saw it and what you thought of it. bummer i didnt get to know you back then. I still go down that way to see the folks from store, and may be there in a few weeks. without the z unfortunatly. i want to save it for the resto!

[Arne]

You know, I may have seen it - kinda. As in driving down the road and Deanna says, "Look! There's a Z!" Before I can see much, it's in my mirror at best. Bring it down South some time and we'll look it over.

[Arne]

Thought I'd entertain you in your little dark, dreary room, Arne.

Oh, it's even worse than you think, Bryan. Not only am I stuck in a motel room in a town I don't know, I'm spending a bunch of my time here (when I'm not in class or reading Z posts) breaking and then fixing Linux virtual machines. Practicing for Friday's exam.

[a7dz]

Not all the Z's are in Portland but, they do have their share. We have several in Washington .

[Arne]

Washington WILL HAVE another really nice one when a particular orange 240Z I'm thinking of is finished...