so I'm planning to get an S30 Z! 240 or 280?

[sblake01]

Another contradiction for you - from Zhome an article by Carl Beck (and others) about Z trannies and rear ends: "1977 through 1983 Factory Four/Five Speed Transmission Ratios Note: Ratios in 4spd.'s are the same as 5spd.'s For 1st-4th gears". This was only a headline for a lrge amount of data refering to these years.

I am guessing this is refering to any given year as opposed to the collective group. I am fairly certain that the ZX trannies vary from the 77/78 Z versions.

Well the Zhome article is ......... WRONG! Sorry to whomever that offends but wrong info, and there is a lot of it out there, tends to become the 'truth' if enough people read it and repeat it. Read the last line in my signature (thanks to Jayhawk) If something doesn't quite seem right to me, regardless of what others may say, I try to seek more accurate information rather than 'someone told me' or 'I read somewhere that...' etc.

[sblake01]

m4xwellmurd3r, I'm wasn't knocking your car in my earlier post, but it has problems, as mine once did and it took a while to sort them all out. Hell, they're 30 years old. I was just saying that BuDavid should base his choice, 240 or 280, on what their potential is not their quirks which both 240Zs and 280Zs, as well as 260Zs have. When they're right, like any car, they're pretty darn good.

[Sailor Bob]

I've had both the 240 and the 280 - loved them both, drove them both to their limits - both were scary over 110 mph and neither were nice at a high speed on a windy day. But how often are you doing that?

Stuff happens to 30 year old cars - they will have things that need to be fixed after all that time, but when you have replaced a few hoses, belts, bushings, corroded connections and things of that nature - you got a great and reliable car. Stephen has nailed the point, if the car is well miantained you shouldn't have any trouble.

[m4xwellmurd3r]

m4xwellmurd3r, I'm wasn't knocking your car in my earlier post, but it has problems, as mine once did and it took a while to sort them all out. Hell, they're 30 years old. I was just saying that BuDavid should base his choice, 240 or 280, on what their potential is not their quirks which both 240Zs and 280Zs, as well as 260Zs have. When they're right, like any car, they're pretty darn good.

today i'm taking care of all the corrosion with vinigar. scraping and scrubbing wasn't enough, so i've gone to chemicals ^^

i agree though, mine does have problems (what 30 year old car that sat for years doesn't?) I'm just glad i've found all of them so i can fix them. it just sucks that i can't find a shop to fix my tank. i can't do it at home since i live in an apartment complex.

[240znz]

As-salaam alaykum Mohamed.

Get a 73 240z with a 5 speed fitted. The 73 was the last of the 240z's and had most issues ironed out. Great car and has the bumpers you want. I'm sure that someone has one with L28 in there that they are willing to sell to you somewhere in CA or AZ.

As for the flex issue. It will a little more but I doubt you'd notice the difference once you've changed the 35 year old suspension and control arm bushes.

Ma as-salaamah

[240zGraham73]

I would say go with the 240z, but I have never owned a 280z or really had experience driving one. I wouldn't imagine the body would be less rigid, the 280 probably just had to be bigger to hold all that extra crap for emissions. Either way I'm sure you'll have a blast with whichever you choose.

[240ZMan]

Mohamed, I think the answer to your original question is best answered by your answer to this question: how much work are you willing to do swapping components? If the answer is: plenty, then go with the 240z.

I've "fixed" everything I didn't like about my 73 by swapping in other components and 1) had a lot of fun doing it - well, most of it , and 2) am quite happy with the end result.

My changes include:

280zx block

N42 head

reground cam

conversion to megasquirt for fuel injection

82 ZX 5 speed

4.11 from Nissan 720 pickup

LSD purchased new - that felt strange

Tokico springs, Illumina struts

Strut bars

Toyota 4x4 calipers up front

240SX calipers in the rear

Front camber bushings

Upgraded radiator

etc., etc.

The result is a car that runs with stock 350Zs on the track in terms of acceleration and corners, and doesn't fade its brakes. In fact, at the last track day I was running the same lap times as (or faster than) several 80's vintage 911s.

Plus it has the classic Z looks and all the attention that brings.

But, it took a long time and a lot of work to get to this point. I really enjoy wrenching on it, so it was definitely the right path for me.

The great thing about the early Zs is that they weigh less so you can get a good level of performance with just simple bolt ons. You can do the same with the later 280Zs, but you've got more weight to stop, start, and turn. Of course, some of that weight gives you more comfort such as better HVAC, better stereo, quieter car, etc.

But to your earlier concerns about the stiffness of the chassis, unless you're going to add a big V8 or turbo L6, the stock chassis with strut bars is plenty stiff enough to have fun.

Hopefully that gives you some inputs to help you make your decision.

[m4xwellmurd3r]

As-salaam alaykum Mohamed.

Get a 73 240z with a 5 speed fitted. The 73 was the last of the 240z's and had most issues ironed out. Great car and has the bumpers you want. I'm sure that someone has one with L28 in there that they are willing to sell to you somewhere in CA or AZ.

As for the flex issue. It will a little more but I doubt you'd notice the difference once you've changed the 35 year old suspension and control arm bushes.

Ma as-salaamah

there's one out by where i live at a used car dealership, one owner besides the dealer, with an l28, but i believe a 4spd.

found the craigslist for it. 4900 though there were closer pictures on their website, imo it's in good shape

[76Datsun280z]

When they're right, like any car, they're pretty darn good.

They sure are!

FWIW, I'll share what I've thought about the experience that I've had with mine.

So far I've put close to 10,000 miles on mine. It has not once ever left me stranded or broken down. I've done a ton to it in the past year and that has accounted for a lot of it, but it never seizes to amaze me how nice it drives for a 31 year old car compared cars of today, it's amazing to me atleast and think about it every time I drive it.

Another thing is how nice and smooth these engines run when they are in tune, they are so silky smooth it's rediculous. Having EFI is also a pretty cool thing to have for a daily driver. Starts right up every time and no pumping of the throttle is necessary.

One thing to remember of coarse is, don't expect to buy one and not ever have to do anything to it other than basic tune-ups. Expect unexpected things to occur out of the blue every now, but most things that I've found are pretty easy to take care of. I guess what I'm getting at is that it's pretty amazing how well these cars hold up and can be with a little care.

[sblake01]

........the 280 probably just had to be bigger to hold all that extra crap for emissions.

They're the same size.

[dogma420]

Stephen--

I took out my 4 speed manual from my 72 240z and put a '77 5 speed in it--love it, because gears 1 through 4 are exactly the same. It's like I have the same transmission in it, except there's a 5 gear for the highway. Of course, I haven't actually pulled the gears out and compared, but from my past research before getting the tranny, and from informatin I have seen, I got this tranny over the 'better' later 5 speed simply because I liked the ratios of the 240z 4 speed and wanted to keep them. I will simply live with the 5th gear shift fork being slightly more prone to having issues over the later one. Course I could be wrong, but I drove the 4 speed one day (for the last 40k) and then 3 days later drove the 5 speed, and it was the same tranny in ratios.

I think if I had to choose, from a 280 to a 240, it used to be that if you got a 240 you'd have to start replacing everything because it was getting old, but that now applies to a 280. Since all items are getting the point of having to be replaced, a 280 will save probably a little money in the same type of parts, but the 280 has more parts as well.

Having owned both, I definitely would go for a 240...the 280 is not 'more solid', at least it doesn't feel that way...(I know, that the unibody has a little bit more metal to it) it is heavier, so it feels 'more solid'. True, it didn't come with a rear sway, so that's why I put my own on my 240. Fiddling with carbs? At first, I spent about 4 hours learning SUs and then they're pretty easy...they are such a simply design...if you are having issues with the SUs vs. having issues with the fuel injection, I would probably choose the SUs (240z) over the 280's fuel injection.

However, I am one to keep a full set of tools, along with a bunch of shop towels, in my 240 and have a few times, had to work on my car on the side of the road...last year I had to snag a squeegee from a gas station and have my arm out the window squeeging the window on the way home because my wiper linkage busted, going home from work!

Anyways, if you enjoy working on your car, imo I like the 240 better. I also had a 260z, and the computer brain died, and when it did, it took forever to figure out that that was the problem...nothing like that happens on my 240.

Stephen I have always thought of as the 280z guy, and his car is an awesome example of a nice 280z, if you are considering a 280z I would talk to him more. His blue 280z is a great example of why a 280z would be a great choice.

[BuDavid]

As-salaam alaykum Mohamed.

Get a 73 240z with a 5 speed fitted. The 73 was the last of the 240z's and had most issues ironed out. Great car and has the bumpers you want. I'm sure that someone has one with L28 in there that they are willing to sell to you somewhere in CA or AZ.

As for the flex issue. It will a little more but I doubt you'd notice the difference once you've changed the 35 year old suspension and control arm bushes.

Ma as-salaamah

someone here knows arabic better than me??:lick: kidding..

and WAW!! too many replies within one day!

ok, let's not make the transmission issue bigger over here, I practical test can be a true evidence by measurement in a classical way..

but I like the 5-speed trans. because it drops the RPM on the haighway, less noise and fuel consumption.. defenately engines life.

I guess I'm more pulled now to a 240, since it is more "mechanical" and I beleave that it can't beat the EFI in control.. also it will have the bumpers that I wouldn't eliminate.

Dogma, your reply was really good and direct.. I thank you for it.

and as for most of the replies stating that it is a 30 year old car and has many things to be replaced.. oh yes, I consider replacing all bushings below + shocks and springs.. I'd go for "1 drop by eibach if I get one..

as I learned from my previous Z, replacing them will bring back the sould of the car even if it was a 30 year old car..

I also read that some guys moded thier 240's with rear sway bars! if so, I'd do it also, it wo'nt be a big job for me..

but did 240's have good AC's?

and what about rust issues.. maybe it is easier to find a rust free 280Z thatn a rust free 240Z..

guys if anyone knows any good rust free 240Z with nice carbs I would go for it.. if of course it is worthy, I don't want those Z's priced too high just because they say that it is totally "rebuilt" or they are show cars..

I would mostly like to get a Z from a good member of this club, from a grown up who doesn't use it for races..

if anyone knows personally about a real good one let me know about it.. specially from AZ, I heared that there are the best ones because of the dry climate.

cheers..