About to be a 280z owner - First Things First?

[ryyy]

First time post, been lurking for a while now.

About to finally become an owner of a 77' 280Z! The car is actually being given to me by a very close family friend. She is retiring and moving back home to her

motherland. While having dinner at a family function, asked what she was going to do with her late husband's Z which has been sitting for months now. She said

if I wanted it, she'd be more than happy to sign it over (: She said it starts but it hasn't been driven in a while.

I am fairly new to the Z world and have been trying to read up on modifications and maintenance.

My first step is to make sure the car is as reliable as I could possibly make it before executing big modifications. My post is to ask for suggestions on what should be

done/replaced immediately after taking ownership of the car. I don't know the maintenance record on this vehicle so I'd pretty much be going in on this blind.

Of course if a car runs smoothly, doesn't mean it's perfect. I am thinking of finding a Datsun specialized shop and have a thorough inspection on it (If anyone is

in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and knows of a person/shop that may do this for me, please send me there way!)

My concern is what I should check/replace with the motor as I have limited knowledge on the workings of a Z. I'm not the greatest mechanic and dont have all the tools

in the world (which is why I'd like to take it to a professional to look at) and I'd like to get some forward knowledge into what I might need to replace. I would like to

keep the L28 and not swap out for a different motor, but might look into it eventually.

So far when I take possession, this is what I have first planned to make it more road-worthy:

• Power wash entire vehicle to rid of built up dirt, grime, debris, etc. (underbody, suspension, engine bay)
  
• Rid of all fluid and replace with new
  
• Suspension: New tires, wheels, brake maintenance, bushing replacements if needed, bearings.
  
• Engine: Replace all gaskets, lines, hoses, and other general things (ie: spark plugs)
  
• If anyone could chime in on what else I should generally do, it would help me out a lot!
  

My plan is to make this car for daily performance, leisurely canyon driving, maybe a few auto-x events. Future and sure modifications would be soon after would be:

• Coilovers (undecided)
  
• F & R disc brake conversion
  
• Techno Toy Tuning suspension parts:rear/front lower control arms, tension control rods, RCA's,
  
• Polyurethane bushings - all
  

Motorwork/power would start after I have the car with a solid handling base as I feel it is pointless to add power without sorting out the suspension first.

[rcb280z]

The state of CA will not allow any engine mods of any kind. You have a pretty good list of things to do, just scanning through it quickly. As far as "lines" go make sure fuel and vacuum lines are replaced. Do a valve adj, compression test, and a complete tune up and post results. Be very careful doing any "power washing" of the engine bay. Make sure to thoroughly dry EVERYTHING.

I should add...anything after 75 still needs to pass an emissions test as well as a visual inspection.

Edited August 13, 2013 by rcb280z

[Zed Head]

I am thinking of finding a Datsun specialized shop and have a thorough inspection on it (If anyone is

in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and knows of a person/shop that may do this for me, please send me there way!) Good luck, there really don't seem to be many out there. The cars are old and not very common. No base to build a business on.

• Power wash entire vehicle to rid of built up dirt, grime, debris, etc. (underbody, suspension, engine bay) Power-washing will power force water in to a lot of places you don't want it. Think twice about cleanliness,it's over-rated.
  
• Engine: Replace all gaskets, lines, hoses, and other general things (ie: spark plugs) Many things will best be left untouched. Not broke, don't fix.
  

• Coilovers (undecided) The car already has coilovers.
  
• F & R disc brake conversion Probably pointless, except for looking at and talking about.
  
• Polyurethane bushings - all Over-rated. PU's main benefit is that it's cheaper than the factory bushings and sounds racy. There are a couple of bushings that benefit from the firmer PU durmoeter like the compression rod, but many are better in rubber,like the small control arm bushings.
  

Just a few things to think about. Find out how long it's been sitting first. Some parts, like the clutch and brake hydraulics, are almost certain to go bad after sitting a long time. Other parts, like injectors, can last a long time if the FPR and pump keep the system sealed.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Zed Head

[LeonV]

I'm not super familiar with Socal, but try Sunrise Z in Glendale or Beta Motorsports in La Habra (John Coffey is the owner and on this board). I think Pierre Z is still around too, they're in Gardena. Pierre Z did a lot of work for Nissan during their factory restoration program in the late '90s.

Not really sure how close any of those are to you since you just list your location as "California"...

[siteunseen]

One easy thing to do and avoid gunking up your fuel system is to put in a fuel filter between the tank and fuel pump. Also put in a new OE one up front in the engine bay, behind and to the right of the radiator on the passenger's side firewall. If it's been sitting a long time you should drain the old gas before trying to start it. Here's some things to look at:

Z Car Tech Tips Fram G3 Filter Installation

Z Tech Tips Ball and Socket Compression Rod (AtlanticZ.ca)

EDIT: That last link shows up as "ball and socket compression rod" but it is actually about removing the gas tank and shows how to drain the fuel.

Edited August 14, 2013 by siteunseen

[Virto]

First things first - get it towed home. If you don't know how long it's been sitting, don't drive it - don't even start it.

Once you have it home, drain the fuel tank and look for any rust or particulate. This will tell you if your next step will be dropping the tank and having it boiled or if you're safe draining and re-filling it.

As mentioned above, adding a small in-line filter between the tank and pump is a great idea. The little buggers are only a few bucks and any insurance is good insurance. Tank gunk and rust will clog the fuel pump inlet screen and you'll potentially experience a rainbow of different issues with drivability. I know all about this, personally.

Change the under-hood fuel filter and any of the EFI fuel lines if they are worn or cracking. Make sure you get EFI rated fuel line. It's around 6 bucks a foot or so - if the parts store gives you a cheap price, it won't hold up to EFI pressures and then you'll have some serious issues to deal with.

Replace all your cracked or worn vacuum hoses as well (another personal experience). Pull and check the plugs and replace if needed.

Just keep coming back with questions and updates and we'll give you a hand.

[240260280z]

clean all the 'lectrical http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/electricalconnections/index.html

[rcb280z]

Now you have an excellent list in front of you. You can see now there is some work to do. It will be well worth it to do it now. Post results as you go so everyone can help you. There is so much good info on this site you can't go wrong.

[FastWoman]

Instead of power washing, just break out a small scrub brush, some rags, and some WD-40. Use that to clean the engine. Use detergent on painted surfaces. Don't go crazy with the water.

The first step after you get the engine running (which will give you some much-needed encouragement) is to verify and/or rebuild your brakes. Stopping is far more important than going -- not as much fun, but definitely more important.

Along with your very-important electrical refresh, pay special attention to the fusible links. Also clean all of your fuses/clips and lube very lightly with dielectric grease.