That dash is an easy fix - a weekend if you can get it out in good order. Some spray foam, a few razor blades, and a can or two of truck bed liner.

Looks like a great starting platform. Here's my thoughts/observations, etc:

 

I spy with my little eye a California floor temp warning indicator. Makes sense for where the car is.

 

Lots of non-factory wire loom in the engine compartment. Let's hope it's not hiding a nightmare. There's also a lot of what appear to be new parts up there. Makes me think someone was chasing a problem. Let's hope they found it.

 

What's the thing in the engine compartment mounted to the driver's side strut tower? Next to the master cylinder and the windshield washer bottle? Is that a cruise control actuator?

 

Is that a 90-96 shift knob?
 

Wow, good eye!  Yes, it's a cruise control system.  It's obviously aftermarket or maybe a retrofit, and I'll probably be getting rid of it once I get into the dash since I can't envision using it.  I hadn't realized those floor temp indicators were limited to just CA cars, since all the Zs I've seen have had them.  Learned something new today.

 

I'm hoping that whomever hacked up the interior wasn't doing any work on the engine.  In the time I've had it, it seems to be running pretty well -- hasn't stalled, idles and revs well, pulls well, no problems overheating, AC works great, etc.  If there are gremlins in there, they are hiding well.  Fingers crossed.

 

Shift knob looks like it came from a Z32, though I'm not sure.  The shift lever in there doesn't have the bend that the stock lever has, so the leverages are messed up and shifts are awkward and unnecessarily difficult to make.  My guess is that it was a misguided attempt at a DIY short-throw shifter, but it managed to pull off the rare feat of being both nonfunctional AND ugly!  It too is on my shortlist for replacement.

You can get some covers for the fusible links off e-bay for about $15.

My guess is that it was a misguided attempt at a DIY short-throw shifter, but it managed to pull off the rare feat of being both nonfunctional AND ugly!

 

Haha!! It's a two-fer!!

 

I believe they changed the shift lever bends a couple times over the course of the first generation and some of them can change how the shift lever comes up through the console. I've not studied the differences in detail at all, but I think it's possible it's stock, but just from a different year? Besides being hacked off short of course.

 

The guys with early year Z experience would know more about the different shift shaft designs.

Have you looked at the transmission?  Could be a 71C swap.  A look through the shifter hole would tell.

Curiosity got the better of me after all this transmission talk.  I didn't see any markings to confirm, but looking around at pictures, I'm pretty sure it's the stock 71B.  Shift lever looks like it's bent -- is it supposed to be shaped like that?  Inner boot is in bad shape, transmission boot is missing, and that ZX boot was spray painted black.  More stuff for my birthday list.

 

 

Removing the console also revealed a mini knife, toothpicks and a flosser to go along with the rest of the general nastiness.  I might have diseases now.  Vacuuming made me feel better about it, but didn't really help.  Interior restoration is rapidly moving up the to-do list.

That's a 280ZX or 80's Maxima or truck lever (ZX style I know, not so sure on the Maxima or truck.  That's a guess based on year).  The two tan plastic bushings give it away.  The bushing is spring-loaded, the lever can be pressed down against the spring.  Not really sure why they did that, maybe to change the action, or make it more comfortable.

 

Could be a different 71B transmission than the one that came with the car if the shift lever came with it.   Better gear ratio spread if it's from an 80-83 ZX, but works best with a 3.9 ratio diff.

First annoyance of my own making came when trying to finish up with the fuel tank.  Here's one of the straps, which I sprayed with two coats of Eastwood Extreme Chassis Black and the accompanying primer.  They looked nice, until I put a fuel-safe adhesive on there for the insulating straps that then dissolved the finish coat.  I tried some 3M 90 on the other one, and the same thing happened.

 

 

The primer is fine, but the finish seems like it has no adhesion to the primer and could be peeled off in sheets.  I'm not feeling good about buying all that paint, and more than a little concerned about how the tank will hold up now, plus I'm running out of glues to try.  Maybe silicone adhesive and hope there isn't enough gasoline to break it down?

Post that in the Eastwood forum and see if one of their techs will chime in with an answer. Then let us know what they say.

...Removing the console also revealed a mini knife, toothpicks and a flosser to go along with the rest of the general nastiness.  I might have diseases now.  Vacuuming made me feel better about it, but didn't really help.  Interior restoration is rapidly moving up the to-do list.

 

been there - feel your pain. i found quite an interesting array of "treasures" when i gutted my interior. 

my favorite: seat belt retractor was not working correctly - took it apart and found a couple of fake fingernails (painted) stuck in there. lovely.

 

keep posting pics so we can all vicariously enjoy the progress

Nice Z, thanks for sharing!

Edited May 2, 20159 yr by joeybricks