Proud to be a Z Owner Again!

[FunkytownZ]

Hello Everyone -

New Member here... look forward to getting to know everyone here and hopefully I can provide some helpful info instead of only inquiring about it.

my new Z was delivered tonight... i flew to Arizona last weekend to inspect it and finalize the purchase. 

I can't explain how or why i became obsessed with Z's as a 15 year old looking for his first car, but the fact they were cheaper, looked badass, were quick, and no one else had one had me sold!  my father also sold Nissan's in the early 90's (sold quite a few Twin Turbo 300ZX's while he was at it) - so he was kind of in my ear about these Z cars.. we bought a beautiful 1983 280ZXT - 5 speed with t-tops, digital dash, suede leather, low miles.  i also took super awesome pics with it and got all the ladiez (not really, at all)

as a dumb 17 year old and thinking he could conquer everything on the road, i wrapped it around a tree my senior year.  one of the biggest regrets of my life.  totaled the car, unibody frame was unrepairable... however, everything else was in perfect working order.  after freshman year of college, that summer i found an empty 280ZX shell and transferred the entire car over to the shell... everything.  I learned a great deal about the Z in that sweaty garage in the Texas summer heat.. but, i did my due diligence and brought another Z to life.  Got it running and sold that car as i headed back to college and dad didn't want to hold it for me.

I've always had the itch to get another one and finally pulled the trigger. i had been searching the last months and gaining familiarity with the latest pricing..  i also had focused on the Z i really wanted - a 280Z... two weeks ago, I found one searching the San Diego craigslist - wasn't much in Texas and i wanted something from that dry climate.

it's not perfect and i already have a list of projects to do on it, but the body is super clean and overall the Z is in great shape (brand new wheels and tires, other parts, lower miles, even lower miles on the engine).  even came with some fender flares!  the headers, 2.5" exhaust and magnaflow sounds amazing, race-car like after 4k RPM.  Engine pulls strong, but could use some cleaning up on the AFM / electrical connections, grounding.  i also have a new AFM boot being delivered tomorrow (the current one is wrapped in duct tape).  already printed off the EFI Bible and have a Haynes manual delivered.

1978 280Z - stock L28 - 5-speed.  15x8 -20 offset fronts, 15x10 -25 offset rears, 6-2-1 headers, 2.5" magnaflow exhaust, aluminum racing radiator/ fans, lowered 2"

10 years since I've owned a Z, and couldn't be happier to be back in the Z community!

- FunkytownZ

[grannyknot]

Hey Funky, welcome to the forum, someone has spent a lot of hours smoothing out your car. Interesting colour, it's a good look. Just some advice, think long and hard before installing those fender flares though, once that metal is cut it's cut.

This forum is a great resource for any problems you may run into so you have come to the right place and we love photos

Chris

[FunkytownZ]

3 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Hey Funky, welcome to the forum, someone has spent a lot of hours smoothing out your car. Interesting colour, it's a good look. Just some advice, think long and hard before installing those fender flares though, once that metal is cut it's cut.

This forum is a great resource for any problems you may run into so you have come to the right place and we love photos

Chris

Thanks Granny (don't wanna know what the knot means)

oh trust me, I don't want to install them and pop holes in that body!  to me it looks incomplete without em, and since this vehicle most likely will not stay original (EFI upgrade or carb conversion later in life), i think the flares are the way to go.

but i will seek the guidance of this forum before doing so - preview pics with and without the flares and solicit some feedback.

 

Edited January 27, 2017 by FunkytownZ
added info

[RS02]

Hello from Michigan!


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[siteunseen]

Welcome to the club!  I wish I had the ones I ruined in my teens and early 20s, they were little race cars to me.  Cheap and plentiful back then but no more.

[heyitsrama]

That's a clean Z, yeah I'm with granny on that one, no flares on that, the chassis looks too good. Would definitely put one a series 1 rear and front bumper. It would look [emoji1419].
Esp with all the little chrome accents.


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[FunkytownZ]

1 minute ago, heyitsrama said:

That's a clean Z, yeah I'm with granny on that one, no flares on that, the chassis looks too good. Would definitely put one a series 1 rear and front bumper. It would look .
Esp with all the little chrome accents.


Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

hey rama thanks for the feedback!  I've also thought about going that route... having the bumper delete makes me worried of one little fender bender or idiot in a parking lot, plus i agree the chrome would really pop with some additional accents.   I'll keep that in mind.

fun to think and imagine all the possibilities!

[Pop's Z]

A granny knot is a square knot that isn't. Nice find. Enjoy the ride.

Cheers, Mike

[gwri8]

13 hours ago, FunkytownZ said:

I can't explain how or why i became obsessed with Z's as a 15 year old looking for his first car…………..I've always had the itch to get another one and finally pulled the trigger.

 

That's something most everybody here can relate to, me included. 

I'm not opposed to fender flares, just not on my car though. I put too much effort into parts searches and lean towards the purist side.  Your Z, your whim.

Welcome!

[FunkytownZ]

First day and got the AFM boot replaced.  plugged it with a PVC plug and hose clamp (we'll get into why i plugged it later).  also re-located some cables and secured them

So i start inspecting the main electrical connections on the EFI (throttle, cold start valve, water temp, thermotime) and they all need cleaned.  i've read i can soak them in vinegar or take some steel wool and electrical contact cleaner... any recommendations there?

i then find a cable that's not even connected and start digging through my manuals.  come to find out, i have no aux air regulator installed . could be why my idle is so high, i also have trouble cold cranking (it always fires but the first time is tougher), but i think it has more to do with the poor condition of my cold start valve connector.  I also suffer from some backfiring and hesitation during acceleration, although last night it ran pretty good

here's what a L28 SHOULD look like.  mine is the much crappier version below - you can see i'm holding the rogue air regulator connector in my hand. lot of tidying up to do.

I do know that it is an N42 block and N47 head, which is a start. just don't know what year the engine is from.  is there a difference in the intake / AFM?  I've seen the 75-77 AFM boots dont have the additional port but the 77.5-78 do... 

[FunkytownZ]

First day cruising around Funkytown... ran great, got a few thumbs up and talked to a couple other Z owners.  also got its first bath.  headin to the FWSSR (Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo) - cheers y'all!

 

[jfa.series1]

Here's one more welcome to the group - very nice looking car!  If you have not already done so, look up the Cowtown Z Club on FB.  Really a nice group of folks who enjoy fun things with their Z's.