Picked up a dirt cheap 76 280z runner/driver. Always liked these cars so why not add another project to the pile. Needs some body work, but i'm not going for show car. this will end up just being a cool looking driver. I will be making or buying some new frame rails as one is pretty much toast. Also do the floor pans at the same time. Have the stock tank out, was all bashed in and not too clean. So I will be dropping in a fuel cell in place of the spare tire. Just trying to have fun with this build so there will be some different ideas and creative touches along the way. Tube bumpers, D-ring tow hooks, rear diffuser, turnbuckle style wing and splitter etc. Came with 4 new tires to throw on the old turbines, which will work fine for now. hopefully get some coil-overs on it at some point as well, get it sitting right. Just a few pictures of the start, update more as I get stuff done! 

(sorry for the huge dump of info/pics! copied part of my intro thread to here as it seemed a better place now)

here are a few more pictures of the car and where I am at on motor work ( was going to go carbs..but just putting the EFi back in for now). As you may be able to see its a ATK engine so at some point someone through that in here.

  I wish the bottoms of the seats were like the rest, maybe can have someone re-do them one day

 

 

Broke out the energy suspension bushing kit and started with the mustache bar. They were by far the worst in the car and it cause the usual clunk when shifting hard. Got the spare tire cut out to make room for the fuel cell. Started mocking up the rough height/area where it will be sitting so i can go get some !" square tube. All I have is round and some random box steel that is a little overkill. It got pretty cold again the other day, so i pushed the Z outside and tried that as a poor mans dry ice method on the sound deadening. Worked pretty well! combined with a few hammer taps as I moved along. Got a better idea of what I'm up against with the floors.

 

I will just be doing my own flat sheet floors and frame rails. I have the tools and metal, so why not save a little money. I'm not going for 100% resto anyways, Just clean and strong. I also plan on having the Fuel cell flush to the trunk floor so I can cover with some aluminum floor plates i'll make. The filler hose and vent line will have to show through but it is what it is. I plan on boxing in the cell outside with some dimple die'd aluminum panels. Or a combination of that and a custom aluminum diffuser to help hide it and just add more of the aggressive race look I want. Anyways enough babbling till I get more done!

 

on to some pics

 

nasty mustache bar

to a little less nasty bar

 

Removing the stock sound deadening. came out in some pretty decent chunks.

my rust free floor

rust and tar weight reduction stage 2

 

Fuel cell mock up. Not the greatest fuel cell in the world. but it will get the job done and get this car on the street.

I have most of what i need using my parts from my truck fuel system. Just need to grab a few more -AN parts and should be good to go. Going to be waaay more fuel pump than I need right now.

Edited March 20, 20177 yr by MN280z

Interesting project. Check out HybridZ.org as they are more in line with the type of mods you are doing.