Ressurecting my grandfather’s 280z

[siteunseen]

Here's a cheap way to see if your tank is rusty.  They are around $3.  Also tank cleaning thanks to @240260280.

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/fuel/g3filter/index.htm

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/fuel/gastank/index.htm

Here's the whole enchilada, very helpful too.

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/

Edited August 20, 2018 by siteunseen

[Zed Head]

On 8/19/2018 at 2:59 PM, pdw5000 said:

On another topic, the clutch had basically no resistance. The fluid was still topped off so I kept pumping it about hundred or so times. I was able to get it to start feeling normal. However, it wouldn’t engage the clutch. With the clutch pushed in I couldn’t get it in gear. If I shut the engine off and put it in gear with the clutch pushed in and tried to start it, the car would start moving like it was in gear with no clutch pushed in. Seems like the clutch is stuck. Thoughts on how to deal with this?

You can watch the slave cylinder rod move if you have somebody push the pedal.  From below or looking past the starter.  

It's possible for the MC seal to fail and still not leak.  There are two seals, one for pressure, one for containment.  If the pedal moves but nothing happens, that's likely.  You can also peel the rubber dust cover from the slave cylinder to see if it's leaking fluid.  It should be dry.

[siteunseen]

And they are way easier to change than the rear wheel cylinders. Price is about the same too.

It'd be cool if you could spend a few dollars and get it road worthy, drive it and hopefully keep it but sell it with the neat story and one owner car if you decided to sale.

How about some pictures? 

 

[pdw5000]

Thank you for the link siteunseen! That website is awesome :)

 

Latest update: gas tank has been removed and is at the local radiator shop. There was a lot of rust inside so that was a good call! The shop is going to put it in the hot tank, red coat inside, and repaint exterior for $150. I thought that was a good deal vs trying to do myself and probably wouldn’t have been as good of a job as a hot tank. I also ordered slave and master clutch cylinders. I figured mind as well replace both for all the money they cost ($13 and $23 I believe from NAPA).

 

I’m really having fun working on the car. It brings back a lot of good memories. I am also surprised how affordable parts are and how easy it is to work on. I thought being a foreign car it would have been neither of them.

 

I am glad you reminded me to take some pictures. I get caught up in it and forget to take photos. Here are some photos of it in the garage now jacked up for the gas tank removal. Hopefully, when I get the tank back in (should have tank back end of this week) and clutch working, I can pull it out for a full detail. I also included some pics of interior, engine bay, underside, and worst spot of rust on rocker. Other than a quick wash job this is how I found it under the car cover.

[Dave WM]

nice looking car. the rust too look for is under the battery, under the brake master, rockers and rear hatch deck. Yours looks to be very solid. You may want to bone up on jacking points, IIRC the rear should be on the diff crossmember.

[Dave WM]

hopefully the AC works, they are a blast to drive, and not your typical 57 chevy or 60's muscle car. Good gas mileage to..."Datsun Saves" Awesome!!!

check out some of the old 70's era commercials on you tube, it explains a lot about style.

[siteunseen]

Ask about the curing time for the Red-Kote.  I've done two and both needed about a week baking in the sun.  The directions say to not put fuel in until you no longer smell the liner's chemically smell.  They may have a way to bake it though?

The car looks great!

[pdw5000]

Update: I installed the newly refurbished gas tank that turned out very nicely, replaced the master clutch and slave cylinder. Now the car runs and drives great! I was able to take my grandmother for a short little cruise and it brought back so many happy memories for us. Now that we have got it running and driving, my grandmother and I have decided it probably does not make any sense for us to hold onto it. She really isn’t capable of driving it and I really have no use for it. The only reason we even contemplated keeping it was for the emotional connection. After getting it running and taking a short drive, it gave us some closure. So now that we have decided to sell it, I was hoping to get your collective thoughts on what a fair price would be?