Restoration Unveiled Today 08.17.2019

[Car54280ZX]

My restoration is finally finished. Now sitting in the show room at Robert's Automotive in Springfield, Illinois.

1981 280ZX Grand Luxury Edition, Manufactured September 1980. I drove it off the car lot on January 12, 1981.

Features: Engine rebuild, original paint, original carpet and seats, re-upolstered interior and headliner, re-plated cadmium engine parts and restored wheels. I haven't driven it for almost 24 years. Original miles 25,536 and I have all documentation to back that up. I paid the ultimate price for NOT driving it - an entire engine rebuild. Everything works except the status display in the center of the instrument cluster. (See photo)

Need to figure how to trouble shoot the status display.

Needless to say I'm excited. I will be able to take it home before the end of next week. Still needs to have the air conditioning system re-charged.

[jfa.series1]

Beautiful car, extremely well done.  Congrats - now, drive the damn thing and get some long past due enjoyment out of it.

[jonbill]

That is a fantastic job.

[colinc]

I love that colour combo. Beautiful car. Congrats !

[Zup]

I totally agree---beautiful car Rich---very nice.

Looks like you'll both be ready for Branson ZFest and Nashville next year---no problem.

Looking forward to seeing it and you. together.

[Patcon]

There is a company in Greenville SC, circuit board medics. They might be able to troubleshoot you in-op display

[Car54280ZX]

Thank you Patcon ! I will check into Circuit Board Medics for sure. It's the only thing that's not working.

[Car54280ZX]

4 hours ago, Zup said:

I totally agree---beautiful car Rich---very nice.

Looks like you'll both be ready for Branson ZFest and Nashville next year---no problem.

Looking forward to seeing it and you. togeth er.

Thanks, Zup ! It's been a long time restoration. Roberts Automotive Antique Car Restoration division did a great job. And really great people to work with. We really worked together on this - I did lots of the research. Then bought lots of items that I decided not to use - too cheap looking. Like carpet. I stayed with the original carpet and just had it cleaned by a fire restoration company. If a fire restoration company can't get stink out of things, no one can! 

One thing I messed up on is the valve cover. after months of frustration trying to learn how to restore the finish, I finally powder coated it. I learned at the 50th Anniversary International ZCon last month in Branson that I cannot enter into the pure stock category. Only purists (like all of us Z owners) would know the difference.

Items that I would have been penalized on include:

1. Powder coated valve cover.

2. Powder coated intake manifold.

3. Powder coated transmission bell housing.

4. Dealer installed pin striping.

5. Dealer installed side moulding (installed with rivets).

If I pull off the pin striping and the side moulding, I would see a paint color difference, requiring a complete re-paint. I have original paint, still. As far as the powder coating, tons more work to redo the intake manifold and bell housing. That's down the road a bit, now.

I hope to enter it into a slightly lower "stock" category at next year's Branson ZCon and Nashville.

[Car54280ZX]

6 hours ago, colinc said:

I love that colour combo. Beautiful car. Congrats !

Check out this photo. My Mom (longtime deceased) found this in an ad in a 1981 volume of National Geographic.

Exact color, exact everything. I have it on one of my three display boards that I created.

[Car54280ZX]

17 hours ago, jfa.series1 said:

Beautiful car, extremely well done.  Congrats - now, drive the damn thing and get some long past due enjoyment out of it.

I "will" absolutely drive it this time around! What a huge mistake. I will store it in my attached garage this time, better humidity control. I'm thinking about buying a "CarCoon" from the UK. These CarCoons have a circulation system included. I would just have to install a 220 volt hook up in my garage, which should be a breeze.

[Car54280ZX]

5 hours ago, Patcon said:

There is a company in Greenville SC, circuit board medics. They might be able to troubleshoot you in-op display

I reached out on their website and sent an inquiry. I tried to sign-up as a user but they have to approve you.

It's Sunday, so I will wait to hear back from them.

Thanks for the tip!!

[Car54280ZX]

I reached out on their website and sent an inquiry. I tried to sign-up as a user but they have to approve you.

It's Sunday, so I will wait to hear back from them.

Thanks for the tip!!