Posted February 27, 20214 yr comment_616709 Good evening everyone, I think I have posted about this before but I am in need of help. A little background, my grandfather left my family around 20 cars or so but thanks to the neglect of my dad they have rotted in the warehouse. I am 18 years old and going off to college next year but have successfully restored a 1994 cobra from the same warehouse. I am based near Houston, Texas and want to make this car a drifting machine. I plan on engine swapping this car but I am unsure on where to start. I will include some pictures, I have started by removing the seats and other items from the interior. I want to remove the dash from the Datsun and have downloaded the manual and watched countless YouTube videos but I cannot remove the steering wheel housing from the car. I accidentally broke a steering wheel remover bolt on trying to remove this steering wheel, please let me know what you all think and if there is anyone based near the Houston area I can contact for further instruction, this would be much appreciated. Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a blessed night. - Reece Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616712 It is a bit tricky the first time you remove a ZX wheel. Rule 1. There is a simple push-on cover over the upper half of the wheel, the one with the ZX logo. I guess its the horn button isn’t it? It just kinda of peels off of the center section. This reveals the 22mm nut. Remove the nut (not quite all the way) the wiggle and pull (hard!) the wheel toward you until it comes off the splines. Done. I just happen to have a tan wheel from an 81 turbo on a ZX I;m parting out that you can purchase to replace the one you “had a learning experience” on. Send me a personal message. Edited February 27, 20214 yr by zKars Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616712 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr Author comment_616717 2 hours ago, zKars said: Alright sweet, I'll have another go at it tomorrow, thank you so much for replying, I might just have to purchase that wheel off you unless I find another online that I like. Thanks again! - reece It is a bit tricky the first time you remove a ZX wheel. Rule 1. There is a simple push-on cover over the upper half of the wheel, the one with the ZX logo. I guess its the horn button isn’t it? It just kinda of peels off of the center section. Video Player is loading. Play Video Replay Unmute Current Time 0:19 / Duration 0:19 Loaded: 0.00% 0:19 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently playing liveLIVE Remaining Time -0:00 Playback Rate 1x Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off, selected Captions captions settings, opens captions settings dialog captions off, selected Audio Track Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text ColorWhite Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta CyanTransparencyOpaque Semi-Transparent Background ColorBlack White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta CyanTransparencyOpaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window ColorBlack White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta CyanTransparencyTransparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default valuesDone Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. This reveals the 22mm nut. Remove the nut (not quite all the way) the wiggle and pull (hard!) the wheel toward you until it comes off the splines. Done. I just happen to have a tan wheel from an 81 turbo on a ZX I;m parting out that you can purchase to replace the one you “had a learning experience” on. Send me a personal message. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616717 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616722 10 hours ago, zKars said: Remove the nut (not quite all the way) the wiggle and pull (hard!) the wheel toward you until it comes off the splines. Use a puller ( a pully puller..) when you can't get it off.. NEVER HIT IT WITH A HAMMER YOU WILL DESTROY THE BEARINGS!! (Like that dumb arse of a painter of mine.. (the first one..) see my "restoration of a 280zx 2+2 1979 slick roof ) I'm still in need of a new bearing thanks to that unprofessional idiot.. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616722 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616725 Maybe jumping ahead, but if you want to drift it, you'll prob need some sort of LSD or weld the diff. I have an '80ZX with a mild build L28, stock diff, Eibach lowering springs,KYB shocks and poly bushings. It won't drift(unless the roads are wet). Popular engine swaps if you can't have the L28 are Nissan RB motors and v8's. I cant imagine a v8 Z would make a great drift car with the added weight. Maybe an aluminum GM 350? You can always replace the dish top pistons in your N42 motor with flat tops and replace the stock cam with a higher lift one. Mind you you'll likely have to replace the stock EFI with something like Megasquirt or Halltech or FAST EFI. Or go carbs. Pretty spendy. I don't suppose your grandfather left you guys with a Toyota Soarer/Chaser? The BMW E36 is a pretty good and plentiful drift car. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616725 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr Author comment_616729 4 hours ago, Reptoid Overlords said: I suppose you're right, to be honest I might just try to make it as clean looking as I can and maybe try and make another car into a drifting car. I have not seen a Toyota Soarer/Chaser in there but if you'd like I can go take a video and some pictures of the cars that we have in there. Thanks for responding! - Reece Maybe jumping ahead, but if you want to drift it, you'll prob need some sort of LSD or weld the diff. I have an '80ZX with a mild build L28, stock diff, Eibach lowering springs,KYB shocks and poly bushings. It won't drift(unless the roads are wet). Popular engine swaps if you can't have the L28 are Nissan RB motors and v8's. I cant imagine a v8 Z would make a great drift car with the added weight. Maybe an aluminum GM 350? You can always replace the dish top pistons in your N42 motor with flat tops and replace the stock cam with a higher lift one. Mind you you'll likely have to replace the stock EFI with something like Megasquirt or Halltech or FAST EFI. Or go carbs. Pretty spendy. I don't suppose your grandfather left you guys with a Toyota Soarer/Chaser? The BMW E36 is a pretty good and plentiful drift car. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616729 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616730 Quote I have not seen a Toyota Soarer/Chaser in there I was more or less making a joke. The Soarer was a 2 door RWD car sold in Japan and some other markets(we got the Lexus SC300, which is essentially a Soarer) Some of them got the 2JZ-GTE engine. Same as a Supra. A Chaser is basically a Japanese market version of what we in the states got badged as the Toyota Cressida. They also had the MarkII, and the Cresta, which I believe shared the same platforms through some model years. You can turn a Cressida into a pretty mean car by swapping the entire drivetrain from a supra into it. Pretty spendy and pretty involved though. For the sake of appreciating autos, post some pictures of your grandfather's collection. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616730 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616731 Mine came off pretty easy. It is for sale if you are looking for another stock one. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616731 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr Author comment_616732 41 minutes ago, Reptoid Overlords said: I was more or less making a joke. The Soarer was a 2 door RWD car sold in Japan and some other markets(we got the Lexus SC300, which is essentially a Soarer) Some of them got the 2JZ-GTE engine. Same as a Supra. A Chaser is basically a Japanese market version of what we in the states got badged as the Toyota Cressida. They also had the MarkII, and the Cresta, which I believe shared the same platforms through some model years. You can turn a Cressida into a pretty mean car by swapping the entire drivetrain from a supra into it. Pretty spendy and pretty involved though. For the sake of appreciating autos, post some pictures of your grandfather's collection. Will do, should I post them on this thread or should I create a new one titled, my grandfathers collection? Before I post them though, my dad has been wanting to sell them so if you're interested any of them are for sale, for the right price haha! Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616732 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr Author comment_616733 42 minutes ago, Terrapin Z said: Mine came off pretty easy. It is for sale if you are looking for another stock one. Thank you very much, if I do end up going the stock route I will contact you 🙂 Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616733 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr Author comment_616735 7 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said: Use a puller ( a pully puller..) when you can't get it off.. NEVER HIT IT WITH A HAMMER YOU WILL DESTROY THE BEARINGS!! (Like that dumb arse of a painter of mine.. (the first one..) see my "restoration of a 280zx 2+2 1979 slick roof ) I'm still in need of a new bearing thanks to that unprofessional idiot.. I did try this but to no avail I still was not able to get it off, I think I might just try and find someone near me that can help me with that.. Anyone know where I can get a dirt cheap trailer? Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616735 Share on other sites More sharing options...
February 27, 20214 yr comment_616736 uhaul dolly is probably the cheapest. Link to comment https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/65108-1980-datsun-280zx-restoration-help-me-please/#findComment-616736 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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