jagster

Sadly, I must agree. I have had some 40 240/280Z's and it is a hard thing to do, but I felt the responsibility to take many off the road for safety's sake. Cars just about to spllit in half, and people drove them to me! I work on all my cars, and that includes XK-e Jaguars, and I would still part one out if it was that rusted and dangerous. I have seen half-XXX-ed fixes that did not help the car's structural ridgidity at all, and they looked pretty. If you are in love with the car, and want to pour tons of money and time into it, then have at it . Better to find another example in better shape and use your car as a parts donor. Or, make a friend for life, and sell it to some chap that needs the mechanicals for his car at a fair price. Please think this one through. Good luck. ron

Somewhere before 1972, there were some strange things going on with the rear-ends on these cars, and the transmission had the 'monkey-motion' linkage. Also, there was a large, rubber strap going over the front nose of the differential, just in case the nose wanted to rear it's head on hard acceleration. Of course, the differential mount on all the cars had rubber in it to quiet down the noise transmitted through the car, and the rubber gets rotten and comes apart. Also, the early cars had the differential mounted more forward than the later cars. This causes the half shafts to move in strange directions, all at the same time. Most gearheads choose to get the later differential move it back with the necessary pieces and line up the halfshafts just like the factory did. And a later 4 or 5 speed transmission for their cars, along with the needed, longer drive shaf. This sounds like a lot, but actually, it is all bolt-in from a donor car. good luck and keep us posted.

Yes, INDEED! Get a later zx distributor and do a little basic wiring, and believe me, it is very basic, as the new distributor has two wires: one is hot, so put it to 12 volts, and the other goes to coil (-) Negative side. AS to the other junk, unwire and leave, or take it out and put it on a shelf somewhere. You will see quicker RPM rise and instant starting every time. Big, fat spark!