Ben's Z

I assume that will require using an ohm meter. I don't know my arse from first base with an ohm meter..... What should I set it on?

The 77 smells like it is running rich and the spark plugs tell me the same. I get a backfire and stumble pulling away from a stop under partial load at low revs. That being said I seem to be getting the same problems others have had I found searching similar posts about EFI problems; and all those seem to indicate air bypassing the AFM or the coolant temp sensor; and others indicate a lean condition with that. My boot seems to be in good shape. What kind of tests can I run on that sensor to check that? Any other suggestions? I want my pile running as good as this pile will run for my trip to Fredericksburg next month. After this trip I am going to pull my Turbo motor from the parts car, have the head refreshed and put that in the 77 anyhow.

My power antenna worked fine when I bought the car but when I set it up for the suspension refreshing I put the antenna down, now it will not go back up. The motor works, in either direction. I was going to just jump into it, but wanted to check with the experts first in case it is always the sample problem...

Houstonians: Please PM me and I will work something out with Frank. Who is going now anyway?

Frank I am down with that. I even thought about 11AM. Frank, what do you think about the weekend prior Houston guys could get together for a group tech session? I know you are confident in your car, but it might be fun to have a get together to make sure everyone's car is ready to go.

Just booked it. Contemplating driving. Sure would like to convoy with some others though.

Ha, so the fact the I had to push the master cylinder against the pushrod and thus push in the MC piston means that bastard is way too far out?

Is this where the threads are showing?

In trying to work out the kinks of my rear 280zx disc swap, I decided to see if my reaction disk had fallen off in to the booster, indeed it had. I JB welded the reaction disk back the "plunger" and now my brakes have gone from mushy and then grabby at the end of the pedal throw to what I consider extremely firm with little pedal travel. The car brakes ok, but I feel if I had a little more pedal throw it would grab a lot better. I pulled the vacuum line between the check valve and the booster and the check valve was whistling, could that be bad? Now I don't know what to check next.

Anyone else towing?

Also interested in the shirt and magnet...

Guys, I am having my mom come down to watch the little one, so I am in on this; but I have one question. This would be by far the biggest road test I have ever put my Z through in my short ownership. Are we driving there as a group? Or are we all leaving on our own and hoping everyone makes it on their own? I'd feel a hell of a lot better driving in a group...

UPDATE: I completed this project and have driven my car some. Overall compared to my wore out suspension it feels much better. I have not heard any squeeks on my suspension whatsoever and the ride is not harsh in my opinion. Clearly my old Mulholland struts were wore out but with the combination of the KYB strut inserts and Eibach springs, the ride is compliant but not rough. I do only have 14" wheels so this could all change when I go to 16's. I would do it again.

Finished up (99%) of my 4 month long suspension restoration and rear disc brake upgrade. Stripped entire chassis, media blasted all parts. Repainted semi gloss black (should have gone with satin). Installed new KYB struts, Eibach springs and rebushed entire car with energy suspension bushings including spindle pins. Made stencil of mustache bar part number and resprayed part number on mustache bar. Converted rear to 280zx brakes, need to adjust ebrake cables for slack and rebleed brakes and I am all done. I also put in new tie rods and ball joints. I clear coated them in matte clear to retain the cast look and minimize corrosion. I also used hi temp clear on my rear calipers for the same reason. Ready to get some drive time in.

So after doing a little searching I found my Z's original owner awhile back, and decided to call him today. I have every paper and invoice he ever did to my car and all the owners between never tossed any of it. My current paint scheme and 280zx hubcaps were all done by him in 1981. He said he had never owned a car longer than this one. He told me that when he got it, it had a dealership plate riveted to the hatch and made them take it off, fill the holes and paint the deck before he took delivery. I told him I just took out his Mulholland inserts this summer. He was an attorney here in Houston and now is a lawyer in Dallas, I think he is about 70 years old now. I could go on and on, but he gave me his email address and I am sending him pictures. He has pictures of it when he had it new and is going to send me copies.

I'd recommend in this order worst to best, siphon gun, gravity non HVLP, HVLP gravity. High volume low pressure guns waste less paint because the air pressure is lower at the tip, you get more paint on the car and less in the air.

From what I have seen paint manufacturers say it is ok to spray epoxy primer over old or multiple substrates. If I was going to take it all down to bear metal I might consider an acid etch primer.

I too will be painting my bay when I do my motor swap. I have some body experience. I was going to degrease the engine bay and scuff sand with 220 and red scotch brite pad the engine bay. I will probably use epoxy primer and a base clear 2 stage paint. A quart of base usually makes two sprayable quarts and will be PLENTY to do the engine bay, areas behind the fenders, cowl etc.

Do you need to have actual Swastika center caps to fit swastika wheels? Or will other center caps with the same hub hole fit swastika wheels?

I went and looked at the brake pads. The ones I pulled off of my parts car are not even the same side to side. The new brake pads I bought are all the same and would fit the right side using the left caliper as this swap requires. I downloaded the fsm for an 83 at xenon and they show nothing like my parts car LR caliper. I am baffled.

I have read countless threads about this swap... I bought 1983 A1 Cardone reman calipers left and right with Beck Arnley pads, caliper part #'s 19-566 & 19-567. I have a 1983 turbo parts car I was going to use the mounting brackets for. I took off both side and the drivers side had this huge steel bracket. The mounting bracket itself appears to be part of the rear hub assembly. The parts car on the right side has what appears to be the correct caliper bracket I need. I am using Z race products hub brackets. Here is the picture I took of the left Cardone caliper, the caliper I pulled off my parts car and that large steel bracket. What am I doing wrong, and what do I need to do to fix this.

I took the turbo wheels off my parts car, glass beaded the wheels and have wet sanded the lips and polished two of them, so far so good. I may just sell these on ebay, they seem to bring decent money, to raise funds for the Rota's or use them until that day comes to get rid of my awful hubcaps that came when I bought my car from another 280zx. I was going to repaint the factory grooves where the old factory paint was that I media blasted off. (was gold) I was going to use the dupli-color graphite paint I used on my taillight surround and then clear over the paint. Here are my questions: 1) Should I clear that paint and the face of the wheel too? Or just clear over the paint and leave the face of the wheel bare aluminum? 2)Should I use a matte clear or a normal clear coat? For either above situation... If anyone would be interested in buying these when I am done and wants some other factory color on the rough aluminum I would be glad to finish them to your specifications. I only have 1 center cap. I would rate the wheels at an 8 of 1-10, so they would be great for your nice driver.

I think I am just going to clear over the castings.

Did you use a hi-temp paint?

Guys, I am wrapping up my 4 month long suspension restoration and brake upgrade on the 280. I picked up my 280zx rear calipers today and I am in limbo on what to do. I want to paint them so they don't look like crap in 4 months. I need help in deciding what color to paint them... Brembo gold: I like the color frankly but don't want people thinking I am a dbag:cool: for doing that. If you rolled up on a guy with a 280z and his calipers were painted Brembo gold, would you think he is a douche? Red: (See Brembo gold) only the stereotype could be worse. Black: eh? Yellow: Not on a silver car IMHO. Cast color paint: I like this idea too, keeps them looking fresh without saying "hey look at my brake calipers!" I intend on having 16" Rota RBR's in hyperblack by the end of the year so I want something that will jive with my wheel choice and color. What is everyone's thought on this?