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The leak was causing gas to puddle underneath the car.

I'll stick one on my AC to see if it helps the flow of R12!

My fuel pump is a recently installed NOS one, because I wanted to keep everything original as much as possible. I wish I cut the old original Nissan dampner open to see if it was restricted before I pitched it, because the car seems to run better with the new Bosch dampner.

The "Fuel Damper" turned out to be a very difficult part to find. Original Nissan ones are NLA and the supply of cross referenced after market parts has dried up. I spent many hours looking for a substitute and fortunately found one. Its been on my car for two weeks now and fits/works perfect. See my picture. It fixed the dangerous gasoline leak and pressure leak down between starts. No more gas smell in my garage and the car now starts instantaneously even after sitting for days! There is nothing that cross references this part to Japanese cars. Its for old BMW 3 & 5 series cars. But it works fine on my 280Z. To do the job right, make sure you also get some good quality high pressure fuel injection hose and fuel injection clamps. You don't want gasoline leaks in this sensitive area with the hot exhaust just a few feet away! The part number is Bosch 0280161024. Just do a Google search and plenty of buying options will come up. Good luck!

Thanks for the tip on the GM Synchromesh Friction Modified Transmission Fluid. I googled it and it does have a lot of favorable reviews. Folks seem to think its a magic elixir, especially if the transmission is acting up. But since nothing is wrong with my transmission, I think I'm going to play it safe and try the Redline MT-90. That is, if Bob the Oil Guy approves.

Well.....Hells Bells! And just when I thought I had discovered clarity! I guess I'll be changing out the Mobil 1. Would this be good for the Z transmission? http://www.redlineoil.com/product.aspx?pid=46&pcid=7

In my 1978 5-speed 280Z I recently changed the oil in my transmission to Mobil 1 75W-90 synthetic GL-5 gear oil. No sooner did I do this than I started reading that GL-5 rated oils will attack the copper/brass metal parts inside the transmission and that you must use "safe" GL-4 rated oils if your transmission contains "yellow" metals. This did not make me happy at all and drove me into an intense research mode. There is much, MUCH conflicting information on the internet concerning this topic. After hours of research I came across this engineering white paper, which is the most logical, scientific and rational information I could find. I wanted to share it with you. The engineering study is all interesting, but if you want the facts on the corrosive natures of different oils on "yellow" metals scroll down to page 16. Bottom line is I will be keeping my GL-5 Mobil 1. http://www.oilteksolutions.com/GearLubeWhitePaper.pdf

What are the ultimate plans for the 76 280Z? Will you restore it back to original factory condition or resto-mod it?

Feliz Navidad from sunny Arizona!

Just practice on that old crusty crawdad, so when you find the right girl......I mean car you'll know what to do.

I have found an aftermarket damper that might work perfect. But with the holidays, it going to be a few weeks before I can get it installed. If it works I'll post the part number.

That engine is just gorgeous. It belongs in the Louvre!

Is fibremat like the stuff originally in it - like this stuff under my seats?

When you guys get those floor pans all de-rusted and cleaned up are you gluing down a sound deadner like fatmat or dynamat? Any concerns with moisture getting trapped between the mat and metal?

It makes me queasy thinking that a chemical stripper can hang up in your car only to percolate out years later and dissolve your paint. How do you know if you have gotten it all out or neutralized it? I guess if a few years pass and your paint job isn't bubbling up you know you did good. I once read that early on Detroit considered using galvanized sheet metal in all their cars. But they killed the idea because it added a few hundred dollars of cost to each car.

I spent a couple of hours reading last night after googling acid dip vs media blast. I did not realize how controversial a subject matter it is. I'll see if I can do a quick & dirty summary of what I read. If chemical strip is done right, many agree it is the best. The body is dipped in acid and/or alkali and then neutralized and immediately e-coated to prevent flash rusting. The key step is neutralizing the last chemical dip, otherwise it will leach out and destroy paint years later. E-coating is a process similar to powder coating. Google it to learn more. There are many advocates of media blasting. Most agree NOT to use sand, as it is too aggressive and can easily warp thin sheet metal. The downsides of media blasting are that it gets into every nook and cranny and is difficult to remove before painting. There are upsides and downsides to each. Its sort of pick your poison. Makes me glad I have an Arizona car!

Would someone be so kind as to explain the best way to clean a car body shell? Some acid dip. Some media blast, etc. I notice that on the show "Overhaulin" Chip Foose media blasts. While on the show "American Hotrod" Boyd Coddington acid dipped. Now both sand blast & powder coat frames. Not trying to hijack the thread so don't anyone get all butt hurt. I think its a relevant discussion that may help Mr. Wheee since he is just starting this phase of his restoration.

I hate to be such a stickler for detail, but its: "Say hello to my little friend!"

When I was a kid, we could perfectly straighten out a dented up beer can by exploding a firecracker inside it. Maybe a cherry bomb might do the trick on the gas tank? Remember to drain it first!

That should work good. My first car was a 1976 280Z. It was a nice car, until one night, after closing down a bar, a friend and I were doing some high G-force maneuvers and I launched it into a low earth orbit. After it landed on a curb, it was so bent, I had to sell it for salvage. 30 years later I found my 1978 280Z. That one gets treated like royalty!

You might even find a body shop that has a special device for doing that to body panels.

Your old gas tank can probably be restored to as good as new. Contact these people: http://www.gastankrenu.com/

Get your old gas tank to these people & they will make it better than new: http://www.gastankrenu.com/

Brake handle was like that when I bought it......so I don't know. The shifter knob is new - got it on eBay. Hard to find!

The car is a 99% original survivor car. Not restored but "refreshed." I bought it from the original owner who bought it in Phoenix, Arizona in 1978! So its been here in the desert its entire life & not one speck of rust! The only notable exceptions to its originality are the leather seats & aluminum radiator - both easily reversible. Here's an engine pic. But staying on the topic of leather seats - you will like them very much. It was well worth the money I spent.