the_tool_man

You can do far, far better than that. I bought a complete, rust-free (ish), almost running '77 for $8500 a couple of years ago. I've attached an "as picked up" photo, and one of the spare tire well. Bone dry, non-rusted and complete. I swapped in a working AFM, new fuel injectors and fixed a couple of vacuum leaks, and it was running. The car you're looking at probably needs a lot of work to arrest the rust, based on what's visible.

As info...my bumpers arrived from Futofab yesterday afternoon. The boxes are printed with big letters that say "MADE IN TAIWAN". So apparently Futofab bumpers are no longer sourced from Vietnam. Or, maybe they get them from multiple sources. Waiting on brackets from Eurodat to test fitment.

Ford has been using flat plane cranks in the 5.2L Mustang GT350 since 2015: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a15354688/holy-flat-plane-crankshaft-we-finally-get-an-in-depth-look-at-the-ford-mustang-shelby-gt350gt350rs-5-2-liter-v-8/ A unique sound, for sure. I doubt the DOHC engine would fit in a Z, however.

I use Super Clean (formerly Castrol Super Clean), which I believe is similar to Purple Power, but with sodium metasilicate and sodium hydroxide. I get it by the gallon at Walmart on a regular basis. I do know from experience it is quite alkaline, and will eat your skin at full concentration. I've used it to clean aluminum without ill effect, even when soaked for a day or more. But it usually doesn't take that long to be effective, especially if it's warm. If I'm remembering my college chemistry correctly, the key is to fully immerse the part. If you dip it and leave it exposed to atmospheric oxygen, it can oxidize the aluminum if not rinsed off. Incidentally, it is fantastic for stripping paint from plastic parts without damaging the plastic. Don't try that with regular paint stripper (methylene chloride)!

I went through the same thing with my sending unit. I soaked it in EvapoRust for a couple of days, and it looked and worked like new. Before, pretty crusty: After, working just fine: In the left of the after photos, you can see the homemade soaking "tank" I made. Just scraps of plywood nailed together with a trash bag liner.

As I will upgrade my Z to a 5-speed one day, and likely won't be able to afford a rebuilt unit, I'm glad this thread exists. I've rebuilt a toploader before. So far, this doesn't look significantly more difficult, provided one can find parts.

I just finished reading this whole thread...whew! I ordered a pair of FutoFab bumpers this morning for my 280Z. So I'm down for front and rear mounting brackets. I have two questions that I haven't found answers for: 1: The as-mounted photos don't seem to match up to the holes on my car for the tie-down brackets. Do you need to drill holes for the rear brackets to fit the body? 2: Will the rear bumper fit beneath the extra piece tack welded to the body, used to fill the gap between it and the old 5mph bumper? This might look bad, even if it does fit. But it would be nice to have a rear bumper on the car while I save up for bodywork.

Futofab bumpers ordered. Merry Christmas to me!!! Thanks for the nudge.

I've been away for a while. I was one of the ten mobile app users, I guess. It came in handy for looking up info while in my shop (no wifi). I understand wanting to drop the app, especially if it isn't being used by many. I tried Tapatalk. But it refuses to recognize my password for some reason. I even updated my account info on the web version to make sure they were the same. Weird. I guess it's mobile web browser for me!

Hi all. I've been "off the reservation" for a while. I'm on the fence about retrofitting early bumpers to my '77 now, while the fuel tank is out of the way, or later, when I can "afford to buy bumpers" (i.e. not have to delay gratification in other areas of my life). And driving around bumperless isn't a good idea in SC (or probably anywhere). So I need a nudge... Any updates on recent orders, to guide me toward a particular vendor? Harrington is out of my budget. But the Asian ones might just be attainable, if the quality is there and a reputable supplier can be nailed down.

Update: After much searching, I ordered this one from eEuroParts: Somewhat disappointingly, it took them a week to ship it, and another four days in transit. But it fits perfectly. As you can see from the part number stamped on it, it's the same BMW part Consigli found two years ago (280161024). It just wasn't listed under the same part number. Maybe that's why they hadn't sold out yet. Just sharing in case it helps someone else. Sent from my [device_name] using http://Classic Zcar Club mobile

Hi all: Bringing this one back from the dead for an update because I'm going through the back-half of my fuel system; cleaning and de-rusting the tank, new fuel pump, lines and damper. After searching for OEM unsuccessfully, I ordered this: https://zcarsource.com/fuel-damper-280z-280zx-75-83-new But after getting it the other day, I realize it won't work without making a custom mounting bracket. And I'm concerned about its relatively small size when compared to OEM. Perhaps it doesn't matter. But I'd rather find something that mounts like stock. I've searched repeatedly for the Bosch 0280161024 one referenced in this thread. But I think they're NLA as well. I did find one website that listed them, and placed my order last night. But I halfway expect to get an email from them saying "sorry, out of stock". https://thmotorsports.com/3304076-bosch-0280161024 We'll see. EDIT: They cancelled my order. The part is NLA. While I'm waiting, how are the "damperless" cars running after a couple of years? Any issues? Any other options for the damper? I've searched using more generic terms, but not found anything in stock that mimics the morphology of the OEM damper. Thanks in advance.

Nice workspace. I really like the neon sign, too.

That reminds me of when I parted out my '98 Cobra a few years ago. By the time I took the shell to the recycler it only weighed 800lbs. I got more for the stock H-pipe with four cats ($96) than I did for the shell of the car ($80). Fortunately I had a friend with a flatbed trailer who could help me deliver it whole, so I didn't have to cut it up.

I picked up a G3 filter to install. Quick question...the linked article refers to the fuel hoses being 3/8". But all the ones in the engine room of my car are 5/16" I got under my car last night and measured just over 5 feet of hose. It measures the same OD as the 5/16" I've used elsewhere. Which size is it? At something like $7 per foot, I don't want to buy the wrong size. Yes, I know I don't have to use the FI hose on the suction side of the pump, or the return line. But my local supplier doesn't have low pressure hose rated for alcohol. So I plan to use the good stuff everywhere.

That went higher than I expected. You never know how well someone's vision for their car will align with potential buyers'. It's good to see such a modified car bring the money.

You can't snipe on BaT. Last-minute bids extend the auction.

"L6 Music" indeed. I've listened to that clip five times already. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

I'm kinda digging the white letter tires, though. Nice Z.

It's your car. Do what you want. But if it were mine, I wouldn't. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

That happens a lot on BaT. Keeps the riff-raff out. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

FWIW, I ran a Torsen type diff in my Cobra and loved it. They're expensive. But worth it in my opinion. I did my own install, and it wasn't too bad. My mistake was buying an aftermarket gear set, switching to 3.73. They were quite noisy. I later took it to a professional mechanic ($400 labor) to see if he could get it quieter. But he couldn't. Further research revealed that brand to be noisy. The point is, doing a diff isn't that hard. At least a Ford 8.8 isn't. I haven't done a Nissan one. But really the principles involved don't change. Plus, the independent rear means you can do the swap on a workbench instead of under the car. I wouldn't hesitate to do it. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

I think EGR stuck open would be a big vacuum leak and cause severe drivability issues. When my car had a similar leak around a single injector, it was undrivable. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

I wish the PO of my car had opted for this instead of a sunroof. Sent from my XT1254 using Classic Zcar Club mobile

How does this compare to just installing an adjustable FPR?