Av8ferg

Well, it finally happened. After much patience, frustration, and personal injury and many days of defeat the 280z finally started. I installed the fuel tank today and that was a royal PITA. No jack and doing it alone was painful. Somehow the stars aligned and it it worked. Still can’t believe all the crap that I had to do to get this car started. No way it could have happened without great dudes on this forum. You guys led me the whole way so thank you. Check out the link the a successful start.

I’ll check. Only one had an engine, just the block with a valve cover covering the pistons. Someone took the head already. You want the metal mounting points right? BTW one of these cars (1975) had the original radio. Is that worth grabbing.

This place didn’t charge to enter, just showed me on a map where they put them all. I love junk yards too. It’s sad to see these cars abandoned and each one has a story to tell. People really don’t appreciate old cars like these, new cars are too damn expensive these days and you can’t do any work on them yourself and that’s by design. When I head back I’ll post so you can submit your requests, Capt O, got it on the brake booster, they all had the master still attached and minor exterior rust near the master mount point, mine looks the same on my car but was perfectly clean and dry on the hole where the master mounts.

Download it from here: ? http://www.xenonzcar.com/s30/fsm.html

I think that may be the fuel return line . I believe all the evap lines go to the evap tank on the right rear of the car by filler tube. My opinion would be to replace the line. You are inviting future problem and it will be easy to do it now than later. Download the 1978 FSM and it will tell you everything you need to know.

No, I didn’t grab the booster. I really wasn’t prepared to go to the yard and was just checking it out. Was in semi-nice clothes and borrowed tools from a stranger to pull the few items I got. To get the booster I need to lay down near the pedals. So I’ll be prepared next time. Putting an old flight suit in my car (the best car working outfit BTW), some PB blaster and a good set of wrenched and drivers. I’ll be ready and grab it for you as well as the other requested items

So I failed to do my research like Capt Obvious. I’ve read that 77 and 78 have different door windows that earlier Z’s. So now l’ll try and sell it on eBay. ?. This one is from a 1975

I was thinking the same thing

It will sit in a hot garage for 5 days. Hopefully that will suffice. Break....break EuroDat, thanks for the measurements. I tried to pull the line of the Z’s in the yard today but the fitting were rusted and I would have stripped them out. Will bring PB blaster next time and a proper fitting wrench and try again otherwise will try a diffferent approach. Lastly will this driver’s side window fit in my 77? I know they made some door changes that year but not sure if it effected window attachment or figment.

I already left but can grab them possibly next week, forgot about your request.

Good score today at a salvage yard in NC not the one crushing that 1975. This place had 3 280zs. See pics. I got a drivers window (mine is scratched to hell), a hood cable, shock tower seat belt cover (mine is cracked) all for $40. Capt Obvious they have 2 brake boosters $25.

I need a favor. I forgot to mention the when I pulled my brake master cylinder there were no lines connected to it. I appears the PO forgot to put them back in and I never noticed it because they connect under the master cylinder. I’m sure its next to impossible to order these two specific lines individually so I was think a flex line possibly. Since I’m now headed back to NC I cant measure the lengh I need.

So the tank didn't cost me extra $$ but its been a hassle. It took three tries for them to get it right. First time they didn’t repaint the outside and just did a primer, so I said please finish the job. 2nd time I went to pick it up the filler pipe was still rusty inside and they lost the drain plug. 3rd time I went to pick it up and shined a flash light inside they missed a 4”x4” spot in the tank on the top. They then reboiled and stripped it all one more time and then rebaked the coating, and now it looks like new. This porcess took about 5 weeks because they’d “finish” the job and I would have to wait to get back to TN. See pics. I dont have the before pics because my iphone went tits up and I hadn't synced it...hint sync your phone every 2 weeks. My phone was only 4 months old, Needless to say the tank was really bad inside. On the bumpers. I like the 260 bumpers too. Cliff, i watched a vid of removing the rear bumper shocks and it seem they need to come out by pushing them and the tank would be in the way. Maybe there is a way but seems like a tight space. I don't really want to repull the tank bit it might be the right plan. I think these 77 bumpers looks like crap but wanted to focus my limited time to geting the functional aspects of the car done.

Capt Obvious that was some impressive research on the TVV. You are a true lover of these cars....thanks for that. So I got my fuel tank back today ($350 later) they had to redo the entire boiling and sealing process. Will install when I return to Memphis on Sunday. I’ve debated pulling the rear bumper off now with the tank out but I’ll still have that drip edge that welded that might look odd. You guys think I should pull the bumper now or wait and pull the tank at a future date. I’m hoping the car starts with a fresh tank and clean fuel. If it doesn’t I’ll need to serious help as what to do next.

Do any of you guys know if these rivets will work to install interior tirm? I’m not interested in paying $1 per rivet that I see on Z parts sites. I need to start installing my trim I have in boxes. https://www.amazon.com/uxcell-Black-Plastic-Bumper-Lining/dp/B01913JEKS/ref=sr_1_11?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1525723377&sr=1-11&keywords=5mm+interior+screws

Yep, and my car has AC so it might become a problem. If it does I’ll probably have to go with electric fans.

Darn, I tossed that old rad. It looked like it was a prop in the Mad Max movie. They wanted $300 to repair it. I really can’t srore parts where the car is anyway and im already on the bad side with the owner for various garage infractions.

O’reillys has a master cylinder for $52. Its made by Nabco (same co that made my OEM clutch master but is not a Tokico.) An OEM Tokico one is online from $250-$329, not sure if thats worth it.

Good point on the fan shroud and philosophy on OEM parts. Car came without a shroud and I replaced the radiator because when they tested the old one at a shop it had 5 leaks and it was cheaper to buy a new one. Not sure if a OEM shroud will fit if I can find one...

Worked on the Z today. The tank wont be ready now until Wednesday so i turned to other tasks. -Replaced the clutch slave cylinder -Removed the front bumper which was damaged on one side and I'm putting 240 bumpers on somewhere in the distant future. -Removed the brake master cylinder. It had black residue in the reservoirs and a white chaulk powder inside where it connects to the booster and overall did not look serviceable. My brakes just go tp the floor also. Ordering a new one tonight. Do you guys always buy OEM parts? I replaced my clutch salve cylinder by one from Beck Arnley. Also cleaned the outside of thr car. Probably hasn’t been properly washed in at least a decade. Here are some pics of hos she looks.

I think I discovered why, The one you had was for a 1978. Is there any differenc., my instinct says no.?

Capt Obvious, is that Thermal Vacuum Switch from RockAuto meant for a 280z. When I put the year make and model 1977 280z, it didn’t come up with the close out switch. This is what I found,

Great comments. Capt Obvious made me LOL. I will bring you that brake booster when I get permission from my wife to go. See, she hate cars and anything that take time away from her. Thanks for the link to the part...buying 2. Yeah I live in Coastal NC but work in Memphis. The car is in Memphis. Plan when I bought it off eBay about an hour south of Memphis was to getting it running and then drive it back to N.C. That plan had turned into a partial nightmare. I don’t get a lot of hands on time with the car and when I do and find a problem I have to order parts and wait another cycle to get to attempt to get it running. The car is in a garage at my crash pad and the owner isn’t thrilled about how long it’s taken to get running. He especially enjoyed the fuel leak when I removed the tank and stained his expoy floor. So I’m motivated to get this car road worthy to say the least. I appreciate all the help guys.

I got that little bugger in there. Pulled the seat out and then put my head lamp on so I could free up a hand. I just got lucky. I tried the vise grip approach but there is a vert hose that gets in the way. I head to the salvage yard next week. I like the idea of getting the cars glass. My windshield has some serious scratches from where a PO ran the wipers without a wiper blade. Not sure if that windshield glass is easy to come by. I don’t think Safelite will have one. ?

I got that little bugger in there. Pulled the seat out and then put my head lamp on so I could free up a hand. I just got lucky. I tried the vise grip approach but there is a vert hose that gets in the way. I head to the salvage yard next week. I like the idea of getting the cars glass. My windshield has some serious scratches from where a PO ran the wipers without a wiper blade. Not sure if that windshield glass is easy to come by. I don’t think Safelite will have one. ?