Hello Hello

[rsshelton1]

Browsing the web looking for z car information and found you guys/gals. I currently have an 82 280zx that I am fixing up/driving daily (just cause I like it and want to). My main quest though is this: I recently got a car from my brother. He started messing with it, let it roll down a hill and dent the door, and told me to come get it. He says it's a 76 260 fairlady z. It's RHD and all the stickers are in Japanese. Not that I don't believe him, but I can't find any information, and have only become a z car owner recently. I'm looking for advice on how to identify the car. I've been messing with it for about 2 months now and just got it fired up 2 weeks ago, so I'm pretty jazzed. Any direction and advice would be great, if not, no worries, still happy to be here. Another tidbit for the group: I work with a lady that has an 82 280zx turbo that has been drained and on blocks for the last 17 years that I think is ready to give it up to me... I really want it!

Take Care,

Shane

[Zs-ondabrain]

First, congrats on finding one of the best Z car sites on the web. We're proud enough to brag but not to proud to share any info we can.

What kinda miles are on the old ladys ZX? If you have a chance to get the 76' RHD, DO IT!!! they are pretty rare in the states and could be worth a pretty penny later down the road when ya fix her up.

In the US, 260Z's were only offered in 74' but I keep seeing 76' RHD 260Z's alot in articles and such. The 280Z's were only available from 75' to 78' in the states, as far as I know.

You also said "Any direction and advice would be great, if not, no worries, still happy to be here." what advice or direction are ya looking for? Upgrades, motor, suspension, what? we need specifics in order offer help.

Welcome,

Dave.

[rsshelton1]

Thanks for the quick reply! I already have the fairlady. She not purring yet, but I've got some more timing work to do. The advice I'm looking for at this point, is how do I verify what I've got? Is it really a 76 260 fairlady z? I can't read any of the stickers cause I can't read Japanese. I've got a friend at work who's wife can, and I'm going to take some pictures of the stickers so she can translate. Sounds like it may be pretty rare... I think she's gorgeous even if she's a 2+2!

[Zs-ondabrain]

I'd try Zhome.com and go from there. A lot of up to date info and Carl should be able to clarify the authenticity of the 77 260Z?

Make sure to use our "Search" button, we got a little of everything.

Dave

[Carl Beck]

Hi Shane:

You'll have to look for a little more information on the car and let us know what you find.

1. Look at the side of the engine block - just below the #5/#6 spark plug's -you should see to flat pads cast into the block - and on them you should see L26 (if it's a 260Z) or L20 if it is a 2.0 Liter Fairlady Z.. on the second pad is the serial number of the engine.

2. Look on the firewall - just below the drip rail, where the hood closes down.. Stamped into the firewall should be some letters and numbers... sometimes you have to clean the dirt off to see them. You should see something like "GS30 xxxxxx or GS301 xxxx"...

3. On the data tag, that is under the hood, screwed to the shock tower - on one line or another.. you should be able to see "L20-xxx" or " L20E xxxxxx" or "L26 xxxxxx" stamped into the metal somewhere...

Of course digital pictures will help a lot too - if you have a digital camera, up load a few pictures showing the engine, interior details etc...

Whatever it is - I'm sure you'll have lot of fun with it...

FWIW,

Carl B.

[rsshelton1]

Thanks for the info. From reading information here tonight, I'm not sure if the engine is original because it is fuel injected, but I really don't know enough about z cars to even say that. I've seen the GS# you referred to, and will look in the morning for all the info items you gave me. And yes, I do have a digital camera. I'll post everything I can find and pics in the morn. Until then, night all.

[rsshelton1]

Good morning/evening to some,

Kinda chilly this morning, but my excitement of maybe figuring out what's in my driveway heated my desire to get this posted. I've included some pics of the lady and I created an image of the side plate mounted in the hood along the side wall (it's embedded in a word doc). Any info given would be great. Here's the info Carl asked for as I could find:

1: Engine plates: 1st: L28 2nd: 034849

2: Firewall number: GS31-001088

3: Not sure if this is the datatag info or not (this is the word doc I created), it says C-GS31, 1998, 130ps/6000 rpm, 2605 nm, 120, GS31 001088, 0-12.

I've included pics of the tags mounted under the hood, but they are in Japanese. I've got a friend at work who's wife is going to translate for me. I have no level of expectation here so no worries. From what Carl said, I'm sure the engine isn't original so no worries there either. Any help is appreciated, so thanks all in advance.

Shane

(I threw in a pic of my 82 280zx I'm working on also, just for grins).

HoodSidePlate.doc

[sblake01]

Looks like the car has an L28E in it now but it once had an L20. The catagories on the tag look to be:

1. Engine displacement

2. HP@rpm

3. Wheelbase (I think that should read 2605 mm)

4. Engine Type (I think that should read L20)

5. Chassis Number

6. Not sure because the tags I'm comparing it to don't have a 6th catagory.

At the top it says Type followed by C-GS31

At the very bottom it should say Nissan Motor Co., LTD Yokohama, Japan. That's all based on a couple of tags in English that I compared yours to.

[rsshelton1]

So... here comes the Z Car newbie question(s) of the day: How do I translate the info you so graciously passed on to me? Is this lady a 76 260 FairladyZ? Is she a rarity and worth keeping my hands on? As earlier mentioned, I've gotten her to start up (running rough, but nothing my mechanic buddy and a bribe (6 pack of NewCastle Brown) can't fix). Why am I having such a hard time of finding similar cars on the web? I have a funny feeeling that I'm going to need a bigger driveway here soon at the rate I'm going. There's a 71 240 down the road that's gutted, but the shell looks great and I'm starting to lose sleep. Plus, there's the 82 280 zx Turbo I'm trying to sweet talk my way into at work. Is the Z addicition something I should be wary of???

Many, many thanks for the info,

Shane

[bigoak]

Be very wary...the addiction will bite you hard...

Sounds like a bunch of fun projects though...

Do beware of the shells that "look" good. Common areas for rot are floors, frame rails, doglegs, battery tray and cowl. Once they start to go, it's a lot of work to bring back...

Have fun!

[sblake01]

It's a 76 Fairlady Z. I don't think they were called 260Z because they didn't have the L26 engine. Your tag indicates that it originally had an L20 engine (1998cc). You say it has an L28? And its fuel injected? I'm not that well versed on the non USA models but that would indicate that the engine has been changed and possibly a lot of the electronics because I don't know that the L20 ever was fuel injected. I wish Alan T. (HS30-H) or someone in Australia who would be much more versed on these cars would chime in.

[sblake01]

I was able to find this qoute from the aforementioned and very knowlegable Alan T. I hope he doesn't mind me using it. I stand corrected as the L20 engine did come with fuel injection making it an L20E. Look very carefully at that engine number and see if the prefix is L20 rather than L28 as you stated. The 'E' which denotes electronic fuel injection won't be on the engine block or the identification tag.

The Japanese market cars changed from the 'S30' model code to 'S31' in late 1975. All the 'S31' cars used the injected L20E engine, but previous domestic models used the L20, L24 and S20 engines. There was a brief period in Japan where RS30 ( L26 engined ) models were being made for domestic sale, but after problems with them the Factory converted these cars to L20 engines and restamped the VINs accordingly. That 'G' prefix on your car denotes a 2+2, and the fact that its a a 'GS31' shows that it is a Japanese home market 'Fairlady 2/2' model.