Selling the X & Bought an 75 Datsun 280Z

[lookforjoe]

Looking at that radiator (older post, I know...) I wonder if it will tuck in for the 128. I always love how other threads give you ideas for something not even close to the same. It's looking great, keep it up!

It's meant for a Jeep CJ, if you are looking. Dimensions off the eBay listing:

 

[tvmaster]

Sorry I won't be coming to NY very soon. Cleveland for the eclipse but that's as far as I am going for a few months

Are the hotel fees elevated tor Apr. 8?

 

[kmead]

Are the hotel fees elevated tor Apr. 8?

Couldn’t say as I am staying with family.

I am sure hoteliers are going for anything they can in those limited markets where the totality will occur.

 

[lookforjoe]

Took me at least a couple hours of rearranging & moving some stuff to the basement, but I made room & got the Z inside. Still have the V8 drivetrain sitting in between the two cars





Made sure I could actually lock the garage doors...



Ended up leaving it out though - I decided that since I was going to be away for a week, now was a good time to patch the broken concrete floor (from the roots of the very large pine tree on my neighbor's lot, that is now gone). That can set all week now without any floor traffic. Still a mess, but at least closer to level it was difficult to roll carts or the bench over that patch during to the rise/drop. I broke up the loose pieces so that I had a good 4" or so of depth, then used a mortar mix to feather it to the old surface, after cleaning with acid.

 

[lookforjoe]

Couldn’t say as I am staying with family.

I am sure hoteliers are going for anything they can in those limited markets where the totality will occur.

My wife works in corporate travel - it is SOP for all rental dwelling spaces to raise prices, could be 4-5x normal rack rate for off peak use. We travel to Ithaca NY at least once a year, and if it coincides with ANY college events, we'd be lucky to find a el cheapo AirB&B for under $150 a night - unless you want a crack den, perhaps...

 

[BEEK]

Thats why I like cruising. spend a few bucks in the casino and travel for free for a week...

Honestly, i am super impressed in what you have undertaken. awesome work and a testament to what motivated people can accomplish! I am also a teacher and a coach. I spend way too much time at school, kudos!

 

[lookforjoe]

Much better temps than back home - still some inclement weather though

 

[lookforjoe]

Suzukis abound here. Also many small Toyota and Nissan 7 passenger vehicles that would fit inside a Ford Transit.
Went to a cave (tourist trap), however the food there was great & the view off the coast was awesome

Also went to an animal reserve yesterday

 

[JKIDD]

When I was in Bermuda last year, they had this modern version of the Samurai. I'd love to have those here in the US.

 

[lookforjoe]

When I was in Bermuda last year, they had this modern version of the Samurai. I'd love to have those here in the US.

Nice! Interesting, also - when we went to Bermuda about 12years or so ago, one (as a tourist) could only rent scooters/mopeds. My son really enjoyed that! Another (Brit colony) righthand drive location, like Barbados. Took me a little while to get used to the roundabout as predominant intersection all over again. We rented a Chevy Spark. I wanted the smallest class available, the local roads are really narrow & ppl fly on them...

 

[JKIDD]

Nice! Interesting, also - when we went to Bermuda about 12years or so ago, one (as a tourist) could only rent scooters/mopeds. My son really enjoyed that! Another (Brit colony) righthand drive location, like Barbados. Took me a little while to get used to the roundabout as predominant intersection all over again. We rented a Chevy Spark. I wanted the smallest class available, the local roads are really narrow & ppl fly on them...

You can still only rent scooters & now small EV's in Bermuda. This Suzuki was owned by a resident. The Renault EV seats 2, 1 behind the other.

 

[lookforjoe]

Fibreglass tail panels finally came - I placed the order in mid November with Zociety - I was getting worried that they were a scam.

Oscar did communicate a couple times, but he always implied shipping was just around the corner. Anyway, he was very apologetic at the end there, and said that if I were to buy something else in the website they would give me a break.

They appear solid enough. I went for the plain fiberglass finish. I have to paint them anyway & want the chrome edge, which they do not offer as a finish

 

[lookforjoe]

Took the front spoiler off after work & got it to the body shop for paint next week.



Also got the front seats out just as the rain began - it's supposed to rain through tomorrow, so I figured a good time to get the upholstery done.

Removed the upholstery & made a filler piece for the side airbag location. I'm also switching the cushions left to right, as the outside of the drivers one has more wear. The PO was on the heavy side and it shows in the compression and tears in the foam. Switching them means that the worn sides will be on the inside of either seat, so not likely to be an issue down the road. Had to cut a slot for the rear seat release on the passenger side. If I could get hold of the rights quick release I would put another on the driver's side since that has electric it's a lot slower to rake than the quick flip lever


Dense foam was a large pad used as packing for my LUK RS clutch & DM flywheel kit, I really don't throw much out

 

[lookforjoe]

Did the upholstery today - I was off work, and just as well because it ended up taking most of the day to do it. One of the zippers was broken. I tried first to fix what was there, along with resewing the seam, that didn't work. So I had to take the seam part again, and replace the damaged pull/zipper with a better quality one. That ended up taking a couple hours. No word back from Ridies.com on the missing hardware or the broken zipper.

Covers also didn't come with the required wire rods for attachment, so I made them using $$ welding rod

Added aftermarket seat heaters that match the wiring I've already installed. The factory 350Z seat heaters are sewn to the upholstery. No practical way to transfer that, and it would have had to rewire the car to make it work anyway.

Damaged zipper

After first repair, pull tab also snapped off

All zipped up

Sewed over the zipper end so it can't open up on the backside of the pull

Stronger pull

Drivers seat cushion

One self inflicted wound - I miscut the opening for the back release

Back in car. Plugged the seat heaters, but forgot to test them

 

[lookforjoe]

Another project for DTR - the proper fender mount mirrors

 

[lookforjoe]

Put the painted Xenon front spoiler back on - that was a pita - either the thing shrunk in paint, or something - I had a hell of a time getting the holes to align.

There is a wave in the left lower that wasn't there previously, I'm going to have to heat the crap out of it & see if I can relax that . Happy with the color match at least





The rear spoiler is a $^!# show - it's completely deformed, in this picture I'm pressing it in place to get it even close. And the left and right are not the same. It doesn't come with specific fit instructions, that would indicate which surface to align with. As a result I don't know how deep the top is supposed to be? Whether it's supposed to be tucked right under the lock or further back from it no way to tell for sure because nothing aligns. This is problematic as it is supposed to be installed with double-sided tape. That doesn't work very well if you have to maneuver the spoiler at the same time as sticking it in place, in fact it's not going to work.

Xenon has no pictures of one installed on their website.

 

[kmead]

Put the painted Xenon front spoiler back on - that was a pita - either the thing shrunk in paint, or something - I had a hell of a time getting the holes to align.

There is a wave in the left lower that wasn't there previously, I'm going to have to heat the crap out of it & see if I can relax that . Happy with the color match at least


The rear spoiler is a $^!# show - it's completely deformed, in this picture I'm pressing it in place to get it even close. And the left and right are not the same. It doesn't come with specific fit instructions, that would indicate which surface to align with. As a result I don't know how deep the top is supposed to be? Whether it's supposed to be tucked right under the lock or further back from it no way to tell for sure because nothing aligns. This is problematic as it is supposed to be installed with double-sided tape. That doesn't work very well if you have to maneuver the spoiler at the same time as sticking it in place, in fact it's not going to work.

Xenon has no pictures of one installed on their website.

I see a modification coming on. LFJ Product Development is spinning up…

Yeah that part is all over the place. Not nice.

 

[lookforjoe]

Plenty of sun today, so I clamped the rear spoiler to the hatch along the back edge & let it bake awhile. That actually resolved much of the misshapen issues, added a clamp on top which pushed the wave that was present on the right out. Had to address the paint under the emblem also





After paint repair



The directions say to drill & use two sheet metal screws in the forward outer region, after the spoiler is taped in olace. I used the existing inner "280Z" emblem mount hole, drilled out for an M4 riv-nut, and did one on the other side to match approx 5" in & 3" up from hatch lip, prior to adhering the spolier. Those helped me align the spoiler and adhere the back edge to the hatch lip knowing that the placement was correct in relation to the lock.



I added closed cell foam to the outer fender overhangs as per the instructions (although not provided )







Need to add the 280Z back





Also heated & shaped the lower spoiler edge to minimize the wave that was present

 

[lookforjoe]

Not good - this gasket is coming apart - just noticed this spread. Driving about 500 miles round trip next weekend to the Carlisle Import Show - so I've ordered a Mahle cork/rubber version to tide me over. I've emailed MilkFab (bought May 2023).

 

[lookforjoe]

Got the new Datsun & 280Z emblems today (from resurrected classics). I contemplate the location of the Datsun emblem a bit, since on the hatch, it is set on a diagonal - it's obviously not really intended to be set in a horizontal spot. I ended up angling it very slightly to mimic the hatch fitting

280Z set horizontally, 15mm up from bottom edge















I just drilled the spoiler slightly under the pin size, so it's a press fit