280Z Restoration.

[DevonD]

Hey. So I have been wanting to do something like this for a while but have never really been serious about it. Now im running out of things to do with my Maxima and need a new project and am really looking into doing this.

I love the body styling of the 280Z's and would love to find an old beat down one and build it from the ground up. I have been searching around on the Internet and found quite a few good candidates. I don't really like the bumper on the 75-78? I want the model year that has the smooth integrated bumper and the what looks like glass headlight covers that run with the body. so what should I be looking for fellas? I know next to nothing about these cars so any advice or pointers you can give me would be great!

Also anyone got engine/ transmission swap suggestions? like V8, turbo straight 6, what seems to work best?

Thanks again!!
Modified by DevonD at 12:10 AM 8/6/2008

[hbpignosePA]

rust will kill ur dreams... get a clean body, spend the money to ship it if u gotta....

l28et swap from a zx.... keep it nissan

[evildky]

the 75-76 bumpers and smaller and smoother than the 77-78 bumpers, most people prefern the 240Z style bumper but it provides no saftey from front end impact and there is no place to locate the lights located in your bumper unless you swap to 240Z style valance panels as well, the headlight covers can be bought new from MSA VB or any number of Z specialty shops

motor swap, the 82-83 280ZX turbo motor (L28ET) is a bolt in swap, it's basically the same as the stock L28 with lower CR and a turbo, V8's you name it it's been put in an S30 the chevy V8 is the most popular but it's also the most common motor in the country, VH, VQ it's all been done, not sure about the VK but why bother

[NSR_s30]

I've seen a couple RB's in them, but I'm more partial to L28T's and full blown Triple carbed L- series