so i'm driving around looking for a new house, when i see a 83 280zx turbo sitting right off the street in somebody's front yard. it looks a little rough and i'm thinking this guys neibors are probelly mad. so i write a note and within 30 minutes get a call, he says that he has to move the car or the sherriff's office is going to start writing tickets, or maybe it was home owners assoc. whatever.i get the car for $300! it's a 83 automatic turbo with t-tops. the turbo itself has shaft play but the car runs and everything inside works. a little rust but that's ok. no major dents or damage just old car. it was silver, still is sorta! i am very excited due to this being one of my dream cars plus i get to try my hand at body work. {which i wanted to do for a long time} when i first saw it i was thinking of a rb26dett swap and 5-speed, body kit etc etc. but the more i look at it i just want it back to the original form. i have never owned an automatic car so i might acaully keep it that way. i amgoing to keep the l28et motor. still might no body kit. is there a definitive site for Z body kits, parts etc. i mean they sell stuff all over for them but i thought you guys might know the best spots to buy stuff. this is my first real project car and i am very exited. i have 4 nissans now1994 nissan altima {first love}1990 nissan 240 sx {sil-80 looks with rb20 and widebody} 1998 frontier {reliale motor hauler etc} and now a Datsun by nissan 280zx turbo

congrats and welcome to the Z family

post up some pics

zcarparts.com will have the most body offerings, but there isn't much market and most of the offerings aren't too gawdy, good call on keeping the L28ET, it's got the potential to make all the power you could need, as for the auto, it's pretty easy swap although the auto's seem to be capable of high 12 second passes!

congrats on getting a turbo for $300.. and welcome to the Z family.. just like evildky said http://www.zcarparts.com is prolly the best place to look for parts and body kits for the car.. you might aloso go to black dragon formally known as victoria britsh.. theyve got a few things there... but yeah.. we'd love to see some pics of you got em.....

i don't have a camara but i'm gettting one soon. then i can post all my cars. icice9-which kit do you have? i love that look. i really like the light covers/bubble too.

thats the AERO II body kit from Motorsport Auto at http://www.zcarparts.com i got the head light covers from them too....

heres more info on the car

http://www.nicoclub.com/rotmmar.shtml

Nice!

Another Z owner/member!!!

so as i said i didn't mind the car was a little rusty, because i wanted to learn to do bodywork. well i better learn to weld fast cuz it seems a small part of the frame is rusty. this might have to be a parts car. i am really bummed, but i have learned a lesson. check for rusty frames!!! never crosssed my mind, i was so hooked by the car. what do you guys advise for a rusty frame?

if you lived in the north bay cali you could pick up a really nice one for $500..... just needs engine work but other than that the car is in good shape

http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/156613303.html

as far as I know replacement rails aren't available for the 280ZX, they also have a problem in the floor pans where the rear crossmember bolts to the chassis, the best advise is to buy the mnost solid unbent chassis you can fine, the engine are available and cheap as they are all thats left of too many rusty abused cars

icice9 wrote:if you lived in the north bay cali you could pick up a really nice one for $500..... just needs engine work but other than that the car is in good shape

http://www.craigslist.org/eby/car/156613303.html

that would be perfect, i could rebuild the turbo motor/hood and everything. but i live in atlanta, ga so towing might cost a little bit...

do to the date of your post i don't know if this will be helpful but charlie osborne has floor pans and frame rails for the 280zx chassis. his companies name is zedd findings and it is located in canada. i'm not sure of the web address but someone on this site will probaly have it.

zxman69 wrote:do to the date of your post i don't know if this will be helpful but charlie osborne has floor pans and frame rails for the 280zx chassis. his companies name is zedd findings and it is located in canada. i'm not sure of the web address but someone on this site will probaly have it.

I didn't know he made raisl for the s130 but not suprised to lear that he does

What kind of rims are on it?