New '77 280z

[z32pilot62]

Yesterday I took a road trip with a friend to go look at a '77 280z, the car didnt run but the guy only wanted $500 for the car and there were some new parts so someone had tried to figure it out. New injectors, new dizzy, new rotor, new cap, new plugs, and mismatched newer plug wires. Its rusty but its been in the upper mid-west its whole life so I knew that was going to be the case. Looked it over and decided that at $500 it was a decent deal as long as I could figure the engine problem out.

Woke up this morning and went through all the research I had done last night when I got it home and started checking everything out. Checked the wires at the cap for correct firing order they looked right. So pulled the cap turned her over to top dead center to make sure the guy put the new dizzy in correct and found that the guy had put the wires on the cap one spot off. Moved the wires around held my breath and turned the key. SHE LIVES! $500 for a running car, ya there is rust but I'm so happy with it and now I just cant wait to get it to the DMV on Tuesday and get it tagged.

I know everyone is going to want pics but you will have to wait for the weather to clear up and me to find a camera. It is white with a full black interior and a 5-speed. It is a project but one that I have been wanting for about a year and a half now. Only thing that needs to happen is for me to get rid of my Skylark and Blazer and this thing will get the love and attention she desperately needs.

[Rev_D21]

Nice, I always wanted a Z project. Sadly all the Z projects out here are rot boxes.

[evildky]

engines are cheaper and easier to fix than rust, but a 5 speed car with the better rear brake is still prpobbly worth the cost in parts

[z32pilot62]

engines are cheaper and easier to fix than rust, but a 5 speed car with the better rear brake is still prpobbly worth the cost in parts

Knew you would be in to tell me that soon enough lol. Yes rust is a pain but not something that scares me. I would rather save one of these beautiful vehicles from the scrapper than search the globe for one that is in better condition. Looking all through it I will have about $1200 in sheet metal, but a friend and I will take care of getting it in the car, not our first go around. The motor runs good and pulls strong, it kind of surprised me how strong it is compared to the 260 I drove a while back.

I do have one question though, does anyone have any information on how to get the passenger side door latch mechanism out of the door? It wont latch and I couldnt for the life of me figure out how to get it out.

[evildky]

I'm not saying any rust is a deal breaker but that it's a huge considderatin and you should start with the best chassis you can find/afford, mine needs a lot of metal work but it's a series 1 chassis and I'm attached to it (read as stupid enough toput the work in it)

as for the latches, tahts one fo the itmes that changed a low over the s30 model run, I seem to recall the 77-78 came out form the ineide wiht little effort but it's been a while since I've messed wiht a later chassis