RHD 280ZX w/ AWD RB26 swap and more - Z-Fever

A forum for owners of S30 and S130 Datsun Z's... 240Z, 260Z, 280Z and 280ZX!
User avatar
z-fever
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:08 pm
Car: (5) 300ZXTT's, 240Z, R33 Skyline GTR, RHD Silvia Convertible, NSX,
Contact:

Post

I own Z-Fever and have been building Nissan cars for 23 years now (2011). I used to work on this car when the Original owner brought it back from Japan. I always told him I wanted to buy it. One day his wife sold it to some guy because he was going through a divorce. As luck would have it, the guy called me looking for an alternator. He couldn't find one and was fed up with it. He had only owned it for 2 weeks and hadn't even titled it yet. He kept asking the parts stores for an alternator for an 81 Fairlady Z. Of course, the genius' at the parts store couldn't look it up because the books don't use the name "Fairlady". He was all too happy to sell me the car for $500.
I stuck a 280ZX alternator in it and 1 hr after getting the car towed in, I was driving it home.

I promptly began working on a dream project of mine. Here is the build:

Image
Image

Here is the stock suspention:
Image

We removed the struts:
Image
Image

Then I pulled a set of front spindles from an S13 240SX and pulled the 4-lug hubs off and replaced them with new 5-lug hubs:
Image
Image
Image

Then I pulled off the stock steering knuckles and ball joints and installed new OEM ball joints:
Image
Image

Then I installed a set of Tein Basic coilovers for an S13 240SX:
Image
Image

I had to open up the top mounting area of the strut to make room for the coilover camber plates:
Image
Image

Then I installed a stock set of Z32 300ZX twin turbo 30mm calipers along with 13" Brembo rotors from an 03 350Z and some custom caliper adapter brackets that space the caliper out further. I also added some custom stainless steel braided brake lines. This is the result:
Image
Image
Image

Now I started working on the rear brakes and suspension:
This is the stock brake caliper and driveshaft:
Image
Image
Image

We removed the factory calipers, rotors, axles, and differential:
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

I also removed the factory 4-lug stub axles:
Image
Then I removed the stock backing plate:
Image

Then I acquired a set of 5-lug stub axles from one of my many parts cars (a 1987 Z31 300ZX):
Image
Image

You can see the difference between the stub axle spacer on the left from the Z32 and the one on the right from the S130 280ZX:
Image
Image
Image

Then we worked on the brakes. I machined my own mounting brackets for the Z32 calipers and using Z32 x-drilled rotors and custom stainless braided brake lines:
Image
Image
Image
Image

Then I started on the rear suspension. I again chose the Tein S13 coilovers. The only real difference is the upper mount inside the chassis. The stock mount uses a 3 wide bolt pattern. Whereas the S13 uses a 2 bolt pattern. I simply used one bolt hole and drilled one bolt hole to mount the strut to the chassis:
Image
Image
The lower mount is the same:
Image
Here is the finished product:
Image
Image

So this is where we are now. I have mounted a Skyline GTR differential by making custom mounts and axles. I will add pics of that tomorrow.
I also have my RB26 fully built already. I am making this car AWD as well as it already being RHD.

Here is a pic of my engine:
Image
Image
Image

I hope you like the build. I will post more pics soon.
call us if you nee anything or have questions.
Doug
813-877-7600


User avatar
orangeNblue
Posts: 1077
Joined: Tue Sep 30, 2008 1:44 pm
Car: 2008 Nissan 350z

Post

very nice!! That engine is gorgeous. I really like that you're going with an old school car to build. Don't really see a lot of build threads with a 280z, which is odd since I think that car, in my opinion looks awesome! Anyways look forward to seeing more :bigthumb:

User avatar
evildky
Posts: 14713
Joined: Sat Jan 31, 2004 9:23 pm
Car: 71 240ZT, 87 300ZXN/A-T, 06 350Z GT, Tundra TRD RW
Location: Louisville, KY
Contact:

Post

it's nice to see an S130 build thread, they tend to get passed over in favor of older or newer models

if you plan to make it awd then I'm guessing you intend to swap to r32 or similar front spindles then the break adapters would just have to come back off, just wondering why you didn't just swap the knuckle instead of modifying the old one only to replace it later

User avatar
z32pilot62
Posts: 672
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 9:31 am
Car: 1990 300zx N/A A/T (Sold)
1990 300zx 2+2 N/A A/T-M/T
1972 Buick Skylark Custom
1970 Chevy Blazer (Sold)
1977 280z (Sold)
1991 Civic Dx (Beater)

Post

evildky wrote:if you plan to make it awd then I'm guessing you intend to swap to r32 or similar front spindles then the break adapters would just have to come back off, just wondering why you didn't just swap the knuckle instead of modifying the old one only to replace it later
Had the same thing goin through my head as i read through it as well. Looks good otherwise, keep it up :dblthumb:

User avatar
z-fever
Posts: 42
Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 1:08 pm
Car: (5) 300ZXTT's, 240Z, R33 Skyline GTR, RHD Silvia Convertible, NSX,
Contact:

Post

pretty simple really! We didn't originally plan to go AWD. However, I already had the R32 front components as well as 5 or 6 AWD gearboxes layin around. It was an easy decision to make.
Also, I thought about deleting the front brake part of the build post but wanted to show people an easy brake upgrade for future reference.
When I get to the front swap I will add the necessary changes.

User avatar
sharjt
Posts: 159
Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2005 8:11 am
Car: '06 G35 Sedan 6MT
'83 Datsun 280zx turbo - RIP
Location: Huntsvegas, AL

Post

I know I don't post much, but I lurk daily. So, for love of God, update PLEASE!!!!

This build is AWESOME!!!

User avatar
300ZXttZMAN
Posts: 7807
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:07 pm
Car: 1990 300zx Twin Turbo 5 spd pearl white.

My Daily: 2008 Frontier NISMO package, 4x4 Crew Cab.
Location: Sulphur, LA 70665
Contact:

Post

sharjt wrote:I know I don't post much, but I lurk daily. So, for love of God, update PLEASE!!!!

This build is AWESOME!!!

:lolling:

Paultnguyen
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 04, 2018 2:22 pm
Car: 280zx

Post

:)
z-fever wrote:
Thu Oct 06, 2011 5:18 pm
I own Z-Fever and have been building Nissan cars for 23 years now (2011). I used to work on this car when the Original owner brought it back from Japan. I always told him I wanted to buy it. One day his wife sold it to some guy because he was going through a divorce. As luck would have it, the guy called me looking for an alternator. He couldn't find one and was fed up with it. He had only owned it for 2 weeks and hadn't even titled it yet. He kept asking the parts stores for an alternator for an 81 Fairlady Z. Of course, the genius' at the parts store couldn't look it up because the books don't use the name "Fairlady". He was all too happy to sell me the car for $500.
I stuck a 280ZX alternator in it and 1 hr after getting the car towed in, I was driving it home.

I promptly began working on a dream project of mine. Here is the build:

Image
Image

Here is the stock suspention:
Image

We removed the struts:
Image
Image

Then I pulled a set of front spindles from an S13 240SX and pulled the 4-lug hubs off and replaced them with new 5-lug hubs:
Image
Image
Image

Then I pulled off the stock steering knuckles and ball joints and installed new OEM ball joints:
Image
Image

Then I installed a set of Tein Basic coilovers for an S13 240SX:
Image
Image

I had to open up the top mounting area of the strut to make room for the coilover camber plates:
Image
Image

Then I installed a stock set of Z32 300ZX twin turbo 30mm calipers along with 13" Brembo rotors from an 03 350Z and some custom caliper adapter brackets that space the caliper out further. I also added some custom stainless steel braided brake lines. This is the result:
Image
Image
Image

Now I started working on the rear brakes and suspension:
This is the stock brake caliper and driveshaft:
Image
Image
Image

We removed the factory calipers, rotors, axles, and differential:
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

I also removed the factory 4-lug stub axles:
Image
Then I removed the stock backing plate:
Image

Then I acquired a set of 5-lug stub axles from one of my many parts cars (a 1987 Z31 300ZX):
Image
Image

You can see the difference between the stub axle spacer on the left from the Z32 and the one on the right from the S130 280ZX:
Image
Image
Image

Then we worked on the brakes. I machined my own mounting brackets for the Z32 calipers and using Z32 x-drilled rotors and custom stainless braided brake lines:
Image
Image
Image
Image

Then I started on the rear suspension. I again chose the Tein S13 coilovers. The only real difference is the upper mount inside the chassis. The stock mount uses a 3 wide bolt pattern. Whereas the S13 uses a 2 bolt pattern. I simply used one bolt hole and drilled one bolt hole to mount the strut to the chassis:
Image
Image
The lower mount is the same:
Image
Here is the finished product:
Image
Image

So this is where we are now. I have mounted a Skyline GTR differential by making custom mounts and axles. I will add pics of that tomorrow.
I also have my RB26 fully built already. I am making this car AWD as well as it already being RHD.

Here is a pic of my engine:
Image
Image
Image

I hope you like the build. I will post more pics soon.
call us if you nee anything or have questions.
Doug
813-877-7600


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