1976 Datsun 280Z

[R3VO 3VOM]

So I'm a long time lurker and decided to finally subscribe and start posting here.

Here's my baby. A 1976 Datsun 280Z. I bought her about 5 years ago as my first car. When she first got home she looked like this:


I bought some Rota RB-R through a forum group buy and sold the panasports that were on her normally. They were 17x9/17x9.5 -13/-19 offsets. I liked them at first but then thought they were stupid. So I sold them after I found these:

They are made by a company "Riverside" out of Japan. As far as I can find, they are called Mondisch and commonly found in 17" sizes but these are 16". Bought some cheap new tires off a buddy and I'm getting them mounted next week. I needed flares and just got them last week so that's why they haven't been mounted yet. Don't worry, they are very clean now and refinished and about 10000000% better now.

Bought some Corbeaus cheap off craigslist and some Takata Harnesses.

Decided to get creative next and mounted an autometer monster tach in the stock gauge housing. I built a boost gauge in the spot the clock is supposed to go, as almost every clock in S30's is broken.


Then I decided to do an engine swap, so I picked this up to daily since the Z would be out of commission for a while. Super clean S13 Hatch. It's hella clean. It looks nothing like this now, but that's another story.


Then the mack daddy (even though its the baby of the family):


RB20DET swap, huge aluminum radiator, puller electric fan, Z32 MAF, FMIC, Oil cooler, RB26 intake, RB26 ITB's, 440cc GTR injectors, RB25 turbo, and I'm sure I forgot something. (don't worry. The engine bay is cleaned up so much now. These pics were from the first drop in).

Now as she sits:

Wheels going on next week. Fixing a transmission oil leak this weekend. Rust on the passenger side needs to be fixed, but totally fixed on the drivers side. Have 240Z bumpers to go on as well. So close. But here's my baby as she sits.

Thanks!

[R3VO 3VOM]

Well I feel bad because I totally forgot about posting my build here. Sorry for all the broken pic links. They're not all that great anyway.
But here it is as of a few years later. Its come a long way. Running and driving perfectly. RB20DET with RB26 intake and ITB's, Holset HY35, GTR 440 injectors, Z32 MAF. Good stuff. Its all coming out soon destined for the second car pictured and in its place a V8.


I bought this as of November 2014. 1977 Datsun 280Z. 100% rust free car out of Georgia. I drove 6 hours to buy it. Was well worth the trip. Its getting the RB out of the '76, brake upgrades, semi-shaved engine bay, recaro seats (of which I still havent decided yet), coilovers, VSXX wheels and other crap I decide later on.


Sneak peak of what it'll sort of look like. Getting it painted in a month or so. Going with a dark forest green.

[R3VO 3VOM]

In case anyone was curious about the RB. Its SUPER messy. But plans to clean it up when it comes back out and make it a tidier install in the new chassis, including getting a new intercooler to replace the crap dented one.

[ksuberk54]

My dream has always been to get a 240/280z and install an RB in it and restore it.

[Rusker]

Love these 240/280z builds.

Looks like a fun projet!

[R3VO 3VOM]

Not much to report lately. Life has gotten in the way. V8 is almost ready to go; block hugger headers came in today. Should be swapping this weekend hopefully. Been driving the '76 on nice days. Drove it to work one day last week. It looks so small next to a '90 Accord (sorry for the 240 potato quality)


Wanted to check some stuff on the rear end so pulled it in and yanked the stub axles to check the bearings. All is well.


Picked this thing up off the local Craigslist for $100 (disregard the random hand). Thing is brand new. Now to find a manifold to allow me to run this thing. Any recommendations that aren't crazy expensive?


Bent up this hornets nest tonight using a wood jig and a spare 280ZX master cylinder and booster I had. Needed to move the brake valve because of boiling fluid issues with the stock placement and the RB exhaust. I could wrap it when I swap it but as I'm going to rear disc and need an adjustable proportioning valve and have to bend line anyway I thought why not move the valve as well. This was done with all the factory lines and one spare 240SX brake line I had sitting around. Now just waiting on the adjustable prop valve.



Can't wait to be able to bring the '77 home from storage.

[R3VO 3VOM]

Originally Posted by ksuberk54

My dream has always been to get a 240/280z and install an RB in it and restore it.

Do it! These things are only going up in value. Now is the time to buy the classics.

If I were to do it over I'd go LS though. At the end if you do both swaps "right" and don't cut corners they both cost near the same going off retail prices. LS starts off where RB's want to be. And can be modified to a higher potential dollar for dollar. I'd go LQ9 or LM7 if I did it again. But I'm in too far now; I wouldn't get my money out of it if I sold it. Lol.

[R3VO 3VOM]

Well some stuff has happened since I last updated this thread (Sorry, I'm not on Zilvia much).
RB has been yanked and replaced with a V8 (sorry to you Nissan guys who hate V8's. Don't worry though as I got the engine for free and transmission for $50. So I can't complain). Its currently an auto but I have a 4 speed waiting to go behind it. Future plans include LM7 swap, 15x12 wheels and 265/50 tires. That most likely won't happen until next year though. The RB didn't go anywhere though. It will be finding its way into my other S30 with a few parts changed. But more on that later.


The big news however is the '77 is finally home! Panels test fitted to check for gaps and overall panel fitment. Panel fitment is decent for the first time bolting everything on.


'77 Has a completely shaved engine bay, meaning no hood latch bracket. So hood pins were a must.


Got rid of the bag of dicks I bent up before and complete remade the system. Its a mock up master cylinder and booster as I have brand new reman ones waiting.


I hate gauge pods in these cars as they never look right so I mounted my AFR gauge in the center vent. I also am moving the radio head unit to the glove box and in its place putting a speaker unit.
Car still needs a lot of sanding and some painting/repriming before I send it off to get a nice coat of dark green. Z32 brakes with 350Z rotors are next on the list of things to fab up. Just haven't had the spare time to do it yet. I'll leave off with this shot.

[soundboy]

Love these.

[R3VO 3VOM]

Had no intention of picking one of these up unit next year when I go to switch up my flare and wheel setup on the V8 Z. But it came up for a really good deal so I had to get it. Needs a lower lip and headlight covers but these are all things I can get later on. V8 car is going works flares and 15x12's next year.


Quickly made this too. I hated the original location I had the wideband. Gauge pillar pods in these cars look funny to me because the A pillar is so skinny. So I'm coming up with places to hide the extra gauges I have. This became one of them. Still wanted the vents though because this car has a vintage air AC system.


Why cant I put in where the radio goes? Because I still want to use the radio spot. The 280 is a little more difficult to find gauge space than the 240. The '77 is nice because it has speakers right below the B pillar in the side panels ('76 before didn't; the speaker setup in these sucked). In my opinion they aren't enough sound so I'm installing one of these too. Will also probably do a small sub in the spare tire well and 2 6x9's in the back. But that's down the road.