can anyone point me in the right direction regarding info on 280ZX's

I'm looking at possibly purchasing a 280ZX in the next few days. Have my eyes on a particular one that looks like it's in good condition.

I would prefer a 240Z but funding limited me to a slightly less desirable 280ZX model. Still a great car never the less.

Does anyone know if there is anything in particular I should look out for ie problems, or at least a site or forum that would have info on them.

Thanks heaps guys.

 

As a former 260z and 280zx owner, I agree with everything Rob says..

Rust is the saddest part of owning these wonderful cars. I sold my last 260z because it was going to be too costly for me to fix, and I've seen many very rusty 280zx's. Apparently rust in the very tip of the bonnet is a big issue, as it's a closed box section and very hard to get into to fix. I've seen some really bad sills, and the rear quarter's, especially around the aerial can be chronic! T Roof channels are another rust gatherer.
Another 280zx issue is interior plastic trim. I would avoid the coloured interiors, as they fade to very different colours and get brittle. My last 280zx had a red interior which varied from pink to brown! Parts of it had become so brittle that chalkey white flakes were coming off it. I suspect that black interiors fare rather better - I had a very old 280zx with a black interior and a huge mileage, but that was still fine.
Mechanically, a fine car. Of course, the plastic connectors in the engine bay will likely need replacing (brittleness) but most are easily available. A very nice feature of the 280zx is that the AFM is not the hot wire type and tends to stay in better calibration than those in Z31's, for example.
I find that 280zx's like to run about 2 deg advanced over the book spec, and it doesn't seem to hurt - but gives them a much livelier feel.
The suspension is basically like the Skyline of the era, and Skyline bits made by suspension companies fit and can improve the rather wallowy, mushy stock suspension. Watch buying a 1981 model for its rear brakes. If I remember rightly, they went through two mods in that year and the middle mod is harder to get the parts for - my '81 was one and so that's my basis for the comment.
The car is lovely to work on, particularly if you've owned a Z31 or Z32. Lots of room to work, everything easy to get to. Parts easy and relatively cheap.
I'd look for a good '82 or '83 (with extra scoop in bonnet, six pointed wheels, different taillights and beltline) as these have a wilder cam and are better performers stock.
May you be lucky in your search - I'll be very envious when you find a nice one (I'm sure there's one out there!)

 

thanks heaps guys.... i'll definatly be very thorough when checking it out

i hope it's as good as the pics i've seen so far. having a look this sunday. i'll report back how it went.

thanks again for all the advice. :thumbsup:

 

Just Purchased the 280zx.... (pics inside)

Thank you again Rob & tazziezed for the very great advise as to what i should be looking for when buying one.....here she is...

she is a 1982 model Nissan Datsun 280ZX, almost in prime condition. no body work rust or faded interior. Unfortunatly it is an auto, which i wasn't to keen on, but it runs really well and has a bit of power. (it's just parked next to my mates R34 GTS-T).

 

That looks like a really good buy Archie:thumbsup:

 

Nice I see its the EFI version as well.

Very good car but check out the subframe for rust every 6 months and the floor pans too.

The only thing I didnt like about the EFI version was the digital clock. the carbie version had a nice analogue clock in the same binicle.


nice but try so-easy tyre cleaner on the bumpers but dont rumb them the satin finish will come off.

 

As a former owner of an 80 and 81 model, just a few points.

I 'm going to sound like a smart arse here - I don't mean it that way but I do like Z history to be correct.
The 280zx was always EFI. The car's engine package was similar to the 280z (sold only in the USA)which was the last generation of the old 260z body.
However, you will find many 280zx's which have been converted to carbs sometime in their history, as they're easier to tune with a set of SU's on them - a sorted solution used for some years previously on 240z's and 260z's.
You're quite right about the digital clock situation. The Mark I 280zx (1979-1981) had an analogue clock but the Mark II (1982-83) had a digital clock. Also interesting points about these models - The 1979 was only sold as a "slicktop", the late 1980 introduced the "T Roof". The slicktop was discontinued in 1981, on our market, from what I've heard. With the 280zx Nissan finally gave up importing into Australia the 2 seater and the 2+2. 2 seat versions were made of all Z cars, but the 260z range had the last two seater version sold in Australia (until the 2-seater-only 350z, of course). This happened because 2+2's outsold 2 seaters by 10 to 1 in the mid seventies.

 

That's just beautiful! Yes, I am very envious!!! :|:|:|

It's got the Series I "maltese cross" wheels, but may have come that way from the factory. Some series I cars came with 260z design mags - I think it was just a case of running out old stocks.
As for auto - tends to say to me that it was less likely to have been owned by a "sporty driver" and so may have been treated more gently. A manual conversion wouldn't be too expensive, I would imagine, but maybe a pity from an originality point of view.
Oh, and I forgot to mention in my earlier post that the Mark II's head has a much better port shape than the earlier L-series engine, as well as a wilder cam.

 

cool my old 79 model had 3 dual choke SU's on it.

the person I brought it off told me it was standard.
To be honest all the other MK1' ive seen had the same carbie set up. So I just persumed that all MK1's had where the same. Your right about the roofs Ive never seen a MK1 with a T top nor a factory sunroof either.

I was told that 3 Turbo MK2 's made it into the country as well from the factory to the Nissin head quarters. I'd like to know what happened to them.

Ive got a bit of a soft spot for the 280's ... na hang on thats a rust spot. I think they are a great car buy gee a few more horses would be nice.

shadow
124 fiat was a much nicer car BTW and less rust.

 

My 280zx's were both T Tops and both Mark I's.

I agree with you, though, that the series II never appeared here as a slicktop.
Archie@'s car is definitely a series II, built 1982,83 or if he's very lucky 1984 - there were a few 280zx's built in 1984 even though the 300zx z31 was released then. It has ribbed tail light lenses, beltline vinyl strip which wraps into the bumpers without a step, and bumpers that are colour coded with overriders moulded in and have no stainless inserts.
Interesting about the turbo cars ... yes, I wonder what did happen to them? I think Nissan lost it's courage to release turbo cars here until it "tested the water" with the little EXA about 1984. The 300zx Z31 turbo of 1986 was the first Turbo Z sold here. I suspect they did not sell the '85 turbo z31 here, as that model had an air/oil cooled turbocharger which failed quite early according to US reports.
I totally agree with you about the Fiat 124. Although rust prone, they were a great car. Lovely handling, bags of power and that beautiful exhaust note. The later body type still looks modern today!

 

wow, thanks for tall the intersting a useful info Tassiezed.

judging by the condition of the car, it definatly looks like it has been treated with a velvet glove.

An intersting note that the plaque in the engine bay notes build date as January 1982, however the rego papers indicate 1981. (probably an admin stuff up that i'll attempt to rectify later). Going by what you have told me it definatly sounds like a MKII model, it has the digital clock.

The suspension is also a little soft in the rear, (I might just be used to kidney crushing stiff sports suspension on my 300zx however), but i don't seem to have any problem breaking tracking with a little throttle application, so the suspension seems to allow some pretty decent control even if it is alittle soft. Also seems to have a very good power spread, and pick up is very decent.

Thanks again for all the help, and if you have anymore intersting facts/info on these awsome cars, i'd be most happy to hear about.

cheers

 

Thanks, it's my pleasure to help a fellow Z enthusiast. A few more things..

Firstly, I'm not sure what you know about L series engines. Designed by Prince Motors from a '50s Mercedes Benz design, they were adopted by Nissan for almost all their engines from 1400cc to 2400cc when Nissan took over Prince in the early 60's. They are incredibly strong, and the later ones don't have the head gasket problem which is the only Achilles heel of this engine. If your Z ever smokes from cold, it's the valve stem seals. This is easy to fix - you can use compressed air fill the cylinder to hold the valve closed while you take out the collets and the spring to get to the seal.
The L series has mechanical tappets, not self-adjusting hydraulic ones. This means that as the valve seats wear, the tappets will close up. Every 8000 kms or so it pays to check and adjust the tappets. You need to set the tappets, hot, to .25mm intake and .30mm exhaust, measured between the cam surface and the pad on the rocker which bears against the cam. You unlock the 17mm nut to unlock the rocker support post, and use a 14mm (?) to wind the post up or down to set the clearance. Clearances are set nominally, with the cam lobe pointing straight up. The manual will tell you you can do 6 valves with the #1 cam lobe straight up, and the other 6 with it pointing straight down. This works ok. Engine can be turned over with a 27mm socket on the harmonic balancer bolt. This is very hard to get to, and I advise slipping the socket on, then insinuating the ratchet handle onto it. You need to turn the engine over away from you as you stand at the driver's side mudguard.
There are a couple of PITA's associated with this job. Firstly, take off the engine lifting loops if they're still there. They're not necessary and just get in your way! The other is loosening and tightening the locknuts. They're very tight so watch your knuckles - always pull on the spanner, never push as if it lets go you won't be able to stop your hand going into some pretty sharp edges! Tightening the locknuts also tends to put out your carefully adjusted clearances, so you'll need to repeat each valve a couple of times when you do the job the first time. You're aiming a "stiff sliding fit" for the clearance. That basically means that it is quite hard to pull out and put in the feeler gauge. Too tight tappets can, over a very long time lead to valves held open and burned valve seats. Too loose valves rattle and may cause damage to valves and seats.
I suggest you use a parallel sided feeler gauge, rather than the tapered ones, as the area where you measure the clearance is quite wide. Hope this info is some use to you.

 

Now that's what I call a helpful, in depth post:thumbsup:

Good on you John:thumbsup::thumbsup:

I bought one of the first 280Z in Canada in December 1976 - cost me $7000 - probably worth that now if it's still around and has been looked after. Although cars in Canada suffer due to all the salt used on the roads in the winter for snow clearing:thumbsdown:

 

thanks Tassiezed, i'll probably start an overhaul of the engine in a few...

weeks. thanks for the handy info. Although it's all in pretty much mint condition i'm still gonna give it a good overhall and replace any aging parts.

The kill switch has been giving me a bit of a headache, if i've been using it the night before, it will engage wilst i'm driving along. But I stoped using the kill switch and it has n't given me any problems. I'll probably remove it this weekend and install a new alarm system.

Loveing it so far... fantastic car.

cheers again for the advice. :thumbsup: