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Author Topic: 1983 Datsun 280ZX  (Read 279757 times)

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #525 on: February 01, 2011, 02:31:16 PM »
I've never seen an RB with body-color bumpers.  After dropping the car back to the previous height, I would at least swap out the front bumper for a chrome one.  The rear one can wait.

I know it's vain, but the front end on the RB is so unattractive.
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Offline cavegal

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #526 on: February 01, 2011, 03:03:30 PM »
Quote from: chris_ on February 01, 2011, 02:31:16 PM
I've never seen an RB with body-color bumpers.  After dropping the car back to the previous height, I would at least swap out the front bumper for a chrome one.  The rear one can wait.

I know it's vain, but the front end on the RB is so unattractive.
What is RB. Re-built?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #527 on: February 01, 2011, 03:13:03 PM »
RB="rubber bumper"


CB="chrome bumper"


I'm actually using Google Street View to try and find that car dealer on 4th Avenue.  No luck yet. :rofl:
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #528 on: February 01, 2011, 05:57:24 PM »
Quote from: chris_ on February 01, 2011, 02:31:16 PM
I've never seen an RB with body-color bumpers.  After dropping the car back to the previous height, I would at least swap out the front bumper for a chrome one.  The rear one can wait.

I know it's vain, but the front end on the RB is so unattractive.






instead of the factory spoiler, an ST spoiler:



That is what I was going to do, until I found that it was going to cost me more money to find a repairable front rubber bumper skin.  I went with used CB parts instead. 




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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #529 on: February 01, 2011, 07:33:49 PM »
I don't think I'm going to be doing anything until I scrap the other car (after I take all the usable parts off of it).  So I've got at least six months, probably longer.  I need to find a set of cheap 4x4.5 wheels before then.  The stock wheels are too valuable to let them go with the car to the Pull-A-Part.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #530 on: February 01, 2011, 07:53:38 PM »
I'm guessing you have snowflakes on the scrap car? 

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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #531 on: February 01, 2011, 07:54:52 PM »
No, just the standard six-spoke wheels.

I don't care for the snowflake wheels.  If I had them, I'd probably sell them.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #532 on: February 01, 2011, 08:53:52 PM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on February 01, 2011, 05:57:24 PM


Now that looks nice.  Looks just like the MGB RV8 without the ghey retro styling.  You could probably get away with doing that with a can of spray-on vinyl and some clearcoat.  (That spray-on vinyl stuff actually looks pretty decent.)
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #533 on: February 01, 2011, 09:17:25 PM »
Quote
Now that looks nice.  Looks just like the MGB RV8 without the ghey retro styling.  You could probably get away with doing that with a can of spray-on vinyl and some clearcoat.  (That spray-on vinyl stuff actually looks pretty decent.)

That is the exact same thing I thought, when I first saw one.  There is a red one running around teh interwebs that has the ST spoiler and front bumper painted up.  It is sharp, and the one that changed my mind about considering an RB car in the first place. 

Frankly, I think MG did a good job with what they had to work with, when restyling for a rubber bumper.  It just needs a little bit of paint to come to its full potential.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #534 on: February 14, 2011, 11:48:14 AM »
FIRE SALE!!

Details coming soon...
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #535 on: March 18, 2011, 06:44:17 PM »
Melty sadness... :sad1:











Finally... there is sunlight in the world after 5pm and I can take pictures and do stuff again.  It doesn't look too bad, but it doesn't look great either.  I just don't know if I want to fix it, but it's too nice to throw away. 
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #536 on: March 19, 2011, 12:31:55 PM »
Dude, that sucks.   :(
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #537 on: March 20, 2011, 06:11:48 PM »
I took another look at it... it's mostly vacuum lines and replaceable parts like injectors.  The biggest problem is the engine wiring harness.  

I have until the end of the month to get rid of the older 280ZX, which means I have ten days to figure out how to remove the wiring harness that runs through the firewall.  I got three steel wheels from the junkyard for $50 so I could save my original alloy wheels and clean them up.  I also got most of the usable trim pieces off the older car and was able to swap out the broken tail light cover from one car to the other.  At least now I have a complete undamaged set.  Sure looks nice.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #538 on: March 20, 2011, 07:50:52 PM »
What was the cause of the fire, if you know?
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #539 on: March 20, 2011, 08:18:56 PM »
It was the fuel hose going to the cold start valve.  If you've replaced one, you know what a pain in the ass it can be.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #540 on: March 30, 2011, 07:11:17 PM »
*sniffle, sniffle*

Well, it's gone.  My neighbors finally bitched up a storm and I had to sell the rustbucket '82 ASAP.  $250 and a free tow to the scrap yard.  I kept the alloy wheels, center caps, and hood... that's worth another $500 if I wanted to sell them.  Didn't have time to grab anything else, but I got the phone number of the junkyard it's going to.  I'll head over there later and see if I can remove the rest of the engine wiring harness to replace the one in the '83. 


:(
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #541 on: May 04, 2011, 03:57:41 PM »
Quote from: chris_ on March 30, 2011, 07:11:17 PM
*sniffle, sniffle*

Well, it's gone.  My neighbors finally bitched up a storm and I had to sell the rustbucket '82 ASAP.  $250 and a free tow to the scrap yard.  I kept the alloy wheels, center caps, and hood... that's worth another $500 if I wanted to sell them.  Didn't have time to grab anything else, but I got the phone number of the junkyard it's going to.  I'll head over there later and see if I can remove the rest of the engine wiring harness to replace the one in the '83. 


:(
Sounds like you need some deep woods real estate, worked out gravel pit, or other convenient stash location (out of business former full service gas station would be good). Neighbors do tend to object to large numbers of unregistered collectible vehicles in various states of disassembly. They usually really object to those undergoing the miracle of long term engine bay under a triangle.

I have a neighbor who is great a camouflaging his vehicles with tarps and leaves.  :-) Who knows what else might be residing in those piles.

That doesn't look too bad but I am sure it will take plenty of time to correct.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #542 on: May 04, 2011, 04:18:58 PM »
Quote from: zeitgeist on May 04, 2011, 03:57:41 PM

I have a neighbor who is great a camouflaging his vehicles with tarps and leaves.  :-) Who knows what else might be residing in those piles.



Has your neighbor had any success in camouflaging said vehicles from his spouse, too?  If so, I would be interested in becoming a student in the ways of his camo-tarp-leaf-foo. 
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Offline zeitgeist

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #543 on: May 04, 2011, 05:33:09 PM »
Quote from: BattleHymn on May 04, 2011, 04:18:58 PM
Has your neighbor had any success in camouflaging said vehicles from his spouse, too?  If so, I would be interested in becoming a student in the ways of his camo-tarp-leaf-foo. 

If she isn't, she would be the perfect dump wife, a real 2001 Space Oddity, an example of what happens to old vegan hippies. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #544 on: August 13, 2011, 08:14:54 PM »


I picked up a replacement engine wiring harness last weekend and pulled the metal heat shield that sits in front of the vacuum booster and washer tank.  I need to scrub all the melted plastic from it and I'm considering painting it to match the engine compartment.  While I have all that mess off the car, I need to pull the intake manifold off to get to the exhaust header.  That gasket still needs to be replaced.

A little while later... scrub-a-dub-dub.  The heat shield is nice and clean.  Prime and paint tomorrow.  It's been below 90º the last two days.  Perfect weather.
« Last Edit: August 13, 2011, 10:34:27 PM by chris_ »
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #545 on: August 20, 2011, 03:40:39 PM »
Picked up an analog cluster (272k!!) to replace the digital one and took home a cold start valve and thermotime sensor as well.

Couldn't find a replacement fender, but I did find a door that was in good shape.  I'll have to take everything off it (window regulator, wiring, door lock and levers) unless I want to pay for it, so I decided to put that off for now.  There were no good passenger fenders for the front... both cars got crushed there when the junkyard jacked the car up.  I contemplated grabbing a radiator, but I'm still not sure if my radiator is leaking or if it's at the block. 
« Last Edit: August 20, 2011, 03:44:04 PM by chris_ »
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #546 on: August 20, 2011, 09:01:53 PM »
Quote from: chris_ on August 20, 2011, 03:40:39 PM
Picked up an analog cluster (272k!!) to replace the digital one and took home a cold start valve and thermotime sensor as well.

Couldn't find a replacement fender, but I did find a door that was in good shape.  I'll have to take everything off it (window regulator, wiring, door lock and levers) unless I want to pay for it, so I decided to put that off for now.  There were no good passenger fenders for the front... both cars got crushed there when the junkyard jacked the car up.  I contemplated grabbing a radiator, but I'm still not sure if my radiator is leaking or if it's at the block. 

Keep us up-to-date on how that cluster swap goes.
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #547 on: August 20, 2011, 09:06:13 PM »
It came out a lot easier than I expected after I yanked on it hard enough.  I was afraid of breaking it.
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Offline BattleHymn

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #548 on: August 20, 2011, 09:20:49 PM »
Quote from: chris_ on August 20, 2011, 09:06:13 PM
It came out a lot easier than I expected after I yanked on it hard enough.  I was afraid of breaking it.

It's been a spell since I pulled one, but I remember the center three gauges being much worse to take out.  If that cluster is made out of that whitish plastic, that stuff is tough. 
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Offline Chris_

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Re: 1983 Datsun 280ZX
« Reply #549 on: August 21, 2011, 01:02:26 PM »
Those blue injectors you sent me... what did they come out of?

I had to go back for the analog wiring harness.  It's amazing how easily the dashboard comes out once you remove the speedometer.  Four screws at the top, four bolts at the bottom, and two screws holding the heater control switch in place. 

I may have misplaced them, but I think some mother****er walked off with my 1/4-inch and 3/8-socket sets at the junkyard. ****ing ******* thieves. :censored:
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