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First time Z owner, Joey J's 77' 280z Build Thread [PICTURE HEAVY] Updated 4/5/15


Joey J

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  • 2 weeks later...
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  • 3 weeks later...

Sorry to hear all of that, I've been watching your instagram and hoping for good news. After all of that though where did you end up with the air ride? is it done and installed? will aired make a kit?

 

Yea the airride is done and working. I'm not sure when Airrex is making the announcement of the kits going for sale.

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  • 8 months later...
Joey J

 

Sick ride man. I follow you on IG and sent you a message as well. But that Z is inspiration right there! Im located in the North Miami area and need some help and guidance for my 78 280z project. Lots of things I want to get done but dont have any welding experience. (Coilovers, rust, floor pans, rust, fender flares, rust lol) Wanted to know if you can help me out get to somewhere close to your sweet ride lol. Rreally trying to find any Z guys here in the south fl area. Hope to hear from you. Thanks man.

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If you don't do you own work and just have to have a shop do it.....

 

Get references. Talk to customers and go see the work done on their cars. If on the 'up and up' there should be lots of them and willing to show you. Ask them questions like were there problems getting the work done, how well was it done, was it done on time.

 

Talk to the builder. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is. Get a time line for the work done and a break down of work and an estimate on paper. For example body work finished second week $1,800. Pay $1,800 and NO MORE until body work is done. Do not move on to the next item.. do NOT pay more money! 

 

NEVER NEVER NEVER pay up front. If the builder want's all the agreed on money up front... GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. Pay only for work to be done that week or two weeks or what ever his and your agreed upon time line. This is a 'pay as you go'. Builder has an incentive to get the work done to your satisfaction before he gets more money and moves on.

 

BE INVOLVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Probably the biggest most important thing. At least every week go and review the work. Again this is an incentive for the builder to make good on his promises. This is NOT a visit where he tells you why he couldn't finish the work HE agreed he would do, and you say 'Oh, OK". Do not settle for phone calls. If you get the run around about problems, or he asks for more money.... cut your losses and tow your vehicle home or somewhere else. It's true... "A fool and his money are soon parted"

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Thanks for the input Mike. That all made a lot of sense. If I do decide to go to a shop ill definitely keep all that in mind! For now Im hoping to run into some Miami guys that can help me in a driveway or a garage to help with my project and try to do most of the work I can do myself to save a little lol. Or if anything recommend me to a place or person that have experience with the stuff I want to do with the Z in the South FL area. Hope Joey J can see this lol.

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Sorry this might be a little long.  This is my first classic Z. It actually is a very solid car. I paid 2500$ and I've seen worse at that price. Had plenty 240sx before with a KA-t and my favorite one a 98 240sx 1J. So this is my first 280z that I want to build.


 


I have a decent tool collection. I do what I can handle. And have time for on my driveway (No garage). I have the Haynes manual so far and all these forums. I bought the car not being able to run and start and realized it was just the starter. So I got it started and loved driving it. So far I did all the maintenance stuff. Plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor, did the rear drums, oil change, fixed a little surface rust on the roof, fiber glassed a little hole in the passenger floor pan. Took up the bumpers, installed a front air dam and other little things I cant think of right now. 


 


There are little rust areas that need to be checked out besides little stuff on the body. I think the TC rod area on the frame on the passenger side might need a little attention. The driver side looks ok. I already have the bad dog frame rails ready to be welded. Under battery tray needs some repair too. But otherwise a very solid and fun car to drive.


 


I am not looking to do a V8 swap and really trying to keep it all Nissan. Was thinking a L28ET. Maybe RB? I gotta go boost lol. At least 400 HP. Kinda spoiled with my old 240sx making 528HP. But like everyone I am on a budget and need to think things through on what I want to spend because I also want to enjoy the car as well and not let it sit in a shop forever. Would like to do things little by little. And if possible some help with some local guys rather than a shop that wont cost me an arm and a leg. I know it will take a long time to build it the way I want but I am trying to enjoy it while I work on it too if that makes any sense.


 


My plan so far besides boost and obvious paint and rust repair. Is suspension, Watanabe 16'' maybe 9 or 9.5 wide wheels, 240z front and rear bumpers, AC, and flares. Thats why I want coilovers, for lower stance, adjustability and extra wheel well space. Just trying to reach out to you guys and especially some Florida Z guys. Trying to find a starting point somewhere. 


 


If anything I can send  texts to anyone if they want to see pics of the car too. But really looking for some guidance and some FL guys. Thanks for reading.


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  • 1 year later...
  • 3 years later...

Ooof, last update was in 2015.... Yikes!

 

After my last post I lost motivation for a few months and ended up biting the bullet to pay a shop to do a full RB25DET swap. I found a reputable shop  that has had experience in doing this exact swap. They had done it several times. So I'm feeling good about the whole thing, i cant wait to get the car back.

 

A few weeks later, the car arrives at my home. Trying to get the car off the trailer.. It wouldn't start.... FML

 

This was like in 2016 so im a bit foggy on the details. Battery needed a charge lots of cranking later it eventually started. 1 trip around the block it stalls out. I try and figure it out, i realize this is much more then I should have taken on. I send it back to the shop. They pay to get it sent back. Its a 4 hour trip from my home by the way. They take a few weeks working on it. Not sure what the problem was, i know he mentioned he had to replace the intake manifold gasket but that's all i can remember. Car comes back. Same problems... Basically the car would shut off once it got to operating temperature or there about. A few hours later it would crank back on

 

I give up. I'm out of funds I cant send it back up to find out there will be additional expenses I just leave it in the garage and try not to think about it. 

 

Finally I decide I need to do something with this the z. It's at my parents place and my dad bought a electric car so my car has been sitting outside exposed to the elements for a few years. It's covered so its not getting wet at least. 

 

This past weekend I finally went to go work on it. Dropped in a new battery, new gas, new oil and new plugs. It cranks but no start.... I spent a good 8 hours troubleshooting and researching. I have a few things I plan to test this weekend hopefully I can get it at least to turn on. We'll see. 

 

On the bright side the Airrex air suspension is still fully functional surprisingly. Gave it some power and it all started right up. Bags filled up and held the air till the following day. I really did not expect that since the car has sat for so long being exposed to the elements.

 

If I cant figure it out I'll have to send it to a shop which I really want to avoid. My experiences haven't been so good to say the least.

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