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"New" '81 280zx


EdwardK

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Sooo, I bought another Datsun. This one is a 1981 280zx. Naturally Aspirated, two-seater. 230k miles.

 

The plan is to get it running, drive it on occasion and auto-x it for fun. Then when the 610 is ready, pull the suspension and brakes off of it for that car. Get some new suspension and brakes for this one and hopefully bequeath it to my brother.

 

 

So! To get it running is the first order of business.

 

Car has been sitting for two years. Ran well until it was parked and the fuel pump died. (So says the PO.)

 

I had only a few minutes of daylight to look at the car. But everything looks good. (Very little rust.) The oil smells gassy... I hope that's just from sitting for so long. The rubber going into the injectors needs to be replaced, I doubt they'll hold pressure.

 

I'll pick up a battery soon and see what I can do about getting it running.

 

OICS coming tomorrow when I can get them. I would have taken some just now. But it woulda been just a whole buncha black.

 

What can I do about those stubby lengths of rubber connected to the injectors?

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> What can I do about those stubby lengths of rubber connected to the injectors?

 

Nothing. Just drive it. They typically get weathered on the outside, but are multi-layer reinforced fuel hose, so still good on the inside.

 

Still want to replace them though. The guy told me he had to replace one because it started leaking, so I havef little hope for the others, especially after having sat.

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These engines don't do very good after sitting for a long time as far as the fuel injected ones goes all those hoses and vacuum lines harden up and crack over time it's a 30+ year old car why not change all that.

 

Ah, lovely. So leave it all until it needs a rebuild?

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Pics!

 

 

It's been patched and painted in the front. The clear-coat is almost gone. So it'll need a respray sometime later in life.

2-DSC06630_zpsd372fc20.jpg

 

 

Dude told me he "ran over" the gas cap... Couldn't figure that one out...

1-DSC06626_zps019b8315.jpg?t=1392158810

 

I like 'dem rims.

3-DSC06632_zps09669e23.jpg

 

Interior. It's in fairly nice shape. Lot's of UV damage and disintegrated plastics. [Edit] Oh yeah... It's got a lap timer. Iunno if that's standard, but that's freakin' awesome!

4-DSC06633_zps5e0a42cd.jpg

 

The engine. It appears to be seized at the moment. So a diesel soak might be in order.

5-DSC06634_zpsdfbb70a9.jpg

 

Damage to the car.

6-DSC06636_zpsfb2bff17.jpg

 

And it's got a few rust spots like this. Nothing terribly bad.

7-DSC06637_zps28e5f761.jpg

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You'll find there are two types of people here on Ratsun;

 

* Fit new parts now, because it may go bad

* If it works, don't fix it

 

Both are valid viewpoints with pluses and minuses

 

I'm kinda in between those two...

 

But I don't disagree with either viewpoint.

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Engine isn't seized. Just had bad battery connections.

 

Doesn't appear to have spark. :P Or at least won't fire off of starter fluid.

 

Pump comes in sometime this week depending upon the weather. I'll get the filter changed tomorrow and get some fuel for it sometime soon.

 

[Edit]

And obviously diagnose the spark system. 

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It's allliiiive!

 

It actually fired up nicely. It was funny, the cylinders came in one by one, so it started running really rough but after about thirty seconds or so she was purring like a kitten.

 

The brakes don't work. lol Who needs to stop anyway?

 

(Fluid has gelled, working on fixing that soon.)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Okay, got the car washed up, all the fluids changed. I'm almost ready to get out on the road...

 

But...

 

I made the idiotic mistake of sending back the bracket/spacer that goes between the master cylinder and the brake booster with my M/C core...

 

And I can't find the damn thing anywhere to save my neck.

 

Can anyone help a fool out?

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Nevermind, parts store still had my core, flange is back.

 

However, my passenger side frame rail is toast, had her up on stands today to check that out. It's surprising the car hasn't split in half yet. Gonna get that fixed before driving her.

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Datsun unibody construction is very strong. It will continue to work even with damaged rails. But get it fixed, it could fold up if you get in a wreck.

 

 

I honestly don't care how strong the unibody is. lol

 

I'm starting a new job working in a mechanic shop next week, he told me we can fix it in our spare time so I'm not even gonna take her out on the road until we get it patched up.

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