Phantom Posted May 16, 2015 Report Share Posted May 16, 2015 My '77 280Z went into the shop 3 months ago for some "improvements". I've always felt that the lighting on the car was inadequate so the following is being done: HID headlights - still to get done. White faced gauges and all new light bulbs with the green lenses removed - complete LED sequential front and rear turnsignals - in progress LED side marker lights - in progress LED brake and back-up lights - in progress I received a call from Samuel at ZLEDslights last night. The front turn signals and side marker lights are done. The taillights will be assembled this weekend and all should ship Monday. Here's a link to his Facebook page that shows what they are like. http://zledslights.com/store/ I've also sent my clock to The Clock Works in Wisconsin to be refurbished. UPS says it will deliver this Monday. That should have it back to me in about two weeks and it will be one of the last things completed. I've had an OBDII connector soldered in along with a Check Engine light so I'll be able to monitor the LS1 more closely. I'm also getting an adjustable proportioning valve installed to better control the disk brakes in the rear. Goal was to be done a month ago but now I'm just hoping to be done in time to go to the NW Datsun meet in Canby, OR in June. Quote Link to comment
datzenmike Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 Be sure to mount the proportioning valve under the hood. Those things are great, but like a remote control mirror, if within reach you can't help always adjusting it. Once dialed in you don't need to touch it. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Definitely. The plan is for the adjustable proportioning valve to be located under the hood just outboard of the master cylinder. Clock arrived at The Clock Works today and the LED lights were completed today. Now just waiting on each to. Intact me on timing for arrival here in Yakima. Will be at the shop tomorrow to set a completion timeline, hopefully sometime late next week. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted May 19, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Clock is at the Clock Works and should be on it's way back to me this Friday. LED lights shipped from ZLEDslights today via USPS delivery. I figure it will be next Tuesday before it gets here though as this is Memorial Day weekend and I don't believe USPS can deliver anything in 3 days - especially from 2,400 miles away. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted May 21, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Well, I was partly wrong. USPS actually tried to deliver the package today - during the 15 minutes I was in the back yard. So - missed delivery and I have to go pick up the LED lights at the post office tomorrow morning. Here is a link to a youtube video of the new tail lights in action. Now I just need the clock - and maybe an electronic flasher module. My local O'Reilly's has one that will probably work but I'm going to try the stock one first. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs9pKILfcDU Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted May 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 24, 2015 Picked up the LED lights from the Post Office yesterday and then today the Post Office delivered my clock that I had sent out for repair. All the parts are back so they will go to the shop Tuesday morning and, hopefully, the car will be back together by the end of the week. 1 Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted May 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 26, 2015 Delivered my new lights and remanufactured clock to the shop this morning. They are promising to have it done this week but we'll see. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted June 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2015 Well - car is mostly together but "issues" are popping up like "whack-a-mole". Voltmeter intermittent, coolant leak where heater hoses attach to the engine, turn signals not flashing correctly, etc. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted June 6, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 6, 2015 Well - the clock does work, the NEW dash lights with the white faced gauges are great and the LED lights are working good except turn signals which will need a new flasher. Interestingly the hazard flasher works fine with the LED's. HID lights in but, for some reason the passenger side high beam stopped coming on. Told the mechanic to cycle the high/low switch 15 or so times and it will probably be OK. Used to have that problem with the regular lights occasionally. Coolant leaks are all fixed. Told them to forget the DRL's for now and, if they can't guarantee to have the car back together by the end of Tuesday to forget the adjustable proportioning valve for now. I need the car back for a few days of shakedown before heading out to Canby. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted June 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2015 Going through a debugging stage - lights on backwards, LED panel inserted backward, diode problem, and burned out flasher. All are fixed now except the diode for the HID headlights. Here are some photos/videos. LED turn signals in action: http://vid321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/BuckskinRanch/280Z28/IMG_4992.mp4 http://vid321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/BuckskinRanch/280Z28/IMG_4993.mp4 New white faced gauges, higher wattage bulbs, and a working clock: http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/BuckskinRanch/280Z28/IMG_4996.jpg LED side marker lights http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/BuckskinRanch/280Z28/IMG_4994.jpg http://i321.photobucket.com/albums/nn390/BuckskinRanch/280Z28/IMG_4995.jpg Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted June 23, 2015 Author Report Share Posted June 23, 2015 Well, the diode didn't do it for the passenger side high beam. Since I'm not hearing a "click" on that side when high beams are selected it appears that power isn't getting to the solenoid. Now it's time to pull the wheel, pull the fender liner, and remove all the electrical tape covering the wiring so I can check connections and voltage at each connection. There is an issue somewhere. While I'm at it I'm going to get the specs off my Willwood calipers so I can order some new pads when I replace the rotors. Trying to get a Spec 37 rotor instead of the Ultralight in hopes of getting a more durable, better machined part. I'm also going to go ahead and extend the DRL wring so it can be hooked up later without having to tear the car apart again. Quote Link to comment
Phantom Posted September 11, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2015 Final update - I was able to go with some Spec 37 GT 48 vane slotted rotors instead of the 32 vane Ultralights and Wilwood BP-20 pads. Install was straightforward and they work great. Headlights have been a real pain but it was self-inflicted. The headlight plug on the driver side was wired like a 240Z during the conversion and then the shop tried a bunch of different configurations to try to get the passenger side to work right and they were never successful. Long story short - I pulled all the wires out of the plugs and rewired them per my '77 280Z service manual, replaced both headlight fuses, and now they work just like they should have on day one if the headlight plug wiring had been kept in the stock 280Z locations. Hats off to the guys at Dapper Lighting for sticking with me through the whole thing to the successful conclusion. Also hats off to the tech service guys at Wilwood for working through the brake conversion with me. Quote Link to comment
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