280zx: cost effective suspension build, what else am i missing??? when can I stop?!?

[Jomz Shakes]

1982 280zx N/A 5 speed ---

This car was bought for $1,300 ive gutted all the weight out and made this my daily driver/mountain road driver

 

I have parts stacking up in my room and im getting ready to take some time off work and to install all parts all at once, im doing brakes, bearings and suspension all at once, i haven't done tons of suspension work, nothing custom i guess. looking for some pointers maybe on the install or links to good write ups that i've missed, also looking for opinions on my parts choices because i went pretty cheap spent about a grand on everything and I did my research but could have bought the parts with a bad reputation for failing.

 

What am i missing?

whats next?

where do i stop spending?

what fab mods are popular?

Whats important pointers for the install off all these things at once, i have a chilton and another bigger service manual

 

 

 

HERES WHAT I HAVE BOUGHT ALLREADY

 

-prothane polyurethane bushing kit "w/ end links, bump spacers, LCA bushings etc."

 

-suspension techniques springs

 

-used msa sway bars

 

-old used tokico rear shocks, new front tokico struts

 

-techno toy tuning T/C rods

 

-ac delco ball joints

 

-moog outer tie rod ends

 

-EBAY $50 front camber adjustable link "non rubber type"

 

-welded rear strut tower bar

 

-Front and rear wheel bearings/races/ and seals

 

-2 rebuilt nissan rear calipers "rebuilt with non factory seals?" one from Ebay for cheap and one from the Z-Store

 

-front and rear brake pads - Wagner Thermal Quiets

 

 

 

HERES WHAT IM THINKING OF BUYING

 

 

-rear differential mount "hearing a clunk noise while letting off hard accelerations"

 

-rear subframe bushings- "they look pretty bad i guess"

 

-front strut tower bar

 

-moog inner tie rods "waste of money if nothings broken right?"

 

-im thinking of strengthening the 90 degree angle lips that hold the sway bars by welding triangle mounts "saw done on other car?"

 

-Bucket seat w/ rails and harness bar for 4 point harness

"I dont trust the fact there is no airbag and the seats and seatbelts have been replaced but still suck" "and i drive like an idiot"

 

 

again,

 

What am i missing?

whats next?

where do i stop spending?

what fab mods are popular?

Whats important pointers for the install?

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Pics of exterior, interior & engine would help to see what's been done to it already.

[Jomz Shakes]

 

 

[Jomz Shakes]

no shots of the engine right now bout its super dirty and its got an air filter on it and my headers are leaking, thats about it

[Jomz Shakes]

im looking for any additional cost effective suspension mods that i havent heard of for these cars

[goonfan]

You mean "foot hill" driver, right? Theres' no mountains in San Jo, lol.

 

Just put what you have in the car on the car and see where it takes you from there. There is no stopping point until you decide to stop.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

If anything never buy from eBay buy from genuine companies.

 

I'd suggest S13 aftermarket adjustable coilovers is the way to go for that you can ask PurePontiacKid he done a lot of suspension work on his 280zx.

 

If you want some engine mods the best thing to do is a L28ET swap fairly easy to do as long as you can get a rusty or 2+2 280zx turbo donor car or get the wiring harness, ECU, fuel injectors, intake manifold, turbo, downpipe & turbo manifold but donor car would be the best you can grab useful parts. Engine will drop right in you can even keep the stock transmission some like it better than the Borg Warner T-5 because of the longer gears.

 

But If wanna keep the stock engine you can either rip out all the EFI stuff and do a SU carb set up from early 240z.

[datzenmike]

-old used tokico rear shocks

 

Don't see the use of replacing worn shocks with worn shocks.

[Jomz Shakes]

You mean "foot hill" driver, right? Theres' no mountains in San Jo, lol.

 

Just put what you have in the car on the car and see where it takes you from there. There is no stopping point until you decide to stop.

 

ya in redwood city im all over the twisties :)

 

ya ive got the sickness of modding everything i research, like most of us i have a hard time deciding to stop

[I'm BLUE]

Don't install poly bushings on tension control arm.

[Jomz Shakes]

If anything never buy from eBay buy from genuine companies.

 

I'd suggest S13 aftermarket adjustable coilovers is the way to go for that you can ask PurePontiacKid he done a lot of suspension work on his 280zx.

 

If you want some engine mods the best thing to do is a L28ET swap fairly easy to do as long as you can get a rusty or 2+2 280zx turbo donor car or get the wiring harness, ECU, fuel injectors, intake manifold, turbo, downpipe & turbo manifold but donor car would be the best you can grab useful parts. Engine will drop right in you can even keep the stock transmission some like it better than the Borg Warner T-5 because of the longer gears.

 

But If wanna keep the stock engine you can either rip out all the EFI stuff and do a SU carb set up from early 240z.

 

ill go turbo once this engine pops under my driving, until then im gonna keep the N/a goin' to save money on my commute and on the build.

the s13 suspension seems fun and just difficult enough but not out of my league of hands on skills. ive allready bought all this stuff and dont really want to change routes,

i read the post about it and didnt want to spend even that much . i spent 200 on springs and 150 on front struts

[Jomz Shakes]

Don't install poly bushings on tension control arm.

 

i bought techno toy tuning tension control arms, do you think i still shouldnt??

[I'm BLUE]

 

 

i bought techno toy tuning tension control arms, do you think i still shouldnt??

 

Opps my brain fart for some reason I skipped that on your first post. On normal TCA'S poly's on both ends for s30!'s has been known to literally snap the rod.

 

I'm sure the TTT tca's are a fine product even though i have no personal experience with them.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Also that clunkering sound could be a loose U-joint I had that happen to mine, when I swapped my L28ET in I also changed my U-joint out for the CV axles and the noise went away.

[hughdogz]

I didn't see roll center adjusters on the list (aka bump steer spacers). I would almost have to say that tires are one of the most important parts of the suspension and having a good handling z/zx.

[Rustina 510]

 

 

Don't see the use of replacing worn shocks with worn shocks.

^ hella

[Jomz Shakes]

^ hella

 

i took the springs off the tokicos today at work, how do i test if they are bad???

 

i put the threaded tip towards the ground and pushed down with my weight and it had resistance, i had to use two hands, but how can i gauge if its sufficient???

will there be no resistance?

little resistance?

handle certain lbs. of pressure?

 

the exterior of the shocks look allright, small tips of rust on the bottoms.

[Jomz Shakes]

I didn't see roll center adjusters on the list (aka bump steer spacers). I would almost have to say that tires are one of the most important parts of the suspension and having a good handling z/zx.

 

"bump spacers" of which i called them came with my polyurethane bushing kit

 

is there a good recommended tire on the stock 6 spoke rims??

 

 

im using this car for better gas mileage so i dont really want to put wide rims and tires on it...

thats for my other car :)

[ggzilla]

You can't tell if strut inserts are good when they are off the car as far as i know. When they are still on the car, see if it will bounce. It should not if the strut inserts are good.

[PurePontiacKid]

when did RCA's come in bushing kits? lol

 

you're on a good start, I would have reccomended doing a coilover conversion for added tuneability, but you've already got everything else.

 

I suggest getting the eccentric camber/toe adjusting bushings for the rear control arms to have some adjustment back there.

 

definitely needs a new diff mount. I found a mint stock one in the junkyard, then filled it with 3M windoweld to make it basically solid

 

I also have S13 aluminum subframe bushings turned down to the correct diameter for the crossmember. if you want a little more give, get poly bushings.

 

unfortunately, as much as I hate Tokico, they're really the only drop-in shock for S130s, so I guess you'll have to make due with those until you step it up to coilovers.

 

if you don't mind going with shorter tires, Dunlop makes their Z1 Star Spec in 195/60-14, or if you wanna be crazy, Toyo makes R888's in 225/50-14.

 

beyond that, cheap good tires in good sizing isn't available until you get to 15s.