New Member, New Car, New Set of Problems!

[Homeboyx]

So I've been lurking on this forum for a couple of days now and decided I should introduce myself along with my new acquisition.

 

So, hi. The name's Walter. Har-Har

 

On to the important stuff, the car. So let me give you guys the lengthy version. haha

 

 

 

Back Story: 

 

Scowering(?) through CL for a couple of months and researching different types of sporty vehicles in hopes of one day getting my hands on one but yet had no idea on what car specifically I ended up with a list. I was to get either a 240sx, a Cressida, a RX-7, a Celica Supra, a Miata, a S30Z, a S130Z, or an early model Z31. 

 

For those of you still wondering what won...

 

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The Car:

 

1976 Datsun 280z (1 year shy of being SMOG Exempt!! :'( )

 

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The Purchase:

 

I saw it last week on CL for a pretty small chunk of change and thought it wouldn't hurt to check it out. So I did.. and this is what I saw. ETA: 9am

 

 

 

Pretty good looking car for less than I paid for my GS right!? (Forgot to take pics of it without the car cover :ohgeez:)

 

The catch?

 

 

Now... the regular joe schmoe would've ran far, far away from it as soon as he laid his eyes upon that. But being the optimistic SOB that I am I went ahead and jacked up the car to scope out the damage underneath so I could kill all doubts I had about it. This is what I saw...

 

Driver's side.. looks ok..

 

That is NOT a lamp you're looking at :ohgeez:

 

Let there be light!

 

Hmm...

 

Let's look at the other side shall we..

 

Ehh... that's normal right?

 

 

Gnarly sway bar bolt bend..

 

Strut rod tried to make a emergency U-turn, lower arm definitely took a crap..

 

So at this point I am looking all up and down the car for body damage. To my utter shock, everything else is A-OK!

 

- Full black interior [Check]

- Engine runs (Without hesitation!) [Check]

- Leaks (Minimal)

- Manual transmission [Check]

 

Crappy picture, but nonetheless.. 4 TO THE FLOOR!

 

So I gamble my way to from his $400 to $325, and he bit the hook. So off I go to U-haul.. ETA: 10:30am

 

I spend 2-3 hours driving to countless U-hauls trying to find a damn car dolly so I can get this over with, and I finally do! ETA: 1:30pm

 

I get back to PO's house and pay the guy immediately and in return I received..

 

Few of the service records.. I wonder what's in the torn brown envelope. :D

 

And..

 

Along with the pink slip of course!

 

And then the question dawned upon me, HOW IN THE WORLD AM I GOING TO GET IT UP ON THE DOLLY!? :ohgeez:

 

After COUNTLESS hours (which seemed like days), countless curse words and ALOT of ingenuity, I managed to get 'er up there. ETA: 6:30pm

 

So after all of that, the PO forgot to sign the the pinkslip! So I waited 15 minutes for him to come back home (he had left), which turned to 20... which turned to 30... at this point I'm freezing my ass off, and filled with grease/dirt. He finally arrives an hour later gets it signed and off I go! ETA: 8:30pm

 

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Her New Home:

 

The next day she is introduced to her fellow companion, a face to face introduction was in order...

 

Part of the damage.. (I liked the wheels too!! :( )

 

As she sits as of last week..

 

 

That'll buff right out right? ...RIGHT?!

 

Fun picture

 

Does anyone know who makes these wheels btw? Model? :D

 

 

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The Plan?

 

To fix the damage and get her back on the road! After that, who knows..

[Skib]

check the back for some stamping. there an Appliance copy.

[ggzilla]

Nice one. Saving a Datsun for posterity.

 

I like the yellow paint.

[Homeboyx]

There's nothing on the back. Knock-offs perhaps? :(

[DISLEXICDIME]

They are creger or shelby wheels

[Ranman72]

nice score 

looks like you need a new control arm maybee a crossmember possibly a sway bar maybe a strut possibly a rack and pinion and some time to put it all together 

If you have any problems finding parts I have them all except a matching yellow fender I have other colors 

PM me if you need parts 

 check sacramento craigslist there are 2 rims that look similar for sale http://sacramento.craigslist.org/ptd/3466444474.html

[Homeboyx]

Can't seem to find them under cragar or shelby at all. lol

 

And thanks Ranman! I'll definitely keep you in mind once I have some cash flow coming in. :thumbsup:

 

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So I finally had the time to work on it today..

 

 

 

Top view..

 

 

Ehh...

 

Strut rod got it good!

 

Half way done

 

Look ma', no shock tower damage!

 

Tie rod end being a bitch to take out..

 

Done.. (crappy cell pic)

 

Is it just me.. or is this supposed to be straight(er)?

 

Damage, FAST & FURIOUS STYLE yO!

 

Not bad eh? :D

 

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Next up..

 

I'll try to make a jy run tomorrow and see if I can find a good rack (can't beat $20 lol) tomorrow since there is no inner tie rods on these. :(

[converted_to_datsun]

I like the yellow, and double like saving another datsun

[Homeboyx]

Thanks. The PO was looking to sell it as a parts car. Once I saw it, at first I was like..

 

Then I mumbled to myself..

[Homeboyx]

Here.. we.. GO!

 

So I finally bring you some updates.

 

Got my hands on the last piece of the puzzle I needed, I think..

 

Thumbs up for a straight Inner tie rod! Woot! Woot!

 

Notice the gnarly purple (black?) bumps on my dumb from when I smashed just the tip of the finger with the BFH! 

 

Gloves? AIN'T NOBODY GOT TIME FO DAT!

Purrty good I'd say...

 

 

 

MUCH better..

 

 

What's left to do.. 

 

 

And I have to install the front sway bar I brought from the JY along with the rear one I disconnected among some other misc. stuff.. :(

 

Now that I had the whole car uncovered I remember to take some pics of the interior! Finally.. :D

 

Durrty beast..

 

 

 

 

Not sure if I should install this or not..

 

 

Aaand I'm not sure I like this.. I hate that it's screwed in! :mad:

 

 

And that's it for today folks! 

It looks like tomorrow is the day the front wheels hit the ground finally. :D

[datrod]

They are creger or shelby wheels

 Man I hate that bug thing it gets me every time :fu:

 

Oh and nice 280Z

[Homeboyx]

So... car is still not on the ground! :mad:

 

I managed to install the "new" front sway bar.. it was actually more difficult that it seemed, weird.

 

So I was trying to remove the tie rod end so I can screw on to the inner tie rod easier and whacked it a few times. Would not come out. So I said screw it and do it the slower way, wrench it in slowy but surely. After that I tightened the castle nut up nice and snugly, when installing the cotter pin I noticed that it wouldn't go through all the way! The castle nut was kinda smashed and wouldn't let it go through. So I thought to myself, "Ok, I'll just replace it with the old, good looking one and call it a day." Boy was I wrong.. Once I removed the beat up and crummy castle nut, the good castle nut wouldn't catch on the threads! :mad:

 

 So after fiddling with it and nothing was happening, I decided re-thread it.. only to find out that I don't have a die big enough for that damn stud. So I had to buy a new tie rod after all... so I pretty much said "fukitol" and whipped out the MBFH and finally got it out. I called a couple of places to see where I can get it by today (part must be ordered :ohgeez:), and finally found a place. I get my ass over there and order it. Headed back home, waited an hour and a half and went back to pick up the part. At this time it's already 5:30pm. So I get there only to find out the guy didn't order the right one! When he found the right part it the price changed, instead of being $14 it was now $40! FOR A TIE ROD END?! Long story short I took my refund.. :ohgeez: 

 

So now I'll have to wait until the weekend comes so I can lay my hands on the car again.. and I still have to order the part from somewhere else.. sigh*

 

Smashed castle nut

 

 

Left- JY tie rod

Right- Old bent tie rod

 

 

How it sits now.. SO CLOSE!

 

 

So.. until the weekend it is.. :(

[Homeboyx]

 

The car is now on all 4. :boink:

 

MOOG lifetime warranty? Hell yes. Didn't know it was a Duralast brand though. :headscratch: 

 

 

 

The bad...

 

 

Yeaup.. positive camber. :ohgeez:

 

Then I remember that the old broken lower arm had this installed instead of a bushing.. any idea what these are for? Camber adjustment? *crosses fingers*

 

 

 

 

Both sides had these btw.. driver's side still has it.

[q-tip]

Looks like camber adjustment to me

[TENDRIL]

welcome you got pretty lucky that he didnt kink or bend any of those uni-body frame rails

 

and yes that looks like it will even out that knar posi. camber

[Homeboyx]

Anyone know what they're called?

[bananahamuck]

Anyone know what they're called?

 

 

http://www.wolfcreekracing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24&Itemid=33

[72dyme]

They look similar to these. http://www.wolfcreekracing.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=24&Itemid=33

[Homeboyx]

Suspension Work Chapter 2: Correcting the Camber Part 1

 

So today I decided to tackle the chore of removing to LCA so I can try and replace the busing with the camber adjuster..

 

 

 

Shoes? Ain't nobody got time fo dat!

 

It was actually ALOT easier to remove the LCA than I anticipated... thank lawd jesus!

 

 

Aaaand the bushing I can't get out atm.

 

 

So the plan is to press it out tomorrow while I'm on my break or something at work, might even throw it in the parts washer.. thus saving me a couple of bucks from buying a mini torch. You know what they say, every saved dollar counts. :D

[Homeboyx]

Finally an update!

 

Finally got the old bushing pressed out and the camber adjuster set in. :D

 

 

And then this happened..

 

 

 

 

Let's see the before and after for a full effect shall we? :)

 

Before..

 

 

After..

 

 

Seems much better imo, although it may need some fine tuning from a align shop.

 

Next up is getting a fender... since someone hasn't gotten back to me on that.

[Homeboyx]

Finally was able to upload a damn video of this thing.

Have no idea why the audio is so crappy, kind of reminds me of going into adrenaline mode on some old call of duty game... or was it medal of honor? :lol:

Video does no justice on how cool the damn engine sounds in real life!

 

 

 

 

[831Sunny]

what is under the tarp??

you should get rid of that low-rider vent thing on the back window imo..

[Homeboyx]

Brother's Camaro, and that low-rider vent thing is called louvers. I'm not sure if I dig them or not atm.. so they'll probably stay on until I'm sick of them. lol

[Homeboyx]

How she sits now.. nice and purrty(er)

 

 

 

The fender I picked up was gray in color, I wasn't really wanting to painted but my brother suggested I should paint it.. so I did.

 

Not too shabby. Not proffessional quality since you can see all the sanding scratches and some filler primer cracking up close.. but it's good enough for now imo. :D

 

 

Also trying to decide on what to do with the front end.. Here are my possible options.

 

1) Buy a 280z front air dam and call it a day.

2) Buy a 280z front air damn AND a 240z front bumper.

3) Buy a 240z front bumper, 240z front air dam AND 240z front turn signals and make it work.

4) same as #2 but with an added 240z rear bumper.

5) same as #3 but with an added 240z bumper.

6) Leave it as is.

 

Included in the first 3 options is the obvious removal of the rear bumper also.

 

[Homeboyx]

So... problems.

 

I can't figure out how the quick release is suppose to latch onto the hub adapter.. and it's pissing me off! :mad:

 

Quick release

 

Hub adapter

 

Steering wheel with a nifty horn button

 

There is a ring for the hub adapter btw.. but I'm assuming it's for when you don't have a quick release.

So I'm asking in hopes for useful knowledge... HOW does the quick release attach to the hub adapter? I have a feeling this quick release won't work for it or something.. :ohgeez: