The Energon Pub

Well, not new, it's 28 years old. But it's one I've been searching for for the past 5 years.

It's a 1982 Datsun 280ZX. One of the talking Z-Cars!
And it's the 3-speed automatic model which makes it quite rare.

Up until finding this one, all the others I'd found were in terrible shape, didn't run and the sellers wanted over $1000 usd.
This one runs great, just has a minor exaust leak and the back windshield was busted out by hail, but has new injectors, radiator, belts, and tires.
I only payed $800!

Plan on fully restoring it. Getting it to racing specs, though i'm not much of a speed demon, I just like my cars to be at that performance level.

It's not the best looking cosmetically atm, but I'm quite happy to have it.
If i can get my camera working I'll post some pictures of it up, but right now the snappys settings are all out of whack.

Luckily, my insurance is quite cheap, even for a sports car. I guess being over the 25 year mark helps. The same company that's quoting me $200/per 6 months now, once quoted me over $900/per 6 months 2-3 years ago!

Just as useful is theres a automotive shop, Black Dragon Automotive, that's store is only about 4 and a half hours drive from me. They deal almost exclusivly with Datsuns 240's through 280 and Mazdas(RX7/ect...)

I've started making a list of all the parts and work it needs, so far I've racked up about a $4000 shopping list.

Yeah, that's going to turn into a labor of love for you. In 2008 I bought a 1982 Camaro, because I was born that year and the Camaro is my favorite ride. I had it until summer of 2009, when the engine blew up. But I was fixing it up little by little all that time, so the $700 I paid for it more than doubled. Still, it really sucked when I watched the wrecker haul it away, because I just couldn't afford to put another engine in it. Even if I had kept it, I would have had to junk it because I lost my job a little later, so I didn't have any money. Now I drive a 1997 Camaro, a black one and I named it Ravage. I freaking love it.

Good luck with that car, it's definitely worth fixing if it survived this long. Just take it easy with it and have fun.

It's a 1982 Datsun 280ZX. One of the talking Z-Cars!

i sold a 83 or 84 about 4 years ago for $400. it ran, no problems or broken windows.

maybe i should have gotten more for it.

I drive a 73 Black Ford Gran Torino... no A/C... in South Florida.... talk about loving a ride... I have other cars... but I just love Torinos. I have had one since I was 17. Totalled one a few years ago... never give up on the ride you love.

I'm rocking a 1998 SAAB 95, black, automatic, turbo. Nice ride currently fixing it up in the end it will have decepticon badges, white wall tyres, moon dish hubcaps, be lowered and have some fancy blue neons.

Cars are awesome i still remember my first car a 1985 VK commodore. the thing hauled ass unfortunately the gearbox blew and i couldt afford to keep fixing it up

Nightscreech wrote:I'm rocking a 1998 SAAB 95, black, automatic, turbo. Nice ride currently fixing it up in the end it will have decepticon badges, white wall tyres, moon dish hubcaps, be lowered and have some fancy blue neons.

Cars are awesome i still remember my first car a 1985 VK commodore. the thing hauled ass unfortunately the gearbox blew and i couldt afford to keep fixing it up

Gees your SAAB will be nice when finished mate. I drive a 89 Mitsubishi Lancer that was in excellent condition when I got it named her Chromia as she is the same colour as G1 character.

Elita One wrote:

Nightscreech wrote:I'm rocking a 1998 SAAB 95, black, automatic, turbo. Nice ride currently fixing it up in the end it will have decepticon badges, white wall tyres, moon dish hubcaps, be lowered and have some fancy blue neons.

Cars are awesome i still remember my first car a 1985 VK commodore. the thing hauled ass unfortunately the gearbox blew and i couldt afford to keep fixing it up

Gees your SAAB will be nice when finished mate. I drive a 89 Mitsubishi Lancer that was in excellent condition when I got it named her Chromia as she is the same colour as G1 character.

nice ive named this car lucy fur just because i thought it would be a cool drag queen name. When its finished ill probably get nightscreech number plates lol. Lancers are good cars i almost picked up a blue one but i ended up getting the saab instead.

I've named the car Sucker Punch.

After a fanmade character I made on a rpg forum. Also because I plan on putting a larger engine in it eventually. Maybe a Vortec V6...

Catalyst Prime wrote:I've named the car Sucker Punch.

After a fanmade character I made on a rpg forum. Also because I plan on putting a larger engine in it eventually. Maybe a Vortec V6...

Screw 6 unless your boosting it go 8.

5.3's are cheap in the yards and that thing will go like hell, specially if u go with an all aluminum version.

The Vortec V6 is what they put in GMC Jimmys and Blazers. It's basically a muscle truck engine, but it's still small enough to fit in a Datsun.

I use to have a GMC Jimmy with a Vortec V6 and I was able to outrun most anything, including a Police Interceptor!

So I can only imagine what it would do in a car half the size and tuned for racing!

But I've seen plenty of V8 conversion kits for 280ZX's so if the Vortec ends up not working I'll probably go that route.

Catalyst Prime wrote:The Vortec V6 is what they put in GMC Jimmys and Blazers. It's basically a muscle truck engine, but it's still small enough to fit in a Datsun.

I use to have a GMC Jimmy with a Vortec V6 and I was able to outrun most anything, including a Police Interceptor!

So I can only imagine what it would do in a car half the size and tuned for racing!

But I've seen plenty of V8 conversion kits for 280ZX's so if the Vortec ends up not working I'll probably go that route.

VortecV6??? Yuck.

I vote for one of these (Nissan RB20)!

GetterDragun wrote:

Catalyst Prime wrote:The Vortec V6 is what they put in GMC Jimmys and Blazers. It's basically a muscle truck engine, but it's still small enough to fit in a Datsun.

I use to have a GMC Jimmy with a Vortec V6 and I was able to outrun most anything, including a Police Interceptor!

So I can only imagine what it would do in a car half the size and tuned for racing!

But I've seen plenty of V8 conversion kits for 280ZX's so if the Vortec ends up not working I'll probably go that route.

VortecV6??? Yuck.

I vote for one of these (Nissan RB20)!

RB20/25/26 would be great routes. Why not just go with the VG30ET from the z31-it can make plenty of power. I don't see why you couldn't stuff a VG30DETT(converted to single turbo) in there. Both of those would probably be easier to get a hand on then the skyline engines, and would leave PLENTY of potential in their own right.

If it was my car, I would keep it in the Nissan family instead of putting a bland chevy v6 in there-Nissan has so many excellent engines to choose from that it just seems unnecessary. Then again, It's NOT my car.

Gutter Bunny wrote:

GetterDragun wrote:

Catalyst Prime wrote:The Vortec V6 is what they put in GMC Jimmys and Blazers. It's basically a muscle truck engine, but it's still small enough to fit in a Datsun.

I use to have a GMC Jimmy with a Vortec V6 and I was able to outrun most anything, including a Police Interceptor!

So I can only imagine what it would do in a car half the size and tuned for racing!

But I've seen plenty of V8 conversion kits for 280ZX's so if the Vortec ends up not working I'll probably go that route.

VortecV6??? Yuck.

I vote for one of these (Nissan RB20)!

RB20/25/26 would be great routes. Why not just go with the VG30ET from the z31-it can make plenty of power. I don't see why you couldn't stuff a VG30DETT(converted to single turbo) in there. Both of those would probably be easier to get a hand on then the skyline engines, and would leave PLENTY of potential in their own right.

If it was my car, I would keep it in the Nissan family instead of putting a bland chevy v6 in there-Nissan has so many excellent engines to choose from that it just seems unnecessary. Then again, It's NOT my car.

The RB is just sexier. It looks better in the engine bay (the pic I posted was a crappy job), and they just sound amazing!

GetterDragun wrote:

Gutter Bunny wrote:

GetterDragun wrote:

Catalyst Prime wrote:The Vortec V6 is what they put in GMC Jimmys and Blazers. It's basically a muscle truck engine, but it's still small enough to fit in a Datsun.

I use to have a GMC Jimmy with a Vortec V6 and I was able to outrun most anything, including a Police Interceptor!

So I can only imagine what it would do in a car half the size and tuned for racing!

But I've seen plenty of V8 conversion kits for 280ZX's so if the Vortec ends up not working I'll probably go that route.

VortecV6??? Yuck.

I vote for one of these (Nissan RB20)!

RB20/25/26 would be great routes. Why not just go with the VG30ET from the z31-it can make plenty of power. I don't see why you couldn't stuff a VG30DETT(converted to single turbo) in there. Both of those would probably be easier to get a hand on then the skyline engines, and would leave PLENTY of potential in their own right.

If it was my car, I would keep it in the Nissan family instead of putting a bland chevy v6 in there-Nissan has so many excellent engines to choose from that it just seems unnecessary. Then again, It's NOT my car.

The RB is just sexier. It looks better in the engine bay (the pic I posted was a crappy job), and they just sound amazing!

it's probably just my z32 fanboyism shining through...but the vg30dett is plenty sexy. After looking into it, looks like the swap has been successfully pulled off(by greg dupree...who holds the record for the fastest street driven z32 in the 1/4) before although it sounds like it wasn't exactly cost effective. I'm trying to find a pic of the engine bay but all i've been able to locate is a couple drag vids and a pic of the exterior.

Well, heres some pictures of it. It was too close to the house for me to get a good pic of the front.

Recently got it back from the mechanic, learned that the #3 injector is sealed open, gas and oil have been running down the cylinder wall and damaged the seals. And been pouring gas into the exaust system... I can replace the injector and hope that it hasn't caused too much damage but in the end I absolutly need to replace the engine.

The mechanic I went to deals exclusivly with imports and had considerable experiance working on Z-cars, Informed me that the VortecV6 would, while technically possible, would be a horrid nightmare to actually perform and wouldn't provide significant enough power to justify the increased gas consumption.
His personal recommendation was to simply replace it with a newer strait-6. Or a small-block V8.

Anyways, heres the pics.

Diaclone Bluestreak FTW!

I seriously thing the easiest swap to do is an RB20:

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php?/to ... n-rb-swap/

So a general update:

I've got the belts replaced. the injector has been fixed. And I've got the back windshield... I just need to have it put in, which is looking to cost about $125 bucks.

Monday I'm taking it in to get the exhaust system replaced and that's gonna cost $180+

But I've been driving it around, to work and such, and except for a slight power issue between 10 and 20 mph it's been a good little car. Absolutely great gas mileage! I put a little over half a tank in three weeks ago and I just now went under the quarter mark!

After I get the exhaust,back glass, electronics, and right axle U-Joint fixed all that's left is the cosmetic work.

Are you going to swap in a manual tranny when you do an engine swap? Autos can only take so much power, at least from a built engine.

BTW I love that color, looks fantastic! Those are pretty cool cars all-around. Yours reminds me of the one from Wangan Midnight.

Rogue. wrote:Autos can only take so much power, at least from a built engine.

Huh? Autos can only take so much power?

Why do most of the high powered drag cars I see at the track run an automatic tranny?

GetterDragun wrote:

Rogue. wrote:Autos can only take so much power, at least from a built engine.

Huh? Autos can only take so much power?

Why do most of the high powered drag cars I see at the track run an automatic tranny?

because a built auto shifts without making mistakes.
and there is a big difference between a z-car transmission. and a V8 transmission.

you can build anything to hold power!
manuals are a little stronger for us poor folk.

on and to the OP nice ride! I am jealous!

oh also you need to change the oil pronto if you didn't after the injector repair. (your shop probably did this but you should ask to be sure) you don't want gas in your oil!

Sorrow Six Star wrote:

GetterDragun wrote:

Rogue. wrote:Autos can only take so much power, at least from a built engine.

Huh? Autos can only take so much power?

Why do most of the high powered drag cars I see at the track run an automatic tranny?

because a built auto shifts without making mistakes.
and there is a big difference between a z-car transmission. and a V8 transmission.

you can build anything to hold power!
manuals are a little stronger for us poor folk.

You took that too literally. My point was an auto tranny can take a lot more than people think. I've seen Supras in the 10's on their stock auto tranny...I've also seen them in the 8s with a Power Glide.

And inthe long run , a built auto is cheaper than a manual if you do go to the track quite often...good drag clutches are 2 grand and a fully built auto is about the same and should last a lot longer than the clutch.

But if the person is just enjjoying their car on a normal basis, who cares what tranny they have as long as they enjoy the ride. I'm just enjoying this thread because it is one of the rare car threads on this forum and it is a really nice looking car.

Wow, What a fantastic car!

I really am envious, I've have always wanted one even as a small boy! I always fancied getting one and turning into Prowl or Bluestreak or even Smokescreen.

Problem is, here in the UK they are about as rare as rocking horse Sh1t, so getting your hands on a decent one is almost impossible, unless have vasts amounts of cash, which sadly I don't.

One day, one day.