Looked What I Pulled Out Of The Forest!....I Am CraZZee!..Pics!

slow&rusty · 03-24-2007, 07:15 PM

I need another project like I need a hole in my head...but I could not bear to see this car crushed. It was scheduled to be squished this spring.

It has an interesting story too, the owner is a Mechanical Engineer who has been living and working in Shanghai for the past 13years. He parked the car at his parents 6acre property in 1995 (after the car failed emissions). This property is located in the Forest and he left it under the trees and it has not been run or moved since.

His bother is my buddy, who told me about the car and said that his parents were tired of seeing the car and were going to crush it this spring. I thought I would go check it out just for grins and thought it would be a REAL "piece" -rusty and roachy (ok so it is!). But was pleasantly surprised to see it complete, straight and in decent shape for a car that was last run in 1995! The car was covered in pine needles like you would not believe, you can see we had to dig around it to get it out and the tires were starting to dry rot badly. The dry Colorado climate has been pretty gentle to it.

Interestingly enough, next to the 280Z is a REALLY rare Mazda Cosmo with a BridgePorted 13B! It supposedly making a solid 240-250hp. The fate of this Cosmo is uncertain right now but hopefully will be saved and not crushed. It is a complete running car and was last started and run 6months ago.

So the 280Z that followed me home today has some rot on one small piece of the passenger floor but actually its not extensive at all, the frame rails are very solid. Lots of surface rust as you can see, rear lower 1\4s are typical. The tires actually held air, after we pumped them up. The Western Wheels are pretty old skool pimp! The interior is pretty sad.

After I drained the lovely smelling varnish 13year old gas, filled it with 5 fresh gallons of fuel, filled it with coolant (fixed a coolant leak with a handy garden hose in the process), I cranked it until it built good oil pressure and then tried to start it and it would just not go. The engine is not getting fuel at all, so the pump might be dead. I sprayed some Starter Fluid into the intake and VROOOOOM it fired up and ran for a solid 10second...pretty damn cool...LOL. I had to whack one of the rear drums with a 16lb sledge for a while as the shoes were glued to it and it was just dragging as we pulled the car.

Well here are the pics....yes I know I am crazy, but one less Z saved from the crusher!

Very clean engine bay actually!

The Mazda 13B Cosmo:

Loaded Up And Ready To come Home:

Ahhhh...fun times ahead!

Yasin

rattlsnak · rattlsnak's Garage

very cool,.. what will you give me for it??

slow&rusty · 03-24-2007, 07:19 PM

Edit - I got the car running after three late nights! But I have by-passed the gas tank as I am suspect of junk in it and I have already cleaned out the gas lines and installed a new fuel pump. The fuel feed line had a fair bit of junk in it when I blew 100psi of compressed air through it!

Tomorrow I am going to drop the tank and have it boiled and cleaned.

Car sounds very healthy and has a very steady 750rpm idle. Car needs a full tune-up but for I am jazzed that the motor is healthy is building great oil pressure.

More to come!

Yasin

bt1211 · 07:37 PM

I'm a little rusty on my cosmos, that is a 76 to 81 model(2 gen) I dont think they had that much HP. There was also a piston model. If its a piston model it would be a in-line 4 (?)100 hp

M.D. Holloway · 03-24-2007, 07:31 PM

great finds! I love these stories. Thanks for sharing.

stomachmonkey · 03-24-2007, 07:43 PM

You're a good man Charlie Brown.

Actually looking for a Z for my wife. She drove one before college and her juniour year her father sold the car while she was away. Every time she see's one she gets upset.

Trting to find a good candidate to resto as either a b-day or anniversary gift.

She had a 280 but I'd get her a 240.

Jays72T · 03-24-2007, 08:51 PM

NIce save, congrats!!

HardDrive · 03-24-2007, 09:17 PM

Nice one. They really are true sports cars. Small, light, quick. I have often thought about finding a solid 240z.

slow&rusty · 03-25-2007, 02:03 AM

Thanks for all the replies gang!

stomachmonkey - I agree that a 240 would have more appeal and more nostalgia but I like the 280Z as well in that its the same chassis (S30) and all body and interior parts are interchangeable, also the 280Z has the larger 2.8L and digital fuel injection which is appealing. There is no shortage of aftermarket parts which is VERY appealing...hope you get your wife one!

This is inspiring:

Yasin

azasadny · azasadny's Garage

Great save!!

on2wheels52 · on2wheels52's Garage

I hadn't seen those wheels since tire busting in the 70's.
Jim

williecoyote · 03-25-2007, 05:20 AM

Nice find there. I hope it's solid enough to save. I had a 280Z back in the day. The only thing I didn't like was that mine was a 4 speed, and I would have preferred a 5 speed. Once in a while I see one on the road, and it makes me smile. I imagine lots of them have rusted away.
I think the 240 260 280 all produced the same power,they just punched them out to offset the power lost due to emission controls. Get rid of those big honking impact bumpers, and swap on the 240 bumpers for a cleaner look.
A few years back, Nissan rounded up a quantity of original 240Zs, and remanufactured them. These cars were sold through the dealerships, like new.
Best of luck with your new project.

Rick V · 03-25-2007, 12:24 PM

I miss mine, I let it go 2 years ago.
Victoria British, remember the name, you can buy that whole care one piece at a time. good sorce of parts.
Nice save............you a good man

many944s · 03-25-2007, 12:55 PM

Ok, I'm jealous!
I've been looking for one to restore for a while, definitely the next car I want to add to the collection.

Well done, and congrats!

-Nick

Hugh R · 03-25-2007, 01:56 PM

That'll buff right out!! Looks like another nice one pulled back from the precipice of rot and decay. Good for you.

Oracle · 03-31-2007, 08:39 PM

Wow! That is one good looking car.
Good luck with the project and take lots of pictures of the restoration..

Nostril Cheese · 03-31-2007, 08:42 PM

something interesting on you tube

many944s · 03-31-2007, 08:50 PM

Ugh, I'm still dropping tears is my beer after losing an auction on Evilbay for an '82 280zx by $1.00 that was begging me to restore her.

Oh well, next time I guess...

PorscheGuy79 · PorscheGuy79's Garage

My buddy had one of these, he did a good deal of work making the thing looks sharp (new paint and a new breathed on motor) and I have to say it was really rewarding to drive. And if anyone out there says your 911 steering is too heavy, give them 5 minutes in one of these bad ones.

mitsumark · 04-01-2007, 05:05 AM

I restored this one about 6 years ago.I know many may not like the color and decals,but I wanted to update the car a little.The restoration took over a year..I wound up selling the car to a man that flew in from Colorado and drove it all the way home..I regret selling it alot now..Ive owned many old Z cars and I can tell you they are one of the most reliable cars ever built..You will fall through the rotting floorboards before they stop running.I have since brought a 944 back to life..It will be sold to start another 280ZXT project..