Gary's Track Spec Father & Son 83' 280zx Build
Mr. Moore made his first purchase with us back in 2021 when he decided to upgrade his gauge cluster for his son’s 280zx. At the time, we still offered our Glowshift gauge package for the 280zx, so we set him up with an upgraded cluster for his build. He went on to purchase a few more odds and ends over the course of the next year, and by late 2022, we began the conversation of some major upgrades for this build.
Mr. Moore communicated to us that this was going to be a father and son type of project, and that he wanted to pick upgrades that complimented and improved the car, but did not make it more dangerous for a young driver to handle. We prioritized function, as well as modernity and decided on upgrading all of the mechanicals outside of the engine with modern parts straight from our catalog. Our focus for the engine was get it back to OEM mechanical standards to ensure reliability, but also prioritize safety and stability.
Mr. Moore eventually added on one of our CD009 6-speed conversion kits, and a set of Feal Suspension coilovers. The vehicle was shipped to us from South Texas and we began our work. Once we got the 6-speed installed, and the coilovers in, we began road testing the vehicle and noticing some other mechanical deficiencies. While not necessarily major safety issues, we did note that they would become worse over time. We noted a moderate driveline vibration, and a clunk on deceleration and tip in throttle. We narrowed it down to worn out subframe bushings. Surprisingly, these bushings can still be purchased brand new from the Nissan dealer, however with the amount of labor involved to install new bushings, and the fact that you are still left with no adjustable alignment angles in the rear, it made more sense to go with a complete rear sub-frame and control arm kit from Apex Engineered. We coupled this with a set of front lower control arms and tension rods from Apex, as well as a set of upgraded ST Suspension sway bars to finish off the suspension upgrades. Once the suspension was fully assembled and the vehicle was running and driving, we partnered with BSP Motorsports in Aubrey Texas to handle the precision alignment, as this subframe setup can be fairly complicated for those who are not well versed in aftermarket suspension components.
The final piece of the puzzle was a modern air conditioning and heating setup. At the time, we had not gotten the opportunity to install a vintage air kit in a 280zx, so this was the first, and served as a development vehicle for the now bolt-on parts we offer for this swap. We found that in the 280zx chassis, the Billet streamline A/C controller fits much better in the car, and looks more period correct compared to the standard horizontal controller that vintage air offers.
In closing, Mr. Moore took a completely factory 280zx, and upgraded every major component with modernization and safety in mind, and is now able to trust that his son is driving a classic car equipped with modern components that not only improve the driving experience, but make the vehicle much safer than it was from the factory. Not only does the vehicle handle much better, with the particular suspension upgrades and 6-speed conversion, it is much more agile, and would arguably be quite the competitor in a track event. We are honored to have been a part of yet another awesome Datsun build, and excited that the next generation will be enjoying these cars for many years to come.
ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN SPECS
Nissan 2.8L, L28E [P79 Head w/ F54 Block]
Datsunworks/GRW CD009 6-Speed Manual Conversion Kit
Fidanza Lightweight Aluminum Flywheel
GRW 3” Cold Air Intake
Pallnet Billet Aluminum Fuel Rail
19lb/hr [195cc] Bosch EV6 Fuel Injectors
Aeromotive Fuel Pressure Regulator Kit
SUSPENSION SPECS
Feal Suspension Coilover Kit
ST Suspension Front and Rear Sway Bar Kit
Apex Engineered Rear Subframe and Control Arm Kit
Apex Engineered Front Lower Control Arm Kit
Apex Engineered Front Tension Rod Kit
Konig Rewind 15x7 Wheels
INTERIOR SPECS
Vintage Air HVAC Kit w/ GRW Conversion Brackets and Hoses
Vintage Air OE Replacement A/C Compressor Kit
Glowshift Elite 10 Series 280zx Gauge Cluster Upgrade
