[thebarracuda]

this is going to be a big one. be warned

I want to do a lot to my ride, but money is a big issue, as well as time. my 79 280zx is a daily driver, but i need to do some work on it to keep it in good shape and health. untill i can fix it up properly. if you would help me on some of these issues this should help me out.

1 seatbelts: my seatbelts wont catch when you jerk on them, i am afraid that in an accident they wont do anything more than just sit there. is there something i can do to repare them? or should i just replace them?

2 clutch: my clutch pedal is reeeeeally loose, but i have no problems getting it into gear. is this a problem? i do like a loose clutch, but not as loose as it is. how can i correct this?

3 tranny: i dont think its going out, but if i want to change it to a 4.11 what would i have to order? i am not sure exactly what would fit, or what to order.

3 door: passenger door wont open from the outside, i look like a chump cause i cant open the door for the ladies.

4 hatchback: this should be an easy fix. the shocks are dead, just buy replacements? that is what i think

5 struts/springs. they seem fine, but how do i know for sure? the bounce test right? exactly whatr should i be looking for with this car?

6 bottoming out. the underside of the car looks like its been beaten with a pipe, the exaust pipe is dented in several places, and i am told that i have a few dents and cracks in the frame, they arent in a high stress area, but still i am worried about it.

7 i'm pretty sure that i can take care of the rest of it. i am gonna take it in to have some of the body rust worked on. they said they will cut a peice out and replace it with a steel panel. it is right below my doors, so its not an easy panel to replace.

if i could get your help on the cheapest/most effective ways to correct these
problems (i might just buy another z) that would be most appreciated. I'll shut up now. thanks

-chad 1979 280xz (untill I can get a 1971 Plymouth HEMI Cuda!) i'll still love z's

 

[thebarracuda]

Re: Seatbelts OK?

no, most seatbelts catch when you jerk on them. it may be true that that inertia device ALSO works. but every car that i have ever driven has had seatbelts that catch when you yank on em also every car that i have ever rode in. if your seatbelts arent catching, i think you need to replace them as well. i'm not trying to start an argument here, but check it out. i am sure that i am right.

-chad

 

[thebarracuda]

Re: All of mine are faulty, then!

are you joking? no way that all of your cars can be broke.
81 BMW 3201 - worked
89 Toyota Tercel - worked
88 Ford Escort - worked
91 Ford Thunderbird- worked
85 Chevy C-10 - worked
79 Datsun 280zx -dosnt work


see a pattern here?

other vehicles i driven
96 hyundai accent -worked
97 Nissan sentra -worked
?? GMC Syclone -worked
some of my friends vehicles,
Vauxhall - worked
Nissan Sunny -worked
71 Chevy Nova - worked but they were bolted to the frame

mabye you're not yanking on the belt fast/strong enough. try it several times, sometimes, its freaking annoying when you're in a hurry to go somewhere and you try to put on your seatbelt too fast a,d it catches... so you gotta release the pressure, and pull it back again.
the drivers side of my 280zx catches about 1/3 of the time, and remains tight untill i release it, when it then returns to normal. the passenger side does not catch at all. check it out and try not to be a smartass. i'm not trying to start anything, but i know what i'm talking about, as i am sure you did when you said the cars have the momentum device. double redundancy?

-chad