Lights!

I swore I wouldn't update this unless I had something really awesome to share. No one wants to read about little stuff. But, the compulsion to post overpowered my resistance to minutia. We've been laaaaazy about tearing that car apart. We did finally get some nice bright garage lights, so now we can work when it's dark. Have some ideas for getting motivated on the car, so that should also help. You'd think it would be easier...it's just pieces that were taking out, cleaning or replacing, and putting back in. ha - that's a little like saying, "you just open the chest, install a new heart valve and sew the chest back together. It's easy!"

Alex is 14 in December, which gives us one year until he can get his driver's permit. 14.

14.

When did this happen?

Worked on the Air Flow meter last night. It's making a bunch of noise, but I'm not sure why. nothing floating around in it. Might just need to be replaced. Also talked to Alex a little bit about spark plugs and exhaust systems (we've decided a four pipe configuration would give us more hp and gas mileage - and would look really cool). We'd have had way more time to devote to the 280 yesterday if Alex had been a little faster with his yard work. Right, son? :)

Working from home the next two weeks, since Kristin starts school today and the kids aren't in for two more weeks. Yay, private school.

A few pictures of the car. That's the hood resting on the top. No other room in the garage for it. The engine looks...well, like an engine. Not much to say there. :)

Introduction

Welcome to Geoff and Alex' 280zx restoration page. Alex and I will chronicle the restoration of his 280 here, with pictures and the occasional video showing our progress.

A little background: last December, Alex and I took a trip for his 13th birthday, a trip that gave us a chance to spend some man time together, discuss what it means to be growing up, that ultimately, he's not a teenager, he's a young man. It was an outstanding trip to the mountains for some snowboarding, a time for me and several other men to sow in his life some Godly principles of manhood. Leading up to the trip, I had been considering what it means to be a young man in this day and age and how I as a father would be handling the next 5-10 years of our lives together. All it takes is one look at our culture to know it's far tougher out there now than it was when I was his age. The absolute best thing I can do for him is be involved in his life - pray for him, spend time with him, do guy stuff together, try to impart the things I've learned into his life and teach him, as my father-in-law says, "it doesn't take getting punched in the face to know that it hurts."

In addition to the headier stuff above, I also got to thinking that he'd be driving in two short years (learner's permit) and on his own in three. I recalled my 16th birthday and that the first car I had access to was a 1980 Camaro in all of it's 305CI, 8-cylinder glory. What I most recall about that car is I didn't have to do anything to get it - it was just there, the family car, and I got to drive it. PROBLEM: I did nothing to earn this car, it was just mine to drive if I needed to get somewhere. Consequently, I did not care for it as I should have. Within three months, I had already gotten a ticket and spun it on a wet street, which bent the axle and the rim. Sure, I paid for the repairs, but I think if I had had to purchase the car, I'd have taken better care of it from the beginning. The Camaro never ran the same after the bent axle.

So, dwelling on this, and thinking about my involvement in Alex' life, I got the idea of a car restoration that we would work on together. I kill a few birds with one stone: 1. spend a LOT of time with him - cars ain't easy, 2. teach him some mechanical skills and 3. instill in him pride in his vehicle so that, perhaps, he will take better care of it than I did mine.

I thought about this for a while, and taking his surfing tendencies into account, I figured something big and safe, like an old Bronco, Jeep or Scout II. Sure, the gas mileage would be atrocious, but a vehicle that could get a little sandy, room for a surfboard, and big enough to keep him safe in an accident, seemed like a good choice. So he and I start having this discussion, and we discussed the truck option for a while. Then one evening at church, someone shows up in a 280zx. Alex takes one look at this and doesn't look back. "That's it, dad. That one." Great. My 13 year old wants a two-seater. Most of you at this point are thinking, "wrong car, Geoff, don't do it!" Well, I understand your thinking (doesn't take getting punched in the face...?), but I got it anyway. lol.

Fact is, there're a few staunch guidelines for this vehicle:

1. We must both work on the car. I will not work on it alone. Alex was just gone for two weeks at Sea Cadet Recruit Training. I did nothing to the car. He must show me motivation to work on it. I will encourage, but ultimately, he is governing how quickly this will get done. Should his interest wane, the car will be sold and he can ride a bike to work at 16.
   
2. I will pay for mechanical items only. Our plan is to rebuild the engine. Yes, we just got it running, and it purrs like a kitten, so I'm confident the engine is in good condition. But it still has over 200k miles on it, so we're going to tear down the engine, clean it all, and put it back together. I'll cover that cost. If he wants fancy paint, leather interior, 1.21 gigawatt stereo system or, heaven forbid, neon lights under the car, that's on him. I'm betting costs of those items will keep them from happening while he lives in my house. :)
3. Once 16 and driving, I'll pay for insurance, he covers the gas. Until he gets a ticket. Then insurance is on him. If he can't afford to drive it, it sits. Or I drive it. Which is more likely.
4. Driving is a PRIVILEGE, not a right. Driving privileges will remain intact provided he keeps up his end of the chores, grades, and other responsibilities.
   

It is my hope and prayer that these conditions will encourage him to treat his car with respect and hopefully keep his best foot forward (and off the gas pedal) in his personal life.

I spent months looking for the perfect 280. I researched, talked to some mechanics, got some info from people that had owned them, and a few that still owned them. Seems like one of the most difficult things to accomplish in an old 280 is a rust free body. I shopped eBay and craigslist for 280s, but found that most of them were cosmetic dogs. Found one here in Jacksonville, ran fairly well, but according to a local body shop, would require anywhere from $7k-$10k in body work. ERP.

But then I found it. 1979 280zx, garaged for last 6 years. GARAGED. Not a spot of rust on this car. Even the dashboard only has one small crack in the speaker grill - these old cars are notorious for dash cracks. I was amazed. The owner had been willed the car from an Aunt that had passed. He was going to restore it, but ended up with a new job, kids, and from his ad, just "wanted that half of my garage back." Also, it didn't run, so he never drove it. And I couldn't test drive it. But the body alone was worth the money he was asking for it, so I took the plunge. Ultimately, it needed a new battery and a new fuel pump - total of $200 for parts. Alex and I got it running tonight. I'm not sure who was happier between us, but I do know I can't WAIT to keep it going. Next up is an oil change, new plugs, basic service stuff - all the fluids, brakes, belts, etc. From there, we'll dig a little deeper, really start taking it apart. All the mechanical systems will eventually be worked on. I hope you all enjoy watching this unfold. Pictures to come.

Geoff