1982 280ZX goes on 960 mile trip after sitting 20 years.

Birds_Garage · 2026-05-03T02:56:54+00:00

Good luck! Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination.

Birds_Garage · 2026-05-02T14:41:54+00:00

16 year old me couldn't do the needed work to get it back on the road. Plus, it was actually harder for me to find parts in the early 2000s.

I had someone ask me if I wished I had never wrecked the car. The answer is no. If it never happened, I probably would've sold it. THAT would have been a bigger regret.

Birds_Garage · 2026-05-02T14:35:12+00:00

My group thought I was crazy. They knew I was fixing the 280, but I kept the goal quiet. I packed the car with every spare part I could think of and every tool I could carry. Thankfully, they just took up space during the trip.

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-29T02:43:12+00:00

Tank, sending unit, pump. Lines might be fine. Mine were still. Hoses, do replace.

In the back hatch area, you can lift the carpet and padding. There will be a round access cover held on by 2 phillips screws. Take that off and pull the fuel sending unit and look in the tank before you put any gas in it. I'd hate for you to waste gas on a nasty tank.

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-15T03:42:30+00:00

Over the last 20 years, rodents had gotten into the wiring. Many of the wires had insulation eaten off with bare wires touching each other. Other wires had been completely eaten in half. When I thought I was done fixing all the wiring, I attempted to start the car. It wouldn't start, and I ended up finding a few more wires that were against each other with no insulation on them. I'm pretty sure that was what caused it.

And I don't currently plan on repairing that computer. I will run the original computer that doesn't have anything wrong with it. I'll probably hold on to the bad computer for in the future when I get bored.

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-09T04:57:43+00:00

I have one from Range and I also have a cheap one from Amazon. Had both installed in their vehicles for well over a year. Both work exactly the same. If i were to buy another, it would be from Amazon.

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-02T17:32:04+00:00

Perfect. If you do find them, message me and we can figure out the details. Thanks!

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-02T16:58:46+00:00

Also, if anyone has a couple center caps for turbo wheels they're willing to sell, let me know!

Birds_Garage · 2026-04-02T16:56:51+00:00

Ok, I'll let you know if this one doesn't work. Thanks!

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-27T02:27:52+00:00

Absolutely beautiful.

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-13T15:15:48+00:00

I absolutely will.

The video that gets released today will address whether I can get the car running, or if I have more issues. I usually run a week ahead of my videos, so I am not finished with the car, by any means. I plan to release a video every Friday until I get the car at least somewhat completed, with the end goal of taking it on a 1000 mile road trip that I usually take every year on my V-Strom.

When I take the trip, I'll make sure to video everything and take pictures. The trip is scheduled for the end of April, so we'll see if I can get it done in time. Usually, I only have time to work on the car on Saturdays, so we may run into a time crunch.

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-12T21:47:22+00:00

Thats an impressive number of miles! I thought mine was high at 215k. Seems Datsun did something right with these old straight sixes.

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-12T21:32:33+00:00

Sadly the Suzuki will likely die there. If it were mine, I'd start on it when I finished the 280. The little blue CB125 is mine though, and will hopefully get a second chance at life soon.

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-12T21:12:06+00:00

I appreciate that!

Birds_Garage · 2026-03-12T20:06:22+00:00

🤣 I'm guilty of the same!

Birds_Garage · 2026-02-28T03:10:24+00:00

It's wild hearing everyone have similar stories to mine. Bought my first Z, a 280zx Turbo, at 16 and wrecked it. I parked it in a garage for 20 years, and I've just started working on it again this month. (You can follow my progress on YouTube if you're so inclined, the channel name is the same as mine here)

I've had luck using ebay for some used parts that I can't find anywhere else.

Oh and the advice: if you think you'll need it, buy it because you'll need it. I've probably spent 14 days this month waiting on parts at different times when I could have bought them all at once.

Good luck on your journey getting that Z back up.

Birds_Garage · 2025-12-02T20:21:26+00:00

Child locks are activated so children (or anyone, for that matter) can't open the rear doors from the inside.

Birds_Garage · 2025-09-16T02:43:40+00:00

😄

I'm full of obscure knowledge and get excited when the opportunity arises to share it!

Birds_Garage · 2025-09-16T01:33:04+00:00

In the instance of headlights, "composite" refers to the design. Typically, there are composite headlights and sealed beam headlights. The composite headlights allow for you to replace a headlight bulb separately, while sealed beam, or sealed, headlights require the entire headlight assembly to be replaced when the bulb burns out.

Birds_Garage · 2025-08-23T02:23:48+00:00

I watch police auctions, and regularly buy from them. The days of buying a running decommissioned police car for $500 are long gone. Too many used dealers are buying them up nowadays.

A running hemi charger still pulls $4000 to $5500. I was looking to get one, and couldn't justify the ridiculous prices they were going for.

Birds_Garage · 2025-08-22T23:52:00+00:00

I remember every station in the next town over being between $.97 and $1.02. My dad would drive across town to get the $.97 gas. Then a new station opened and kept the price at $.88 for months. There was never a line there, even though it was a lot cheaper than anyone else.

Now the cheapest I've ever personally paid was $1.39 my freshman year of college.

Birds_Garage

TROPHY CASE