1984 300zx -What do I need to know about these.

I found one. It is a low millage NA manual with no rust. The bad is it needs a clutch master cylinder and probably a slave as well. It is suppose to run really well with no other known mechanical issues.   

I could get this for really cheap. Like $600 cheap.   I was thinking that this has real challenge potential but I know nothing about these. Will the na cars take boost we’ll?  Are they handling pigs out of the box?  How is the aftermarket for these?  Or is there parts bin solutions to there shortcomings. 

84 would make it a Z31, which is a bit of a forgotten car and IIRC there's hardly any aftermarket for them.  They're supposed to be pretty nice cars, at least for the time, but my only experience is looking at CL ads for them myself as it looks like I need to buy another temporary car.

They're ugly. Also, wierd. And the magnetic shocks were NLA a couple  decade ago.  Best friend in high school had one. 

I know, im not any help.

But you should buy it!

Ugly is kinda in the eye of the beer holder. I like the way they look, but they're not as beautiful as an original 240z for sure.

In reply to BoxheadTim :

His was a dark brown with a black interior. I drank and did plenty of other stuff back then, and it never got better looking. However, thats the only one i ever remember seeing in person....

The next generation was sexy though.  Another guy in high school had a twin turbo car when it wasn't broken.

They make good rallyx cars. 

A friend raced one  in the late 80s early 90s in SCCA ITA I think for a couple seasons. It eventually ventilated the block but up till then it was a competitive car but he is a very good driver.  I never paid much attention to it. I have no recollection of what was actually done to the car.  

Someone on here campainged a similar car for the challenge pretty seriously. Evildky?

Also we have someone called z31maniac...

Change the cam belt, these are much like the BMW E30, M20 motor's of the same vintage.  

The other nuisance is the wiring for the starter. Your starter is not causing an issue, adding a relay with power directly from the battery starts my Pathfinder every time. 

Pete Gossett said:

They make good rallyx cars. 

I have heard people say this, but personal experience with the awful rear suspension makes me think otherwise.

Even with the nonturbo engine, the suspension geometry means even thinking about acceleration makes the rear suspension suck itself up into the bumpstop.  On the street you can make the back end bounce up and down like it has hydraulics just by ticking the throttle.  This is the exact opposite of good.

Sure you can stop this by making the rear shocks so stiff that the suspension doesn't move, but if you do that then any platform is just as good as anything else.

Dusterbd13 said:

They're ugly. Also, wierd. And the magnetic shocks were NLA a couple  decade ago.  Best friend in high school had one. 

I know, im not any help.

But you should buy it!

I hated them when they first came out but they have grown on me to the point where I really like them. I think the next generation of the car made me like them even more as the turned the corner from sports car to GT car. I really like them now. 

I am thinking for the challenge just gut it add tires and then see what kind of power adder would work best.  Then see about shocks/struts springs and bars and see how much of that could be parts bin swap and only use new if absolutely needed or if budget allows.  

The problem with the plan is that what to do with it after the challenge?  So putting it back to some sort or presentable street car would have to be considered. 

Depending on the model it could also have the bitchin Betty electronic voice warning system 

Had an 87 for a while with the turbo. It had an electronic boost controller and a 3" cat back. Cranking the boost up without any supporting mods or tuning was my first lesson in why fuel management is so important. That said, it drove fine from Illinois to Virginia and would cruise comfortably at 110. 

The turbo is the one to have, but I’d rather have this one.  I liked them when they came out and still do.  

I say do it. Worst comes to worst, you're out all of $600 bucks for some good fun.

They aren't real hard to LS swap if you are into that kind of thing.

From what im seeing you can put an s chassis rear and get stuff to run s13 suspension as well.

The drivetrain is insanely durable. However, as others have mentioned, there is no aftermarket for them. And they have horrific rear suspension geometry. 

There wasn't an aftermarket in 98-01 when I had mine. Even then just springs and shocks. 

If you could make one handle right, the HUGE fuel tank might be a slight advantage in endurance racing. 

It’s a timing belt motor, with marshmallow suspension 

mrhappy said:

From what im seeing you can put an s chassis rear and get stuff to run s13 suspension as well.

there are kits out there to make the s13 rear subframe work, it's not a straight forward swap but with the kit it does most the fab work for you, just requires some welding if i remember right

I was thinking of buying one a few years ago but aftermarket for these is extinct. Worse than for a Station.