# Datsun 280Z Restoration (Mother's Day update!) -Shaved Bumper **URL:** \ **Category:** Builds\ **Created:** [February 27, 2007, 9:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179 "2007-02-27T09:54:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Coldaccord](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/coldaccord/32/7272_2.png) [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2007, 10:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/41 "2007-05-12T22:19:50Z")
you bouncing on the front bumper too? what motor setup you going with? ---
**Author:** ![Jagermeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jagermeister](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Jagermeister)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2007, 5:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/42 "2007-05-13T17:39:05Z")
Now that is a PROJECT. Damn. :tup: for the patience. ---
**Author:** ![sbanzer123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c77e96/32.png) [@sbanzer123](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sbanzer123)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/43 "2007-05-13T18:12:36Z")
this build makes me so anxious to start my next project car. great work! maybe i missed it but what motor are you going with? ---
**Author:** ![RedConquestTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redconquesttsi/32/7326_2.png) [@RedConquestTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedConquestTSi)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 9:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/44 "2007-05-14T09:29:02Z")
I wish I had this much ambition. ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 9:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/45 "2007-05-14T09:31:32Z")
it may have been mentioned already…but i’m gonna ask anyway… what’s the plan for an engine? ---
**Author:** ![Schema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@Schema](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Schema)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 10:12am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/46 "2007-05-14T10:12:22Z")
[quote=“Coldaccord,post:41,topic:25179"”] you bouncing on the front bumper too? what motor setup you going with? [/quote] Thanks for all the great responses! Havent really thought about the front end just yet. I WILL be putting plastic covers over the headlamps, I love how they look. It will have some kind of shovel-lip on it, like the one below. I _may_ actually put a thin bumper along the front, unless I see a front end that looks good without one. Kinda like this front end- My initial idea is to paint the hood black, matchin black fender flares with the bolts showing, and clear headlight covers For the engine; I’d like to say I’m doing something completely original and unheard of, BUT, this year after the body work (if I get it put together back in time) I’m throwing anything in there just to drive. I’m thinking a simple KA-motor out of another 240. Next fall/winter it goes back up (if it ever got out) I’m doing the LS1 swap. I was thinking about the ls2, but I can’t yet justify the cost, aside from me being a broke mo’fo. If I pull a motor out of a new 350z, that would be kinda cool, keepin it in the z family, but it hasn’t been done often which means I’d be going completley solo with the swap, and I have no idea what the power to weight ratio is between the two. (FYI- the reason people don’t just throw iron block 350 engines in there is because of the weight, which will require the entire front end to be recessed. Too much work for such little gain) So most people keep under a 6 cy or the LS1 for anything larger. ---
**Author:** ![Coldaccord](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/coldaccord/32/7272_2.png) [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 10:40am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/47 "2007-05-14T10:40:56Z")
there’s a white one in rochester with an ls1 swap. very nice car. mean sound. ---
**Author:** ![brent\_strong](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/brent_strong/32/7203_2.png) [@brent\_strong](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/brent_strong)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/48 "2007-05-14T12:44:55Z")
Don’t settle for less than an LS2. An LQ9 may work for you as well, and it’s pretty cheap. TRUST me, you want it over an LS1, even at moderate power levels. It’s just a better engine, and if you’re going to do all this, might as well wait and do it right the first time. ---
**Author:** ![tweety](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@tweety](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/tweety)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/49 "2007-05-14T14:11:15Z")
Oh man I admire your dedication and workmanship, that’s awesome and what a great car to do this to, I always fancied an old Datsun, I probably should get a right hand drive one from England… If you want a Nissan motor I still have a modern day Aussie RB30 sitting here, all complete with a bit of work they make 160KW and what a torque monster that would be! Keep up the good work great stuff! ---
**Author:** ![jenheartsyou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/838e76/32.png) [@jenheartsyou](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jenheartsyou)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/50 "2007-05-14T16:42:07Z")
I believe there is one of these on Main in Akron for $1500 ---
**Author:** ![AJC2500](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ajc2500/32/4965_2.png) [@AJC2500](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/AJC2500)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/51 "2007-05-14T17:57:00Z")
[quote=“Schema,post:46,topic:25179"”] FYI- the reason people don’t just throw iron block 350 engines in there is because of the weight, which will require the entire front end to be recessed. Too much work for such little gain. So most people keep under a 6 cy or the LS1 for anything larger. [/quote] i dunno what you mean by this, the number one swap for this car is a first gen SBC, yes they are heavy but they are so cheap, so easy to swap in and so easy to make stupid amounts of power that they weight matters alot less. and a complete swap only weighs like 125 more pounds then a stock Z. and thats with stock cast iron heads and all the engine accessories. with aluminum heads and losing or going to almuminum accessories as well as doing simple weight reduction in the front end you can easily get close to stock weight. and i’m not sure what you mean by “front end to be recessed”. if you mean the firewall where the HEI distributor sits, then you can always swap over to a digital igition with a smaller dist. cap or you can hammer in the firewall like 3 inches or so, which is nothing compared to the work you’re doing on your car now. HOWEVER after all that, i’m not comparing the LS1 to the First gen chevy V8, because there really is no comparison. i’m just justifying the iron block swap, because for the cost it really is a great swap. but the ls1 swap, since you can afford it, is so much better in every way. ---
**Author:** ![Schema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@Schema](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Schema)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/52 "2007-05-14T19:46:15Z")
^^ I guess I’ve been too spoiled by everyone having an LS on HybridZ. I’m sure every problem with the SBC has been solved, but just a few things that had me in the loop was the front to back weight ratio, and numerous posts on people saying you’d need to recess the engine behind the firewall and get a stiff ass front suspension. Who knows, I’ve had the thought of throwing a carb’d engine in there and putting aluminum heads/pulleys/flywheel, throwing the battery in the trunk, etc. if I’m able to get it together by the end of the summer. ---
**Author:** ![TrueBlue](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/trueblue/32/7245_2.png) [@TrueBlue](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TrueBlue)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 6:29am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/53 "2007-05-15T06:29:02Z")
It’d be pretty easy to get up andd running that way. However - I think you should drop in whatever was the original idea for the car. As much as I love the LSx motors, I think a VQ35 mill would be perfect here. :tup: ---
**Author:** ![RedConquestTSi](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/redconquesttsi/32/7326_2.png) [@RedConquestTSi](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RedConquestTSi)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2007, 7:06am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/54 "2007-05-15T07:06:16Z")
I’m all about originality…and keeping it in the family n such. I’d like to see a turbo 280z motor in there. ---
**Author:** ![Schema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/779978/32.png) [@Schema](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Schema)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2007, 2:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179/55 "2007-08-24T14:12:45Z")
Heyyyy I remember this thread. Stupid summers, why can’t it be winter all year 'round so I can finish this damn thing stop putting miles on the bike or getting tanked every weekend 😉 [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/datsun-280z-restoration-mothers-day-update-shaved-bumper/25179.md?page=2)