Love this car!
I can't wait to get my hands on one to build on the side. I'm deff looking forward to your updates!

I personally, would love to just buy a shell. And swap a RB in it, but i don't know much about the l28et. Other than what I just read after a quick google search. It would be cool to keep it all "original" with a engine that was offered in this specific car.

Good luck!

I have a 76 280Z with a small block chevy in it. Simple swap... do it :)

Wow its been a while since I have been on here, much less updated this thread...

Haha I know its a very simple and well documented swap, for some reason it never really interested me. It is on the list but pretty low down there. Im thinking about staying with the L24, which mine is a '70 which has the E31 head, or the "high compression" head. With a cam, and Nissan motorsport header it should be a blast to drive.

I would run this for a while until I was able to refresh the L28et since its of unknown condition, I would rather refresh now, then swap, then have to re-pull the motor to rebuild it in 3 months or something. I should be able to get some of my money back selling the head and header that I would run for a bit.

Next up, brakes:

I think this has been the longest brake job I have ever done...

Ordered new wheel cylinders for the rear drums, as well as new rubber lines, and had the drums and rotors turned. I was planning on reusing the pads and shoes as they still have a good amount of meat left, so a slight resurface with a sanding block would suffice for a few 1000 miles until my rear disc/Toyota 4x4 caliper upgrade for the front.


Of course things are never as easy as they are planned to be. First I get down to MD and realize I forgot my front wheel bearing seals. DOH! Oh well Ill get the rears done and save the fronts for next time.

Alas, all of the flare nut wrenches are back in VA (both my dads and mine) we were able to remove the line off one of the wheel cylinders and replace that but that's as far as we got. That was about a month ago, at least at this point we were able to check the front calipers and realize they are completely trash so I went ahead and ordered the Calipers off a 79-84 Toyota 4x4 Pickup... $30/ea. Cant beat that.

These are a direct bolt on replacement for the factory 2 piston calipers, and are cheaper too. Also ordered some Axxis ULT pads to go along with these. In time I will be upgrading the rears to discs as well, and replacing the factory master with a 1" Wilwood to regain pedal feel with the huge increase in fluid being displaced, but for now with just the 4 pistons up front and drums in the rear I should be good.

Hopefully finishing up the brakes this weekend as well ans yanking the carbs off and giving them to a friend with an ultrasonic parts cleaner to get any gunk out of them and clean them up a little.

Sixshooter is wondering out loud if those calipers could be made to work on a Miata without too much trouble.

The ones from a 87-89? Might work I'll double check the years... As those are ment for a vented rotor, you could also technically machine the slots in these to fit a thicker rotor. If I get time tomorrow I'll check tthe bolt spacing and such on my 92

good idea, +1 on that idea

The correct years for the vented caliper is from an 89-91 4-runner or 89-95 4x4 Pickup. The slot where the rotor runs thru is wider for a vented rotor. Of course none of this matters if it doesn't fit. Measurements tomorrow. Keep in mind these things are HEAVY 10lbs each
. These may not be the best choice for the weight concerned. I'm thinking backspacing will be an issue as well. The factory wheel on a 240 is a 0 offset with a 4.5 inch back spacing.

After looking at these calipers, it looks like the center to center spacing of the bolt holes is about 3.5 inches and I believe the spacing on the Miata is about 4.75, so they wont mount without a bracket for sure. I also think that the off-set is a much bigger issue.

I was able to get a few coats of Hi-Temp semi-gloss black on them, as well as load them up so they are ready to bolt on the Z.
https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1345339213

Archie also came to help me load the calipers. (sorry for the super low aperture and high ISO on both shots, its pretty dark in my computer room right now.

https://www.miataforumz.com/attachme...ine=1345339213

to bad those are not close enough to make work would have been a nice upgrade.