280zx Water damage, how much is too much?

[SevenMKIII]

Roughly a year ago I had my '95 Z28. I loved that car but it was getting expensive and I decided to part with it. Soon after that I knew I wanted to build something, and always loved Datsuns. I'd love to have a 240z, and would search for them all around.

About a mile away at a family owned car dealership/repair shop sits an ('82?) Datsun 280zx. The car looked mint, no rust anywhere, paint was immaculate, new muffler, tires and brakes, and it was of course the turbo 2.8L. The car was growing on me so I talked to the dealer about it and he said he wasn't really selling it, it doesn't run.

The story behind it is that somehow, something happened to the old lady that owned it and it fell into a lake. He said it was only the back half of the car, and that it sat for about an hour before removed. At the time I was thinking about an SR20DET swap or the likes, but the wiring scared me. Would that be as big of a problem as I think? If the car soaked underwater for an hour, over time would the wiring start to go bad or just fry?

Maybe I was overexaggurating, but for $1,300 out the door I would have gotten it towed home and started a new project. Everyone led me away from it so I bought my buddies non-running Supra and bought a JDM motor and have been rebuilding it for the past 8 months. But there is always the "what if" lol.

 

[The Reaper]

i wouldn't think it'd be a problem.

i'd JZ it tho

 

[Kai]

It should be okay, however you may want to strip it right down and go mental with wire brush and pokey things - get any rust off and mould/moss.

As for the engine...well, dump a 7M-GE in there

 

[SevenMKIII]

Well I've got my Supra now but my friend now wants a Datsun (always following in my footsteps :icon_roll ) He had been looking at 240Zs too and I told him about this 280ZX and he was sort of half way interested. I told him whatever motor he puts in it I'd be willing to rebuild since he isn't as knowledgeable (sp?). I'm assuming the motor seized or hydrolocked due to being underwater (which led me to believe he lied about the back half only submerged), would a rebuild on the turbo L28 be fine? New gaskets, bearings, piston rings, maybe actual parts lol his budget would be tight. What do you guys think, should I push him towards this car since the body is perfect especially for 20+ years.

-Chris

 

[slidebabyslide]

scary cat....j/k. If the tail section only sat in the lake for a cool minute. I don't think that it would harm it that much. It's an old car so, I don't know how much electrical components are in the rear of that car.

Why not just jz it?

 

[slidebabyslide]

Well I've got my Supra now but my friend now wants a Datsun (always following in my footsteps :icon_roll ) He had been looking at 240Zs too and I told him about this 280ZX and he was sort of half way interested. I told him whatever motor he puts in it I'd be willing to rebuild since he isn't as knowledgeable (sp?). I'm assuming the motor seized or hydrolocked due to being underwater (which led me to believe he lied about the back half only submerged), would a rebuild on the turbo L28 be fine? New gaskets, bearings, piston rings, maybe actual parts lol his budget would be tight. What do you guys think, should I push him towards this car since the body is perfect especially for 20+ years.

-Chris

That's like telling your buddy. "Hey supras are cheap now, go buy one."
I would just tell him to buy something else. If he does not want to or can't dish out the cash for a rebuild.

 

[SevenMKIII]

Well I think he was looking for a 240Z in particular, not the 280ZX. There is one local that I can think of, and it is complete crap. Body is rusted, there is like no paint on it and it looks horrible, and he wanted to buy that one. He said he's starting to like it. I don't think he would have the money for a JZ, but I could be wrong. I have most of a GTE sitting in my garage, if he would give me the cash I could find the rest of the parts needed to complete the motor, plus a little cash for my motor and he would have a 7M way cheaper than a JZ motor. I may have to contact ARZ about the swap if he decides to go for it. There isn't too much fabrication needed, correct? Trans mount, custom driveshaft and motor mounts mainly? Shifter hole may need a little trimming as the R154 sits up an inch or so too forward. Anyone, JJ or someone, see any real harm in having the electronics underwater? What all could there be back there anyway, brake lights, blinkers and reverse lights.

 

[slidebabyslide]

I work with PWC all freaken day long. People flip them and do weird things to the electronics. They work fine. The motor is another thing.

 

[SevenMKIII]

Well again with my previous question, would a rebuild on a motor that may have been underwater run fine? I can't see why not but what do you think. Or should we just do a stock rebuild on my 7M :icon_bigg

 

[Ckanderson]

If the tail section only sat in the lake for a cool minute.

WHAT!!!!????

 

[SevenMKIII]

Car fell in a lake, sat there for an hour.

 

[slidebabyslide]

i was speaking weird. cool minute means like a long time.

 

[SevenMKIII]

Haha I'm trying to figure out why CK screamed WHAT!!!

 

[slidebabyslide]

Well again with my previous question, would a rebuild on a motor that may have been underwater run fine? I can't see why not but what do you think. Or should we just do a stock rebuild on my 7M :icon_bigg

The only way to find that out is to open the motor out.
Sorry no other way, but yeah motors that have been underwater with a good RBLD are fine.

 

[slidebabyslide]

Or tail section, like the rear area of a car. lol

 

[Ckanderson]

Haha I'm trying to figure out why CK screamed WHAT!!!

im tryin to figure out what "cool minute" means.

 

[slidebabyslide]

it means a long time

 

[slidebabyslide]

like a hot second means like a short time...lol

 

[Ckanderson]

or you could just say "long time" short time"

I guess im too white...

 

[Jeff Lange]

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