getting a 71 240z

[ilyb]

Hi all, I'm new to this broad and I have always wanted a 240z!

However, I don't really know any technical or things to beware of when buying a 71 240z.

I've recently seen a local paper's ad, all it says is

1971 datsun 240z

280 motor + 5speed tranny

needs carbs and battery

I want to be a bit more pro when trying to talk to the seller and to be able to determine if the car is worth buying, can you guys please give me some inputs of what i should ask him about the car?

p.s. I thought 280 motor is fuel injected, why does it need a carburetor?

thanks!~

[yoogener]

280's come with carbureted or fuel injected. personally, Z's are precious and i look into the body more. try to see if the body's really straight, ask for any accidents it's been through, and especially ask for any areas with rust. these are old cars and weren't made with the greatest metal back then. know the mileage or how long ago the motor's been rebuilt. etc, etc. good luck with everything hope you find more useful info.

[240znz]

Depends on what you want to do with the car really? If you want to restore a Zed then you are best to start with the most rust free example you can find. Rust is very common in these cars and it is amazing where it can be hiding. Key to any purchase in my mind is to get the car up in the air so you can get a good look at the belly. Check out the frame rails, floor pans (lift the carpet as well as the underside), doglegs, sills, and under the battery tray.

If you ARE thinking maybe one day I'll restore this thing, then you might want to make sure that all the trim details are there. Many parts for these cars are getting hard to find so try to find the most complete example you can. The original engine will be a plus if the seller still has it. 5 speed tranny is good. L28 is good also, plenty of parts around for them. Shame about the carbs though, you could get a set of round top SU's for them but beware of those nasty flattop models.

The best advice I can give is to take your time. Shop around for the best rust free example that fits your budget. The more Zeds you view the more savvy you will become.

Good luck in your search.....(i took me 2 years to find one that I wanted).....it has rust where you can only imagine.

[Ed]

The price advertised will also tell you what your buying. Anything below 1K. Stay away. 2K worth a second look. 3K worth driving. 4K worth parking outside and showing your friends. 5K+ now your looking at a decent car.

Go look at the car, look at several cars. Leave the checkbook at home. If your in doubt about a particular car, post some pictures here and the Z police will point out every little thing.

Good luck.

Ed

[ALT_255]

just for the record.. 280z's only came w. FI from the factory, at least in america. I don't know about overseas..

if you do not know alot about cars take a friend who does with you.. can save you alot of headaches in the future

[Bambikiller240]

just for the record.. 280z's only came w. FI from the factory, at least in america...............

Very Correct!

When people install a L28 (280Z engine) into a 240Z, they will many times just use carburetors instead of transplanting all of the ECU and associated wiring, sensors, etc into the 240Z.

[beandip]

I agree with taking someone with you that knows cars , however if they dont know Z cars they wont know where to look. Not being able to drive the car is a big red flag in my book . Check the car for rust under the Battery and look closely at the frame rail right there. Lift the carpets on both the passanger and driver side and check for rust or repair to the metal also look under the car in both of these areas , I use a phillips screw driver and poke the floors to see if the under coating is hiding body cancer. Check just back of the doors down low on the rear fenders on both sides these are the doglegs look for any bubbeling of the paint , the same time look just forward of the doors down low for same thing . If found this is rust coming through from the back side , bad news in both cases . Look on the sil of the rear hatch in the corners , another problem area. Good luck and let us know what you find . With these cars rust is the number one biggest thing and vary expensive to have repaired , if done correctly.