Few questions

[Blue Meanie]

Don't forget about a 17 mm crow's foot and feeler gauge for adjusting valves. Also two torque wrenches. One should measure in foot-pounds. The other should measure in inch-pounds. Proper torque on bolts can prevent warpage and leaks. - By the way, Kenshin, search Zcar.com for valve adjustment. You'll find a link to an excellent guide written by a user named Kammy. I used it for my first valve adjustment, and it was a piece of cake. While you're at it, find the tech tip page of a user there named Blue and bookmark it.

Other important tools to me are...

Good jack stands

Good ramps

Spring compressors for your struts - Harbor Freight has them cheap

Brass hammer

Rubber mallet

Floor jack - even the small ones for $20 at most parts places will work.

Multimeter - get one that can measure 10 Amps.

Timing light with an adjustable dial

A good solderless crimping tool - there are probably a lot of corroded wires

Boy, this list could go on for a while, especially if I looked out in my garage.

A really cold refrigerator full of beer is a handy item to have around as well after having the Z wizz you off for a couple of hours!

[sblake01]

Right behind the Z, amongst the tool boxes!

[SteveJ]

A really cold refrigerator full of beer is a handy item to have around as well after having the Z wizz you off for a couple of hours!

Wait. He's still in high school. We should not prompt him to have the fully stocked fridge, yet.

[KenshinX]

I jus want to do a good refresh i will be purchasing my first Z most likely by the end of july i got two choices a 1973 240z or a 1978 280z the deciding factor is hard. One is a manual(280z) other auto (240z) i want manual but since i really like the 240s i may go with that one. Their both white. My goal with both is to do a brake system upgrade on the 240 if i choose that one clean the engine(either one) get rid of as much rust as possible. Get the engine back up to standard re-do the interior add a body kit and repaint. Possibly replace the 280 bumper. I only want one thing thats not stock besides the paint job and body kit and that is the exhaust i want a little perrrr with my ride. Dailey driver yes until out of collage.I want the car in top shape not showroom. Yes, I want metal fuel lines preferably, but rubber is fine.Does that cover your question or your need more.Sorry

[hls30.com]

Yup I ment 13/16ths.

We covered tools in another thread, and that is why I didn't include the "A" list!

I didn't include Craftsman in my short list because I replaced two 20 year old drivers three years ago, I have replaced their replacements no less than four times since then. A replacement warranty is a selling point and a testament to quality when it is used once in 20 years, when it is used three times in three years it is a testament to a lack of quality and to buy something else. My skin, hands, frustration and time are worth more than a replacement warranty that I have to use every third time I use a tool. This holds true for socket drivers, I have had my 13/16th spark plug socket replaced twice. The last time I found that neither the spark plug socket or the deep socket they stocked was deep enough to accomodate our sparkplugs and had to order a deep socket from the catalog-and buy one elsewhere to use to finish a tuneup! The chrome is also peeling from all of the 1/2 Sockets that came in the set my wife gave me three years ago. I used to swear by Craftsman, I still swear, but at them. I am replacing them with SK as frustration mounts and skin is lost.

Will

[hls30.com]

I'm sure you meant to say 13/16".

Yep-er

Will

[KenshinX]

Thank you, Hls30.com thats basically what i was looking for . thanks for the replys so far a no, no beer for me

[hls30.com]

The beer wans't for you anyway, it was to get one of these guys over to your house to help or cheerlead!

Will

[SteveJ]

I jus want to do a good refresh i will be purchasing my first Z most likely by the end of july i got two choices a 1973 240z or a 1978 280z the deciding factor is hard. One is a manual(280z) other auto (240z) i want manual but since i really like the 240s i may go with that one. Their both white. My goal with both is to do a brake system upgrade on the 240 if i choose that one clean the engine(either one) get rid of as much rust as possible. Get the engine back up to standard re-do the interior add a body kit and repaint. Possibly replace the 280 bumper. I only want one thing thats not stock besides the paint job and body kit and that is the exhaust i want a little perrrr with my ride. Dailey driver yes until out of collage.I want the car in top shape not showroom. Yes, I want metal fuel lines preferably, but rubber is fine.Does that cover your question or your need more.Sorry

If you don't have the car yet, your questions on the exhaust and fuel lines are grossly premature, as is the effort to purchase a factory service manual.

Get the car first, then plan accordingly. Focus on safety: rust, brakes, rotten fuel lines, etc., and then work from there. Make a list of all of the things that you need/want to do, and find out how much it will cost. It's not easy to have a 30 year old car as a daily driver. Be prepared to do a LOT of maintenance work unless you have time and resources to thoroughly refresh the car beforehand, even then you'll have a lot more maintenance than on a more modern car if you do things by the book.

[KenshinX]

I have a VERY small realy old garage so theres a limit to my tool collection

( I have old garage with two wooden doors that open up like house doors)

here my begining list tools will be added as i start a new budget.

Craftsman tool storage set

Craftsman 7 drawer chest

Craftsman 5 drawer roll away chest.

Craftsman 180pc mechanics tool set:

Craftsman 12gal wet dry vac:

Craftsman 3ton jack stands and creeper set

Craftsman 14.4 volt drill and light

Engine hoist and engine stand

Already have a many fridge and computer filled with music set up in the garage

[MikeW]

While the complete tool set and storage chest will be nice you can probably get by in the beginning with far less. In my experience you can do most of what you need on a Z with 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm wrenches and sockets.

[KenshinX]

Mike, that sounds even better less pain on my wallet