My 240Z Project

[geezer]

I thought it would be a good idea to start a thread to track what I'm up to. Although I bought this car on the Fourth of July of last year, I have just begun to work on it. Up till now, because of an arm injury I have only worked on individual pieces and sub assemblies. At least this gave me the opportunity to do a lot of research, gather up the missing pieces needed and come up with a build plan which still isn't definite. I have restored dozens of cars over a period of many years and this is the first Z. This one is going to be fun. It's also the first car I've brought home that my wife actually takes an interest in. She thinks its "cute". I have made several excursions on parts quests and have accummulated truck loads of parts because I bought the whole lot, whether I needed them all or not. When the restoration is done I will offer these parts here first. So far my plan amounts to this. What would I be bringing home if I walked into a dealership in the early 70's and could order a 240Z, with options that were available in the early years, here and elsewhere in the world, along with some choice aftermarket parts. I will be doing some other changes where safety and comfort is a concern, but try to keep the original appeal these cars had when I first encountered them back in 1970. This is the Ebay description of the car. I had been waiting for a good one to come along to restore for a few years. Probably, this wasn't seen by many because I jumped on it. I contacted the seller, had a short conversation with him, hit the Buy it Now, paid for it and arranged a pickup date within minutes. It truly is a diamond in the rough. Any suggestions or tips along the way will be greatly appreciated. I will post pics as I go.

[geezer]

Got an early start today, doing some disassembly work in preparation of mounting the Z on the rotissary and sandblasting. Found out a few things about the cars previous life also. I experimented first on paint removal. Using a razor blade I removed two previous coats of paint. This is what surprised me. The bottom coat was a cheap 1 step enamel. The second coat was a base coat/clear coat. Left behind was a good coat of epoxy primer/sealer. I found that the rear quarters had been replaced also. The only problem rust areas are where water got in because of being left outside with missing weatherstripping and the door latches removed. Frame was nicely beefed up years ago, but I will be replacing the floorpans. Also, my curiosity got the better of me, so I removed the intake and Webers and the exhaust header. I then mocked up the triple carb setup with the Trust header that was intended to go on a right hand drive Fairlady Z. I had heard before that there would be a steering shaft problem. There is no problem at all. The rest of the twice pipe system will also be a simple bolt on.

[geezer]

Had a volunteer do a great polishing job on the stainless trim on the windshield and hatch glass before removal. Cut the rubber and pitched the glass. I previously lucked out and found a flawless set of OEM replacements. Removed the hood, hatch, doors, fenders and most every thing in the engine compartment. I left the engine sitting in place, just to keep it out of my way for now. I'm working out of the smaller garage because it is easier to heat. Today, the dash and remaining interior pieces come out. Tommorow, I hope to drop the suspension. I dont have a spindle pin removing tool so that might slow me down a bit.

[ncz]

Ron, sounds like you got a good deal, especially with all the extra parts. I remember reading that one in e-bay and thought it was a good deal even if the body was shot. Post some pics. I'm the worst with taking pics but I like to see what others are doing. Have fun

[geezer]

Hey Tom - The body really is in pretty good shape. The frame & floor was previously replaced but the floor pans need to be replaced again just because it sat outside so long and the water got in. The fenders, doors, hood & hatch only need to be prepped & painted. The rear quarters were replaced, but not up to my standards. It was a case of the previous owner doing the best he could with what he had. Easy fix for me. I had pics from when I bought it in my gallery, but they got wiped out after the server change. I'll put them back up soon.

[hls30.com]

Can't wait for the pictures!

Will