Just bought #331 and two parts cars

[Mike B]

I couple of months ago I was on zhome.com and noticed that the person that owned #331 only lives about 10 miles away from me. I contacted him and found out that #331 was for sale along with two early parts cars, #882 (a 1/70) and 10,xxx (a 7/70) along with a lot of parts, including a crack-free series one dash. I went and took a look at everything, thinking I might be able to make a deal for the dash, and just some of the parts. #331 was accurately described as being very rough, and I thought I might even buy it and part it out, since it had some 1969 parts that I need for #237. So last weekend I made an offer for all three of the cars and the parts including the dash, and with that I became the owner (at least temporarily) of 5 240zs - 3 of them being sub 1,000 vin cars. #337 has issues, including a big rust hole where the battery tray once was, but it does have the numbers matching block (although the e31 head had been replaced with an e-88). The car is rebuildable, but will need a full restoration, and I wasn't sure that I was up for that given that I have just gotten #237 up and running well. Seeing #331 made me realize what good shape #237 is in, although it is certainly not perfect, at least it is a decent driver at this point. #331 hasn't been operable for over 10 years, but between it, the parts cars, parts and repair panels that came with it, it has most of the pieces needed to refurbish it. #882 was purchased in Oklahoma several years ago. The car's engine was being rebuilt at an engine shop and the exterior was in the process of being sodablasted. The engine shop was closed by the IRS and the owner was not able to get his engine back, so after a while he gave up and sold the shell to the guy I bought it from. It has been setting in a barn with bare metal for the past 5 years and the exterior is now a combination of rust and swiss cheese. The interior was fairly intact and has many salvagable parts, including most of the plastic panels, door panels, and vinyl. The second parts car (the 7/70) was bought from a storage unit when the prior owner never paid the bill and didn't claim the car. It is also has no engine, but is a nice shell that has had quite a bit of paint prep work done and is mostly primered. The interior has already been stripped and that is where some of the parts, including the dash came from. Anyway, after getting the cars home I am now considering trying to restore #331, since it is a 11/69 car and still has the matching block. If I do this though I will most likely need to sell my low mileage red 1972, since I don't have permanent space for three Z cars. I have been slowly removing parts from #882 for the past week and will probably have it another week or two to get the remaining decent parts from it. After that I will start parting out the 7/70 and stripping #331 over the winter. Here are some pictures of the two early cars.

[c david]

i just love to hear about a great car getting a new owner who will give her all she is due. good luck.

[Mike B]

Here are some of the eary 240z parts that came with these cars. The parts include two sold interior taillight panels (with no removable access holes). A couple of "chrome Z" 240z side pillar emblems. Three pigtail covers in excellent shape. An early center console cover with no ON lettering for the rear defrost or parking lights and a plastic blanking plug for the defroster. A grey early map light and heater control panel. A couple of early ashtrays. They are the same style (hollow handle) as the grey one that came with #237. #331 came with untinted glass and no defroster in the hatch glass. #331 has untinted driver and passenger door glass, but a tinted nissan windshield and side windows, and a tinted rear hatch with a defroster. I thought that none of the cars before around 1400 were supposed to have rear defroster glass, so maybe it was replaced by the dealer? It has notches in the plastic panel with the overhead light, and the I think the rear wiring harness is dated 1/70, but I'll have to double check on that. There were also two of the early plastic fuel door knobs. One is intact, but missing some of the chrome plating and one is broken.

[Duffman]

Looks like a great acquistion, Mike! My original rear glass is without a defroster (#1399), as you said.

[mbc]

Mike, I admire your passion for, and dedication to the early Z's. If you are anything like me, you probably want to keep and restore all of them. These choises are very difficult to make (to state the obvious). I have not come in contact with, or even seen a low VIN Z in person (lower than #10,000). To own one, let alone a few, must be awesome.

Not much to add to your thread, but you definately have my props!

[WingZr0]

Sweet !

Congradulations on your find

Is that a ANSA Muffler Twin Stack on license number 1BMK343 ?

I'm in agreement with member MBC, restore 'em all and don't part'em out.

Parting out means one less low VIN in existance.

Take your time if you need to and be petient if funds is what you need to bring'em back

~Z~

[240znz]

Nice one Mike,

What on earth is a pigtail cover? I don't recall seeing one in my car 12/70 build. Was this an early part only?

I don't know about you, but the map light is blinding, so I picked up a later model bezel to help my eyes out. I see they also intact as are the choke cover bungs. Nice one. Want to swap those bungs for some missing ones?????

[Mike B]

240znz,

The pigtail cover is a vinyl cover that snaps around the longer "pigtail" wiring for the fuse box found under the dash on the passenger side of the console in early "series 1" cars (at least here in the US). We had some reproductions made a few months ago, and they are discussed in this thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25217&highlight=early+pigtail

What is a bung? The black plastic plugs in the early choke cover? Sorry, but the defroster plug is one of the very hard to find items because it only came on the early cars with no rear defroster and I need it for my car.

-Mike

[geezer]

Good score Mike! It should be interesting, noting the differences you find between these early cars. Too bad about the storage problem. It's a shame to have to sell one. We all go through that to some extent. I know if I bring anything else home Mrs Geezer will have my arse on the next bus to AnywherebutHere!

[Zs-ondabrain]

That sounds like and awesome aquisition but I see one flaw in the numbers.

My 8/70 has a vin of 08077. You said your 7/70 has a 10k+ vin. and that's not possible. probably more in the 7k range.

Just thought I'd throw that at ya. not a big deal but you'll find that something is wrong in the numbers. Me and Leah only live about 30 miles away and should make a trip out there to check 'em out and BS about the Z's.

Let me know what ya think,

Dave.

wolfin32z@yahoo.com

[Mike B]

That sounds like and awesome aquisition but I see one flaw in the numbers.

My 8/70 has a vin of 08077. You said your 7/70 has a 10k+ vin. and that's not possible. probably more in the 7k range.]

I think you are right Dave. I probably am off on the date/VIN for that one. I was going by memory since that car is still at the sellers until I get room to bring it over.

-Mike

[Mike B]

I checked the VIN of the other parts car again and it is #10989, which should make it a 9/70 according to the Zhome.com registery (not a 7/70), so I guess I was off by a couple of months on that one.

-Mike