Looking to buy a '71 240z

[Oregon280z]

Greetings! First off this is a great site full of a wealth of information!

My twin brother currently owns a '78 280z and I am currently looking to buy a 240z. I recently found a '71 240z that looks like it is in good shape. Body is clean and do not see any large dents at all. It is missing the bumpers, but I feel it looks pretty cool without them. What do you guys think?

I called the owner and he said his son gave him this 240z and he just wants to get rid of it as he is not into working on it. He said the engine runs good, interior is in ok shape with just a tear on the back of one of the seats. The engine has been replaced and runs good. Heater box is not installed but he has it and the whipers do not work.

It really looks like a nice 240z and these are hard to come by as we all know! Oh he stated there is very minimal rust on this car. It is located in Oregon so its not like it is from the midwest where rust is rampant.

He is asking $1200 firm for it. What do you guys think? Any questions or concerns I should have? Any other questions to ask? What to look for etc? Your advice and input is welcome!

Thank you!

Brooks

p.s. - I have included a photo for reference

[Zak's Z]

You need to look at the typical rust prone areas to determine if thats a good deal. Under the battery, up inside the fenders, check under the doors, the doglegs, and the check the whole underside to see how much rust is under there. If you can, pull up the carpets to see the floor pans and rockers. Also check the rear deck lid and under the spare tire.

Post some pics here if you're not sure. If those areas are in good shape then you should find out if that red is the original paint, or how many times it's been painted. The engine bay is black so at one time there was some type of repaint probably.

My body metal looked great when I got it, but when i took 4 paint jobs off, I found all kinds of bondo and repairs. Take a magnet wrapped in a soft fabric and run it along the outside and see if it sticks or if theres bondo under there!

From the pics you sent its hard to tell any of this, but it sure looks better than than the z I started with!

Good luck.

[beandip]

From the little I can see from the pictures she doesnt look bad. As what was stated , look closely for rust . This cannot be stressed more. It is the biggest enemy of a Z. Also the costly to repair properly. Below the Battery and just forward of the doors , down low at the bottom of the fenders. Just to the rear of the doors down low in front of the wheels , ''dog leg''. When you look at the floors, check from under the Z, as well as under the carpet. The two ends of the hatch sill where the water drains down the channel of the hatch on each side, is a area to look closely at. Water tends to collect and puddle on the sill . If the seller has the bumpers and mounting hardware you should get it. Even if you don't think you will run them. Some insurance Co. require them. Plus they are not easy to find and are not cheap. All the best . Gary

[psdenno]

Looks like the rear hatch is from a '70 Z based on the air vents (which seem to be missing). Actually, there are no side vents, so are you sure it's a 1971? As mentioned, bumpers are hard/expensive to come by if not included. Although fiberglass replacements are available if you have the mounting hardware.

[lonetreesteve]

Looks like the rear hatch is from a '70 Z based on the air vents (which seem to be missing). Actually, there are no side vents, so are you sure it's a 1971? As mentioned, bumpers are hard/expensive to come by if not included. Although fiberglass replacements are available if you have the mounting hardware.

It's an early '71 or Series One car. Like the other 2 members stressed, rust is public enemy #1 when it comes to Zs. Also, I agree with Beandip, if the seller has the bumpers, make sure you get them and any other spare parts. If the car checks out OK, then I would say it's a very good price for a Series One car.

[Oregon280z]

Everyone thank you for your posts! It was helpful and I actually did in fact buy my first Z! It is an early '71 240z thus this is why it has the vents in the rear.

The Z runs, but it definitely needs work. It has rust in the typical places just behind the drivers side front wheel. Isn't too bad there but there is some rust. I noticed when I brought the Z home that there is a small hole just underneath the passenger seat. I was saying oh great! Any advice you guys have with rust on floor boards? The rust is just in one area, but it is there. I have heard about a paint or product called POR 15, but not sure if that would be good since I already have a hole in the floor board.

Do you guys recommend cutting out the small area of rust and patching it up, weld a new small area or replace the floor panel? Are there floor panel kits you can buy for either side of the floor board ( passenger / driver )? And what are the costs? What are your thoughts on this?

If you guys had this rust issue on your Z what would be your first step and steps after that? Your suggestions are valued and very much appreciated!

I will send photos soon of my progress!

Look forward to hearing your comments and or suggestions.

Oh by the way does anyone know how many '71 240z's were produced and how many "Series 1" '71 240z's were produced as well?

Regards!

[sakijo]

Somebody help this thread and move it to the Z area.

[beandip]

Everyone thank you for your posts! It was helpful and I actually did in fact buy my first Z! It is an early '71 240z thus this is why it has the vents in the rear.

The Z runs, but it definitely needs work. It has rust in the typical places just behind the drivers side front wheel. Isn't too bad there but there is some rust. I noticed when I brought the Z home that there is a small hole just underneath the passenger seat. I was saying oh great! Any advice you guys have with rust on floor boards? The rust is just in one area, but it is there. I have heard about a paint or product called POR 15, but not sure if that would be good since I already have a hole in the floor board.

Do you guys recommend cutting out the small area of rust and patching it up, weld a new small area or replace the floor panel? Are there floor panel kits you can buy for either side of the floor board ( passenger / driver )? And what are the costs? What are your thoughts on this?

If you guys had this rust issue on your Z what would be your first step and steps after that? Your suggestions are valued and very much appreciated!

I will send photos soon of my progress!

Look forward to hearing your comments and or suggestions.

Oh by the way does anyone know how many '71 240z's were produced and how many "Series 1" '71 240z's were produced as well?

Regards!

First of all be sure to remove all the tar matt from the floor. Then you will have a view of the metal and can evaluate it. match size holes can be repaired with POR matt and Paint. If you follow the instructions from the maker. Zedd Findings has new floor pans , his are the best out there if this is what is needed. The rust on the low part of the fenders most likely is rust out coming from the back. This area is also the beginning of the rocker . If there is rust through there then the rocker is involved and likely the dog leg as well. I had the same problems on my Z and had to replace the passenger side pan and welded in patches on the driver side . There were a few little holes that I repaired with POR . I used POR over almost all the floor both inside and under the car. Gary

[Oregon280z]

Everyone I appologize for posting this in this section. Will someone please move this thread to the Z section.

Thank you!

[RolfSis]

Howdy! Beandip, when you said "First of all be sure to remove all the tar matt from the floor" .... sorry to be such a novice, but novice I am. What's a tar matt? Our floors both sides of our 240Z (1971) when the carpets are taken up look green, like the original car paint. What is a tar matt, and should we do something there as well? We don't see rust on ours, but then it's been in northern california all its life, so maybe we're missing something, thus my intrusion here to ask.

All ears.

":0)

Asta

Maybe if I post pictures of some recent seat fixes, which include pictures of the floorboards on driver and passenger side, you can give me a clue. Thank you very much.

http://www.asta.bizhosting.com/OctoberUpdates-2.htm

[EScanlon]

Asta, in the pictures you posted, if you'll notice the picture where you annotated "missing one of those rubber plug things, replaced with this metal thing" (I'll post a note on that metal thing later), you'll see that there is this "indent" in the general floor surface. That indent is the edge of the "tar mat" that Beandip is referring to.

If you'll look further up the floor pan on the passenger side, to just below the firewall cardboard/insulation, you'll see where the tar mat did NOT cover the metal and you can spot a dash of surface rust. Also on the right edge of it, you'll see the tell tale signs of it starting to creep out from underneath it.

The basic problem with the original tar-mat is that it was applied at the factory on unprotected metal. Some people have said they've noted it on top of color paint, others on primer and others on bare steel.

Since it's impossible to detect whether it is hiding rust or not without removing it, it becomes a kind of "Russian Roulette" (no offense intended to anyone), with the bullet being rust. You could leave the tar mat alone and never have problems arise, or you could be masking a serious case of floor rot occurring right underneath you.

I've posted a few pictures I took on a car I'm working on. The first 4 are from the passenger floor pan, and the last is one section of the driver's side.

You'll note that while the under seat area tar mat looked okay, it proved to be the one hiding nastier rust than the general floor pan mat. Then when you look at the piece I chipped off on the driver's side under seat area you can see where the mat was put directly onto bare steel, and part of it seems protected and part is beginning to rust.

This is an area of known problems on these cars.

While the "originality" factor will be considered by some, it needs to be stressed that the rust is ALSO original.

FWIW

E

[RolfSis]

Appreciate the info, and still can't relate any of these pictures to our Z. None of ours looked rusty, and not sure I got the gist of your info here. You did say, though, you'd post others and perhaps that'll be something I can relate to ours.

If I'm intruding here on an unrelated realm, apologies.