Picked up this New Sweetheart

[D83zxt]

HI,

My name is Donna and I have been doing the happy Z dance. I have been in love with the Z cars ever since I was a little girl. I fell in love with this 12/70 Z Baby at first sight, and I just had to buy her. I have looked for a long time for a decent stock factory 240Z, and I would like to clean her up and keep her as stock as can be... While cleaning her up. Any advice for her? I'm all ears open! I would love to bring her back to her shiny bright days. I adore this Z!!!! What a blast to drive her! Yeah, as I am typing this out, I'm still wearing the smile she gives me. So far, while exploring at her. She's with her matching engine number, along with her stock dash stuff, but looks to be repainted. Looks like I will be cleaning up her engine bay with a tooth brush too. Her seats are fine, thanks to the seat covers, but the back carpet needs to be replaced from the CA sun damage....

Her first bath

Edited March 19, 2009 by D83zxt

[helopilot]

Nice find. I hope you enjoy your baby.

[Carl Beck]

Hi Donna:

The more you drive the car, the longer you keep, it the more you'll love it.

It's impossible to tell from the pictures - however it looks like a pretty good car to start with. So after the initial joy and happiness works it way through you - - it will be time to take a deep breath and let the logical side of your brain take over.

First Step Is Critical Assessment:

Really go over the car with fine tooth comb. If you have a friend that knows something about cars, or perhaps you can get a local Z Car Club member to assist - - you want to take a note pad and go over the car from the front bumper to the rear bumper and NOTE every thing you observe that is anything less than it should be. Be really critical - the idea here is to document all the flaws, so later you can determine what all will need to be corrected, assign some reasonable cost to it and start planning for the cars future.

Second Step Is Preservation:

-Get the car up on a lift - and inspect the undercarriage. STOP any surface rust NOW.

-Take that battery out - and clean the area under it and around it, stop any surface rust and repaint to protect the metal.

-The bumper look to be in pretty good shape - take them off and clean inside them, and again stop any surface rust - put a protective coating of paint inside them. You may want to later send them out to be straightened and re-chromed.

- Pull all the carpet and padding out - check the floorboards etc - and again stop any surface rust - repaint to preserve...

- Clean all the diamond pattern vinyl and plastic panels - they look to be in pretty good shape. Get them very clean, Armor-All them and then take care to protect them when using the car.

- The Tail Lights look to be in pretty good shape - carefully clean them and polish the chrome strips. These are getting very expensive... so get them clean and put a coat of wax on them to preserve them.

- get a friend - a few bottles of brake fluid - and flush the brake system. Do the clutch as well. Clean and flush the cooling system as well.

On and on and on - clean and preserve, clean and preserve, clean and preserve. You can spend a couple hours a few evening per week, perhaps 6 to 8 hours per weekend...

Third Step - Start Gathering Needed Parts and Finding Needed Vendors/Suppliers/Service Providers:

As you have now gone over the car and made notes, and you are now looking at every detail as you clean and preserve - - - start gathering all the parts you will want to, or need to, replace. Stock pile them over the next year or two if necessary. Also start getting recommendations for good body shops in your area. Talk to people at car shows, look their cars over and take notes... get recommendations.

At some point - you may want to completely refresh or even restore that car. "Refresh" is more likely because it is getting VERY expensive to do an actual restoration today.

All-in-all the car looks to be in pretty stock and original condition. While the engine compartment is dirty - it looks like it hasn't been molested. The original metal fan has been replaced with the lighter plastic version (a good thing for a street driven car). The original Dealer Installed A/C looks to be in place etc. Overall it looks like you have a pretty good early Z there.. You can clean it up and drive it as is for a couple years and later you might want to take it to the next level...

Plan your work and work your plan..

Good luck,

Carl B.

[Sailor Bob]

Hi Donna

Congratulations on your buy, It looks nice. I think you are on the right track - a good cleaning will get you familiar with you new Z. By the time you finish with the toothbrush you will know what has to come next. Try ZHome.com for pointers.

Good Luck

It looks like ZHome contacted you

Edited March 19, 2009 by Sailor Bob
CB post

[Zedyone_kenobi]

Also get some literature. The key to success on any automotive project is knowledge. Finding this board is a huge step in the right direction.

If you send me your email address, I will send you ALL the Factory Service manual for a 72, which have worked wonderfully for my 71, and should help you in 95% of your cases.

Read read read. Get the book on Amazon, how to rebuild your Z car. Its great writing and very clear. It will give you a working vocabulary for these cars. And when it comes to asking questions, it will give you the needed background to really get the correct answers you need.

Make a notebook of all your thoughts plans and ideas. Use it to keep a record of the work you have done and work you plan to do. Put photos in it, print things out and tape it in the book. It will become a valuable tool the more you use it. Put everything in it. Websites, local business phone numbers, notes on the quality of service you received. The notebook will be invaluable when it comes time to perform work and you have a healthy database of vendors, part numbers, costs.

Keep it next to the computer when you are on this website, and when a tastey tidbit comes up, as it ALWAYS does, capture it by printing and taping it into the notebook. The knowledge on this website is not found anywhere else in the world. My notebook is growing every day. I keep updating it weekly.

There is no substitute for knowledge and patience with a Z car. Its always better to take your time and do it right, rather than to do it twice. These cars are wonderfully engineered and for the most part easy to work on. I wish you luck with your car, and never hesitate to ask questions here. I have learned more from this website than anything else.

[Unkle]

Hi and welcome ! Your car is probably a 1971 . What's the v.i.n. number ?

Watch out washing with high pressure wands - it will force water into anything with a seam ! I usually handwash my nice cars with auto soap, a large bucket and a new sponge . Anyway, you already know that , but the less water infiltration the better ! Any pics of the interior and dash ?

[carguyinok]

Congrats on your new baby!!!!! She looks like a nice find!!!

I am guessing that you have been doing your homework for awhile now being a member here since 04.

If it was me I would be looking into getting that hood rust taken care of ASAP. The longer you wait the bigger the job will become.

Another easy one you have is the mags. Just set aside an afternoon and get some good rags, a tub of mothers polish, and some rubber gloves. It's an easy job that will pay off big once your done. Just take your time and rest your fingers once in awhile. You will love the look when your done.

More then anything..... HAVE FUN & ENJOY THE RIDE!!!!!!!

Again, congrats!!!!!

[D83zxt]

Thank you for the warm welcome. I have owned Z's in the past from 83zxt's to Z32's and it's how I came across this wonderful website. But I have never owned my dream come true 240Z to refresh her.

I love racing them tho. I refreshed this 73 for almost 2 years to get him ready to go have some fun.

[D83zxt]

Hi and welcome ! Your car is probably a 1971 . What's the v.i.n. number ?

Watch out washing with high pressure wands - it will force water into anything with a seam ! I usually handwash my nice cars with auto soap, a large bucket and a new sponge . Anyway, you already know that , but the less water infiltration the better ! Any pics of the interior and dash ?

You are correct about washing her. My bad.

You know what... She has the vented rear deck lid but the Vin is throwing me off. Is she a later model? HLS3O16365?

I'm sorry but this is kinda of new to me.

[D83zxt]

Hi Donna:

The more you drive the car, the longer you keep, it the more you'll love it.

It's impossible to tell from the pictures - however it looks like a pretty good car to start with. So after the initial joy and happiness works it way through you - - it will be time to take a deep breath and let the logical side of your brain take over.

First Step Is Critical Assessment:

Really go over the car with fine tooth comb. If you have a friend that knows something about cars, or perhaps you can get a local Z Car Club member to assist - - you want to take a note pad and go over the car from the front bumper to the rear bumper and NOTE every thing you observe that is anything less than it should be. Be really critical - the idea here is to document all the flaws, so later you can determine what all will need to be corrected, assign some reasonable cost to it and start planning for the cars future.

Second Step Is Preservation:

-Get the car up on a lift - and inspect the undercarriage. STOP any surface rust NOW.

-Take that battery out - and clean the area under it and around it, stop any surface rust and repaint to protect the metal.

-The bumper look to be in pretty good shape - take them off and clean inside them, and again stop any surface rust - put a protective coating of paint inside them. You may want to later send them out to be straightened and re-chromed.

- Pull all the carpet and padding out - check the floorboards etc - and again stop any surface rust - repaint to preserve...

- Clean all the diamond pattern vinyl and plastic panels - they look to be in pretty good shape. Get them very clean, Armor-All them and then take care to protect them when using the car.

- The Tail Lights look to be in pretty good shape - carefully clean them and polish the chrome strips. These are getting very expensive... so get them clean and put a coat of wax on them to preserve them.

- get a friend - a few bottles of brake fluid - and flush the brake system. Do the clutch as well. Clean and flush the cooling system as well.

On and on and on - clean and preserve, clean and preserve, clean and preserve. You can spend a couple hours a few evening per week, perhaps 6 to 8 hours per weekend...

Third Step - Start Gathering Needed Parts and Finding Needed Vendors/Suppliers/Service Providers:

As you have now gone over the car and made notes, and you are now looking at every detail as you clean and preserve - - - start gathering all the parts you will want to, or need to, replace. Stock pile them over the next year or two if necessary. Also start getting recommendations for good body shops in your area. Talk to people at car shows, look their cars over and take notes... get recommendations.

At some point - you may want to completely refresh or even restore that car. "Refresh" is more likely because it is getting VERY expensive to do an actual restoration today.

All-in-all the car looks to be in pretty stock and original condition. While the engine compartment is dirty - it looks like it hasn't been molested. The original metal fan has been replaced with the lighter plastic version (a good thing for a street driven car). The original Dealer Installed A/C looks to be in place etc. Overall it looks like you have a pretty good early Z there.. You can clean it up and drive it as is for a couple years and later you might want to take it to the next level...

Plan your work and work your plan..

Good luck,

Carl B.

Thank you, Is it bad to take the day off to play with a Z to clean her up?

[JohnnyO]

Thank you, Is it bad to take the day off to play with a Z to clean her up?

Take off a week and go for a ride between each task.....

Welcome to the club.

John

[overdrivex]

Thank you, Is it bad to take the day off to play with a Z to clean her up?

of course not. i do it all the time