ok folks i think i have found the one, 75 260z with plenty of work done, its had a few owners who loved it very much, has had a lot of chassis work welding etc, inner arches are all new, 280 gearbox, engine rebuild, rear tailgate needs some attention (some rust bubbling). the only thing i dont like about it is it has a sunroof, although the seller claims there is no rust or leeks.

has loads of receipts over the years, havnt seen it in person yet, planning a

trip next week hopefully.

any sugestions what i should be looking out for in particular?

Check the usual places that tend to rust. Make sure you check the area under the battery tray, the wheel wells, interior areas, frame rails, ect. From your info your in Ireland? I've never been there in person but I'm sure it isn't the most favorable environment for 30+ year old cars. Take a nice HARD look at the car. Don't rush into it just because it looks awesome (I know that one from experience).

Take the car for a ride if possible. Let it get nice and warm and see how the engine acts. I've seen plenty of "rebuilt" engines in my lifetime that weren't in the best shape. Run through all the gears and make sure they are in good sound shape. Listen to the diffy as you drive for anything out of the ordinary. The best thing I can tell you is to take your time and check every area of the car if it was the MOST important part.

Hope that helps.

Jan

It's just not fair for a guy from Tucson to be lecturing a guy from Ireland on rust.

The last time I was in Ireland I walked along the coast road from Malahide towards Port Marnock. It was a beautiful spring day with a nice salt breeze coming off of the water. It then got so warm I had to take off my windbreaker. A little while later it started snowing yet the sun was shining. At the end of the walk it was back to a nice spring day. It was the strangest and fastest change in weather that I've ever seen.

With weather like that there's just no chance of finding a rust free car in Ireland unless it's never been driven. The only good news is he might find one without a cracked dash so you desert dwellers don't have all the luck of the Irish.

If you can take pictures when you go and see it and post them here. As everyone else has already said check for rust and buy with your head not your heart.

MikeW, i think the desert dwellers don't care about a RHD dash

MikeW, i think the desert dwellers don't care about a RHD dash

I'm not sure if this is insult to me but come on guys really? 1. I would love to have a RHD Z. 2. Just because I live in the desert doesn't mean that rust isn't an issue. I have rust under the battery tray in the fender. Its rather bad to be honest. If I would have just took the time to look at said fender(s) i would of easily noted the rust and more than likely bought a different Z. As must as my lectures might be rather odd, I still say take the time to look at the car so you don't buy what I bought and need a body shop.

Jan

Yes, I was clearly joking. Must of us envy you low humidity guys who seem to have all the luck finding cheap rust free cars. However, unless your car was purchased in and never left that environment there's no telling where the rust originated. My last visit to Tuscon involved driving up to Casa Grande Ruins. I do recall some rain that day and being warned by locals about the extreme danger of washes in such situations. I'm sure there have been some unlucky people end up with rusty cars in that situation.

To ChrisZ: there may well be some desert dwellers in Australia who'd love a crack-free dash from Ireland.

Thanks for all the feedback everyone. MikeW your story makes me laugh and is so true, if you dont like the weather in ireland just wait 5 minutes, that the saying. anyway the car is in the UK and the seller doesnt claim it is rust free, it has had a lot of rust work done in the past, the main parts that need attention now are the tailgate, a little bubblein at the bottom of the doors, rear bumper crome rail, etc, the wheel arches, floor and frame rails are all ok apparently?

anyway he is sending me some pics of the usual trouble spots in the next day or so and i will post them up then for yous to inspect. one other question, if the underbody has all been painted and sealed how can you tell if there is anything nasty hiding underneath?

any other areas that can be clevourly hiddin so viewers wont notice? the more knowledge i have before i inspect the better. Thanks..

Jan, how could you take that as a insult.

MikeW, we all want a crack free dash, last crack free dash i put my eys on, got damaged in shipping, my dash

gerryboy, go say hi here

Chris

ok folks i think i have found the one, 75 260z with plenty of work done, its had a few owners who loved it very much, has had a lot of chassis work welding etc, inner arches are all new, 280 gearbox, engine rebuild, rear tailgate needs some attention (some rust bubbling). the only thing i dont like about it is it has a sunroof, although the seller claims there is no rust or leeks.

has loads of receipts over the years, havnt seen it in person yet, planning a

trip next week hopefully.

any sugestions what i should be looking out for in particular?

Wow, sounds a bit like mine. Someone put a sunroof on mine too, which I am a little bummed about - not because I 'hate' change, but more that I think on a rust prone car it's bloody stupid to put something on it that might possibly leak.

Good luck with her!

Hope you and hubby got that car home O.K ZGRLL!!