At The Crossroads of Color - Paint or Sell?

[Hardway]

I am continue to work on my '72 lime green 240z and about to embark on the rear suspension rebuild. You can see my on going resto thread here - http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread47863.html The car is an original lime green car, I have already done a lot of good work to it but to be honest I would love for it to be silver. To do it right I know it would mean pulling the engine and stripping the car down to a rolling shell, all of which I can do. The floor pans needs to be replaced and even though I have a good MIG welder it may be something best left to a pro, still deciding this. Once I complete the rear suspension rebuild the car will be drivable again and probably a pretty good driver at that given everything I am doing. However knowing that if I strip the car down between minor body work, floor pans, paint, weather stripping, re-chroming the bumpers, putting it back together, on and on and on I will quickly hit $10K+ in the car. I know no one makes money with a restoration project, I am just wanting to gauge weather I should get the car back to reliable driver status and sell it to someone who really wants and loves a lime green Z or move forward with it and paint it the color I want. The car is not matching numbers so there is no real collector value here.

[Arne]

I'm 50/50 on this. Selling the Lime car to buy a similar car in the color you prefer would probably be the best path. That is assuming that you can find a silver car that is as good as (or better than) your current car for no more than what you sell the Lime car for. Frankly, shopping for a solid 240Z these days is tough enough w/o being locked in on a single color.

[jfa.series1]

If Lime Green is no longer your preference then wrap up your work on this car and move it along to a new owner. Take the proceeds from the sale and some of the money you might have rolled into the green car and find a car more to your liking without the penalty of a color change.

[ksechler]

You will never get the money out of the car if you sell it to justify all the parts you have put on in your thread. So it'd be a huge financial loss without even considering all of the hours of hard work. That car's going to be about perfect mechanically when your done. Finish the job. Get it back road worthy, drive it for a while then strip it down and paint it. For what it's worth, I like the color, and I have been enjoying the resto-thread.

[LeonV]

Finish it and drive it. Worry about color later, once you're satiated with driving the car. Who knows, maybe you'll grow to like the color more, or at the very least you'll get to drive it for a year or two before making it undriveable again.

[ZohanIsBack]

I agree with keeping it. You have a nice 240z with a little work needed to get it road worthy. I personally would just avoid putting off the inevitable and tear the entire thing down right now. That's what I did with mine. Yes, the time and money kinda suck, but you're going to do it in the end with another 240, so why not start now? Besides, as Arne pointed out, the chance of finding a good 240z in the color you want without having to repaint it anyway is... Err... Not likely. And I disagree with Arne in the fact that I doubt you could sell your car, buy a 240z in the same condition in silver, and STILL come out ahead. Maybe... But unlikely unless you find a shell in good condition, which is also unlikely.

Just my $0.02.

[siteunseen]

Put two wide silver stripes down the center outlined in black.

[72 OJ]

My, dos centavos.....1, you have done tons of mechanical work so the next step is the body work and to paint her in your choice color. 2, sell her and make me an offer and I will deliver my Silver Z to you.......

Edited December 11, 2012 by 72 OJ

[Hardway]

Everyone makes really good points about the decisions in front of me. I can definitely see both sides of the coin. Once thing I have determined is items like replacing the fuel tank vent lines is not on very many peoples to-do list as it is now something I ask about on every 240z I call on. After 40 years even a car kept in the best conditions will need this done and I know first hand how big of a PITB it is to do. The rear suspension bushings need to be replaced on my car regardless if I keep it or not so I will move forward on that over the next few weeks as I get time. Like you guys said, maybe getting some seat time once it is running again will help me make the final decision.

I appreciate your offer OJ but I have seen the pics of your LS1 Z and it is beautiful and very likely out of my price range.

[tlorber]

My, dos centavos.....1, you have done tons of mechanical work so the next step is the body work and to paint her in your choice color. 2, sell her and make me an offer and I will deliver my Silver Z to you.......

OJ, after all your writeups I find it hard to believe you'd part with that car.

[72 OJ]

OJ, after all your writeups I find it hard to believe you'd part with that car.

Hardway-- excuse the thread sabotage............tlorber , not in my plans ,but if someone comes with a genuine attractive cash offer or cash plus a nice clean vintage Datsun(510 two door ) trade I might let her go

Edited December 11, 2012 by 72 OJ

[esmit208]

I agree with keeping it. The money you might NOT make in a sale can be used to forge ahead with what you are doing. In it's current shape a potential buyer will just try to wear you down on the selling price and you may not have enough money to buy one in the shape you HOPE for. Project 3/72 is a rolling shell and probably needs more work than "Mr. Limey", no intense offended. You are further along than you think although I know you are just itching to drive and stop restoring. Trust me I know the feeling. Since you have the welder do the repairs yourself. In the end all the thanks will go to you.