Advice needed: Buying a 240z - Frame rail?

[Pheng Vang]

I am planning to buy my first datsun and I need some input if I should go ahead and get this car. Car is fairly clean, engine bay is very nice but I need advice on this area of the frame rail.

Is this anything major that I should be concern about? Does it just need patching or will the frame rail need to be replaced?

[Dershum]

Well, I can tell you from experience that repairing the far-back part of the rail (in your second pic) is a pain and depends largely on how much rust is behind that panel. I didn't have barely any of mine left, so it took quite a bit of work. And I'll guarantee that if the other side looks good from the outside, it's still pretty bad in behind. I'll also (nearly) guarantee that the plate directly above/around the mounting point for the front cross-member is rusted pretty well to match.

As for the front sway bar mounting point (the first pic) Bad Dog sells a lovely set of braces that can be welded over that area to brace it, so if you can repair the piece under it, then you can brace over it to help your repair.

How does the engine-side of the frame rail look?

[grannyknot]

Your second pic shows a very common rust area and not hard to repair as long as the labour is free - DIY

You might want to take a bunch more pics of other areas like under the carpets in the footwells, rockers and any shots you can get underneath the car. Don't buy it until you have seen under the carpets.

Where is the car from, what part of the country?

[Hardway]

That is a very common rust area and if you have access to a welder and are willing to hone some welding skills you can do it on your own as I did. This was the first real patch panel work I have ever done and the final product I believe was more than satisfactory. Check it out on my thread starting with post Post #22.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/open-zcar-discussion/47863-lime-green-machine-restoration-thread-1972-240z.html

[Pheng Vang]

The car is from wisconsin. Thanks for the advice fellas, I decided to pass on this car. He was asking for $7000, figured his asking price is a bit too high to have to fix any structural rust. Thanks again!

[Marty Rogan]

Is that the 112 Yellow one on Craig's List in Pleasant Prairie, WI? The top side pictures make it look really good.

Marty

[Pheng Vang]

Nope, not the same one but that yellow one listed on craigslist looks very clean, just out of my price range though.