Yes, another noob "Should I buy" thread... help appreciated!

[Genghis]

Hi all,

Been lurking on the site for a bit and finally found the baby I really want to buy, but I'm hesitant. I'm ordering an inspection from AIM this week; I'll update the thread with the results when I get it. The owner assures me it's rust free (yeah, yeah heard that before ), no problems at all but cracked sidewalls on the tires, said he's only owned it two years and doesn't know much about the history of owners or repairs (and he has a very thick accent and is hard to understand so I couldn't really understand what he does know), he had the convertible top done himself and says the only bondo on the car is involved in the frame reinforcement somehow (didn't quite understand what he said there), But for now, based on the limited info in the ad and what he told me, what do y'all think? He said he'd let it go for $5700. I'd really appreciate any advice:

https://santabarbara.craigslist.org/cto/4518182921.html

Oh, P.S. I'm sure some of you will scoff at what you might perceive to be the sacrilegious convertible top, but hey, I didn't move to southern California to not enjoy the sunshine! Maybe I'm a heretic but that's the real draw for me!

Thanks everyone!

[siteunseen]

I've always looked for cracking where the hatch's top line comes down to the side window. It's where the strength and rigidity of the body design comes together with a weld and smoothed with some type of body filler. A friend of mine a looong time ago cut the top out of a '75 his Dad gave him. It started "folding up" and he had to have reinforcement welded along the bottom side. Dummy used angle iron and it would get stuck on speed bumps. It's kind of like an eggshell, when you take part of it away you loose the strength of the whole. If it's inspected and has been insured it probably is OK. I'd do some research on it, talk to the shop that did the top and make sure the guys being truthful.

My $.02 only.

[240260280z]

Convertibles required frame strengthening by welding box section rails under the floors as cutting the roof on a unibody would cause it to fold in the middle.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Blue

[Genghis]

Good info guys, thanks! Will definitely look into that. Hopefully it won't be a problem because that is the one thing the seller really had a lot of knowledge about and talked a lot about the reinforcement etc, and said it cost him over 10k at a custom shop, so hopefully it was done right. But you guys are right, definitely worth a thought/check.

Edited June 18, 2014 by Genghis

[psdenno]

Take time to look at the door gaps on both doors when they're closed. Look especially at the gap on the latch side of the door. If the Z is sagging in the middle, the gap will be tighter at the top than at the bottom - a sure sign of weak structure reinforcement. Hard to tell from the posted pictures. Nice looking car, however.

Dennis

Edited June 19, 2014 by psdenno

[Genghis]

Awesome, thanks Dennis. That's a great trick!

[Carl Beck]

IN the pictures he does show - it looks like that top -sits folded on top of the trunk area. Does that top fold down behind the seats - out of sight and out of the wind?

Past that - for $5700.00 if it runs and drives out as it should - I wouldn't be afraid to buy it for fun. You could expect to have to spend more money on it somewhere.. All depends on how much you are willing to pay for "fun".

Personally - I wanted a convertible - but it had to have great A/C as well for the Summers here in Florida. Spend just a little bit more {+$3K} - and bought a 1998 M/B SLK 320 with a retractable hard top. One owner, 50K original miles.. Not a 240Z but amazingly close in over-all size and performance.. Plus it was in "like new" condition all around..

Mecerdes Benz SLK 230 Sport

I think I'll be able to get my money back out of the SLK - All depends on what you want. Always easy to buy stuff - but sometimes not so easy to resell later..

FWIW,

Carl B.

Actually the SLK is quite a bit faster than a stock 240Z.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Carl Beck

[Genghis]

Thanks Carl. Good point about the top.

This car would be for fun but would also be my "daily," though I don't necessarily drive every day. Is that thus a dumb choice? I don't need a/c, never liked it.

[Carl Beck]

Hi Genhis:

It would only be a dumb choice - if you don't know what you are getting into. If you fully realize that any "custom" of this nature may carry with it a lot of "Risk" - expressed as a lot of "unknowns" - and you are willing to deal with them if they are realized - then it is a reasoned choice - not a dumb choice.

As people have mentioned - the Z wasn't designed to be a convertible so there is a risk associated with chopping the top off. The car has recent paint - and you don't know what short cuts the builder took under that paint. Not much risk associated with the engine, drive train or suspension - as they are usually solid and easy to fix if they aren't. Some risk in the wiring of any of these old Z's.. so I'd look that over carefully.

If you like the looks of it - and like driving it - $5700.00 wouldn't life changing - as long as you don't wind up putting another $5K + into it.

It is just the old "look before you leap" thing..

FWIW,

Carl

[Genghis]

Very sound advice, thanks. Well noted.

[Z fan]

At that coin , grab it . Do a few tlc items, like , work on stance , put a 5spd , change the muffler , put an era type set of wheels and fatter tires ... and , enjoy the ride. PS-- that top looks very much like the ones on convertible GTO replicar .

Edited June 21, 2014 by Z fan

[Genghis]

Yikes, inspection didn't go so well. Obviously I didn't think it was going to be perfect but it seems like there are a lot of issues. Amongst other things: Cracks seem to be indicative of previous bondo, big ol' rust spot on the undercarrieage in one of those pics, and the statement that "The door panels seem to be separating from the door jambs up on the top of the door" which I'm not 100% sure he means, but which may be an issue of the convertible conversion not being done effectively, as psdenno pointed out above. What do y'all think? I'm thinking it's just a straight pass at this point, probably not even gonna try to negotiate with the guy.

240z inspection.pdf

Edited June 25, 2014 by Genghis