I really had no intention of buying another one but when I saw the ad for this car it was obvious that it was going to need a complete restore or it was going to the wreckers.

Floors are completely gone, passenger side rear quarter and rocker are a mass of rust and bondo, it's bad but I know I can save it.

The metal work and some of the body I can do without too much trouble but I'm not looking forward to the dog legs.

I brought it home this afternoon and the more I dig into it the better it gets. Built Sept. 1971, Butterscotch interior, the original green is in the pic of the spare tire well (and it's going back to that colour) 2 owners, a father and then the son, it has been stored the last 20 yrs in a dry garage, numbers matching engine with documented 77,000 mi on the ODO, dealer installed A/C almost all service work was done at St Clair Datsun where it was purchased new, and look at this,

The original plastic plate frame in usable condition!

This thing is like a time capsule, except for the paint and wheels there are very few modifications. I'm not really big on keeping cars original but this one will be restored stock.

Here's some pics,

There will be lots more pics as I delve into it.

My 2 girls,

Thanks,

Chris

Wow! Very nice Chris. I think I've meet you at the Drag event. I got stuck with a third one myself that I don't intent to. hahaha. I look forward to your planning on this new resto.

Chris,

That's very close to my Vin# also built in 9/71

Kind of a transition period in some of the first gen cars.

What's so scary about dog legs when the whole floor is gone-

Chris,

What's so scary about dog legs when the whole floor is gone-

Something has to hold the car together!

I think I'm going to replace the floors first and then do the doglegs and rockers so things don't get bent out of shape.

like like like

It's always good seeing another one saved from the wreckers ! Way to go Chris...

Good luck with the rebuild!

Definitely looks like a project! Glad to see you saving one from the wrecking yard. That is a great shot of it being seen over the rear quarter of your other Z. We look forward to the progress pics!

Hi Guys, I think I'm going to have to part her out, have been digging into it the last couple of weeks and just finding more and more rust.

There are 2 ways I could save it, have the body chemically dipped to remove all rust then weld in all the patches and restore everything as usual or substitute a solid unrusted body and add all of the restored parts to it.

When I do the arithmetic either way it comes out to about $14-15,000 outlay not counting any of my labour, heat and electricity for the garage or the hundreds of dollars in incidentals. I doubt I can sell it for much more then break even if that.

Any ideas?

The thing that really gets me is this 2.4L engine a 4spd tranny are in near perfect condition mechanically. Good compression numbers, nice even idle and the 4spd is tight and smooth. But who wants a 2.4 and a 4spd these days?

They are sold by weight for scrap.

I have a nice Z and really don't have the space, time or money for a second,

This is not a good day,

Chris

Chris - sad to hear of this development, sounds like it falls into the "no good deed goes unpunished" category. I'm sure that a lower VIN / Series 1 car might come closer to justifying a project investment but - as you point out, the economics of a badly rotted Series 2 are hard to deal with. It sounds like a part-out has the potential to benefit a lot of other folks, especially those in need of butterscotch interior bits.

As to today, have heart and don't get down on yourself - you're a better man for trying!

Thanks Jim, wise words.

Chris,

I understand your position, especially since you don't have the space or money to properly restore the car. My early Series II has more rust damage than this car, but I'm in this project for the long haul. Since I'm generally in favor of saving all of the 240Z's (within reason), perhaps you can find someone else that has the means to restore the car. If you decide to part her out, I'm sure the parts will help keep other cars on the road!

Robert S.