Looking for a 70-74 240z.. anything I should know?

[KeithV]

I live in southern california.. I want one in good condition.. dosn't need to be fully restored, just taken care of and in good all around condition.. (ohh yea and shiny paint =).. I need something to drive right now, but also something I can take my time fixing up..

Also I need to keep it under $4k.

[auxilary]

Look for rust (not that there's much in california, as long as the car was maintained well). If you're looking for something that was kept in good shape, expect to shell out more $$$. Mine was 4k

But the suspension components and everything is practically stock, therefore the struts were completely blown, bushings were worn away, etc. But I wanted a clean start. Look for rust in the rear hatch by the tail lights, look on the back hatch (the 3rd door) on the top behind the lock for rust. Check floorboards for rust (notorious rust collectors there), check frame rails in the engine bay to see if there has been any damage from accidents or what not (they'll be bent or misshaped, difficult to repair those).

The less rust the better - that's the main concern of most people. Look underneath the car at the rear differential to see if it's leaking or not. Little bit of liquid - not a big deal. If the whole thing is wet, chances are it'll need a new seal. If interior has cracks in the dash, that's very common, almost inescapable.

[24OZ]

Keith,

Auxhilary has summed everything up. The most important thing to look out for is the RUST. The rest is easy (relatively) to fix. Engines can go over 200,000 miles without a rebuild.

The best thing to do is buy the best example you can afford. Theres no point getting a cheap one which could cost you $$$ in the long run. (Unless you fancy restoring it yourself and have the know how).

Also make sure you check out this article by Carl Beck

http://www.zhome.com/Buying/1stGenWhatToWatch.html

Good luck in your purchase.

[Daniel]

keith,the 70,71 Z's have what they call a 3piece tranny.the 72/3 have a 2 piece.Myself the 3 piece has always felt sloppy,even with new bushings.Also the 73 is the only year with a lighted heater panel.there are two 74's.these are the 260 models .The 74 is kinda like a 240,carbs, bumpers look the same.The 74 1/2 look more like a 280 these are fuel injected and have the big safety bumpers.Also the 70/71Have manual adjust clutch slave cylinders.The 73 is automatic adjust.Ithink the 72 is auto as well.Happy hunting---Daniel