Wesley's Dream & The Journey of a '72 240Z

[notWes]

Hello friends, enthusiasts, acquaintances, peers, and accidental thread clickers!
 
It has been quite the while since anyone has heard from me and what's going on so I decided to post something up to get started and involved deeper here! I apologize for disappearing, I seem to be doing that too frequently as of late.
 
So, a nice little recap from my couple weeks of absence. Aside from a crazy rush at work I've been squeezing in any time necessary (mostly in the AM when my family can't tell me I'm making a poor financial decision [emoji28]) to plan this Datsun's arrival into my garage. Or my parents' rather... I found a nice silver 240Z in Huntington Beach, California owned by a kind fellow electrician by the name of Simon. Once I saw the car and it's condition I knew I had to take a look. Seeing as I'm on the opposite coast in Toronto I came here hoping for some help with a shot in the dark. Luckily the kind community found me and my mission and I received tremendous help! A detailed report of the Z was put together by a kind enthusiast and supporter you may know here by the name of Gary. The report he made really gave me the confidence to take the leap and fly over to get the dream! Another big thanks to @norcal z You rock man, i can never thank you enough.
 
After many questions, calls, and pictures I had finally made the decision and I was on my way to California. It was quite the trip seeing as I'm a complete travelling amateur and airplanes stress me the heck out. BUT I made it! As i walked up to Simon's house and caught a glimpse of the Z my heart went wild and i was immediately sweaty. Very sweaty. After going over all the little quirks and inspections, I took 'er out for a drive. I must add the Z is automatic, but it drove like an absolute dream. I was immediately sold on the Z after running through 1st gear. Simon is a car enthusiast himself, however not specifically to Z's! I was glad to be carrying on his passion and I was glad he was glad about me being glad about this gladness inspiring vehicle. I hadn't slept for 28 hours because of the adrenaline, but I could thank my ruined sleep schedule for being able to start my story. This pretty well sums up the trip I made to purchase the Z! Tons of details missing but many more to come.
 
Currently as I write, the Z is being driven cross-country to Buffalo where I am expected to receive it on Wednesday April 26th! I was blessed to find out my uncle had a large office right near the US/Canada border, and he graciously allowed me to ship my car there! I plan to trailer it home and cross the border that same day, time permitting of business hours.
 
I can't tell you all how excited and anxious I am about this (unless there's an english major here who can help me out with some top shelf words)!!! I'm very happy to be a part of this community and I hope to be forever. I would like everyone to know that I am not well versed in the mechanic trade but i've always had an interest in it and I love to learn anything about cars! I did leave my electrical job temporarily to chase dreams as a mechanic however i was not able to survive with the starting wage and I was forced to leave after 4 months at Toyota. I'll be back. But anyways, what I'm getting at is that I will be asking potentially ridiculous questions and I hope you may all bear with me during my learning experience.
 
Surprisingly, sometimes Youtube and Google just doesn't have the answer I'm looking for. That said, I will be posting my roadblocks and asking opinions here in this thread as a document to the first car i've rebuilt to my personal perfection. I will post questions, findings, pictures, ask opinions, what i'm planning, what i'm currently working on, parts i'm hunting for, updates of progressions, everything! I hope to get any feedback, whether it's negative or positive as long as it's constructive. My feelings are not easily hurt, so I encourage honesty and personality in responses! The real you is the best you.
 
I look forward to this journey and I hope my postings are enjoyed as well as informative or helpful in any way! I'm a Toronto resident so if there are any Z needs in the area just shoot me a PM When the Z is picked up I shall post some pictures! I won't be doing too much work for a bit as I'm tight on funds for parts but at least planning and research is free. Man, I am ecstatic.
 
Thanks again to the wonderful community for helping me get this far, I hope to repay with my own support to existing and future members. Keep dreaming -Zzz- friends.
 
Note: Most posts will contain (too much) honesty and atrocious puns.
 
 
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Edited April 23, 2017 by notWes
Added the eBay photo ads while I wait to take my own!

[notWes]

I'm going to need to reorganize some things. In the original post I've attached photos of the VIN and engine stamp, I understand that the L24 was used in other vehicles and I'm unsure of the rarity of a matching # 240z. Mine does not match. I plan to swap an L28 in with a manual 5 speed from a 280 while i rebuild the L24 and auto transmission. I'll be keeping the original parts aside, and i will not be making irreversible changes to the vehicle!


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[siteunseen]

Welcome to our forum, you'll like it here.

Stash that automatic transmission somewhere out of the way, way out of the way, you'll never touch it again. 8^) probably not the 2.4 motor, I like mine's higher stock rpms than a 2.8.

Anyway, MORE PICTURES!!!

Edited April 22, 2017 by siteunseen

[Patcon]

When you say the numbers don't match, what do you mean? The engine number should match the data plate under the hood that has the engine number on it, not the VIN number....

[Zup]

Welcome @notWes ! Nice opener!

@Patcon is telling you truth---look at the data tag on the passenger side shock tower in the engine compartment, then cross check the firewall stamping of the vin number against the door jamb tag you have pictured and against the vin plate just inside the windshield on the drivers side of the dash. These are all the "matching numbers" you will have. I suspect that your new purchase is all original (regarding the "numbers"). Go to www.zhome.com and look up the vin number in the registry database. If it is there you'll know a little more about previous owners---if it is not register it into the database. 

Our Z community is "at your service".

 

Edited April 23, 2017 by Zup
corrected statement

[Casey_z]

Also check out Ontario Z Car

Great group local to you

 

Swap meet next Saturday

[notWes]

When you say the numbers don't match, what do you mean? The engine number should match the data plate under the hood that has the engine number on it, not the VIN number....

Oh yeah!!! I remember the one, it has two boxes for eng number and car number or something! I will be checking this asap, thank you! Darn me.


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[notWes]

Welcome to our forum, you'll like it here.
Stash that automatic transmission somewhere out of the way, way out of the way, you'll never touch it again. 8^) probably not the 2.4 motor, I like mine's higher stock rpms than a 2.8.
Anyway, MORE PICTURES!!!

Whoops, replying out of order.. Thanks! Already do heh heh. hopefully not, touching it means having to sell the Z :| Noted! Spirited driving tip appreciated. You got it haha! Still waiting ANXIOUSLY for the arrival.


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[notWes]

Welcome [mention=31844]notWes[/mention] ! Nice opener!
[mention=22019]Patcon[/mention] is telling you truth---look at the data tag on the passenger side shock tower in the engine compartment, then cross check the firewall stamping of the vin number against the door jamb tag you have pictured and against the vin plate just inside the windshield on the drivers side of the dash. These are all the "matching numbers" you will have. I suspect that your new purchase is all original (regarding the "numbers"). Go to www.zhome.com and look up the vin number in the registry database. If it is there you'll know a little more about previous owners---if it is not register it into the database. 
Our Z community is "at your service".
 

Haha thank you! Awesome to hear, I can't wait to check now [emoji16] Probably should have before hand.. But too late. That'd be great, I'm gonna head over to that database it sounds interesting! you guys rock.


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[notWes]

Also check out Ontario Z Car
Great group local to you
 
Swap meet next Saturday

Sweet! Thanks, I'd love to stop by. Hopefully it's very local, hope to see ya there!


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[notWes]

The 240z has arrived in Buffalo! Hoping to have time to haul it over Monday. Been super busy, and super absent here. Updates soon! Hoping to make it to a bit of the meet in Ontario this weekend! Work permitting of course.






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[Casey_z]

On 2017-04-27 at 9:39 PM, notWes said:

The 240z has arrived in Buffalo! Hoping to have time to haul it over Monday. Been super busy, and super absent here. Updates soon! Hoping to make it to a bit of the meet in Ontario this weekend! Work permitting of course.






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Love the colour

Casey

Edited April 30, 2017 by Casey_z