260Z dream car

[v12horse]

Esmit, it looks like you are having a lot of fun with those boys!  I am right there with you having an almost 2.5 year old son and a 4 month old daughter.   The journey is the destination.  It took me a long time to figure that out and at times I still have to remind myself of how much fun it is to be in the midst of a project.  One day I do intend to have a garage stocked with an arsenal of tools .  Then I can wrench on those Z's the way you are doing so marvelously.  

JSM, I really hope that the 50th Z Convention will be in 2020, but I have a feeling they will do it sooner in 2019.  My son will be a bit over 5 in the summer of 2020 and possibly ready for such a big trip, but at a bit over 4 it might be tougher.  Only time will tell.

Sincerely,

Ben

[v12horse]

Happy New Year!  The car is making progress!  I spoke with the lead mechanic recently and we went over the parts to be cad plated, silver plated, and powder-coated.  I am really going for a factory finish, but with hidden modifications.  Even looking at the engine bay I plan for it to be OEM in appearance.  One of the latest developments is the installation of the Datsun Competition bucket seat.  This seat has gone from closet to closet in the various dorm rooms, houses and apartments I have lived in over the past 15 years.  I was always hesitant to install the seat due to my interior being cream and the seat being black, but I had to put my style eye aside and put where it belongs. 

The car is literally a shell with an interior at the moment as there is no suspension or drive train installed.  We have figured out the big pieces to the car, but the brakes are a challenge with the 14" wheels.  If I was willing to go with a 15" wheel a larger set of brakes would fit with no problem, but I am not willing to do that as I love the look of the small wheels and the tall sidewalls.  It goes along with the overall look I am going for; original 260 meets Works Monte Carlo Rally car.  The mechanic was thinking of a custom set of Stoptech 4 piston calipers, but the wheels do not have enough clearance.  He is going to try a very thin spacer and see if that frees up enough room, but if it doesn't we're back to square one.  I stress the need for better brakes because I have always had a problem with the braking power of the car.  I was not sure why as everyone raves about the original units working so well.  The calipers are red and I always thought they were the original units that a previous owner had repainted, but when I got out the thick manila envelope of records sometime in the late 1970's they were swapped for a set of Midas calipers!  My dream was to put MK63 calipers on, but my mechanic has already recommended against this.  I cannot imagine why as they were used on the factory race cars, but I am also not about to tell my mechanic to do something he doesn't want to do.  Do any of you guys have any recommendations for an excellent set of brakes that will fit 14" wheels?  I would prefer not to have to change the master cylinder if possible. 

I have been without the car for nearly 8 months and I really miss driving it.  At the same time I am not sure where the time is going to come for me to drive it the way I imagine.  I have a 2.5 year old son, a 7 month old daughter (who is sleeping on my lap as I write this) and a wife that all keep me very busy.  I will find the time to at least stretch the car's legs once a week presumably early in the morning or late at night.  I love the cool weather and the quiet roads during these hours.  This entire journey with mechanically restoring a car is a fun one.  I have the collector instinct and if money, time, and space permitted I would have multiple cars.  However, all my excess resources are going to this car and part of me hopes that in some way it will always be a project.  I love that project approach in that dreams are not yet realized.  Thus, the magic of the mind is still there.  This is presumably why people go on to different cars once one project is over.  However, I am not yet the builder.  I am the driver and plans for driving are infinite; autocross, a cross country trip, track days, coffee shop runs, and the list goes on.  In my lifetime I would love to visit Kenya and touch the dirt that was kicked up by the famous Works Rally Z's of the early 70's, maybe even participate in the Safari classic or the Peking to Paris rally.  This is what makes it all fun for me as there is never an end to the imagination. 

I am 35 years old and still don't feel that I understand the Z car.  I  ultimately want to learn Japanese, travel to the Land of the Rising Sun, and learn more.  Unfortunately, a lot of the people that brought the Z to where it is today from design to motorsport are no longer with us.  The car is turning 50 soon and the people that were with it from the beginning are in their 70's, 80's, and beyond if still around.  This is a window in time in which  a good number of those people are still alive.  Who am I kidding as I have a family and a business to run.  All these things are at my fingertips, but no matter how much I look at Japanese magazines or browse the internet it is not enough.  Time is both on my side and not. 

I look forward to giving updates with the car and ultimately reporting on the driving experience. 

 

Sincerely,

Ben

 

Edited January 6, 2018 by v12horse
grammer

[LeonV]

Hey Ben, just caught up on this thread, loving the project. Rob's awesome, I love his passion and authenticity. You're in good hands and I'm looking forward to see how it turns out!

We moved to Burlingame 3 months ago, have a period-ish resto-modded 260Z, and I'm typing this with my 2-week-old son in my lap so I'm enjoying the serendipity of this moment.

Also, let me know where I can find a pair of seats like that.  

[v12horse]

Leon,

Hi neighbor.  You have a pm.

Ben

[kats]

On 2017/9/6 at 8:39 AM, v12horse said:

Hello everyone and thank you for the positive feedback.  I will keep you posted on the progress.  I haven't heard anything new from my mechanic, but I am not one for updates and I don't want to interfere.  He has free reign.  It's hard for me to let go as I am not one to just trust anyone with my pride and joy, but he is a person I truly believe that treats other people's cars as his own.  Upon meeting Rob I quickly understood that he gives everyone special treatment.  

I do hope that my son and daughter get into the hobby of cars somehow or some way as it is so dynamic as we all know.  Even if they enjoyed cars a bit it would be fun.  There is an infinite number of lessons to learn from a car; critical thinking, patience, perseverance, discovery, and escape among other things.  My kids have attended a ton of car shows and my son has gone to the Monterey Historics two years in a row.  I changed his diaper at the world famous corkscrew!!!  As a dad I have no shame.  I am also lathering them in sunscreen and the ear protection is on at all times.  I am not trying to create 'car-kids', but I am living my life and until they start telling me where to go and what to do I am going to continue educating them on cars.  

On a funny-note, we were at the Hillsborough Concours and a row of Ferrari's were in the distance and my 2 year old son turned to me and said, 'let's go check out that Datsun.'  I was a proud papa.  Maybe a Daytona to a toddler looks like a Z.  I will never know.    

Here is my son at the Historics this year with our own Ron Carter's 2000 roadster.  

Sincerely,

 

Ben 

Hi Ben,

What a lot of things have been going through,  your son makes me smile , ...check out that Datsun...

I love it so much !

Kats

[esmit208]

I too am where you are in many ways, children, wife, job (not my own business) but requires me being there. Like yourself the imagination keeps me going. I have often imagined rolling up at Spa Francorchamps or The Circuit De La Sarthe in mine with one of my sons. Stories like yours inspire me to keep forging ahead with mine although being able to afford ZCAR Garage is off the table for me. Good luck keep us updated.

[v12horse]

Often lately I wonder why I am doing all of this with a car?  I am at the point of no return and although I am really excited about the outcome I am scared.  I will not get into my fears, but here are a few updated photos.  Esmit, your post still pulls at my heartstrings.  The cars are cool, but our kids...  I kind of just look at the cars as adventure mobiles, communication builders, and ways to keep us away from trouble.   

I sent my dad a picture of the car on the movable dolly and he had a great response.  "It looks like it would be hard to drive."  He has a dry sense of humor.  

On the driver's side front wheel well there was extensive rust that I had known about.  The mechanic was thinking of tackling this when the car gets painted(someday), but I am so glad we got it repaired now and he did an amazing job.  It was from a poor repair that was done after an accident that occurred in the late 1970's according to my records!    

p.s.  I mentioned in an earlier post about having more than one car.  I want to correct that statement for the record as I only desire my 260z; nothing else and nothing more.  Well, I have to keep my Rav4 too.

Ben

Edited January 13, 2018 by v12horse

[siteunseen]

I had that overwhelmed feeling every time but when you get to the finish line, for me, it was a great confidence builder.  I've figured out everything I'm up against these guys on this forum have "been there, done that" 10 times at least. Keep on marching.

[esmit208]

Thanx Man........STAY ON IT!

[v12horse]

Thanks siteunseen and esmit.  Those comments do make a difference.  I just received a couple photos from my mechanic and they are true teasers, but just look at them.  The factory finish on the engine bay, the proper oil filter in the right position, the voluptuous header, the slots, the springs....I'm going to let the photos tell all.  You tell me what you think. 

Ben

[LeonV]

Looks great, coming together nicely! Looking forward to a run up to Alice's when the keys are back in your hands.

[esmit208]

I'm sure your toes must be tingling with anticipation, can you remember which one is the clutch and which one is the accelerator?