The Search is Over & The Journey Home

[Marty Rogan]

Seems like a slow news day today, so I thought I might share my latest Z story:

Last June I did a drivers school at Blackhawk Farms Raceway, and was hooked. However during a practice session, I blew a brake line going into turn #7, which made things a little hairy. That day someone put their Supra Turbo into a guard rail, and shortly after that a guy from our club put his 300Zx into a rail. These things combined with the fact that I had some bucks tied up in my 70 (show car), I decided that I needed another 240 for the track. So I have been looking since last June, and in earnest since May of this year (when I sold the wife on the concept). Sold maybe a strong word, let's just say she's tollerating it.

A couple of weeks ago, I put out a post for help to check out a car in northeastern NC. Well, apparently, this is God's country and the nearest Club member is 3 hours away. A big thanks to Jim, Tony and Jim, who offered to drive up to 3 hours one way to check it out for me. That seemed like alot to ask of someone, so I had Eastern Carolina Nissan check it out for me. Also a big thanks to Wayne, Gary, Bryan and others who have looked into several other cars for me across the country. This spirit to help each other out is what makes this club great. And a really big thank you to Carl Beck who checked out a car in Tampa and helped me avoid near disaster on that car.

Anyway, the Dealer does not find anything really huge wrong with the car. The choke cables aren't hooked up, the heater core is by-passed (needs replacing), left rear brake cable not hooked up, fuel pump is on the way out, and they say it needs the rt rear axle replaced (later found out its just a u-joint). Had them do a compression test too. The high cylinder was 162 and the low was 154. Yeah baby!!! The rest of the car checks out good.

This is '71, a one-owner, one driver car with 73K original miles, with just some surface rust behind the rear bumper. It is being sold by his daughter and husband who is a Marine Captain being shipped out to Quate any day now. I asked if he could prove the mileage. Said, sure, the father-in kept a log of all his fill-ups and oil changes (more on this later). Well after a little back and forth, he agress to fix the axle and we strike a deal. To seal the deal I had to interview with the wife to assure her that I will take good care of the car. Sent him a deposit via FedEx, the next day. I order a fuel pump and make some reservations.

Turns out Podunk NC is not easy to get to. A flight from Charlotte to Podunk costs $364, ONE WAY, no matter how far in advance you book it. No sale there. I cash in some frequent flyer miles to Raleigh, NC and book a reservation on Greyhound for $25. That's more like it!

So Friday, I get up at 4 am, and hit the airport. Land in Raleigh, catch a cab to the Greyhound Station, to catch the hound to Podunk. So far so good. So I am on the hound for my 2 1/2 hour journey through God's country. This thing makes several stops. We stopped in a little town called Kinston for over an hour, waiting on another hound, so that some passengers can transfer on. Once we get going again, I can't stop thinking about that old movie, "Trains, Planes and Automobiles". Called the owner on the cell phone, telling him that I will be delayed. So finally the hound rolls into Podunk 4 hours after my 2 1/2 hour ride started, its pouring like you wouldn't believe. The bus station is locked, so I stand out in the rain waiting for the owner to pick me up.

The Captain, Trent who is a really nice guy, picks me up in his Audi TT. Never seen one up close. Neat little car. So we head to Eastern Carolina Nissan to pick up the car. I go check it out while he pays the bill. It looks pretty nice, a little bit sun-faded like he said, but not bad at all. It has a couple of other minor spots of surface rust that I had not counted on, but again, not bad. The Service Manager walks out and hands me the keys. I jump in and it fires right up, with no choke at all (remember its's not connected). It emits a roar from the Ansa exhaust. SAAweeet!!! I follow him down this long windy road to his house, where I'll perform surgery on the fuel pump. Hey this thing shifts reaaaalllly nice! Thought I would need to rebuild the synchros at a minimum. Runs really strong and stops great. The car feels really planted on the windy road. I've got a huge grin on my face at this point.

The fuel pump goes in like a breeze. But you know, it just couldn't be that easy. The fuel inlet is narrower on the new pump than the old one and I can't get the hose clamp tight enough. Neither Trent or any of the neighors have a hose clamp. We hop back into the TT and drive for a clamp. But, this is Podunk, and nothing is close by. We burn up more than an hour getting the clamp.

See Part 2,

Marty

70 240Z

71 240Z Had the car 5 days and love it already!

[Bambikiller240]

Continued from Part 1,

Finally its 5:30, and the car is ready. Can't get the song "On the Road Again" out of my head. About 6:30 my stomach begins to remind me that I haven't eaten since 6:00 this morning, so I fill up the gas tank and pull into Burger King to inhale a Cheese Wopper. This is in Kinston by the way, same town I got stuck in earlier. As I walk back out to the car, I notice a 6 inch dark spot under the gas tank. On closer look I see that the upper hose on the tank is leaking. Damn! Seems to happen only when its full. So now I am thinking, they roll up the streets in this town at 5:00. There's not going to be anywhere open that could fix this thing. I only imagine what they would charge a yankee driving a Japanese car for this reapir job. I decide its not leaking that bad, and hey, its dripping behind the car.

I hit the road again, up Route 70 towards Raleigh. I am thinking I will try to get to Winston-Salem, about 4 hours away and then stop for the night. Raleigh is 115 miles away, and by the time I get half way there it starts raining again. About the time I am pulling up to Raleigh, it really starts pouring again. The wipers are slow, but working pretty good. The wind shield is starting to fog up a it 'cause I had to close the window. No defrosters either, ... remember the blocked off heater core. At this point I am marveling at how bright the dash lights are. I never had a 240 with such good dash lights (this is my 3rd)!! Well, its getting a little hard to see, its raining like all get out, and I am trying to decide whether I should stop for the night or keep going to Winston-Salem. I look down again and the dash is black. Double Damn!!! I know what that means. Can you spell FUSE BOX MELT-DOWN!!! Well, I can take a hint as well as the next guy, so I pull into the Hampton Inn for the night.

I take the opportunity to look at the original owners' log book. This is not to be believed!! I was expecting to see a few scribbled entries about his gas mileage and oil changes. Turns out that he kept a detailed journal on accounting paper of every fill-up, oil change, repair, state insection, tune-up, and anything that was ever done to the car from the day he bought, right down to the first fill-up at 184 mile on March 4, 1971. This journal is filled in by date, mileage, a description of repairs, place of repair and current gas mileage. All the receipts for everything are in the back of the book. This is the most complete history of a car that I have ever seen!! Turns out that he was vintage racer and he liked to take meticulous care of his cars. The journal shows oil changes every 2,000 miles or less. One was after 300 miles. I see and entry for Koni shocks. Another for front and rear compentition sway bars. Yeah baby!!! I guess I won't need to do the suspension like I thought, and that explains why it feels so planted. I also find a receipt at 68K miles for a complete trans rebuild, including gears, bearings and synchros. Wow!! Another big expense that I was expecting, already done. The journal just goes on and on like this. Its like the gift that keeps on giving!

Next moring the news says they got 8" of rain and there was flash flood warnings. Good thing I took the hint. Grab a quick breakfast and hop into the Z, it fires right up. AAAHH, nothing like the smell of an old Z in the morning. Checked out the fuse box, third circuit down on the right, inner side holder is melted right out of the plastic, I put in a new fues and it still works!! That side is just kinda hanging in the air. It's 6:30 am my time when I hit the road.

I decided to go through VA, West VA, Ohio, to Indiana and then on to Chicago. The Z is running great. Really strong, cruises at 80 with no sweat. The temp guage stays put at between the "M" and the "P". If I go above 80, it starts going more over to the "P". I have a long way to go, so I decide not to push it too much. Didn't really want any more surprises along the way, and waiting for a car to cool down from overheating did not sound like much fun.

The route was a great choice. W and W. VA are beautiful. W. VA was the best, with lots of mountains and winding roads. At one point I see a sign that reads: "Winding Road Next 23 Miles, Slow Down 55 MPH" . I smile, pop in the ZZ Top greatest hits tape and punch the go pedal harder. What a blast! This Z just hugged the road through all those turns like it was enjoying it as much as I was. Kool.

Ohio was mostly uneventful till I get Past Cleveland. It starts pouring again. REEEALLLY hard!! There are literally 100 cars pulling off the road. I've got the wipers peddaling as fast as they can. I heard once that it was safer to keep driving, rather than being a sitting duck on the side of the road, so I keep going. Turn on the lights, hope they work. Can't really tell so I put on the 4 way flashers. Just followed a pick-up truck at a bout 30 MPH. I drive out of the rain in about 5 minutes.

The rest of the ride home was pretty calm. You can get Sunoco 94 octane on the Ohio Turnpike. I had not seen that in years. I put off turning on the headlights again till I absolutely had to, but it didn't blow the fuse again.

I drove over 900 miles that day, in 14 hours. Funny thing is, the Z seats were really comfortable, till about hour 13. I really didn't feel fatigued the whole day. I don't know if it is a testimony to the Z seat design, or I was just pumped to be living out a long-time dream of driving cross country in an old Z.

You get a lot of time to think on a journey like this. Toward the end, I am thinking this would be a cool Mastercard commercial. "Gasoline ... $74.85 on Mastercard. Sooner than expected hotel stay ... $87.50 on Mastercard. Driving 1,056 miles cross country in a classic 240Z through the mountains ... PRICELESS.

Later,

Marty

[Leeroy]

Excellent stuff mate, good to hear such a happy story! I know the feeling, though maybe not quite the mileage that you put into getting your Z home! Mine would go a little bit more like this though...

New clutch and flywheel.....$600

New brakes front and rear...$700

Outrunning falcodores left right and centre.....PRICELESS

Love the Z (Shame its being sold!)

Cheers ppl!

[Gav240z]

At first I thought nah I won't bother reading this but then i started to get interested and kept going all the way. It's reall worth the read for anyone who might be avoiding it .

I am very jealous of your drive too bad you were on your own for it, would have been really good to take a friend etc..

It's a shame your using such a meticulously looked after Z for racing but ah well. As long as you enjoy it I know I would and one day I would love to do the same thing.

Only thing that would have got me is no heater arghhh how did you do it . I find my Z's heater is very weak in my 240z compared with my 260z I had before not sure why. But that's another post .

Well now I know how happy it has made you I think I will be more likely to help inspect cars in future for other members on this forum. I did the same thign for a friend recently who wanted a 260z and it's funny how when your not buying the car for yourself you are alot more relaxed about it and can make a clearer decision.

Hayden if your reading mate, I'd be willing to check out a 240z for you in Melbourne if you like just let me know .

[Marty Rogan]

Glad you enjoyed the tale. I tried to convince one of my three sons to go along for the ride, but it was no sale. Too long and boring for them as a passenger. the wife has had some back and neck problems and could not sit that long in a car either. When I picked up my 70, five years ago, I took #2 son along. That was a relatively short 6 hour drive back from Cleveland.

When I was talking to the owner, I was starting to get concerned that it would be too nice to race also. It was meticulously mechanically maintained, but not as much cosmetically. I totally blackened 4 buckets of water scrubbing out the inside. It has speakers in the doors and the carpets are pretty shot. He had like 6-8 dash plaques on the dash and console. The paint is fair, but will be presentable after I have buffed it out. All in all, it completely hit the target for what I was looking for. A strong running car, with as low miles as possible, and would look presentable.

It has a ways to go to be a show car, but who knows, after its racing career, I car restore it and give it a new life.

Thanks for the kind words.

Marty