Bonzi Lon

Thank you for your offer cremmenga, but mine was not really that bad. I just figured it had to be done or be plagued with rust particles at the most embarasing moment. (car show, impressing the ladies) It has sat indoors for over a quarter century. I thought this was an inexpensive fix that any home do-it-your-selfer could accomplish and save the original part. Mine has a date code stamp on top that I'm pretty proud of. Now that a few days have passed it has cured hard and I shouldn't have to worry about rust going through the SU's. If the UPS man delivers anything, a box of cash would be nice. Even a small box.

I have a 73Z that has very good factory weatherstripping in it now. I looked and the corner is mitered (B piller) and a splice of 6 to 8 inches has been added, but hidden under the sill plate on each side. No other splices were found.

According to the IZCC Register, this car (left) is the highest numbered VIN in the USA on their list, 240Z only. HLS30 168500 7/73 I will gladly retract this statment when a higher # in the USA is found and listed. Bonzi Lon

My 73 has been sitting in the garage for the last 26 years with fuel in the tank. After reading on this site and others about fuel tank rust problems, I knew I had to know what shape mine was in before trying to get it running. I drained about a gallon of dark brown nasty smelling liquid that had bits of rust flakes in the bottom of the can. The tank came out and a peek inside showed me there was a ball of rust for a sending unit and the bottom was covered in a quarter to half an inch of varnish, laquer, shellac, goo, goop, gunk, or whatever you want to call it. The upper part of the tank is where the flake rust was, where the moisture condensed. The sending unit was removed and a new one ordered for $40, so much cheaper in the long run. The way I got the gunk out was I made a long scraper made out of tubing, bent in a hook at the end to go over the baffel and still reach the bottom. Put in some fuel and scrape, shake, rest, scrape, and empty. I did this process 3 or four times then off to the car wash. Rinsed out, there was still some gunk. Repeted the prosess at least 4 times. When this was done I had captured about 4 cups of solids from the tank! The bottom was clean but the sides and top were rusty. A friend told me he got tank liner for his bike tank at the local Harley-Davidson dealership. Off I went and got it, a product by the name of "KREEM", three part do-it-yourself fuel tank liner. Two kits for a tank this large was $82. I sealed ALL vent tubes with hoses and plugged the ends with rusty bolts, (to check progress) clamps were used if leaking. Sealing the sending unit and the filler neck was ingenious. I used the fuel flap and made 2 round patch gaskets just slightly larger than the sending unit O ring. Put the O ring back in place, then the 2 round pieces, then the locking nut. Sealed. The remainder of the flap was placed over the fill neck and hose clamped. A new flap has been ordered. The two bottles of acid went in with 5 gallons of hot water and sealed, leaving at least one hose unplugged for venting. The tank was turned often and the liquid was in for about 20 hours total. Directions do say about 24 hours for heavy rust. I saved the acid mixture for future rust projects. Removed all hoses and off to the car wash for a good rinse. Very nice, clean and rust free interior. The second bottle is a solvent to remove the water and prep the surface for the lining material. It is very flamable and has dangerous fumes. Hoses back in place, this was put in and the tank turned until all surfaces were coated and the remainder poured out. The 2 bottles of lining material went in and was sealed and turned for about 5 to 6 minutes and I had a peek inside. It was starting to gel and I removed all seals and hoses and turned it so it would no longer get near the pick-up tube. Compressed air was ran through each tube many times, notably the pick-up tube. Inside, the stuff had done its job, everything coated in a white plastic that was starting to set. Now that it is white in there I will be able to get a mirror and look at the pick up tube and screen. 24 hours later it is a hard slick coating that has covered the entire interior of a once rusty fuel tank. Overall, I am pleased at the results I got from this easy to use product, however, this should be done outdoors and no smoking or flames anywhere near. Safety first. For those of you that would like to try this product or get more information, their address is: KREEM PRODUCTS PO Box 399 Somis, CA 93066 (805) 386-4470. Like I said, I found mine at a Harley-Davidson dealership, but maybe any bike shop would have it. Bonzi Lon

They could be welded together in an artful manner, anchor a sheet of plexiglass on top and your would have a nice? coffee table. Or leave off the plexiglass and you would have a nice anchor.

I agree with my mad z using paint stripper with high pressure water for the paint and agree with webdog1 on the soda for the rust areas. Sand blasting at the wrong grit, wrong pressure, wrong distance and inexperienced operator will result in diaster on that thin of metal. Ask my parents about the lawn furniture I did for them years ago, my first blast job, and 100% mess.

You're absolutly right =Enigma=, it is a play of spelling on my nicname Bones. But then today's kids love to mis-spell everything, so I feel right up to date from a whim more than a quarter century ago.

Mine was dubbed BONZI the day of the test drive. That was the only word I could come up with for a car like this.

I've posted a few times, so I better introduce myself. My car's name is Bonzi and I am Lon. I really like the site. I have used it quite often and have learned so much more. Its great to have questions answered correctly about this special little car. You know what I mean if you've had one. I'm looking forward to getting some moral support while I try to put this thing back together after resting in the garage for the past 26 years waiting for a new coat of paint. The computer, your web site, and those great photos have gotten me excited about getting it on the road again. I will be keeping everyone posted.

Has any one else noticed these? I removed the steel evaporator tank from my 73 and noticed on the back side (up against the quarter panel) a 2 inch round white stamp on it. The stamp was divided into 3 parts. The top had a Japanese character, the center line has the number 3 then two spaces and then 6 26. The bottom line has another Japanese character. I found this interesting because my car was born 7-73, and I would like to think it was born on my 18th birthday of July 6th. I dropped the fuel tank and found another stamp on the very top of the tank. In order to view any of these stamps the tanks MUST be removed. On the fuel tank, the top line was the same character, the second line was 49, two spaces then 7 3, the bottom line had two Japanese characters. I guess my question is has anyone else noticed these and why are they the only parts on the car that have codes on them? Were these for legal reasons? (date made in case of failure?) Or were they for on time delivery and inspection codes in the factory. Nothing to make it run better, just something to make my brain ask why? Any other thoughts, comments or observations?

Another thought: These were calibrated at the factory on new springs, suspension, so they sat level, the bottom of the tank where the float sits is at an angle. The tank itself appears level. Any slight shift in levelness could affect the reading. If over the years the springs have sagged or different tire size front to rear, or just that squat they seem to have, or even if the tank has shifted (I doubt) or been dented there? Or, is something keeping the float from falling further than 1/4 full? Just pitching anything. I have just removed my tank to line the inside and the float unit is a ball of rust. New one has been ordered. The arm is rather long (the longer the travel the closer to tolerance you can get) and appears to be easily bent to calibrate. Or you can put a Post-it note on the guage, "Quarter tank will get me nowhere!"

I'd go for it also. If you don't, someone else will. Parts that can be removed/replaced (dash, seats, radio cover, etc..) is easier in the long run, than one with a perfect interior and no floors. But then if it turns into a nightmare, there is alway the "parting out" option, and some of the parts I've seen sell on eabay, you could still come out ahead.

Just looked at my 73 4 speed. Here goes. The opening is not square but trapizoid 5 1/2" at one end and 4 1/2" the other. Under I found 7 metal slide clips about 1 1/2" long by 1/2" wide that slid over the leather and the 1/2" console lip. Can't supply photos here but could in email petiespoppa@aol.com Hope this helps

Using sand at the wrong size and too high of pressure will cause heat, warpage, and even burn thru. Ask my parents about the lawn furniture I blasted for them years ago. On the other hand, if your car is not able to rotate you will end up with a face full of chemicals. The choice for most car nutz is nut shells (walnut/pecan, etc.) they don't raise the heat so much. Another media I've heard of is baking soda. This will leave a film that will not allow rust to form untill washed off, and this MUST be done before any paint goes on. They use this at a much lower pressure and it seems to work for the guys I've talked with. Less heat and warpage. Hope this helps.

Greetings from Oz. This is my first question (post) of many to come. This deals with my (Barn Find) 73 240Z. (More on this later.) Is there really any great difference in front and rear brake hoses? The front appear to be about 2 inches longer, but other than that they seem to have the same ends, clamps, etc. I want it to be safe, but if fronts will fit the back with no real danger of failure, why not? I seem to see more front hoses available than the rear. Another brake related question. One of my books said if you remove the brake fluid reservoirs from the master cylinder you must replace them with new ones. Any truth to this? The rubber seals on the caps melted into the fluid over the past 26 years. I found a set of used ones, and then another set on a complete master cylinder, so have plenty to work with if this is not true. I would like to have it stop well before I get it running,.... but then, dents are easier to repair than rust! Bonzi Lon