Bonzi Lon

Here are a few more pics, but remember the best way to view a color is in person as the camera and computer can do some strange things. For example the color of my garage doors are darker in the photo than they actually are in person. I leave for Tulsa in about an hour but will get "Painter Ray" on this first thing Monday morning. I will send what info I can on his paint system, and numbers which your painter can "tweek" to make yours darker. like the color you want. In my opinion the photos I post ARE a little darker than seeing the car in person, and it appears different in full sun as opposed to being in the shade. I do know he mixed blue, magenta and silver, then we added metalic and pearl, but will have to talk to him on the amounts of each of the add ins. I've worked side by side with a Graduate Gemologist for 20 years and in his business "Color IS Everything", it is all a combination of the following: Tone, Hue, Saturation, Reflection, Transparent, Translucent, Opaque, full sun, shade, reflected north white light, etc, and a few more I can't recall. Best of luck to you. Bonzi Lon

Its about a stones throw from Seneca and 31st Street South. Will be picking it up after the Tulsa show. Bonzi Lon

My garage is 32 by 38 feet and beleive you me it will fill up fast if you don't watch it. Also put a strong fence around it to keep the wandering Dodge Rams from trying to get in. Bonzi Lon

I have never regreted buying any car, it is after selling them that I wished I had kept them. Like the 57 Chevy 2 door post, bought for $250, sold for $200, the 63 Buick Hearse, bought for $500, traded for a Harley Sportster, the 63 Rambler 2 door Classic, bought for $200, sold for $400. But then there is the 75 Vette I would of loved to of watched in the crusher/shredder. I had many chances to sell my 240Z (Bonzi) over the 26 years it was in storage, but the thought NEVER crossed my mind to let it go for any price offered. Bonzi Lon

I took my camera with the intention of photos, but the garage was dark, the car was black and it was nearing sunset and beleive all you would of seen was a black photo. The shock mounted tag and the driver's door tag ARE in place. I have to wait a week or two to get it as this week end is the Tulsa car show that Cousin David and I are attending and his work schedual dictates when we can get it, (he has the trailer and the truck). Most of the 'unique parts' mentioned were from reading all of your posts about early VIN's and the differences over the 2 1/2 years I've been in the club. Mike B: I remember seeing worn carpet in the foot wells not mats, but will check it out. I'll gladly accecpt your check list of unique parts. As said, no defroster lines and couldn't see if it had a red dot mirror. Early steering wheel, no cut outs. Carl Beck: I did check out your list before going over just to see if it was there, but the guy had it so long just sitting I doubted it would be there. He doesn't even own a computer so had no idea how rare it was and was suprised how many calls he got on it. He had 3 calls while we were looking at it! He kept saying the original owner told him it was the 110th one on the boat when he was thinking about buying it. Thank you all for the congratulations. I kept telling myself, 'if I don't pull the trigger, I'm going to regret it forever'. I do have a few rare watches I can part with to help finance the purchace. This is the third Datsun I own and ALL of their VIN's end in ZERO! It has to be a Z thing. Photos WILL be posted as soon as it finally sees sunlight again. Bonzi Lon

I saw the ad in Sunday's Wichita Eagle as '70 240Z #110'. I called that moment to see if I had read the ad right. It is #110 and this is what I was told. He had purchaced it in 76 from the original owner, a Nebraska car, drove it a couple of years, and has been sitting in his garage as a project car since 78. He just never got around to working on it. Clock says 90K, title says he bought it in 76 with 76K. I made agangements to see it so went over this evening. All numbers are indeed #110, 11-69. It has a 260 engine with rountop carbs, put in by the original owner. He (person selling) wasn't sure what happened to the original engine. It has rust in all the right places, lower fenders, dog legs, quarter lips. Battery tray and area are in decent condition, all glass is very good, (slight scratch from driver side wiper rubbing). Frame rails are in very good condition, floor boards have some holes. Interior is in very good condition, plastic panels appear to have been painted black, console in good painted condition, 2 cracks on the dash, very good seats, original carpets worn in front, very good hatch carpet, speaker holes in the door panels. Paint was original dark blue, painted black by original owner and not a very good job, rear window louvers. Only things I could see missing were tool boxes, throttle lever missing, (he says he will look for it), quarter emblems (holes filled), side mirror broken beyond repair, one chrome on tail light needs put back on, its there though, no rear defroster lines, seperate key for rear hatch, no D wheel covers, front and rear bumpers slightly bent, can be straightened. All exterior lighting is very good, nothing broken or missing. Overall (I think) it is in good condition for a car this old and mostly all there. I know there are some things I am forgetting, so feel free to ask questions. I have to wait a week or two to get it as this week end is the Midwest Z-Fest in Tulsa, Bonzi's first REAL car show. I would of taken some photos but the garage was very dark and small and wouldn't of been of any use. Black car in a dark garage. It was a tough call on should I get it or not, but knew I'd never find another one with that low a VIN in this area, so I bit the bullit and bought it for what he was asking as he had calls from all over the country. I may have to sell a watch or two to help pay for it. Not sure what the future holds for it as if I keep it or re-sell it. I just couldn't pass up such a low VIN. Will post photos when it gets home to "Zedville". Bonzi Lon

I don't want to argue for arguments sake, but "Honda Fiji Blue Pearl" would be different than "Mitsubishi Fiji Blue Metalic". Each company has their own name, albeit almost the same color and name. The "pearl" and "metalic" make each one different. I know what I saw in the book and I picked what was as close to original, "115 Blue Metalic", as possible and "Painter Ray" tweeked it a little with more metalic and some pearl to come up with what I have, just a little darker. Therefore it would be a different color than either of the ones mentioned above. We called it "Bonzi Blue Metalic Pearl". If you want I can photo the chip, name and number from "Painter Ray's" book and the paint system he uses. Bonzi Lon

Mine is Fiji Blue Metalic, (1992 Mitsubishi import only) with a little bit more metalic and some pearl. The one shown looks a little darker than mine but then colors can appear a little off on a computer. I'm very pleased with the color. Bonzi Lon

This wasn't in the movies, but on 8-17-08, the program "CBS News Sunday Morning", was doing a story on how China was importing everything. About half way through they said, "remember the early 70's when Japan started importing cars in great numbers?" They then showed photos and films of acres of Z-Cars sitting at the docks, Z-Cars at the dealership and some Z-Cars driving on the freeway. They were only on for about 20 seconds but great to see them. I thought it was unusual to show ONLY Z-Cars. Bonzi Lon

I say welcome also. Mine sat in the garage/barn for 26 years and is now on the road. Life with a Z-Car is so much better the second time around. Bonzi Lon

This is what I used and am very happy with the results. I saw a thread quite some time ago and wrote the numbers down as I was too cheap to spend the $28.00 a can for original. It is "Dupli-Color High Performance Wheel Coating, WP-102 Graphite" (on the bar code), but had to have "HWP-102 Graphite" to order. It went on the steel wheels, wheel covers, tail finisher, and the grille. I first used it on the wheels and it looked way to metalic and shiny for what I was going for. I then used "Krylon Matte Finish #1311" over it after drying and it turned out great. I put my original grill next to it and could not see hardly, if any, difference in color or texture. I then went and did the tail finisher, wheel covers and grille just to have it all matching as I had a few chips on the grille and a scratch on the tail finisher. I think the only way you could tell the difference in colors from original is to have an original side by side, but then have to take into account the original would of had some fading from being 35 years old, or changed from exhaust fumes. We will see what the judges say at the Midwest Z-Fest in Tulsa later this month. I was also told by the person behind the counter that Dupli-Color had just purchaced Krylon, or was it the other way around. Don't remember. Here are some pictures of how it turned out. Like I said before, I am very pleased with the results. Bonzi Lon

Twenty some years ago I locked the keys in my sister's Camero. A bent coat hanger and 2 minutes later I had it unlocked and told myself "never again". Very embarrassing. So, every car I've had since gets a spare key wired up under it somewhere, very well hidden. I bought a used Saturn 12 years ago and did the same thing with the spare. To my surprise, about a month after pruchase, Saturn sent me an (emergency use only) spare key in a flat sleave to put in my wallet in case I locked myself out. That was unexpected and appreciated. Two years ago at the Branson Z-Fest, cousin David locked his keys in his ZX. I was driving his other ZX (4 years apart) and tried that key in the lock and lo-and-behold it unlocked it. About for or five other people tried their keys in his lock and it unlocked it also. Maybe these locks are not all that different after all. Bonzi Lon

That is the very hose I had to replace this spring, easy with the tank out. Please post photo of any markings on the top of the tank. If you have your evaporator tank off of its mountings, there may be a mark on its backside, facing the quarter panel, like the one on the fuel tank. Bonzi Lon

The thread is about Ohio, but other States should be listed, if possible. The only 4 rules from Kansas, came from the "Tag Lady" herself. (from my County) 1. Must be year of the vehicle made. 2. Must of been (at one time) a State issued (manufactured) plate (any county (105 to choose from), can be used as 'Historic') 4. Can not be any other plate of that combination in County of registration. 3. Must be legible. They make a photo copy of it, send it to the State, the State requires a signed affidavid (form) to validify said plate. Plate stays with vehicle until sale and can be transfered with vehicle after sale. Antique and Historic plates are taxed minimum each year. ($17.50 this year) Bonzi Lon

soundmasterg: Funny you should mention a Volvo 1800S. A buddy has one and now is preping it to paint by "Painter Ray" that did my Z in November. He was impressed with the quality and talked him into painting it this week. Bonzi Lon

I think the original concept for hiding the plates could be summed up in a line from "Dragnet". "The plates have been changed to protect the innocent." I for one, am very proud of my antique plates and have no problem with showing them. Bonzi Lon

I know exactally how you feel. Mine had been sitting idle (no paint) for 28 years. When it finally got all back together and first fired up, I was shaking like a leaf. I couldn't beleive I did it. It runs like a sewing machine with an attitude. Haven't been over 4500 rpm untill I have a few more miles on it, 850 miles so far and only spirited in town driving. Every time I get in it and go for a ride, you just can't slap the smile off my face. I am so glad I saved it all these years as I had several chances to sell it unpainted. It is an old friend that makes me feel 28 years younger, those wonderful college days. Bonzi Lon

When I got my 73 in 77 it had two "hooks" in back and two of the flat brackets in front. Somehow after 26 years of being apart I still can't find the other "hook" for the back, need one to make it complete. The dealer must of been "very busy" as it never had mags, side moldings or bumper bars. Bonzi Lon

My car was purchased with a trailer hitch installed. (so why not use it?) It was employed to move me 750 miles back home from college. Rented the smallest enclosed U-Haul, about 4 foot square, packed it about 3/4 full, ballanced it like a tight rope walker and took off. Pulled real good but got a little squirrely about 55mph. Lets just say it was an interesting trip home, but then I was young and dumb, 1978.:stupid: Do not try the above stunt at home, trained proffessionals were used. Bonzi Lon

Even though mine is not an early model, 7-73, these date stamps can also be found on the very top of the gas tank and the back of the steel evaporator tank. Both have to be removed to be viewed. I also would like to know the exact day in July of 73 mine was made as I have always wondered (and hoped) it was made on my 18th birthday, the 6th. My VIN number and the highest number from a 73 I have seen, seem to be about 3 thousand cars difference. There are differences in what number is the "Last 240Z". From my understanding they made about that number (more or less) each month, so that would put mine at the first part of the month yet past 7-3 which is on the gas tank. The evaporator tank has the earlier date and the gas tank has the later date. Bonzi Lon

Very interesting... My (mostly) stock 7-73 came without any fuel line insulation, radiator shroud (except for the small shield on top), or any other heat disapation device put on by dealer, but it did have the belly pan. Now in primer and on the garage wall waiting for paint and instalation. The stock radiator was gone through, boiled and rodded, at the time of overhaul. I've changed water in it 3 times now and ready for the anti-freeze. It now has 400 miles on it and everything is A-OK. No heating issues yet. Bonzi Lon

I was very lucky in finding vintage plates for my 2 Datsuns. A friend of mine is a plate collector and just "happen" to have a very low number for the Z, county and last name letter correct. The 81 BONZI plate (car's name) was the first year personal plates were available in KS, thus being very plain. KS is also a "one plate State" except "vanity", so any plate can be up front if the legal one is on the back. He also had a county correct 1968 for the Roadster, in the right colors. Just got my paperwork from the State, both are legal and Antique. Bonzi Lon

Well guys, I'll be about the only one on here to say I really like my original steel wheels and wheel covers. I refurbished mine in graphite with a matt finish, and painted the faded red center emblems to match the car, not stock, but I like what I have for now. Bonzi Lon

Battery tray is toast, but I've never seen one on an original 35 year old car that isn't. This is an original 35 year old battery tray that is in very good condition, light surface rust, some spots deeper, that cleaned up rather nicely. Bonzi Lon

I've put 335 miles on my newly rebuilt engine, (1980) head work, cam #13001-N3626, round tops (new sig?) and used 87 octane, no other "treatments", and have yet to hear it ping, and it has only been SHELL!!! Bonzi Lon