ArnieTX

Thanks fellows. I will make sure to check them out. Jumping onto Oprah's couch: You know, this experience so far as been awesome. I've never been much of a tool guy and "square" is a term never associated with anything I've built out of wood. I never liked building or working on most things because I suck at it and I would get frustrated easily when it didn't come out right. 99% of the "stuff"(around the house) I was trying to do was already outside my current skillsets and not having the right tools made the effort seem hopeless. But my Z's are different. Everyone here knows what I'm talking about. It's not a chore or a PITA to work on my Z's. I love it. And I'm enjoying the process of learning more about my cars and the different types of tools that come in handy when I'm working them. IT"S INTERESTING and I want to do it! I read Arne's(the other one ) blog last night about his Z's and how he approached it from the beginning. How he plodded along fixing and improving his Z instead of tearing it apart right away. I dind't follow that approach with Car #1 because I wasn't sure that about the condition. The more I peeled the onion back on it and #2, the more my eyes burned. Car #3 isn't perfect, but it leaps and bounds ahead of #1 and #2. It just doesn't have the rust that the others have. A lot of folks on here suggested that route. I now have a car that can go that direction. Besides, Arne wrote that if you take them apart a little at a time and put them back together a little at a time, eventually you will know how the thing goes back together whole. I could have easily been one of those dudes that tears into a car and takes it apart only to give up because I couldn't put it back together. Fortunately, I have Car #2 which is unmolested so I can step off the plank with a little more confidence.... and if I can't get it done while having an idetical puzzle 15' away, somebody shoot me. Jumping off Oprah's couch: There are a lot of wise and knowledgable folks on this board and I appreciate every little tidbit shared. Hopefully one day I can give a little back. Later

Since I have the intake and exhaust off of the engine and a lot of stuff is already disconnected or missing, I'm going to yank it. While it's out I'll clean it up. My new Z friend Larry has a beautifully cleaned up engine on his stand so Monday when I hook up with him, I'll pick his brain on how he made it look so nice. While it's out I'll do the clutch and clean up and degrease the engine bay. Then I'll run the missing fuel line and put the cleaned up tank back in. The valve cover has one bolt that won't tighten so I guess it's stripped. I am assuming I can rethread it although I've never done that before. Sounds like another set off tools... . Lot's of work to do but I'm having fun. Car #3 is clean enough to make the effort. It will be a couple of weeks before I can get back to it though since I'm tied up for the next week. I appreciate everyone's input.

HAHA - I have them in one of my drawers in my bedroom. I'm on the SU only video now. I can't believe how simple these carbs are. The tune up video was good. My goal is to have this car running by the end of the month. Carbs have always intimidated me.

"Daddy, I want my Z to be pink" ---- "Daddy, I want to open it" Man, there is no way I can put these on my engine as filthy as it is. Thanks Bruce, you added another chore to my todo list. I was just going to install and run. No way I can do it now. Beautiful work! Time to watch some videos.

Thanks for the tips. I will check into those items..

I have a fishing buddy who owns his own shop and he had a backup compressor laying around that he wanted to get rid of. He was storing it in case his shop compressor ever went out. I was at the right place at the right time for this one. This thing should do whatever I need huh? He said it would run his 6 bay mechanic shop if needed. Time to start looking for used air tools.

Thanks everyone. Bruce - I look forward to getting them installed. I need to clean up the engine bay in the next few weeks. Thanks

I need the fuel lines from Car #1. I disconnected everything in the front, middle and very back. There looks like a connection or two left right up under the rear end area. Is it possible to get to these with the rear end and suspension intact? I called it a night once I got to this point. Also, can these break lines be snaked back into car#3 easily while the suspension is in? I searched but couldn't find any answers to these questions. I need a lift. Thanks

It's all good, I have a video coming! .. famous last words Arnie

Bruce - There's a sucker born every minute. LMAO. Thanks for the website link. Arnie

Just got off the phone with Bruce at Z-Therapy. He's hooking me up with some new carbs, a JUST SU DVD, the tune up DVD, and some sort of tool that can sync my carbs. In return he refused to take over my mortgage or send me some whiskey. Some people ..... I need to get my tank cleaned and fuel lines run/replaced asap. Could also use some brakes. HAHA Rolling hard now! I'm jacked! Maybe I'll get this thing running in the next month.

It was a good weekend. I worked on my Z and changed the oil in the excursion and F250. My old man passed away 5 years ago and somewhere along the way he got a torch and a couple of bottles from somebody. I drug them home and stuck them down at my wife's uncles barn because I really had no use for them. Her uncle farms and ranches so it was a back up set for him in case he needed them. He never used them so I drug them back home this evening. A couple of my hunting buddies showed up to drink a beer and showed me how to use it. One thing good about this endeavor is I'm learning a lot and getting more tools. The torch will come in handy for something down the road. Arnie

Very good point on counting them..... never thought about that. Thanks

I removed the tank today. It looks like it is in good shape. Less than a hanfull of rusty skibblies came out. I may go down to the creek and grab a bunch of p-gravel, fill it up, and agitate the heck out of it. This car is in pretty good shape compared the others. Even the fasteners are coming off pretty easily. Time to search tank cleaning. Arnie

Darrel Will do! Thanks Arnie

My new nut and bolt holder I found in the back: I still have a little room for a couple more. - I'm always looking. Later Arnie

A buddy went with me early this morning to load up #3 on the trailer. I'm getting better at this because it went really smooth. The key is to bring your own tires, compressor, jack, and impact. Ran it by the car wash and rinsed under the hood and around the car. It looks like this car was last registered in 1984. One I removed all the mice nests and brush from the motor area, I was happy to see very clean frame rails all the way back to the firewall. The battery area has a little rusty and seperation but nothing like the car I was working on. The floors have a hole or two in them but look very good all the way to the back of the car. These floors are strong enough to support a driver and passenger in their current state. The body has a rusty area along the pass side rear fender. The rest of the body looks pretty decent minus a few dent here and there. Based on my experience so far though, I know there has to be more rust hiding somewhere. The rear hatch and tire area looks great. It doesn't look like the car has evere been any color but silver. As this was a parts car for the fellow that gave it to me, a few things like radiaor fan and a fuel line are missing. I'm sure other things are missing but I have a complete stock car to look at as reference in the future as I go through it. My plan is to do all the mechanicals and get this car running. The intake was misisng some items so car #1 will be my donor parts car for now. I'm going to order the Z-Therapy video tonight so I can learn about carbs. I've never rebuilt one. I squirted oil in the engine cylinders and removed the valve cover for a little wd40 spray on the lifters and springs. The motor turned over nicely by hand and was spitting ATF out the cylinders. The odometer says 43xxx so I fugure that's 143,xxx considering the shape the body is in. After I got it vacuumed out and it dried, I had to stick car # 2 seats in. - Man they look nice. My plan for the next few months: Rebuild carbs and reinstall intake/exhaust flush all fluids rebuild brakes add missing fuel line (opened tank drain, nothing came out, empty tank) get it running Here are some pics. It was a great day. Finally had some time to tinker and drink some beers.

The one on the ground is the better of the two. I won't predict rustiness until I get it cleaned up. Learned that lesson. HAHA I do know that at a glance the frame rails look straight and the places where my first two had rust, this one doesn't. I know the passenger floorboards are soft... I couldn't get underneath it though. The inside is soaking wet, windows have been rolled down for a while and their are field mice living in it. If his one looks like a go I will take a different route. I want to get one running and between three cars I should be able to. I have plenty of room, maybe I'll start myself a little junkyard... Stay tuned.

UPDATE I've been really busy at work and haven't had too much time to drill down on my cars. I've been looking for a cleaner body than the two I picked up last month. Today I finally got to look at the Z's my neighbor had laying around. Both are series one with 16xxx and 15xxx VIN numbers. The one on the ground seems to be the straightest. The frame rails look unmolested and the floors are original. The one on blocks is pretty rough but has some decent parts. I asked him what he wanted for them, he said pick the one I wanted and take it. I'll be hauling it back this weekend. And this was out there. Only marking I could find was a part under the hood that was from England. Anybody know what it might be? So, my search continues for a cleaner body. I'll get the "new" one home this weekend and see what it looks like. If it doesn't work out I'll just keep collecting parts. Arnie

My wife and I attended an annual Christmas party at the county fair hall last week and I got to chatting with a fellow that has his own mechanic/hot rod shop in the next town. I told him about my pair and he gave me names of 4 people he knew of that were into or might have some old Z's. One guy I called said he had sold it, the guy I just hung up with lives a couple of miles north of me and he has 3. I guess he used to restore them when he had his own hot rod shop. He flies crop dusters now. Anyway, he said one is for a customer and he needs to finish it out ASAP, it's lacking some automatic tranny box on the firewall. He said the other two have good bodies and he's just going to get rid of them when he is done. I'm going to hook up with him tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I'll get lucky. Worst case scenario is I drag two more parts cars home. He said they were all 240Z's. LMAO I may have to start hooking you guys up with parts. PM me if you have a need. Arnie

Thanks. I'm poking in a lot of cracks looking around. Something will turn up. Let me ask you guys something. I have only had 2 Datsun 280Z's and have never driven or ridden in a 240Z. I loved my 280's. For you guys that have experience with both, which is the most fun to own? If I run into a clean project 260Z or 280Z out there, I wouldn't be opposed to buying it. I just want a good base to love on. That said, I have grown partial to my 240Z's in the short time I've had them. Just thinking out loud. Thanks Arnie

Everyone continues to give great advice and I really appreciate it. I'm not so much discouraged as I am dissapointed that I may not be able to revive these cars. I'm trying to be realistic about what I have and what I want. I think I'm going to hold off on car #1 for a while, while I poke around for another body. I have two great cars with enough parts between them to make a really nice Z. I just need to find a clean body. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far, even with my bruised and bloody knuckles. Maybe I'll put #1 back together for grins to see if my "parts cataloging process" is worth a crap. I've got enough stuff off of it now that it will be a good test to see if I can get it back together without peeking at car #2. The good thing is , every time I touch these cars, I learn something. Thanks Arnie

Car #1 , the one I'm taking apart and is my primary candidate at the moment, appears to have been in an accident on the drivers side frontal area at some time. I say this because I see wrinkles in the inner fender and the frame rail is not perfectly straight. It has a slightly bent or compressed area. I took a tape measure and measured the drivers side versus the passenger side from the firewal to various spots to the radiator support area and come up with 1/4"to 1/2" off. Car #2 measures with an 8th of an inch in the same areas but has obvious patches/repairs along the frame rail from a previous collision. I have this weird fantasy about having straight frame rails with no rust or patches. My measurments were not perfect but close enough to highlight the issue. So my questions are: 1. What is the best way to handle a frame rail that is not straight? 2. Am I getting to the point where it might be cheaper to use my 2-$300 S1 parts cars on a cleaner S1 body rather than repairing one? I've been keeping my eyes peeled and I know it's a matter of time before I find something. Car #1 gets rougher and rougher as I pull off more panels. Rusty holes are popping up in more areas. Thanks for your input Arnie

Car # 2 has a perfect battery area. I'm going to try to fabricate something myself but I guess I always have the option of cutting out the battery area in that one if I can bring myself to do it. Arnie

Kenny - I decided just to tear car #1 down and make a Z that will follow me to my grave. It will probably take me that long to finish it anyway.... . I will tinker with car#2 to see if I can get it going when fundage $$$ for car #1 gets low. #2 is the answer to the puzzle when #1 comes apart. Got home late tonight and decided I needed to get out of the house. Work has been nuts and I've not been near my barn in a couple days. Made some progress: Little rusty: I bet I caused this. Is this the rear main seal? It's not rubber but some sort of softer metal. This weekend I'm going to pull the tranny out, pull off the front fenders and headlight buckets, and clean out the engine bay so I can see where all the rust is. Keep trucking! Thanks Arnie