psdenno

I had to get him started on his second 500. Bon Voyage! Dennis

Perhaps, but this is California where labor price estimates are often based on your neighborhood rather than the scope of the job. I carried the bumper into every shop and I generally felt that the price quote was based on the rarity of the car it came from and not the square inches of metal that need to be chromed. The place I left it, Verne's, does the bumpers for show cars that go to Monterey. They had the best price. Sometimes, it just pays to shop around to get a few estimates. Dennis

I have one. That makes remembering the birthday fairly easy. He didn't go to the prom in the Z, drove the AUDI instead. But he did learn to drive a stick shift on the Z. That was fun, especially when it came time to practice stopping on a hill, going up, and coordinating two feet and the handbrake to keep from rolling backward at the stop sign. Memories. Dennis

Having bumpers chrome plated is an adventure as I found out when I had my Avanti bumpers plated some years ago. First you have to find a shop that still does plating. They're becoming as rare as drive-in theaters. The first couple places I went to asked what kind of car the bumpers were from....I suppose to judge rarity and to base the price estimate accordingly. It shouldn't cost more to dip a '63 Jaguar XKE bumper than a bumper from a '66 Chevrolet four door sedan, but I bet it does. I ended up leaving my bumpers at a place in Los Angeles where the counter guy said, "I see you got an Avanti bumper there." as I walked into the shop. As for the Z, the stainless steel reproductions seem like an interesting alternative when the time comes. Dennis

I replaced mine just a couple months ago. Common? No. Eventual? Yes. Dennis

OK, thanks, Alesson learned. I guess I've been lucky the times I've opened and resealed the bowls. I'll be wiser next time. Dennis

The number of "Likes" you've received for comments you've posted. You had 56 when you asked the question and I bumped you up to 57.

Glue the float bowl gaskets? Curious why. I've never done that when opening the bowls or putting new gaskets on the bowls. Have i been doing it wrong or just the hard way? Dennis

Some questions: The '73 appears to have a sunroof. Planning on closing the roof panel hole during the restoration? No vents on the '71 rear panels, does it have a vented hatch? Have you done a magnet test to check for Bondo and fiberglass repairs in rust prone areas? All things being equal, and they're not, the '73 seems to have had more adventuresome owners willing to experiment - sun roof, 4BBL carb, no antenna to name a few. I think I'd keep the '71 even though it's an automatic. Dennis

And a mini-fridge in the trunk would make it perfect!

Nice looking '71! Has the rear hatch been replaced or repaired? I noticed the emblems are missing on it. Always good to see another '71. Dennis

Nice work and documentation! It looks like new. I never thought of the foam fill to prevent sagging. Dennis

A little rubbing compound and a coat of wax and you're good to go! How's the wiring harness in the engine compartment? Radiator? Looks like you have quite a project ahead. Dennis

The post you reference doesn't mention how the water gets into the car. Bad door seals? Holes in the floor? The problem isn't the jute, it's a leaky Z that allows water to puddle on the floor. That's a very severe leak that needs to be fixed no matter what material is under the carpet. As for jute alternatives, you can use house carpet padding, dynamat for heat and sound deadening, and a good coat of paint on your new floor panels. But, I'm sure you saw those options mentioned when you did a search. If you're replacing the rubber seals on your Z as part of your restoration, you should have no worries, even in the tropics. Dennis

The factory metal frame hold down will work well enough with current batteries that are not the dimensions of the original factory battery. Here's a link: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/12-4251 Call me crazy, but I think it's good to have the battery secured with something other than a bungee cord. Dennis

Always good to see another '71 being made roadworthy! What's holding your battery down so it doesn't bounce around? Dennis

Our chewer is a Cocker Spaniel in a state of perpetual teething. In fact he just brought another orange in from outside while I was typing this. That travertine looks really nice! And puppyproof. Dennis

Our puppy is a year old now and still chews shoes, sticks, clothes, electrical cords, fruit that falls off the trees in the yard that he brings in the house, and my arm occasionally. Good luck on the journey! From what we read, it will continue until he's two. Looks like you may have a tile or wood flooring project in your future. Dennis

Is there enough material at the bottom of the shifter boot that you can just adjust how you clamp it to the console (left, right, front back) to allow a little more range of motion? Dennis

Yup. A frequent seller of expensive Zs of questionable value. Good ebay feedback and sells lots of Zs when you check his sales history. Bidding appears to be a little slow to get started on this one, however. Dennis

Nice shiney bumpers...wonder how they fit into the "all original" description. Dennis

Has your friend looked at all of the "hidden" painted areas like under carpets, spare tire well, behind plastic panels? Those areas generally don't get repainted unless the entire car has been media blasted or chemically dipped and stripped and would still have original factory paint. Dennis

The first question you should ask is, "Why has it been in a driveway under a tarp for 25 years?". Do you plan to "restore" or "refurbish"? It's easy to pour more money into a restoration than you can easily get back on resale. Plan on changing all fluids, brakes, rubber parts, rubber seals, and tires. Engine, carb, and transmission work can be pricey. All that said, $1500 probably isn't a bad price if the body is solid. Dennis

Regarding the clips that hold the shifter boot to the console, I had a similar experience with a thicker than original boot. I used spring type paper clips instead of the Nissan boot clips. The spring clips come in various sizes and are the type that hold 20 or more pages together. They have the levers that open the clip and then fold back over the clip. Dennis

It's been a couple years since I asked them about the cost of sleeving the MC for a Porsche 911/914 and they faxed a quote to me. Can't find that paperwork now but will keep looking. Maybe around $300, but that's a guess and could be way off. Dennis