psdenno

Check lines and nozzle - especially the non functioning nozzle - again. My guess is an obstruction in the nozzle which has a smaller opening. Hook a section of like to it and try blowing through it. Aquarium clear hose works nicely as a replacement for the original fluid lines. Dennis

I look forward to seeing the project progress. Dennis

Looks great so far. However, I think the glove compartment lid will be the easiest part to wrap, by far. The degree of difficulty will increase exponentially, in the case of the Z, when you get to the complex curves on the rest of the dash. Dennis

Speaking as someone who organized national car shows for many years, the awards tend to be won by either people who buy a very nice car that someone else lavished time and money on (a hollow victory at best), or by someone who has channeled their anal retentive tendencies to the car hobby (a life altering obsession). To clear the way for others to win, and feel good about their cars, we created a "Senior Class" for cars that had won three consecutive shows. That pitted the best against the best and opened up the other classes new competition. Dennis

Very nice! I've thought about doing that (for about the last 15 years) with a pair of Porsche seats I have. Now I'm motivated. Dennis

I have managed to get autographs on a variety of items ranging from handing John Kennedy one of his campaign brochures to handwritten letters from designer Raymond Loewy mentioning my Avanti's serial #. I have the Granetelli brothers signatures on a plain piece of paper, again referencing my Avanti's serial # and Ferry Porsche's autograph on a few items like books, programs, and plain paper (my wife got that one at his birthday party). Tom Kellogg, one of the Avanti design team members, autographed an Avanti dealership folder containing samples of Avanti upholstery, and paint chips. I have no signed car parts, but envy those who do. Dennis

Having them made in cloisonné would be easy enough - just would have to go with a minimum quantity which could be a 200 year supply depending on demand. Dennis

I have a set of black plates for my '63 Studebaker Avanti and Historic plates on my Porsche 914-6. A set of blue plates on the Z might be nice. The price isn't too out of line. See link below: http://tinyurl.com/8pnxjqw Hopefully, they will be 3 letters and 3 numbers like the plates of old and not 7 letters and numbers like current plates. Dennis

Good news for California Z owners who want to run period correct license plates on their early Zs. As Reported By SEMA: California Bill to Create Legacy License Plate Program Signed Into Law Governor Jerry Brown signed into law legislation (A.B. 1658) to establish the California Legacy License Plate Program. Under the new law, the DMV will create and issue a series of specialized license plates that replicate plates from the state's past.* Previously, classic car owners could only revive well-maintained old plates that match the vintage of their vehicle.* Among other things, the new law will bring a retro look to modern license plates by allowing consumers to choose from one of three classic designs from the 1950s-1960s (black lettering on yellow background or yellow lettering on black background) and 1970s-1980s (yellow lettering on blue background).** The law requires that at least 7,500 applications for any one particular plate must be received by the DMV on or before January 1, 2015. Dennis

The stock engine makes a great noise and provides more than enough power to get anyone in trouble. An engine transplant is merely an exercise in "Look What I Can Do!". No ill will to those who choose to do that with their Zs, but the result is no longer a Z - just like a mouse with wings is no longer a mouse, it's a bat. Dennis

Mine took out a snow drift in a Kansas road the first winter after I installed it in about 1972. It's NOT an effective plow and was severely cracked along the mounting points. I was in the Air Force at the time and had it fixed by the guys who repaired radomes on C-130s. After repairing it, they painted it with radome paint which is still on it 40 years later. I think the statute of limitations has expired. Dennis

When you say, "Mint Z", are you referring to flavor? Dennis

A flexible magnet (the kind with advertising on one side) will give a clue to what's under the paint. If it's fiberglass or Bondo, the magnet will drop to the ground. Dennis

Price dropped $1,000 because clutch needs to be bled? As they used to say 2,000 years ago at the Used Chariot Lot....Caveat emptor. Dennis

I'm always amused by why there are odometer measurements in tenths of a mile. Typical road signs warn of upcoming exits in quarter mile increments (1/4, 1/2, 3/4), not tenths of a mile increments which can be measured by the available instrument. Why the discord between automotive engineers and highway engineers? Would it be so difficult to move a quarter mile warning sign a little farther from the exit and have it read "Next Exit 3/10 Mile"? Dennis

Welcome to the Group! Always good to see another '71 being put back on the road. You might also want to change the spark plug wires if they have a few years on them. As mentioned, "T"s for the washer are available at most auto parts stores and hardware stores. The squirter assembly is a junk yard piece or may be available from someone in our Group who is parting out a Z. If the washer fluid hose is bad, you can use aquarium tubing available at WalMart for a couple bucks. It looks like you have a good clean Z to start with from the pictures. I had the same AC unit and replaced it with a modern kit a few years ago. Dennis

On behalf of my aging eyes, thank you for the link! Dennis

Great story! I'll be celebrating 41 years of ownership in a couple months. As there are many original owners in this group, it might be interesting if we all shared our memories when we hit a milestone date - things like what other cars we considered before buying the Z, what we traded in for the Z, what was the dealership like, waiting list, what we've done to our Zs over the decades, and Z adventures. Had someone told me in 1971 that I'd be driving a 41 year old car in 2012, I'd have thought they were crazy. Dennis

Depending on how important it is that you get the valve stem caps, you could skip email and go "old school" by phoning them in Japan at: [sales] TEL +81-584-28-0105. Or call their USA office at 8935 Seward Road, Fairfield, Ohio 45011 U.S.A. TEL +1-513-642-0055 FAX +1-513-642-0056 Dennis

That makes perfect sense. Years ago, my wife gifted me with a few days at the Bob Bondurant Driving School. My "in car" instructor was Johnny O'Connell of Indy 500, LeMans, and 24 Hours of Daytona fame. While a big part of the course was "go fast" driving on a track, handling and evasive/defensive driving techniques were also instilled. A couple months after taking the course, I was driving my pregnant wife to an appointment in her Porsche when an inattentive driver blew through the red light at an intersection I was entering. The Bondurant lessons kicked in and we avoided being T-Boned. I'm a strong believer in driving skill/training and awareness of others - especially in this age of texting while driving, which I see on an almost daily basis. Dennis

The steering wheel spokes appear to have been clear coated, although he says they're not, and look a little rough. I've seen better restorations, so I have to agree with him when he says, "i do not know anyone to restore these wheels to these standards!!". Here's a somewhat better job. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/thread21485.html Dennis

The generic aftermarket covers probably won't fit well with the original chrome trim pieces. They mount and fit differently. I had a set of the trim less clear covers on my Z for years and liked them. I now have a set of the factory style repros with chrome trim from Japan that will get installed eventually. Dennis

Had YouTube been around in 1970, we might have seen a similar video made by a Z owner missing the the funky seat of the pants driving experience found in the MG and Triumph cars that predated it. Dennis

Roll bars and a 5 point harness seem like overkill, if you'll excuse the expression. What kind of daily driving do you plan on doing - demolition derby, NYC taxi driver? Certainly a "circle of safety" is important, but good driving skills and a watchful eye are probably your best upgrade. Dennis

Don't forget to let us know how they hold up by posting more pictures in one year, five years, and 10 years. Dennis