psdenno

"Not running at the moment" and "Rebuilt Break Master Cylinder" make it sound like a steel..... or is that steal? I think the "Full body kit" is the funky front fiberglass facade and the rear bumper delete option. Hard to sell a "not running" car as more than a parts car. But, one person's worst nightmare is often another person's sweetest dream. Dennis

Just like with cell phones, toilet paper, and car clubs, it starts with just one and then someone either thinks they have a better way to do it or they get a mad-on for the inititial group and they come up with new spin on the original. It's not too painful to internet hop from one forum to another and eventually, you'll find one or two that become your comfort zone. I base this observation on almost 30 years of managing a Porsche 914 organization, both off and on line. Welcome to the group, hope you find it comfortable - I do. Dennis

Any plans for the rubber pads on the early Z front & rear bumpers and bumperettes? They have gotten expensive just like the 914 bumper cones. Dennis

Since many forum members are under 18 years of age, you'll excuse me if I don't "bare" with you. But feel free to get as bare as you'd like while reading or posting It's difficult to guess a value on a rusted, non-running Z, without pictures. It could be a $250 parts car or a $1,500 fixer. What's your friend asking for the car? Do you have pictures? A good place to start setting value is to look at the things that need to be addressed and then check vendor sites to price parts. You might find that the entire brake system needs to be replaced and that the engine needs to be rebuilt. Another factor will be how much of the possible mechanical work you can do rather than paying a mechanic. Rusted floors aren't too difficult to fix, but be sure to check the rest of the body as well as the engine compartment. Look at the underside of the Z. Welcome to the group and keep us posted on what you do. If you have pictures of the Z, include them for us to view. There are many experts on this forum who can get you through the rough Z times. Dennis

I've used Just Dashes for my Studebaker Avanti and they do fine, but pricey, work - including color and texture matching as needed. Reading the post above makes me wonder how that "skin" that's applied like a huge decal to buses, trucks, and some cars with colorful ads would work. It's supposed to be durable and fits to curves nicely. You could have some interesting patterns on a dash. By the way, I would never do it and plan to go with a full dash cover from MSA when I get to that point in the interior refurb. Dennis

How bad is your vapor lock problem? I live with similar temps here in Palm Springs but don't experience vapor lock on either the '71 Z or my air cooled '70 914-6. Dennis

Interestingly, the ebay vendor in question states this on his listing..... "Check out Our 100% positive feedback we work hard to make sure your purchase is perfect" He should probably update his ad copy. Dennis

I installed the later style rubber shifter boot and secured it with a retainer ring that I had made at the local high school metal shop. I needed to use the later style boot which is held in place by the ring and four screws because I upgraded my '71 to a five speed and had to enlarge the hole in the transmission tunnel. Then it was time to put the center console back in, secure the fuse box and choke lever, and reattach the AC control switch. I wish I had small Japanese hands when it comes to jobs like that. Dennis

Welcome to the group! Regarding your question about if changing the color of your Z will decrease its value, it all depends. What is your Z worth now? How do you intend to use the car? How extensive will your repaint be - body strip and total repaint inside & out? People who buy interesting cars, like old Zs, sometimes think of them as financial investments. Generally, the only people who will ever make any money from your Z will be your mechanic, painter, and parts supplier. Unless you have a very rare Z, an early Z, or a Z with a documented racing heritage, it's best to think of it as an emotional investment. Have fun, let it make you happy. AC is a worthwhile upgrade, IMHO. As mentioned, kits run about $1,000. My Mechanic charged $600 for installation a year or so ago. There are owners who tackle the installation themselves. Enjoy your Z and keep us posted on your adventures with it. Dennis

Sequence of Events: Pop rivets, Bondo, and ebay What could go wrong? Dennis

I had AC installed on mine in 1972 and it worked quite well, especially after I added a rear window louver set to block the greenhouse effect. I probably added two or three cans of freon in the first 10 years. Then the York compressor stopped compressing. I now have a modern AC system which works just dandy and doesn't seem to rob as much power at highway speeds - used to have to turn off the AC to pass cars on the two lane back roads. By the way, it's supposed to get to 100 degrees here today. Can summer be far behind? Glad to have air conditioning in the Z. Dennis

Ah, Zedyone Kenobi, you are wise beyond your years. I'll tackle a lot of projects around the house and with my older cars. But, just like with root canals, I leave some jobs to the professionals. Dennis

You're right....it's just some seals and metal parts with teeth that fit together and a little lube. What could go wrong? Let us know how it turns out. I recently swapped in a 5 speed after 39 years and a few professional 4 speed rebuilds. I kept the working 4 speed in case I want to switch back at some point and revel in the newfound pleasure of the extra gear. While I understand, and appreciate, the desire to keep a car stock, I also appreciate upgrades and minor reversible modifications that add to the pleasure I get from driving my old friend. Good luck with the rebuild! Dennis

Come on, give the kid a break. A lot of film directors have free gmail email accounts.....don't they? Sounds like he's fresh out of college, full of himself, and ready to take on the world. Even if the Art Center College of Design isn't exactly up there with the USC Film School, he does have some credits. Google him. That being said, he should have probably planned a little further ahead on securing a Z for his video. It's a live and learn world. Dennis

Good looking Z! Dennis

I have the "front valance with aero lip" - creepy name. I put it on a few years ago after I installed 15" Rewinds and larger tires. The right front tire rubbed slightly on the stock metal valance when turning, so I thought this would be an easy solution that could be trimmed if the tire still rubbed. I didn't want to hack at the stock valance. Quality of the part was top notch, fit was perfect, and installation of the turn signals was fairly easy. Tires didn't rub, so there was no need to trim the edge by the front wheel well. I've had a "Spook" spoiler in the past to compensate for front end lift and, because of its size, I'm sure it did a better job than the Aero Lip. However 80 mph on the highway with the Aero has been smooth, so it must do something. Dennis

For some reason, my Z is the only car I drive that makes me smile when I'm behind the wheel. Always has. Dennis

Mad Max, your ride is here...... Dennis

Wouldn't mind having one in the driveway - or the stack of money it probably costs. Dennis

Perhaps, even better, would be to apply for one of the BBC job vacancies in New York, Florida, or California so that you could work your way into a position to influence programing. See list of 22 job vacancies at the link below: https://www5.recruitingcenter.net/Clients/BBC/PublicJobs/controller.cfm Dennis

Can't put a price on the fun! Think of it as money well spent. Dennis

I recently put a 5 speed in my 4/71 Z and everything fit nicely with nothing extra to buy except for replacing "wear" items like clutch, T/O bearing, rear engine seal as part of the job. Transmission tunnel hole needs to be enlarged and a late style rubber inner boot used. The later boot is held in place with a trim ring and fasteners rather than just being a press fit in the opening like the early boot. Dennis

So, to bring closure to my 5 speed swap, here's what happened..... In late December, I took my recently purchased 5 speed gearbox of unknown condition to KBL Transmission in Midway City, CA (Orange County) for rebuilding prior to having it installed in my '71 Z. The folks at KBL were friendly, knowledgeable, and fast. The trans was ready for pick-up three days later. I brought it back to the desert and gave it to my mechanic who then removed the old 4 speed and installed the new 5 speed and a few other things while everything was apart. On the drive home from his shop, I noticed that the transmission popped out of 2nd gear when decelerating. Bummer! I got home and called KBL who said to bring it in and they'd take care of it. Since they are about 100 miles from where I live, I told them I'd have to wait until my Easter vacation. No problem. On Easter break I removed my center console, detached the rubber shift boot, and drove the Z to my in-laws house which is just a few miles from KBL. As I neared my destination, transmission fluid started spewing from the area around the shifter boot and spraying the interior of the car. I limped it to the in-laws and had it towed to KBL the next morning. The folks at KBL said the drive shaft had taken out the rear trans seal and recommended shaft replacement. They reworked the trans internals and replaced the seal while a replacement for the drive shaft was being readied. The trans continued to pop out of 2nd. After pulling the trans several times to adjust and replace parts, they finally put all the internals in a new case and it worked perfectly. They delivered the Z to the in-laws house a few weeks ago and I finally picked it up yesterday. The only charge was a very reasonable one for the rebuilt drive shaft. I highly recommend KBL if you need transmission repairs or a rebuild. They stand behind their work and aren't satisfied until the customer is. Their phone # is 714.698.1466. Ask for Don. After dealing with my car, they may never want to work on another Z, but give them a try, anyway. Dennis

If any of the visible rubber on the M/C is suspect, replace the whole unit. Chances are that the internal seals are in the same condition. Check the clutch cylinder, too, if you haven't already done so. Cheap and easy to replace on your terms, but a real pain and danger when they go out unexpectedly. Dennis

I think if you Google Celica Sunchaser you'll see that it was factory approved and more of a Targa top than a sunroof mod. A Celica SUNCHASER is nothing more than a special conversion of a 1979-1981 Toyota Celica. In all, probably 2000 GT and ST models were produced from all three factories in these years. The Griffith Company was commissioned by TOYOTA to do the conversion. It involved cutting of the roof immediately behind the windshield to the edge of the B-Pillar to accommodate a targa style removable roof, and removal of the roof from immediately behind the B-Pillar to the trunk to accommodate a collapsible convertible rear section. When fully converted, all that remains of the normal roof is a roll bar. Specific Alterations- A sticker with the Griffith Griffin and SUNCHASER production number is placed on the inside of the Glove compartment door. A badge stating "SUNCHASER" is placed on the outside of each B-Pillar, though mine was removed, you can still see where it should go. It's the long grayish section at the bottom. A fiberglass enclosure is placed around the B-Pillar and remaining narrow band of roof and skirts underneath the convertible top. A Leather/Leather-like padding is added to the interior of the B-Pillar / Roof. Dennis