Jumbo Jet

Yeah, I have gotten some great advice here and I appreciate it all. I will take my time finding a car, I normally do when it comes to projects. Thanks again to everyone, this site is a great help.

Thanks for the welcome John ..... very much appreciated. I really would have a lot of fun doing as much as I could myself. The guy I met yesterday has done a few Z's and gave me a good breakdown on scheduling and costs. He says we can make a very nice 240 for about 10-12k if I did as much as I could myself. All of the interior work such as Dynamat, carpeting, vinyl and audio I can do myself, engine will have to be rebuilt at a shop as well as the body and paint work. If I can make a nice 240 for around 10-12k, I'll be a happy camper.

Aw, thats great. Good finds. I did some digging on CFZ and I cant tell if they still meet or not. The site doesnt look like its been updated in awhile. The Tampa club looks like they still meet. I met the guy who owns the red 240 I was talking about finding earlier. Its his project car and he's also working on a 260 too, and after talking with him he said he'd help me with my project 240 and do the body work and paint out of his shop. So now I'm on the lookout for a good car with minimal rust.

I know the vehicle is off topic..... my apologies, but I did Dynamat Extreme in my Toyota Tundra a few months back while doing my new audio system. After the Dynamat was laid, I used a product called Ensolite acoustical foam to further block noise. The process was tedious and took a few weekends to complete but it was worth every penny and hour I put into it. The difference was night and day and my radio volume was literally cut in half. The truck feels like a rolling sound booth. I did 2 layers on the floors and back wall, and 2 layers on all the doors, one on the outer skin and one on the inner behind the panels. I found my Dynamat Extreme bulk packs on ebay for $90, and I used 3 of them. For Ensolite, I bought 6 yards. I have used RAAMat from RAAMaudio before and I have to say its in close competition to Dynamat. Very similar in quality and much cheaper in price. http://www.raamaudio.com/cgi-bin/index.cgi

Option #2 is to have a site such as Flickr or Photobucket host your picture. If you go that route the picture will show up automatically in your post and people wont have to click on a thumbnail. You'll need to create a new account there, but once thats done you simply upload your pictures to them and insert the link in your posts.

Thanks Larry, much appreciated. Thats a beautiful 240, looks like they did perfect work. You plan on making this a regular driver, or trailer queen only? Hope you have fun with it, that car deserves to be driven.

wow, thats beautiful. You've gotta be stoked with that. Would I be out of line to ask what it cost you for such a fine specimen? I'd love to bring one back from the dead to that condition, with the exact color scheme, a ball park number would be very appreciated so I can know what to expect. If not, I understand. Great 240, congrats!!

Aw man, that engine looks awesome. How did you get the cover so polished? Did you do that or take it some place or buy it new like that? It looks like chrome. Nice work.

I spend a lot of time down there snook fishing, especially Jupiter. At least we're within a couple hours driving distance. I'll do some more digging around here and see if I cant find a good Z club up here. I never got to go back to the 240 I found cause it was getting dark and I had to get my truck washed. I'll go tomorrow, my buddy with the 280 wants to go with me........ I've got him all fired up on starting a 240 project car.

haha, looks like were gonna dodge the bullet with Ike up here. He's supposed to give Miami and the Keys a good beat down though....... Cat 4 when he hits, thats some serious sh!t. We stayed pretty dry at our house but many many houses close to us had waist deep water in their living rooms. I cant even imagine how thats gotta feel. Chacha, where are you at, were in DeBary. I've been looking for a Z club that meets once a month or something, but cant find any. You know of any in the Orlando area. If you do we'll have to meet up. Mark

I'll get a bunch of pics of that car tomorrow. The car seems pretty trashed and I have no intentions of finding the owner and making an offer, but it was a great unexpected treat to have found it while I was driving around looking at river flooding (we live in the area of Florida that was affected badly by Fay a few weeks ago). I'll do what I can to get those shots you wanted and it'll be fun to go get a close look at it.

Great pics in your gallery Zak. I plan on documenting every step I possibly can on mine too. My favorite You Tube clips are the famous Project Hugo Z in Sweden. I'd like to attempt to shoot something similar and take just as many pics. How much father along is your project? Or are the pics pretty recent? Mark

First off, I just wanna say thanks to everyone for the nice welcome....... its much appreciated. Oiluj, thanks for the paint prices, thats gives me a good idea of what to expect and also a reality check on paint prices..... I was way off. But it sounds like a $12-$15k budget to complete the project isnt too far off target. I randomly stumbled across an old 240 a few days ago sitting back in an industrial complex a few miles from the house. The bonnet is missing, as are all the windows, but it has the slot wheels, the dash is a train wreck and the interior is stripped. The engine isnt a 6, and I'm not sure of the year. I'm going back tomorrow when the lighting is better and I'll get some pics and put em up. It looks like at one point is was going to be someone's restoration project, but has since been put out to pasture. Its a real shame to see it just sitting outside in the harsh, wet Florida summer. Thanks again for the great tips, you guys are gonna save me a ton of money in the end...... or help me spend it. Mark

Yeah, I see what you mean. Sometimes a lower priced car seems cheaper at the time, but it always doesnt work out to save you much money in the end. I will keep a car with minimal rust on my priority list. So for the most part, a good body shop can do most of the body repairs on site? What about sand blasting? Is that a body shop specialty or a whole separate company? And as far as body shops go, is it a good idea to ask them if they have ever prepped and painted a Z...... or is it safe to assume its the same as doing any other car? What are some questions I should be asking them? I'm covered for engine work because we have 2 shops in town that specialize in Z's, but the body shop stuff is one I need to educate myself on. Thanks again, Mark

Thanks Zak, I plan on doing most if not all of the interior work myself. I'm decently handy with carpet and vinyl work and car audio. I dont have access to a paint booth, nor do I know how to paint......so that will be subbed out. The engine work will all be subbed out too. When you say your car needed floors and welding, where do you go for things like that ....... a body shop? Or specifically a welder? Looking for the best car I can afford is great advice.... thanks. That will save me a lot of headaches down the road. My father in law lives out in Roswell, NM and is a huge old car buff. We went out to see him last year and there are tons of junk yards full of old cars in fantastic shape out there. Because of the weather, hardly anything rusts. He's gonna keep an eye out for me for an old 240. Thanks again, Mark