260zCaliCar

I am nowhere near the diagnostician that the other people here are. But are you saying that the gauge isn't showing that the alternator is charging or did you confirm in fact that the alternator actually isn't charging. Which fuse specifically do you keep replacing? Do you know what circuit it's protecting? These would be my first questions for you I suppose.

I had the same dealer installed A/C package with the York compressor. It was also really loud, and vibrated quite a bit. I spent 30 years with all different AC shops trying to get it to work well. Every part over the course of time was replaced at least twice... Never worked adequately. This year, I finally pulled out the whole thing and decided that having something that didn't work was more frustrating than having nothing at all. I hope you're going to have a better experience with this system then I did... I've been closely watching the recent threads about the vintage-air solution and may give that a try. It gets really hot here in Los Angeles... AC would be nice.

FWIW, I was able to install the retro-sound stereo in my 260z without any modifications to any part of the console. Granted, my console is not the same as a 240 so your experience may be different. Installation is unbelievably flexible, the problem is there is such an incredible amount of flexibility that it takes awhile to come up with the best solution... At least it did for me. I made the faceplate by modifying a square one that was included in the kit. It actually looks better than the picture, but you get the idea.

How far do you want to travel to get to the mechanic? There is one in Canoga Park: http://www.precisionz.com/ that did some work on my car recently. They are skilled but not cheap (well, maybe not $110 to change spark plugs). This shop actually replaced my original 260z carbs with webers in the early 80's, that's how long they have been around. Also there is a GREAT shop by me in Westlake Village that is really fair. He has an older mechanic working there that worked on Z's at a Datsun dealership for years and loves them: Rick's Japanese Car Care (805) 373-9895 49 Taylor Ct, Thousand Oaks, CA Rick actually offered to let me bring my car in on Saturdays and put it on his rack to do my own work for free (he likes my enthusiasm). Anyway that's my two cents on the two shops that I use. My suggestion is that you really get to know your car (five&dime is absolutely correct). It's to old for you to depend on licensed mechanics to keep it running... You're going to spend a fortune, and in the end, you won't be a happy Z owner. I can't even begin to imagine what I would have spent on my car if I paid for all the work that's been done on it.

Sounds like it's time to add (reluctantly) another name to the problem vendor list? Are there any Zeddsaver experiences within the last 6 months that have been positive? Even one? This is really unfortunate if there isn't.

If anyone can get in touch with Norm (Zeddsaver) I would be interested in hearing about it. He seems to have disappeared off the face of the earth.... Along with a few hundred of my dollars. Having said that, he and I did a lot of work together and up until this last order he was a really good guy. Honestly, I am more concerned about HIM than my money.

I made the decision in September that I would set a goal of displaying the car at the West Coast Nationals in April (basically last week...). Had no plans to compete, just display. I attached pictures of the car in September and at the show. Came in 3rd in my class!! Of about 12 cars But I achieved my goal!

Ha ha ha, Russell, i share your pride. I tied for 3rd in the stock 260 class. There were about 8 cars total. It was my first time attending any z show. What an awesome experience! Felt bad for Walter traveling all the way from Georgia, then all the way to the stage for his award, only to be turned away at the last second by a late arrival (guess the other guy had further to travel to get to the stage ).

There are a number of places, but these two sources will have most of what you will need to keep your z running http://www.courtesyparts.com http://www.motorsportauto.com/

I just noticed your post about the rivets... Ugg... I ordered both the 79909-E4100 or 90909-E4100. Neither of them is correct for my early 74 260. You can use two of the 79909-E4100 to hold the license plate bracket (these are really tiny rivets). However, the 90909-E4100 are the standard rivets that get used inside the car. The 6 rivets holding my rear light finishers were larger than the interior ones. Unfortunately, all but one was lost when the car was taken apart for painting. I haven't placed an order yet, but this is as close as I have come to finding what I had: http://www.cliphouse.com/detail.aspx?ID=2020 At least the dimensions seem to be correct. See the attached pictures of the two models of rivets and the 90909-E4100 compared to what I have on the car (and has been on there since 1977 when I bought it). If anyone has further info on this it would help me also. Sorry the images are sideways. But they still work. Thanks!

Sadly, you may want to think twice before ordering anything from Norm at Zeddsaver. I ordered some stuff from him last August, he had a million excuses why he couldn't fill the order AFTER I paid him. Then in January he said he would substitute the parts for others that I really didn't need. I never got those either. Now, unless I am wrong (please let me know if I am), nobody has heard from him since January. Honestly, he is a nice friendly guy, and I hope he is okay. But this is my business experience with him. If I am lucky, this post will find it's way to him and he will let us all know that he's okay.

I assume that you're aware that the electric fuel pump only comes on when the engine is running. Right? When mine stopped one day, I did the easiest thing first and it worked. I replaced the fuse. My 260 is notorious for what appears to be failing electrical when in fact it's the fuse. Remember just because a fuse looks good doesn't mean it actually is. Try swapping out with a fuse that you know works, it's easy and it's a really common solution.

On my 260z I can only push down the door locks when the door is closed, just like yours. I can offer you a brainstorming idea that may lead to an actual solution to your concern about breaking something. Is there a way to connect a relay to the interior dome light that only relays power to the door lock system when the power to the interior light is off? (light off = door(s) closed, light on = door(s) open) Like I said, this is nothing more than a brainstorming idea that may assist someone else in coming up with a real solution. I would like to know how well they work when you get them installed! Mike

You can do them yourself. My wheels looked worse than yours and I think I got them to look pretty good. I doubt that I did it the fastest way, but I wet sanded them with finer and finer sandpaper. Starting with like 300 grit then working my way up to 1500. After the wheels were as good as I could get them with 1500 grit, I finished them off with mothers mag and aluminum polish. Every minute of work you put into them is rewarded, and you will never be finished, they just keep looking better and better. Use lots of water when sanding, and lots of rags when polishing. I also strongly recommend that you wear some gloves or your going to have black hands for a couple of weeks. Take your time and don't rush, it's really a project... I'll probably go over the wheels one more time before the West Coast Nationals, but here is a pic of the way they look now, they don't look like chrome, but they have a really nice shine to them.

Thanks Matt for the update on Norm. He mentioned that he would send me the choke cable on Jan 21st. So I guess he was working that week. As I said, I just hope that he's okay. I took a look at the pictures of your car. What a great place to start from! Your going to have a beauty when your done. It takes awhile, I hope you enjoy the process, and love it when it's finished. I noticed that you have a 240 and your choke cables wrap around to the right side like mine do. I say that because it might help Bob (see above post from Seppi72) with his question.

Hi Bob, I'm afraid that you'll need to forgive my ignorance in reverse. I only have "some" knowledge of my year. Of all the parts on that car... It's funny you should mention the choke cables, they are about the only point of frustration with my car. I bought and paid for some parts from Norm Murphy of Zeddsaver about 8 months ago. He never sent them, then told me he couldn't get them... Last January he said he would send me new choke cables instead (not that I really needed them but something is better than nothing). Never got them either, and now he appears to have fallen off the face of the earth. I think I got screwed on the parts, but he seemed like a pretty nice guy when I used to talk to him on he phone. Honestly, I hope he is okay and just decided not to come through for me. Anyone have any contact with him this year? More curious than anything else. Thanks for the compliments on the car. Took it to Starbuck's today and found about 10 people looking at it when I came out. Funny since the people looking got into Mercedes, Jags and Porsches.

I've been working on this thing for so long it never occurred to me that I might finish it someday! :stupid: Today I looked at it and couldn't think of anything else to do , so I to took some pictures and posted them. Now what... Drive it? Stare at it? See if I still have a relationship? See you all at the West Coast Nationals next month!

You paid $300 for them and they have gone up by 300% since you bought yours (so now they are $900)?

Hi Sandy, welcome to the board. I live in Westlake Village, around the corner (sort of) from you... There is a shop in Canoga Park called "precision z", they have been working on z cars since the 70's and know their stuff. They are not cheap, and you need to go in with a specific goal (don't say something like "just give it the once over" they will charge you a bunch of money and I'm not exactly sure what they do) but their pretty good with specific tasks. http://www.precisionz.com/ 21417 INGOMAR STREET UNIT 3 CANOGA PARK, CA 91304 818.716.6744 They did work on my car both a in 1978 and also a few months ago so I know they have been around. At minimum, they are worth knowing about, and it maybe worth driving over there and just introducing yourself to the owner so when you need something he knows who you are. Mike

Compared to what? Have you ever done something like this before? What are your mechanical skills? If your asking the question... Then it's probably very easy. You hand someone about 25,000 dollars and go back to your regular job. Then, in about a year, you go back, shake the guys hand, say thanks, and it's all done. Seriously, "how hard" is a relative question based on your skill and experience. There are people on this board that wouldn't consider it "hard" at all. Time consuming, maybe, but probably not hard. It also depends on the condition of the car to begin with, and the tools/resources you have available to assist you.

Just clean the clip and replace the fuse (make sure that you do the right one) it's just to easy to do not to try it. If the other lights did work, and now they don't (for no apparent reason). I'd bet on the fuses. It was my problem (it was actually just so dirty it lost continuity)... Before I replaced the fuse, I'm not so happy to say that I must have traced every wire/ground/ connector in the entire car. My wiring is great now!

Ttiger identified the EXACT problem that I had, for which I spent a pathetic number of hours tracking down. Turns out that the fuse wasn't blown, just so dirty that it lost its continuity (I replaced it, in fact, I was so upset that I didn't see such a simple item that I also replaced all the other fuses... just because I could).

Yeah, the price for the shell is high. He's a surprisingly smart guy, and extraordinarily successful in business. I suspect he understands the difference between what he wants and what he can get. Did you offer him a lower amount? He told me that I could pretty much have it if I used parts from his donor cars and did the work at his shop so he could be involved. (btw the state of the art shop in his back yard is so big there is an airplane hanging in it and I didn't notice it until he pointed it out...) His thought on that car is if someone bought it for 5K, had some serious skills, and put another 20k into it, they would have a result worth more than 25k. I don't know about you, but I have about twice as much money invested in my "restoration" then the car worth. So breaking even or possibly ahead isn't so bad. Let the car rest for a few years and your going to have a real winner. I'm not the guys bodyguard, and he doesn't need me to look out for him. But that's what "he" is thinking... Right or wrong is your personal opinion. But he really isn't on drugs, he just knows that in the right hands, the shell has some serious value.

I am actually very familiar with that picture and in fact I have been there a couple of times. The car with the Pantera rear hatch was sold some time ago, I asked the guy and he really didn't know where the hatch came from since it was on the car when he got it. Most of the cars in that picture are gone now. The guy that owns the property went through a z car collection period but doesn't want them anymore. He has one interesting shell which has been sitting outside for years that he is selling for a few thousand dollars... It is a 1969 240z with a VIN that is something like 00045 (it was a few months ago so I might be off slightly, but within 10). I actually saw it with my own eyes. It's real. If I go back over there to pick some more parts, is anyone interested in a picture of it? It's truly nothing more than a very dirty shell (but no rust since it's in California). It would be one heck of a project, but an amazing item to have when completed.

Hi Kelly, I live in Westlake Village, which is in the San Fernando Valley (Los Angeles). If you ever want to look at Z's in LA, I would be glad to help you. I've had my Z for years, and can just imagine the withdrawal. I'm just finishing up my restoration this month, it's been a lot of work, but I think it's coming out nice. Mike