northernz

Ok, NOW I'm excited AND frustrated! Look at these pics!

"Land of.... high taxes" , I think we're about to get a taste of that, given our election results! I told my son he should have tried for the NDP nomination for our riding, they were electing anyone who wasn't PC! Hey Chris, funny you should ask about the final, for real, definite pickup date, I just had a long chat with Mike, he was at the shop on a Saturday working on the car. Bottom line? He is not 100% happy with where the car is at. He has MOSTLY sorted the vibration, it was the RT diff mount being so stiff at the front, the stock mustache bar bushings were flexing and causing the vibration.He partly solved this by using later model washers on the bottom of the bar, but needs more time to drop the bar and do the top ones as well.Even worse though, the transmission appears to be vibrating as well and making "odd" noises! I was skimping on the tranny to keep costs down and because I don't mind the four speed, but he has a rebuilt early 5 speed on the shelf for "only" $1500. The final drive ratio won't change so nothing else needs to be changed out. On the plus side, the motor is very smooth and strong, and sounds fantastic with the Fujitsubo exhaust! Mike says it turns heads whenever and wherever he drives it! So, as frustrating as it is to delay AGAIN, I have managed to accept that it is probably the right way to go. I think I was getting tunnel vision! Thanks for all the replies and offers of help. II'll keep you all posted this week as to wether the drive is on next week, or shipping it is the way to go. Mike has promised more pics so I'll get those up too! Mark

Thanks Hank! It's been a long haul and I can't quite believe it's almost over! Mike has discovered a driveline vibration over 80 (Kmh or Mph he didn't say!) that will need to be sorted before departure. He also said I will be very happy with the power the motor is developing! Too bad we couldn't meet, thanks for the thought though!

Okay all is well! The car is at the bodyshop today for final wet sand and polish, Mike will finish up trim and any last details Fridayand Saturday if necessary, appraiser will be at Whitehead on Monday morning to get a new agreed value for my insurance company and then we're off! Going to take the advice from you guys and head down to the Interstate south of Chicago and then over to South Dakota, Montana and back up into Canada through Glacier Park. One question I have regarding toll Highways, how does a visitor pay the tolls? Is there a cash/credit lane or do I need a pass? Really looking forward to the adventure! I may take my ipad along and post some pictures along the way. Thanks for the route advice from everyone, looking forward to it!

The trooper probably thought it was Jon Voight driving the LeBaron! Thanks for the thought Chris, I'm guessing you didn't see my last post, what are you doing Tuesday? I'm really not sure what's going to happen in the next couple of days, I know Mike doesn't want to hand the car over til he's completely satisfied with it, which of course I can't complain about but I'm kind of committed to coming bacvk next week sooo.... I guess we'll see!

Thanks for the info, that sounds like a great drive! My brother who is accompanying me wants to go south of Chicago and across and I am very tempted! However, a possible wrench in the works has appeared. Mike at Whitehead has informed me that the car will probably NOT be ready to go Monday! AAARRRRGGGGGHHH! The flights are booked! Not happy. I'll update the thread when I know for sure what's happening. Frustrated in Edmonton.

Okay, picures are getting harder to come by as the build is in it's last week! The carbs are set up, interior panels are repainted and in, some electrical issues have been sorted, new aluminum rear drums had to be machined as they were out of round. She still has to go back to the dreaded body shop for a final wet sand and polish, but I will be at Whitehead Monday morning ready to drive the 3500 km's back to Edmonton! It hasn't really sunk in yet, it's been a lot longher than first anticipated! Here she is ready for the first test drive last week I hope to have more pics this week, if not I'll post some from the drive across Canada, and maybe USA! Can't decide what route to take, but I am leaning towaeds Sault St Marie, then cross the border to cross the top of Michigan. I see some of the US highways are listed as toll roads, I assume you pay cash for these? If any one has any suggestions on the route, I'm listening!

Okay a few more pics! AND........ a date to pick her up!Going to fly out to Toronto and pick her up on May11th!!! Cannot wait to drive her back. I am currently looking for a source of track day tape to protect the paint for the drive back . Should have more pics this week!

Finally some more progress pics! Engine is in , no tranny yet. Hoping to have it running and ready for road testing by the end of the month.

Thats funny no matter what language it's in!

I second that! They must have got the development right because I never had to use cardboard on my Zeds, or 510s for that matter, no matter how cold it was!

I think we lost something in translation!

Thanks, I will definitely be out to a meeting!

Figures, I'm working evenings.

I may be misinformed, I haven't really looked into it too seriously yet. I'll look up the Edmonton Z car club, should really become a member I suppose! I still think of the Okanagan as home, even though I've been gone since 1991. The RCEME car show sounds like it was a great event, just my luck that it stops just when I have a car to take! Hopefully it will come back. Look forward to meeting you some where this year! I think Mills Nissan has a show each year...

Ain't that the truth!Best wine in the country comes from the Naramata Bench! I plan to run some autocross in the Zed when I get her back. I think they have events on the parade ground at Griesbach.I started solo events at Orchard Park mall in Kelowna about 1976,before moving up to the hillclimb, man that is a challenging hill! I will follow your restoration thread with interest, it's great you have a place to work on the car yourself! Thanks for your service to our country.

Thanks! I've not updated for a while, mid winter blues I guess! The rebuild is progressing and it looks like I will be able to get back home to Kelowna for the May long weekend! Here are some more pics. Whee, whereabouts in Alberta are you?

Yeah, I'm an Air Traffic Controller and I could not beleive the number of private jets parked on the apron! We had a great time in your town, the night snorkel with Manta rays was incredible! I tend to agree with you about prices on Zeds, I think there are too many around still for prices to go to 50K. Nice to see good ones fetching some decent money, though.

Hey hr369, man you live in a beautiful place! I was driving in traffic on Alii drive when I saw the lime green one, maybe I was mistaken, I did have sunglasses on! Could have been yellow I suppose, what colour is yours?

Now I remember this car! Been away for a couple of weeks in Kona and Iforgot about this one. Yeah there are a lot of inconsistencies in the build.Still the final selling price is interesting. Bart, I think a restored 43 year old car will still feel like a 43 year old car! I'm not sure I want that "worn out" feel! :: Any way, It gives me hope that I would be able to recoup some of my costs in the rebuild/resto that whitehead is doing for me! On another note, I saw a nice lime green Z AND a nice orange one in Kona over the holidays. Both looked to be 73 or older models,I couldn't stop either time. I think one was at Snorkel Bob's in Kona. Belong to anyone here?

Hey does anybody know this car? Looks like the market for good early cars is still on the up! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-Z-Series-WATCH-VIDEO-MUSEUM-QUALITY-COLLECTORS-CONCOURS-NEW-1970-Datsun-240Z-Series-INVESTORS-/281544553219?forcerrptr=true&hash=item418d5cf303&item=281544553219&pt=US_Cars_Trucks

Plans are still undecided. Not sure I want to subject all the nice work to an early spring cross Canada drive! I would like to take her to the Knox Mountain Hillclimb in Kelowna for the Datsun meet.

Some Photos of underbody refresh and shiny suspension! I'm very excited to see her going back together, Mike and the boys look to be doing a great job! The floor pans and support rails look great, they were caved in by a PO jacking the car up in the wrong place. A fairly common mishap I think!

Hey nice write up, I agree with Dennis' comments. There are a couple of other mistakes I noticed, in the common issues section the word functioning is used instead of function "electrical system that does not functioning correctly". Also, one should be "wary of low mileage cars" not "weary" of them! I can't imagine ever being weary of Z cars, low mileage or not! Mark

I had the same colour combo '73 with the added feature of a hole in the floor which would spray the passenger when hitting a puddle!