Kathy & Rick

You must have a lot better buffer than I do! LOLLOLLOL All Z Best,.........................Kathy & Rick

It seems to me that the culprit must be pretty savvy about Datsuns/Nissans generally and Z Cars in particular to have focused on one so pretty and so nicely equipped. Could be a potential clue. Praying for its safe return. All Z Best,................................Kathy & Rick

Hi, Mike, Rick here. Went back and checked things out and sure enough, that area that I had thought was blue paint was just a shadow. The full front view showed it as all white. But the interior keeps on looking blue to me; maybe it is the way this laptop portrays it, or maybe my colorblindness (which I admit to). We didn't have any open door shots or detail shots of the interior to go by. BTW I also considered that there may be a blue tint to a window tinting that may have been done. But I was unaware that 903 blue and 904 white came also with a black in- terior; can't recall ever having seen one! But if I were alert, I should have suspected the same, as our green #171 has a black interior whereas most were tan/brown. In all of the above, thanks for picking me up where memory falls short. I'll get back up to snuff yet, with help from my good Zcar friends like you. Thanks again!! BTW in my 5"x8" card file of different characteristics of Z cars (earliest/latest VIN seen with a particular characteristic), I show the same #965 car as I mentioned in my previous post, as being the EARLIEST I have ever seen WITH a vertical rear window defroster, so that considered, it could be #00998. But as you and I both said, it does seem unlikely. All Z Best,.......................................Kathy & Rick

Hi, Ant, Rick here. I agree with Steve, his was wise counsel. You didn't mention how much you have saved up or what your budget is, so it is a little hard to make a good call. If you are like I was and had to carry a paper route, stock shelves in a grocery store, and work on a farm during the summer while off from school, then you probably have a few hundred stashed away. This will not buy a safe and roadworthy Z Car except in very rare cases, which means you will have to A) wait awhile longer while using Mom and Dad's car or buy some other car to tide you over till you can afford a decent Z. Now if you happen to be a young guy whose father or grandfather just got a multi-million dollar bonus at taxpayer expense, then you should be aiming much higher (even as high as a brand new, loaded, 370Z). But frankly, earning it yourself will help you appreciate it and treat it much more respectfully than if it were given to you. I know it's hard to be patient, but I never got my first car till I was almost 21. As a cadet we weren't allowed to have a car until just before graduation anyway, so that kind of softened the blow. All Z Best,..........................................Kathy & Rick

No, not a late '71, definitely a Series 1 somewhere between late 69 and early 71, with a VIN of about 22000 or less and build date of 1/71 or earlier. The C-pillar 240Z badge shows it to be a Series 1, as do the flow-thru air outlet grilles on the hatch. No issue with the bumpers; the rear has the optional overrider bar (our '70 had front and rear bars installed right on the showroom floor). A relatively popular option back in the day, but I am surprised when a car has the rear bar but not the front, as the front bar was the more important one due to the way the hood protruded over the bumper. The lack of it suggests to me that the car might have gotten popped in the nose at some earlier time and the front bar not replaced. Color code 904 Kilimanjaro White doesn't give us any clue because that color came with a blue interior (which this car seems to have) all the way to the end of '71. Friends of mine with #965 have this color scheme. In one or two of the pictures it looks like the paint in the engine bay is blue. No clue there either because even if the car were repainted white, the Color Code 903 Universal Blue also came with a blue interior. The air cleaners are obvious aftermarket replacements, as is the dual endpipe setup. I agree with you and Lonetree Steve: either there is a digit or two missing in the VIN as shown, such as 19881 (or even as a long shot #11988 or #09880), in which case it COULD be a "71. But this is rather unlikely (see ZHome.com for details). OR if indeed it is #00998, it would have a 1/70 production date, in which case the stipulated 1971 model year would be inaccurate. In any case it doesn't look to be in good shape, and even with a low VIN I think it is overpriced at $1500. We haven't even had an opportunity to check out either the mechanical condition nor the possibility of rust, much less how deep the R/F damage penetrated!!! But if indeed it is #00998, I would rather see it rehabilitated than parted out and the hull scrapped. Just a major personal hangup of mine. All Z Best,....................................Kathy & Rick

Check out Evil C (and his Evil Z) on the CTZCC.com site. He is an engineer who has built his own Z cars and would be a valuable one-on-one resource. Great guy and a personal friend of mine. One of the most cordial people you will ever meet when asked to share his expertise with another. On the CTZCC site you will also find several other highly skilled and exper- ienced technicians. While you are there, join the Club! It's FREE! All Z Best,....................................Kathy & Rick

"Back in the day" (early 70's when Z Clubs were all called 240Z Clubs), one of the clubs I was in had a member 6'10". Bill was a heck of a basketball player but couldn't advance in that career due to weak ankles. When I once asked Bill why a guy his size chose a relatively small car like the 240Z, he answered very succinctly, "because it is one of the few cars I can fit in and stretch out in comfortably." At 5'9" I found it very hard to relate. FWIW, ~Rick~

How about this for a second opinion: 1. Reregister the car with common garden variety antique car plates. 2. Go to Lowe's and get two sets of four of their magnets which are the size and shape of a domino (and are very powerful). 3. Install your repainted license plates in the customary manner. 4. Use one set of four magnets to hold the antique car license plate onto the front license plate, and a second set of four for the rear. 5. Use the antique car license plates when driving the vehicle, then remove both them and the magnets to display the repainted plates when you have arrived at your car show, cruise-in, Z-club meeting, or whatever. Possible conflict: I don't know whether you have to turn in the old plates when obtaining antique plates. Also, I don't know whether CA is a "title state" where the same plates stay with the car for its life. FWIW, ~Rick~

The GRRR in ZGRRRL sounds like a growl; ZGRRRL wouldn't make a bad name for the car if the exhaust system emits that sound!! We've never owned a 2+2, but I have to admit that one really stands out. A real "keeper." The car cover quoted above is an excellent choice, and in fact would be a good first step until you could save enough $$$$$ for a shelter. About $400-500 US for a 12'x20'. "Cover-It" (the brand name) is the best I have found. Ours have lasted for years and being the heavier grade, should continue. Be sure to put down a waterproof tarpaulin on the ground to guard against ground moisture coming up and harming the car from below. And then you could use the nice car cover you already have for protection against dust and cobwebs while inside, or even outside if you need to use the shelter for temporary storage of something else. I don't know how it is in NZ, but here, such a "garage," not being a permanent structure, is not subject to annual property taxes! All Z Best,..........................Kathy & Rick Also at CTZCC.com

Mr. Scanlon and Mr. Forester addressed the "obvious," but I feel moved to suggest something even more so: Are you sure the adapter isn't in the glove box, in one of the tool compartments, in the spare tire well, under the center armrest, or even under one of the seats or under one of the carpets? (That's where I found mine after I had forgotten where I had put it!) :stupid::stupid:

You nailed it, Steve!-- First thing I thought of was, it looks like the River Fording Kits we used to install on wheeled vehicles in the Army! BTW the little gold Sunny pickup got my attention, but the one that really brought back memories was the little gold 1200 (LB-110) hatch- back, complete w/the license plate. That's what I was looking to buy almost 40 years ago after my Bug got T-boned in an intersection. Alas, I had to "settle" for an orange 240Z instead. All Z Best,............................Kathy & Rck

I agree with that "MYTH" assessment. I'll stick my head in the guillotine and hope for the best. Maybe a distinction of terms might help my cause. FACTORY OPTIONS: I would say NONE except for exterior paint color. Even then, back in the day with ZCars being as rare as they were (around 2 per dealer per month) and waiting lists miles, I mean months long, you either (a) took the next car in on the trailer, ( waited a few more months until a Z in your choice of color finally came in, or © got bounced from the list and your deposit refunded for reneging on a car when your "turn" came up. DATSUN COMPETITION DEPARTMENT CATALOGUE: Pretty self-explanatory. You could consider these very pricey, special order, dealer-installed options. EXAMPLES: HD 5-speeds (the only other 5-speed available in the US at the time was from the SRL-311 2-liter roadster); 3.90. 4.11, 4.38 LSD's (limited slip differentials), 800kg clutch assemblies, and the parts to make them work. DATSUN ACCESSORIES CATALOGUE: Other popular options eventually appeared in a catalogue, such as: bumper overrider bars (F&R), floor mats, alloy wheels, a center console armrest, a "parcel bar" (a very practical install for the front edge of the cargo deck to keep your brief case from landing in your lap)! Many of these aftermarket items were also produced by other manufacturers as well. There is a debate about A/C. The first I remember was a kit that came in "a one-ton, 20-cu.ft." box. I thought that that came in in 1972, but others seem to have seen it earlier. One I never noticed but which Carl Beck pointed out on the CTZCC.com site was, of all things, a vinyl roof application!! BTW Carl, are you there? You were in Sales back then; could you please add to these observations or correct those errors where my memory has failed after thirty-plus years? And administrators, if you would like to make this into a separate forum as Mr. Forester suggested, please do so with my blessings. All Z Best,................................Kathy & Rick

I remember seeing, somewhere in the past, a fuel cell that installed in the spare tire well. This would definitely alleviate your exhaust routing dilemma. I'll try to dig around and see if I can find some reference to it; maybe some of you other guys know of it and could come up with it before me. All Z Best,.........................................Kathy & Rick

Kathy and I would love to attend a West Coast Nationals, but as Dave (Zs-ondabrain) said, spending a ton to trailer a Z for a one-day event would be too much to undertake. In our case, on a retirement check. Even if we traded our timeshare time for something near the venue. Maybe the thing to do is next year or the following, try to formulate a plan that takes in about 3 or 4 shows up or down the coast in one trip. In that way we could, more efficiently and economically, meet and interact with many of our Z friends in several places on the other side of the country. All Z Best,...................................Kathy & Rick

Hey Arne, Did the Series II '71's have the diverter on the horn of the air cleaner for the carb pre-heater? I was under the impression that those began with the '72 model year............. ~Rick~

Hi, Bordo30, Rick here. Sounds like a great opportunity which we would like to attend if possible. I'm not sure which two Z Clubs you contacted, NJZCC and White Rose Z Club in York PA would be my guess. I would suggest getting some preliminary planning in place ASAP though, as dates are filling in fast. I know of the following in or near the Northeast and there may be others: May 22-23 East Coast Z Nationals, Carlisle PA June 4-6 BransonZFest, Branson MO June 12 CT ZCC 3rd Annual Show, Middletown CT June 25-27 ZANY Z Adventure 2010, Saratoga Spgs NY June 25-27 Midwest Z Heritage Regionals, Cleveland OH July 9-11 ZCCR All Japanese Car Show, Rochester NY July 28-Aug 1 ZCCA 23rd National ZCar Convention, Nashville TN All Z Best,............................Kathy & Rick

I like your solution, Arne! That will be worth a try at some future time. When I went to Auto Body Repair school under the GI bill back about 1979, the instructors were "old hands" who kept a hairdryer in their tool stash. The heat of a hairdryer is perfect to melt the goop which holds on a bumper sticker, stick-on side moulding, stick-on badge or emblem, and that type of thing, so you can peel it up gradually as you move the heat along. Sort of like welding in reverse. Yet it is not so hot as to damage anything under- neath, paint for example. The residual goop on the surface after you remove the item in question will clean up easily with mineral spirits. All Z Best,................................Rick (and Kathy of course)

Hi, Stephen, Rick here. I hadn't heard of the "30 year rule" in those terms; does that mean that if a vehicle is over 30 years of age it is exempt from emissions testing? Thanks-- ~Rick~

Dave, we haven't seen the '72 yet, but we can't wait to. The way you are progressing it won't be too long; just in time for spring events!! What a technician, what a perfectionist! You can work on ours anytime. What I'm concerned about is that TunedZ (silver) will get envious of RedZ getting all the TLC and attention while she (silver) sits outside in the cold! All Z Best,........................................Kathy & Rick

Hi, Chas, and welcome from another low-VIN seeker. Referring to your XKE, of course; that must be well down there. A friend of ours has and is the original owner of #38 which I believe is a '62, might be a '61. All Z Best,....................................Kathy & Rick

Good post, Aussie (Koalia)!-- Frank, the Membership Director of the CTZCC, budgets $100/month to work on his early '70 240Z. That doesn't sound like much, but when you do a lot of the work yourself and pick up a partZ car "for a song," it goes a long way. His car, which started as something less than beautiful, has evolved into something REALLY nice and getting better all the time. Like you, his wife is not always happy, but a bloke has to prioritize, you know!!! LOLLOLLOL All Z Best,..............................Rick (and Kathy of course)

Me, too, Stephen. Having done something of this nature manually for almost 40 years, I gave MikeW a lot of credit for establishing something a whole lot more efficient and more detailed. I hope it isn't discarded, because it is a really fine "vehicle" for seeing which Z Cars are still alive and where they are. Do you suppose we have a saboteur in our midst? I, too, have had long delays and what I thought was poor response time to inputs in the ZHome register. I talk to Carl from time to time, and on one of those occasions I asked about that; I learned that it is handled by a volun- teer who in recent months hasn't been able to spend the time on it. All Z Best,.........................................Kathy & Rick

I was the purist that disagreed with you and Evil Z, I mean C. But as has been said, it is his car and I would add, his money. Hence his decision. But I do agree with you that there are indeed a handful of Northeast sur- vivors. I could not disagree when our #06289 car is one of them. The furthest she has ever been, by far, is to Raleigh NC when going down to pick up the #00013 car in Aug 76. Other than that she has spent her entire life on the roads of CT, MA, and RI. I should add that the #00171 car was sold in Manchester CT and has not left the state since in her 28700 miles. All Z Best,........................................Kathy & Rick

I was the purist that disagreed with you and Evil Z, I mean C. But as has been said, it is his car and I would add, his money. Hence his decision. But I do agree with you that there are indeed a handful of Northeast sur- vivors. I could not disagree when our #06289 car is one of them. The furthest she has ever been, by far, is to Raleigh NC when going down to pick up the #00013 car in Aug 76. Other than that she has spent her entire life on the roads of CT, MA, and RI. I should add that the #00171 car was sold in Manchester CT and hasn't left the state in her 28700 miles. All Z Best,........................................Kathy & Rick

Not for nothing, Grant, but by the tone of fspell's post it sounds like he is already hooked! LOL Obviously not disparaging your post, I knew that you meant "even more so!" Yo, fspell! You definitely came to the right place! All Z Best,..................................Kathy & Rick