lbpdz

Patience is the key - I got my 71 that way for free. Shy of missing seats, carpets door panels, and passenger side window and regulator, its a complete, numbers matching runner. It was going to be painted sometime this year, however with a recent cut in pay/benefits at work, it has changed into a very DETAILED project. I start at the back this weekend and start working my way forward.

might talk to the folks over at hybrid z.. 390 fully dressed is awfully wide from what I can remember, and you may end up doing a lot of the fab work yourself for mounts, etc.. Oh, and the differential will most likely hold up if it's in good shape..

Great car/find - I hope my next one will be a low vin series 1, but got to get further along with it than I am..

Welcome! Does your ride have a 71 console?

Great looking site - but please post here as well I can be reminded to catch the updates.

So you are another lucky person who got your hands on a rust free California, low mile export car? Hopefully one day, people will start to properly represent what they are selling. Everyone is thankful though for people like yourself who don't give up on on these shells and bring them back to life.. Welcome

Welcome, it's great to see other people on here who enjoy our rides...

if it persists, check to see if the distributor is getting "sticky".. I've had that happen

brakes are always fun.. If it were me, I would disconnect the hard lines at the back and front and try to blow air through them.. If you have rust though, there is a good chance your lines and wheel cylinders are shot. Time to unhook each of them and inspect.. When in doubt though, seek the advice of a professional. Brakes are too important to half a**

I like the Fairlady emblem - From the horror stories I have stopped the Fram filters (although I have never actually heard or or seen one that has actually failed).. Great looking ride though.. What were the hardest parts of the rebuild?

Thanks Carl, I would have thought they would be sequential (or at least in some way sequential).. Still love the cars, and although they are becoming "collectables" I love mine for the memories they have brought and will bring - which makes them priceless. Too bad (but good) there aren't so few we can't get all of the data together

Didn't Paul Newman do that?

Thanks Carl - Wouldn't surprise me if there was a swap in that one. I am still confused on the model/year stuff in the registry.. Based on equipment, etc my 71 is a 71 (ashtray, window glass, carbs etc) and 920 wasn't available in 72 if I am correct..

check the plastic cup/ball joints for wear/debris/cracks too..

If you have the small tools, and the patience, they are not super difficult to take apart and re-key if you have the working pins already. You just swap the pins out in the same order from one cylinder to the next. I wouldnt attempt it on an ignition set, but doors and hatch are pretty easy. When I was doing rekeys on vw stuff, I used to hit the wrecking yards and disassemble locks all day just to get the keyways (little brass cards that slide up and down/fit the key to the tumbler). Most modern one I did was my 97 Altima trunk a few years back.. worked the same as the Z locks from 30 years ago..

ok - after reading all of this, and looking at the online registry - I am totally confused.. My 1971 is HLS30-42662 with Production Date of 9/71, Block L24 -54474 My 1972 is HLS30-94792 with Production Date of 7/72, Block L24 -176715 None of these numbers seem to make sense to me, as my 71's closest relative on the registry is a production date of 02/72 (and it AINT a 72, no way shape or form). My 72's closest relative on the registry is 73 with a production date of 7/73. Am I doing something really wrong here in looking over both my numbers, titles, dash and door plates?

I fill mine with a syringe (model plane hobby stores sell them) that way I can get the same amount in each one before the fun of balancing.

I have to also agree with the 195/70 x 14. I have ran that size for years on mine and love the look. His rims look to be American brand wheels, which were aluminum and shine up great. What you have pictured look to be the Shelby brand "Cal-500" which have aluminum and magnesium as their makeup. The Shelby wheels have machining grooves around the entire wheel. From my experience you can polish up the Shelby and similar to a great shine, but you will lose the machining lines in the process. Just go after them with a little Mothers and some #00 steel wool. They will look great. Oh, then mount the 195/70 x 14 tires on it too..

10 coats? From an HVLP gun?? The results look great, thats for sure. It just seems like that would be a ton of material thrown down. Did you go with single stage? Did you shoot right over primer, or did you toss up a tinted sealer of some sort? Sorry to ask so many questions, but I plan on redoing my 920 car also, and like most 920 people I am really sensitive about making sure the tint comes out correctly. You would think with all of the tech advancements we would be able to match a color. I'm still a long way from paint, so I guess I am lucky to be able to learn from other peoples frustrations.

I am closer to Fresno (between Fresno and San Jose). I do plan on a repaint, but want to keep it in 920. I have been reading up here on what a nightmare it is to get that color correctly mixed. Its been a few years, but I will most likely paint it myself (I have access to a fairly new booth). I want to figure out who will have the closest mix then use those products for my prime/seal.

looks great and good work getting it fired again.. It's always cool to see a 240 come back to life

Thanks for the welcomes.. I will be posting updates as I continue work on the 71. It will be a slow process, the 71 will belong to my daughter when it gets "almost done"

Hello all - I am a longtime lurker here, and finally decided to join up.. I am gearing up to start on my 71, and thought I would get some input from anyone who wanted to participate in the thread where to start on this car. I picked up the car about a year ago. It has not ran in about 15 years. One day, it wouldn't start and after several shadetree mechanic attempts it just ended up sitting until I picked it up. During that time, parts of the car were gutted ("I'm going to restore it" syndrome), so the seats, console and carpets are gone, as well as the heater control bezel. Still had the correct ashtray in it, along with new ball joints and several pieces of fuel line. So far, I have pulled the tank to see how bad it was and found it to be clean as a whistle. The only rust I have identified is under the left side of the hatch. Rockers, frame rails and floor all look to be in great shape...

Greetings - Owner of a 71 and 72. Pics coming soon. 71 needs tons of work, 72 is pretty close to being done (are they ever really finished?)

at least your interior is more complete than mine =P