jfa.series1

Here are a couple of shots of my car with skinned bumpers done in body color. I recommend you reconsider welding closed the two join seams. With the seam bolts loose you can more easily fit the bumper up close to the body on the sides and get a really nice fit before getting all the bolts nicely tightened. Jim

Rockauto is always a great starting point, they have an extensive listing for this truck. Be sure to surf the web for your 5% discount code, enter it in the "how did you find us?" box. http://www.rockauto.com/ Jim

And... it is certified to 2.1 g's!!!

Mike, that is a truly awesome yellow car! My tire size selection matches the 25" diameter of the original 175x14's, so - in my case it is probably the lowering that is providing the fill-effect. Jim

+1 on the WELR-N Roadster belts with the 11" extension. Easy install and very comfortable to wear. Frank - no joy on looking up the p/n you supplied. Jim

Here are my Konig Rewinds in a 16" X 7" with BFG g-Force Sport in a 205/55 X 16. My car is lowered with Mulholland springs, so this set-up fills the wheel wells nicely. The open spoke design allows painted calipers to show off. The Rota RB's and Panasports are excellent alternatives for a similar look. Jim

The engine started quickly and ran reasonably well, getting a huge grin from my rebuilder. With slight adjustments to the timing and a few tweaks on the carb mixture, it really smoothed out. Z Therapy rocks for their carb work!!! Jim

Here is my contribution. On the engine stand, those are my original 4-screw carbs, redone by Z Therapy, with emission parts removed, and Nissan factory blue on the block. I cleaned up my valve cover with a very light wet sanding to remove all oxidation but not enough to polish it. I took a buffing wheel and jeweler's polish to the channels on the top of the cover and brought them up to a mirror finish. A Dremel tool was used to get into the crevices around the letters. Oh... Kurbycar32 - pleaZZZe a little respect, these cars are not orange but are wonderful, beautiful, classic 920 Safari Gold. Jim

Looks like a terminology issue here. The cowl is generally thought of as the removable flat metal grill between the hood and windshield. Below it is the plenum area for the wiper motor and mechanism, cowl/plenum drains, and air inlet for the heater system. If I read the original note correctly, it is the plenum area that has some rust, much of which is very hard to get at (agreed!!!). One way to get to the rust is with a long rod tool with the end wrapped in sandpaper, emory cloth, or similar. Mount the rod in a drill motor to reach tough spots. Other long, skinny tools of your design may get to other spots and crevices. After that, a thorough cleaning with POR-15 Marine Clean (or other degreaser) followed by POR-15 Metal Ready (or similar) to kill the rust. Follow with primer and paint of your choice. Short of destroying the firewall and plenum area, it is almost impossible to reach all the small areas with any kind of tools. Hope this helps. Jim

Air ducts are available from MSA, made by a guy right here in the Dallas / Ft. Worth area. These are outstanding repros, I bought a set directly from him as soon as they became available last year. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/LNP03/30-8062 Jim

Back in the 60's I bought a '56 Chevy convertible and decided with no solid top, seatbelts would be good. Got some generic ones at an auto supply, bolted them in, used them religiously. One day two old men ignored a yield sign and crossed the highway in front of me. I locked up the brakes but still smacked them at about 40 mph in the rear quarter. They spun and turned over, came out of their car OK. I had sore hips but no steering wheel impact. Belts have been used consistently ever since and saved me again from injury in a multi-car chain collision some years later. Jim

For 240's and presumably a 260, the FSM is very specific on correct installation of the oil pump: the engine should be at TDC for #1 to get the oil pump shaft properly oriented for the offset on the distributor shaft. Read the book, then proceed. Jim

Suggest you try to find a local Z club and tie in with fellow enthusiasts. Barring that, a local shop that is familiar with these cars. Jim

If it is the original glove box, you may be able to fold it and get it into position from the front. If it is a new box, it will probably be very stiff and may not fold easily (potential damage here!). If new and rigid, the install will be best from the rear. The blower motor will have to come out to provide access room. Been there, done that! Jim

When you do get your replacement parts, be sure to check if you should be double-nutting. That is the stock setup on my car because it is virtually impossible to lock up a single nut when compressing rubber or even poly bushings. Jim

Awesome report Frank - another Series 1 back in the garage. Looking forward to your posts on this "new" beauty now in your care. Jim

POR-15 is VERY viscous - it will run like a rabbit if applied too heavily. A little goes a long way. Be sure to get the instruction sheet and read it thoroughly before getting underway. Jim

Those wheels look to have a pretty good offset. The blocks in the springs may be to keep the body from rubbing on the tires. You will find out as soon you pull them out. Also, check the diameter of the tires - stock is right at 25". If these are much bigger, that could also contribute to body rub. Here is a link to a tire size calculator, plug in your tire specs to check the size. Have fun!!! Jim http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

I have some 3/4" wide X 5/16" thick closed-cell, self-adhesive weatherstrip that I used to replace fender seals and a few other bits. I sliced off a strip about 5/16" wide and used it as a replacement gasket. It fit right in to the channel and looks just like like the original factory seal with nice square edges. Jim

... AND less than 20K miles! Snatch it up someone, quickly!

From one 920 gold to another, this is almost an unbelievable loss. A beautiful car, now just a beautiful memory. Your description of the accident is horrific, glad you are OK. As unintentional as it might be, the crush on the front end is what probably saved you from serious harm. I'm sure the folks at Hagerty have previously entertained all the salvage questions you will come up with and those you might forget to ask. They will likely take good care of you. Jim

Not to hijack this thread, but... comments above regarding insurance valuations should be carefully considered. Conventional insurers (State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, ...etc.) typically look to so-called book values when trying to settle claims. In the absence of a book value for a 35-40 year-old car, they will try to go to local/area sale histories to try for a baseline. If you think your car is worth more than the $1,000 - $1,500 a similar model sold for, you might need to have collector's or antique auto insurance for a guaranteed value. It is no more expensive but usually has a clause preventing daily driver usage. Be cautious of "stated value" or "agreed upon value" contracts, insurers can and do fight these claims if you do not have professional appraisal to back it up. Jim

Excellent checkout! Looks like the mechanicals are OK. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Good luck with the alignment. Jim

As much as I would like to see another Series 1 rescued, I must agree with all the comments above. This car will break your heart and your bankbook. At best, it should be consigned to parts car status before being given a graceful end at the crusher. Keep looking, your project car is still out there. Jim

Super find!!! Thanks for seeing the car's potential and doing something about it. Please take good care of my car's slightly younger brother. If you decide not to keep the car, try to get it into good hands. Keep us updated on your direction. Jim