herbsteiner

Wow, Inf... tough luck! I used to live right there near that intersection, in fact. We were at School House Rd. and Split Rail Pkwy. Kevin Leblanc and Ed Kelly work at Austin Z Clinic and they're pretty serious Z restorers, and they're on Roxie Dr., real close to Anderson Mill. Not inexpensive, but serious.

1. Fix the little annoying leaks, up top and below; specifically, the oil pan gasket, the windshield molding, and the hatch molding. 2. Install new shocks. 3. Get the thing painted.

As my fishin' partner said to me "I got a sweater for Christmas. I would've liked a moaner or a screamer, but I got a sweater." But as for us, the wife got me a DashMat for the 240, and a DashMat for the GMC Envoy. Also a 2-DVD set of "Comanche Moon," which is the prequel to "Lonesome Dove" (also written by Larry McMurtry). I went overboard on our self-imposed $100 spending limit on gifts for each other by getting her some books, some tack stuff for her horse, and a $400 set of gold earrings. She's seen me put a ton of dough into the Zed this fall and not only never said a word, but encouraged me to do it. I love that gal.

Bonzi Thanks for the info on the SEM leather dye. I too have a '73 with off-white interior, and I know what you mean about the MSA rivets being a tad too dark. I also have some discoloration on my tranny tunnel vinyl that needs addressing as well. Eric, hope you and the family are having a great Christmas up there in KY!

Going Christmas shopping today, I stopped at a place on the highway near my home that specializes in Texas stuff to get some last minute presents. The store happens to be next door to Classic Jaguar Automotive, which as you might tell from the name of the business, handles only vintage and classic Jags. Most often seen there are impeccable XK-E types of the total-drool variety. Big dollar cars, serious restorations. Anyway, I pull into the parking space that separates the two businesses as two mechanics were doing the final tweaking on a totally gorgeous red convertible Jag just outside their garage door. They wave me over and I come by to compliment them on the two beauties they have outside. They said "hey, we were admiring YOUR ride, dude. You don't see too many old 240's like that running around. If you ever decide to part with it..." I smiled to myself, knowing that guys working every day on mega-bucks cars still realize what vehicles have maintained their cool and their hipness over the years, regardless.

I'd be up for meeting some other Z-heads. Kevin at Austin Z-Clinic should be done with my ride by the end of the week, hopefully. I live near Dripping Springs.

There's an excellent suggestion, which is why I consider the first gen. Miata to be an if-not-now-then-soon "classic" car. Perhaps "milestone" is a more appropriate adjective.

I think much of what defines a "classic,"... be it a car, a guitar, a fountain pen, wristwatch, or whatever..., is that a great number of people all agree that it's "classic" for whatever personal criteria they may decide upon. Not the least of which is nostalgia for a particular period of time of their lives in which the entry of that item coincided. The S30 Z marked Japan's entry into the competitive sports car market in the USA, with a new design aimed at the American market. It remained a simple but elegant design. Adding amenities made the vehicle more popular with folks who wanted those things, but the pureness of the original design was compromised. Like the 64 1/2 Mustang, the 67 Camaro, and yes, the Pinto (I had one, a real POS, but a "classic" POS nonetheless.) I'd include the first generation Miata as a more recent example.

Eric Actually, Billy's trying to sell his white '72 on Craigslist. He wants 6500 for it. It's got a real nice paint job, and the interior needs some work.

Cozeye, baby! Both Billy and I are anxious to see your sweetheart with the bumpers you got from us. Will be a mucho-fun car, fer sure! A big Texas congrats to ya, Eric. Herb

In my 73, the top lever on the heater control panel, labeled "Air," controls the flap on the blower box, and that slot is marked "Off - Vent - Heat." The second lever is labeled "Temp" (Cold - Hot), and the third lever is "Def" (Def - Floor) Is this the same as yours, E ?

I was given a full dash cover as part of the deal when I bought my '73. Question 1: do I need to remove the steering wheel to get the thing on the dash for a trial fit? Question 2: Is a special tool needed to pull the steering wheel? I want to repaint the metal and refinish the rosewood if I get the wheel off.

Greetings to the Forum. My Z is a '73 240, all stock inside/out with original 3spd. automatic (drinking coffee while driving to work is impossible with a manual... as I've learned from personal experience. ), 119K original miles. A very fun ride, indeed. I'm looking forward to learning more about the vehicle and the culture from the Forum, since this is my first fun car.