CaptHamster

@sam280z: Thanks much. Any idea where I could maybe get a rebuilt MC from? If it's not much more than the rebuild kit and not worth the hassle, then that would be awesome. @Unkle: Even though it looks like it, we're not trying to cheap out...the hard balance for us is balancing complete safety and reassurance (which I want before the car drives) and money and sense. I definitely want to know that the car stops before it even rolls (especially considering we live in an extremely hilly area), but neither my friend or I have enough money for a total brake system redo. That's why we're trying to replace what we can afford and see if the rest is salvageable and safe. If it turns out it isn't, we'll replace it. I just want everyone to know we're not these totally oblivious guys trying to get an old Z street racing or drifting or some other stupid crap with nothing but some oil and and new tires. We're not those kind of people, thankfully! @Blue: Thanks much. I really appreciate how super helpful you've been...I've already got all my part numbers and prices ready to go, so thanks a ton!!!

@Blue: Thanks a ton, that REALLY helps point me in the right direction! As for the front brake pads, would pads from a 280 work? On BlackDragon catalog it says pad sets are for 280's, and I just want to make sure they'll still fit. Also, would it be worth getting a front brake caliper repair kit? @FastWoman: Next chance I get I'm going to take a look and see how much lining we still have...I wouldn't bet on too much though. I honestly haven't even glanced at the brakes yet... @sam280z: Thanks for the tips Sam. If this car was to be a daily driver (i.e. no racing, not even really spirited driving) would DOT5 fluid still be advisable? I'd prefer to have the seals last for as long as they can, or at least until we can fully go through the brakes when we have money. Also, what would a master cylinder rebuild involve? I can almost bet there will probably be corrosion inside the brake system. Thanks for the tips everyone, keep 'em coming! We're so close to getting this car driving, I can almost feel it...and getting brakes, tires, etc., will be a huge boost for us!

Hey guys, engine tuning is starting to come to an end, and I'd like to get an idea of what the next step of the project entails...that next step is the whole brake system. I'd prefer if the car was able to stop before it drives! I must point out though, that this car has been sitting, all fluids in it, since about 2000, and I really have no idea what condition the brakes are in. I'm sure the hydraulics are totally shot, and I'm almost positive the brakes themselves are completely shot as well. The catch of the whole thing is, my friend and I are on a super tight budget. That means if we have something already on the car (i.e. the whole brake system) and it's cheaper (but still safe!) to clean up and reuse what's on there, then we'd prefer to do it that way. Now without pretty much any knowledge of brakes...how bad of shape are we going to be in with the brakes on this car? I guess I'd really appreciate some pointers on where to start, what to look for, what to test, what to reuse, what to buy new, etc. The engine has been surprisingly easy to do this whole time, but now I'm worried about what the hydraulics are going to look like. So, ANY kind of help is good help. I'm really not too familiar with brakes and as I said before, I'd prefer to know the car will stop well before we even know it drives! Thanks in advance!

Bumping, as I'm curious as well. I'll be removing the intake and exhaust manifolds soon and would like to know as soon as possible!

A carb retune is definitely in the works anyway. So I'll order some gaskets as soon as I can, I'm sure they're cheap. Now does that mean I can remove the intake manifold with the carbs still attached or do I have to remove the carbs as well? The less we have to take off, the better!

Hey guys! Well, the Z is slowly coming together...no new pics since nothing has changed much but today we did some tuning up, adjusted the timing (which surprisingly wasn't off by all that much!) and syncing up the carbs. Next comes the valve adjustment, but after that, our big project starts... I found and bought a sweet original exhaust manifold (and got a great deal on it too!) from a good guy on the classifieds. So that means we'll be replacing our exhaust manifold...now, I'm not terribly familiar with removing things and how to go about doing that, so I would seriously appreciate some tips or help on how that process would go. I know we'll have to remove the intake manifold, but is that as simple as unhooking fuel lines, unbolting it, and pulling it off? Or do we have to remove the carbs, then the manifold? Also, is the exhaust manifold gasket reusable? Anything else I should consider while that's being done? Any tips and help would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks for the help everyone. So, I'll look into getting that coolant line repaired, and, if it's not worth it, I'll just remove and block it up. As for the emissions crap...I know the old Z's don't have to be inspected but there's still some hesitance on my part to actually remove all that stuff, since actually having that stuff out is sort of a gray area, so I might as well just keep it on there. I did find a used but good condition exhaust manifold with the air pipe attached in the classifieds. Is it worth springing for that? If so, how hard is it to remove the old exhaust manifold? Would I have to remove the intakes/carbs first or could I just weasel my way under there and get it out? Also, does anyone know of a good quality air pump I could buy as well? Used, reman, I don't particularly care...as long as it works and it's cheap! We're college students on a budget and it's my friend's only car so we're trying to spend as little as we can. Thanks for all the help guys!

Hey guys, my friend and I are working on his original 1972 240Z. So far so good, after 12 years of sitting it runs and there don't seem to be any terribly serious problems. Just a couple questions though: 1.) In the cooling system, there appears to be a non-stock pipe that runs through the intake manifolds, and at the left-most point of that pipe (the end towards the front of the car) it appears to be leaking, albeit at a very slow rate. We tried some aluma-seal stuff in the cooling and it seemed to help, and it doesn't seem to be causing a problem, but I'm wondering what its purpose is since I can't seem to find anything about it in the FSM. Is there a way to maybe seal/replace it? 1st pic shows what I'm talking about. 2.) The emissions system on this car, to be honest, is total crap. The air pump is toast and most of the emissions parts aren't even connected that well, if at all. One thing we did find though was what appears to be the air gallery pipe (?) is almost completely rusted through. I looked through the FSM but couldn't quite make out what its function is, despite having fresh air flow through it. How much is a new one of these, along with the air pump and all the emissions junk that goes with it? Unfortunately we live in California and while constant smog inspections aren't really necessary here, smog equipment is still technically required, so it may be easier to just keep all that in place and working. Pics of the air gallery (or what's left of it) are there too. Also, just ordered one of the tuneup videos from ZTherapy, so hopefully soon we'll begin working on timing and carbs and all that. To be honest, I'm amazed this car even runs. Well, that's really all I can think of for now, but I know I'll be back for more in no time. Thanks in advance everyone, I really appreciate the help.

Hi everyone! Reporting in from LA with an all original, 1 owner, numbers matching 1972 240Z. A little backstory first: The car is actually my friend's and I'm helping him get it going again. His grandpa bought the car in 1972 and has owned it ever since. Around 2001 though, he stopped driving it, for a number of reasons, and unfortunately left it to sit and bake in the California sun with ALL the fluids in it. Fast forward to early this year when he tells my friend that if he can fix it up, he can have it. And now, here we are! Everything on the car is original and, despite the almost certain death it faced by baking in the sun, the car runs again! Not very well, mind you, but it does indeed run! Right now my friend and I are just trying to get it safe and driveable, using whatever tools we can find and his driveway as our garage. So, that's it, I guess. we're not looking to race-mod this car or chop it and put a V8 in it...we're working with limited money and trying to keep it as original (and mainly as safe) as possible. So, you'll be seeing a lot more of us. Thanks in advance for all the awesome help I know we'll be getting!