GTZ V8

They made a little more progress, the front end is done except for the turn signal lights. They painted the rear tail light surround but it looks a little light to me. The rubber fuel filler tube is so hard that they couldn't remove it from the old rear clip so I ordered a new one.

Big surprise today when I went to look at the car, it's been painted:D. They did lift the rubber around the windshield and back glass so paint could get under the seals. They tell me that they should about have it back together by friday...can't wait to see it in one piece again...7 months has been along time.

The body shop finished putting the rear suspension back together and it is rolling again Now the body man is finishing up the bondo work and should be primed by friday...so glad to see the car back in one piece and the end is in sight.

The shop is Hernandez Auto Collision Center in Hinesville, Ga. 912-369-6398, talk to Kristine. They have the front half of the chassis you need in perfect shape, even if you don't have them repair your car, I'm sure they would be willing to let you have the left over chassis fairly cheap and it would fit on a small trailer or a full size pickup if you wanted to transport yourself. Gary

I thought the same thing about just replacing the quarter panel but the floor pan and frame rail was bent to bad . They tried to pull it out but didn't have any luck. The body is square according to what the frame machine laser align computer read out shows. so hopefully it will be okay. This car was always garage kept since the day it was new and still had the original paint and interior with no rips or tears, the dash is still perfect with no cracks...only 112K original miles. The car appraised at 24K and the estimate to repair is at 11K so it is cheaper for the insurance co. to fix. In the pictures you can see how the floor pan is wrinkled.

The body shop has had my car for 7 months today and still another month they say. The only thing that saved this car from the scrap pile was having an appraisal to show the value. The long story short was we were sitting at a red light for almost 45 seconds or better and we heard screaching tires and bam, he told the cop I only looked down for a second...I bet he was texting:finger:. The hardest part was trying to find a useable donor without any rust for parts and after a 3 month search a suitable donor was located thanks to our very own hls30.com, much appreciated . The pictures show the before and how it is today, another week and should be ready for some paint .

In 1970 this Z was bought new in California by my father and it was love at first sight. The dealership only had 1 on the lot at the time and everyone interested had to get on a waiting list, we were #8 and had to wait 3 months. The picture with the long haired kid is me in 1974 after I got to drive it for the first time and I remember telling my dad that I wanted this car when he was ready to get rid of it. I didn't realize I would have to wait 42 years. The next picture is the beginning of it's trip to Georgia, had to be loaded on a rollback and taken 75 miles where it was transfered to an enclosed auto hauler. So 2 weeks later I get a call at 1:00 in the morning from the driver asking me to meet him at a store parking lot a few miles from the house and to come get my car. I was a little worried about driving it as it had not been driven in over 4 years but made it home with no problems. Next picure is after it had a bath and the front spoiler was re-installed, interior and under the hood, oh yeah in early 1980 my dad and I installed a LT1 and a borg warner super T10 trans. After having the car for a few months and only the 12th time driving it horror struck, some stupid idiot rear ended us, he told the policeman that he only looked down for a second and couldn't stop in time (i think he was texting). The next pictures are the damage and I can't tell you enough to have an appraisal on your car so you have some ammo to fight the insurance co. with, that is the only reason my car is getting repaired. Next picture is the donor for the rear clip and the last picture is where the progress on the car is now. It has been 4 months since the accident and hopefully will be done by Thanksgiving. Regards, Gary

To each his own !

The engine swap was done using the Scarab kit, Borg Warner super T10 tranny, The suspension with stiffer/lowered spring from Datsun performance parts as well as quick steering knuckles, sway bars and quad piston frt calipers. Shocks/strut cartridges are Koni adjustables and a custom made drive shaft, still running the original rear gear. Regards, Gary

Yes I know this as the original ET slotted mags that were a dealer option also. Regards, Gary

Zness to me is in the eye of the owner. The shape of the body and the handling is what sold me on the car not what was under the hood. Yes the sound of that inline 6 is awesome but when you are driving at 3000 to 4000 ft above see level and you pull out to pass and the car won't go because it is gasping for air is a big disappointment, these cars were made for the twisty's and mine has logged many a mile in the mountains of California before making it's journey to Georgia. I to like 72OJ have a LT1 under the hood and would not trade it, I tryed to keep mine period correct with the year of the car and retained the original altenator and a/c compressor with only slight wiring modifications. Regards, Gary