Carl Beck

The actual URL remains the same. The server had a bit of down time, but it's up now. The re-direct is to a new FIOS line. Testing to see if it is actually faster downloading large image files etc. Right now it is a Speed vs. Cost evaluation. On FTP transfers from a client to the host ... the FIOS is instant! The T-1 is pretty price competitive... Before the economic slowdown, the push was to move to an all fiber network across America, but that might be delayed by a few years now. FWIW, Carl B.

Alan: After all these years, I still find it very sad indeed that instead of offering additional information in a manor approaching common courtesy, or conducting additional discussion related to the overall context of the thread, you have to cloak everything in rude comments, snide remarks and personal attacks on my integrity. Perhaps even worse, after all these years, you have still failed to write and publish articles of your own, choosing instead to use your bits and pieces of information to demean others. I also find it sad that not only do you twist almost every discussion to a tangent about Japan, the models sold in Japan, or your limited ability to read/write Japanese; you twist anything written by people to an unintended meaning, with which you can take exception. I'd take you more seriously on this subject if your constantly expressed destain wasn't so boringly repeated. Carl B.

Hi Guys: We may have some confusion related to the application and meanings of some terms here. At least it seemed conflicted to me... maybe others/maybe not. "matching number car means".... is a little too general, because cars manufactured and sold in the US, past some date specified in U.S. law, DO have engine ID's matching the Chassis Numbers. Which explains why many people new to the Z Cars, can get confused about the term "matching number car". I think JimmyZ stated it correctly to begin with, "Z car engine numbers don't match the VIN". "as stamped on the VIN tag" - If a "tag" is a small metal strip affixed to the car, with the VIN stamped into it, then that might be the VIN tag fixed to the Dash on US/Canadian Z Cars. Not all Z's have a "VIN tag". As far as I know, all First Generation Z's have a Model Number Plate, found under the hood. The Model Number Plate has the VIN and original engine serial number stamped into it. The VIN contains both the Model Information and the chassis serial number. The VIN is stamped into the firewall. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rob: That's your decision. Now print your words out in large print, past them up on your wall - so you can see them every day. If you do that, five years from now you'll understand why it was suggested. That might be your second mistake. As John/Wick and most of us wil tell you - NEVER throw out anything, until the car is completely DONE. Like John said, I have a hard time throwing anything out. If I don't need it later for another refresh/restoration, then it's a pattern or perhaps a picture that someone else will need. Perhaps two of the most critical attributes that are present in any successful project are determination and patience. Knowledge and experience will follow. For many of us, the pleasure in restoring a classic car is found in the process itself, far more than in having the car done. Stick to it as long as you enjoy the process. We all wish you the best of luck, and as eveyone has said we'll be more than glad to help. I hope your following this thread. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=25483 FWIW, Carl B.

Great story Steve - keep it coming.... doglegs and corrosion holes on the rear threshold above the tail pipe is typical, even for almost rust free 240-Z's FWIW, Carl B.

Steve: Details, details - how many miles were on the car to start with? How many dollars is "low budget"? How much was the paint/body work? How many hours did you spend on the car? Was he missing the stainless around the hatch glass?.... The two pictures look like the car came out fine.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rob: My best advice is - let your Grandfather keep the car. You save up about $6,000.00 to $8,000.00 in cash, then go buy the best condition 240-Z that you can find. That should be a car that is running fine and looking very presentable. Drive that one for a year, learn how to R&R all the small things, find out how much all the small things cost in terms of dollars and your time. While you are doing the above - save up another $10,000.00 before you start a restoration or refresh on your Grandfathers car. With $10K cash in hand, a garage large enough to work in and a far better basic knowledge of the 240-Z - - then start on Grandfather's 240-Z. If you start on that car now - it is very likely that three or four years from now - it will be an uncompleted project sold for pennies on the dollar, or sold off for parts. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Steve: Isn't it great to have someone to share your hobby with? Glliw: Is that a 69 Cougar Eliminator in the background of the picture of your Z? FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Bob: Sorry to hear your having too much fun with this.:stupid: If you attempt to set the engine up using the approach ozconnection outlined - I'd suggest that you remove the rocker arms before you crank the engine over, until the bright links on the chain align with all the other criteria. Just a little insurance that you do no harm, and it is easy to be link off, so you'll want to verify before you close everything up. But let's back up a bit - How many miles are on that engine? If the engine hasn't been rebuilt in the last 5 years or more - You may have an unexpected, perhaps unwelcome, opportunity to replace an aging front main seal, timing cover seal, replace the timing chain tensioner with one that will not pop out the next time, and perhaps replace well worn chain guides. How old is that water pump anyway? Removing the front cover does offer the possibility of twisting off more rusted bolts that run through the water pump.... on the other hand better to do it now, than later. I would guess that you removed, or had removed all the studs on the head while you were at it, and replaced them with new ones. 39 year old studs thermo cycled with engine temps, do suffer from metal fatigue, and their protective Cad. plating is usually gone as well. No sense twisting them off if you have to remove the manifolds at some point in the future. (pay attention to the lengths of the studs protruding from the head - as I recall there are a couple different lengths at different points) FWIW, Carl B.

You'll get to see it DougROFL FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Arne: I think it is valid to compare a #2 and #3 Condition car, because regardless of who buys them - everone seems to be interested in the selling prices of any/all 240-Z's. I was only trying to briefly address the reasons for the price gap when you jump from one level to the next. Well, if one had acted soon enough - maybe here: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=274002&postcount=1 Don't we see cars like this in the $8K to $12K range quite often? At $20K (or even at $16K) wouldn't have #48 at $21K made a lot more sense? I think the real question is - do you pay $6K, $12K or $16K for a #3 car to drive. When you get up to $18K-$20K are you really wishing to have a Driver - or do you want to drive a show car. For $21K I'd have taken #48 every time. Everyone has to answer that for themselves I guess. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Stephan: That's OK - we don't have to agree. We can state our case and everyone can decide for themselves. then: I'm not sure at this point just what we disagree on. First you seem to be saying what without the SAP - it isn't a BPE. Which I disagree with, as do most owners on the Black Pearl Register. But then in your second Post you seem to now be saying that the term "Edition" or "Limited Edition" doesn't apply, because Nissan didn't call it a limited edition. Edition, limited or not - A Black Pearl 280Z doesn't need the SAP to be a Black Pearl. FWIW, Carl B.

Nissan not only built it - they charged extra for it, and they built a limited number of them. Each Authorized Dealer was supposed to get at least ONE. Black Pearl Edition - is really shorthand for Black Pearl Limited Edition. Did your Window Sticker list " Blue Metallic Paint" as an extra cost item Listed on the Window Sticker under the heading "Equipment and Accessories Installed by The Manufacturer"? Or like all the other colors that year, is it simply listed under "Color" at the left of the window sticker? Do you have a copy of the Dealer Sheet - introducing a special "Blue Metallic 280Z"? Did each Dealer receive only a very limited number of Blue Metallic 280Z's? As anyone can see from the Dealer Sheet you pictured - the Sports Appearance Package, was only available on the Black Pearl Metallic Paint - and it was an additional cost option over and above the Black Pearl Edition. It is not the SAP that makes the car a Black Pearl Edition - Paying for the extra cost Black Pearl Paint Job, and the limited number produced - made the Black Pearl 280Z a special Limited Edition, which was additionally eligible to be equipped with the SAP. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes - if it has 638 paint code - it is a Black Pearl. The Racing Mirrors, Shade Kit and pin striping were part of the optional/additional Sports Appearance Package. FWIW, Carl B.

The 73 is now at $17K.... FWIW, Carl B.

Several thoughts come to mind. 1. I love the blue...but the repaint looks about four shades too light from the original 901. 2. I wonder just how good that repaint was - what is the actual quality of the job? You'd have to see it in person. (over-spray on the front tow hook is not encouraging however -it should have been either mask off, or removed - and the seller provides no pictures of the front of the undercarriage... humm). 3. I wonder just how many hours the owner or previous owner spent detailing the car. The engine compartment looks amazingly clean and has no doubt been "refreshed". Likewise - the chrome strips on the doors... 4. The undercarriage looks like it was subjected to the usual Dealer Installed Undercoating.. but it also looks like they did an exceptionally neat job. I think it was very "well bought" - on the other hand how much do you pay today for a very clean #3 condition car? I think top money for me would have been $18K. Get much past that and you might as well go for a #2 condition car. On the other hand, if you paid $18K for one out of the West Coast, it would cost you another $2K to get is shipped to the East Coast.... Given the present economy I'd say that both the Buyer and Seller did OK... maybe the buyer got a good deal, but that's what it takes today to sell in that market segment... <pre> Based Strictly On The Pictures Provided: A #2 Condition Car This #3 Condition Car D-Hub Caps Wrong hub caps - $500.00 to $1000.00 Correct Yellow Cad. Parts Dulled gray items -$1500.00 to $2,500.00 High quality paint good quality job - $6,000.00+ Stock Outside Rear View Mirror Datsun Racing Mirrors - $500.00 Stock Bumpers/Rubbers Dealer Front Bumper Bar -$250.00 Things like that are what make some of the difference between a #2 and #3 car. </pre> Notes: No close-up / detailed pictures of the rear deck threshold plate. No close-up /detailed pictures of the rear wheel arches and dog-legs Over-spray on the front tow hook (questions about the quality of the repaint) If I wanted a Blue/Blue 71 - If the car is as represented - I wouldn't be afraid to pay $18K to $20K if I had too. Of course I'd rather start out at $16K and leave a little room to correct any minor flaws that bugged me.... From the sellers perspective - $16K today is better than a "hoped for" $18K next month or next year. BTW - 5 years ago, this would have been a $4,500.00 to $6,500.00 240-Z. FWIW, Carl B.

and we wonder why all our skilled labor jobs are going out the country..

Hi Adam: Good to see you here. I don't think anyone was offended, we're big boys and if we feel offended we can act like little boys in a hurry. So far everyone has been pretty civil. "No Good Deed Goes Unpunished." As discussed in a previous Post - that word "original", like many others, is defined in the minds of different buyers, to mean different things. When everyone is being perfectly honest in their use of the term, we all have to realize that there can be a wide gap in the mental images two different types of buyers can form in their minds. Clear detailed pictures help to reduce that gap between mental images in different people's minds mentioned above. In todays world of digital communications, dirt cheap high quality digital cameras, and the ability to easily share those images with a million or more people - they are simply indispensable to good communications - IMHO. There are many free Photo Hosting Services on the Internet, where high resolution, very detailed images can be placed - then all you have to do is include the URL needed to display them on the World Wide Web. Spend the time up-front, publish the pictures on-line and then include the URL within any Ad. for the car - and anyone can avoid the situation you describe. When anyone is selling an item on a National, or indeed International basis - the above effort becomes critical to get serious buyers motivated to come in person, to inspect and possibly buy the car. Here again, I wasn't attempting to set my definition of "original", so much as to show how different types of buyers use the term, and how wide the gap in their various definitions can be. Every group of people that share a common interest seem to have their own vernacular and even then, there is always farther discussion about how members in that group are defining common terms. That is really a major advantage to "Discussion Forums" like this one. Just for those following the thread - most of us usually refer to a car like this as "an unmolested, low mileage and mostly stock example". We might also refer to it as a solid #3 condition car, ready to drive and enjoy on the weekends. Then we could all argue about those statements as well!! It's a hobby... I also want to remind everyone that this tread was started at the first of this year - and I believe all of us are now realizing that very clean, low mileage, stock and mostly original, unmolested examples have gained in value this year - as they become ever harder to find. I also believe that most of us realize the location of the car has a direct impact on its selling price - Z's on the West Coast sell for thousands less, than Z's in the North East, or indeed East of the Mississippi. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Doug: As you can see in the attached picture of the 73 - this car did have the Dealer Emission Modifications completed. The mechanics marked different area's as various levels of the Modifications Plus Program was completed on each car. So this car could have had the splash pan installed by the Dealer. Likewise we can look at the Fuse Box and see if the car has the Dealer Installed electric fuel pump wire/fuse holder, or if it had the Factory Installed items. I doubt that the owner let the car sit outside -but I do not doubt it sat in a non-dehumidified, non-air conditioned garage. Even with 6K miles, you can see that the thermo cycles and atmospher have taken their toll on the Yellow Cad. Plated parts. The braided hoses have also grayed with age. So then the next question is: Should the new owner spend the time to detail the engine compartment, have the Yellow Cad. Plating restored, redye the braided hoses etc.... or leave them all as is? I included a picture of a 78 engine compatment - from a car with less than 700 miles, that was stored properly in a dehumidified and air conditioned storage area, just as an exampe of how the Yellow Cad. parts etc. should look. FWIW, Carl B. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Tim: Thanks - I ordered a few extra Classic Motorsports Calanders from the on-line store. Found them listed under "Merchandise" in the Store.. FWIW, Carl B.

The Silver 73 is at $16K now... it's about half way there. This will be somewhat like the 63 Tempest that was at $96K a minute before the closing bid - - and in the last minute it hit ....what was it $226,000.00. We won't know what this car will bring, until the final bids come in at the last minute of the auction. astock/Jim, you are greatly underestimating the value of clear, detailed pictures of this car. Remote buyers have ONLY the pictures to base the value of the car on... Without complete photo documentation prospective buyers have to price in a lot of risk... and lower their upper limits greatly. If you can't post the pictures on E-Bay, post them here. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: That is very encouraging indeed. Far better than paying $1400.00 for a NOS set!!! Did the company you delt with - explain the process they used? thanks for the update, Carl B.

Hi Arne: Chris reports 40300-E4200 as a 5.5" magnesium wheel for the PS30 Alan reports 40300-E4200 as a steel wheel in the HS30 Sports Option Catalog. Isn't that two different wheels for the same part number, rather than two different part numbers for the same wheel? 40300-E4600 seems to be consistantly reported as 5.5" steel. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ron: I've been working on a couple of different Z Posters - just haven't had the time to devote to getting them done. I haven't seen what picture they used, but I'm sure it was one of Mr. Brock's. So I'll have to see if we can work something out on the Copyright... I bought a coply of Adobe Illustrator about six months ago, and I'm still trying to learn now to use it to layout a 2'x3' size print. It does so much, it's hard to figure out how to use it to do something simple!!

Hi James: Do you have any pictures of HS30 00352 that you can Post. Thanks, Carl B.