Carl Beck

And a Great Story it is - thanks for sharing it with us Mason. Carl B.

Wow.. just jump right in and start spending money on improvements and upgrades!! No sense in putting it off, we all seem to wind up doing that anyway - As others have said - more pictures - and give us the full story about why a 240Z, when you started looking and why this one etc... oh yes and give us the VIN.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gary: Thanks for letting us know. That is very sad news indeed. So young too... I think everyone has pretty much said it - a great guy to have in any group. Courteous, thoughtful, intelligent and always willing to help others. Always told it like it was. I enjoyed our discussions, because that is what they always were. Discussion with communications flowing both ways and always respectful of differing views. RIP "E"... I hope Gary can convey our condolences and thoughts to E's family. Carl B.

That is exactly the item I was thinking of - when you described yours. I recall them being sold in the late 50's and early 60's. At least now you know you have a "collectible" - and not just junk. FWIW Carl B.

You can't shift a 4 speed into 5 gear.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Devin - PM sent. Carl B.

The fire extinguisher might be a "collectible" from 74 or earlier - but wouldn't be worth as much once "buffed". Check EBay to see there are items of like size/conditon/age.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Bart: The antenna is not original, nor are the bumpers. Carl B.

As the Seller States: "I have done various things to bring it to a restored driver condition vehicle." I think that may be a very concise summary. Sounds like he took a very nice car and "refreshed" it without spending a ton of money. Now it's ready to drive and enjoy. We might look at this as a 240Z that has been preserved.. One that could be driven for the next 5 or 10 years, and if cared for could be the basis for a future full restoration. Bought for $12K or less it might be a bargain. At $12-14K it would might still be a reasonable car at a reasonable price. The paint and body work that is somewhat below "show" quality may hold the selling price below $15K. FWIW, Carl B.

As I recall - most were installed over the rubber for 70-72, but as others have said they could have been done either way. Then a Technical Service Bulletin directed that the bar be bolted directly to the guards with the rubber in place for 73. The 73 Guards were larger and spaced differently than the 70-72 guards. It seems important for 73 that the bar be installed parallel to the ground.. TS73-76 FWIW, Carl B.

Documented there but I believe incorrectly. 1970 & 71 240Z's used the E31 Head - That shows E31 on the 70 only. 1972 Used the E88 and 1973 Used E88 - but they have different combustion chamber shapes. The E31 is not uncommon - it was used on at least 42,000 240Z's in 70 and 71. The first E88's did come on a few 1971 240Z's at the end of the production run - but they still had the 42.4 cc combustion chambers. The E88's that came on the 72 240Z's had 44.7cc combustion chambers of the same design. The E88's that came on the 73 240Z's had redesigned combustion chambers with 47.8 cc volume. They were redesigned for emissions - and they actually had a high or raised quench area - good for emissions not good for performance. The E88 that came on the L26 had the same combustion chamber design as the 73, only it came with a larger Exhaust valve 35 mm vs 33 mm People Like the N42 - because the combustion chamber design is the same design as the E31 and 72 E88. It has the same silicon/bronze valve seats as the E31 & E88 {none ever had soft brass}. The N42 has a 44.6cc combustion chamber volume - where the E31/E88 had 42.4 cc's and 44.7 cc's. The N42 had larger Intake and Exhaust valves than the E31 or early E88's - N42 44/35 vs E31/E88 42/33 People also like the N42 because it is a direct bolt on replacement for the E31/E88's - and offers the larger valves. FWIW, Carl B.

Good idea - Also keep the trim matched with the same panel. They are ever so slightly different and go on much easier if put back on the panel they came off of. I start in the lower left corner - and put the corner in, then continue on around making sure the corners are fully seated as you go. If you are lucky, the two ends will match up at the bottom in the center. I use a small rubber mallet to seat them fully in the corners. FWIW, Carl B.

Not a "complete" set until you include the single hole units -that hold the fuel vapor line on the Left Frame Rail and Brake Lines on both Frame Rails. You can see most of them here: 1973 240Z. Kelly W's Z Restoration FWIW, Carl B.

Yes - you can take them off. They are just "pinched" on. However getting them off and then back on without bending "kinks" into them takes a bit of trial and error. FWIW, Carl B.

Yeiks!! They look like Ohio Rust Holes!! Had them on my 57 Pontiac when I lived in Ashland, Ohio 1963. Then they showed up again on my beautiful 1955 Thunderbird, about five years after I brought it back to Columbus, Ohio from L.A. I wonder if all that white stuff in the pictures could be SALT!! Most likely way past the warranty period too. Any way you look at it - that is a bummer. On the other hand it might present a new opportunity for ZedFindings. Seriously - sorry to see that. Carl B.

Normally you follow the directions included in a Kit. However it is not unusual to see them mounted in the top Radiator Hose. Just past the thermostat housing. The thin wire attached to it, won't prevent the hose from sealing around the thermostat gooseneck. FWIW, Carl B.

The original head was cast with E-31 on it. FWIW, Carl B.

The Cowl Cover is attached with small philips head screws. FWIW, Carl B.

Who would one get such a "Certification" from? At car shows that have a Survivor Class - one might get a Blue Ribbon or 1st Place trophy. But Certification? On the subject of market prices - near perfect original's will bring as much or more than a near perfect restoration. When the condition is somewhat less than near perfect - then the values are far harder to pin down. Each less than near perfect car has to be judged by itself by both the buyer and seller.. What I see is that most serious Collectors - are very very nit-picky. They will pay top dollar for perfection - and any imperfection drives them crazy. When they get a slightly less than perfect "survivor" - its imperfections can't be tolerated for long. So they wind up correcting the imperfections.. and then they no longer have a "survivor". The buyers that will appreciate a less then perfect "survivor" and who will leave them as they are, imperfections and all - aren't the buyers that will spend insane money. Matter of fact they don't like to spend much more than average money. LIke almost any item that become collectible - Condition is everything. FWIW, Carl B.

Don't know if you intended to eliminate the sun roof or not - but here is a very good Thread related to replacing the roof to eliminate a sun roof. Sounds like you have a good doner http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/body-paint-s30/30409-successful-skin-graft-roof-skin.html FWIW, Carl B.

Pretty rare model and looks like it has been very nicely done. Of total Z production 1970 through 73 maybe less than 6% were HS30's. Less than half the cost of properly restoring one. $35K seems like a reasonable asking price if the overall quality checks out. A few minor details like holes cut in the door panels for speakers, the plating on fuel/brake lines needs refreshing etc.. but over-all a 240Z anyone would be proud to own. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: Wondered what happened there. Here are some pictures of the trailer. Standard features can be viewed at: Freedom Trailers|Trailers My trailer had the standard features plus V-Nose and Ramp Door w/Flap. I bought the V-Nose because that is what was delivered to Tampa. I'm not sure it is any better towing, but I do like the extra room. The Ramp Door with flap flips out when the ramp is down, and give you a little extension that sits lower to the ground. - simply makes pulling the car slowly up on the loading ramp easier. The full width fold down rear/ramp makes loading the car far easier than using individual ramps for the tires on Open Trailers. Pictured below - the trailer hooked up to my Chevy 2500HD. I've towed the same trailer with a Chevy 1500 and GMC Yukon XL. It's not much weight as trailers go - even with the Z loaded the total is less than 6000 lbs. So relatively light duty for any of them. Nonetheless - using the 2500HD makes for an easier and more relaxed drive. The extra weight of the truck plus the longer wheel base just makes the rig far more stable at speed and/or in cross winds. Fuel mileage was about the same using any of them - 9 to 10 mpg at 70-75mph. Pictured below - this is the Weight Distribution Trailer Hitch. It just transfers some of the load, from the front of the trailer to the rear wheels of the truck. WD Trailer Hitches allow higher tongue weights, without exceeding the vehicles tow ratings. Also on the side of the WD hitch - you can see the Reese anti-sway device. This is just an adjustable friction slide that dampens sway in cross winds. Or when you pass or are passed by big 18 wheelers.. Pictured below - Here is Will helping me load the Z at Amelia Island. You can see the interior of the trailer. Although it is pretty basic it is fully finished with 3/8" plywood. {less expensive trailers use partial board or cheap wood paneling on thinner steel frames}. More expensive use white vinyl covering over the plywood and are a little brighter inside. You can have vinyl tile on the floor as well. Just takes more money - The BRE Z sits high enough that you can open the car door in the trailer - and clear the trailer wheels. So getting in/out is a breeze. With a lower car, you would have to off-set the Z more to the right side of the trailer - no real people as the car is so light, that shifting it off center 6 inches wouldn't matter. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Bill: Good to see you here - You got a Bargain!! Hell, a good job of paint and body work is $10K on a 240Z. Wouldn't surprise me if the person that built the car had over $35K plus a lot of work in it. No fun running 100+ Octane Racing Fuel - it's around $8.00 per gallon in this area and very few places to buy it. All of which means you can't get very far from home. You might want to drop the boost pressures down, perhaps do a few things to lower the compression ratio etc - so you can run it on Pump Gas.. At any rate - enjoy it. You bought it right and will have very little trouble getting your money back out of it. Far better than having $10K in a savings account paying 0.1%... Who knows, maybe three years from now you can turn it over for $20K. FWIW, Carl B.

Very Interesting - were the self-retracting shoulder belts OEM in the black Z or added on import to meet a Swiss Requirement? FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Nils: Great Thread, thanks for bringing us along. Looking at the pictures of the wheels - the way they are corroded & colored - I wonder if they are Magnesium Alloy rather than Aluminum Alloy. Look carefully on the back of the wheels and see if there is a Date Of Production stamped into them. BTW - it would appear that your Swiss cars got the same bumpers we did here in the US for 70 though 72. We only got the big ugly bumpers starting in 73. FWIW, Carl B.