Mark Maras

@Civilizedape Do your SUs have the original flat top suction chambers or round top suction chambers. The suction chamber is the most noticeable part on an SU. 73 and 74 Zs came with flat-tops but most have been changed to the round tops which most (but not all) consider to be the better carbs. If yours are the flat-tops I'll let @Zup and @Captain Obvious sort it out. Most of my experience is in round tops so we'll start with pressure isn't the problem. Pressure is only to get the fuel from the tank to the carbs. After that it's just a matter of supply and demand. There is another filter (banjo filter) where the fuel lines enter the float bowl. These rarely get checked. I'd also pull the tops from the float bowls and see if there's fuel in them. That would be a good time to check the float levels and the needles and seats.

I'm going to say around $600.00 - $800.00 depending on condition. Don't know your height but I'm 5'7" and my knee would hit the bottom of the steering wheel (with seat back all the way) whenever I put my foot on the brake pedal. It got to be kind of a PITA after a couple of years.

@JessHS130, @ntownsen, @Jon Dickson, @alm102486, @Gwen. @Robin. From our Member map.

Diesel would probably work assuming it doesn't evaporate and leave a sticky residue like WD40.

My Dad used to "fix" his work (logger) pocket watch by soaking it in clean diesel oil and letting it drain. He kept cheap ones going for years that way. Would it be worthwhile to lightly lube the works of these old clocks with a super light weight oil like turbine oil?

How do the pedal covers and the carpet below the gas pedal look?

I wouldn't spend too much time trying to make sense of the PO's thought processes. They might start to make sense. That said, have you searched the top and the bottom of the block for the reference stamps that show the block's orientation in the car?

Check out the thread, "We're bringing back the flat tops". Lots of info there that may change your mind about them.

Yeah, one can rock and or twist the bowls. Ztherapy.com is a good source for parts, an excellent DVD and rebuilds, should the need arise. The lower nozzle hoses come with the rebuild kit. Don't try to substitute another type of hose. These hoses are super floppy to prevent the nozzles from binding. I'd start by pulling the bowl cover, the floats, and the needle and seat. Clean the crud out of everything and reassemble. Oops, two things. It might be a good idea to check the float height (per the shop manual or DVD) and when you remove the bowl covers, wrap the gasket in aluminum foil and press it flat in a book. They will dry out in just a few minutes and curl up into a Pringle if left exposed to the air. Anyone, It's been a while since I looked at the float bowl vent hoses but as I recall they plumbed into the air filter base. Hope that's right. If it's not, it would still be a good place for them. I'd get the rebuild kits and the DVD or at the least a shop manual. There's nothing complex about the refresh. Cleanliness is the key. I haven't checked but there's probably lots of videos on YouTube. The carbs are easy to remove. The base nuts are a bit fiddly and one has to take extra care when reinstalling (adjusting) the choke cables.

A great deal of "what's wrong with America" and the world, in general, is Narcissism. That giant Ego that doesn't want to believe it's not better, smarter, etc. than others. We see it in individuals and groups. Narcissism, Sociopathy, and Psychopathy all share the common symptom of no empathy or compassion. The people who have personality disorders are calling the shots. There's a higher percentage of Narcissists in Big Business, Government, Military, etc. than anywhere else except mental health treatment centers. They thrive on control of all others.

Much like Tut's treasure, it will be buried with you.

Assuming there was no problem before the line change and no adjustments made at that time, it sounds like air in the line.

I'd be tempted to try one of the liquid or putty epoxy thread repair kits on a low torque bolt (or stud) like the valve cover bolts. Loctite, Permatex, JB Weld all have something to offer.

I pulled and labeled the rockers, lash pads, springs, and valves. Left the cam in. The head now rests on a flat piece of wood awaiting the resurrection.

The vibration is likely the drive shaft u-joints. The half shafts don't spin fast enough to set up a vibration. In my first Z, I had a nasty vibration at 80 mph and above. Installing new u-joints in the half-shafts and the drive shaft did nothing to improve the buzz. I removed the driveshaft again and took it to our local driveshaft shop. The tube had a small dimple in it. (possibly from a floor jack?) I didn't notice it until they pointed it out. They re-tubed it and installed new Spicer u-joints. The buzz was gone.

I think Captain Obvious must have nailed it in his "go back to basics" post #19.

Do a complete tune-up including valve lash. Your compression. #s look good for an engine that has sat. The #s will improve with mileage and a valve adjustment. After adjusting the valves, start it up and verify the cam is getting lots of oil.

That sounds like a bad throwout bearing to me. The symptom of a bad pilot bearing or bushing that I've experienced is crunchy shifting in all gears but little to no noise when I pushed on the clutch pedal.

I'd go with #1, even though you don't have a lot of experience. Desire will carry you thru. If all that is missing is the engine and transmission, you could easily get it on the road and use part of your budget for tools. Engines and transmission are cheap and easy to install. The earlier wiring harnesses are relatively simple. SU carbs are easier to deal with than EFI. But as stated above rust is the issue. You could easily eat up your whole budget dealing with rust. Last but not least, a clean 240 will always be more valuable than 260s or 280s.

I was thinking of that too. Zup is the one who swears by A/C Delco Friction Modified. My first Z had a bit of a grind going into 2nd and 3rd. I tore it down and found all pristine synchros. I replaced them just because I had it apart, put it back together and used Kendall gear oil. It worked great. One year later, my friends, trans needed going thru. We replaced his worn synchros with my pristine used ones and it shifted fine. Looking back I suspect my original problem could have been cured with different gear oil. There is one thing that makes me believe your 3rd gear synchro may be bad. Normally the first synchro to go is 2nd gear followed later by 3rd gear.

@240Ziggy Aside from the rapid clicking do you feel any vibration or is the symptom only noise?

A piece from the side wall of a tire might work.

You'll want a little free play (1" or so) at the top of the pedal but a worn clevis pin in pedal pivot can make it feel like there's free play but there really isn't. The best way to check the free play is at the slave cylinder. After adjusting the MC pushrod so there's about an inch of free play at the top of the pedal stroke (assuming the pedal is at the right height) disconnect the slave cylinder spring and push on the end of the release (throw-out) fork. There should be a little (1/8"-3/16" free play in the release fork. That ensures the clutch will release completely and not slip.

As I understand it the problem appears to be the clutch not fully releasing. Most clutch problems involve slipping. Yours it would seem is either in the previously mentioned collar size or in the hydraulics. I have installed new hydraulic cylinders in the past and had to adjust the M. C. push rod. How much play in inches (easy to push) is there in the clutch pedal before you feel the resistance from the pressure plate? I'd try the M.C. pushrod adjustment. I use a sharpie on the threads to mark the original position