26th-Z

Yea, I have never seen one - picture please?

Gloss black enamel - same as the cross member and suspension.

I use a product called "OSPHO" by The Skybryte Company. It is a solution of phosphoric acid used by painters to prepare rusted metal surfaces for painting. I soak all kinds of rusted stuff in the solution or just spray it on the metal. Over time, it will take the rust off. You can paint over it after it dries and Home Depot sells it. I'm surprised you guys don't talk about this stuff. I soaked some metal I picked up on Omaha Beach that was all encrusted in sea rust and coral growth. After two days, it was bright shiny steel. I have soaked cannon balls and nails from sunken wooden sailing ships with the same results. Simply spraying OSPHO on metal turns it black with a white residue. OSPHO is water soluable. OSPHO is nasty stuff, but I would soak my nuts and bolts in it before I would use a rock tumbler.

It's either 4 or 6 mm ID, Carl. You can tell by the size of the nipple. One is small and the other is large. I can't remember between the two, but the fuel pump takes the larger 6mm.

Carl is very correct about the way Z's were marketed and the vinyl along with side moldings came "extra" for the "luxury model". I think it would be very appropriate and period correct to cover the top in vinyl and add moldings. I am also in favor of other aftermarket items such as Amco chrome and interior parts. It's all part of the Z lore in my opinion.

I have been pretty lucky and my income has remained steady. I'm not saving much at the moment - spending it on the Z.

The car has 200,000 miles on it. No question in my mind. The front bumper uprights are missing. Too bad there are only two pictures. I would imagine this car car to be completely clapped out and if there isn't much rust to deal with, would be 50/50 parts car or restoration project. The narrative spends more time talking about the car's history than a description of the car. I would look at the car before I spent much on it. It may be "all there", but I'll bet most of it needs to be replaced.

Your seats look great - by the way. I save a couple of pictures for my reference.

Kats, I had those plastic covers in a box that came with my car. I never knew what they were. Thanks! I would love to get a new set. I will look at the other early cars to see if they have them the next time I go visit.

I have no idea what year the eBay jute is from. The jute in my car is missing and I have been looking at older cars to determine the pattern myself! I think you have the rear floor jute correct, Kats. Your front floor jute looks slightly different from the eBay picture. That jute appears to bend up the sides. ? I know of several early cars in original condition and I was planning to copy their pattern, but I am not at that point with my restoration and the cars are hours from me involving a full day trip. I will post a pattern drawing in the future. All the old jute I have seen is dark brown and I do not have a source for the material other than grey at the moment. I think the lighter brown is fine and it will darken with age and heat. Thanks for the pictures, kats. I copied all of them for my reference. I sent you a PM. Oh, I have a black rubber strap with metal rings on each end to hold the jack in place. My strap is broken. I would love a new one.

And this

I copied this off an eBay auction Kats.

Spray paint white and wash the car with Comet or Soft Scrub and soon the paint will be smooth and even and lovely. Touch up bare spots with more white. Rattle cans work best for the 50/50 rule.

Welcome to mid life! Now you can do just about anything, but you know more about it!!! At the bottom of the "POST REPLY" window is a highlighted "attach file:" box with a browse button. Hit browse and find your picture or address and insert it there. File size is limited so beware of how large the image size is and adjust it accordingly. Good luck finding a new Zed to play with. I'm taking mine all apart.

I found this cable in my car and wonder what it is. The cable goes over the top of the passenger wheel arch and down into the dog leg. That end is just the cut end of the cable, but finished so that it won't fray. The eye loop is woven ito the cable. Was this used to pull the wiring harness over the wheel arch? Anyone seen one of these?

Alan, Do you find that color "anthracite" to be consistant with all the accessory trim on the car? Hubcaps, tail light valance, grill?

The U-joint casting will have a grease nipple if it is meant to be serviced. Check each joint in the drive and half shafts and you should see a small grease nipple from the + piece between the shaft yokes. Clean it off and use a common grease gun to apply grease, rotating the shaft to get the best clearance on the nipple. I'm sure we could get into a rauchous converstation about what kind of grease to use, but any common suspension grease will do. Once filled, the grease will start coming out of the four ends of the u-joint. Wipe it all down nice and clean or the grease will spin off and on to your car. If you don't find a grease fitting, it could be missing; look for a hole, the u-joint was not meant to be serviced. I have used both types and can't report any longevity difference. I seem to go through half shafts so often, I bought a spare set of shafts. You will notice the joints going bad by clicking from the axle shafts when you start out in first gear. Very, very slowly let out the clutch with no throttle until the car just begins to roll. You will hear perhaps a series of clicks as each u-joint reacts to the torque. Loud, noticable clicks are bad and mean the joint needs to be replaced.

Just read a thread on IZCC and thought I would pass it along. Recommends http://wheeltechniques.com/ and warns against Wheels America He had a Momo wheel done.

Very good conversation, guys. Everyone loves to look at those photographs. I did not know that the bulkhead pressings came solid. The workmanship on the conversion looks pretty good IMHO. Liners for those boxes are on sale at this very moment http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=42612&item=2432492871 If I were you, I'ld do both arrangements.

I plan to send my wheels to a repair shop, but have not begun to find one. I typically see them advertised in automotive magazines. A friend of mine took a big chunk out of his treasured rim and it came back perfect. Wheel repair shops typically strip the wheel, repair it, align it, and refinish it. I would expect to pay $100 - $200 a wheel - about the price of a new set of rims. But they WILL be new. Center caps vary from rim specie to rim specie. Carefully measure the diameter and look for a cap by size. Most simply press fit in.

I went to the German Grand Prix a couple years ago and I have been to the French Grand Prix many years ago. Take every opportunity to see this spectacle of motor racing. I know all the comments - it's boring, Bernie is a jerk, no American drivers, etc., but you just have to see a race to appreciate how crazy the Europeans are about the sport. We get kind of spoiled in America with so many different forms of motor racing. F1 is a serious big deal everywhere else. It is serious big bucks and the technology involved is beyond comprehension. I will get to an F1 race at Indy - some one of these days. I'm jealous of all of you who go. Take pictures! PS - Budweiser is sponsoring BMW Williams now, and should put on the ritz for this year's race.

Better shot of my rear deck and bulkhead

Harry, Are you looking for new "D" hubcaps? The last new ones I saw went for $150 each on eBay. And I assume they were new - just two of them. I think it is time to consider re-chrome as good condition hubcaps seem to be extremely rare. Wheels like my aluminum slotted mags go for around $150 a set and are common. Nicely polished, they are stunning. Consider sending a set to a wheel recondition / repair shop.

Thanks - that works. I think I can get these locally.

Kmack, The Ziex site shows them discontinued.