26th-Z

Hell Yes I'll take a ride in the club race car! I hear that there is going to be a drawing for rides with Steve Millen for all the people signed up for the track tour. The camera is all tuned up and ready to go! Mid 60's at night and mid '80s during the day, Vicky. Sound frisky to you? I'm a little concerned. I think I'm going to have to wear clothes! Better warn the others... Five guys from Florida that I know of now. I'll have a full report in about a week.

I bought a 1959 Triumph TR3 when I was sixteen. It didn't have any brakes and I paid $50 for it. Sold it for $50 with working brakes about six months later and bought a 1965 VW bug which I had until my senior year in high school. My parents never knew about the Triumph. My mother wouldn't allow me to have a sports car. "No kid of mine is going to wrap himself around a tree in a sports car" was my mother's favorite line. By the time I was eighteen, I had an MG midget which I took to SCCA driver's school.

Zach, I am unclear if your car is an American import or not, but if it is HLS30, the original engine number is stamped on the VIN plate mounted to the right-hand shock tower in the engine bay. Directly adjacent to the VIN plate, a flat spot on the top of the engine block has the engine number stamped into it. Give a look and report back.

Great conrtibution Enrique. Thanks

Victor, From everything I understand about customer service these days, its; "if you have a complaint, please step aside as there are five people behind you willing to pay $50 more than you". You have been to MSA, I'm sure. I have a sneaking suspicion that MSA hired blondes to kind of spruce up the place and answer phones. You probably got put on hold while they were cleaning the white-out off their screens from the previous order. Sorry to hear about your difficulties but what the hell were you doing on hold for twenty minutes? Your fault, dude. Clearly, your fault. If you ever do get back to MSA, be sure to tell those blondes to enjoy the ride.

I know exactly what you meant, Enrique. I was joking about the cig lighter. How many "projects" have I seen over the years turn into a parts gig? Believe it or not, there is a guy in the shop bay right next to mine with a 240Z he was building into a drag car ten years ago. I'm drooling over a 1963 Lotus Elite in boxes up in St. Petersburg. Same story. Thanks for the compliment! JPD, I am conducting a full restoration of a seriously worn out and rusted early car that is sentimental to me. I plan to drive the car for shows and club events. I'm really lucky to have this facility so close. I had to dip the car as she was rusting from the inside out from the salt humidity in Sarasota. My experience with all this takes me back to my SCCA days, with several cars under my belt. I have a vague idea of what I'm doing, however Enrique's scenario is real and fear of that outcome is one of my primary motivations. Chris

You tell 'em, Enrique! The cigarette lighter broke and two years later, look where I'm at!

Z ya there, Ed! I'm so damned excited I can't stand it! We arrive early Monday evening and hope to make the Texas Chili party. Missed it last year. I'm going to do the track tour instead of my wild scheme to "borrow" a demo 350Z from the dealer for a "test drive". I suppose we'll fill up the rental car with the "Florida Gurus Without Cars" and hoot around shouting obscenities.

Hey Ben! We're off to the convention next week. Will be thinking of you. You coming? I'm not going to shave the rear lights. The majority of the car is going back together the same way it came apart and I am not going to destroy the unique character of an early car. In fact, I am remanufacturing several parts that don't exist any more. I'm going for the "Z-L" look but I dare not do anything that can't be easily reversed with a part change. Of course, thats a little on the liberal side of "restoration" but if you call that "hybrid" then everyone is hybrid. You know what trouble I have been into. There are parts out there that I just can't help but put on my car! We're just at the tip of the restoration iceberg at the moment. There are still many, many considerations before I even paint the babe. I still have all the seam sealer to apply and the sound insulation. Long way to go!

Low VINs are are where its at. Everything else is just another Z. If you are going to reference zhome, then reference the collector value in the first 500 Zs. Please! The problem we seem to having here, is that you are asking the choir what they think of this new song by some guy named Mozart. However, some good points have been brought up and I would like to comment. I think anyone will tell you that buying a wreck and restoring it will net financial loss in a big way. If you want a collectable classic with increasing value, buy one in the best shape and don't drive it. The collectable car market is just like collecting art or antiques - larger profits can be easily made elsewhere. Currently, the market for collectable Z cars is increasing. If you enjoy working on cars and want to test your mechanical and restoration mangement skills with the Z restoration crowd, a project Z car is just the thing. There is plenty of help, plenty of cars to look at, and parts - although increasing in price - are still pretty available. As you can see, I am not intimidated by all this. I expect each car will cost me $40,000 to restore and I figure that by the time I am finished, they will be worth that. I will have spent years sweating and bleeding for no profit other than the smile on my face when the two babes are sitting next to each other at a car show. The other thing I have found about Z restoration - especially a low VIN car - is that there is this "silent" opinion that the car should be absolutely stock. And I have this problem. I don't like stock Zs. Furthermore, my restorations will never be stock - they have both been restored. The only thing left of stock on 26th is a pile of photographs! Then, there is all the great stuff you can do to a Z. Just take a look around at what people are doing to their Z cars and how cool it is. So invoke restoration rule #1 (its your car, do what you want to) and enjoy the fact that you have a low VIN and most everyone else doesn't! Here is 27th getting a push just to prove that she acually rolls. I paid $3000 for her delivered. The other picture is nude bare metal 26th last week. I paid $3,500 for her in 1984 and she had a $5,000 body shot in 1990. I drove her daily between 1986 and 1995.

Here is the thread on the subject. I don't know where one can be purchased new. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=11768&highlight=vent+grills

I liked the Tokico adjustables, too. 26th used to have urethane bushings also. Very nice stiff ride with my old 6" slots. I will probably put the adjustables back on as well as new urethane bushings. What's the lowering spring of choice, here? Arizona Z?

So let me get this straight....a car with known unique history was "restored" into a replica of another car. How cool ! ! Is this the car? I rode around in it with Les at last year's convention. "comfortable ride and smooth acceleration".

I was having a similar conversation last night. IMO, the standard (read stock) shock is the KYB. Tokicos, Konis, coil-overs, adjustables, etc. all upgrade the standard in performance and price. If you want to autocross well, buy an autocross shock and an autocross spring. If you want to drive on the street without cracking your back, buy the KYBs. I agree with Chris's take on the issue, but be prepared to feel the road. IMO, go with the 2.25" exhaust tubing.

That WAS a good price on eBay. http://www.books4cars.com/search~findmake~Nissan~finddesc~Z.htm This site is a little pricyer http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-form/104-9809308-7799153 I forgot to say that IMO, this is a must-have / must-read book.