richard1

a piece of scrap..... Believe me, it is a true story and many members here will remember me from my previous accident going back to september 2005. The car was restored fine on the first time with all new panels. the second collision was more fender bender with no frame damage than the left side of the hood and fender being bent down with no apparent damage to the unit body. It was supposed to have a lift off of the headlight unit, a new fender, new hood and bumper. Now, the car is back with a lower left side, and because I drove the car back home yesterday from the body shop, I am told that it has been hit again by the body shop. The car went straight in my garage and it is just this morning that I realised the left sugar cone was looking a bit lower on the left side than the right side. I am pissed off by this restoration shop and furthermore his bodyman agrees that his boss has not done the right job on the frame master to have the front sheet metal (the cone lift up) fit even with the right side. As result, I obseved that the front valence is distorded and all nuts were missing on the left bumper bracket. The bodyman told me that his boss has assembled the final components. Now, when I open the hood, it rubs on the front bumper guards and when the car is looked closely from the front, the sugar cones are twisted from the fenders and the left is lower than the right. I am so pissed off that I am concerned because my insurance company has paid everything and I also paid the deductible to this restoration bodyshop. Again, his motto is the car has been hit again and it is not anymore his responsability. The reality is the car has been in my garage since it has been out of his place but the bumper has rubbed the paint on the lower side of the sugar cone and here is the reason he tells me the car has been hit again. Please, suggestion how to deal with this kind of bandit.

I have had the charging system checked this afternoon. It seems that the voltage regulator is the problem.

Where should I start to investigate about this problem? The alternator has been changed last year and the voltage regulator about two years ago. Could it be a bad contact somewhere?

It got wreck again........parked in my driveway by somebody who backed up from the other side of the street under DUI.

I need the best I can find right NOW:(if orange its a plus) -hood -left fender -complete left door panel with window regulator and all hardware -front lower valence -left lower part under the headlight bucket:

I am looking for a right air intake in new condition. I am speaking about the elbow plastic intake located in the engine bay connecting from the radiator support and inner fender. Doesn't seems that they are reproduced.

Thank you to everbody with your comments about my vibration problem. All the bolts of the differential carrier and supports have been retorqued to specs and the problem is now solved.

Tires were replaced before the u joints.

Z Rule, this problem happened only since the u joints have been replaced. Tires are new.

The drive shaft u joints have been replaced and I still have a perceptible vibration over 50 MPH. Could it be possible that the drive shaft need to be rebalance?

Somebody is selling motor upgrade from a Honda blower for our weak OEM Z motors. Anybody has some comments about fit, finish and performance versus our original unit? Which Honda model and year is it coming from?

The original rear muffler for a 72 is a cylinder type unit with chrome tip. They don't seem to be available anymore from Motorsport. Anybody knows about another source for the exact same part?

Correct me if I am wrong but the underhood sticker is not reproduced by any of the above vendors. It is not listed in their inventory.

Brian, I could not not agree more with you about what is the real worth of a car coming from an updated professionnal appraisal every three years. For those who can afford to buy gems like this one (as I have been myself but a lot cheaper with 40K back in 2000), IT IS A MUST to have a certified appraisal because it will never be replaceable and if you are involved in a collision as I have been three months ago, it is an old car by today standard. It is the only way to protect your investment and enjoy it. But after 30 years with only 5K miles what could be expected of the mechanical components and reliability just for the pleasure to enjoy such a treasure without some major investment? It is less than 200 miles a year to exercise the ponies of this beast. How a sleeping beauty like this one could be safe to stretch its muscles after so much time without major care and tuning?

I was at the restoration shop today looking at the progress on the repairs on my 72 Z. There is a silver decal under the hood on the passenger side. Where can I get an OEM or a reproduction?

For those who remember my accident in a 72 concours original here are my updates My hand is going fine and my thumb has recovered at 95% of its condition.The doctor told me that it will take some months to be more flexible. At least, I can write (left handed and left injured). As for my baby, after more than two months the parts have been ordered, they finally arrived at the restoration shop last Thursday. As requested, everything is NOS in original Nissan boxes with some written in japanese. It took time but everything is now ready for work. My main concern was a brand new hood and it is there in its own crated box with Nissan markings. By the way, is somebody interested in a new OEM head light seal beam? The headlamp bucket assembly has the original one.

Look at the interior door panels and engine bay.........full restoration?????????? Ebay #4590900723....... I will spare my comments for the rest of the car to other members.

Carl, thanks for the information. It proves that I have been right to ask for OEM fiberglass for my car collision repair. It takes time to have the right parts but at least I will have them.

The restoration shop is still waiting for the parts for the collision repair for my 72 and I am not sure if there is not some confusion here. The fender extension mentionned above is called a headlight case from the original parts book from Nissan. The damaged one is a kind of fiberglass and I know that it is the original one. MSA has ordered one from Japan and also the complete metal headlamp assembly which is metal. I have been told that there is a reproduction of the headlamp assembly made of plastic or fiberglass. Am I correct?

My cast has been removed as the steel pins fixing my thumb. The surgeon is happy but I still have a month or maybe more with a splint on my left arm (I am left handed). In the meantime, My employer makes me trouble and don't want to acknowledge I am not able to work and don't want to fill the form requested by my attorney for loss of income. I asked for at least a letter and tells me that he has to discuss with his attorney if he can do that (what the hell....). I am in search of a new job. About the car.......... The parts have been ordered two weeks ago and nothing has showed up to the restoration shop. The shop owner is unhappy about Motorsport and so I am. Customer service doesn't seem to be their best asset for the buyers of "LARGE ORDER" when they can expect delivery and/or availability. Now the good news..........the car has no structural damage and only a few of the left suspension components and bushings have been crushed for an all original concours 33 YO car. Of course, many other front suspension parts will be replaced for safety. I was so proud of the original paint which was in perfect condition that I am very reluctant to go through a full paint job. The restoration shop tells me that they now have the technology to perfectly match the old paint job by computer analysis with the same gloss and aged look. Please, your opinions.

Thank you Arne to light up my ignorance on the subject. I am finally convinced that a nice used one could be better and wipe out my concern.

My resto shop told me that it must be perfect and will not put something that will not be acceptable. It is an interesting discussion because of the opinions about NOS (or reproduction) versus good used one. This question must appear silly for many of you but I am not a body expert. If the hood to come is silver and the car's original paint is orange, it makes sense that the used hood will have to be stripped both sides to bare metal? What will happen to the unacessible ereas as the underside framing of the hood to remove and seal the metal and repaint the right color? Maybe I worry to much on the subject. Anyway, thanks to everybody for your comments.

I am pretty upset by my restoration shop because this morning, they told me that Motorsport has shipped all new parts to fix the collision damage but he doesn't know if it is a new or used hood. He told me that when he will receive the parts, he will call me to have a look at the hood if it is a used one. I am very reluctant to accept a used hood from a car that I don't know from where it is coming from and more over the practice of Motorsport to sell used stuff instead of new parts when they are short on their inventory. My car is an original concours condition that has been hit in an accident and I expect the best parts to have it to its previous condition. What are your toughts about my hood concerns?

Is somebody has a clue where to find a NOS hood for a 240z. It seems that Motorsport have none in stock. Any other sources?

I follow-up on my tread below for one perfect hubcap. ZParts asked me $350.00 for a set of three and never wanted to part out with only one no matter my offer in excess of $100.00 for one only. I have bought a full concours set of four to get just one. I will keep one as a spare and I have two for sale. They have perfect original center Z logos and paint. Anybody interested can send me a private message. .