Nigel Mulvey

I've been having a closer look at my project 260Z and not suprisingly there is a bit more rot than first noticed although that hasn't put me off. What is of concern though is that the frame rail on the passenger side has sustained some damage in the past. It looks like the rail has landed heavily on a kerb or similar and there are considerable indentations in the area although there does not appear to be any twisting in the adjacent areas. Does anyone know if this might be symptomatic of further damage? Are such indentations fixable or has the strength of the car been compromised to the point where I should try another donor vehicle? It doesn't actually look that bad, but I just want to be sure. Unfortunately I can't provide pics as I don't have a digital camera and my scanner has broken.

I'm trying to develop a strategy for approaching the full restoration of my 260Z and could use some advice. I plan to strip the whole car down to a rolling shell and, notwithstanding the discovery of any expensive looking rust holes, get it media blasted at Austech. An acquaintance of mine, who has restored several Galaxies, swears by baked enamel for the body work. In all honesty I didn't know you could have something as big as a shell finished in this way, I thought this process was only for small parts such as suspension etc. So to avoid embarassment from my ignorance I didn't press my acquaintance for any further information. What I really would like to know is what is the prep work required for enamel baking in terms of priming etc. Does anyone have experience in this area that can advise of the specific order things should be done in. Austech can strip the paint and prime the shell afterward but then I have to take it elsewhere to have the bodywork done. Should I bother having Austech prime the shell or should I get it straight to the body shop to have that work done and then get it primed. I've read Carl Beck's piece on this subject but it doesn't talk in terms of a baked enamel project. Any help would be appreciated.

Sorry if I caused offence. I'll crawl back into my hole now.

I've looked through the carby forum and the Z-Therapy site and can't seem to find the answer to this question. Is there any difference in performance between the three screw and four screw carbies, I know that one was used on early Z's and the other on late ones but I'm not sure about the performance issue. I have a three screw set on my project 260 and a spare four screw set that the previous owner of the 260. I would like to know so I can choose which to hold on to and which I should sell on.

Let's try again.

Have to 'fess up Rick, I'm actually a Pom so a little less of that Northern Hemisphere bit 'eh. Came to Australia (pronounced Orstralia ) in '89. The Kiwi's haven't copped any yet - ever asked one to say "Tim Finn put six tins of wizz in a chilly bin"? Go on, try it. And anyway there's no such thing as an Australian, they're just Poms that got here before I did. :stupid: Let's have a bit of fun, but remember, we may have our aural difference but we are united in our passion for our cars and any one of you will always be welcome to drop by for a beer or ten.

Pronunciation is one thing but what intrigues me are the different meanings words have in different English speaking countries. For example, some years ago I was working with a team from the US Secret Service preparing for a visit by President Clinton. It had been a long day and I was desparate for a cigarette so I told the agent I was with that I was just going out to "smoke a fag".

Doco, have you checked the car out yet? Are we all supposed to turn green with envy?

The wife now knows and 24 hours later I'm still in one piece. I have looked at plenty of potential project cars over the last two years and they have been either too good to strip down (like my immaculate 240z which I picked up for only AUS$4,500) or like some dogs I saw recently that looked more like filligree jewellery for ridiculously inflated prices. Maybe I was spoiled when I found the 240 for such a good price. Sportsclassic in western Sydney sells shells for around $2,000, I looked at those and they still needed a lot of work this recent purchase appears solid under the battery tray and along the frame rails, there is no rust in the wheel wells or at the base of the rear hatch. The car has already been dismantled to a degree as the previous owner had intended to restore it but ill health prevented him continuing. There has been some filling done in certain places and there is some pinhole rust at the bottom of the doors, the only apparent major rust out is at the front of the body where the bonnet (hood) hinges attach (or at least used to) I'll just cut the metal I need from the 2+2. I appreciate the benefits of getting the best car one can afford for restoration because of hidden costs, but I sometimes wonder wether we are kidding ourselves if we think we are going to find rust free z's on every street corner. I don't know how things are in the US but there are not many z's left in Australia at all and I think it's up to us enthusiasts to keep Mr K's dream alive - just look at Mr deGroots immaculate rebuild when he started: http://www.usq.edu.au/users/degroot/240z/

Hi guys, Well I have finally found (and bought) my project car. I have just purchased a 1977 260Z manual with an L28/N42 combination. I had originally planned on modifying the 240 but it's in such good original condition I haven't got the heart to bastardise it. I will keep hold of the 2+2 for a while as a parts car but I don't think I'm going to need much off it, so I MIGHT part it out - I'll let you know when I have done an inventory. The new 260 is a little on the shabby side, but there doesn't appear to be any rust where it matters. The wings and doors are solid and there is the usual rot around the hatch lid. Two owners ago a new dash was put in and the last owner had it in his garage for two years. I plan to get it stripped to bare metal to really assess the damage and take it from there. The next purchase is a digital camera so I can post some photo's and set up a project site. Just got to find a way to tell the wife .

Can any of my fellow Australians give me some idea of what a good paint job is worth here. I know there are plenty of variables like preparation and type of paint but I am just trying to weigh up the following options to utilise my 260z 2+2 bits: 1. buy a 260z shell for around AUS$2,000 and strip and re-spray; or 2. buy a 260z that has been offered minus the bits I already have (engine, box, etc.) but which has been recently resprayed for AUS$5,000. Any thoughts guys?

Hi y'all, The '71 240Z that featured as a project car in Zoom magazine has appeared for sale in the NSW Trading Post this week. Here is the ad: Datsun 240Z, 1971, Zoom magazine project car, twin turbo soarer engine, big intercooler, polished pipes, Supra 5 speed, R200 LSD, big brakes, chrome 17in rims, custom suspension, good trim and stereo, fresh paint, 11 months rego, all receipts, engineering and Dyno sheets, extremely fast, no dreamers please, DAT-240, $18000 SILVERWATER 0419-27 4906 Please note, I have nothing to do with this car so I am unable to provide any information other than what was in the ad.

Oops that shoudl have been fade not dade. Yippee made it to 50 posts at last.

Woah .. brain dade. I mean't to say: ... and not as common as Hyundau Excels.

...or as common as Hyundai Excels.

I'm actually in the market for a 2+2 at the moment. I'm want to transfer all the good bits off my dead 2+2 onto a decent shell. I'm not necesarily looking for a runner, it doesn't even need to be registered I'm just after a solid shell. If anyone in NSW (or close by) knows where I might find a contender please let me know. Obviously because they're so repulsive I don't want to pay much for it

I have two L26's and I'm just up the road in Camden. One I bought just for the SU's so it is carby-less although I have a pair of the dreaded flat tops. The guy I bought it from said the engine ran OK in his 260 before he did a V8 conversion, I don't know how long he had it standing for and I have never seen it running. There is no box. If you're interested it's yours for $200. The other engine is in my 260Z 2+2 which recently came of worse for wear in a confrontation with a Falcon. The engine was fully rebuilt less than a year ago with a mild cam and the SU's from the above engine rebuilt also. I put about 4.5k into the engine (I still have all receipts somewhere) and I'll consider an offer on the WHOLE CAR, it's not a driver but the engine is running and I'm umming and ahhing about whether to buy a shell and bolt everything over. But it does have a few interesting spares such as original radio and cassette player. This one has an auto box.

I have one of each, although the 2+2 is looking a little worse for wear after a recent intimate moment with a Ford Falcon. I have no problems with the 2+2 after all it is a zed and with the kids the age they are at least I don't have to be seen in the Camry too often!

Geez! Even Mel Gibson looks bad on his licence photo! Come in spinner!

Just wait 'till you slide it.

Just doing a bit of forward planning. I'm still trying to make up my mind how to approach the preparation of a 260 shell I am getting to transplant the parts from the 2+2 I wrote off a week or so ago. Does anyone have any thoughts on the following strategy: Strip all parts, put the shell on a rotisserie and remove the paint underneath using paint stripper. Paint underside with POR15 including inner fenders. At the same time have the running gear baked enameled and refit with new poly bushings etc. Once a rolling chassis again ship it of to a body shop to have the top side stripped and prepped for painting. The alternative as I see it is to have the whole body dip stripped and primered right at the start. Are there any advantages/disadvantages to these methodologies. Thanks in advance.

Finally got to see EPII yesterday. Anyone notice the striking resemblance between the upper rear quarter panel of the speeders in the early chase scene and our beloved Z Cars. Damn thing even seemed to have an air vent.

Thanks for the response. Keeping the 2+2 as a parts car is my intention. I was going to try and find another 2+2 shell and swap everything over (except the bits that got damaged in the prang). If I can swap most of the parts from a 2+2 to a 2 seater though I increase my options for sourcing a recipient shell. Hence my question.

I just got a quote back from Shannons (owned by Sun Alliance in the UK I think) who will insure the new 240 fully comp. agreed value AUS$5,000 with a limited usage of 8,000 km (should be fine for me) for the grand sum of AUS$224.88. That's AUS$30 cheaper than AAMI wanted to insure it third party property damage! There is a basic excess of AUS$400 (AAMI's was AUS$450) and I am the only permitted driver. I can live with that.