kenz240z

I'd follow Will's advice, and attempt to negotiate a lower price. Hopefully you and the seller will come to an agreement and you'll have a couple of parts cars. Depending on storage space, I'd take all the usable parts off both cars. Try and leave tires on both cars, so that they are at least rolling shells. Then you can hopefully find someone who will come and haul them off for you. There are always 2 or 3 advertisements in the want ads here in the Longmont, CO area for people who will tow cars away. Not sure if they pay anything for the cars or not, but hey, if they tow them away for free you can't beat that! Take a look in your local paper, hopefully you'll find the same kind of deal. Another option is to tow them to a local scrap metal yard yourself. I've done that with rolling shells before, and even gotten paid a few bucks for the scrap metal!

You might also check the half-shafts for play. Are the ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, etc... ok?

My experience is similar to Mark's. I've got new poly bushings, new Tokico Blue HP struts & new Tokico springs all around. It definitely gives you the feel of the road. And even though the ride is firm & a bit stiff, I'm not in danger of losing any teeth, as I was before rebuilding the suspension!

Just noticed something else, the air duct in the engine bay for the drivers side fender looks like a 240Z, I don't think the 280's had those anymore. Maybe the front clip (or part of it, anyway) was replaced with parts off a 280Z. And maybe the dash & console were changed out, too. The seats look like they could be Recaros, but I can't tell for sure.

Interesting mix of parts. Yes, it would be interesting to see what date is stamped on teh door jamb plate. Looks like a 240Z rear finisher & lower valance panel, 240Z door panels, 280Z dash, console & steering wheel, aftermarket seats (or from another make/model of car), passenger side fender looks to be from a 280Z, but drivers side fender looks like it could be from a 240Z. The bumper fits nicely against the passenger side fender, but there is a gap on the drivers side. Hood appears to be from a 240Z, no vents.

I know I've seen information on a website about replacing the late 260Z/280Z bumpers with the 240Z bumpers, but I can't remember where, maybe try a google search?

Yeah, check for rust in the tank. Also, check all the rubber fuel lines. If they are old, there could be a split in one that allows the fuel pump to suck in some air. Might be a good idea to replace all the rubber fuel lines. The pump itself could also be bad, maybe a ruptured diaphram? You also might try blowing compressed air through the hard line to check for any blockages. You might consider temporarily putting in one of those glass fuel filters so you can check for air bubbles in the fuel as the engine is running. Have a helper run the engine at a higher rev with a foot on the brake while you watch the glass filter. This puts a load on the engine and might help you duplicate a fuel starvation problem.

Have you checked to make sure the bolts that mount the drive shaft to the differential are all properly tightened? It's a tight fit getting a wrench in there. Were the tires replaced before or after the drive shaft u joints?

Perhaps you could pull the drive shaft from the parts car and compare the two. I'd think you could do it without having to remove the drive shaft from your gf's car. Jack it up and compare the length between the u-joints on each drive shaft. As Arne says, I think the only difference in length is related to the location of the differential, which was moved rearward in later 240's.

Mike W, the grey interior in your Z looks fantastic. Does the SEM dye hold up well on the plastic parts?

I just ran across a '76 280Z in a salvage yard, the seats in it still had the vents. I have a '73 and neither seat has the vents. So, I don't know if these are original or if they've been replaced/reupholstered by a PO. Chris, my 72 Chassis & Body Service Manual mentions changing from the standard seat to the reclining seat on page BF-27. At the top of the page it says, "The reclining seat back is furnished as an option. Reclining the seat can be made by attaching reclining device instead ofthe device for standard seat." It doesn't mention if the option is available for both seats. My car has a lever for reclining the seat on the drivers side, but not on the passengers side. Do you happen to know when the reclining option first became available?

Hey DZR, welcome back! Hrududu, I definitely agree with DZR about getting a FSM and reading thoroughly. It is the best source of information for preparing you for tearing down the engine and rebuilding it.

A Z on her chest would look better....

To me, $150 doesn't sound too bad. And, like you say, it will give you the experience of working on it. Do a little research, there is plenty of information out there on rebuilding the Z engines. From mild to wild, you should be able to build the engine to achieve whatever performance level you want.

Both of those cars are fantastic looking! That's some amazing custom work.

Here's a link showing a more modern turn signal instead of the original: http://www.powerbear.com/october2k2.htm

Sounds like a great Z car, it's a shame you have to part with it! My thoughts are that a Z car with original paint that is in decent shape is hard to come by, and that's probably worth a little extra. A nice new paint job can really look slick, but it's hard to duplicate the patina of age of a well maintained automobile. It would be interesting to see how well the paint could be made to shine with a little rubbing compound followed by a good wax. While the automatic may not be as desirable to some buyers, it doesn't necessarily mean it would lower the value of the car. An automatic car may not have been driven as hard as a manual car, and the engine and drive train may be in better shape. So, the potential lower value of the auto transmission is made up for with an engine/drivetrain in better condition. And, from what I've read, it's not too difficult to swap the auto for a manual, should the new owner so desire. If I were selling a car like yours, I'd consider starting out at $6k-$7k. To me that seems like a fair price range for a solid Z car. If the car doesn't sell at that price range you can always drop the price. Have you thought about putting it on ebay? Perhaps you could list it with a reserve price that you are comfortable with. Even if the reserve isn't met and the car doesn't sell, at least you'll get an idea of what people would be willing to pay for it.

I like the look of the designs he came up with. This guy should be working for Nissan, developing the look of the next Z!

Sure looks like a terrific job. Great choice of color, too.

I can't remember, but if you pull the inner dogleg trim panel, can you access the receiver plate? Might be worth a look.

Urethane bushings on the steering rack & transverse links should help, especially if the ones on the car are worn. You might also check the steering coupler.

It's been in the 50's and 60's here in Colorado. Weatherman says it will be 67 tomorrow in Denver.

Bob, I got the firewall grommet for the windshield wiper motor from Banzai Motorworks (http://www.zzxdatsun.com/). Click on catalog, then click on rubber. Part number: C-05 Reproduction wiper motor harness grommet 1970-1978. It's a great reproduction part. They have several other great restoration items for the early Z cars.

How about Bronco decals for all the orange Z's? Either that, or the old southern flag on the doors & hood - a redneck General Lee Z!

Well, it's only 3 bolts that mount it. Put it on the engine and see if it pumps gas. If not, then buy a new one. I got a Kyosandenkei brand fuel pump on ebay that looks like the original. If your Z has AC, test the fuel pump before you mount the compressor.