alternativez

I'm getting to reupholstering my 1970 Z seats and would like to do leather. MSA has some offered in the latest catalog, so I'm wondering if anyone would recommend those or some other. I did a search, but the threads were getting old. I will do a complete rebuild with new foam and straps also. Any thoughts are appreciated. Jim

I have been driving my virtually original 76 2002 (de-smogged) daily for the past few years. It recently died of highway overdose. It has been a wonderful car, so I haven't decided just what to do with it. I have three other bimmers and have had a variety of cars over the years, including a 2004 MINI S right now, but no car has ever been as much fun, as perfect a fit, as manageable in any driving conditions as the nearly new 1970 Z I had when I was young. In fact, the comparison is interesting as I recently dismantled my 85 635csi for the engine et al to power the 1970 Z which has been sitting in my garage stripped, waiting for the right time and the right engine for 15 years. I will probably let the 02 go, just so I can concentrate on the Z. Ask me which is the better car. True, the comparison of the 02 with the 510 is more realistic, but it is a compliment to either car when compared to the Z. The 02 lends itself to creative engine swap ideas also, and there is a similar "cultish" sort of following for the 02. If you want two seats, drive the Z, if you want four, drive the 02. I'll get back to you someday on the BMW/Z hybrid, but it should be the best of both worlds. Oh, don't call the BMW ugly; you learn to love the style. Like the Z, the 02 is the model that introduced the U.S. to the marque, so they each should hold a similar position in the history of their respective marques. I almost forgot; we had a 71 rusty 510 wagon back when. It was held together with bumper stickers, and I finally gave it to a Cuban immigrant. Man, I wish I still had it, rust and all.

I have always teased by older brother who owns his original 71 MGBGT and a 67 Austin Healey 3000 MK4, that if either company had been smart enough to make a car to supercede those it would be the Z. The model code for the Healey 3000 was BJ8, and I told him I would put a plate on my Z, BJ9, just to wizz him off. Yes, great cars, but obsolete as they were built. Back in the late 60's and early 70's the Z took over where they left off.

It's Twinkies and Ding Dongs. They corrupted the minds and spirits of youth who at this point should have grown to become the backbone of every society worldwide, but look around and what do we see. Think back before Twinkies and Ding Dongs when men were men and women were double breasted. There, is that what you were thinking? Or were you just thinking of things with creamy insides? I was until this thread interrupted my thoughts.

What's in the back corner? Looks like a 635.

I'm impressed. Nice polishing work. Great looking car. Somebody is always setting the bar a little higher. Thanks for the challenge.

Well, yes. I had a very nice running 85 635csi which was reaching the point of on return, or restoration. I do my own work, so looking at restoring the big heavy 6 or getting back to my Z wasn't so hard to figure. Same engine, which, as you say, pulls well from 3 up, in the Z dropping about a half ton of weight, is mighty tempting. There is also a story not much appreciated among Datsun/Nissan separatists, that the original design concepts of the Z and the Toyota 2000GT were those of German designer Albrecht Goertz, designer of the BMW507. The continuous dash/console configuration was his at least, but also the sort of imitation of the Jagxk and Opel GT lines which were popular. So, I consider with that German connection, along with the Prince/ MB/Nissan engine evolution, there is more coincidence to this combination of parts than just the nice big straight six in the Z just because I had one. I did one of the earliest V8 swaps back in 1972 at the time the Scarabs were being built on the west coast, again, just because all my buddies were into Chevys. A 350hp 327, solid lifters, 3/4 cam, Holley 650cfm"double pumper" Corvette heads and headers, Muncie M22 "rockcrusher" 4 speed, and more, but it lost the smooth sweetness of the straight six. I know there are many other engines to be considered, the M series, the baby sixes, and all the other better known, but having the entire car to pull parts from is great. Also, as strong as the big six is, the compression is low enough to SS or TC without much internal change. The electronics are very simple, and the engine still has that "old school" look, lots of aluminum to polish, and it still looks like a real engine, but I also hope to pay a little tribute to the aircraft engine heritage of BMW by creating and engine that looks like it could fly a plane. It could pull the old overweight 6er from a dead stop at idle and cruise at 100 at 5g with power on reserve at only about 185 hp. A few simple off the shelf mods can yield a reliable 200 or so hp. I think that will do. If not, a supercharger will. Later, Jim

I tossed in the avatar photo just for fun. You can see the inverted intake just "hanging by a thread." The engine position will improve, but it's in there rather than sitting on the floor.

Yeah, so I hear. Thing is, I really didn't want another project. I had thought of getting rid of the 02, but went out the other day and sat in it and realized it is one of those that I would really miss. I've driven it stock, daily for a few years, and it was essentially my son's first wheels at 16, imagine that, then the 325. Now he's now 20 and making do with the 86 735, but gas prices are hitting him pretty hard commuting to work, and he is needing to buy his own car since the 3 is KO'ed. So, sentimental as he is, I'm thinking of piecing together the two little ones with the fine MOMO mahogany wheel from the 7, and he will have the best of his first three cars, and the 02 would have better sound proofing, new front seats, rear seats from the 6, some power windows, etc, fuel injection, 5 speed conversion, chip it, which is a significant hp improvement for the stock eta engine, improve exhaust...and a tight suspension, nice wheels off the 3 or better yet, Panasports... Could be my winter car to complement the Z, or just an extra, fun car to keep around. We agree that black, like the Z, would be nice. Trouble is, it is so much work and money, but worth it I think. I'm kind of moving away from the bimmers aside from our MINI S, but keeping the 02 seems reasonable. These three are fun and make a nice little collection of examples of some of the best, most affordable "sports cars" IMO. I need to get some photos and great a gallery sometime. My Z is is good shape, but so dismantled for a complete restoration, swap, and painting that it certainly wouldn't impress anyone right now. My brother has his first car, one-owner, restored 71 MGBGT, a restored 67 Austin Healey 3000 MK IV he bought in 1970, and a BRG 02 MINI S, and my sister and her husband are Volvo people, but they are considering a MINI. My daughter-in-law's father has an early Mini. We all have the car bug. I'm the only one that really works on my own though. The Healey is designated "BJ8" as the last production model, so I had thought of plating the Z as "BJ9" as a joke, since the Z's sort of paralleled the then new yet technologically obsolete, but extremely cool Healey, but simply showed how the Brits had lost the challenge to bring the best of their sports car into the 70'. The Z was truly the car that set the new standards. The toss-up was the Z, the TR-6, the Camaro, and the TR, although cool, was like driving a truck compared to the Z. I had a special order 72 Camaro RS with SS pieces ready to order, but saw the used 70 Z on a used car lot, drove it, fell in love, and cancelled the RS. Same prices, $3500. The Z I have now is not the same one, but 12/1970 build date, so it is 71 model year, but still is the same as the 1970. Sorry, too much information. Have a great day. Jim

Well. I have explored every Bosch starter that has ever appeared on a BMW engine, trying to find one that would move the solenoid downward so I would be able to continue with my intake modifications. So, nothing so far on that. I can use a smaller unit, but it means I have to work around it still. I will probably get another manifold to play with. Meanwhile, the 87 325e AT went south seriously this time, and I'm about ready to disembowel that car and swap the 2.7 "baby 6" into the 76 2002 which also died a couple of months ago. I'm not so sure what's wrong with it, but I have always said if the engine goes, I'll swap engines. I had planned to use the four from a 318, but the baby six has been done and a guy makes the mounts to do it. That and trying to break the winter blahs and get back to work on my house, I only sit on a stool and stare at the Z. Sorry, nothing new to report.

Everybody I know fits into a Z, but then I don't know any gargantuans. Ha. By the way, what's a migget? When I was young and my 70 Z was pretty new we often loaded up my girlfriend on the console and her friend in the seat, and that was just rightly cosy. Of course we didn't have seat belt rules, so we often had someone curled up in the back. So, at the time, five adults was about the limit for safe? driving.

Well guys, don't lose faith in mankind altogether. I fell onto this interesting thread out of curiosity, so I make no judgements other than to share some of the amazement and disappointment. Back many years a fellow Peace Corps volunteer looked me in the eyes and said, "Damn, if you let me screw you over, and I will, it's your own stupid fault." I don't mean that getting screwed over is necessarily one's own fault; it's just that we always have to remember that there are lots of nasty people out there who pride themselves on being able to do it. I wondered how such a personality could have made it into the Peace Corps in the first place, but he was pretty good at it. I had to consider myself lucky and heeded his warning. Still do. Have a spit (or whatever) on this guy's "grave" and walk way? Good luck to all, it's Spring around here; time to take a fresh breath and go do something fun...Have a Guinness in honor of St. Patrick, who I'm sure shakes his head at the idea anyway, but it's a great excuse to get pissed.

We're here, posting elsewhere on the forum. What are you looking for? Where are you? North of Indy. Jim

Yeah, seems something always get in the way of the Z project. I still have too many cars to take care of. I have a hard time getting rid of cars. I either give them away or strip them, it seems. I stripped the 635 for the engine et al and gave almost a whole car to a friend and fellow 6 owner and then cut up the body and trashed it. I just drove my poor little old Isuzu PU to the junk yard and got $25 for it. It has worked so hard for me for the past years while remodelling my house; I really hated to do it, but I had to get it out of the driveway and off the insurance. I've have to go slowly on the Z because of all my other projects and the general cost of having a life and a family. But I'm getting a little old now, so I have to get it done so I still have some time left to enjoy it.

Well, since last post, I've been cutting the intake and realigning it, and it's looking good, very doable. I need to do some welding, but I think I'm going to have to take the time to learn it myself. I am looking for a different starter due to a slight clearance problem. Also, since then, my son's 325e's AT went south, and coincidentally, my 76 2002 suddenly seems to have internal problems, so, you guessed it, I think it's time to lob the 2.7 with a 5 speed into the 02, along with anything else that will fit. I am a packrat for pertinent articles on cars I have or may someday have, and I have several articles on both cars and the 2.7eta, which can benefit some 30 t0 40 hp from a chip only, then more from a Dinan intake and a larger exhaust. It is one engine that can be released from its original performance limitations. Then there is also the 325i head swap, but it is not actually of as great benefit for the cost and trouble as are the other mods. What do you think guys? Sorry, I don't mean to turn this into a bimmer thread, but cars are cars, and I am interested in your thoughts. I will try to post some shots pretty soon.

This must be one of the slowest swaps ever, but then it's been 15 years since I bought the Z, and have never driven it except at the end of a tow rope. So, last night I got busy on cutting my stock intake. The idea is to invert it and affix a supercharger to the top of the reconstucted manifold. I spent a lot of time calculating and planning, and it is perfect. I do need to find a different starter (clearance issues), but after some more detail work and rewelding, it should be exactly as I had hoped. This is going to be a really good looking engine. Very simple and "old school" straight six, but very clean and tidy. Later, Jim

Well, my welding shop aluminum master really did not want to cut my intake manifold, but he said he would be glad to weld it, so over the weekend I plan to set up a jig and run it through a band saw I don't have yet. Pretty good excuse to go out and buy. I would rather do it myself anyway. Probably should also learn how to weld aluminum. I hate relying on somebody else to do what I want anyway. I'm a bit anal, I suppose.

Try an old 2002 with the drivetrain from a 90 or so 318i. Nice fit, smooth starting and more power, 5 speed...I may do that with mine some day, but first the Z. I just keep my eyes open in case a cheap 318 might come my way, strip it and wait until the old 02 dies. It runs so well I can't see starting that kind of project on a good, running car, especially when I have the Z project, and I'm building my home on my own...a major project.

Yeah, cars have and present certain aspects of character, dependent upon the viewer's perception. I started owning older bimmers many years back, working on them myself to save my economy. In my area there aren't many others, particularly older ones, so mine are obvious, 735, 635 (now destroyed to build the Z) 325e, and 76 2002, along with a 2004 MINI CS. There is only one other MINI nearby, and that's my brother. People around the area know me and are constantly commenting on how many cars I own, because I may drive a different one any day. And then one day I'll have the only Z around. Thing is though, I have less invested in 6 cars than many people have in one, and the lifespan of a well built car is amazing, easily getting 250k on the old straight sixes. I hope to liquidate the 7 and 3 so I can better concentrate on more important priorities...mostly the Z and the 02...

Hey BadDog, I also have an 87 325e with a bum AT going real cheap. I hate AT's and I'm sure this one is shot. Otherwise the car itself is still reasonable for 240k. I'm thinking about $200. It will drive, but slips badly under acceleration. I thought I would havefixed the heat in the 7, but new heater valve, reconnecting a loose vacuum, and checking the fuses hasn't fixed it yet. It is a very decent car though, just cold.