EScanlon

Carl: I have. Yes there was a small amount of working with it, but overall it's a straight conversion. In fact, if I recall I posted what I found here. The ONLY difference is that the bracket that the levers are mounted to is just a tad wider. If you look at your 70 - 72 dash, look at where the HCP mounts, there should be a "lip" for the HCP to rest on. It is that lip that differs between the 73 and the earlier dashes. The 73 has been ground down to accomodate the wider bracket on the bracket. You CAN mount it in a 72 or 71 dash. Look in my gallery at the interior. I have a 73 HCP with a 72 dash on my 71 . But only folks such as the members here would be able to discern it. 2¢

:stupid: :stupid: I knew I should have checked the URL. Sorry, and thanks for posting the correct one. Enrique

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2415000037&category=42612 Yet another hard to find item. Don't expect these to go cheap as there out of production and no one has even attempted a repro. 2¢ Edited: Corrected URL, thanks 2MZ!

This one seems to be in good condition. These are EXTREMELY hard to find in good condition, and when you DO find one they'll run as high as $125. 2¢

On e-Bay now: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2415143400&category=33545 This was the ONLY year that this style was offered. After 73 the style changed. If you like the looks of the 70 -72 but do not like the fact that it is almost impossible to see the controls at night, then this is the modification for you. It sure beats turning on the map lamp to turn the heater levers. Simply replace the Heater Control Panel in your car with this one. The light bulb harness will connect with any Red/Blue wire and operate with the dimmer and instrument lights. Hope this helps someone. Enrique Scanlon

That tears it, Beandip, the kid gloves come off! Keep it up and I'll tell everyone on the board here how you wanted to BRUSH paint your car and use DUCT tape for the pinstriping. Besides, I bid on it only cause you were pissing and moaning about not having a car to drive, and I felt this would make you feel better. :finger:

And $3500 or so for an Arizona Car in that condition, it would well be worth a trip down. 2¢

George: You got it. It's a PROTECTOR and that's why I have it. When the car is parked in the hot sun, I'm more interested in protecting the dash than I am about what the paperboy thinks of my dash. Yes, it's ugly. Yes, it collects dust. Yes to a lot more questions. I bought mine on e-bay for $15. Cheap UV protection.

Does it come with the 10 little clowns that get crammed into all the nooks and crannies of the car? What about the fake boil-over that always seems to happen just before the bigger clown goes around "splashing" everyone with confetti? This is a perfect example of why some people should NOT be allowed to "customize" a car. Then again, coming from Venezuela, hmmmmm, wonder if it came with a 100 kilo cocaine bag so that you would be so stoned you wouldn't care what the car looked like. Not my cup of tea....

I'll admit to having an using one also. But only when it is in the driveway getting sunlight in through the windshield. Once I start up the car and I am rolling, it gets rolled up and put behind the passenger seat. As a UV ray blocker you can't beat carpet! 2¢

DITTO! But there are so many to remember. Marshall Tucker Band, Charlie Daniels, America all had excellent long distance driving tunes. Then there were the one/two hit wonder groups Golden Earring - Radar Love; The Night Chicago Died- Don't Recall; Billy Idol-Eyes without a face, White Wedding amongst others. As far as complete albums, I've mentioned Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, but another good one is Meatloaf- Bat out of Hell. If you've EVER necked in a car, then you MUST root for the guy in Paradise by the Dashboard Light, and if you're married (whether good or bad) you can empathize with the follow up song Waiting for the End of Time. Although he tried to emulate the same spirit in his second album (originally named Bat INTO Hell), the songs don't have the same in your face attitude. Sometimes a good driving tune can be due to WHERE you were, and with WHO you were with. Christopher Cross-Sailing--I won't elucidate, but hmmmmmmm. Early Michael Jackson-..... Whether you agree with the choices, or have a completely opposite point of view, the key point is that a good tune in the Z can make it that much more enjoyable. Thanks for sharing guys.

The seller has updated his listing and admits it IS a 1971, with a corresponding VIN. (don't recall, but in the 23,000 range) Although the discussion has centered around items that would indicate a 70 or Series I, it should be noted that ALL the parts mentioned are removeable and therefore suspect when it come to definitively identifying the year. Of better use is the Round Vents on the Roof Pillars. Only the Series II vent emblems can fit in those holes, the holes don't line up for a Series I emblem. Although the Hatch is replaceable, no vents. Did anyone notice the toggle style Hazard Switch? with no indent on the dash? That is very early. The ash tray and console are correct for a 71, as is the steering wheel. The radio is aftermarket. 2¢

Darylick: Tommy Bolin; POST TOASTIES!! Santana; just about any, but his Supernatural Album is excellent. Jethro Tull; Thick as a Brick, Living in the Past, Aqualung!; Minstrel in the Gallery. Pink Floyd; Dark Side of the Moon!; Boston; Boston (First Album) Alan Parsons; I Robot Ahh, the memories....... Thanks for the memory rewind...

If the $13,000 are CANADIAN dollars, then it equals 9,340.55 USD. If all the work performed on the car is as stated and good quality, it might be a steal. That it has had bodywork performed on it, and from the type of bodywork (both rear quarters and both rockers) tells me that this car at one time had a lot of rust. Whether there is more rust hiding waiting to be found is where a careful buyer will check. We all know that these cars were prone to rust. Between the poor galvanizing, the application of tar paper to bare metal, the lack of primer / paint in certain key areas of the Series I and early Series II, you KNOW that most of these cars are going to exhibit SOME rust. Apparently for a prior owner this was something that had to be repaired. He had it done at a body shop. That doesn't necessarily mean EXCELLENT work, but it says that the PO was willing to pay to have it done correctly. (Sorry guys, most back-yard mechanics are NOT set up to do bodywork the way it needs to be done. I used to be a body man and there are somethings that I won't touch.) That said, that he is admitting to the repairs speaks well for his forthrightness and hopefully honesty. So I'll tend to believe that the repairs were better than what would have been performed in an individual's garage. With that being the case, then no doubt other rust-prevention techniques were undoubtedly used. I would still check the key places we all know are prone to rust: floor boards, battery box, front fender dog leg, spare tire well, hatch lock area. Could there be some other problems still to be addressed? Probably, that's half the reason most of us come to this site, the ongoing care and maintenance of these cars is something that we have all encountered and still endure. Could I wish it were less expensive for you? Yes. But if everything that you list is in fact what has been done, then the PO has a fair amount of change invested in that car probably more than what he is selling it for, I'm sure he wants some sort of return. 2¢

This is a rare find: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2414234713&category=6762 It is the EARLY edition of the Clymer's Manual. For those in need of a manual that almost equals the FSM. Note, it only goes up to 1974, so as far as 260, 280 will only be marginally helpful. But, for the 240 it includes diagrams and pictures only found in the FSM. FWIW

My 2¢: From the initial impression I got of the picture is that the car has been set up for "racing". The 5 point roll bar, the decal accross the windshield, the latch down pins for the hood (required for most racing, after you remove the latch), the mags, the extra decals on the door, all point to it being "customized". What is customization? Changes to the appearance of the vehicle to portray a different look. Where someone will look at it and say "Cool, a race car!" , someone else will look at it and say, "What a fake!". The true test of whether it's a race car or not is to take it out on the track and check. That brings up the other issue. This being your first car, do you want a modified "souped up" car that may be very difficult to trouble shoot and repair if things aren't working correctly, or are you planning on restoring it to stock. If the later, with only 1500 to work with, you haven't even got the ante you'll need to get started. If on the other hand, you DO want a race car, then it might be fine. But then again, it might be a sheep in wolf's clothing. It may be customized to LOOK like a race car, but may just be a plain old stock vehicle underneath. Not that that doesn't make it fast, just that it's not going to be the rocket it's portrayed to look like. It may be that the car is so rust free, and the "mods" done to it are so minor that you can undo them in a short while. Then you have to ask yourself what you intend to do with it. That will dictate how much money it's going to cost you and how many headaches. Hope this helps.

By the way, the reason I recommended a meter instead of just a light is that the light is very susceptible to resistance. The more resistance the harder it is for the light to light up. I've checked a couple circuits with the light that said "open" only to discover when I used my meter that there was SOME connectivity. The ONLY way I've ever known to check a defroster was to plug it in to 12v and then mist the surface with a water spray bottle. Stand back and wait. When it finally starts evaporating the water along the lines you'll know which lines are active and which are not. I mention this, because my hatch glass has all but two lines working. Unfortunately, one's on the left and the other is on the right. That means that the resistance check between the halves is about equal, which led me to believe I had a completely functional grid. By the way the resistance check is done, again with the meter. Find the Resistance check (the one with the OMEGA letter, the symbol for Ohms), then check the first connection spade with the opposite side of the window. You'll find the interconnecting stripe that ALL of the lines merge into. This is the shunt at the bottom which allows the grid to be a LOOP circuit. (i.e. the current goes in one side and returns on the other without intermediary connections) Check the Resistance (Ohms) from one connector to the connecting stripe and compare the value with the OTHER connector. This will give you the overal resistance for each SIDE of the circuit. If the numbers are very close together, then the individual sides of the circuit are equal. Meaning: The number of grid lines and their individual resistances MATCH (closely) the corresponding lines on the other side of the circuit. Whether they are ALL intact is another question. (see my third paragraph in this post). Does my grid work? Relatively well when I've used it. We've not had ice or snow, but we did have SOME frost on the windows. (Besides, anyone driving their car in SNOW or worse yet, ICE should be used as a snowshovel, you're asking for it.) In that case the frost was melted relatively quickly (2 miles at 25mph and 3 miles at 35mph). Now, the continuity and resistance check only tell you if the resistance grid is closed, and it says nothing about the SUPPLY. Now you need to check the output portion of your fuse-box for voltage. This is what your system is providing the accessories AFTER the fuse. Disregard taking the measurement at the battery, what you'll get there is the POTENTIAL for the circuit. Measuring at the fuse box you get the ACTUAL voltage immediately after the fuse box. Next when you check it at the point of connection, in this case the two little wires coming out from underneath the Dome Light Plastic Finisher, you'll know what the switch and it's associated wiring are using up. If the difference is over 1v then you have to check your connections. You CAN disassemble the switch. Be careful as there are a couple small items (spring and domed contactor) which fit into the toggle, but many times the problem is there. As a closing note, remember that the Z has one of the easiest and simplest electrical systems as far as vehicles are concerned. There aren't 2,000 different relays and sensors and ...... to cloud the issue. Yes, it is complex, but it is NOT impossible to understand it. Hope this helps.

Zcar.com is usually good for a good chuckle. Sometimes a side splitting, breath taking, roll around the floor while the cats and the spouse are convinced we're having some sort of mental attack. The search capabilities of the AVERAGE user there are ...NONE. So many times the SAME OLD questions come up, but what is interesting are the NEW answers being thought up by young teen-age boys who haven't even scuffed the plastic on their driver's license. Rube Goldberg and Magiver would be amazed at some of the inanities there. Believe me, some of the replies are simply too funny to be read in one sitting. Sadly, some of the replies are just so plain stupid as to remind one of "Jackass, The Movie". There are a FEW individuals over there whose input far outweighs the lunkheads though. 2¢

Careful, the only way to determine voltage or resistance accross any ONE of the wires / strips is to isolate it from the rest of the circuit. Since the only way to remove it from the circuit is to CUT the tape that is NOT what you want to do. Referring to the units with the vertical lines. The wiring connects at the top of the glass and the two halves of the grid are connected at the bottom to each other. Take a general continuity METER not a light and connect it to the two terminals. If you get a tone or the needle deflects telling you that you DO have continuity (i.e. a closed circuit) then you know that AT LEAST ONE wire going down and one going up are good. No tone or indication, then the grid is shot on that one and needs to be repaired. I'll check my books for a testing procedure. 2¢

I live in Vancouver, Wa also. If you give me an e-mail maybe I can swing out there to look at it. However, a couple things jump out right away. The 71 Z's did not have 5 speed transmissions as far as I know. Someone else please correct me on this, but that indicates a transplant sometime in it's past. Check underneath the carpeting on both footwells. Also check the floor pan from below. Have seen rust show up on "rust-free" vehicles there. But at $4500 that isn't necessarily a bad price if all you mention is true. Enrique Scanlon

George: No worries! Just don't do it again. As far as the Z is concerned, it's a pretty impressive animal on it's own. When they ask, tell them "It's Rare, so rare that only the people who truly love it know what they are." That should do it. Later....

Use the Rain X in the YELLOW bottle for the outside of your glass. Trust me, you'll love it and you won't miss the wiper motor that much. On another note, NEVER use the interior anti-fog stuff. That stuff is absolutely the WORST product ever. That's the stuff that comes in a black bottle. FWIW

Fellow members of the jury, tribunal, esteemed members of the Grandiosely Illustrious Order of Z//Zedd; I submit to you the above quoted offense. I further submit that the offendant be flogged. Whether physical, verbal or by messages. The crime is one of desecration. To admit to BE WILLING to say: I'd tell the girls its a classic Ferrari Nothing further need be said.

I'm going to take a real dive bomb on this one, but since I can't FEEL the metal, and I'm resorting to 2D images, as well as the different light intensities amongst monitors. I find that it fits an accident I saw on another car some years ago. IF, the "crease" has a distinct RIDGE (i.e. edges similar to the Grand Canyon walls; sheer edges/corners), then I believe you may have Butt Hood Collision. Now, don't laugh.......or at least not much. A friend of mine took another car, (I don't recall the make / model for the life of me, only saw the car once) to a body shop to have the hood repaired. It seems that a girlfriend of his had SAT on the leading edge of the hood, right at the ridge, and since the car had been sitting in the sun for a while, the metal was HOT!. The girl had "dropped" onto the hood, wearing only a bikini. Having relinquished her body to the mercy of gravity when she contacted the hood, she CONTACTED the hood. He swears he heard "meat sizzle". She IMMEDIATELY smacked down on the fenders and kicked down on the ground and literally JUMPED up and OFF the hood. Interestingly enough she didn't get burned. Unfortunately the hood had gotten creased. The metal was at it's most expanded state from the heat of the sun. When she impacted on it, the whole hood was literally BULGING outwards from the supporting frame. When her weight hit the metal, it INVERTED the bulge of metal for just a short instant. Long enough to cause it to impact the radiator support seam and causing this ridge in the metal. When she got off, the metal returned to the correct configuration with the hood metal creased but the supports not damaged. For whatever that is worth. The hood had this kind of damage.

To my eyes, I don't think this is indication of sheet metal problems. I agree with Kmack on this one. Looks more like paint wear thru than metal bending. Take a look at the reflection on the hood FROM THE SIDE! An irregular reflection will show up a wavy hood. 2¢