Arne

:embarrass::embarrass::embarrass:Very nice, looks great. Do you have any plans regarding the front bumper?

I just loaded it, but was automatically redirected to http://www2.zhome.com:81/ If you don't get redirected, try going to the alternate URL directly.

My dealer told me a few months ago that new windshields from Nissan were still available, but only with the blue shaded band at the top. Non-shaded windshield (as original) are NLA. I didn't want shaded, so I got an aftermarket windshield. I'd rather have non-Nissan than shaded.

Yeah, I'll buy that - up to a point. I understand the reasons for the price gap, but I don't think they're relevant for many potential buyers. Someone looking for a #2 or better car will have glanced at this car, will have seen that it wasn't that caliber and moved on. On the other hand, an enthusiast like myself may look at the high-end cars, but will gravitate back to the cars like this one instead. The markets for #2 and #3 don't overlap much, if at all. No. Not to me, at any rate. The subject of this thread appeared to be ready to drive and enjoy. Sure, it wasn't show worthy, but that's fine. As a great-looking classic to drive and enjoy, it didn't lack much.But #48 for $21k? That extra $5k would have been wasted in my case. Because you don't maintain a low-VIN or any #2 car in that condition by driving it back and forth to work a couple of times per week, as I do my car routinely. As has been mentioned in the past, I'm an enthusiast, not a collector. Doesn't matter what car I have, I'm going to drive it. And so pretty soon it won't be a #2 car anymore. So why pay extra for that at the beginning? The answer to how much should one pay is always the same - buy the best car you can find and afford. If a $18k #3 car is better than a $12k car, buy the more expensive one if you can swing it. Even those of us who drive our cars regularly like to have them in great condition. These days even $20k for second car for weekends and occasional other use is nothing to many people. So why should we balk at a $20k #3 240Z, if it is VERY nice?I don't know the final answer. As you noted above, we all have to make our own decisions on this. But we've all seen the threads that claim that the Z community itself is holding down the market on 240Zs, and I do believe that might be the case. Part of the issue is us picking apart every car we see, finding flaws and "wrong" details. But perhaps the larger picture is that too many Z people are trying to hold all 240Zs to the "collectible" standard. Here was a very nice, mostly stock 240Z. Granted, it was not a #2 car. So why do we feel we need to judge it by those standards? Why not judge it for what it is, not what it isn't? Compare it to the general market, not to a fixed "240Z show car" target. Compare it to similar a TR-6 for example.

My 2¢, from the perspective of someone who owns a very similar #3 condition car.1.) I wonder about the 'value' of the blue interior. To people new to 240Zs, the blue interior is odd, and many newbies don't care for it. Something as simple as that could easily have kept a couple of people from bidding, and could have helped to keep the final cost down. 2.) I've seen this discussion about the relative value of #3 and #2 cars here before. And I don't think the comparisons are all that valid. Someone who is in the market for a true #2 car isn't even going to look hard at one like this. Too much work to bring it to true #2 condition. But a person (like myself, for example) who wants a Z to drive isn't going to pop for a #2 car. But they might spend more than some of us think to buy the best #3 that they can find. Consider - this car sold for $16k, plus possibly some shipping cost, depending on where the buyer lives. For that price they got what appears to be a nicely cared for, great looking and driving classic sports GT car, that you can drive frequently, and will turn heads everywhere it goes. What else can you buy for $16-18k that will do and be that? Or for $20k, for that matter?

It would be interesting to know what part of the country the buyer lives in.

Slotted mags are not original. Despite what many uninformed people say (calling them the "original wheels"), no Z ever came from the factory with slotted mags. All slots were aftermarket. Many were dealer installed, but that doesn't make them "original".

Not too many people here that have much flat-top experience. More often they just replace them. Maybe sblake01 will see this, I recall he has some experience with these.

Outstanding job, Mike!

That's normal, as shown in Chris' post above.

I'm also watching the blue car - not because I want to buy it, but because other than the color, it's VERY similar to my red car. The odometers read within 30 miles of each other, both are rust-free, the blue one is probably two months earlier build, both have had one good quality repaint. Mine has a Spook on the front, the blue has sport mirrors. Even located in the same corner of the country. All in all, it's about a wash. So I figure it's a pretty good indicator of the current market value of my car. Depending on how it goes, I may need to adjust my insurance coverage.

Indeed. Why two different part numbers for what would certainly appear to be the same thing? I wonder if the E4200 lacked some US-DOT code or something?

The Type A transmissions were only used in '70 and '71 Zs. From '72 on they were Type Bs, both 4 and 5 speeds.

I agree. This car is not likely to be sold to someone who intends to drive it, it is a collector or museum piece. For those uses, the condition is FAR more important than the equipment.

Which is why I don't plan to leave, despite the fact that I could make a pile more in my profession in other parts of the country. But we love it here. That's right, I seem to recall hearing that Florida is the only state in the Union that actually requires (and enforces) bumpers. Seems to me I recall that you (technically) aren't allowed to modify bumpers from stock? Sounds Draconian to me. But shoot, where I'm at there's no smog testing, and H4 headlights have been Oregon-legal since 1976. Stephen, I think I'd prefer to meet you in person while you are still breathing and talking.

Mike, my car didn't have the end caps when I bought it either, but I did install them post-paint. I have no idea whether or not they are correct for a late '71. There's no date range for them in the parts CD. But I'm pretty certain they weren't just a '73 part, judging from the attached scans. These pictures are from the January 1970 issue of Road & Track. While the scans aren't totally clear, these pictures appear to show the rear end caps in place on a very early (pre-production?) press car.

No, numbers 6 & 7 in the BD catalog are the rear bumper trim caps, for which I've never seen a good explanation as to which cars had them or didn't. Part numbers 62692-E4101 and 62693-E4101 (left and right), were still available from the dealer a few months ago. See my first picture attached.The rubber bumper shims are shown in the second picture from MSA. The right shim is the rear one, it is like an envelope which slides over the bracket on the bumper.

Must be so, I don't have my issue yet, either. :disappoin

True, I often forget to factor in the shipping hassles for those of you up North. Definitely not worth the headaches when you can duplicate it locally.

Stephen, I have a spare Type A. I ran it in my car for a few hundred miles while I rebuilt the original, so it's a known good unit. I had figured on keeping it as spare parts, but might consider selling it if the right offer was made. Don't know what it would cost to ship it, though.

If your car is a manual transmission, you can get them new from MSA, as shown in the attached screenshot from the CD version of their catalog. And since MSA has them new, I'm fairly certain that they must be available other places as well.

I agree with Stephen, if all you're after is a "wider look", I'd have a hard time justifying a different set of rims, considering the relative rarity and "correct-ness" of the rims you have now.

Yes, Arne had a brain lapse. My bad. The wheels Stephen shows are 5.5" wide. As such they are "technically" too narrow for a 225 wide tire. But as Stephen shows, they will fit, although some of the potential handling benefit may not be evident.Some background - A "60 series" is not necessarily wider than a "70 series" tire. The "series" is more properly called the "aspect ratio" which is one part of what determines the tire's height and width. For example - your current 195/70-14 size means this: the approximate overall width (not tread width but at the widest part of the sidewall bulge) is 195 mm. The sidewall height is 70% of the overall width. The tire fits on a 14 inch rim. So a 195/60-14 tire - for example - will NOT be wider than what you now have, but will be a bunch shorter. To determine a tire's true size, you need to consider both the width AND the aspect ratio. Back to the 5.5" wide wheels - a better size for that size rim would be 215/60-14, but if you do the math you'll see that size is shorter than stock.

Edit - Bad info. Post deleted.

Les' paint is not normal rattle can paint. It is custom mixed auto paint loaded into aerosol cans. Not Krylon or similar. I've done this in the past myself, having a local paint shop load Dupont Centari into rattle cans. I can't remember what brand paint Les told me he has mixed up before he loads it into the spray cans, but it was a familiar name and may have even been PPG. Les' paint on my car's tail trim panels is almost two years old now, with no signs of any fading or degradation.