240znz

240znz....well I have a 240Z and I live in New Zealand......yes boring but rolls off the tongue.

Of topic slightly here guys. 26th-Z, so does that explain why my centre console is grey under the choke and hand throttle plate. Did these come as grey and then sprayed black???? James

I'm finding the same thing as Bruce describes. I'm very lucky in that my old mechanic flatmate has a good pal who is a panel beater from the old school. When I told him I had a 240z he just said "NO". He had been stung working on 240's before and proclaimed that they rust from the inside out, sometimes you can just keep cutting and cutting and cutting, till you have nothing left. However, he came around and is amazed how rust free mine is. I thought it was very bad but me must have seen some horrors. So Jason, don't dispair, and DON'T tell your fiancee about the ugly rust monster. As others have said, take your time and you can do a lot of things yourself to save money. Just ask the panel guy what state he wants it in and ask his advice on what you can do yourself. Get as many quotes as you can be bothered getting and then and only then make an informed decision.

I would have to be on the bones of my arse to sell my Zed. Mine is in bits and worth nothing but still it will be worth tens of thousands to me. I sold a previous car that I poured money, heart and soul into and have regretted it ever since (another 72 Dastun). Now I have the Zed, I'm as happy as parting with massive money that I know I have no chance of recovering. I simply don't care. The fever simply won't let me part with it. How could I dream? Like Marty, the pull of another would have you in its grip. Money is nothing! You can always get more of that stuff, but you can't buy great Zeds easily. The "gut feel" instinct is REAL. DON'T DO IT!!!!!

Now that's an engine bay to be amazed at!!!!!!

Suspension is about to be the next bit I attack on my resto. Plenty of you guys have done this and what I'm asking is what would you consider "a must" when pulling the suspension apart. The car won't be a daily driver. Its purpose is a second family :nervous: car.... :devious: Poly or rubber. Should I replace wheel bearings? Or am I better doing those as and when they need it. Diff bearings? Or am I also better doing these at a later date as and if. Hardy Spicer's? Top tower mounts? Any thing else I might need to do let me know your advise. Cheers James

Welcome to a very informative and friendly site dedicated to "Classic" Z's. Plenty of people here with similar rust buckets. As you will find, or have already found, these cars amaze us with where rust can feed. Make sure you frequent the galleries and forums for all the info you need. If you can't find it then either someone will point you in the right direction or your thread will help other users at some stage. So welcome again and congrats on getting a Zed. But be sure of one thing, these cars are very very infectious. James

Aw hell Ed. I don't even have a gasket there. Casn someone take a pic and let me know what I need to re-invent.......man oh man. I haven't taken the hatch off yet, athough the glass is out. How about a source for those little airduct funnuls too, my guess is also unotainium? Oh the joys of resto work. Cheers James

Anyone know where I can a pair of new rubber headlight surround seals? Websites would be handy. Pulling mine apart was the end of them. VB and MSA don't have them in their catalogs. Cheers James

1 litre of 96 (yes we get the good stuff) will set you back NZ$1.30 here in New Zealand. That's US$3.99 per gallon. It was NZ$1.00 6 months ago. The NZ goverment creams off an extra 6 million NZ$ a day in extra tax JUST on the GST content (12.5%). GST = Goods and Services Tax. Those poor POMES (the ones who invented WHINGING), have 17.5%VAT ON TOP of there pump prices.....I'm glad I don't live there anymore.

You can pick up the door handles from either Motorsport Auto or Victoria British. MSA have a catalog but it costs. VB has a free catalog that you can request via the link below. http://www.victoriabritish.com/scripts/mgrqispi.dll?APPNAME=WebLmc&PRGNAME=CatalogRequest&ARGUMENTS=-AVB,-AZ or http://www.zcarparts.com/ I'm not too sure where you would find some NOS mirrors from....anyone else help?????

Heh Carl, Do you have the email address of Sal Perno. I could use his help. I'm having nothing but problems with them. I want to do business with them as being more cost effective in freight being in CA. NZ is a long way aways. Cheers James

I'm having a real hard time asking MSA to provide me with a quote and shipping estimate. I have emailed them over the past 2 weeks but now I get nothing at all. :surprised The order is in the region of 2k to them, so I wonder why they are not so responsive. Anyone had similar problems? Has anyone got a email address of the sales team of boss I could have? The exchange rate is very favourable and I want to get this resto moving. Or should I just go to VB and be done with it????

Sweet. Thanks guys. My resto will have new cylinders, just my preference really. For the extra piece of mind of new bits, I think its worth the premium. James

I haven't checked locally. The local Nissan dealer is as good as tits on a bull. He just looks up his old book and quotes moon prices as everything he gets in is from Japan. Is PBR a brand?

Looking to order new slave and master clutch cylinders from MSA or VB. VB catalog details the slave is on the right, but MSA show it on the left(viewed looking forward). I don't want to order LHD parts here if they won't fit. Help anyone? :nervous:

Sounds like time to pull it apart and re-grease it. It doesn't take too long once you have it all out. I broke the door handle pushrod flange and had to pull it to bits to fix it. 30 years of use and it really needed it. Now it works like the day it was born.

MSA Part no. 40-2954 US$ 1.75 + P&P You may as well buy something else as they weight 0. You can email them on motorsport@sbcglobal.net

Anyone see any issues with the below that I have missed? My engine is soon to be out of the car and will be for some time. I'm going to store it on a dolly of some kind while the body is finished. I don't want the engine to get surface rust in the bores, so would it OK to leave the oil in it and hook up the starter motor now again and turn it over (without the spark pulgs in) to get oil pressure up. Will this lube cam, main bearings and generally keep everything in check????

I've just made a a spreadsheet of parts I need. I put in part no. page no. description and prices. Prices vary with MSA being more cost effective in some areas and VB vice-versa. I'm waiting on MSA to get back to me on a final price and shipping costs to NZ. Remember that VB is inland and I'm expecting freight charges to be more from them. MSA is close to LA if not in it. (Sorry CA guys, I'm not too sure how far LA spreads.) I can email you the sheet if you like. Just PM me with your address. James

I could use the emial address as well. Stephen, that link only gives out the ph no. Anyone got an emial? Could anyone local then them give them a call and ask them for a email address?????

Bav, I had the same problem and forced the handle. I ended up breaking the handle pivot and that required a "she'll be right" fix it job using a custom made plate. I will order a new handle soon. Anyway, pretty easy to refurb your lock assembly if you have time. You'll need to pull the trim off the door, carfelly remove all the bolts and whatnot that holds the assembly in there. Take it all apart and run it through a parts washer if you have one. I puleld every linkage and wirewheeled them back to baremetal before the repainting process. Then put it all back together with a load of "water-proof" grease. It not clicks and clunks like new. The whole thing must have taken me some 6 hours. But I was being very picky. Beware though, this single act was the start of my cars resto.....so keep to the task if you can. Good luck

Cheers all. Another mystery solved.......:eek:

Yeah, come to think of it the Yamaha FZ750 had it's 4 cylinders at 45 degrees, that was to lower the centre of gavity. Maybe it's the same with the L series? :eek: Maybe it was to reduce the width of the car? i.e. with the block on a slant, the aircleaner would be slightly further from the strut tower? Got me stumped! Doesn't take much these days! :eek: