Looking to buy, but first.

[Adrenaline406]

Hello all, I'm obviously new here. I am a large SAAB (pre-GM that is) fan, however, im getting tired of the same ol' same ol'. I am looking to purchase an older Z in the next couple of months, and I was wondering if there was anything that I should look for in the cars, such as common problems. Possible common rust spots, etc.

For example, I've had 3 Saab 900 Turbo's. I could tell you that the weak part of the car is the transmission, and more specifically 3rd gear. I could also tell you that if the car has been hit at all from the rear, that it causes the rear hatch to need to be pushed down before it opens (2 of mine were like this).

Anything like this would be great while I'm trying to shop this out. Oh and to narrow down the replies, I've been looking at 240's, 260's, and some 280's, thats all.

Thanks in advance,

-Cameron

[geezer]

Welcome Cameron - Best advise I could give you is to read through the past threads by using the SEARCH feature. Every problem that has come up with a Z has been discussed and usually resolved. That's whats great about this site. Helpful advise is given out by a multitude of knowledgeable people. Good Luck in your quest for a Z!

[Arne]

Another place to look is at zhome.com, specifically this link.

http://zhome.com/Buying/1stGenWhatToWatch.html

Short version - rust. Even in California, they rust.

[Jeff G 78]

Rust is the main enemy. Most Z's have it. Sometimes it's been hidden and sometimes not. Look under the battery tray, check the floorboards, take a very weak refrigerator magnet whenever you go to look at a Z and go over the entire body. If the magnet falls off, you have found filler. Keep a close eye on the frame rails where the tension/compression (T/C) rods attach. Look just behind the front tire at the frame and you'll see a rod that comes from the front control arm. The area of the frame where it attaches must be free of rot. Many Z's have rust at the bottom of the front fenders behind the wheel opening. The cowl drain dumps behind the fender in that area and causes trouble.

Once you get past the rust issues, different Z's have different issues. 240's for example, will have various carbs. They either have round tops, flat tops, or have been converted to Weber DGVs or maybe triple carbs. Do a search and read up on the various carbs and what to look for. The 280s will have FI and should be fairly trouble free as long as the car is a daily driver. Cars that have been sitting are more likely to have corroded connectors which will cause all sorts of grief. The dash pad on most Z's will either be cracked, or cracked and covered with a dash cap. These can look very good if installed right. They come in half caps and full caps. Full caps are more convincing.

My advice is to buy the best body and paint you can afford and don't sweat the mechanicals. You will spend less time and money on the engine and suspension than you will on the body and paint. Bumpers are expensive to find and rechrome, so look for a car with nice bumpers. Z cars are very easy to work on for the most part and don't have many weak spots as far as mechanical design goes.

The best thing you can do is ask for help! There are plenty of Z folks in California, so if you find a car you want to look at, ask on this site first to see if someone can tag along and help you. After you have been coached and have looked at a few Z's, you will know exactly what to look for.

Good luck and welcome!

[Arne]

My advice is to buy the best body and paint you can afford and don't sweat the mechanicals. You will spend less time and money on the engine and suspension than you will on the body and paint.

Maybe. But sometimes it's not that simple. You need to honestly ask yourself what your own skills are, and what you will have to outsource. For me (and lots of others), that means it is better to but a good body and repair/replace the mechanicals myself. But I know others who are exactly the opposite - to them bodywork and paint are simple, easily and affordably done in their own garage/shop. But they have no desire to do greasy work. To each their own.

Another issue is to honestly assess what you want out of a Z. Do you want a restored original car? A nice weekend driver? Or ??? If you intend to restore the car, be aware that having its original engine is a big deal for restored Zs. A beautifully restored 240Z with a non-matching engine is much less valuable than the same car with matching numbers. But if you intend to use it as a driver, that's not an issue.

[Jeff G 78]

I completely agree Arne. I was going to add similar info, but got lazy.

[26th-Z]

Well...rust is probably the main problem. Other than that, they run great.

[Arne]

Does the princess still look like that, Chris? Or is she disassembled?

[red_dog007]

Don't forget to check under the floor pans too. I ended up getting a spot there, and it looks like someone tried to fix it unsuccessfully, but I might be able to fix it without having to get an entire new floor pan.

Also I hear the gas tanks are supposed to get pretty rusty on the inside, so either a good cleaning or a new one would be in order.

Other then what the others have said, I can't really think of anything else myself. Recently bought a 240z myself, a California car its whole life, and I would have to say is in excellent condition. Though still needs a lot of money put into it.

[Adrenaline406]

Wow thanks guys. Tons of info, and its all of great help!

My plans? Restore it to a clean look, not nessesarily stock, so I guess I should be looking to get different numbers on the engine and body to dring the price down.

Beyond that, a slow build of a turbo engine that can be turned down for DD. (Yea i know, nothing really original)

Best,

-Cameron

[zbane]

There's no reason to go for a slow build of a Turbo engine, they can still be found in junkyards (and some of our members have some for sale in the classifieds, for that matter).

Frame rails have been mentioned, but here are a couple shots to show how bad they can be, and a shot of my rusty fuel sending unit, straight out of the tank. (yours will be different, if you find an earlier model-this is just for example).

Welcome to the club, take your time when buying, and enjoy the ride.