New guy from Poland

[and6412]

Hi everyone

On the beginning apologies for my English, I'm not a native speaker.

Little bit about me:

My name is Andrzej (you can call me Andy as well) and I'm from Poland (for those who don't know it's on the middle east of Europe, next to Germany). I'm dealing with vintage cars since few years, but rather in Mercedes.

Why here:

As I wrote before I have a little bit experience in classics though since 7 years I'm dealing with my project car Mercedes Benz W107 450 SLC from 1976 (also had Porsche 924). (http://sites.google.com/site/mercedesw107450slc/galeria-1) I thereat it purely as a hobby and honesty speaking I prefer to fix those cars than drive it :stupid: Well SLC is almost done (will need few more months) so I'm looking for next ideas. I really like Datsun Z models so this is 1st idea. Moreover, despite the fact that Merc is really great car I have some bad experience with it due to:

• Extremely high costs of new parts sourced only from MB. Because of that I needed to take some compromises while restoration
  
• Mercedes SLC is really complicated car (KJet injection, a lot of equipment etc)
  
• It was my first project car so I learned everything on it
  
• Last, but not least: When I brung it to Poland 7 years ago it was extremely rare car (after restoration would have some value). Meanwhile after Poland accessed to EU plenty of them were brang here so it's quite popular now
  

Z cars are very rare in Europe, so I would have something special. Consequently there is no point to look for it in EU, except UK, but they are driving on the wrong side of the road

Plans:

In next few months I plan to buy short version of Z in USA and ship it to PL. I would be grateful for your help, because I have completely no experience in Japan cars. I have many questions and I hope will find answers here. These are on the beginning :

1. My idea is to restore Z to factory spec. Consequently I will look for a car not too rusty, driving, definitely complete, preferably with some history (maybe 1st owner), quite nice factory equiped, never restored etc, but rather cheap . How much such car would cost in US? So far I browsed ebay and some other pages, but still don't have an idea, because pictures don't show nothing. That's why I'm asking you as experienced ones ;-) How big expense it would be?
   
2. Where to look for it in the web?
   
3. Do I have real chance to find it nearby NY, because I have family in there which would help me a lot with organising shipping etc.?
   
4. I would prefer version which have common engine/gerabox/etc... with other Nissan cars. Are there any or I should forget about it? This would make easier to get parts here.
   
5. Would be grateful for addresses of web stores with parts. It makes easier to prepare a budget.
   
6. Are there any parts which are not available or very expensive, so I should pay more attention on it?
   
7. Do they equiped it with A/C while production, or all of them are added later?
   
8. Any other ideas/suggestions?
   

I would be grateful for your help in above matters. Thanks in advance.

Edited September 26, 2010 by and6412

[Carl Beck]

Start with this one - you will be WAY ahead...

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/datsun/240z/1127675.html

FWIW,

Carl B.

[RIP260Z]

Andrzej,

Here in the UK, there are a few rust free LHD US cars S30's here. These are usually converted to RHD as a lot of original UK market 240z's have rotted away, or spent a lot of time with a welder, so you could get one before it has been converted....

[Lazeum]

Hello Andrzej,

There're few Z cars in Europe. We do have some in France that could be in good shape (there're 2 for sale now at 10k€ & 14.5k€).

As far as price goes, they are quite expensive if you can find one in good shape. Best deal would be to find a rust free one in the US and ship it (but how to check for rust if you stay in EU??)

The one Carl is showing is super nice but you might get bored... It looks almost too good to work on it! :stupid:

Good luck with your project.

I'm spending a lot of time in Poland (Tychy & Gliwice), my polish collegues start to know what a Z is since I display it with the beam before each meeting

[olzed]

Hello Andy. Look for a 1970-73 240Z. One with no cracks in the dashboard.

Mechanically these are very simple cars, although the 73 appears to have some carburettor issues.

One company which I have usedfor parts is Motorsport Auto. Very easy to deal with and very quick.

Check out their prices.

Black Draggon is another. There are plenty more, and i'm sure others will comment.

Good luck.

Edited September 27, 2010 by olzed

[Bruce Palmer]

Andy and All Classicers,

I was just thinking what a sweet opportunity for someone with the right body and maybe a fresh engine and tranny in it, to load that badboy up with new belts, hoses, u-joints, wheel bearings, strut cartidges, brake MC & slave & wheel cylinders and rubber brake lines, weather strip kit, (if ever available agin) you know all that stuff we run down to the parts store for, and sell it to Andy as a kit car. Hell, even rings, bearing and gasket set for an engine and bearings and synchro for a transmission if he was so inclined. I'd hate to imagine what a pain it would be for him to source all that stuff in Poland but every little project would be pure misery I'd guess.

OH, and Andy, Once you see the Lseries Z engine you'll feel like you are back in Mercedes land because this is a design Mercedes could not make work. But the design and engineering side of NISSAN did.

I would think unloading a Z at the docks, that needs to be done, loaded with the parts to do it would be attractive. It sure would be to me if I was that far out of the supply loop.

I would be happy to mention it to The owner of ZTherapy when and if he ever shows up to sork.....

[Lazeum]

Andy and All Classicers,

I was just thinking what a sweet opportunity for someone with the right body and maybe a fresh engine and tranny in it, to load that badboy up with new belts, hoses, u-joints, wheel bearings, strut cartidges, brake MC & slave & wheel cylinders and rubber brake lines, weather strip kit, (if ever available agin) you know all that stuff we run down to the parts store for, and sell it to Andy as a kit car. Hell, even rings, bearing and gasket set for an engine and bearings and synchro for a transmission if he was so inclined. I'd hate to imagine what a pain it would be for him to source all that stuff in Poland but every little project would be pure misery I'd guess.

OH, and Andy, Once you see the Lseries Z engine you'll feel like you are back in Mercedes land because this is a design Mercedes could not make work. But the design and engineering side of NISSAN did.

I would think unloading a Z at the docks, that needs to be done, loaded with the parts to do it would be attractive. It sure would be to me if I was that far out of the supply loop.

I would be happy to mention it to The owner of ZTherapy when and if he ever shows up to sork.....

I like the idea!

All that would be sweet but when I came back to Europe with my Z, Customs did not allow me to have anything in my car except the spare wheel

It was with a Roll In / Roll out solution. In a container, it might be a different story.

Anyway, I had to ship my parts & the rest of my stuffs in different boxes (so it is doable but not in the car)

[Bruce Palmer]

Hell, I'd aleady assumed it made too much sense to actually work. Just kinda the way the world is anymore. The more sense something makes the less likely it is to work. GRRrrr.

Oh, and Andy, You need carbs. That I know already...... Nyuck nyuck

[Diseazd]

Ditto on the blue car Carl.....I bought a Z from the seller.....everything was better than advertised!

[Bruce Palmer]

I just now looked at the Hemmings ad for the blue car. Anyone want to guess how many times I stumbled over and around that car when it was being brought back to life in Steve Epperly's shop?? If the prices we hear it has sold and resold for are accurate, someone has taken a real serious hit on that car.

And the refrain of "it's a small world? comes ringing into ear shot.....

[and6412]

The one Carl is showing is super nice but you might get bored... It looks almost too good to work on it! :stupid:

Hello everyone, thank you for interest.

Lazeum you are right ;-) As I said, I prefer to fix it than drive those cars ;/ Well, it's not too much financially justified, I know

[Glockrebel]

Regarding the blue Z. Why would any Datsun "with 63,000 original miles" need an engine rebuild? Anyway, is a beautiful car.