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New Z Owner. Is this a good deal?

2K views 15 replies 7 participants last post by  ricosuave 
#1 ·
Hello everyone. My name is richard, i am new to the z car scene and hopefully will be starting a build tread soon.
I purchased a 72 240 Z. I got it for $400 bucks. Typical rust under the battery tower, see through the floors, some rust on the roof above the drip rails, on the front of the quarter panels near ther door, and some on the front of the doors. I have no experience patching rust si this will my first learning experience for that. Also the car is in pieces. The interior and engine bay is in boxes for the most part (yikes). Its very daunting but ive wanted a z for a while now and figured id never find another one for such a low price so i jumped. Basically i just want to know if you guys think i got a good deal and any tips going forward in the future if you care to include them.

Thanks Z Community!!
 
#2 ·
First of all, welcome to the forum and all the great folks that are here to help.

Well Richard, for $400 it's probably OK as even if it is a basket case, you can part it out and get your money back and then some. Some photos would help but since you're new I think you have to post some more before the forum lets you post photos.

I recently restored a 260Z and started with a car that sounds like it was in the kind of condition yours is in. I ended up purchasing a second car for parts and found the second car was so much better, I restored the second car using the first one for parts. It really does help to have two cars.

If you are on a limited budget, this could be a problem. If you've never restored a car before, that's a problem too. Are you mechanically inclined? Do you have tools and a good place to work? Are you willing to be patient? Tell us more about yourself! That will help you get to the post requirement for putting up photos.

Be sure to read the "sticky" threads, especially the one for newbies. I've gone through them a couple of times myself. Lots of good information and it will save you time asking questions that have already been answered.

Good luck and let's hear more from you...
 
#3 ·
Thanks i really appreciate the response. Yes i am pretty mechanically inclined. Working on getting more tools for body work and such. My situation is different in that i don't have a garage to work in per say because i live in a military barracks. I do have friends with garages though in the event that i absolutely need to have a garage. As of right now though I'm not necessarily trying to restore it but more or less just make it road worthy. I have about 2 and a half years left till i go back home (with a garage haha) so really i have the time but ill definitely have to work on my patience. I don't really have an idea of what it should cost though but i will definitely be trying to do things on the cheap if possible.
 
#6 ·
well, you've already bought the car, so may as well make something of it. you said you are living in the barracks... I'm going to assume you are at an Army post.... ? Bragg, Benning, Lewis, etc.... they should have an auto work shop that is available to you to use as a service member. keeping it a friend's garage is also helpful. this can turn in to a long term thing. a lot of guys end up losing interest after a while, especially if they aren't patient or don't have the time to do the work. hopefully that doesn't happen to you! but don't let that, or not having space or the tools stop you.
one thing you can do is get with your Z car clubs in your local area.... they can be a tremendous help.
my advice to start... work on the engine first. its pointless to have an awesome looking car that doesn't run. get your power plant built and running strong, then do the cosmetic stuff. whatever and whenever you decide, it will be a big project. but it can be done. I also second getting another parts car.


sadly, blackdragonauto.com is no longer with us, so you will have to check other sites for Z parts. www.motorsportauto.com and zcarsource of Arizona are good. expensive, but good. ebay and craigslist are your friends.


Bon
 
#7 ·
Bon as usual has made some great points. Once you get that motor running, be sure to check out, and correct if necessary, your brakes, steering and the structural integrity of the car (frame rails) before you take it out on the road.

We all want you and the car to come back in one piece.

Thank you for your service!
 
#8 ·
Bon as usual has made some great points.
We all want you and the car to come back in one piece.



hehe, well I do try :grin
 
#9 ·
I also forgot to mention that the car is in a MILLION PIECES. And as if to add icing to a poop cake, the bolts were not labeled for where they go. The car got towed to me today and I definitely may have overlooked some rust in the heat of the moment. Im equal parts excited an equal parts wth did I do. Definitely looking forward and dreading the experience lol
 
#12 ·
It's a giant puzzle! IMHO your biggest problem will be trying to figure out which is the correct bolt when you get multiple types matching the thread size. Build yourself a collection of photos of other people's cars. Search the forums like this one, there are several good ones, for photos. Take your own photos and once all that is exhausted, post the photo and ask. Lots of people are happy to help.

If you don't have a tap and die kit, get one. If you've got rust issues on the car, you will have rust issues on the bolts and the threaded holes. I got a fairly inexpensive kit at Harbor Freight and it's been valuable. I can dress threads that have been "munged" and generally clean up things so reinsertion is nice and easy. Anti-sieze will become your friend too.

The suggestion to get a bolt kit is one I've considered myself, and my car is all put together. Haven't done it yet but haven't decided not to do it either. Someday...
 
#10 ·
I'm assuming this was the car at Camp Pendelton?? If you check the net there are places that sell nut and bolt kits specific to Z cars. Most are stainless steal. Also, i would assume, you can do a search here for them..

Add your location to your front page..
 
#13 ·
I did some rust assessment (pics asap) and some spots are worse than i thought and some spots are better. I also sat in the car for the first time and a rush came over me. I must say it was a great feeling definitely an aid for motivation haha.
 
#15 ·
"Some rust spots are worse than I thought" is a common discovery on these things. They almost never rust out in just one place. The analogy to cancer is appropriate - once it starts, it spreads everywhere fairly quickly and does lots of damage.
So you know any history on this car? I'm thinking it must have come from another state. CA cars don't tend to rust out as much - although if it spent its life near the beach and all that salt air, maybe so.
Does this thing even roll? Is there any suspension under it at all? Or is it completely apart?
 
#16 ·
She rolls, just the interior and engine bay are all taken apart. i get little things done when i work on it the hatch, hood, passenger glass and front valence has been put on. Not much history on the car but from what i know it is a california car
 
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