I would appreciate your opinions please

[Mckrack]

Hi Everyone,

Well after a fairly long and grueling experience my series one car will finally be done within the next few days and I wanted to get your opinion on something. After looking at probably hundreds of Early 240z,& 260z and 280 Z cars I am toying with the idea of using the correct vinyl body side moldings on the car. I do know that this was either an aftremarket or accessory part back in the early 70s. Probably more an aftermarket item that dealers installed on many 240z cars especially. I think that those side moldings adds something to the look of the car but I just can't figure out why I seem to like the car better with them installed.

What's your take on this if you have one and does anyone know if those moldings were black or were they the same color as the car or close to it.

Thanks for your thoughts on this.

McKrack

[hls30.com]

McKrack,
Any molding was after market. Most dealers around here installed the rivet on aluminum channel that accepted an insert. the inserts wereavailable in a healthy number of colors that closely matched most body colors, but also had black when there was not a close match for body color. My 280Z 2+2 came in DN 305(sky blue metalic) and the appropriate mounlding and inserts. The first time I went through the car, I repaired the moulding holes and left the moulding off. Within a month something was amis, I put the mouldings back on, and the car was right again.
That was a 2+2, and the mouldings helped it, I don't plan to put them on my 240Z because the body line they apply to is one of the styling elements that I really like to see "right"(and I don't want holes in my bodywork), but I may make a set magnetic and play with the idea some...
Will

[geezer]

Mine never had any mouldings on it when I got the car. I don't plan on putting any on either. That will make for one less thing to worry about. As far as appearance, I think they look good either way, with or without. What ever you decide, will be accepted by almost everyone I think because we have always seen them both ways.

[26th-Z]

Her Majesty phoned me this morning with the very same question! What a coincidence! So I contacted the wardrobe department right away and spoke to Alsace Gesechtnik, in charge of accessories. He is actually a really talented man! I think he lives on the other side of the river, though. If you know what I mean. Anyhow, Alsace suggested white side molding with the metal caps on each end - in gold. With matching gold screws. He said the glue-on type was just out these days and that screwing with your car showed so much commitment. He also suggested you match the molding with gold hubcaps. You know, the kind that keep spinning at the stop light? Seventeen inch would be nice, but nineteen is much better. Then he made some snide remark about size. Sounded like a Corvette slur to me.

So there you have it. Straight from the guy who consulted with Her Majesty and Princess. We talked about it a few years back and decided to dress in a traditional Japanese retro style. I went out on eBay and bought all the parts before everyone realized how chic the style was. If word gets out about side moldings, who knows where the price will go!

[veritech-z]

Could somebody post a picture of the side mouldings in question? I'm not really clear on what we're talking about.

26th-z, maybe instead of spinning hub caps you could get those kind like the taxis were using that stay straight up and down all the time, that way you could put a graphic of a queen from each suit in a deck of playing cards on it. Just a thought.

[c david]

i once knew of a very nice, very low milage early car with some owner added trim, upgrades and improvements. if your car is a true example worthy of being critiqued by the most knowledgeable of experts you could do what this other guy did. but remember, his car was the world's lowest milage 240 at less than 16,000.
take a rattle can of rubberized under coating and spray to your hearts content.
remove the points and install a petronix unilight disturber, i mean distributor.
have some jackass mechanic in ny install 280 mustache bar bushing and then ship it down and back to tampa a few times in search of the correct diagnosis.
get some sheet metal screws and drill mount a radiator over flow tank into the side of your engine compartment.
drill mount a gold king's crown air freshner tp the dash for the best in aromatherapy.

these mods and others will be sure to elevate your car to "pristine early zcar" and one day you might be a trailer queen; i mean your car might be a queen.

i will add a picture of this other guy for you to meet at the daytona convention to discuss how to be a responsible person, i mean responsible early zcar enthusiast. the picture is of him in a bad light but then that is how i remembered his conversation with mr. k who was taken back by his brash statements, as indicated by the guy standing next to him.

cdavid

[DougN]

I think this is the side-molding in question (from my '72Z):

[BRE-240Z]

I think this is the side-molding in question (from my '72Z):

It's a matter of personal taste, I guess, but personally I think those body side bumpers completely interfere with the 'lines' of a Z. The first thing I did after I bought my '71 was to carefully remove them.

Yes, I know that they serve a purpose. They are just ugly as sin, in my opinion.

[veritech-z]

Oh yeah, my car wasn't even RUNNING yet, but I had those things off first order of business. Second was getting rid of the automatic tranny. Then came getting it started.

[zman112233]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of them. I've actually never seen them before now.

[Wobbles1971]

Had them on my first Z, was happy I didnt replace them when I got it painted. I just cant help but think they take away from the sportscar feeling and do nothing but add to the "safety in the shopping lot" feeling. For some reason they seem to look a little better on a white or silver Z's compared to the darker colors tho.

[BuDavid]

I would say I love them. they are one of the reasons which I switched into S30's

BUT

depending on the style of the car and the color combination, if you want the racing sporty lok I would say, don't put them on, they look much classic and they give the "long body trim" view..

just an opinion..

good luck.

[BuDavid]

Wobbles1971,

what a coencidence! there is a nother guy on the other half on the earth saying my words or what you beat me by 1 minute

[WingZr0]

Aint that a blip!?!
The whole time I thought we was taliking about fender flares

Yeah, deffinately get ride of those ~Basket~ bumbers.

The Z jus looks cleaner , unless it's a '70

~Z~

[ggarrard]

I have to say I prefer mine "with" ... as long as they are colour matched....

GWGarrard

[WingZr0]

Wobbles and Bu both made good points ^_^

They almost look like Racing Stripes

[Arne]

My red 240Z and I vote no.

[geezer]

Could somebody post a picture of the side mouldings in question? I'm not really clear on what we're talking about.

26th-z, maybe instead of spinning hub caps you could get those kind like the taxis were using that stay straight up and down all the time, that way you could put a graphic of a queen from each suit in a deck of playing cards on it. Just a thought.

Hows about JOKERS not Queens!!

[sakijo]

As far as I know, they made two types. The earlier one was an aluminum channel that was riveted on the car. The newer one was a plastic channel that was taped to the car. Both types could be had with numerous colored inserts. The older type was more durable, but there was the problem of rust, holes in the body and dissimilar metal electro-something or other (aluminum rivets rubbing on steel body panels). The newer one didn't have the rust problem, but was prone to cracking, being that it was plastic. I haven't seen them in a long time and I'm not sure that you can find them anymore.

[ZCCOR#109]

Well there is one certainty, they never stopped a parking lot rub,dent,ding.

All the damage to the Z's doors are BELOW the ridge of the body work. to be effective the trim would have to run 12 inches below that line.

A "door ding stopper" was put on many a 70's and 80's car by factory and aftermarket. Now that cars are a bit smaller, and I think SUV's allow for easier entry, there seems to be way less door dings. I just havn't gotten that many with my 2002 SVT Focus. Just one significant mash.

Maybe it is the reduction in two door monsters like Thunderbirds, where the barn doors would take out NASCAR bars if they were in place.

Lord knows it is not the lessor number of fat asses climbing out of their cars wanging away on the neighboring cars paint.

Oh, have I gone on toooo much?

[veritech-z]

Lord knows it is not the lessor number of fat asses climbing out of their cars wanging away on the neighboring cars paint.

Funny story along those lines: I used to work in a local theme park in the traffic department. You know the guys that point your car where to park as you enter in the morning? Well, the first thing people would do is kick their door all the way open and try to jump out, which would hold up the line of cars. What would kill me is that the person that JUST had to wait while the jerk in front of them did that would proceed to do the SAME THING once they parked instead of waiting for the next car to pull in before opening the door. Anyway, one time I saw a guy kick open his door, go to jump out, and guess what? He forgot to take off his seat belt and got yanked right back into the car. Priceless.

[DougN]

Yeah, I'm not a fan of them. I've actually never seen them before now.

Yeah, I am not crazy about them, but the car still has great paint on it, and taking them off would leave the rivet holes - so until the car needs a repaint, I am stuck with them. But, since the '72 is my "daily driver" of the two Z's, I guess they do serve a purpose in keeping the car from getting door dings.

[mally002]

I vote NO.....Here's mine with, however I'm at the paint and body shop and they WILL NOT be put back on.....just my .02

[Mckrack]

Thanks everybody for your opinion. I thought you could possibly stick them on but if holes have to be drilled I'm not doing that. However I do kind of like them.

There were some responses like from that 26th something about her majesty or something that I didn't quite get. Maybe just joking or somehting and the other guy David. What in the world were you talking about. I do think I recognized Mr. K in that picture. Was that him? As for the other folks who are they?

Anyway thank you very much for your opinions.

McKrack

[76Datsun280z]

When we first got my 280z, it had them on there and I thought they looked alright. We had to take them off of coarse to do all the body work and now I'm glad that we did because having them off I think really makes the car have a cleaner sportier look to it and gives it the right lines. But it's always your opinion on what you like.