Brand new owner - need help w/ Christmas gift ideas for my kid

[rturbo 930]

Can I assume he is fairly young? If so, then I think the best thing you could buy him would be a slot at a driving school. It'll help him to be a better and safer driver, and he'll use what he learns there for the rest of his life.

[esmit208]

20 hours ago, Grubbs240 said:

I bought a '72 240 for my son for Christmas. Going to give it to him on Christmas morning.....It's going to be awesome!

I want to give him some small things as gifts that he can use to restore/maintain the car.

The basics:

-- The care is in pretty good shape. Solid daily driver w/ no rust. Mostly original interior and engine. Picking it up from the mechanic tomorrow (went through brakes, carbs, a few hoses, etc to make it ready for daily use).

-- Examples of the kinds of things I'm looking to buy: penetrating spray for siezed fasteners, cleaning liquid for interior, fender cover (to drape over fender while working on engine, etc.

-- Anything else we might need as brand new owners just getting started with our Z. I have most of the basic hand tools we'll need, but anything that is particularly useful on a Z would be great to know.

 

Thanks, everybody. Looking forward to participating in this forum and getting to know people. Once my son has his car, I'll let him into this login so we can both post.

 

Can I be your Son? I don't eat much, I have a job, I'm clean, I can buy my own beer! Please let me be your Son

[esmit208]

TC-24-B1Z. He might like this as a nice upgrade BTW

 

Edited December 17, 2017 by esmit208
Bad link

[sweatybetty]

a factory service manual or maybe a haynes manual at the minimum

[Grubb240Z]

Such great advice - thanks so much! Soaking it all in.

I  have started a wish list. The relay kits are on it, along with the DeoxIT, and I already know I need to buy a choke knob (broken on ours). Funny - Motorsport Auto has every year EXCEPT '72. I'll find it, and my mechanic says any of them will fit. Might choose the one that says "Choke" on it, since he's never used one and might forget where it is

Bought the car up in Paso Robles and had to drive it down that night(4.5 hours). Long story short - electric problems caused me to have to turn off the lights. Had to drive from Bakersfield over the Grapevine, etc. and down to Orange County late at night with no lights at all. Very sketchy drive.  Turned out to simply be that the belt was old and not working. Working fine now, but I realize that upgrading the wires and adding those relays is a good idea. My mechanic (up in Rancho Cucamonga) already mentioned that he wired his up that way.

Right now the car is parked at a  buddy's house a few blocks away. I'll post some more photos after the big reveal on Christmas morning. Seats are in pretty good shape, but the seating surfaces are original dealer-installed velour/vinyl version. Slightly tacky, but not too bad. This car is white w/ red interior.

Thanks again for all the great feedback. Please don't hold back - I'm taking note of all of it. This looks like a fantastic forum!

[Zed Head]

Can't really go wrong any or all three of these -

https://www.amazon.com/Rebuild-Your-Nissan-Datsun-Engine/dp/1931128030

https://www.amazon.com/Modify-Your-Nissan-Datsun-Engine/dp/1931128049

https://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Your-Datsun-Z-Car/dp/1931128022

[Phil Z]

Such great advice - thanks so much! Soaking it all in.
I  have started a wish list. The relay kits are on it, along with the DeoxIT, and I already know I need to buy a choke knob (broken on ours). Funny - Motorsport Auto has every year EXCEPT '72. I'll find it, and my mechanic says any of them will fit. Might choose the one that says "Choke" on it, since he's never used one and might forget where it is
Bought the car up in Paso Robles and had to drive it down that night(4.5 hours). Long story short - electric problems caused me to have to turn off the lights. Had to drive from Bakersfield over the Grapevine, etc. and down to Orange County late at night with no lights at all. Very sketchy drive.  Turned out to simply be that the belt was old and not working. Working fine now, but I realize that upgrading the wires and adding those relays is a good idea. My mechanic (up in Rancho Cucamonga) already mentioned that he wired his up that way.
Right now the car is parked at a  buddy's house a few blocks away. I'll post some more photos after the big reveal on Christmas morning. Seats are in pretty good shape, but the seating surfaces are original dealer-installed velour/vinyl version. Slightly tacky, but not too bad. This car is white w/ red interior.
Thanks again for all the great feedback. Please don't hold back - I'm taking note of all of it. This looks like a fantastic forum!

I just posted about the Parking lights kit. If you decide to buy this kit, make sure someone performs a continuity test on the power wire before shipping.


Phil Smith

[tzagi1]

The first tool to get is a nice plumber's torch with map gas, everything else can come next.

[newtonhubcap]

Definitely a quality set of 6 pt. sockets, a Good set of gearwrench wrenches. Good grade of various screw drivers and a small gear bag to keep them.

Sent from my [device_name] using http://Classic Zcar Club mobile

[charliekwin]

Welcome fellow Southern Californian!

I don't know what your garage/tool situation looks like, but every time I've finally broken down and bought a tool that I'd been making do without, the only regret I've ever had is not doing it sooner. Assuming you already have most of the basic tools, some of the things I'd never want to do without: a vise, drill press, grinder, heat gun, air compressor, impact wrench, multimeter, clamps. 

[Zs-ondabrain]

22 hours ago, Grubbs240 said:

Such great advice - thanks so much! Soaking it all in.

I  have started a wish list. The relay kits are on it, along with the DeoxIT,
Long story short - electric problems caused me to have to turn off the lights. Had to drive from Bakersfield over the Grapevine, etc. and down to Orange County late at night with no lights at all. Very sketchy drive.  Turned out to simply be that the belt was old and not working. Working fine now, but I realize that upgrading the wires and adding those relays is a good idea. My mechanic (up in Rancho Cucamonga) already mentioned that he wired his up that way.

The Relay upgrade harnesses that they are referring to are made and sold by me. I sell them to MSA (Motorsport Auto)
They are all plug and play units. No cutting, drilling or hurting your ca, and easily installed and removed, if need be.

I Also offer a Headlight and turn signal rebuild/refurbish service for all S30's (240Z-260Z-280Z)
I only charge $70 per switch or $135 for the pair. Return shipping is included in the prices.

You can also get the lighting Upgrade harness directly from me.
I've made and sold over 4000 of each harness. (So ignore Phil Z, as everything is built by hand and quality controlled. His was a 1/4000 fluke... haha)

Welcome to the club. We're happy to have you.
Dave
https://www.datsun-240z-upgrades.net/

 

[Diseazd]

......and nice to see your avatar on the forum again Dave.....welcome stranger!