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Update from the Good Captain: He called me from Bristol, VA. He's making good progress, and the car is holding together, though he is still concerned about the cooling capacity of his radiator. I told him to run the heat, too, but he declined. (Obscure reference: Watch Gumball Rally when the Camaro is running hot.) He expects to hit NashVegas this evening.

Here's another source for the braided hoses: https://jdm-car-parts.com/pages/search-results-page?q=braided%20hose%20240z Also https://zcardepot.com/products/radiator-hose-set-braided-cloth-style-240z-70-73

Welcome to the forum!

Mine came from this eBay seller: https://www.ebay.com/str/datsun240zrestorationinfo I bought mine in March of 2021.

Texted you...does you phone do texts? 🤣

So I considered registering the OG for the judged show just for entertainment value*. But I could not figure out how. I could not see any option to attend. Is that show full and they aren't accepting any more entrants? Anybody have a phone number for someone on the org committee? My electronic footprint is low while I travel, but I can text. *Him - "Dude, your car looks like asss, why are you here?" Me - Yeah, your car is beautiful, but I can see 1000 things that aren't original. And I drove mine almost 1000 miles to get here.

Hey all, wanted to start a thread to track the restoration of a 1978 280Z I got in April. This is my first personal restoration/project car I've undertaken so much of this is learning as I go and just fumbling through it. Photos of the car/progress will be kept up-to-date within a Google Photos Album (will likely cull stuff periodically to save space). Current focus is getting it mechanically sound enough that I can just take it out and drive it. At that point I'll start on the rust repairs. April 4thAccording to the previous owner (Brian) and verified by documentation provided to me during purchase the car was originally an Arizona car. I'm unaware if that was the first owner but may track that down at some point. Story given to me was that the Brian had bought the car during High school in 2014 as a project but largely sat unused. At time of purchase the odometer read 44,286 miles. According to Brian this is the original miles and it had not rolled over. Previous title odometer reading indicated 40,000mi. As such I'm skeptical as to whether or not that's true. That being said one of the first things I did after getting the car home was to run a compression test on all 6 cylinders. Given they all tested in at 170-175 does give some minor credence to the possibility. Furthermore the car ran at time of purchase, albeit not well. I was additionally informed that the brakes were also largely non-functional. When running the car appears to be giving off a blueish smoke, indicative of it burning oil; upon revving producing black smoke, indicative of running rich. See video of exhaust TodayTo spare all of you a wall of text I'll condense what I've done thus far since the above. Many of the injector connectors were replaced with push-to-release connectors but not all, additionally the previous work involved a really shoddy soldering job. I've since replaced all injector connectors, as well as the AAR. I also chose to solder but this was done using a lasso method. Even if the others weren't problematic, knowing how bad they were I wouldn't be able to let it go. Only connector not yet replaced is the Cold Start Injector. Approximately 80% of the vacuum lines have been replaced in addition to all fuel hoes from the feed to the return hard lines with the exception of the injector hoses. I've lashed valves to ensure they're within spec according to the FSM, ensured all grounds (7 of them) in the engine bay are nice and clean, and replaced all 6 spark plugs. Once the above was done I took a vacuum reading while the motor was running and seem to be getting a fluctuating reading between 11-15 in Hg. From my research it should be closer to 18-20 in Hg I believe so this indicative of something still being off. Additionally checked plugs, all are fouled (unsurprising due to rich/oil conditions). Recently got a borescope so I've also scoped all cylinders. #5 is the one I've suspected the most thus far based on the plugs. Upon scoping there's a small puddle of oil within the dish of the piston. #6 also appears to have some level of oil on the piston, but not near as much. Otherwise all the cylinders per my eyes look to be in healthy shape. See scope results, and video of vacuum reading here. At this point I'm a little unsure where to focus my energy. Compression test was good but that doesn't paint a complete picture. Considering attempting to do a leak down test and potentially replace valve stem seals. Although that won't do much for helping to fix the richness issue which I believe to be the bigger priority. Will try to periodically update this.

Man, I knew I needed a front bumper,but it really shows in that pic. Looks worse from a distance. Anyone near zcon got a decent bumper they would sell? Can't be too nice or it will look out of place.

When you are walking back to your car at a rest stop and see a puddle under it. Then you get close and realize it's just a condensate puddle from the AC of the guy in that spot before you. Phew!!

I'm in Christiansburg, VA. About halfway to Nashville. Travel has been OK. Only problem with the OG is the temps keep creeping up. The radiator needs work. It's right at the borderline at about 65 mph. If I try to run above that, the radiator runs out of compliance and the temps creep up. So I'm finding that I have to keep the speed between 60 and 65. Not ideal, but considering this car hasn't seen the road in 45 years, it's doing great. More news as it develops.

I agree with Namerow that there will be extensive welding required. To answer the original question: If the doors seem to fit well with decent gaps, i would weld a tube on the inside of the car down low on the door opening. Remove all the drivetrain and any other dead weight. Then replace the rockers first. Inners and outers as needed. Be sure to use the doors to ckeck fit and door gaps before welding it all up. Then do the floors next. After the rockers are done, your temporary door brace can be removed. If the doors don't fit well, the body will need to be manipulated or jacked up until they do and then weld in your temporary bracing

Hi and Thanks Man, I greatly appreciate the detailed response. Fortunately I did not pay a dime for it :D! I pulled it from my Dad's barn in Iowa, hauled it back to the East Coast a year ago and put it into a garage. Your assessment is greatly appreciated, since I haven't done a unibody / monocoque car before, but I suspected this may be a larger undertaking than I had originally planned. I was planning to strip off the fenders doors, etc. this week to better assess the rest of what I can't see, but you have given me a solid starting point to evaluate it all. Although I can paint and weld, the cost for the sheet metal parts to cover your list above will probably run more than I had originally planned, which will require some adjustment to my timeline and expectations for sure. Your guidance/advice is definitely going to be considered as I take a closer look at the hidden structural elements such as the A pillars, etc. Very much appreciated and Thanks amigo!! Mike Baltimore, MD

I'm hoping that you acquired this car on the cheap ($2000 or $3000). If that's the case, I would respectfully suggest that you write this one off as a learning experience and go back into the market to find a better example. This one looks like it's going to be a long, painful and costly experience to turn it into a vehicle that you'll enjoy. Without looking too hard, it's clear that this car is going to need: floors, seat supports, inner and outer rockers, rebuilt dogleg structures (seatbelt mounts), underside floor rails, rebuilt inner fenders, rebuilt lower doors, rebuilt lower front fenders, and rebuilt inner/outer rear wheelhousings and rear quarter panels. I suspect it may also need to repairs to the front cowl area (complicated and challenging) and the rear hatch slam panel area. It may even need front frame rails. And the A-pillars could be rotted out at the top and/or bottom of the windshield. After that, you'll probably need to put $2K - $3K into the powertrain and another $2K into the suspension and steering. Add at least $5K for paint. With all this in mind, you're probably at least a year away from having the car on the road. Or longer. Or you can go out and buy a decently restored 260Z for something in the $20,000 range and start driving it right away.

All, Not sure if I am in the correct forum for this question, but please correct me as needed: BACKGROUND: I am starting in on a 74 260Z, which is in a VERY sorry state. Among the many structural issues are that both the R/L side floor and rocker panels require replacement. The original floor pans are completely gone, with replacement sheet metal pop-riveted in place. In the rear of both driver and passenger locations the floor appears to be held together primarily by the tar soundproofing. Although the rockers 'appear to be' fairly intact, I am not convinced of their stability. The under support rails are also 'gone' I am concerned about destabilizing the frame by removing the remainder of any 'good' metal, and so I am not sure which areas to remove and replace first/prioritize QUESTION: Which area should/can be removed and replaced first ( floors or rockers) without having the car open up like a clamshell? Thanks to anyone who may be able to help, Regards, Mike Baltimore, MD

I love that beetle too. I've got one that I hope looks like that one day...

Dang! Pictures of people in sweats! Down here we're still just sweating... 🤔

It's worth what someone is willing to pay for it. However, the main problem with what the current market is willing to pay is the color change, never a good idea. Also, there are a few body/paint issues that the listing details. The old market might have been willing to pay as much as - my opinion - 80k but the current market did indeed speak. The upper middle class collector car market is keeping their powder dry.

I was finishing up a week away from work in one of the best ways I could: attending yet another car meet. I was expecting to be about the only one with a Z there today since ZCON is starting up just a few hours away. Boy was I surprised. Several friends showed up in their Zs, too. One new friend showed up a little late, too, with his 280Z.

Personally, I was thinking $75,000. If I owned it, I would hold 'till demand comes back. But I'm 48, I've got the time.

Wow! Let’s meet in Tokyo some time ! Kats

Hi @kats! I’m actually in Japan again right now, and will be another time a month from now. Work has brought me here a lot. If you are available on Instagram or WhatsApp, I’d love to say hello!

Yes, it is the same reproduction part i make.

Yep, the bubbles "were" there, and now they are gone, as I grinned out and filled the three small holes on one side and one hole on the other. Not a professional long term fix, but I hated seeing the bubbles, and wanted to show it at a car show, that was today, so now I have black rockers.......

A little rain makes everything better!