Jumping in with 2

[ajmcforester]

Ya, I can agree with that last statement, but I remember my first car a 84 200sx with the 2.2L engine. My Mom would not let me spend the money I earned to get a 1969 plum crazy purple, and white covertable Dodge Supper Bee with the 440 sixpack, because their was speaker wires hanging out the back seat (you know for those box speakers). Well two weeks later I was junking with a friend when we came a cross the 84 200sx on the side of the street with a sign say not running will sell for 500. Well I bet my friend that I could get it running by the afternoon I did and it became my first can and broke down on the top of the hill to my parents house on the way home I took her apart fixed it up and modified it basically I was a early tuner in the early 90's. I put more money into it than I would ever get out of it, but it was worth it my Mom couldin't say a thing about the condition because I got if for free. I had the only one in school and was faster than most of the car I came up against.

I say if the body work will make it not worth doing don't do it, but if the reward of making this car whole again is worth it do it. Remember their is a cost to satisfaction, rewards and fun.

[ArnieTX]

Everyone continues to give great advice and I really appreciate it. I'm not so much discouraged as I am dissapointed that I may not be able to revive these cars. I'm trying to be realistic about what I have and what I want.

I think I'm going to hold off on car #1 for a while, while I poke around for another body. I have two great cars with enough parts between them to make a really nice Z. I just need to find a clean body. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far, even with my bruised and bloody knuckles. Maybe I'll put #1 back together for grins to see if my "parts cataloging process" is worth a crap. I've got enough stuff off of it now that it will be a good test to see if I can get it back together without peeking at car #2.

The good thing is , every time I touch these cars, I learn something.

Thanks

Arnie

[lonetreesteve]

......... I just need to find a clean body. I have thoroughly enjoyed the process so far, even with my bruised and bloody knuckles. Maybe I'll put #1 back together for grins to see if my "parts cataloging process" is worth a crap. I've got enough stuff off of it now that it will be a good test to see if I can get it back together without peeking at car #2. The good thing is , every time I touch these cars, I learn something.

Thanks

Arnie

Here's a rust-free Series I for only $2k. Perhaps out of the 3 cars, you can end up with one very nice Series I plus another you can fix up and sell.

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/1523099721.html

[ajmcforester]

I remember getting excited over several cars and not buying them for various reasons like rust. I hate rust it never sleeps and it hides good luck take you time finding what you want, the nice thing is you only need a shell and maybe some this or thats now. Try to find a car without the rust don't be afraid to go out of your state to find it. arizona is loaded with cars, most rust free with shot interiors and engines the weather is good on the steel yust not the rest of the cars. You can find a lot of good low rust Z in Colorado, New Mexico, and California.

Try these guys they seem to have a good shell around all the time: http://www.zcarsource.com/cars_and_shells.html

I'm also know of a junk yard 20-30 minutes north of Denver that had some nice shells.

I know a guy with one in a shed (at least several years a go he did) in Arizona when my first car was hit I was looking to buy it and transfer my parts over. The block was good but the head was cracked so you can still have a matching # car. I know it was built in 69 I'll see if I can find his info. I just moved a month a go and haven't got everthing orinized yet

[ArnieTX]

Thanks. I'm poking in a lot of cracks looking around. Something will turn up.

Let me ask you guys something. I have only had 2 Datsun 280Z's and have never driven or ridden in a 240Z. I loved my 280's. For you guys that have experience with both, which is the most fun to own? If I run into a clean project 260Z or 280Z out there, I wouldn't be opposed to buying it. I just want a good base to love on. That said, I have grown partial to my 240Z's in the short time I've had them.

Just thinking out loud.

Thanks

Arnie

[ArnieTX]

My wife and I attended an annual Christmas party at the county fair hall last week and I got to chatting with a fellow that has his own mechanic/hot rod shop in the next town. I told him about my pair and he gave me names of 4 people he knew of that were into or might have some old Z's. One guy I called said he had sold it, the guy I just hung up with lives a couple of miles north of me and he has 3. I guess he used to restore them when he had his own hot rod shop. He flies crop dusters now. Anyway, he said one is for a customer and he needs to finish it out ASAP, it's lacking some automatic tranny box on the firewall. He said the other two have good bodies and he's just going to get rid of them when he is done.

I'm going to hook up with him tomorrow afternoon. Maybe I'll get lucky. Worst case scenario is I drag two more parts cars home. He said they were all 240Z's. LMAO

I may have to start hooking you guys up with parts. PM me if you have a need.

Arnie

[ajmcforester]

Thanks. I'm poking in a lot of cracks looking around. Something will turn up.

Let me ask you guys something. I have only had 2 Datsun 280Z's and have never driven or ridden in a 240Z. I loved my 280's. For you guys that have experience with both, which is the most fun to own? If I run into a clean project 260Z or 280Z out there, I wouldn't be opposed to buying it. I just want a good base to love on. That said, I have grown partial to my 240Z's in the short time I've had them.

Just thinking out loud.

Thanks

Arnie

I've driven all Z and ZX models released in the US but the 240Z when I bought my first Z it was a basket case, but when I got her running right I tell you it would take one special Z to get me away from the 69-72 years. The only problem is they need the most maintenance of the Z's. You could get around some of that by making a hybrid of the later year Z's, like adding fuel-injection, but that's not what I want out of my Z.

Z models that I would have taken over the 240Z, a Z432, ZZAP, BSR Special Edition, heavy race modified 300ZX not the 92 and later years. The next choice would be the 1977 280Z, especially the one I almost owned if I waited one more weekend before getting my first car. I didn't know my dad had worked to get this Z car untill 10 years after the fact when I got my 240Z, then he told me. This Z was the cleanest I've ever seen that had not been restored. The guy he worked with my dad one day when the battery in his Corvette didn't start he gave him a drive home, it was love at first sight. Two years later when I got the 200SZ, when my Dad saw the car I got and how excited I was to fix it up he didn't have the hart to tell me about the . 280Z, 10 years later my hart sank when I found out the 200sx would have gone to the junk yard in a flash for that car.

Well sorry for getting off topic I wish you luck with your search, if I was you with two 240Z in your back pocket I'd find a 240Z. Maybe a 260Z but I wouldn't look for a 280Z and expect to use the 240Z for parts they don't interchange well, besides the engines and I think the intakes.

[ArnieTX]

UPDATE

I've been really busy at work and haven't had too much time to drill down on my cars. I've been looking for a cleaner body than the two I picked up last month. Today I finally got to look at the Z's my neighbor had laying around.

Both are series one with 16xxx and 15xxx VIN numbers. The one on the ground seems to be the straightest. The frame rails look unmolested and the floors are original. The one on blocks is pretty rough but has some decent parts. I asked him what he wanted for them, he said pick the one I wanted and take it. I'll be hauling it back this weekend.

And this was out there. Only marking I could find was a part under the hood that was from England. Anybody know what it might be?

So, my search continues for a cleaner body. I'll get the "new" one home this weekend and see what it looks like. If it doesn't work out I'll just keep collecting parts.

Arnie

[ajmcforester]

Your going to become a Z junkyard at this rate, you might need to go into business. Is this one as rusty as the last two?

[ArnieTX]

The one on the ground is the better of the two. I won't predict rustiness until I get it cleaned up. Learned that lesson. HAHA

I do know that at a glance the frame rails look straight and the places where my first two had rust, this one doesn't. I know the passenger floorboards are soft... I couldn't get underneath it though. The inside is soaking wet, windows have been rolled down for a while and their are field mice living in it.

If his one looks like a go I will take a different route. I want to get one running and between three cars I should be able to. I have plenty of room, maybe I'll start myself a little junkyard...

Stay tuned.

[=Enigma=]

It looks like Texas is the place Series 1's go to die. I kinda like the name Arnie'Z ZCar Boneyard.

[oldhemi]

The LBC ( Little British Car) might be a MG Midget/Austin Healy Sprite. Leave it there and see if you can drag the other Z home also. I see some parts on that I maybe can use! You can drop them off the next time you are in the Houston area!