Looking for Recommendations

[z boy mn]

Hello everyone--I've been looking for a Z for about a year, and they're hard to find in my area...hard to find good ones, that is. But, the other day I found this one on Craig's List and was interested. I don't really understand what's been done to the car, what that means in terms of how it runs, or even what questions I should ask. The owner hasn't been driving it for a while, and claims it's running around 250 hp.

The link is: http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/cto/2750815705.html

The description is: 1973 DATSUN 240Z. OWNED SINCE 1984. OVER $25000.00 INVESTED.ASKING $5000.00 OBO NEEDS SOME WORK. I DON'T DRIVE ANYMORE AND WANT MY GARAGE SPACE BACK. ASKING $5000.00 OBO. ENGINE IS 240 BLOCK BORED .060 OVER FLAT TOP PISTONS, EARLY E31 CYLINDER HEAD WITH LARGER VALVES, .495 LIFT .290 DURATION CAM, TRIPPLE DCOE 45 WEBER CARBS, ADJUSTABLE CAM GEAR, OIL COOLER, MSD IGNITION, ALUMINUM RADIATOR, TEN POUND FLYWHEEL, CENTERFORCE CLUTCH, 1978 280Z 5 SPEED TRANSMISSION WITH SHORT THROW SHIFTER. FOUR PISTON WILWOOD DISC BRAKES, COIL OVER ADJUSTABLE SUSPENSION, FRONT AND REAR SWAY BARS. NO RUST. RECOVERED SEATS THAT LOOK ORIGINAL. ORIGINAL DASH HAS ONE SMALL CRACK IN IT. ALL THIS AND GETS 29 MPG ON THE HIGHWAY

Does anyone have any tips, suggestions, comments? My plan is to find a Z I can use as a daily driver in the summers and make the best of the time when there's no snow on the ground!

Frozen in MN,

Adam

[spitz17]

$25,000 invested in what, and is that over the course of 27 years? I think thats the biggest question. I'd ask for a copy of all the receipts, or his word would be nothing to me. All the items he listed doesn't sound like $25,000 to me, unless labor is included in that price.

Don't be afraid to look for Z Cars in California and have a friend, member, or contact check it out for you. Even flying to California to look at a car could be an option. 250hp on a 2.4L stroked block doesn't sound very realistic.

[Zed Head]

Assume that the engine is worthless and see what the rest looks like. No rust, paint looks good, seats in decent shape, 5 speed, coil-overs, decent dash. Looks like some standard L24 performance mods on the engine. But it could be worn out by now.

Find out when it last drove so you'll have an idea of whether or not the various hydraulic parts will need replacing. Over 2 years in MN and the fluids will probably have absorbed moisture. Might need new calipers, master cylinders and slave cylinder. Also find out what "needs some work".

The $25,000 number is irrelevant, only the $5,000 number matters.

[z boy mn]

Thanks for your input!

I just got another email from the owner and he said all the work was done 8,000 miles ago, and the chasis has 100,000 miles. Of course, someone could have beaten the *ell out of it for 8,000 miles!

It's mostly been parked for the last few years...and the work was done by others, so labor would be included. Of course, this just leads me to more questions...such as...why would someone put in a tranny from a 280 and will that be a problem for parts later? He also said it weighs in at less than 2000 pounds...which seems hard to believe as stock they were something like 2300, right? Unfortunately, I'm not a gear-head (yet), so a lot of the modifications are just confusing....I apologize in advance!

[5thhorsemann]

The mods listed are all well documented around here, including the transmission which has a 5th gear, reason for the mod and it's not going to be an issue. if no one else will say it, I will, 250 HP my a$$.

Go drive it and see how it runs, it looks decent. Cruse the S30 body forums and check out the common rust issues the 240's suffer from and check those locations on the body for cancer, or evidence of repair.

Not being able to test drive the car is worth $1000 or more off the top, because it has a problem somewhere, and it ain’t a tag or insurance problem. Like Zed Head said (good Dr. Sues rime) the $25,000 is some B.S. number he pulled out of the sky to shield against the anticipated brutality he knows he will face on the $5000 asking price.

Stop with the email negotiations and go see the car in person with $4000 in ten dollar bills in your pocket. If the car impresses you, and isn’t a rust bucket or a total shade tree bastard, see if you can beat him down to a better price and buy it and haul it out of his possession on the spot so he can’t change his mind. Start negotiating around 50% or so of your final offer if it looks like something you want to own.

BTW, the flairs and spoilers take away from the value of the car also, even if that is what you want at the end of the day.

[Willoughby Z]

Assume that the engine is worthless and see what the rest looks like. No rust, paint looks good, seats in decent shape, 5 speed, coil-overs, decent dash. Looks like some standard L24 performance mods on the engine. But it could be worn out by now.

Find out when it last drove so you'll have an idea of whether or not the various hydraulic parts will need replacing. Over 2 years in MN and the fluids will probably have absorbed moisture. Might need new calipers, master cylinders and slave cylinder. Also find out what "needs some work".

The $25,000 number is irrelevant, only the $5,000 number matters.

Well said.

Find and contact a local Z club- for advice and consultation.

"if no one else will say it, I will, 250 HP my a$$." I'll second that.

BTW, z boy mn, welcome to the club.

Edited December 14, 2011 by Willoughby Z

[LeonV]

That guy is so full of BS, I wouldn't believe a thing he says!

[Healey Z]

That guy is so full of BS, I wouldn't believe a thing he says!

Bingo. 250HP, 29 mpg, $25,000 invested just doesn't pass the sniff test.

I do project cars , and this is how I would approach it. The first thing is to determine if it is a car you want at any price; is it full of rust and can you live with the flair job? If it passes those two areas, then assume you will need to pull the motor and/or fix a minimum of $1000 of unknown problems (assuming you can do all the work yourself).

I think a $3000 offer, with a final price of $3500 might get that car. That is probably all that the market would bring on this non-running project car IMO.

[z boy mn]

Hey everyone, thank you so much for the advice!

I've been reading posts here like crazy and have gotten a LOT smarter since I joined (which was yesterday!). I'll look at the car next week on the way south for the holidays and see what I think. I also learned that it hasn't been on the street since 2003, so as you all suggested, it seems like it will need a lot of work just from sitting.

I was thinking about a $3,500 range as well--if I like it.

I'm not a huge fan of the flares...but running Z's are really hard to find locally and I could live with them. Unfortunately, I'm not a mechanic, so engine work is beyond my skill set. I'm good with a wrench, though, so I can do the basics once it's rolling and the bugs have been worked out. I'll re-post after I take a look in person!

[Zed Head]

An alternative is that this is your second car, for fun and a hobby. Buy it, race it around, get some tickets, slide it in to a ditch or two on those icy MN roads, fix it and modify it in the winter and do it again in the summer time.

Just a thought. The car isn't really very practical as it sits, especially since you don't know a ton about cars, but it looks like some fun. Someone planning to put all of those race parts on a stock car might easily spend over $5,000. The coil over work and brakes are easily over $3,000, just looking at comparable internet prices. If you were planning to go that route, this might be a deal, if not, they're just wasted parts.

[Healey Z]

Old cars get expensive really quick if you do not do the work yourself. The good thing is that these cars are about as simple as you are going to get, so if you have an interest, everything can be learned.

[5thhorsemann]

Old cars get expensive really quick if you do not do the work yourself. The good thing is that these cars are about as simple as you are going to get, so if you have an interest, everything can be learned.

Agreed, but educations aren't exactly free, just read all those broken bolt and burnt wiring threads. Man, looking back I've paid alot for my know-how over the years.