To buy or not to buy...that is the question

[motorman7 857]

Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of my wife's complaining that we don't have room for another Z (or another project), or take arms against that sea of troubles and let this car pass to someone else.  

Yes, I am faced with the conundrum of deciding on whether to pick up another Z.  Tough call on this one.  The car is in many pieces right now, but would not take much to get running.  Of course I would tear it all apart anyway and re-build from the ground up.

The good:  The car is very original with minimum rust (just the right rear dogleg is rusted through).  The frame rails and underside are dented but in decent condition.  I love the color combo. interior vinyl and seats are in very good condition, original radio, original motor

The bad:  paint is crazed and in bad condition, dogleg rust, cracked dash, minor dings.

Wife is out of town now, but will be back in a couple days.  I will see what she says when she comes back.  The price is right.  Maybe I sell one of my other Z's and pick this one up (I hate to do that)  I need a Ouija board or something to figure this out.  tough call.  Pics below

[psdenno 620]

40 minutes ago, motorman7 said:

Whether tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of my wife's complaining that we don't have room for another Z (or another project), or take arms against that sea of troubles and let this car pass to someone else. 

As the Bard sort of said, "To buy, or not to buy.  That is the question."  It's always the question.  The Z looks good if it doesn't adversely impact your personal or financial life.  On the other hand, it's really easy to acquire too many projects.  Ask me how I know.

Dennis

 

 

[Mark Maras 830]

 Maybe it could be explained as a "Welcome Home" gift. Assuming she doesn't have her name on a Z title, this could be her golden opportunity. What a surprise!

[motorman7 857]

1 hour ago, psdenno said:

As the Bard sort of said, "To buy, or not to buy.  That is the question."  It's always the question.  The Z looks good if it doesn't adversely impact your personal or financial life.  On the other hand, it's really easy to acquire too many projects.  Ask me how I know.

Dennis

 

 

Yes, It is easy to accumulate projects.  If I decide to buy it, it will probably sit as is until September or October.  No time to work on it until then.  Financially it is not a big issue, space is the bigger problem.  I already have one of my Z's at my mother-in-laws place, 3-car garage is full.  I need a car barn.

1 hour ago, Mark Maras said:

 Maybe it could be explained as a "Welcome Home" gift. Assuming she doesn't have her name on a Z title, this could be her golden opportunity. What a surprise!

Surprisingly she was cool with the roadster which I keep in the garage.  So you never know.  Probably not best to 'surprise' her though. :-)

[Montezuma 10]

Soon comes the time you need to rent out a man cave garage near the house or find a house with a bigger garage.

[Hardway 272]

If you really want it, ask the wife first.  Focus on how much they are going up in value and just how little this one needs to get running again.  Be prepared to offer something she has been wanting.  Whatever you do, don't surprise her with it.  Wives don't like surprises, unless it is wine or chocolate.

[motorman7 857]

17 hours ago, Hardway said:

If you really want it, ask the wife first.  Focus on how much they are going up in value and just how little this one needs to get running again.  Be prepared to offer something she has been wanting.  Whatever you do, don't surprise her with it.  Wives don't like surprises, unless it is wine or chocolate.

This is definitely sage advice!  I completely agree and will take this approach.  Looks like @Montezuma can set me up with a place to store it.  This is starting to look possible.

[George_Zed 24]

The right question is... divorce or not divorce...

[Mark Maras 830]

4 hours ago, motorman7 said:

This is definitely sage advice!  I completely agree and will take this approach.  Looks like @Montezuma can set me up with a place to store it.  This is starting to look possible.

 This is sounding like a near done deal thanks to Montezuma. You'll probably get "That Look" when you discuss it with your wife but that's OK as long as she agrees.

[esmit208 88]

Confucius once say, "HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE". edtwomuchz asks, Do you want to be right or happy?

[Patcon 1,611]

I brought a surprise Z home once. It was in the backyard for about a month before she noticed...

[motorman7 857]

15 hours ago, Patcon said:

I brought a surprise Z home once. It was in the backyard for about a month before she noticed...

That's funny, I don't think I could get away with that.

Anyway, wife comes home tonight.  I will see if she would like to check it out tomorrow if the owner will let me stop on by.  I think this would help as the owner lives in Ranch Santa Fe, one of the nicest areas in So Cal.  I took the Hyundai when I checked it out originally and was completely embarrassed driving it in that area.  I think if I take her there in the roadster, that would go a long way.  The area is absolutely gorgeous.   Just part of the 'winning her over' process.  I mentioned it on the phone when we talked and did not get a negative response, so we will see how it goes.   As @Hardway mentioned above....there will be concessions.  I'm good with that.

[wheee! 1,435]

Tell her the car will match her new set of pearl earrings...

[motorman7 857]

Well, It looks like we are good for me to pick up this Z.  I will need to contact the owner and work out arrangements....aahhh the concessions.  She said that I should see if i can put a deposit down on the car and pick it up in a couple months when we have more room.  If not, I will have to see about working out a storage location with Montezuma.  And she want some house upgrades done as well....concessions,

So, I have to be completely honest here.  The love of my wife's life is her 1 year old grand nephew.  We are not grandparents ...yet...so I guess she is practicing with the grand nephew.  She asked about putting together our kids old hobby horse which had been stored for years, in pieces, up in the garage rafters.  She wants to give it to her grand nephew for his first birthday.  So instead of doing car stuff on Sunday, I surprised her with the completely restored hobby horse.  I even put clear plastic over the springs to prevent finger pinch.  Anyway, she was just thrilled to death about this.  I figured this was necessary to make sure she was in a very good mood.  I showed her pics of the car this AM and she really liked it.  So, very happy with all this.  I will try and work out some time where we can drive out to the sellers place in the roadster and see the car.  Maybe next weekend.  Will keep things updated as it progresses here.  .

[siteunseen 2,539 5 Vehicles]

I called my nephew's son my grand nephew and he thought he was something special.   He called me his grand uncle!

Get that car, quick or it'll be gone then your riding the hobby horse. Just kidding but that really is a neat 240, white with red interior. Not too common.

[JSM 209]

White / Red drool.  Man, I think you should buy these little gems and resell to us folks on the East coast. 

Tell her your working on your retirement nest egg. Granted, they are bigger than gold krugerrands, but just as valuable!

Edited May 29, 2017 by JSM

[JSM 209]

... double post. 

Edited May 29, 2017 by JSM

[sweatybetty 254]

BUY IT NOW!!! in 15 minutes she will change her mind. its a woman thing

[motorman7 857]

So this has all worked out very well so far.  Drove to the sellers home with my wife in the roadster.  It was a beautiful cool sunny morning and the drive through Rancho Santa Fe and Fairbanks Ranch was absolutely perfect.  We spoke with the seller and his wife for about 30 minutes and I left a $1000 deposit for the car.  I told him that I would pick the car up in a month or two as I currently have no time or space and he said that was fine.   I did check on the front windshield glass and it is the original Nissan stamped windshield in excellent condition.  So, very happy with all of the original parts and especially the interior. The original motor is even sporting some of the original braided hoses.  Any, will post pics later. 

[motorman7 857]

It's a bit late here and the day was super busy, so no pics today.  I will try and post some tomorrow.  

I did make the final payment of $5500 (so $6500 total for the car) to the owner today and picked up the car and most of the disassembled parts.  I will have to make another trip to the PO's house to pick up the rest of the stuff some other day.   So far, I am pretty happy with what I have bought..  In addition to the original radio and very nice interior (which looks bad in the pics above but great in person), I noticed that the car is also sporting the original spare (I think).  Will post pics of that tomorrow.  

As I was sorting parts into storage bins, I noted the following items:  A second steering wheel with new horn pad, two more sets of of 3 screw SU carbs (originals are on the motor), another new choke cable, a reconditioned clock that said 'working quartz' on the bag, all of the original jute in good condition with original carpeting, plus a brand new set of carpeting, a complete precision weather strip kit, 2 grills,  bolts and screw in clearly marked bag indicating what area they were from, a number of boxed NOS interior parts among other things.  So, looks like I have a lot of stuff to work with here.....when I get time to work on it

As I was filling out paperwork with the PO, I guessed that the mileage was probably 165K given the 65K speedo indication.  The PO, who is the second owner, said it is probably 65K.  He said the original owner was a doctor in Nevada that did not drive the car that much as he was older and it was difficult for him to drive.  He died and the car sat for quite some time until the doctors son eventually sold it.  The PO bought it from the doctors son, drove it for a short while then started his 'restoraton' which didn't get very far.  Again the car sat for years, until I picked it up.  So, it could be just a 65K car.  I guess I will probably know better when I open up the motor.  

Anyway, will try and post some pics tomorrow.

Rich

[motorman7 857]

Here are some pics of the new '72.  I boxed up most of the parts and took them to the storage garage.  I still have things that I need to pick up from the PO like fenders, hood, bumpers, 5 speed trans, brake lines, etc.  This will have to sit for a bit while I finish other cars but I may dink on it here and there.  Oh yes, and it came with the car cover, nice.

Edited July 2, 2017 by motorman7

[grannyknot 1,277 2 Vehicles]

You got a good deal, it's in great shape.

[Mark Maras 830]

 Very very nice. We all wish we had one that good to start on.

[jonathanrussell 104]

Great car and price. When I was a kid my dad had a white / red 72. I love that combination. Wish we still had that car. Congratulations.

[motorman7 857]

So, I am actually starting work on this guy again.  Slow, but it's coming along.    I was sidetracked for a bit with the 'Deja Vu' project and also had some house stuff to fix up. (I actually built a nice custom shed to store stuff in, like car parts.  I will get pictures of the shed later.  Very happy with how it turned out.) 

Anyway, I am starting the tear down as you can see in the pics.  I have learned that the key to this is to have nicely marked tubs to put your parts in.  Engine parts go in the engine tub, interior parts in the interior tub, parts to be zinced go in the zinc tub.  And as always, take lots of pics.  I love how original the car is; lots of the original wire clamps, heater  hoses, smog hoses, bolts that have never been removed and are in good condition.  This has been very easy to disassemble so far.  Took out the original antenna and bench tested; it works great.   Got the motor pulled out last weekend with the help of @Montezuma.  Hopefully, I will have this stripped in a month or two, then off to Miguel's for paint.  Here are some pics.   

Edited May 1, 2018 by motorman7