psdenno

And who would "vet" the vetters and the Keeper of the Coin? The Federal government with all of its three letter agencies can't effectively vet people, so what's the chance of this group being capable of managing a multinational adventure of the scope proposed? Put me somewhere on the scale between "The Voice of Reason" and "The Voice of Doom". A kind and thoughtful proposal, however, just not practical IMHO. Dennis Dennis

You can crowd fund the dollars, but, unfortunately, not the motivation, mechanical skill, enthusiasm, and determination. Many, maybe most, of us are dreamers. We readily envision the finished project, but not what it takes to get there. That's probably the biggest reason that there aren't more fully restored Zs roaming the highways. Folks have a dream, buy the needy Z, get started, and experience the cathartic reality check. Some see the dream through to completion while most find contentment, or abandonment, at a point somewhere along the way and never get there. The money it takes to get there is just one small piece of the puzzle and not necessarily the piece that solves the puzzle. Yes, I'm one of those who sees the glass as half empty. Dennis

What's the temperature range on your thermostat and when was it last checked/changed? Dennis

I would check to see which way the electric fan blade is turning. Is it blowing cool outside air into the engine compartment and through the radiator or pulling hot air out? As for overheating, when I've had that problem in Los Angeles freeway traffic, turning the AC off and turning on the heater has brought the engine temp down. Although it makes it a little uncomfortable in the passenger compartment.Dennis

I'd be a little concerned about the ZERO oil pressure reading, too. Didn't you install an electric fan when you added A/C? Dennis

Amazing car. But what would one do with it after buying it? Dennis

Hold that thought. Dennis

Let's all join together for a Coast to Coast, Border to Border chorus of "On The Road. Again!". And a one and a two... Dennis

Actually any Urban Assault Vehicle (UAV) would be preferred for big city driving. I get into Los Angeles every few weeks in my 4X4 truck and wonder how I ever got around in that city/congested freeway traffic in my low to the ground Z many years ago. Dennis

That looks like the can that came with mine, complete with a smear of color on the lid. Wish I knew what happened to it over the years. I used some for touch up in the mid-70s. Dennis

My '71 Z came with a regular pint sized can of touch up paint, not aerosol. Dennis

You and every other kid your age....and that's why insurance rates for your demographic are higher than they will be when you're 25. Lots of good advice offered, so far. The Z you're looking at is not unsafe. As others have pointed out, it's just not 2015 safe. You can be the most careful driver in the universe and the least careful driver will find you. A terrible accident does not have to be your fault, but you would still be part of it. Now, sliding my parental soap box back under the desk, get the car. Have fun with it. My kid enjoys driving mine even though his first car was a new Scion with all the safety devices that could be packed into it. Just remember that if you are in a severe collision in a 40 year old Z, you are likely to be hurt more than if you were in a newer car. Dennis

I agree. Your lifetime? Your car's lifetime? The painter's lifetime? A gnat's lifetime? Talk is cheap, good paint and body work isn't - especially spot jobs that require color/fade matching. Dennis

You'll find good information on all of those changes in a search of the forum archive. Sounds like you brought it back nicely. Enjoy the Z and don't rile the wife with a new project. Best of both worlds Dennis

Can't go wrong owning a '71. What have you done to it since you bought it? Dennis

In the last week, at least 13 causes have been proposed for the problems Jai is having with her Z. fusible link ignition switch switch for the fuel pump EFI relay solenoid coil could still be fuel related spraying freon on the TIU ECU the auxiliary air regulator fuel pump raising the idle speed slightly potentiometer valve guide seals They cover a fairly wide spectrum. Unfortunately many can't be checked without test equipment and will result in the tried and true "remove and replace" method of troubleshooting. I'd like to suggest that Jai check and eliminate the items on the list as possible causes before we add more to the list. It can get a little overwhelming, especially with the added stress of the accident repair. Just a FWIW thought. Dennis

After having a couple mechanical pumps go bad on my '71 (I had the York AC compressor removal issue, too) I went with an electric pump. I bypassed the leaking mechanical pump and left it in place for decades until I converted to a newer AC system and removed the York mounting bracket. I then removed the mechanical pump and installed a block off plate in its place. All is good. If you do plan to rebuild the mechanical pump, remove it from the engine to be able to work on it more efficiently. You'll also want to replace the old gasket between the fuel pump and the engine to avoid oil leaks. Can't do that without removing the pump. Dennis

I'm sure you don't get too much frost on the windshield in Panama, but the vents might be handy for removing condensation from the inside surface of the glass if that's ever an issue for you. Curious that they were removed. Dennis

Nice! Ready to go into mass production? Dennis

Water is heavier and will go to the bottom if mixed with gasoline. Dennis

The picture of the jacked up Z looks like they may have rolled the jack under the floor pan. I have a nice bulge in the floor on the passenger side from a past mechanic using the floor pan as a lift point.

Jai, I think you need to look at the balance between the pleasure you get from owning your Z and the stress it adds to your life. It appears that the stress far outweighs the pleasure. Consider hanging Redwing's steering wheel on the wall as a fond reminder of the good times you had with your '71 Z and cut your losses by selling, or donating, Redbird. At this point in your life, you really don't need an unreliable, costly to maintain, car as your main mode of transportation. Hard as that decision is to make, it's probably time to move on. We're about the same age, I bought my '71 Z new off the showroom floor, and I've spent many times the original sticker price to keep it going over the years. However, it's not my daily driver. So, I can let it sit for a week, a month, a year, or even a decade, without it adding too much stress to my life. I once had a Porsche that let me down so often that I knew the local tow truck drivers by their first names. I never drove it farther from home than I cared to walk back. Loved the car, poured lots of money into trying to fix it, and finally realized I was fighting a losing battle. I sold it and felt like a weight had been lifted off of me. Good luck in making a difficult decision. Dennis

White smoke generally means a coolant leak. It may be a small slow leak. If the car sat for a while there could be a build up of fluid and more smoke. The possible consequence of a coolant leak is that the engine overheats and results in multiple costly issues. Bottom line is that the white smoke came from some cause and you'll want to isolate that cause before it becomes a bigger and more costly problem. From following the chain of events in getting your Z to where it is mechanically today, it seems it may be time to make a big decision about pouring more money into keeping the car on the road or cutting your losses and moving on to a more reliable, albeit less fun to drive, car. Tough emotional decision. I say that as someone who has spent way too much money on maintaining cars, including my Z, over the years and have a hard time parting with any car I've owned. Dennis

White smoke from the exhaust pipe can be caused by things such as a blown head gasket, damaged cylinder head, or a cracked block. Any of those would allow coolant to enter the combustion chamber and turn to steam. Repair cost could range from "not too much" to "prohibitive" Determine the cause and evaluate if it may be time to move on to another, more reliable, car. Big decision in light of what you've gone through in the most recent repair process and the enjoyment you get from driving a Z. Others may have additional ideas about the cause of the smoke. Good luck! Dennis

Great video! The Z roll over test gave me cause for concern, however. I will increase my effort to keep all four wheels on the pavement. I also liked the drop down crash safety net. Wonder why that never caught on? Dennis