psdenno

Nice job! All you need is a silver Sharpie, a steady hand, and balls the size of watermelons. The silver on my center console has held up well for a few years now with no sign of wear or flaking. Dennis

You are a fortunate survivor after being broadsided by a vehicle with twice the mass of your Z. Sorry about the extensive damage to your car, glad your injuries weren't more severe. Every time I drive my Z I have concern about being in a similar accident with the limited crash protection a 46 year old car offers. Dennis

I brought my '71 home from the mechanic's shop where it had been for several weeks. It was one of those "no hurry, work on it when you have time" projects. He gave the Z a thorough going over, tightened everything that wasn't supposed to be loose, replaced a few parts, tuned the carbs, and it drives better than it has in years - especially without all the rattles creaks it had acquired. Now it's time to get to work on installing the driver's side BMW seat and attaching headlight covers to a spare set of headlight pods that will eventually go on the car. Dennis

And it has the "original AM/FM radio". New paint can hide a multitude of automotive indescretions acquired over 46 years. Dennis

Looks like you found the right man for the job. He wants to do it once and do it right. If it makes you feel any cooler, it's a balmy 102º here today and I'll be picking my '71 up from the shop a little later this afternoon. Dennis

I can't find the one I used to highlight my center console raised sections, but if what you have is a silver Sharpie fine tip you should be good to go. I used the side of the tip near the tip and it worked fine. A couple years later, all is still good. Dennis

Authenticity/originality gets really wonky at Porsche car shows. I've seen examples of over-restored mega hundred thousand dollar cars being dinged points for an incorrect fan belt or body hardware. One heated argument was over the correctness of bolts used on an early Porsche 356. Judges said they were "not Porsche" and points were deducted. I've had the opportunity to talk to some of the Porsche factory old timers who said when they were building the early cars and ran out of "official Porsche" assembly screws, nuts and bolts, they would send a shop apprentice to the local hardware store near the factory to get what they needed. What's authentic is always up for debate. Dennis

Looks NOS! Nice find and thanks for sharing. That project is on my short list. Dennis

Very nice. Not sure I'd have the steady hand needed for that task - especially the glove box emblem. I did the silver Sharpie highlight on my center console and, while not shiny metallic, it's held up well. Dennis

I'd have to check with Dr. Freud on that. But, thanks for the "Reciprocal Liking" on my earlier post. Maybe I'll get to 500 someday, too. Dennis

Actually, she's a licensed psychologist, not certified. But, you're right about the rest of it. Dennis

Yup. I checked with my wife, the psychologist, and she said the term "Reciprocal Liking" would apply in this case. Just remember, with great power comes great responsibility. Dennis

I had to get him started on his second 500. Bon Voyage! Dennis

Perhaps, but this is California where labor price estimates are often based on your neighborhood rather than the scope of the job. I carried the bumper into every shop and I generally felt that the price quote was based on the rarity of the car it came from and not the square inches of metal that need to be chromed. The place I left it, Verne's, does the bumpers for show cars that go to Monterey. They had the best price. Sometimes, it just pays to shop around to get a few estimates. Dennis

I have one. That makes remembering the birthday fairly easy. He didn't go to the prom in the Z, drove the AUDI instead. But he did learn to drive a stick shift on the Z. That was fun, especially when it came time to practice stopping on a hill, going up, and coordinating two feet and the handbrake to keep from rolling backward at the stop sign. Memories. Dennis

Having bumpers chrome plated is an adventure as I found out when I had my Avanti bumpers plated some years ago. First you have to find a shop that still does plating. They're becoming as rare as drive-in theaters. The first couple places I went to asked what kind of car the bumpers were from....I suppose to judge rarity and to base the price estimate accordingly. It shouldn't cost more to dip a '63 Jaguar XKE bumper than a bumper from a '66 Chevrolet four door sedan, but I bet it does. I ended up leaving my bumpers at a place in Los Angeles where the counter guy said, "I see you got an Avanti bumper there." as I walked into the shop. As for the Z, the stainless steel reproductions seem like an interesting alternative when the time comes. Dennis

I replaced mine just a couple months ago. Common? No. Eventual? Yes. Dennis

OK, thanks, Alesson learned. I guess I've been lucky the times I've opened and resealed the bowls. I'll be wiser next time. Dennis

The number of "Likes" you've received for comments you've posted. You had 56 when you asked the question and I bumped you up to 57.

Glue the float bowl gaskets? Curious why. I've never done that when opening the bowls or putting new gaskets on the bowls. Have i been doing it wrong or just the hard way? Dennis

Some questions: The '73 appears to have a sunroof. Planning on closing the roof panel hole during the restoration? No vents on the '71 rear panels, does it have a vented hatch? Have you done a magnet test to check for Bondo and fiberglass repairs in rust prone areas? All things being equal, and they're not, the '73 seems to have had more adventuresome owners willing to experiment - sun roof, 4BBL carb, no antenna to name a few. I think I'd keep the '71 even though it's an automatic. Dennis

And a mini-fridge in the trunk would make it perfect!

Nice looking '71! Has the rear hatch been replaced or repaired? I noticed the emblems are missing on it. Always good to see another '71. Dennis

Nice work and documentation! It looks like new. I never thought of the foam fill to prevent sagging. Dennis

A little rubbing compound and a coat of wax and you're good to go! How's the wiring harness in the engine compartment? Radiator? Looks like you have quite a project ahead. Dennis