Oiluj

FWIW, I'll have $23.5 K total in mine when it's finished. That includes $3,500 for the engine, $6,000 for paint, custom seat uhpolstry, aftermarket A/C, new wheels, spoilers & new suspension components. Given the additional $15K to $20K in labor, that $50-60K number doesn't sound that far off.

This is second-hand info, so I don't know how accurate it is. I was told that a complete, ground-up restoration to original "show" condition at Z-Car Garage in San Jose runs about $50 to 60K. Ouch! (that's not including the car). Of course, that's silicon valley pricing... But if one has more money than time, why not? While my free time is limited, I certainly don't have that kind of money to put into my Z. Makes me think my time is well spent doing most of the work myself !

I hope mine looks that nice when it's done later this year! What's the sig on the glove box?

Do you have any pics of your new Z?

Very Nice! I have a polished cover, (on the car), that came with mine, but I think I like the painted look better! Do you plan to clear coat it? I also have an old oxidized one, (off the car), and may duplicate what you have done. "Imitation is the sicerest form of flattery".

JMark, If I read your last post, speedfilm has a pattern for the BRE front spoiler?

Just finished pulling-out my transmission today, along with the other stuff that had to come off first, exhaust, driveshaft, starter... Used a small, cylindrical hydraulic jack to prop-up the back of the engine to take the torque strain off the motor mounts. Also removed all the bolts on the stub axles, but have not yet removed them. Need to pry them off the differential side. Based on records and the look of the fasteners, only one side had ever been removed. Those 35 year old fasteners did not want to come off! Total time was 4 hours, including putting the car on jack stands and removing the wheels. Not too bad for not having lay under a Z for over 15 years! Will probably pull the engine next weekend. Things are moving forward!

Cool! Here's my duct tape & bubblegum story. I bought my Z in Scottsdale Arizona and drove it back to the SF Bay Area. On the second day I had a gas leak from the rear carb. There was a crack in the hose leading from the fuel bowl to the jet. There was nowhere to get a new hose, so I bought some bubblegum and already had some tools and duct tape. Chewed the gum and smeared it over the crack, then wrapped with duct tape. Carried me the next 6 hours home without a problem!

I'm interested in a pattern and think a number of others would be as well. The idea of cutting the film on the car is waa-ay too scary given I'll have just spent $6 K on a paint Job! Performance of the film is reported to be very good in protecting paint, so I'm really thinking it would be great for Z's. This is especially the case after reading the article in the attached link. http://www.automotivearticles.com/Clear_Bra_3M.shtml

Anyone using one of the invisible film products, (3M Stoneguard, Clear Bra), on their Z’s to prevent stone chips? If so, how long have you had it and how do you like it? What are the pros & cons?

It was driving down El Camino Real in San Mateo and there it was. I was dissapointed that the driver and passenger weren't wearing costumes. Don't know if it was the original, but it sure looked like it. Was still a kick to see it! It got lots of attention... Has anyone seen one of the Speed Racer Mach V replicars? http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.sussexcountyonline.com/news/columns/cars/carreviews/images/mach5.jpeg&imgrefurl=http://www.sussexcountyonline.com/news/columns/cars/carreviews/speedracer.html&h=155&w=300&sz=11&tbnid=x-6CLbkcdCSJ-M:&tbnh=60&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmach%2B5%26um%3D1&start=3&sa=X&oi=images&ct=image&cd=3

I'm going w/ 15" Panasports. The wheels arrived yesterday! They are silver, but I'm thinking of painting the spokes a medium gray metallic, but not as dark as Panasport's "gunmetal" color.

I got my spook from MSA, but I understand that Classic Datsun has a better quality version. Personally, I like the ducted version. The ducts are a convienient spot to install driving lights.

Nice! I hope to do the same in about a 3 weeks to a month!

Going with the BRE style front & rear spoilers. Vented front spoiler. I'm planning on staying with silver, but am thinking of adding a slightly darker "ghost" rally stripe. (see attached pic). I want the stripe to be very subtle, just a few shades darker than the body silver. Let me know what you think...

My 240Z was built in Dec 71 and purchased the last week of March 1972, so I split the difference: December 1971: Family Affair - Sly & Family Stone March 1972: Heart Of Gold - Neil Young or A Horse With No Name - America This was kinda fun to look-up! Of course, Led Zepplelin will be played in the CD when she's done...

I marked everything, but expect it will be a pain to re-install... Still have a a few afternoons of dis-assembly before I'm ready to start work on removal of the drivetrain. Also got a care package from MSA today that included my rear spoiler, sway bars and new interior vinyl.

I recently got quotes at five different shops in the SF Bay area for a similar scope of work. Quotes ranged from $5,500 to $7,000.

WoW! Nice Job! You should be very proud of her.

Thanks! Had tried searching with no luck. Your search phrase worked. Looks like not too many have used this kit. If I do decide to go with the A/C kit, I'll let everyone know how it goes in a few months when the process begins. Since I'll have all new body seals, if I install the A/C kit I expect it will work acceptably.

It will be awhile before I post pics of the wheels on the car... With exception of the dash, the interor is now stripped. Within the next month, I plan to have the drivetrain out as well. Then the chassis goes to the paint shop. I'm now figuring t have the car back together by mid-June.

Just ordered my new wheels, (as well as a bunch of other parts), from Les at classicdatsun.com. I ordered silver 15x7 panasports. Had to go with silver because the graphites are backordered. I'll just paint them as soon as I figure out the color. Les has been great to work with so far and his prices are reasonable. He is willing to discuss what he sells and we had a short chat about the cost of paint jobs and full restorations. I'm certain I'll be ordering from him again!

My 1972 has 76,000 on it with good documentation. That's one of the reasons I bought it.

Does anyone have experience with installation and performance of the aftermarket A/C sold by MSA and Courtesy? I'm looking at the r-134a unit. Since I'm dismantling the car for painting and will have the dash out, now would be the time to do it. 1) Does it cool effectively? 2) How hard is it to install properly? (I'm a mech engr and pretty mechanically inclined). 3) Are there any issues with the design? The PO already installed the honda fan, so air movement should not be an issue. Thanks in advance for your input! Julio

I've now spoken with a total five local body shops and estimates are all in the $5,500 to $7,500 range. I could probably shave as much as $1,500 off the cost if I shipped the car out of the immediate SF Bay Area, but I'd prefer to have it done locally where I can monitor progress. Today I drove my 240Z to to Williams Auto Body in San Mateo for an estimate and spoke to William. His shop is literally wall-to-wall Z's, mostly 240's to 280's. Z-car parts and Z's in-progress everywhere! From what I saw, he does quality work. William was very strightforward and explained what he does when he paints a Z. He estimated approximately $6K and 2 months from delivery of the car to him. That includes stripping all the paint, bodywork, minor rust repairs, re-alignment of hood, door & hatch, weld-up of all the bump-strip rivet holes and a complete paint, inside & out. It's more than I want to spend, but it's clear William is "the guy" to paint my Z. I'm planning on two-tone paint, silver with a light charcoal rally stripe. Hope others find this update helpful.