Healey Z

Sounds like a fun project! I wonder if there is a market for 240Z type euro chrome only bumpers that would bolt to a 280Z mounting holes

If I had the car you described for free or a running/driving car for $1500, I'd pay the $. An abused car like that will have a ton of problems, that may take you 100's of hours to fix and thousands of dollars to sort out. The nice thing about these cars is that they made a ton of them. You can find good examples for cheap very regularly.

Hey 5th, now that you mention it, the weights do stand out. Cyg, I agree and I'd love to do that. Pretty pricey and I am a little leery of buying a used set and encountering endless problems....but if I found a nice used set and knew they were good and priced right.....I'd pop for it.

Project complete. Having the paint an exact match and having two wheels that just needed touch up made this project much easier than I thought. A color change would have been very difficult to do well, without removing the tires and prepping with some sort of blasting. Next project is to fine tune the air/fuel on the SU/L28 motor when I receive my colortune next week.

Like most times with old cars, things are not as they seem. I pulled all the wheels off and inspected them, which I am a little embarrassed to say I haven't done so to this point in owning this car. Two of the wheels are "new" replacements and two look to be original with work done on them as evidenced by some new spokes on them. The splines on the hub and the wheel wear over time and need to be replaced, which it looks like this was the case on at least two of them. One of the wheels has a broken spoke, so it is being swapped out for the spare, while at bit tatty (British speak), mechanically it looks like it is in good shape. I tested the cast aluminum rattle can paint against one of the new wheels and it is spot on. So much so that I cleaned up the newer wheels and touched up the spots that needed attention. The paint has ceramic in it, so it is pretty tough paint. I was able to blend them in really well by using the finest steel wool available. Now on to the more difficult task of the other two wheels.

A little info. These are all the V8 Z's I could find that are currently for sale. Average price just below $6K, high just over $8K. I'd say my $6K-$8K was dead nuts on, again assuming the car is as nice as described. $8,500 1973 Datsun 240Z Hot Rod with 383 SBC - $8500 (San Antonio) pic $8,000 73 Datsun 240Z w/ 327 V8 - $8000 (Melissa, TX) pic $8,000 DATSUN 280Z V8 SWAP FOR SALE OR TRADE - $8000 (MIDLOTHIAN) pic $6,900 76' Datsun 280Z with 350sml block... - $6900 (indianapolis, in) $6,500 Datsun 260Z V8 - $6500 (Vancouver) pic $5,000 DATSUN 280 Z CAR V8 1979 - $5000 (Maple Valley Wa.) $4,900 Nov 28 - 71 DATSUN 240Z W/ CHEVY 350 V8 $4,900. - $4900 (excelsior ) pic $4,500 1971 datsun 240z with chevy v8 swap - $4500 (pasco) pic $4,000 for trade or sell 280z convertible V8 - $4000 (anaheim) pic $4,000 1973 Datsun 360Z. new V8 engine. 90,000 miles. $4,000 or best offer. $4,000 1981 Datsun 280zx 2+2 T-tops V8 - $4000 (Northeast Philly) pic $3,900 datsun, chevy V8 tag:camaro,ls1,turbo - $3900 (huntsville )

Based on the limited info, my estimate the car would sell for $6-$8K. It is one of those cars that could be the owner's pride and joy with $20K+ invested, but the bottom line is the market is pretty limited and not a lot of real buyers.

I'm new to the whole multiple carbs thing. I bought a uni-syn off of craigslist and was able to balance the flow of the SU carbs at idle and 2500 rpm. I've watched the you tube and the Z Therapy videos on adjusting mixture and while I think I have it right, frankly I'm just not certain. I broke down and ordered a colortune (Merry Christmas to me) where you can actually see the flame in the cylinder and know if you are running rich or lean. Below is the link and it has a video of it operating if you are interested. I've talked to a few people on the Healey Forum that bought it and all have thought it worked well. I will let you know as well once I receive it and give it a try on my carbed L28. This is the best price anywhere; $50 delivered for a new one. ebay link

Zed, if you cannot tell by the pics of my car, I am very particular about my car and I anticipate it will take 3-4 hours per wheel to do by hand. I have a buddy that could blast them with baking soda, but I really don't want to remove the tires and I'm not sure if the baking soda would get between the spokes or threads and mess something up.

Thanks for the replies. I don't think I would go for a multi-color option. Chrome would look good, however I have gone for the rally type look with the headlight screens, missing bumper and driving lights, so I think the factory painted wheels would fit the car best. I found the cast aluminum engine paint that the guy was referring to. A little test spray shows it to be a gray with very little metallic in it. Perhaps I will pull the worst looking wheel this weekend and see the possibility of prepping and painting it in the garage.

New chrome wire wheels would be $2K by the time they are shipped, mounted and balanced, more than I want to spend, but it certainly would pop against the dark green. I spoke to a guy that restores these wheels today and he was nice enough to tell me what he uses, to match the original wheels. He uses a high temp engine paint "cast aluminum" color. I will go look for it tonight.

Thank you for the replies. Here are a few pics of Healey race cars with the wheels painted a completely different color. I think a race car can pull it off, not sure a street car could.

It is funny how I get very little response on the Austin Healey forum I frequent, which I can only attribute to the fact my drive train is Datsun. Here is my question and I would appreciate the input from your "car guy" perspective. The wire wheels have been patched up spray painted with at least three different colors. I am ready to remove, clean, prep and paint them again. The stock color is a silver/gray with little metallic in it. Other options are to go wild with other colors or perhaps even a darker gray color. What do you think would look best on the car with my (non-original) British Racing Green color?

Thanks for taking it easy on me. It sounds like it is running as good as I should expect. The intake does have the water passages blocked off and I will consider hooking them up. I drive the car regularly, including to work a few days a week. Cold here in Sacramento is low 40's.

1963 Austin Healey, L28 with round top SU's. I have the motor dialed in and it is running great. When it is warmed up (160 degrees+) it accelerates wonderful, no stumble at steady speed, really a joy to drive. Now that it is cold, when the motor is below that 160 degree mark (perhaps 5-10 min of driving) it flutters on slow acceleration or steady speed. The chokes are there and operable. The chokes help some when cold, but I think mostly because it raises the idle 1000 rpm. The motor is stripped of all the smog parts, intake warming tubes, air cleaner vents etc. I know, I know...what do you expect? The question is. Do you think the poor running when it is cold is due to the missing parts, perhaps wear in the carbs that expansion takes care of when it is warm or perhaps these motors just run a little rough when cold?

I drove an early 930 a few years ago. With the pedal down on the ground it felt like someone rear ended me when the turbo kicked in. You'll love it, good luck with the sale.

Hey CW, one more thought. Go buy a used to dolly for $350-$550 (there are 40 of them for sale in your Dallas Craigslist). Use it for the time you need it, then resell it. The key will be in your negotiation skills on the buying side to get the best deal possible. If you could find a good one, buy it for $400-$450 or so, you could place an ad for $399 when you are done with it and get most or all of $ back out of it and tow your car in a safer manner for you and the car.

Looks like an excellent starting point for a project. I like it better already without that big rear spoiler. What is your plan of attack; Strip it do ground up, get it running then do body/paint?

I agree with Arne. The right person would pay that price. It will take some time to find that right person. I would clean it up real good, put it on ebay with a high reserve and you will get some good exposure, get a feeling for the market price and perhaps find the right buyer.

240z, no smog worries, simplicity and bigger upside on resale.

One door closes, another opens.

Craftsman here. Best way to buy is to wait for a sale on one of their sets. With Christmas coming up, no doubt it will happen. If you can spring for $349, I would get their 283 pc. Mechanics Tool Set With Tool Box http://www.craftsman.com/craftsman-283-pc-mechanics-tool-set-with-tool-box/p-00935283000P

5thhoresemann, you're the man. That was exactly the issue. I filled it up to above the sensor, but below the top, so all should be good.

Oh...5thhorseman. That is a very good question. The Healey does not have an overflow tank and the sensor is near the top of the tank. Having just come off the 105 degree days, I guess it is possible that sensor is sitting in air...I will check it.

Thank you for the responses. The Healey temp sensor is located at the top of the radiator, where the exiting water from the block would flow. Earlier in the summer, I borrowed a thermal gun to verify the motor temp to what my gauge was reading and it was pretty accurate. It is easy and cheap enough to change the thermostat, which I could do.