Carl Beck

Hi Michael: There is a very large difference between a Stated Value Policy and an Agreed Value Policy. With a Stated Value Policy - you state a value and the insurance company bases the premium they charge you in part upon that value and in part upon the liability rates for your age group in your area. If you have an accident or the car is stolen - You will deal with a Claims Adjustor and he will in most cases "adjust" the value down do to the use {months from the appraisal date, or miles accumulated} as well as what the Actual Cash Value would have been without the Stated Value. You are better off with a Stated Value Policy - - - but it really isn't all that different legally than listing Actual Cash Value on your policy. Note I said above "..you state the value".... That is NOT THE SAME AS the insurance company Agreeing to that value and agreeing to pay that amount in case of a total loss {accident or stolen}. With an Agreed Value policy - there really is no claims adjustor. There is no question about the current value of your car. Most Classic Car speciality insurers sell Agreed Value Policies. Classic Cars have very low loss rates and are rarely exposed to risk on the highways/streets because they are driven only for pleasure. If you drive your Z only for pleasure - you have it garaged - you don't use it when your daily driver is out of commission - then your best coverage is with a Classic Car speciality insurer that writes Agreed Value policies. Take your Agreed Value Insurance Policy - and sit down with a lawyer. Don't listen to any insurance agent - the agent that sells you the policy won't be the person settling a claim should you ever have one. Ask your lawyer what the legal difference is between Stated Values and Agreed Values... If you do use your Z as a second car for transportation - it would not be covered by a Classic Car Policy. If you drive your car for your pleasure - no matter where - if it was for your pleasure and you have other cars for transportation - then you should have your Z on an Agreed Value policy. Hagerty will issue and Agreed Value Policy if you e-mail them current pictures of your Z - and if your driving record is clean - $15K would be no problem - in fact $18K for a super clean 280Z is more reasonable in my opinion. $18K Agreed Coverage would run you ABOUT / AROUND $150.00 PER YEAR {not every six months}. FWIW, Carl B.

To get reasonable recommendations - it would help if you would tell us: a) what condition the car will be in - when you are ready to take it to a body shop for body and paint work. Will you have all glass, chrome, trim, lights etc stripped off the car? Will you have the interior out of the car? What metal work needs to be done? Define in terms of the "price" you expect to pay, what a good paint job should cost. c) What kind of turn-around time do you expect? 90 days, 6 months, 12 months??? BTW - I believe that D'Elegance only does mechanical work - so they can do the engine rebuild. FWIW, Carl B.

Is that the VIN taken from the firewall or the Dash? HLS30 035147 would have had a Build Date of 06/71 12/71 Build Dates are from aprox. HLS30-56xxx into 62xxx FWIW, Carl B.

Item number: 180611367694 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series-260Z-Unbelievable-Survivor-240Z-260Z-280Z-Nissan-1-OWNER-74-/180611367694?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item2a0d46c30e If this one owner, 98K mile 260Z can be purchased for $7K to $10K - then a 240Z with a salvage title would be worth about half that to me. Why would you buy a potential problem, when for the same money you could buy a jewel? I'm not saying that the salvaged Z isn't worth something, nor that no one should buy it. I just don't see how anyone would expect a salvaged 240Z to sell in the $7K-$10K range in todays or tomorrows market, when so many other clean Z's are available in that price range. Am I missing something here? FWIW, Carl B.

You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The questions about the actual mileage are a fog-ball. Any way you look at it - it is a rebuilt wreck and the mileage is meaningless. Nothing so rare about the car as to justify risking your time and money on it's future value - If one is going to spend $7K to $10K there are still lots of clean 240Z's out there that represent a far better purchase decision. If this one drives out OK - you might spend $5K for a daily driver or weekend auto-cross car, but it's not a car you would want to put much more money and time into. FWIW, Carl B.

In that 1971 Trans/Am film - they mention Lee Midgley driving an Alfa - Lee was the co-driver with Peter Brock in the 73 Baja 500. Competitors in one series and team members in another. Roman Tucker now owns the Alfa that Lee drove in the 71 Trans/Am. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes - very import to use the correct part made of the correct material in that location. The hose your referring to is made out of a vinyl material rather than synthetic rubber - - the vinyl withstands the heat from the exhaust manifold better than synthetic rubber fuel line would, and its thin wall construction allows tight turns without kinking. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: See the Z Car Home Page - http://ZHome.com Bolivia, Columbia and Peru When the Z Car Convention was held at Daytona a few years ago - we had several visitors from Columbia in attendance. FWIW, Carl B.

The 5spd. - if it is a newer Type B - will have three nylon bushings between the shift lever and the transmission. Two go in the sides of the shift lever where it mounts to the transmission - one goes on the bottom of the lever. See diagram below. You'll most likely have to remove the center consol to get down to them. {Z mechanics with experience and a lift - can change them from under the car}. Item #31 Part Number: 32855-H1010 Bush-Control Lever - you need 2 each, but order extra's Item #31 Part Number: 32861-N4200 Bush-Control Lever - you need 1 each, but order an extra If the clutch fluid has been allowed to go to low - you can get air sucked into the lines. Top the fluid up and bleed the system. I have seen 5spd.'s that lost gears ... but it's unusual. These are pretty strong units for the weight/torque involved. Your problem is most likely with the shifter and clutch engagement/disengagement. Watching the video's you Posted and listening to the engine: I believe you said that you put fresh spark plugs in - but after trying to start the car, and having it run on 3 or 4 cylinders very rich at start-up - - -it is quite possible that you have fouled a plug or two in the process. Since you weren't able to drive it enough at progressively higher RPM's - to clean the plugs - - - You may have to pull them out and clean them up - you can use a medium stiff wire brush if necessary. Don't think that just because they are new - that they are firing properly at this point. The Z's are cold natured - they can be hard to start when cold. Catching and running on 3 or 4 cylinders at first is common - but within a few seconds all 6 plugs should be firing and you should be able to increase the RPM to around 1200 - 1500 without the engine dying. FWIW, Carl B.

*Why do I see only the center section of the video image? *Who is the voice behind the camera? *Warn the car up before driving.. drive easy the first few times. *Make sure you carry a couple spare in-line fuel filters.. with old gas you may clog a few up before all the varnish is washed out.. *Sounds like the rubber bushing at the bottom of the shift lever is either loose or shot. {if you still have the original type A tranny}. * If the clutch fluid is low - you'll have a hard time shifting gears. Make sure that is FULL.. and the lines are clear of any air. Bleed the clutch system at the slave. FWIW, Carl B

Most likely mentioning what you already know - but just to recap... Yes - it sounds like "C" is what is called the 280Z stub axle. Perhaps it is the larger companion flange that is "stronger" - rather than the stub axle itself. Spacers are stamped "A", "B" and "C" - and they are about 0.020" longer than each other. I believe that was a way to adjust for the casting and machining tolerances, of the bearing seats within the strut housings. So in effect - whatever size spacer was used by the factory with a specific strut housing - it should be kept the same size - so that the end play comes out correctly when the axle and assembly are torqued down. So far I haven't found any documentation related to the specific distance between the inner and outer bearing seats within the strut housings. {sure would be helpful to know what that should be}. If your stub axle "A" had no washers on each end of the spacer - then it was either a early 240Z stub axle that was assembled incorrectly - - - OR - - - it was the later {after 08/73} axle that required no washers. Given that the bearing seats within the strut housing are fixed in place - It is a mystery to me as to how the space previously occupied by the washers, was filled when not using them. Unless much longer spacers were used - - but that doesn't seem to be the case. In 1973 Nissan added a copper washer, under the washer/lock-nut that is torqued down on the axle. The service bulletin said that was to eliminate noise... Nonetheless- I'd say that your axle "C" with a good nut would be the way to go... FWIW, Carl B.

Great story - there are few things in life that are quite as enjoyable as a road trip with your son in an early Z. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Coop: Do they both have the same number of splines? Will the same companion flange fit on either one? Carl B.

Garrett Air Research T03 - made in Japan under license. FWIW, Carl B.

Just goes to show you - mileage is just one consideration related to value. With rusted out floorpans and in the underbody - $3,500.00 isn't a bad price - IF everything else was as it should be in a sub 40K mile car. "Usually" but not always - the sad thing is that everything else is most likely in far less condition than it should be... but you never know. Take the car completely apart - have proper metal work and a high quality paint job done - and that will run between $12K and $15K. Then put everything back together cleaning/detailing as you go. For less than $20K and a year or two of work - you might wind up with a car just as good as the one that sold for $15K. CONDITION of everything - accounts for about 90% of the market value - and Location perhaps another 10%... Before the financial melt-down - a #2 condition 10th AE would have been closer to $25K - $15K today is a good buy. FWIW, Carl B.

"FULL editor" - - where is he going find something with that label? Just hit the "Post Reply" buttom just below the last Post. Or as E suggests - hit the "Go Advanced" button even farther down on the page. FWIW, Carl B

Looks like a very clean, low VIN Series I example. I wonder if your clients knew that they gave you a $5,000.00 to $6,000.00 Gift? At the very least they should never have to pay to have their dog cared for again.! The wheels alone are worth a grand! Simply amazing... a car you can enjoy for the next 40 years! Make sure you have it properly insured and keep it in a secure storage when not driven - too many of them are getting stolen these days. Good luck with it... Carl B.

Hi Eric: The wheels on the car "LOOK" like American Racing "Libre" style. I say they "look" like them - but you will have to pull them off to be sure. Different manufacturers and distributors also sold "copies". If they are real American Racing - they will have "American Racing Equipment" cast into them on the back side of the wheels. If they are near perfect - with NO curb rash and with perfect lug nut holes - you can expect to get $75.00 to $85.00 each. About half that if they are damaged. If they are other copies - maybe $45.00 to $55.00 each. They use to be worth more -but now you can buy new reproductions for about $200.00 each - and now you can get them in 15" or 16" sizes. The "240Z" rubber floor mats - usually sell for $75.00 to $125.00 depending on the actual condition of the rubber. They can get quite brittle if they haven't been well cared for - so $75.00. If they are still soft and pliable, no cracks or tears - $125.00 You might price them a bit lower for a quick, hassle free sale here or on one of the other Z Car sites mentioned - putting them on E-Bay might yield the highest price, but then you have to put-up with the Public. FWIW, Carl B.

Posting Pictures here is very straight forward and easy. If you scroll down below the "text box" like the one you entered your original Post in - - you will see that the next block is titled "Additional Options".... in the section titled "Attach Files" - you hit the button that says "Manage Attachments"... You will then be presented with a dialog box - that allows you to search the files on your computer and select the one's you want to include in your Post... The most common format for digital images is .jpg but the site accepts others as well. Give it a try - if your picture is too large - you'll get a dialog box telling you... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Matt: Sorry - I do not have 15744 in my data base. I'll keep an eye out for it. FWIW, Carl B.

List the VIN here - and I'll see if I have it in my data base. A couple years ago - I found a friends 71 that he bought new. He has it back now... There are a few others here that have found their original 240Z's as well. FWIW, Carl B.

Thank-you John, that is very helpful. Carl B.

I have a couple questions about swapping stub axles. 1. The OP said he has a 260Z - looking at the parts catalogs - it seems that the 260Z and 280Z got the same stub axles to begin with - after 08/73 {yes/no??} 2. The original 240Z stub axles - mounted in the strut housing - with a spacer {size A, B, C} and washers at each end of the spacer - between the inner and outer bearings. It seems that the 260Z and 280Z stub axles still use the spacer {A, B, C} but without the washers on each end. So the question is - if you swap to the 280Z stub axles into the strut housings machined for the 240Z set up - do you have to use the washers or not?? Put another way - is there a difference in the machining or build of the strut housing - where the stub axles mount - between the 240Z and 280Z struts? {not talking about strut tube thickness}. I'm trying to rebuild a set of 73 rear struts - the previous shop took the stub axles out - and it seems they lost the washers that go on each side of the spacer. Looks like I could just get a set of 280Z stub axles and use them without the washers. {the washers are NLA}. FWIW, Carl B.

If I were in the market for a 280Z - - I'd buy the best, low mileage, well cared for example I could find in the Western and Southwestern states. I'd gladly pay $12K+ for the right car. The right car would be one that is currently owned by its original owner, has less than 75K miles and is ready to drive across America. Why? Because any 280Z you start with - that is $2K or $6K - - - will need at least $6K worth of repairs or maintenance items PLUS a lot of personal time and hard work. After that it will need fresh bodywork and a decent paint job. By then you'll have way over $12K in it. Even then, it will not be as nice a car as you could have bought for $12K to begin with. Take the $6K you have and take out a personal loan for the balance - Yes, you'd have a monthly payment for a while - but during that time you'd have a 280Z to drive and enjoy - rather than a project sitting in your garage sucking up three times the money you ever dreamed of spending.. There are still a lot of very nice 280Z's out there - and they are very reasonably priced at this point. Buy something that is ready to enjoy - skip the headaches at this point. Just my opinion.. FWIW, Carl B.

Wrong...Don Kearney "used to" live here in Clearwater. He moved South decades ago oops... memory fart... So no input from that FWIW, Carl B.