ajmcforester

My first Z was in for a week for under body work. What I think your trying to gage is how long it will take fr your car? That is a hard question how much work is needed depends on how long to rework a shell might take 1 week to a year on the shell alone. It depends more on what is needed, but I'd plan on at least 6 months, and if they are doing the whole restoration 1-2 years minimal for an average small shop.

Rust is a funny thing you can photograph rust and it always looks better than it is and it hides so it could be a rust bucket, I don't know from the pictures. I think the problem is you went to a body shop not a restoration shop. Yes restoration shops cost more but they are setup to do repair from rust and you usually get a better result at the end. Rust is time consuming to get rid of, a restoration shops should hunt all the rust down, and you will pay for it, but rust never sleeps. I'm going to be a little hypothetical here. If the restoration shop costs $15,000 and they found the rust and made the car sold and to your specs in the long run it could be cheaper, because the $10,000 bodyshop job they might miss some rust, bondo over holes instead of patching the metal. . . Now when they come out of the shop the look or quality may look the same, but what about 5 years down the road, you might need to redo the $10,000 for maybe another $10-$15,000. Or in 10-15 years you think the car needs a freshening up so you send it out for repaint it will cost more if their is rust and/or bondo that will need fixing before they paint. The old adage will always hold true you get what you pay for usually pertains in the realm. What I'd do is go to some car shows, look for quality work on a car and ask the owner where he got the body work done or the paint . . . people are happy to tell you about good experiences with shops. Then start contacting these companies, go their with the car interview them this is a job interview you are hirer-ing them and their equipment. Make sure you tour the shop talk about cleanness of the shop, how they deal with surface contaminates before painting, and how do they control dust, what type of ventilation is in the paint booth make sure the paint booth is spotless, no dust. With your car it's great if they will ask to put it on the lift to look at it with you, wright down your expectations for the car, talk to them about what you are looking for be realistic, how are you going to handle parts, how would they like the car before dropping it off. Find out their concerns. If they want your business this will take about 3-4 hours, atleast it has with me. This is a major investment, most people won't buy a car with more than 2-3 hours of research, why would you pay for work major work that costs almost as much as a new car without invest some time into it. In other-wards big deal if one shop didn't want to do the work keep looking until you find the right one

One of the best systems I've seen is a custom plug that cuts power to the ignition system. It's simple and easy to use you wire it in so the clock still gets power, but nothing else can without this plug like key. You can turn the ignition nothing will happen until this key is plugged in. Their are several manufactures with different names for this product. Another system and might be the one I install is a pass-by shut-off. This works like above, but instead of a key you can a chip in-beaded into a key-fob that you swipe over the sensor that can be hidden better like placing it under a piece of vinyl. I've seen this done on some cars when you take the key out of the ignition the switch turns its self off until you swipe the fob, this would be nice so if someone saw you get out of your car you just didn't show them weir the switch is. One of the best system ever made was on the Corvettes 4th gen. They had a computer lockout system that required if the alarm went off to use the key to unlock they system, you couldn't cut the battery to unlock the car. What thieves figured out was to stab the battery so the power would go before breaking into the car then you could slide it into neutral and take it. Now to keep people from getting in the best thing is to lock the doors a good thief will find cars with aftermarket car alarms and come back later that week and steal the alarm. If you install an alarm, do it your self and be creative most places put the parts in the same place, so the thieves know where to go to deactivate it. Also don't keep anything in sight they will break a window for a dime, so if it is worth more that a penny, hide it or better yet don't have it in the car. I've helped friends at junk yards and told them they can't leave the tools in the car carry them with you, I've lost count of how-many broken windows I've seen from this.

You can add power steering if you want their is a kit out their for that. Adjusting caster will help with that, but caster also what makes the car track straight, and pull into a straight line, to little caster the car will be drifting back and forth. The manual setup in the Z, once you are comfortable, it gives great feedback and can help you fell your way through the corners. My first car I converted from power-searing to manual system a lot like the one in the Z I knocked 20% off my tight track time once I got a fell of the system.

I've seen worse offers by the insurance company a word to the wise don't post any ware what you are willing to take that post might bight you in the arse. I take it you don't have collector car insurance, did you have any appraisal done before the accident, or anything in writing when you got insurance for the car about its value? I've been down a similar road before, they are not going to offer you much for the car, I'd plan on this going to court, and you will want a lawyer. What your seeing now is why companies like Hagrty started they saw a market of individuals with car values that don't meet the standard laws in car value. Most states laws work on diminishing returns in other ward they don't need to pay more for older cars that values increased, unless it is in the agreement. You will find even with collector car companies you need to contact them to increase the insured value of the car. Anyone with a collector car or modified car should contact at-least one or two collector car insurance companies. Even though I was using a not so great company with my first Z, I'm glad I had it their was no question on the $ amount when it was clammed totaled.

I have been their the blue car to the left is now scrap the insurance company told me it was the money or the car nothing in between. It wasn't even parted. Give Hagerty a call on the value they actually called me about 3 months a go to tell me my cars value has gone up by about 20% and ended up raising me value on my car with them.

Hey more pictures of the posses will be great I have a car that the second owners Mom put heave boxes on while in college then he tried to fix it with a dead blow hammer UUUGGGGG. I think it might have been repairable if it wasn't for the hammer.

This is why you need a good collector car insurance on the car. Now what I'm going to tell you deals with collector car insurance, it is vastly different that regular car insurance in this case. As long as you were doing what is allowed by your plan you will be OK. Wright down what happened while it still in your head, I mean all the details you can remember, you want a consistent story with everyone about this including verbal and in pen. When giving a verbal statement read what you wrought don't play buddy-buddy with them they do that to make you change your story. You need to let her insurance know who are insured with and you need to contact yours ASAP (after you wright down what happened). One of the things you will have is agreed upon value of your car (this is where having collector car insurance really pays off) if your car is totaled you will get paid that amount. That's that you need to get your insurance involved, because if the value of her insurance covers less your insurance will need to make the difference, they don't want to do that this is where the collector car insurance will cover your tail. Your insurance will more than likely want to handle your claim (this is good they have layers and all that to get what is needed). They will more than likely send out a claim adjuster, you want to be their with your paperwork (including pictures) on the car for this it will help get the initial cost determined better. Find a good restoration shop, not a body shop her insurance will try to make you go to a body shop, yours with a good collector car insurance will be happy with what ever choice you make. Get an estimate cost from them, if they are good it will come in higher than the claim adjuster, also get an estimate of the value lost on your car after the repairs are made you are entitled to that in some states. Don't worry about getting the parts, if they let you repair the car your restoration shop will take care of that. Your job is to make sure no insurance companies screw you on getting what you deserve don't work on the car cover it so the element don't damage it any more

I agree Hybrid Z will be your best bet for that info. A quick tip to get the back spacing right to mount early 90's Honda wheels you needed a 1/4" spacer if you let the people that make your rims know they should use that to get the proper backspacing. I'd recommend using a 15" rim you will get a nicer ride a 16 may make it a little rough, and go with a 7" wide unless you plan to put on fender skirts otherwise the tires stick way out.

I like the decal the way it is but I's like to see a replica or clean original shown with the car.

If the oil didn't sink into the friction plates clean it off, if in the plates you need to replace them. She might have thrown the syncrow (sp?) The bad noise might be metal or damage in the gears. She also could have bent a transmission shaft. I'd brake things in my first cars transmission all the time until I took the sycrows out, but then you had to double clutch every shift (400hp racing on a 84 200sx trans needed some serious upgrades). You might want to look for another transmission this one might cost more to repair than to replace

I've always like the ZZap I've been meaning to ask oifss2 how the paint is on his car besides the rear divers-side fender, and the engine bay how is it? I thought it might be neat if he can repair the paint and restore the interior and keep it original as possible and have a nice car. I tend to be the one that states it is only original once. I would not blame him for getting new vinyls decals made to replace the old ones; even if I was to keep the old ones on for now I'd get a set made for the future. I don't care how much work you do to preserve them they have started to deteriorate and will need replacing in the future. Making a set now will make it easeir to get the colors right in the decals, however I'd fix problems like warning lights first or engine problems and any rust first.

I feel they are more visual, my 240Z has a version of them, they are to protect in small light hits the car from higher bumps hitting the car. If you lived in north NJ you know how important that is, to many people up north bump the cars when parallel parking to tell them when to go forward and back up. They even glue on foam pads. That is part of the reason I don't travel to that part of the state on my personal time. I've even see them bump my work vehicle pulling into a horizontal spot they get really ticked when they hit the trailer hitch.

You might need to replace that seal, that's something you need to determine we can't see how bad it is or know your driving style. You should check the level in the trans. and gauge how much is lost. Also, be careful if you are lousing a lot you don't want it getting the the clutch surfaces, it can create slip and burn up the clutch.

I don't have that switch, I'd try Zed Savers, Arizona Z Cars or Bonsai Motor works to find it. I've read on the boards how to fix that, a while back you might want to do a search. They explain how to bypass the floor temp gauge. It was required for the cars at the time, but is a stupid gauge since you can tell the floor is getting hot. The big problem is the reason for that gauge which was to watch floor temp to see if the Cat was getting to hot. If the floor is heating up quite often you might need to look at the cat., they will plug up. If you ever looked at the inside of one you would be amazed they don't plug up monthly. I don't know what you do to clean them, but I know you can, maybe Seafoam?? If that don't work I think I might take the cat. down and blast some type of carbon cleaner the opposite direction of flow. Hopefully it will clean out. If you can't get it clean you would be left with replacing it or drilling it out which will give you better performance (it is also against the law, and to keep from becoming a accomplice I can't endorse such methods;)). Even thou it is hard to detect unless they look inside the cat, but if you keep her tuned well enough you can pass emissions tests. I got my first Z with no emissions controls to pass in NJ (they require modern emissions numbers based on car weight not that easy, by the way I had to make adjustments after testing;)). I'm glad your digging around in that car and getting the gremlins out. I want to see what you do with her.

Glad to see you on the boards:) While your doing the heater core this is a good time to check the wires and what knots under the dash their is a lot in the was to do the heater core, and you might as well check it all out. Sorry I checked my collection for the cap I don't have it I'll send you links to some guys that might help. I hope you start a new thread about your ZZap I have looked for one between Z cars and before my first one. Not a lot of people know of them but you start a thread and you will be a hit. I'm lucky with the first owner he is a Dr and researcher and has come up with several medical procedures I didn't have his home number and how the nurse acted I thought I would not get a call back. I was lucky. By the way basket case car my second car was a 1980 Datsun 210. The nice thing about that car was it was a bare bones model, so it was easy to repair. My first day off when I got to go threw it I had my brother get all the gaskets and rings seats, clutch kit, ujoints. . . Brake pads . . . you get the point it had 245,000 with little done to it ( it was over $1G in parts). The first job was to drain the oil well I tore the oil pan when trying to get the oil plug out, my brother called the original owner at that point, she told him how great that she only had to change the oil once (this is 97, 17 years with one oil change). Knowing how major overhauls go I had my brother go to the junk yard that we found before starting on this with the same car. While he was at the junk yard I had him pick up some other parts the broke when taking it apart like some of the drive shaft bolts. By the time he got back I had the axles out the engine back together, suspension and steering in the front done. Within 12 hours we rebuilt the engine and all the drive-line, suspension, and steering I even fixed the dash wiring while realigning the steering wheel (what a great car for $300). The only thing I didn't fix was the electric advanced distributor the rebuild kit was almost $300. I wish I did more research on that year I think I would have kept that car. Exspecial about the racing history of the 80 210's. I didn't like the low power, but I found out later that they were a lot of aftermarket go fast parts I could get, I knew about the Holly carb that I added later. I might even still be driving it, in fact it stills on the road last summer I saw some one driving it. When I lost track of the car is had 430,000 mile on it, who knows now.

The guy I bought the car from had two first cars, this was one, the other was a M3 his parent bought him new. He didn't know a whole lot about the car he only owned it for 4 years. That 4 years accounts for 50%-75% of the cars problems. Now I contacted the cars first owner, boy he loved that car. I hated to ask questions about problem on the car that the last owner would not tell me what happened. None of the things I asked happened when he owned the car, besides the first paint job and the door hit on the passenger side which was fixed properly. I think sometime after the car is restored I'll take him up on his offer of a free lunch for a ride in Beverly Hills (as part of a road trip). I loved doing road trips in my first 240Z.

No they wired the radio into the headlight fuse (before the fuse) and it would blow the fuse when I turned on the headlights and radio I don't why but it don't do that anymore. Also the radio stayed on when the keys were out

Nothing like the rust gremlins. I've found if the car is drivable to drive it around and let it breakdown, and loosen out the bugs, before the tear down slightly louse wires stuff just ready to go, go besides nothing like finding out something electrical goes out under the dash only when you make a hard left turn things like that. The door buzzer would go off everyoneces and a while if I turned left hard enough in my current car, or the aftermarket radio turns off the headlights.

I hear that I found a guy trying to steel my steal hubcaps for my FJ Cruiser, but to louse a wheel cap would really stick

OK I have a lot more that are not on the internet or I some reason never bookmarked them but hear is a list I didn't clean them up so their might be doubles and weird names that take you to good sights like "Link" for "Z car parts", hey I copied from my bookmarks what mater their is I know what they are. Book Marks.doc

OK I made the mod the longest part was waiting for the iron to heat up. I pried the tabs up, melted the solder. On the old pump and the new one. Then I bent the tabs back with the old wires on the new pump and welded it together. Once the soldering iron was warm it took about 3 minutes to do. :classic: I wish I read this before I bought the other unit with another bad pump:mad: Well if any one would like to copy me and needs the old parts I guess I have them forsomeone

I like the original covers the problem I've had is finding a pair with D's worth buying. My first z it was cheaper to have custom wheels made, my current one has American Racing wheels, but I bought a set of steels for winter storage and restoring the car, maybe this time I'll get the wheel covers

You will need her support she looks a bit rough. How is underside of the car?