Zak's Z

My Z is in now getting prepped and painted, still dont have a final cost/estimate. But I saved at least $2k off the price by stripping it myself. There were 4 colors on it, and when I got down to bare metal there were a few spots I touched up with braze. I also had to get a new door, hood, and rear valence. I put a whole summer into just stripping it, and Im sure Ill get a much better result because I took the time to get every bit of paint off everywhere. I would say conservatively 200 hours went into it. Although Im just a hacker at it, and a shop would have been alot quicker and more efficient. The body shop guy even said he wouldnt have been able to get it done unless it was bare. He said he wouldnt have touched it and I couldnt have afforded it (if I wanted a good job, not just a sanding and repainting). Just my 2 cents from what little experience I have.

I wish I found this car back when I started my project. This would have been a way better starting point, and I probly would have been driving it by now!

Hey, welcome to the site. Theres lots of great info here and good luck getting a 240z. Have you put much thought into what you want exactly? A weekend driver, something you can restore, etc.??

I'll have to do this also, so I'm interested in knowing how to test this too.

Hey, nice work. I was impressed before I scrolled down to the 'before' pics. Looks like you put a lot of detail and pride in that job.

HAHAHA.....I'm going to have to cry myself to sleep tonight in my Igloo.

Every dead-of-winter I have to read the same posts about all of us northerners going crazy with no Z-time. Then all the southern guys pop in with 'hey im goin for a drive today!', and 'weather is great here'. This winter my car is still in gettin prepped and painted, so all I have to look at in my garage is a very cold engine gasket set staring at me waiting for warm weather. Sailor Bob got it hard this winter. My wife was out there a few times on business and she says its waaay worse than our southern ontario winter. So I feel for you brother.

Hey what are the odds of finding your old Z again!? Thats a great story, hold on to her now! Keep us posted on your progress.

Hey, Welcome to the site. Ive been a member for a few years and the information I've found here is invaluable. Post some pics of your car and tell us a bit about it.

Very nice. Looks like you put alot of work into all the little details.

My Z is at the doctors right now...in critical condition. Scheduled for a complete total reconstruction plastic surgery...all I want for Xmas is my Z to pull through. I was in tears when I saw her hooked up to the 110 red intavenous transfusion. The doctor said he might have to have a case of Bondo flown in just to save her. Say a prayer this holiday for hls30-79101.

Hey welcome. Many good conversations regularly take place here. Try the search function and you'll find tons of great info. If you have a Z share some pics with everyone.

Heres the link with some pics to the post I did a while back. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21485&highlight=restore+wheel

I found a few washers, a snake-skin shedding, a rusty screwdriver, a few coins, and several rotting pieces of paper soaked in what looks like some sort of soda or coffee.

Yep, thanks for the pics. Your work paid off, those look very good.

Hey...I guess winter's here. The shaving sessions have already begun. Man, she's just having fun...theres no need to waste all that shaving creme. This is going to take me all day now.

AAAHHH.....damn that hurt. WOW. We only have to shave them in winter. Theres nothing else to do when it snows. After that, theyre good all summer long. Giggidy giggidy.

Guys... All Canadian chicks look like her. We just keep it kinda quiet.

O got my '72 in Toronto in 2005. It looked awesome at 10 feet. Unfortunately it had an inch of paint on it and about 10 pounds of bondo in the body. I needed new floors and rails and 2 years and a few grand later its in the shop for prep and paint. I also found a 71 parts car with a great interior on a farm just north. The body was rotten but I got a bunch of great parts out of her before I sent her to the crusher. I wish I would have saved a bit more and went south for a rust free car, live and learn.

Welcome! I had Zedd Findings floors put in my '72 they are very nice, and Charlie is great to deal with. Are you gonna keep it black on the repaint? looks nice.

Hey, Nice site and lots of good pics.

Is what's coming off the bottom underside fiberglass or rusted metal? If its metal and the top floors were tacked in, arent they at risk as they may be tacked to the rotted metal floors? If it's fiberglass underneath, thats the strangest method of preserving floors I've seen. I guess either way you gotta get it all off to be sure.

Let us know what the damage is when you get her (hopefully you'll report good news only)! That must have been a relief to get that call...I'll cross my fingers tonight.

My car isnt road ready yet...but it WILL be my first order of business when she's done! EDIT: who am i kidding...as if the wife would let me.

You need to look at the typical rust prone areas to determine if thats a good deal. Under the battery, up inside the fenders, check under the doors, the doglegs, and the check the whole underside to see how much rust is under there. If you can, pull up the carpets to see the floor pans and rockers. Also check the rear deck lid and under the spare tire. Post some pics here if you're not sure. If those areas are in good shape then you should find out if that red is the original paint, or how many times it's been painted. The engine bay is black so at one time there was some type of repaint probably. My body metal looked great when I got it, but when i took 4 paint jobs off, I found all kinds of bondo and repairs. Take a magnet wrapped in a soft fabric and run it along the outside and see if it sticks or if theres bondo under there! From the pics you sent its hard to tell any of this, but it sure looks better than than the z I started with! Good luck.