EScanlon

From experience, if the cost of welding in a new panel, versus bumping out the old one are very much close to each other, bump out the old. I wouldn't consider replacing the metal until such time as there were obvious benefits. The reasoning is simple. Even if you do a continuous stitch weld (tricky to do on sheet metal) you will still have the overlap area on an overlay weld. That overlap area can develop problems way down the road. Hidden rust pockets, or areas that can cause your paint to craze or crack. Add to that that the welding typically distorts the panel to an extent, and you still have to use Bondo to blend in the irregularities. If you are very careful, you can keep the distortion down to a minimum. The only way to eliminate these two problems is to butt weld the panels (seamed edge to edge with no overlap material). But this is not as easy as it sounds. If you are good enough to do butt welding on sheet metal, then by all means go for it, but butt welding sheet metal is definitely the pinnacle of welding ability. At that point, this discussion becomes moot. A welder of this experience can tack pull points on that car, pull and bump it out faster than it would take to weld. And being that good, his cost of replacing a panel is again almost insignificant. Consider that unless you are getting a GOOD weld, whether, spot, continuous or butt, you are compromising the strength of that panel. I'm not saying that you can't get a STRONG panel out of a weld, but that if properly bumped out, the ORIGINAL panel is actually stronger and less problematic (rust, cracks, paint blisters) than the new weld. 2¢ Enrique

Michael makes a good point. The amount of "flash" rust on prepped sheet metal is minimal for the time period you are referring to. If on the other hand you were referring to very warm and HUMID time, then that's another story. Now don't forget something else, the name POR actually stands for Paint Over Rust. Although you will note that the majority of those that post that have used POR will advise removing ALL rust before applying the material, it in fact, will work on top of a rusted surface. Personally, I abhor rust. I'll be danged if I'm going to mummify it for future owners of my car (hopefully eons from now) to discover. I'll remove it as best as I can, and embalm the rest of it with the most permanent fix I can. Barring all else, if you are deeply concerned with ensuring that NO rust occurs, get a cotton rag, put a small amount of engine oil on it (clean) and wipe down the metal. Then when you are ready to continue with the POR or whatever, you use some Wax and Grease Remover or plain old Lacquer Thinner and wipe / dry several times to ensure the metal is again, oil-free. 2¢ Enrique

At the risk of sounding obtuse, WHICH bumper? Front or rear? The Front: You might be able to find new fenders, or headlight sugar scoops, or the lower turn signal valance. The Rear: (and this is what I think you are referring to) Depending on whether it is the corner of the Fender OR the metal below the tail light. The fender CAN be obtained, but it isn't a one day job to weld and graft in. Sometimes it is easier to work the existing metal. If you are referring to the metal below the tail lights, then it gets trickier. That ridge is actually a support beam for the rear deck. The "skin" of it is actually on top of a square tube that runs the full width of the car. Againk it depends on the amount of damage there. FWIW Enrique

Unless the impact revealed some serious rust that can only be taken care of by replacing the metal, that impact does not look to be so major that a fender replacement is necessary. Yes, it will involve a couple hours of pulling and bumping but if the body man is qualified it is not an impossible nor difficult task. The two hardest to work areas, as far as I can see, is the impact around the Gas Flap Door. Even if they have to remove the gas filler neck and the back part of the opening that mates to the fender it isn't impossible. The other area is back towards the tail light. That area is harder because of the internal support for the hatch area. Still, other than the difficulty in reaching back there, not impossible to get a dolly behind to bump it out. The only other areas, are invisible in this photo. They are the side fender support, also known as the side panel floor (in between the rear deck floor and the fender, which closes off the inner fender) and the actual bumper mount channel. If they haven't suffered any damage, then it's an easy fix. Yes the repair may run you about $800 to $1000 depending on what shop you go to, but I doubt that they'll recommend an immediate fender replace, unless they don't have a qualified bump man. 2¢ Enrique

As far as I know, there is no difference between the 72 and 73 dashes. If you were referring to the 69,70 and early 71 versus the Late 71 and later, then you CAN find several key differences which will make the Dash cover harder to fit. If someone out there does know of a difference between a 72 and a 73 dash, please post it. The emergency flasher (knob style) is a bayonet mount knob. Simply push in slightly then turn 90°, it will then remove completely from the stalk allowing you to access the hold down collar nut. As far as a Half Cap vx a Full Cap. Depends on how good a fit you make. I've seen Half Caps looking very much like a cheap toupee as well as Full Caps looking like bulging padded bras. The main problem with the Half cap is that the Seam between New and Old is difficult if not impossible to hide. Then again there are Full Caps that round out the "eyelids" of the instruments so much that they look swollen. As far as the expense of restoring the dash properly. Dashboard Restorations, one of our club sponsors, actually REBUILDS your dash, not just add a layer of vinyl or padding. Their complete process is INEXPENSIVE considering what you get back, a literally BRAND NEW dash. As far as other 72 vs 73 conundrums (other than the carburators and emissions systems) I'd be interested in hearing what you have to offer. 2¢ Enrique

Congratulations and Welcome to the club! As you can see from the site, we have members from all over the world. Unfortunately, a complete club gathering would probably require the logistic expertise of the U.S. Air Force as well as the financial backing of Bill Gates and the use of the MERSK line. Feel free to pose as many questions as you have! Enrique Scanlon

Maybe I'm off base here, but if I recall the Headlight Switch Connections were the same from 70 THRU 72, and not until 73 when the Intermittent Wiper was offered did they differ. In fact, sometimes on e-Bay it's difficult to determine which one they are advertising if they don't have a proper picture showing the Wiper switch portion. But I do have one question, is your preference for a NEW switch just because you are worried about getting a bad one, or are you restoring for Concours competition? If the latter I can understand, but if it's the former, you can usually repair / re-furbish most switches. 2¢ Enrique

Sorry you're right they were used. AFAIK, the only source for NEW parts ~might~ be Chloe or Motorsports. Not sure if V/B would have them. You might also give Troy at Too Intense Restoration a holler. Get ready for sticker shock though. Good Luck Enrique

Kats Wrote: You are most welcome Kats. Yes, I was able to install additional bulbs in the rear by just removing the rubber plug in the hole. I have not done the front turn signals yet, since in my case, being a U.S. vehicle the housings did not have the extra hole. When I installed the additional bulb, since I did not have a wiring harness that had the 5th bulb socket with it, I had to find a socket that ~almost~ fit. That turned out to be a side marker socket from a GM style. It is a bit larger and it requires an additional tab on the side, which I cut into the tail lamp backing with a file. You could probably find the original bulb socket easier. Once I get the front marker lights cut and installed, then I'll be able to run the wiring through to the switch you sent me. As it stands right now, I have the extra bulb working in conjunction with the stop lamp circuitry to make my stop lamp brighter. Hope this helps. Enrique

Saw a couple on E-bay just this week. Enrique

So don't buy the item.

I've done both 2 & 3 and feel that the effort was well worth it. Then again I also went through and replaced all the vent hoses , the tail light gaskets, the outer hatch seal, the rubber plugs on the bottom of the hatch as well as sealing the hatch. Too much work? Not as far as I'm concerned, considering the final result. The car is quiet, you can play the original radio at very low levels and still make out what they are saying, you don't even need to have the vents or windows open in order to breathe. My wife is a bit of a Chilly Willy and as a result even the faintest breeze will send her into a shivering fit, so it was important to ensure that I did NOT have to continuously vent the passenger compartment. Add to that my sensitive nose (as well as hers) and you can see that it was a pre-requisite for both keeping and getting her to drive in it with me. But don't just take my word for it, you can ask Beandip for his opinion. As far as it being too much work for you, that's one thing that you might as well get used to with the Z. I'm not saying that they are the labor intensive, ultra-sensitive and prone to failure money-pits that some people think of them as (like the mid 80's Jaguars), just that there are some things that you can't ignore, nor let go for a long time before other, and nastier problems begin. In my experience at another website, the people that complain about the amount of work and money the Z requires, are those who find "creative" and "alternative" methods of repairs for those fixes that have become well documented amongst Z owners. As far as the Z is concerned, a stitch in time is definitely worth about 3 dozen later. 2¢ Enrique

The advice I have is actually for you and not for your little brother. Regardless of his age, likes or current car, he's entitled to his opinion. That he is opposed to your choice of vehicle is a typical sibling rivalry issue. The advice I have for you is this: Ignore him and his diatribe regarding your choice in cars. The more you try to convince him, the more adamant he'll become. It isn't necessarily rational, it's just a way he has of getting your Irish up and getting you all riled up. 2¢ Enrique

One of the "upgrades" available is to insert an inexpensive batttery operated mechanism, the type most commonly found on wall clocks. Then they extend the battery leads so that the battery is placed below and behind the radio. It works, can be an answer to someone who just wants the clock to work and doesn't care about the clock mechanism itself. Heck you can even find them with a second hand. Some of us, however, prefer to repair or replace the mechanism with an original part. It becomes a matter of choice. To me, the challenge of getting a part that is notorious for not working, to work, is half the fun. 2¢ Enrique

I think it was akin to the GM note that would sometimes be found in the doors of Corvettes and Cadillacs. It says something like: "You finally found the squeak you rich S.O.B." J/K Enrique

Thanks Mike! Sorry about not knowing the correct names, I just opened it up, figured out how it works and fixed it. Unfortunately, I also had problems with another one that is how I found out what NOT to do. Enrique

As our Aussie friends might say, if we believe the Crocodile Dundee hype, "No Worries, Mate!". You're right in that it's a quick and easy fix to get it running again. Probably the hardest thing is how to pull the Female Bullet connector with it's Protector tube thru the housing. Two other items that need mentioning. There is a pair of screws which adjust the pivot points for the main pendulum gear. That is the gear that you can observe rotating in one direction then stopping and rotating in the opposite direction. If you adjust these screws you need to be extremely careful as they house little "jewel" pivot mounts. Tighten too much and you can either bend the ends of the pendulum axle or crush the jewel points. Loosen them too much and then the pendulum will wobble and possibly fall out. If you want to "prove" that you fixed the recalcitrant motor, you can remove it from the housing. The motor runs intermittently, BUT it never achieves high rpm's. This is important as the function of the motor is to MAINTAIN the main spring in the clock in a perpetually loaded state as opposed to allowing it to unspring before being tightened. As a result, when operating well, the motor operation will seem almost non-existent. Look closely however and you will note that the gear that it drives is in fact moving. The main warning here is to NOT let the motor spin unchecked, as this heats up the motor, the bearings and the armature, all BAD for this little motor. Hope this helps someone. Enrique

Peter: What oil hole? The only hole in the back of the clock housing is for the speed adjustment screw, other than the mnounting screws and light bulb opening. If you drip oil in through that hole, you will not get to the root of the problem that the old clocks have. I've taken a few apart, fixed them and put them back in service. Every single one has been because the motor is what needs oil, and you can't get the oil to the motor without disassembling the clock from it's housing. Enrique

What about those of us with Automatic Transmissions? This is just another example of how you Manual Shift folks discriminate against us Automatic.......yada yada yada........ J/K Enrique

Most taps, and bolt removers are made from super hardened steel. This is why they are so hard to drill with standard drill bits. Since they are extremely hard, they also become brittle (typically). The bolt remover may or may not have space between it and the bolt. If it does it will make this procedure easier, if it does not, it just makes it a bit harder, but it should still work. Get a HARDENED punch with a point on it. Then placing the point on the remover and aiming at an angle away from dead center, hit it hard with a hammer. (Be sure to wear safety goggles.) With a proper hit and luck you should fracture the remover. Remove what pieces you can and continue. At some point you will crack it enough to remove it. Alternatively, heat it up with a rosette torch. The heat will cause it to lose it's temper and allow you to drill it out. Hope this helps. Enrique

I had this same problem on another car, and what it turned out to be was that one of the belts on the tire had broken. The only way I was able to fix the problem was to buy new tires. 2¢

When I did mine, I used both a folded piece of 400 grit sand paper that had been cut to width of the Female Spade Lug Connectors, and an emery board (courtesy of my wife) that had also been cut to size. For the Male connectors, a simple piece of sandpaper on the end of a glue spreader from the local hobby shop. In the case of Bullet connectors, I used a fibreglass contact cleaner on the ones that were really bad. Otherwise, I just rotated the mated contacts together once or twice. Remember that when we refer to cleaning the contacts between connections, we're not implying that you have to get completely neurotic and anal about getting every last bit of grime and corrosion out of there. What I've found, and others have also, is that poor connections, whether because of corrosion, poor fitting connectors, poorly crimped or soldered joints and the infamous wire wrap and electrical tape connection are the prime reason for circuitry to start having problems. Add to that fuse holders that are purposely spread apart to make it easier to remove and add fuses and you have a recipe for electrical mayhem. Look at your connections first. Spade Connectors and Bullet Connectors typically "scratch" out new contact surfaces when they are properly fitted to one another. When they have been loosened whether by use, vibration, or intentional spreading, is when they don't scratch off the surface corrosion that prevents proper contact. Sometimes the cleaning you are looking to do is nothing more than tightening the connector. As far as grounds, those are typically either a round connector under a screw OR a Spade Lug / Washer combination. There what you want to do is remove the screw and look at the underlying metal. A lot of times you find that there is some corrosion under the washer surface and on the washer. Most if not all of the "cleaning" isn't done with any kind of liquid or solvent, usually it's just ensuring that the MECHANICAL connection is good. Hope this helps. Enrique

From experience: Don't use the aluminum tape to add reflective properties to the cup of the instrument. What you'll end up with is a DIRECTIONAL reflector that will do more to shine the light BEHIND the faceplate without more light being sent to the front and around the faceplate. Paint the inside of the instrument cup with the brightest and purest WHITE paint you can find. The refractive and reflective properties of that paint will increase the apparent glow of the instruments better than anything else I've tried. Use Sylvania number 53. You can find these at Schuck's or Dusty's in Hazel Dell, and also G.I. Joe's. The fit is exact and you'll get a brand new bulb with perfect brightness for the instruments. Next, make sure that the bulb holder is free of corrosion, AND that the hole in the back of the instrument is free of paint around the opening. It needs that metal in order to make ground for the harness. Last item to check, is to make sure that your dimmer switch is making good contact. This is a simple rheostat resistance that is open to the air. Because it's open to the air (for heat dissipation) it can get dirty and corroded. Usually all you need is to turn it from high to low a bunch of times to wear off the corrosion on the coil of the resistance. However, don't be surprised if you have to remove the switch (tricky with the dash in) and do a mild wire brush on the surface of it, or re-tighten the contact arm back down on the switch. Lastly, if you are dead-set on removing the green lens, and painting the bulb, don't use a marker. The results will be uneven and barely tint the light. See if you can find INDIA INK, or in a stained glass shop, some dye. Hope this helps. Enrique

Here's what I did to recover a couple of "Cascading Icicle" light sets. With a known good set (non-cascading) that uses the same bulbs as a donor, and the non-working set as a patient, I plugged the donor into the wall. This illuminated all the bulbs. On the patient, starting at the FIRST bulb closest to the plug that was not illuminated, I swapped a known good bulb from the donor to the patient. Usually the swap would end up with the donor's new bulb lighting up and the patient NOT lighting up, telling me that the bulb from the patient was good, AND that I had replaced it in the patient, with yet another good one. No gain as far as functionality, but I KNEW that that bulb worked. If the replacement onto the donor did NOT light, I would replace it with a known good bulb out of my spares in order to maintain the donor in working condition. But I STILL knew that the patient had received a GOOD bulb. If this solved the problem on the patient, you're finished. If not, then you go to the NEXT furthest bulb and repeat. Eventually, you will have replaced all of the bulbs whether good or bad, but you will finally trip on the one that is causing the trouble. Don't forget that on many of these mini-lite sets, there are two fuses in the plug. Just like the fuses in our Z's, they're the glass tube kind. Just to be on the safe side, I would swap from Donor to Patient also. While you are inserting the bulbs into their holders, check that the little wires sticking out of the base are aligned properly in order to make the connection. Hope this helps. Enrique