I'd like to buy a 240z, but obviously i know nothing about them....
I wanted the same body style as the 73, but which years do that include? Engine specs? Any info will be great!
240z pics?
There are several web sites that specificly address the early Zcar. Give http://www.240z.org a try as a start. In addition, almost every metro area has an active Zcar club.
Early Zcars are cheap to buy (if you hurry), cheap to own, and serious grin inducers.
Look for the best body you can afford. Mechanical upgrades and repairs are cheap, rust repair IS NOT.
Early Zcars are cheap to buy (if you hurry), cheap to own, and serious grin inducers.
Look for the best body you can afford. Mechanical upgrades and repairs are cheap, rust repair IS NOT.
70z was the first year and that body stayed until 73. The 260 started in 74 and had emission and carb problems. When looking for a 240z pay close attention to wheel well openings and rear hatch areas for rusting out and bad repair work,tons of bondo. Also put it up on a lift if possible and check the frame rails under the floor boards and the rocker panels. The old one's would rust away and this can cause costly repairs.
Many people say "no rust" but it may be well-hidden under Bondo or underneath the body. My 78 280Z (the 240, 260 and 280 were essentially the same body, the 280 just had huge steel bumpers tacked on...and fuel injection) had pretty severe rust in the rear hatch and taillight area sheetmetal, in the front rocker panels and lower fenders, and in the driver's frame rail. I had the frame rail replaced and ground all the other rust off and covered with fiberglass and bondo, so you can't see the rust but it's still there. I'd hold out for as clean a car as you can afford. Mechanical stuff is easy and, for some, fun, to fix but body work is the realm of the true restorer in my opinion.$5500 Canadian is about $3500 USD, I'd think that car ought to be decent if it's fully worth that amount (I paid $1000 for mine with plenty of rust, I've seen worse rust on cars costing three times that). Check very carefully! Maybe take a trip down to Arizona or another arid US state and find one that's been baking all its life in the sun, some cars out there have near-pristine bodies supposedly. 
[edit] here's some pics:beautiful restored 240Z for sale I saw online oncemy car a long time ago, just back from the paint shop with the large bumpers unboltedrecent pic of my car after a cheap repair to hood (deer impact)
[edit] here's some pics:beautiful restored 240Z for sale I saw online oncemy car a long time ago, just back from the paint shop with the large bumpers unboltedrecent pic of my car after a cheap repair to hood (deer impact)-
not_a_porsche
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Tue Nov 12, 2002 6:33 pm
Quote »70z was the first year and that body stayed until 73.[/quote]
Close.
The 260Z's made in 74 came in 2 styles, the thin bumpers were used on the 260 until June 1974. After that they switched to the larger bumpers.
The most sought after Z's are the early model 240's made in early 1970. They changed the carburation in late 1970 or 1971, I am not sure which.
Close.
The 260Z's made in 74 came in 2 styles, the thin bumpers were used on the 260 until June 1974. After that they switched to the larger bumpers.
The most sought after Z's are the early model 240's made in early 1970. They changed the carburation in late 1970 or 1971, I am not sure which.
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Colby Bruce
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Sun Nov 17, 2002 5:33 am
240Z info
While the body remained the same, there were some minor differences. The original model Z had air vents below the rear deck glass, this was changed to the side of the body under the "Z" emblem.
In July or August of 1972 the carbs were changed for the worst. If I remember right the new ones looked like upside down aluminum cylinders, they were not "bell shaped" like the original carbs. The black rubber between the body and bumpers was added about that time too.
I have photos of mine but no scanner. I sold mine with 178,000 miles on it and replaced it with a Corvette. Big mistake.
In July or August of 1972 the carbs were changed for the worst. If I remember right the new ones looked like upside down aluminum cylinders, they were not "bell shaped" like the original carbs. The black rubber between the body and bumpers was added about that time too.
I have photos of mine but no scanner. I sold mine with 178,000 miles on it and replaced it with a Corvette. Big mistake.
Get it cheap!!! Running parts cars are generally available for free up to $500, depending on content and condition.
Go to some of the early Z sites and READ. Nothing will break you heart as bad as investing time, money, and love into your "dream" car only to have it disolve into an undrivable rust pile in a year or two.
If you really want one, pack up and go to Arizona. That is about the only place you are likely to find rust free cars driving about. There are a couple of companies that will find one for you.
Go to some of the early Z sites and READ. Nothing will break you heart as bad as investing time, money, and love into your "dream" car only to have it disolve into an undrivable rust pile in a year or two.
If you really want one, pack up and go to Arizona. That is about the only place you are likely to find rust free cars driving about. There are a couple of companies that will find one for you.
Really check for rust, one book I read on Z's stated "the areas most prone to rust were anything that wasn't rubber, glass or plastic". I have an early 71 240 that needs alot of new steel, but it was the best I could find. Some I looked at had huge holes in the frame rails inside the engine compartment as well as the frame inside the front fenders. Be very cautious.
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specialkonrd
- Posts: 476
- Joined: Mon Sep 23, 2002 4:43 pm
another place to look for rust is the right side frame rail under the battery, this is the biggest rust spot on Zcars because the battery box came from the factory with a drain tube that passes there and most owners never cleaned the box or draintube so the batteries back then overflowed and the corrosive acid foll on that portion of the frame .The only repair for that is to replace the complete fraim rail or dump the car ,it also damages the firewall. I own a very nicely restored 77 280z which I did a complete strip to metal restoration and the 280zx turbo mod with a stand alone SDS fuel management system and advice or halp needed drop me an email will be happy to assist
Re: 240z pics?
dude, that avitar is hillarious!! where did you get it??blink0r wrote:I'd like to buy a 240z, but obviously i know nothing about them....
I wanted the same body style as the 73, but which years do that include? Engine specs? Any info will be great!
Here is the hard answer.
Sell it and invest your money in a rust free body. That will cost far less than fixing the rust you have. Typically, you will have to replace the floors, frame rails, and rocker panels. Add to that, rear wheel arches, front fenders and hood, and the rear light panel. A typical rust repair and repaint is in the $5500 to $6500 range. Sorry, early Zs are not worth that investment, at least not yet.
You can buy alot of nice car for that money. I have owned 18 Zcars so far and restored several of them. I have never been able to recover money spent on body work.
There are people in the Southwest that will find a good car for you and ship it.
As an example, (Not a sales pitch) I have a '73 Z with no rust, an MSA body kit, a Tokico suspension, 16 inch Epsilon 3 piece wheels, and a full '83 drivetrain. The most I could get for this car is $5500 - $6000.
Sell it and invest your money in a rust free body. That will cost far less than fixing the rust you have. Typically, you will have to replace the floors, frame rails, and rocker panels. Add to that, rear wheel arches, front fenders and hood, and the rear light panel. A typical rust repair and repaint is in the $5500 to $6500 range. Sorry, early Zs are not worth that investment, at least not yet.
You can buy alot of nice car for that money. I have owned 18 Zcars so far and restored several of them. I have never been able to recover money spent on body work.
There are people in the Southwest that will find a good car for you and ship it.
As an example, (Not a sales pitch) I have a '73 Z with no rust, an MSA body kit, a Tokico suspension, 16 inch Epsilon 3 piece wheels, and a full '83 drivetrain. The most I could get for this car is $5500 - $6000.
the only places it has rust left are on the hood, doors, front fender, and along the top of the boot apart from that i have fixed the rest. Apart from that i have already spent 3000NZ$ on it which i aint gonna put to waste it has been a family project for about 3 years and im the only one wich had money and the time. and where can i get new badges for it?...
It sounds like you have a good start. Each of the pieces you mentioned are of the bolt off, bolt on nature. There are some good sources of after market body parts for the Z that actually fit. I believe they are available in Australia too.
The little detail and trim parts are now available thanks to Nissans restoration program. I hope you have found the internet resources that are available. I have included a few just as starters. The first three are clubs with tons of info and the others are vendors with good reputations. Sorry, but they are all in USA.
http://www.datsunzclub.com/
http://www.classiczcars.com/
http://www.hybridz.org/
http://www.zcarparts.com/
http://www.classicdatsun.com/
http://www.strictlyz.com/customer/home.php
The little detail and trim parts are now available thanks to Nissans restoration program. I hope you have found the internet resources that are available. I have included a few just as starters. The first three are clubs with tons of info and the others are vendors with good reputations. Sorry, but they are all in USA.
http://www.datsunzclub.com/
http://www.classiczcars.com/
http://www.hybridz.org/
http://www.zcarparts.com/
http://www.classicdatsun.com/
http://www.strictlyz.com/customer/home.php
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Sleeper s13
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- Car: road racing
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