The story of my 240Z

"Big Bubba Ray" (eganward01) 07/13/2014 at 17:51 • Filed to: Bubba's Datsun

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I've been putting this off for too long, cause I've been busy lately. Sorry for the hold up, but here it goes. Please pardon the terrible pictures!

As you guys know, ever since selling my Baja Bug I had a massive itch to put a Datsun in my garage by the end of this year. I was bored one day at work and started perusing Craigslist to see if any new Datsuns had showed up recently in my area. It was my first time searching in two or so weeks and I wasn't necessarily hopeful that anything would show up.

I ran across this beautiful 1972 240Z on June 23rd. As soon as I found it, I came to Oppo to ask if I should check it out. As always, you folks gave me the green light and I immediately texted the owner to set up a meeting for Saturday the 28th. I was extremely interested in this particular car because the owner had just (within the last couple weeks) replaced the floor pans and frame rails. Bingo.

Some of you may know, I live in St. Louis and the car's owner lives in Mt. Vernon, IL. Mt. Vernon is about an hour and a half away from my house so the owner and I agreed to meet about three quarters of the way to his place because I was really pressed for time on Saturday. On the 28th, I loaded up my Subie with my dad, best friend, and toolbox. We hit the road promptly at noon and arrived at the meeting place shortly after one.

We arrived at a truck stop in a podunk Illinois town and the Datsun stood out like a sore thumb amongst the sea of semi trucks. I couldn't contain my excitement and sped over to the Datsun at full blast. The owner was extremely nice and was more than willing to answer my laundry list of insane questions about the car. After thoroughly inspecting every square inch of the car, I asked the owner if I could take if for a spin. He tossed me the keys and we were on our way.

This car is unbelievably fun to drive. The 2.4 inline 6 loves to rev and the car has plenty of giddy up for having nearly 150,000 miles. After 20 or so minutes of ripping around country roads, we headed back to the truck stop where my dad and friend were waiting and I immediately pitched the owner an offer. He was asking $5,500, but I had nowhere near that amount of money on me. I told him I could go $4,800 in cash, right there and then. He paused for minute, looked the car over once more and stuck his hand out for a shake. THE DATSUN WAS MINE.

The title was then signed over to me and the, now previous, owner was on his way. My best friend and I hopped in the Datsun, started her up and headed for home. The car performed wonderfully on the highway. We had a little over an hour long drive home at 75+ mph and it handled it all in stride.

Now that you've all heard the story, here is a little bit of specifics about the car and what I'm going to be doing to it. That above is how she sits in my garage at this very moment. SO. Info. It's a 1972 Datsun 240Z. Original L24 engine with 4 speed trans, BUT with dual Weber carbs. I don't know what happened to the original SU carbs, but it's not a big deal to me.

The car has a bit of rust, but that's expected of a 40+ year old Datsun. The rust isn't anything that can't be fixed, so it doesn't scare me.

The rust isn't extensive and should be easily fixed (fingers crossed). She came out of the factory with awful chrome trim running down the length of the car, but the P.O. tore it all off. The worst thing about this car is going to be the body work. Everything else I want to do with it should be relatively easily accomplished.

The suspension definitely needs a refresh. I've got a leaky shock on the passenger's side rear, but she'll be getting new suspension (Tokico) and brakes as soon as it's in the budget. Right now I'm trying to prep the car for the Missouri Safety Inspection I have to get done in order to register it. Once I get a few things here and there sorted out, I'll get the inspection done and she'll be on the road! My plan for now is to have a running and driving project. I want to be able to drive it while I get things done to it. It's also in need of a new radiator. The current one has a small leak and with the St. Louis heat and humidity, I have to make sure it runs cool.

On to the interior. Basically, it sucks. The seats are factory and torn to shit. There is no carpet because of the floors being recently replaced, but that will get done in time. I'm having a hard time deciding exactly what seats I want to put in there in the future, but that's not on the list of things that need to get done immediately.

The dash is in pretty great shape. Two small cracks that are hard to notice, unless you're looking through the windshield to the inside of the car. Let me tell you something about that wooden steering wheel, IT'S THE TITS. All the gauges work and so does the original clock in the car. It's really cool having that gauge cluster to check out when driving around.

I believe that's everything! As I do work on the car, I will definitely be keeping everybody updated. Thanks for reading!

Flavien Vidal > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:07

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Youve bought a car I've wanted to own for a very long time :)

I will get one some day, don't know when but I will and damn, that will be fun!

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:09

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Awesome. Simply awesome.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:14

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You NEED triple Webers.

Big Bubba Ray > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 07/13/2014 at 18:16

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That's a bit down the road! Waaaaaay into the future, I'd like to do either an engine rebuild and add triple Webers, or just throw a Rebello 3.0 into there haha

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:19

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Keep stock engine it is worth more for resale to the common man then.

Big Bubba Ray > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 07/13/2014 at 18:28

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True, BUT I plan on keeping this car for an extremely long time. And although the 2.4 right now is a ton of fun, I could definitely see a bigger I6 being even better.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:29

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You could probably bore it to a 2.7.

clocker > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:38

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Yeah, it's got Webers but they're "toilet bowls" instead of sidedrafts and probably the worst carb option available for the Z.

Triple sidedrafts are total overkill for a street car, in my experience the standard "round tops" or larger Jag SUs are actually the best choice for a driver.

You seem awfully sanguine about the visible rust, I assume you have good metalworking skills and the facilities to work in because it's likely to be extensive.

Let us know when you qualify for the Rear Hub Spindle Replacement Merit Badge and we can throw a party.

Big Bubba Ray > clocker 07/13/2014 at 18:43

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Are you new here?

jkm7680 > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:43

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Looks damn awesome! Now I want one even more than I already did. Those wheels though...

Big Bubba Ray > jkm7680 07/13/2014 at 18:45

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Thanks! The wheels are terrible haha I'm going to get everything mechanical squared away then move on to cosmetics. I despise the wheels and have already been looking around at new options!

Leadbull > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:46

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Congrats!

Out of curiosity, which podunk Illinois town did you stop in?

clocker > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:46

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I guess so, why?

Big Bubba Ray > Leadbull 07/13/2014 at 18:47

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I believe it was Okawville, IL. I can't remember cause it was a few weeks ago and the place wasn't very memorable haha

Big Bubba Ray > clocker 07/13/2014 at 18:50

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Cause your post came across as rude. Go here and read the rules of Oppo if you haven't done so yet.

clocker > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:52

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Really?

Not sure what you interpreted as "rude" but it wasn't intentional.

Have fun with your car.

Leadbull > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 18:56

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Sounds about right. I know some people who used to live out there.

Keyword: "used".

jkm7680 > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 19:05

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Haha, Good.

I was worried that you might like them, so I held back. But I kinda don't like them :)

Big Bubba Ray > jkm7680 07/13/2014 at 19:11

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Dont hold back! They're terrible and I'll be the first to admit it haha

jkm7680 > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 19:16

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Haha. It looks like somebody stamped on it with a Timberland boot right in the middle.

There's some pretty damn nice options as far as wheels go, Minus the Stance Bro bullshit. These look pretty nice.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 19:23

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wooden steering wheels is the best'

Big Bubba Ray > jkm7680 07/13/2014 at 19:24

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Haha there ya go. I was thinking of some Konigs cause they're awesome on Z's.

z06 > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 19:57

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these are actually homages to the real thing. If you truly want the classic wheels, you want Watanabe's.

Big Bubba Ray > z06 07/13/2014 at 20:32

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Oh, I've looked into Wantanabes, but they're outrageously expensive! I really do love them though.

z06 > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 20:45

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yeah, they are mad money. When I had my 240z all i wanted was a set of "old school Wats".

this was my collection before I sold them and got the c6z

XJDano > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 21:59

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I didn't think it was rude, but whatever.

Also if you ditch the wheels & I still have the metro, I'd rock them, anything world look better than black+ rusty steelies.

Looks like a lot of fun. Reminds me to get shifting into gear on mine.

Big Bubba Ray > XJDano 07/13/2014 at 22:27

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Maybe I was kind of harsh, but he came in shitting on my new car which I worked my ass off for and for which I will continue to work my ass off to make perfect.

I will be ditching the wheels at some point cause they're not exactly my style haha I'll definitely let you know when the time comes for a new set. I'd just give them away. No point in asking money for them, especially for a fellow Oppo.

Stef Schrader > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 22:50

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My dad had a recliner sort of like this. Mmmmm...velour ribbing. So comfy.

Regardless, congrats! I6 FTW.

XJDano > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 22:56

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thatd be awesome, I wonder what they weigh? Of course 13x4or5 don't weigh much as it is.

I think I'm going to try to make it to the c&c this Saturday.

Big Bubba Ray > XJDano 07/13/2014 at 22:59

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Ya I've got no clue as to how much they weigh, but I can't imagine it's a whole lot.

C&C in Rock Hill? I'd bring the Z if I weren't going to be out of town again, damnit!

XJDano > Big Bubba Ray 07/13/2014 at 23:06

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3rd Saturday, right?

I'm out of town this work week, taking out 6 doors & frames, silly IDPH regs, I'll be there all week. 2.6 hours: Elderado, IL. & driving a 24' moving truck. It'll suck.

Big Bubba Ray > XJDano 07/13/2014 at 23:11

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Ya, it's 3rd Saturday I believe.

You've got a busy week ahead of you! Hopefully you have some energy to make it out to C&C! Haha

BoulderZ > Big Bubba Ray 07/14/2014 at 18:09

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Very nice, and welcome to the Z club!

New seats are definitely nice, but the S30 Z's make fitment a little difficult. I fit a pair of Corbeau Targa RS in mine; but, it was very tight and in hindsight I should have removed the stock rails to get the seats lower. At 5'9", my helmet just brushes the headliner on track days.

If you haven't found it already, you'll want your FSM here: http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

The online parts availability is great (I assume you already found zparts.com, thezstore.com, Black Dragon, etc., etc.). I'll note that finding wheels to fit is not bad at all, but the tires can be a pain if you're looking for higher end performance. I replaced the (Western Appliance?) "Dukes of Hazzard" 14" wheels that came with my car (wouldn't clear the brake upgrades) with 15" ARE Ansen Sprints, which I love. However, I'm now going to have to get a pair of 17s for track tire options. The AVS ES 100s I liked aren't available anymore, and options are slim on 15s, and nearly nonexistent on 14s.

Have fun, and congratulations!

Big Bubba Ray > BoulderZ 07/14/2014 at 18:33

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This is insanely helpful information, thank you! I'm really looking forward to starting work on this car! Need to save a couple bucks cause I'm broke as hell right now, but once I have the money, I'll get the ball rolling haha

BoulderZ > Big Bubba Ray 07/14/2014 at 19:13

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Saving money gives you time to plan out just exactly what you want to do! I almost forgot, try to get a copy of Wick Humble's book, "How To Restore Your Datsun Z". I have two copies, one for in the shop and getting messed up, the other for in the house/taking with me on travel to read. I think I read it cover-to-cover twice before really diving in on my car. There are a couple of Datsun L-specific books, too. I think it's How To Rebuild Your Datsun L-Series OHC and the other's something like How To Modify. Motorsport Auto carries them (or, at least did, I haven't checked in a year or two).

The PDF of the FSM is awesome, because you can print the couple of pages you need and take them under the car, or sit them on the bench while you rebuild a system, and if you get solvent and stuff on them, you're only out a couple of pieces of printer paper/toner, instead of a $300 NLA vintage auto book.

And I'll add my sympathies-in-advance to whoever mentioned pulling the spindle pins. There's a guy who loans out the Travelling Pin Puller, usually on HybridZ.org, or zcar.com, named Darrel. You need that tool (or make a replica). It's a pain in the ass, but worth it to get the new bushings in the rear arms. Bonus: you get the bushings out by setting them on fire (not on the car!). Enjoy!

Big Bubba Ray > BoulderZ 07/14/2014 at 19:19

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Again, thanks, this is a wealth of information! I actually have a Chilton repair manual for the 240Z from 1975! I've read it cover to cover twice already and it's been great. I'm going to be doing brakes and suspension first on the car so referencing the manual has been awesome. I'll definitely be looking into those books you mentioned. More literature is never a bad thing!

BoulderZ > Big Bubba Ray 07/14/2014 at 20:19

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Glad to help! The Chilton is also nice to have. Some of the diagrams and pics are from very helpful, different angles than the FSM, and they don't have the translation issues that pop up sometimes in the FSM, either ("For the special tool, turn. Not for the other use." Right. Got it. Thanks.).

Big Bubba Ray > BoulderZ 07/14/2014 at 23:13

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Ya I'm loving the Chilton so far and I'll definitely be looking into the sites and books you recommended.

I'll also be asking you lots of questions when I start work so look out! Haha

BoulderZ > Big Bubba Ray 07/15/2014 at 00:11

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Definitely can't have too much literature! If I can help in any way, I'm more than happy to do so! I'll be around. I know it looks like I'm a burner account, it's just that I haven't figured out a good way to link my authorship here with a regular login, but not associated with the usual social media accounts, and not messing with my user name.

BTW, if yours has A/C, I found the Haynes auto heating and a/c manual to be a good supplement to the FSM and others. I've converted mine to R134a (it was empty and needed a rebuild anyway) and the book was a big help. I'm unfortunately still waiting for a new expansion valve (about ready to contract out machining a new one to spec, or 3d-cad-ing it myself, they're hard to find). I took my '78 down to just the unibody shell and built it up the way I wanted.

If I can share what I've learned and help someone keep another of these beautiful cars on the road, then that's one in the win column in my book. You also have some great resources in your region. The Branson Z-Fest is legendary (bransonzfest.com), thanks to a lot of very active club members, and I believe your area has hosted Midwest Z-Fest a number of times. Us CO guys need to step up our game and keep up on the community side a bit better. We have a number of great tracks, drives, and venues; ideally, we ought to make better use of them.

One of the best pieces of advice I got was to focus on my vision of a final, seated driving position. Showroom stock? Modification showcase? Track monster? 1/4 mile demon? Street sleeper? Grand tourer? Some sort of mix? That is, what do I really want from the car. Then, make the plan, get the tools, space, funds, and everything lined up. Then "just" execute the plan. The upside of all this advance planning work is it's basically legitimized daydreaming. Classic P^7 (proper prior planning prevents piss poor performance). Good luck, and keep your eyes on the prize!

Big Bubba Ray > BoulderZ 07/15/2014 at 01:13

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I'll definitely be in contact. And I've seen you around here plenty. When I was first looking for a Z, folks pointed me to you and GhostZ so I know who to look out for!

Mine has A/C but I'm going to rip it out. It doesn't work and I drive windows down all the time and I don't care about getting a little toasty in the car haha

I have been looking at Z groups around me and it seems as though STL has a bigger Z following than I originally thought.

I'm kinda plan on sort of a resto mod for my car. I know that's not the best term to use but it's all I've got! I want the body to be all original but have all new bits underneath. I pretty much have everything I want to do to the car lined up, but it's all a matter of my budget and when I can get it done.

My plan for the immediate future is brakes and suspension, then cosmetics (bodywork/maybe wheels), then on to the interior.

Any chance I could get your email if I have any weird questions that may be hard to find answers to online? Mine is eganward@gmail.com.

BoulderZ > Big Bubba Ray 07/15/2014 at 02:54

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I'll email you right after I post this. Resto-mod is a very legitimate term. That's kind of the route I went, in fact. It looks very stock, or at least period-correct, until you look more closely, or listen to it running. And yes, STL has a weirdly big following of the Z. I think it might be the defense/intel influence. Lots of overseas devotees came back, and the climate is fairly kind to 70s Japanese steel, is my guess.

My Z's a Black Pearl, black interior. Yeah, in CO at a mile-plus elevation, in the cloudless summer sky, without working A/C. It gets really hot, and it doesn't bother me (or my family) one bit. If you rip out your system, be sure to sell the parts, don't just recycle them as scrap. Others might really benefit from them, and you can get some cash for pieces you want.

I agree with the time/money budget thing. I found I could save at an acceptable rate, but could only work so fast. Insomnia can help. Can't sleep? May as well get something done. I recall a 3 AM front suspension assembly job, by myself, with a Pixies CD playing, sitting in the front fender, looking out through the empty headlight bucket (I wanted to "see" what my car saw. It made sense at that hour with no sleep...) and singing along (probably rudely loud, and out of tune), "now it occurred to me as he drove away: D equals R times T".

Nice start with the brakes and suspension! There are a lot of options, and without upgrades or pristine maintenance, it's easy to get the engine/driveline nice enough that you way outdrive your handling and braking. Also a score on a dash in good, if not perfect, shape. Getting a New Old Stock dash, or rebuilding one, is about $1000 and up, so you're a bit money-ahead on that.

Good luck, and hope to see you at a Z meet!

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > Big Bubba Ray 07/15/2014 at 09:14

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Hot dog! Looks good man. Looks like the interior has all the original bits.

We'll have to exchange stories about rust repair. The body panels around the hood hinges looks better than mine. I have a bunch of rust there to fix. How's your hatch area look?

I was talking to a guy about wheels over the weekend. Dave at Futofab.com about VTO wheels. I think I'm going to go with these.

15x7 weigh in at 15.6 pounds. They're BRE imitations.

Congrats on the new car!

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > Big Bubba Ray 07/15/2014 at 09:24

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BoulderZ's tips are really, really good. I'll add one more piece of reference that I've found very helpful.

http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips…

There are a lot of great walkthroughs on repairs on Blue's website with pictures. Very helpful for the new Z owner.

Big Bubba Ray > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 07/15/2014 at 11:13

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I just sent you an email!

Rust isn't too out of hand on the car, that I can see at least haha The previous owner put the floor pans in and did a great job with it. There are obviously the spots on the body that will need fixing, but that will all happen in time! Zero rust around hood hinges, which is great. The hatch area has just a bit, I'll try to email you a picture of it when I get home from work. Nothing too bad that can't be fixed!

Those are cool wheels, by the way! Think you're going to snag a set soon?

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > BoulderZ 07/15/2014 at 11:40

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Hey BoulderZ, are 16" wheels out of the question? I've been waffling between 15" and 16".

Visually I like 15". Tire options make me want 16".

BoulderZ > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 07/15/2014 at 12:21

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16x7's (like these http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/… ) fit, and do have a lot more options for performance/track tires than 15's. I agree that the 15s look great. For me at least, older cars usually need more sidewall than the newer ones. 17s also fit and have even more tire options.

There are plenty of good summer performance tires in 15, 16, 17, and even some in 14. But the high end stuff has been slowly thinning out for the last 6 years or so. When I built my car, there were a couple of track 14s that would fit right, and a good 6 or 8 15s, etc. Now, the most selection is in 17. I think it's just modern cars have much lower profile tire fitment and are driving the demand and market.

Tire/wheel considerations:

Use the Optional Plus Size tire calculator on discounttire.com to figure out what fits without altering gearing/speedometer (stock was 185/75-14).

Quite a few wheels fit, but require adapters. Adapters seem to work fine on the street, but I'm a little nervous about them on the track. You'll want to read up and investigate them a bit and come to your own conclusion.

The larger the wheel, the more room you have if you're wanting to change your brake setup. In an extreme case, you can swap to 5 lug hubs, 17" wheels, and get room for six-piston vented oversize rotors ( http://arizonazcar.com/brake.html ). I went with the 4-piston/vented fronts and disc conversion in the back.

If you don't mind the gearing/speedo change, you do have some options in sticky undersized tires. That'd be a pain on the highway or fast road course, but might be just the ticket if you're going for cone-dodging auto-crossing.

Less sidewall on a car not designed for low-profile can be really uncomfortable. After a CO winter, 17s on our roads come with a chiropractor referral. In SoCal, probably not a big deal. YMMV.

I've decided to keep my 15s and put good street tires on them, using them for touring, car shows, meets, and driving to the track. Then, having a set of 17s with dedicated track tires, on a modular multipurpose trailer I'll build (might use the alloy 14s that were on my car originally...) and tow behind the Z with a drop-off hitch. A couple of Miata and Lotus guys here do that, and it works really well. This might save me some money in the longer run. Right now, if I go to the track 2 to 6 times a year, I get about 1,000 to 1,500 miles out of a set of tires. At around $800/set, that starts to add up uncomfortably.

Pros for this plan: justification to buy a TIG welder. Nice use for some of my old wheels. Trailer will double as a bike hauler, eliminating rack considerations on our other cars. Trailer enables three-person camping without having to get another or different vehicle. Trailer increases payload from Home Depot (man, houses need a lot of work...). Cons for this plan: Another freakin' custom art project that I have to find time for. Stowing the trailer (which means landscaping, irrigation, hardscape work, and design work, i.e. more art projects...).

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > BoulderZ 07/15/2014 at 14:32

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Whew, there's a lot of info in that post! I've been thinking about the Toyota 4 piston brake upgrade mention by Blue (atlanticz.ca). I may go with the AZC though but I haven't decided. So your 15" wheels will clear the AZC brake upgrade?

I've been really thinking of going with these wheels, VTO LeMans replicas. 15x7 and they weigh in at 15.6 pounds. I'm not at all interested in fitting adapter plates or spacers. These fit without that need.

That Tirediscouters website is going to be a big help!

I think you need that trailer for sure!

BoulderZ > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 07/15/2014 at 15:23

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Those wheels are gorgeous! They'd probably clear brake upgrades nicely, too. Blue's site is a great resource. Really glad he's kept that up over the years. I'm running the Toyota 4-piston caliper plus vented-rotor upgrade up front. I don't think my 15s would clear the big AZC kit. I actually had to heavily grind/radius the calipers to clear the mounting face of my 15" wheels as it is. There's a story behind that, where at one point I had to make homemade play-doh. Nothing's ever simple, is it? I, too, am not a big fan of adapters. Just seems a few steps too close to duct tape.

For the trailer, I'm thinking something like this, http://www.yakima.com/shop/trailers/… , but that's about $2300 before tax/shipping (whole lotta not happening), and really only does bikes plus a few options. I can build a more versatile trailer for less than that, excluding the TIG welder cost (which I want anyway). All aluminum construction, bike racks can swap on/off, modular track tire rack, cooler mount (maybe an old metal Coleman, or this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Licensed-T… ), swappable toolbox and gas can mounts (high octane is about $9/gallon and up at the track), a way to set up for flatbed or bin cargo (lumber, mulch, topsoil, cement) or a lockable and bear proof box setup for camping gear. I think I'd have to have either adjustable coilovers or adjustable air suspension on it to have a setup that can go from bikes (60 lbs total) to bags of cement (whatever the tow capacity is on my truck, 1 ton?) with relatively little fussing about.

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > BoulderZ 07/15/2014 at 15:49

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They looks similar to the racing version.

That Yak trailer is... f#$%ing bad ass! Wow that's really cool. Air shocks would totally work on your custom rig. I had a friend in high school who's dad towed an 18' boat with a Olds 2 door Cutlass on air shocks.

BoulderZ > Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger 07/15/2014 at 16:12

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That BRE just never stops looking good! Really? Hmmm. Anything you remember much about the air shocks? Last time I dealt with any was probably about 1982, "helping" my Dad put them on a giant "Club Cab Prospector" Dodge pickup we used for a slide-in camper and a small boat trailer.

Quattro-luvr, Powered by Datsun & Stinger > BoulderZ 07/15/2014 at 17:15

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I recall that they were white Monroe shocks. Probably similar to these:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/mon-ma71…

He'd crawl under the car and air them up and then drop the trailer hitch down on it. I think you'd have to use them with leaf springs or separately mounted coils due to the schrader valve on the side.

It wasn't quiet this extreme.

OldBastard > Big Bubba Ray 07/17/2014 at 23:05

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Bubba, I agree that you were a bit harsh, Clocker wasn't shitting on your Z (which, by the way, is a very worthwhile candidate for your plans), he was just sharing some knowledge and trying to save you some heartache. based on what I can tell is personal experience with these cars. He's right on the money on the carb issue, and I can tell you getting those right cost me alot of time, money and skinned knuckles. Wish I had somebody tell me to go directly to the Jag SU's at the time, but that was pre-interwebs and now we've got great places like this to exchange all the tips and tricks! The previous owner of your car did save you mucho grief by doing the rails and pans, but you do have an expert-level body resto ahead of you. That said, you got a great deal on inarguably one of the most beautiful cars ever designed in the land of the rising sun.

Good luck with the resto, she's a sweet ride. And when (not if) you're faced with the rear spindle job, you will understand the reference Clocker made. It's a job that will have you simultaneously sweating, bleeding, and inventing new and colourful swearword combinations.