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what rust is acceptable on a Z?


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Also, keep an eye out is Craig's list in AZ, West TX and the high desert of CA. There is still great sheetmetal in those places.

 

Johnc-that's funny. I always figured it had been rusty and you killed yourself fixing it. Just like Rebekah hasn't driven my car since it stranded her on her 16th birthday. Damn side draft carbs + a January birthday. Only good that came out of that day was a fuel injected V8. Daddy's girl has grown up and moved on to other things.

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What LS240Z is very, very true.  The cheapest way to get a rust-free Z is to trailer one in from a region where rust isn't prevalent. 

 

The SECOND cheapest way (and the most entertaining way, IMHO) is to learn how to weld sheetmetal. 

 

In years and years of owning Z's, I've seen very few with NO rust.  It's a forty year old car which had questionable environmental sealing, built in the days before rustproofing.   You're going to have some water intrusion and you're going to have some rust.   The question is - how creatively did the seller hide it?  

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Actually, it was called the Rusty Old Datsun and it was meant as a joke to tease the Corvette, NSX, and Evo guys I raced with.  There was no rust in the car.  One of the few cars I can say that about.

Something about acid-dipping the body when initially prepped for BSP?

 

SoCal,Desert Cars can likely still have that done to remove trace surface rust and retain integrity.

Not something you want to do with a car from Back East...

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The only problem that is most of Z's on LA are expansive but I will try to find a good deal with near rust free body.

 

Thank you

 

There are more area codes than 213.

LA OC IE ...

 

They are there under $1,000. I wouldn't say that's expensive.

 

Which is cheaper? The $700 car that doesn't run, is complete, and costs a weeks time in prep to drive back home.

 

Or the local car for 3X that a mount that requires $1,000 per side to have floor pans replaced?

 

OR an "expensive" $3,500-5,000 rust-free Desert Car the runs, and that you drive back without spending a week prepping mechanicals?

 

The question simply becomes WHEN you throw the money in the hole.

 

My European buyers PREFER an UNTOUCHED car dragged in on a trailer. They know what they get...no shiny paint muddling the issues. Pone of the first cars I sent to The Netherlands was a complete rolling shell that was GIVEN to me after the PO. Salvaged it for the driveline. When acid dipped in Europe before chassis prepping...I got a call "this car has less rust on it than most Late-model BMW's I prep from local sources."

 

Think about that comment, from a professional,chassis prep shop who is FIA certified for Roll Cage Design and Installation.

 

Old desert faded paint may not be attractive, but it doesn't hide anything, either.

 

Not how much you dump, but WHEN you dump it.

 

The less you spend on "rust repair" the more you have for other things.

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