matsonjb

Sorry I haven't replied but I thought I would save it, as I just bought in a package deal a 2 X 240Z and a spare L24 w/4 Speed and Triple Weber Setup for....$2500 bucks. The two cars are a father and son owned and have been sitting in a garage for decades. The son was selling them to make space and they have been garaged for since 1981 and another since '02. They have slight rust in places you would expect, lower body panels, slight on the roof, and the doomed battery on one of them. Paint is pretty rough but it comes with it. Positives-1 has uncracked dash, other one has a small crack. All interior panels are good, floors seem to be good, and the trunk was rust free. Not a complete restore but good body. The one thing that popped out was the spare motor that had a Triple Weber setup that was just mentioned as spare motor. When I saw the pictures that sold me. I can easily make money and flip one to pay for the other as I will but I will definitely be going over it. My wife will be coordinating it as I am Germany but definitely a good buy (hopefully)

That is the thing, I have learned in the past doing it cheaply (not inexpensive) the first requires you to pay for it twice. I found an RB setup for 2K with tranny and such, but the motor was in pieces for a rebuild that never happened. but I can factor that in for 2-3K if I pick and choose my build. This does not include the required mounts and such which would put 750 or so on. Luckily I have an uncle that owns a big salvage yard in FL that can get me the parts I need aka I pull them myself for the R200 and such. I am pretty good with electrical wiring as I helped wire my friends Tomei built SR20 into his Silvia when we were in Japan. as such I still have my FSM from my GTR...which I miss a bunch. If I do go RB, I will probably keep it as stock as I can with doing away with non essential systems (EGR, etc etc). Run a Power FC which I had and really opened up the car. The reason I am leaning towards the RB is that if I get the L28, I will cam it, header it, triple weber it, etc etc and then I would be like...damn should have gotten the RB. Now I can always ask the wifey to allow to be another one but still... For the interior, it will be a project with the wife for redoing it. It's like a big project on the body work, interior covering, refurbing and such. Wife has worked on her dad's 69 GTO or whatever year it is and wants to learn more. I have a background on Mech/General Engineering so I have the brain to work that stuff out...she doesn't...yet. For the roll cage, I know it isn't just for race, my buddies GTR which was on HKS Twins made 550 at wheels and the roof paint was cracked due to the body warpage, want to avoid it. Now this car won't be winning award for the paint and such but most of it will be a stepping stone to other projects that we might come of, will be my mid life crisis car, or better yet ours because I have to say it like that. Since I am looking for a strong body, it would be better for the 280Z correct? Rust will be there but where are the points of failure besides the typical floor, rails, and battery tray?

So, long time lurker here...and I mean a long time. In the Navy and haven't been able to be in one place for long enough to start a project, but now the wife says we can. Anyways I grew up in Z cars, mom had an 86ZX, learned to drive stick on a 300ZX, wife had a Z32, I had an R32 Skyline GTR when I was in Japan for 1.5 years (Miss it to this day), so it sort of runs in the blood. We are looking to buy our first classic Z car. Wife wanted another Z32 but I put the kabosh on that. Since we are due in July, this will be a baby present to ourselves, since we are going to be stuck in the house on the weekends for a while. I would preferably keep/swap an L28 in and minimize the electronics like a nice throwback, but there is another part of me that wants to put that RB in and restomod it. While we do not need a car this moment and I am doing my research thoroughly...which like opening pandoras box can be harmful to the wallet, have questions 1) What model would be the best for the situation above? I am looking at the 280Z since it has the L28 in it and I can refresh/mod that and make it into what I want to. 2) Price? What would I be looking for a decent daily driver, non garage not yet rust bucket? 3) If I go RB, which since the wife is pushing me to, body strengthening/reenforcement could be down by roll bar, but what else? 4) Essential shop materials? We have a good amount but for body, need welder (Looking at Hobart), cutter and everything. We do not want to setup our own shop but want to do it as much as DIY as we can. I know I am probably the 10^25 person to state this but given that 1) My wife wants it - biggest hurdle 2) We have the space - Standalone man cave/detached garage 3) We have the time - Yeah baby = no more drinking on the weekends 4) We have the money - While there is a budget, we are not eating Ramen and water, 5) We don't aim for the bushes - aka we are not that overconfident guy that rips apart his L28 and gets someone else to put it back together...