New- Please answer some of my questions

[KaiEstrada]

Hey guys! This is my first post on the fourm, but i have been looking through posts for about 2 months now. I am a 16 year old high school student who LOVES the datsun Z cars. It has been an intrest, basically an obsession, to build one of my own. So i guess i just have a bunch of questions that i would love to have answered. Thanks!

 

Alighty guys, so i have very little knowledge in mechanics but i have tons of family friends who just so happen to own their own shops so i dont think actually doing mechanical things would be a huge problem. So basically what i want to do is build a 240, 260, or 280Z. I currently drive a 2007 nissan maxima and i love it but i really want a manual transmission and i love the way the Zs look. 

 

so here are my questions and inquiries.

 

should i go with an already partially restored or restored z and just fork out the extra cash? or go with one i can restore myself.

 

should i stay with the stock engine or swap to a 350z, i forget the numbers and letters, motor or even a L28et? of corse i want to go fast hahaha

 

i dont want a track moster or a show car. i want something nice looking and fast(16 year old fast) that wont berak the bank in upgrading parts

 

what will i need? 

 

i guess my thing is i want to know what is the best platform for building a Z and i want to know virtually everything to build my Z

 

thanks guys, i know my questions are very vague but it's hard to describe exactly what i want on here

 

thanks again guys!

[Miles]

Study HybridZ in detail for at least 100 hours and then ask specific questions. Otherwise your questions will be ignored.  Read all of the new member stickies.

[WRC17]

I don't know what your definition of "not breaking the bank" is, but I can tell you that any 240, 260, or 280Z is not going to be cheap.  Not necessarily because parts themselves are expensive (although certain parts are), but because they are old and require a lot of work.  Even the newest 280z is 35 years old, so expect to spend quite a bit fixing the car, or spending 15k or more if you find a well maintained one that has already has everything done.

 

I agree doing some research and narrowing down your questions is a good idea though.  Look around at what other people have done or look around and see if other people have already done what you have in mind.  I just bought my 280Z in March and have been browsing the internet and looking at what other people have done and would eventually like to incorporate different parts of other people's projects into my own.

 

First thing though, look at how much you are willing to spend and decide if buying one is worth your investment.  I bought my car for 2.5k and have put more then that into it since March and it still looks like crap, but the sense of accomplishment is much greater when you can look at a car and see all the work you have done to it yourself and you can feel the difference in how the car drives as you progressively improve it. So, decide how much you are willing to invest in a Z and then go from there. 

[9rider]

Guess you like the sticker said " Built by me, not bought by Mommy"

 

Quote from wrC 17 " I bought my car for 2.5k and have put more then that into it since March and it still looks like crap, but the sense of accomplishment is much greater when you can look at a car and see all the work you have done to it yourself .."

[WRC17]

Yeah, I have to say when I bought the car I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.  The reason I bought it is because it has almost no rust and then engine and trans were great, but everything else is all kinds of messed up.  It can be super frustrating sometimes, but I have learned a lot about how this car works because of it.  I originally wasn't really planning on this much of a project, but I'm too invested in it now to just give up, so I'll just keep on throwing money at it until I'm happy with it!

Edited November 6, 2013 by WRC17

[Tony D]

I bought mine for $125.

I have put 110,000 miles on it since purchase in the mid 90's.

 

Maintenance on an older vehicle is not blindly replacing parts because you read it somewhere on the Internet.

 

When I made my first cross-country trip, the tyres on the car were worth more than the whole of the vehicle they were installed upon!

 

I can tell you, over 65,000 miles of ownership of a 1962 VW Microbus! INCLUDING purchase price....my annualised coat of maintenance outside of oil and gasoline was $247. That included an engine, and transmission professionally built right the first time.

[WRC17]

I can tell you, over 65,000 miles of ownership of a 1962 VW Microbus! INCLUDING purchase price....my annualised coat of maintenance outside of oil and gasoline was $247. That included an engine, and transmission professionally built right the first time.

 

I think this also depends on the condition of the car when you got it and how nice you want it to look / drive.  Also, preventative maintenance adds to that.  For example, the day I drove my Z home a flywheel bolt backed out into the clutch and the clutch slave cylinder was leaking.  So, while I was replacing stuff, I replaced the throwout bearing and the clutch master cylinder along with the clutch, flywheel and slave.  Why?  So i don't have to take the transmission out again!  

 

At this point my car is driveable so I could just stop now and drive the car until it breaks again, but now I'm spending money on things like replacing 36 year old suspension bushings.  They don't need to be replaced, but the car will drive a lot better if they are. 

[seattlejester]

Welcome,

 

Definitely seconded to miles, read and read lots. If you get bored of reading, read through build threads, if you get bored of those then watch some videos (project hugo by mull, a good hour of what areas to look out for and the repair process), but read and keep reading. Forums are super helpful for specific questions, asking general questions that we can't answer is not a good start. If you want to know everything, read everything . Even if you don't end up starting the project right away, knowledge can be stored, the ability to recall, or know where to find information will be priceless in all faculties of life.

 

Definitely read the rules of this forum, there's a lot of knowledge here, but it comes at a price of proper punctuation, spelling, grammar, and doing your initial research.

 

Things to help you get started.

 

Set a budget, how much can you spend, is it liquid cash, or will you be saving up bit by bit over time

Set a goal, what will you be using it for, when do you want it finished, what will the swap entail

Check your resources, will your friends and family tolerate you using their shop space/garage for months on end, how much will they charge for work, how much can you impose, can they fabricate, weld, etc

Build a list, what will you need for your goal, adjustable suspension, donor engine, donor car, donor front clip

 

Just looking into those will immensely narrow down what you need to read. Once you have an idea, look for build threads of individuals who have similar swaps, look at the post date, see how long it took, look up the parts, see how much they cost, once you get an idea and a plan, start filling in the plan step by step. 

 

Also keep in mind, you are 16, and hopefully in high school. Projects can suck up a lot of time and finances, can you afford the time? How will it affect your studies? How will it affect your social life? There are some very important things to consider. I know a desire can be strong, but definitely keep reality in check. There is nothing worse then seeing a project abandoned half way.

 

Also being 16, consider the insurance premium. A friend just added her son to her policy and the insurance payment went up by 4k a year. Add to that a 2 door, RWD, sports car and the thought is just eye watering. Can you pay for the additional coverage of moving from a safe 4 door fwd sedan to a 2 door rwd sports car? Definitely things to look into.

 

Good luck.

Edited November 6, 2013 by seattlejester

[tooquick260]

Just did this.... i just turned 21. You can look at my build blog in my signature. Short of the story is!

 

Body work or Mechanical work. Mechanical is as easy as replacing parts and some electrical, body work is more detail and can not be easily redone.

 

So find a good car that has the good bones for body and paint.

 

Then do a L28et swap, put an intercooler on it and that would be plenty fun for a 16 year old. 

 

 

Things I would not do in your shoes that I did...

1. tranny sap
2. brake swap
3. dif swap
4. coil over install

That will save you a lot of money.

[Pharaohabq]

Wow, Well Hey Welcome to the Forum, Kai.   All these guys have great input on this. all are valid points. The biggest is READ READ READ, it's all here on this forum and others of course.  There's guys on here who bought their 240Z's brand new off the lot 40 years ago.  So there's a wealth of knowledge, but just like GOD we help those who help themselves, so please try to be specific in your questions.   Before you buy a Z, you need to read and learn where all the common rust areas are, Read and learn what to expect for common problems. Read and learn about the costs of Stock parts, as compared to upgraded performance parts.  Read and learn about the differences in safety between older cars and your modern cars. Read and learn the areas that age itself can hurt your car, cracked rubber, electrics etc.  Are you getting my point yet?  READ READ READ. 

 

I was 15 when I bought my first Z car, a 74 260z back in 86'. I didn't even have a license yet, but I wanted the car. it needed a lot of work, and I learned to drive before it was running.  But run it did. I read the Haynes manual probably 50 times. There was no internet back then for me to ask questions on, but there was a Z car club. (I would highly recommend you look up your local club) I found a lot of information about the Z's through them.  But mine was just stock, and great for school (and embarrassingly, I abused it, delivering pizzas in it for work). I didn't know that much about fixing Z's at 15, but I read and learned what I needed, you can too.

 

As for upgrades, don't even start thinking about upgrades at this point.  You need to be serious about getting a safe car that runs well. only then when you're happy and comfortable in your Z, THEN you can start looking at upgrades.  Getting the car and getting it running is all you should be thinking until you're VERY familiar with your car.  Remember you have a future beyond highschool. There's College, you're going to need to pay attention to that. you're going to need to pay for that, not to mention girls, they're costly and jealous of your Z..  Upgrades are expensive, fun, but not cheap.  Getting the car in good shape BEFORE tearing into it will ensure you don't have a nightmare of things to fix to get it going. 

 

Each upgrade project needs to be addressed ONE AT A TIME, if you take on a lot at once, it's easy to get overwhelmed and your car could join the ranks of the uncompleted projects, for which there is far too high a population.   You can buy a project Z, but you're going to spend a LOT of $ just to return it to stock. #1 thing I'd make sure you rebuild on any S30 Z project is the Brakes. Moving is one thing, even slow, but if you can't stop, you're screwed and so is your car.

 

Sure you can swap an engine, but it's not simple and not cheap, even if you got an engine for FREE, everything that you'd have to pay to get it put in can easily run in the $1000's. So until you're VERY familiar with swapping engines, don't even think of it.  Read my VQ primer in the V6 section. 

 

Lastly, They mentioned insurance. Well if your family has newer cars, such as your 2007, then you can likely get Hagarty classic car insurance for your Z., it's cheaper than most, but has limitations. One might just be your age, so keep that in mind. But if you can get classic car insurance, Then you'll pay a lot less than regular insurance, for a lot better coverage. This is assuming your Z is not a daily driver.  If you don't Turbo the car, you'll save a lot too. Either way, the coverage is much better than standard insurance, where standard insurance would total your car for a couple hundred bucks, classic insurance will actually cover the car for it's real rebuild value.  something to keep in mind.  You'll need to call them BEFORE you buy a car.

 

So all that being said, READ READ READ then ask specific questions that we can provide real answers for.  We will expect you to educate yourself on what to look for, then if you find a car, then post us some pictures!  We can all take it from there. 

 

Check out "I blame Chip Foose for this" on You tube.  It might give you a little idea of what a mild restoration can take.

[madkaw]

Might suggest ClassicZcar site also. This site is very technical compared to ClassicZ and dumb questions might get ignored. I think you will find a more patient crowd over there for basic questions.

[str8pipez]

"so expect to spend quite a bit fixing the car, or spending 15k or more if you find a well maintained one". Not true.

 

Buy the most car you can afford and your are MILES ahead.

 

$15K? I spent $4,600, including the shipping across 2 states. Looks bitchin and starts like new every single time. Sure I dumped some cash into but I'm a grown up and that's what we do.

 

I would suggest limited posting until you digest this site front to back, side to side. Even the stuff you don't think you need.

[rome03]

I purchased my Z in August for 2700 and I already put 4000 into it. I replaced bushings, weather strip kit, coil overs, wheels, tires, and other minor things. Im still rolling with an ugly interior and paint. I got lucky and found a car with a decent body and no rust. Personally, I would rather buy a stock Z in good condition and then spend the money building it the way you like it. Also, I learned that it is much better to get the car in shape and running well before you worry about being fast. Once that is all good, I've read that swapping in the l28et is the cheapest and easiest easy to make power.

[KaiEstrada]

Alright guys! Thank you for all of your input. I was at school when i posted the thread and the bell was about to ring for going to my next class, so i rushed the post a bit. That was my fault of corse and ill take more timw when posting in the future. I have actually read what feels like hundreds of project threads and various others. So im not totally walking around blind. I aslo read the rules about posting and im pretty sure i am following everything correctly, if not please tell me.

 

Of corse my first goal would be to make the car reliable and safe. Then possibly look into asthetic mods, etc. 

I know the basics of what to look for when buying a Z, but my biggest question is this

 

Why are there cars that are completely rebuilt/restored on craigslist and ebay for around 10k ish?? and others that are not completely rebuilt/restored yet for 5-8k?? I guess i would rather start with something like this so that im not dumping crazy amounts of cash into getting the car to run reliably. 

Im currently at school again, figures, but when i get home ill post the links to a few Zs that i have seen on craigslist.

For example, there is a rb25det swap for 10k in the miami area and a 383 stroker swap(i forget where) for about 10k.

 

So why are there these cars that have tons of work and money put into them for so cheap? are they rip offs/scams? or are they something to look into when i am ready to step into the market.

 

On another note, my dad retires from the military next year and he will sell his daily driver, 2001 BMW 330i, so i think i will try to convince him to take my maxima and let me get a datsun. That's the idea though hahaha

 

and as far as insurance goes, im not the primary driver on my maxima, my dad is, so the insurance won't break the bank. so im assuming that we could work something out like that if i were to get a Z? just an idea

 

Thanks again guys! if you could answer my questions above i would really appreciate it. I guess i just need to sit down face to face with someone and just flood them with questions haha. ill look into finding that person. If anyone is up to being that mentor type person send me a pm and i guess we can talk. thanks!

[seattlejester]

FYI It is "course" not "corse". "Corse" actually refers to a corpse as in a dead body.

 

Ebay is not a great gauge for car prices, since the entire world can look at it. Check your local craigslist and surrounding states, I always check some of the craigslist in california and arizona, they seem to keep their vintage steel pretty well.

 

Regarding price, would you pay more than 10k for a datsun z car? I think most people on here would say they could build one or put one together for much less other than a well swapped example. Other people may say that they can only afford 3-5k and would rather build it over time. I think the mindset with our crowd is that at a certain price point, people would rather attempt it themselves, thus those who know the community have to limit themselves to a certain point. So if you raise it too much above that the chance of selling is greatly diminished. Where as people who are abandoning a project are trying to recoup their losses and might post a higher price, but will be willing to settle for less.

 

The biggest differentiation in price comes from condition. A lot of people will look on google or ebay and see the price range and post their cars for similar prices, even though it is no where near the same condition. Rust and previous damage are the biggest factor in these cars, I think many people who have done the replacement repairs for the dogleg, floors, frame rails, battery tray, etc would whole heartedly agree that they would have paid an extra 2000 or more for a better condition chassis. So definitely something to consider. Unless it was a rust free chassis that was verified either via pictures of clean metal for the floors, straight frame rails, and no problems in the battery tray or doglegs, or actually stripped down and metal work done, I would be very skeptical of 

ads stating full restorations. A full restoration to someone might be a new NOS nissan/datsun parts, re-plated hardware, etc etc, to someone else it might mean a coat of paint and an interior detail.

 

My advice is maybe not to consider the swapped cars unless you are familiar with the motors. It is hard to work on one car, add to that a heart transplant and it will make it doubly so. In other words it will be twice as much reading.

[IncompetentOne]

Hey man, I'm 17 (18 in jan) and bought my Z just before my 16th birthday. It's a 77 280z with fuel injection. Four speed transmission. These cars are old and at least for me, stuff breaks all the time. So before you go ahead and do some crazy swap, at least drive a stock one first. My car is very fast with basic mods (headers, slight headwork), sounds fantastic, and people always walk up to talk about it at gas stations. I hoon the hell out of it all the time too.

If you plan on swapping the motor, I suggest buying a Z that runs and drives, and save up money to buy all the parts. If you rip the Z apart and go piece by piece, It will take forever and it's easy to lose motivation for it. They are pretty simple cars to work on (I have done a head swap and clutch swap by myself) but you have to know how everything works. Hybrids will help a lot. Good luck!

I'm melvinthemechanic on Instagram if you need any quick help along the way

[SDgoods]

Some good advice in here, take it all in!

 

It sounds like your trying to make the z your daily. While many people do it, and I do right now (with a race seat, harnesses, no ac/heat etc etc). I wouldnt recommend it, especially for a 16 year old whos not very familiar with the car or working on cars in general. It wouldnt be an exaggeration that youll have 'old car problems' everyday you drive if, although over time youll learn the car and be able to diagnose things very fast. This is just something to think about as it can be very frustrating have a single old car to drive everyday! And if it shows anything, im in the

Process of buying a daily!

 

Like he said^^ im @tacosandtuners on instagram if you ever need a quick help

Edited December 3, 2013 by SDgoods

[Fuzzydicerule]

Hey guys! This is my first post on the fourm, but i have been looking through posts for about 2 months now. I am a 16 year old high school student who LOVES the datsun Z cars. It has been an intrest, basically an obsession, to build one of my own. So i guess i just have a bunch of questions that i would love to have answered. Thanks!

 

Alighty guys, so i have very little knowledge in mechanics but i have tons of family friends who just so happen to own their own shops so i dont think actually doing mechanical things would be a huge problem. So basically what i want to do is build a 240, 260, or 280Z. I currently drive a 2007 nissan maxima and i love it but i really want a manual transmission and i love the way the Zs look. 

 

so here are my questions and inquiries.

 

should i go with an already partially restored or restored z and just fork out the extra cash? or go with one i can restore myself.   Depends on your skill set,  if you cant do something and arent willing to learn, factor that into the cost vs buying something without that issue.  (Rust is a big one on that list,  if you cant weld, and dont have the means,  make damn sure that you buy a rust free car, or one thats had the rust fixed already, preferrably by a reputable shop,  same goes with running issues.  while these cars arent hard to work on, if you are not WILLING to work on it, youre gonna have a bad time.

 

should i stay with the stock engine or swap to a 350z, i forget the numbers and letters, motor or even a L28et? of corse i want to go fast hahaha  VQ35's arent a terribly common swap, and will require a lot of custom fabrication.   L28ET's are a direct swap, as far as mounts and transmissions are concerned,  and then you only have to worry about the electronics...   Being 16, i would recommend running a mild build L28,   the nice thing about the L series is, Nearly every intake and exhaust combo will work on nearly every motor (with a few minor exceptions)   So if you have a 240z running Su carburetors on the stock L24,  you can bolt up those carbs to a L28 that originally came EFI,  Toss the distributor on in much the same fashion,  Bolt up the Exhaust (or replace the header, depending on the head) tune her up and drive away.  Possibly only needing a rebuild and new needles on the carbs.

 

i dont want a track moster or a show car. i want something nice looking and fast(16 year old fast) that wont berak the bank in upgrading parts

 

what will i need? Money and time.  Its an old car,  things will break, just be ready for it.  Some minor lowering springs and good strut inserts are never a bad plan,  as well as tie rods and a good bushing kit to freshen up the suspension.   A basic tune up is always a good idea

 

i guess my thing is i want to know what is the best platform for building a Z and i want to know virtually everything to build my Z  240's are the lightest,  The second quickest, and the least rigid.  Usually the best option due to SMOG EXEMPTION.   That is more than likely the most important part depending on your state.   280's are the heaviest, the slowest (dispite the big motor) and the most rigid (not a huge difference),  They are also the ugliest,  due to DOT Diving board bumpers, and a more "80s" interior styling,  All 280s will require a smog check in CA  (i see you are in florida, you have nothing to worry about)  They are fuel injected, but from my (limited) knowledge, is a poor system, prone to overheating and vapor locking,  260's came in two varieties...   Early, which is basically a 240 with more power,  these are the fastest of the S30's,  they also only made them in 74.  And late,  Basically a 280, only slower,  shit carbs, everything else bad about the 280, with a smaller motor.    That being said, they all have nearly identical drivelines, and suspension, as well as potential

 

thanks guys, i know my questions are very vague but it's hard to describe exactly what i want on here

 

thanks again guys!

 

 

Just remember,  the only opinion that matters is your own,  get and do what makes you happy,  but people here will always be willing to help.

 

 

Like the Good man (see what i did there daniel?) above me said,  Dailying one of these cars is not for the faint hearted,  but it is doable,  but be ready to work on the damn thing...

Edited December 3, 2013 by Fuzzydicerule

[clocker]

Like the Good man (see what i did there daniel?) above me said,  Dailying one of these cars is not for the faint hearted,  but it is doable,  but be ready to work on the damn thing...

I'm going to be a wee bit contrarian here and say that daily driving a Z is no big deal.

 

I've never had the luxury of two cars, if I wanted something cool, it was going to be the primary/only vehicle.

The trick to this I think is to be very proactive when you first get the car.

 

I start with the brakes and go full scorched earth on 'em- replace hoses, master and slave cylinders, rebuild calipers, replace rotors/drums, new pads. Unless something is obviously brand new, it gets replaced.

This process does two things...you know she will stop and it gets you up close and personal with all four corners of the car.

If you haven't closely inspected the chassis yet, working on the brakes will get you near the usual trouble spots (rear wheel arches, doglegs, rockers).

Assuming you are lucky (or were careful in your pre-sale inspection) and rust is not going to be an issue, the suspension is next.

Again, go full court press and replace the whole thing, bushes, struts, springs.

 

Depending on your component choices (strut inserts, brake pads, springs) both these procedures are dirt cheap compared to a newer car...figure about $750 for parts.

Naturally, during all this bolting/unbolting, you are either replacing the hardware or at the very least, running a tap/die over them and using lots of anti-seize. You will appreciate that a few years down the road.

 

The electrical is somewhat quirky but at least it's very simple, especially the carbed cars.

I like electrical work and usually rewire the entire car to my liking but you can live with the stock setup assuming it hasn't been butchered or suffered a catastrophic melt down. At any rate, clean every bulb socket (little wire brushes for this are readily available) and use dielectric grease. Same for all the connectors on the harness, clean/grease everything that gets unplugged.

 

Basically, you want to preemptively attack the primary systems before they bite you in the ass.

Assume that basic maintenance has been ignored and you're just bringing it back up to snuff.

Once done, you shouldn't have to go back and keep working on her- Japanese reliability was a big selling point when the Z was new and my car never let me down.

 

As to which model to get, personally I'd go with the car with the best body/paint, regardless of year.

IMO, rust repair and paint are far more onerous than the mechanical work...but that just might be me.

If you don't like FI, you can carb a 280 and vice versa.

If the later style bumpers offend you, you can retrofit early bumpers (with some work).

 

Objectively speaking, I think older cars are much MORE reliable than new stuff, primarily because there is so much less that can go wrong.

[SDgoods]

I'm going to be a wee bit contrarian here and say that daily driving a Z is no big deal.

 

I've never had the luxury of two cars, if I wanted something cool, it was going to be the primary/only vehicle.

The trick to this I think is to be very proactive when you first get the car.

 

I start with the brakes and go full scorched earth on 'em- replace hoses, master and slave cylinders, rebuild calipers, replace rotors/drums, new pads. Unless something is obviously brand new, it gets replaced.

This process does two things...you know she will stop and it gets you up close and personal with all four corners of the car.

If you haven't closely inspected the chassis yet, working on the brakes will get you near the usual trouble spots (rear wheel arches, doglegs, rockers).

Assuming you are lucky (or were careful in your pre-sale inspection) and rust is not going to be an issue, the suspension is next.

Again, go full court press and replace the whole thing, bushes, struts, springs.

 

Depending on your component choices (strut inserts, brake pads, springs) both these procedures are dirt cheap compared to a newer car...figure about $750 for parts.

Naturally, during all this bolting/unbolting, you are either replacing the hardware or at the very least, running a tap/die over them and using lots of anti-seize. You will appreciate that a few years down the road.

 

The electrical is somewhat quirky but at least it's very simple, especially the carbed cars.

I like electrical work and usually rewire the entire car to my liking but you can live with the stock setup assuming it hasn't been butchered or suffered a catastrophic melt down. At any rate, clean every bulb socket (little wire brushes for this are readily available) and use dielectric grease. Same for all the connectors on the harness, clean/grease everything that gets unplugged.

 

Basically, you want to preemptively attack the primary systems before they bite you in the ass.

Assume that basic maintenance has been ignored and you're just bringing it back up to snuff.

Once done, you shouldn't have to go back and keep working on her- Japanese reliability was a big selling point when the Z was new and my car never let me down.

 

As to which model to get, personally I'd go with the car with the best body/paint, regardless of year.

IMO, rust repair and paint are far more onerous than the mechanical work...but that just might be me.

If you don't like FI, you can carb a 280 and vice versa.

If the later style bumpers offend you, you can retrofit early bumpers (with some work).

 

Objectively speaking, I think older cars are much MORE reliable than new stuff, primarily because there is so much less that can go wrong.

 

 

That was our point.  Of course it can be done, but everything you stated requires knowledge/time/headache just to get the car to that point.   We're not talking about a seasoned gearhead who knows his way around cars in general, he's a 16 year old kid.  OP, I dont mean that to be offensive,  but none of us want to see you get in over your head and get frustrated and quit on it.  This is MUCH more likely to happen if its his only car.    I did just that, I bought an s30, (absolute POS though), and dailyed it and hated myself for it.   If you pick up an already clean and gone through example, its a different story, but youre gonna spend some cash.  

 

If i were you , I'd maybe sell your current car, pick up a reliable honda civic in the $5000 range, pick up a solid s30 (running or not), and slowly build it.   At a certain point in our lives, we all want that immediate satisfaction of an old cool car, but it will be much more worth it if you build it yourself, at your pace, and not have to stress about getting it fixed so you can drive it to school the next day.  It sucks, ask me how i know.

Edited December 3, 2013 by SDgoods