Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 Here's my situation: I was shopping for a solid Z (preferably a 280 since I'm going to run a FI motor) and the only ones I could find in decent shape were out west, which added like $1000 to the cost to ship. I was storing my nephew's 73 240Z for over a year in my garage since I had extra space. Prior to that, it had sat under a stilt home or outside for many years. I'm documenting my progress with it here: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/827898 And the body condition here: http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/827898/2 My question is, since I keep finding more rust as I go, am I better off to cut my losses ($1800) and try to find one with a better body or just keep going w/ plan A and fix this one? I'm also going to be doing some panel replacement on another old car, and thought the floors of the 240 could be a good learning curve since if I mess up, at least the mistakes won't be real visible. From my shopping, it looks like about $2500-4000 for a solid 280, and of course I'd have to have it shipped. Floors & rockers are about $400 if I recall correctly, and I'm not really sure what to do about the roof rails or the tail lamp areas at this point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
datsunlover Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 I'd say keep going.. by the end of it, you KNOW what you have, and can say that YOU rebuilt it. Plus, you build it up the way you want it (prepared for V8 swap, ect) My 75 280z was in about the same condition when I got into it. (btw, your front floor pans are better than mine were, and my rad saddle was non-existant) Took just under a year to weld her back together, do the whole body job, and make it roadworthy. I supose by the end of it if I had been able to just save the $3500 I spend along the way, I maybe could have got a 'ok' 280z but I still would have had to do... something to it I'm sure. You may find a better shell to start with, but ANY old Z is going to have a few rust isues, unless it's been restored already which makes them.. well, a little pricey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hat1324 Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 tell you what, we can swap.. Im about 20% more rust then you... floors, pannels, battery tray.. Welcome to the world of old Zs... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 every Z out there has rust on it, i dont care what the owner says, i can almost bet you that you will be able to find atleast some rust somewhere. Anyways go get some sheet metal and get to work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 Dedicated crew here... 100% for keeping it so far! I got depressed over the roof rail rust, along with need to put the drivetrain back into the convertible beside it... and then springing an oil leak in the Trans Am the week it goes to the dyno tune . One thing at a time. Thanks for the advice & support. I think I will shave the drip rails... has anyone done this? I think it would make the car look better and get rid of one area of rust. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparks280zt Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 the roof rail dosent look that bad at all, maybe i cant tell in the pics, is it just bad surface rust? either way hit it with some metal prep and a wire brush to clean it off. As for the taillight panel where the hatch closes, you can buy that piece for like 150 or so or you can do like i did, cut one out of a junk yard car and tack it in place and smooth it out, worked nice on my car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 9, 2005 Share Posted May 9, 2005 Roof rail is heavy surface on driver side, through in a couple places on passenger side. I'm thinking I can treat it from the inside w/ POR-15 or Rust Bullet, etc. after it is fixed so that it won't come back. Driver side: Passenger side: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewievette Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 KEEP IT!!! It is FAR better than mine! follow the link in my sig for pics of my project (pg5), compared to mine yours would be considered Rust Free!! Keep With it. With the shear number of experienced z guys around here you are sure to have success! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z Driver Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Keep it. My car was worse than that when I got it. I get so much respect from everyone who saw the car before I took care of all the rust and made it pretty. I sent pictures of it painted to the previous owner just to rub it in. It's satisfying knowing you saved a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hat1324 Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 werd.. and go to menards/home depot/lowes get a cheap grinder and a 4" cupped wire brush and have at that surface rust.. 30seconds and its gone.. ive taken the front fenders off and done the frame with em in like 20 minutes.. im tackeling the engine bay wendsday.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 Home Depot/Lowes are OK, but for "cheap", no one beats Harbor Freight! Check this out: Sku Description Sell Price 03373 NOZZLES FINE FOR BLASTER 10PK 13.99 05264 NOZZLES COARSE FOR BLASTER10PK 13.99 34202 ABRASIVE BLASTER #40 74.99 36568 AIR INLINE METL SHEAR 29.99 38138 HOOD-SANDBLAST HOOD 17.99 44812 CUT-OFF WHEEL,3" METAL 10 PK 9.99 45001 SPRAY GUN, HVLP SAME AS 07901 37.49 46513 CUT-OFF TOOL, AIR 29.99 55222 COMPRESSOR,6.5HP,60 G(RECON) 329.99 91753 AIR BODY SAW- HIGH SPEED 19.99 Total for all of this stuff SHIPPED was $607.39, $578.40 for the tools & $28.99 for shipping, and yes, that is a 6.5 HP 60 gallon compressor and a 40# pressurized sandblaster - I'll have to add a circuit on my panel for the compressor. What ticks me off (at me) is that I forgot the $9.99 grinder! I can pick it up locally, as they match online prices at the store. This is where I got my $150 85 amp Mig welder. Chewievette, sorry to hear about the job... but in my experience, all that means is a better one is on the way! You certainly have a project on your hands there. I'm thinking I can treat the driver roof rail from behind once I get the headliner out, but will still need to cut out the passenger side & weld in new metal. EDIT The compressor is advertised/billed as 6.5 HP, but is actually 3.5 HP! I've complained to customer service, which has a poor track record. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frank280zx Posted May 10, 2005 Share Posted May 10, 2005 good go for it, a z like that would be prestine for Dutch standards, i have seen many nice cars come out of even bigger heaps than that ! look at my site however that gearbox is junk send it to me, and ill make sure it will be dealt with in an environmental friendly way http://www.datsun280zx.tk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTenneZ Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Keep it. You can always cut out the rust spots and weld in new patches. Especially the floor. I've learned a thing or two about rust in the past year and a half. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hat1324 Posted May 11, 2005 Share Posted May 11, 2005 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 305240 Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 Holy Moly guys. Ya'll got some rust! It reminds me of cars back in Michigan when I lived there. I've cut up Zs that look prime compaired to what I see here. Not gloating, but I tend to forget what some Zs look like after years of rust has gotten to them. I also forget how hard it is to come by a decient body in other places than the west coast. My 72 has very little rust issues. What it does have is easly repaired. I started with a cut up, stripped out parts car. I am lucky in that respect as I didn't have to tear it apart! I've got a 74 260 that is pretty much solid that I can't seem to get rid of out here for 400 bucks because it has some rust pits in the battery area. Otherwise it's in great shape. I think I should trailer it out east somewhere. Heck, I could make a living at it. Seriously guys, strongly consider getting one from this area and pay the extra for shipping. Life would be much easier and you will be on the road much faster. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 I appreciate the counter view, and I bet you could indeed make some money if you could get a car hauler load of decent bodies from there & ship them to the east coast. It is very tempting to pickup a car from AZ, etc. so as to skip the bodywork, BUT if I do that, I lose my initial investment and also miss out on learning how to weld body panels, which I need to do on my other older car. At this point, I'm looking at the floors/supports ($250) & rockers ($120) from Zed Findings, the rear hatch panel from MSA ($130), Tabco partial doorskins ($60), and some sheetmetal for the remainder (storage bin/spare tire well), as well as chemical treatments such as rust bullet or POR-15 (est. $200), which equals $760+. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 305240 Posted May 12, 2005 Share Posted May 12, 2005 That's what I'm trying to tell you. Parts cars are usually free to 200 bux. Project cars start around 300, then go on up depending on what was done to them. There are many running Zs on the road out here for under a grand. I've got a rolling body I'm hauling to the JY because no one wants it. It's a 81 2+2. Body is pretty solid. I've had it as listed as give away for the last year. Tomorrow I'm going to look at a 79 5 speed coupe for 800 or less. My buddy says I could prolly get it for 4. I really hate to see any Z car go to the crusher. I don't have room for them all. My highest count was 13. Kind of put a strain on my marriage. Now I'm down to 5 plus 4 parts cars. Hopefully 2 will be leaving soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted May 13, 2005 Share Posted May 13, 2005 Kind of between a rock and a hard spot with the rust. All west coast z's are not rust free since some came from back east.There is a posibility that a person could come out west find an almost rust free Z between $1000-2000. and drive it back or ship it. First generation cheap z's are getting hard to find here in Oregon....................Too much rust is when you cannot cut it all out and weld in replacements. As for the rust pictured... I have seen a lot worse here in the rust free West. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 73LT1Z Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 Pulled the gas tank today & in the spare tire well what I thought was one big hole & some surface rust is actually many holes & the whole bottom feels like if I pushed hard enough it will fall right out. I'm considering a fuel cell/battery box for back there & have posted elsewhere here regarding that topic. Poll so far is 12:2 for keeping it & doing bodywork. It is still very tempting to buy an intact/repaired car since the rotisserie I need to do the metal work on this car is $1300. I would then have to "dispose" of the remains of this car. I need to sell the motor & tranny regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted May 31, 2005 Share Posted May 31, 2005 slow your current restoration down and do some serious searching for a better project.. place some free wanted ads for a Z in the geographical area you have access to. I was garage sale-ing yesterday and came across a 77 280 Z the guy wanted $200.00 for the car that either had electrical or fuel issues.. Car idled great but nothing more. The fellow had hot plans for the Z but cannot fix it or knows any one who can.The car set 8 months before his purchase and ran great the 50 miles home and in a few days... quit running except for an idle...sound familiar? Rust was absolute minimal. There has got to be something in your area that is either unfinished project or is not eaten away with rust. Go on a hunting mission. They are there...you just have to find them where they are at because one will not coming looking for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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