American Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 Ok, here are some higher res photos of this 280. The only thing that bothers me (without knowing more) is the hinge rust. Last but not least. What is everyone's thoughts on the hinge rust and the car in general? It's going to need floorboards which doesn't bother me. He replied that there is no rust on the roof, hatch area (although I think I see some bubbling) or the frame rails...that he can see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Hood hinge area is bad, and right door would probably be easier to replace than fix the crease. If you're happy with the interior style of the 280, then it looks very promising. Especially if it can be had for under $500.....hope it goes well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 Boys....you would be better off taking it offline.....This is not the type of stuff that should be thrown out in open forum... Now.....back to our regularly scheduled programming: Hmmmm...can't remember ever having to quote myself.....keep on topic guys. I'm sure "American" will appreciate it if you took your personal issues to emails or PMs, but not his post...... Let's try again....back to our topic currently in progress....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 I think the hinge area, although it seems to be a rare rust spot, can be fixed easy enough. Rusted floors seems to be standard. He has two more doors and fenders he says are in perfect shape in addition to a list of other extra parts. Another question. Considering what he says about the engine, what is it worth to someone when I sell it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 If he has documentation on the engine build, someone might give you a few hundred dollars. It is hard otherwise to sell an engine based upon secondhand credibility. Stock motors, even with some go-fast goodies don't seem to get much on local postings unless they have good documentation to back up the claims. If you are able to get a couple hundred, and can 'deduct' that from the initial investment of the car, then you'll be really well-off $$ wise. From experience, it is very hard to sell motors without 'papers' unless it is a very high demand motor, which the stock Z motor really isn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted August 28, 2005 Author Share Posted August 28, 2005 Well.... I guess I could always tear it down and check everything out then freshen it up with rings/bearings if needed... but that's another project. If I'm making the trip to Austin to see this 280 then I'm buying it if it's as advertised. I don't like making wasted trips and unless I get there and find something waaay out of the description then it's coming home with me. Let's take a vote (spend my money). Should Brad go buy this car for 500.00? Like I said earlier... worst case scenario I part it out and make a few bucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 You need to look at the high rust areas. The rear hatch area looks pretty good. But take a close look at the battery tray area and the quarter panels in front of and in back of the rear wheels. Floor boards gone means the frame rails underneath go with it, and usually this means half the sheet metal going up the fire wall as well. The unusual amount of rust in the hinge area makes me guess there was either some damage in that area that caused it to rust, or the rest of the car is in worse shape than it looks. Weatherstrip looks gone, and from what I can see so is most of the interior. The engine stuff is of no use to you, so don't pay any extra for the car because of it. There is quite a bit of cosmetic work, all of which really adds up in terms of money and time. On the other hand I have always like those wheels. Keep an objective mind when you look at it. Don't make up your mind either way until you have spent some time looking it over. Like you said, it might look cleaner in person. Bet you can get it for less than $500. If it could drive the guy might be able to barter. But since it will need a flat bed to move you should have the upper hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 This is what many would spend alot of initial start-up money for, then sell off parts; but, what a clean start: http://www.craigslist.org/sfc/car/93971683.html Not the ideal if planning alot of body mods; but, for someone looking for a really clean 'runner'.....? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim240z Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 More examples of what is available in CA: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/car/92597652.html http://losangeles.craigslist.org/car/91809817.html http://losangeles.craigslist.org/car/93035602.html http://losangeles.craigslist.org/car/93243316.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 I'm not assuming this car is perfect. The interior and drivetrain are a moot point as well. I'm stripping this down to bare sheetmetal and building it up from there. I have a life long friend who is an extremely talented welder so repairs requiring any welding can be handled. I will not be using any of the drivetrain, except maybe the dif, suspension, seats or wheels/tires. I'll be using all custom components there. Cali has the lion's share of Z cars, prices are pretty good as well. Keep in mind that for 500.00 or less I'm not at a great risk. If I strip it down and find that it won't work then I'm out my time and can likely recoup my investment pretty easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 JTR manual showed up Saturday.... pretty basic stuff but very handy to have for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I can't tell for certain from the photos but, if that is not a dash cap and the original dash does not have a crack, that in itself is worth the $500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted August 30, 2005 Author Share Posted August 30, 2005 Here's a few more pics he sent me tonight: Door is toast but he has two extra doors and fenders. He put a jack under it, says he couldn't 'see' any rust in the frame rails and that the floorboards had been repaired on some form or another at one point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240Z2NV Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 First, let me preface this by saying that you have virtually nothing to lose in going to see it...except time. I know that it is easy to fall into a mindset that "well, I've come all this way, I hate to go home empty handed"; but, that can be dangerous. The seller seems forthright enough to provide you with ALOT of pics. For several hundred bucks, most sellers wouldn't bother. So, that's a good thing. And, you have gotten so much input here and have enough expertise in general automotive repairs that you have an idea of what is good and what is bad. Now for the pessimism. I find it hard to believe that with such a rusty door and hatch area, that the rest of the car will be relatively 'cancer' free. "Where there is smoke, there is usually fire". The frame rails look suspect, and I've seen floor patches before that were literally a piece of metal glued to the floor (and I'm not talking the super-strength two-part adhesive glue...just glue). It will ultimately boil down to the notion of how much metal work and 'cancer surgery' you can live with doing. As stated earlier, there are some great patch panels available for just about every area, and they aren't that expensive. They just require skill and ambition. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 Well.. still on the hunt. Have a few to look at this week. Just sold our house today so I'll be busy finding another one in the Fort Worth area, looking for one with a 1/2 acre or more and a shop (if any fellow DFW members know of anything drop me an email). I'll probaby hold off until we move unless I find THE car. I still wouldn't mind trading my 350TPI Wrangler for a Hybrid if anyone is interested. http://classifieds.hybridz.org/showproduct.php?product=1264&sort=1&cat=25&page=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Brad, Have you gotten on the www.CowtownZClub.org website and expressed your desire for a body? There are several guys in the club that have Z related businesses that may come across one. If you were only planning on building a track car, one guy in the club has a really nice 240Z that can't be liscenced due to the VIN tags being missing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
American Posted September 12, 2005 Author Share Posted September 12, 2005 I had traded emails with a couple of the brass at CowtownZ and finally posted something there today. This is not going to be a track car per se... has to be street legal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boodlefoof Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Hi American, welcome to the club! I just bought my '73 240-Z a few months back. My situation was this... I wanted to just get a rolling shell because I planned to change literally everything... by the time I am done, the car will probably be less than 1% original... So, I poked around on this forum and Zcar.com for awhile and finally found the right car... only $150! Well, it needed lots of bodywork and was completely stripped... just had enough suspension to hold on the tires and did have the steering equipment, and the body was complete (albeit rusty). Now, to facilitate street legality, I went for the oldest I could find... so I got the '73. In Virginia, this allows me to get antique plates = no more safety or emissions inspection ever. '76 is getting a bit late... I don't know precisely when catalytic converters first hit the scene on the Zs... Good luck. They are out there. You can read about my project by clicking the link in my sig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 Catalytic converters did not go into full use until the 280ZX. The 'California' versions of the 1977 & 1978 280Z's did come with them, though. Any car 25 years old or older in Texas is exempt from emissions testing - safety inspection only - $12.50. If the original car did not come with catalytic converters then the engine replacement will not be required to have them. I went head-to-head with a local inspection station over this and finally had a state inspections regional agent step in on my behalf and tell them to put the sticker on my car. Obviously I've never been back to that station! American - since you're planning on a heavy conversion I would check with Jerry at All Z CAr Specialist, (817) 483-0383, on a weekly basis to see what he gets in. At least that way you can inspect it before you buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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