240zV8 Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 What do u guys think of this Z? I'm gonna offer $900. The engine starts but dies, He live's right by me, so i'm really considering it. Here's his description of it.... Look's like a good body with alot of good stuff, plus a 280zx he'll throw in. etc.... 71 240Z(Datsun). Roll bar, 2.8 flat top piston block, 77-78 hood, 70 hatch back, 280zx wheels, E31 high compression head, 1"sway bar in front, 3/4 in in back. Su carbs, custom digital clock, sport springs and painted to match. Datsun 5-speed trans, R-200 rear end. Spear 2.8 flat top piston block. Many extra parts. Car runs rough. Here's the pics. (look like a good base for a v8?) I'm in no hurry to get it on the road, i just want something to start and have fun working with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lvcien Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 check for the usual rust spots, otherwise it looks great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Poundz9oh9 Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 I'd say check the typical rust areas, and if they seem decent at least, go for it!!!!! I'd assume that most of the early S30's in that area are a little rusty, but if you have a good base to start from sitting there, ya couldn't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zV8 Posted January 7, 2006 Author Share Posted January 7, 2006 I still have to check it out, and look over everything in person, so it's not for sure yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tannji Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 An S30 with T-tops is going to need some serious attention before it will take the torque of a v8 safely..... that one looks to have a an extension from the rear hoop to the top of the windscreen, but I dont think that is sufficient. Interesting, but something to keep in consideration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zV8 Posted January 7, 2006 Author Share Posted January 7, 2006 Definently will consider the options, there's a couple other's for sale around here right now, so i'm in no hurry to jump on this one. but it's worth a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Never saw a T-Top on a 1st generation Z... Does it leak ? This mod will limit your style but the car already has an appealable style with wheels and T-Top IMHO....... Actually engine has impressive list if could run good...... Have you done an "Hybrid Z" extensive rust inspection. This car looks to have been pampered in the NorthWest and may have little rust if not located near the Ocean....$900 and a ZX parts car ...go for it.................Concentrate on getting it running with L 6 first. Which I believe is the first step and most important step Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 is that a dash cap? it doesnt look like it... if thats the case and you have a crack free dash in that car buy it anyway. you could part it out and make a bit of cash on it if it turns out to be a rust bucket. I cant speak from direct experiance, but I wouldnt think T-tops in an S30 lends itself to well to V8 power. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pop N Wood Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 That T top looks like serious trouble to me. But if the dash is uncracked it is worth the $900 all by itself. Bring a screw driver and a magnet, poke all the floor boards, battery area and metal in front of and behind both wheels. Use the magnet to check for bondo in the areas in front of and behind the wheels. Open the hatch and check for rust on the rear deck. If all those things check out, then it is easily worth 3 to 4 times what you plan to offer. Still, I wonder what it would take to put the roof back together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted January 7, 2006 Share Posted January 7, 2006 Roll bar equipped ? Lot of topless Z's out there with V8. The Z roof is soldered on. Look at the roof line and glass and you will see how small overall this soldered metal area is. Some reinforcing and tie in to the roll bar should handle tourqe... unless you have a stroker SBC that you continously hammer and the roof solder will not hold up with that either. The chassis was engineered for a convertible too as the engine bay was for a V8 also, as the wheel wells were for some big tires. The z was copied, not much was left out. If the Z had came earlier, there would be no Shelby (AC) Cobra but a Shelby Z with Ford power becuz the AC sports car was a poor poor choice had the Z been avaiable in the early 60's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolane Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Here Comes Trouble, Are you sure that roof is soldered on? I am not sure I follow you here. I removed all of the body solder on the joints, and under that are what appear to be mig welds, big ones, at the joints. I think that the roof in general adds a lot of strength to the twisting of the body, and acts like a big shear plate. If it didn't, people would not see any cracking issues. On a side note, I know someone who has a late 80's Pontiac Firebird with T-tops. With the stock engine, after several thousand miles, he has cracks in the roof line right behind the door. I realize that there are convertible Z's with V8's, but how stiff are they? Maybe it is just that you can't see the results of the twisting since there is no roof to crack? Either way, that car looks nice in the pictures. Replacing a roof shouldn't actually be too hard, depending on fabrication skills. There is not a whole lot holding the roof on anyways (4 pillars). Joshua Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Z-TARD Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I'm pretty sure the joint behind the quarter windows was welded, and then leaded over. Not 100% positive about that though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zV8 Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 So what exactly would you guys recommend as far as strengthening the car to take a very mild V8 safely? I haven't done much as far as beefing up a car, but my next door neighoor is a fabricator, so what exact area's would need some reinforcement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
280zNHChris Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 If that were available in NH, I'd hop on it. I'm sure your dump won't appreciate that rollbar when u rip it out, so I'll arrange for shipping. 8) You should see the dashes on my 2 Z's. 8( Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Positive the roof is soldered and not welded I cut off two tops for convertibles. If the roofs were welded it would be production spot welds and there is no spot welds..............................Tie the front strut towers together.........and then to the firewall cowl. Tie the rear strut towers together and then to a full roll bar. Weld some square tubing the entire floorboard length alongside the seats next to the side rails and tie the roll bar to the square tubing.. tie the floor board tubing to the cowl/ firewall. This as how My Tomahawk Z is reinforced and the way I did a Vello Rossa.............Eric Nyerlin ofers a Z converible with a 'formal " underneath the car reinforcement package which requires excellant welding skills without a rotessire http://www.zparts.com/home.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zV8 Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 Do u have some picture's of some examples of the strut reinforcements so i can give my neighboor some as a reference? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 No handy pictures. I used square tubing and welded the rear struts together... e-bay Datsun usually has some monoball strut tower bars @ auction. I really do not see a need to go all out in re-inforcing this car even for a mild V8. If this car has warped already .........you can see the results in a small area on the sail (fastback) panel next to the rear hatch........IF you have enuff patience, I will eventually be doing a whole series of modification re-inforcements to my GTO project..(which really does not need it..http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/larryjohnson97438/album?.dir=8223&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos.... .This subject has been covered many times in the past with mucho pictures and still fresh material in roll cage threads....research.........I had about 5000 posts as Tomahawk Z wiped out in my 2 years absence which now appears as "anonymous" postings so I cannot even effectively research my own threads where members contributed information to my projects about reinforcement. ..me and #8 Tomahawk http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/larryjohnson97438/album?.dir=/392a I may be an old fart but I have been on this site for a long time and was designated a Hybrid Z Wizard along with Tim240 Z and a couple others. Does anyone know who really started this website and under what circunstances...some of the 'ol timers' such as MatGNZ refer to him as the "godfather" and he has the Z project to prove it and yes i am dodging the question since i am dealing with a Hybrid Z traumatic identity crisis (LOL). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zV8 Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 I can do the strut brace's easily by myself, but i was alittle confused about how to connect the front brace to the fire wall cowl like you said. wouldn't that make it permanent? I want to be able to remove the strut brace in front. I think as long as i make some obvious brace's, i think the car will do great with a older carb'd v8. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbo280Z Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 holy s*** those are hella rare. there was only a few hundred of those if i remember correctly made. there was a company that was makin them t top but when a shipment broke they coundlt afford more and went out of buisness. if u dont want it i do lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted January 10, 2006 Share Posted January 10, 2006 You can easily make the strut bar to tie the strut towers with thick wall tubing that will easily go over the V8 without interference. For the Tomahawk. I welded 2 small pieces of angle iron.. one set to hold a bar going across and the other set to hold bar to cowl. I welded a corresponding set of small angle iron to firewall cowl. I cut a 4 sections of tubing to length for towers and cowl/firewall and heated the ends and squeezed them together flat and then drilled 3/8 inch holes in the flattened holes .................then laid the bars with the drilled holes on the welded angle iron and marked the holes to be deilled in angle iron.................did all this without a tape measure and before V8 was installed. When my Tomahawk V8 engine was stripped and vanadlized my strut rods went in all dierections 'south" to get at the engine, Like I said I will be making a set of monoball heims rods for the GTO towers.(as if it is really needed) I am watching eBay for the right set of used heims and steel tube rods lot where I can make a poop pot of them for cheap. The monball heims and lock nuts will allow high tech trick adjustment (LOL). The overhead cam L6 does require special attention of a curved or high rod location to clear valve cover. You can tie up that car easily with the existing roll bar and if that T-top was carefully installed...well that cars looks grows on ya. .........looks like it has custom seats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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