Hooptees vs Z (really, really long)

[strotter]

I have a long history of driving hooptee buckets. I'll admit it. Money's always tight, it doesn't make sense to spend on a car what you could spend on, say, The Mortgage, so for a long time I've been incredibly sensible. Even frugal. These days I normally drive a '72 Mercedes I got for $800 from a guy in Sacramento who was great at the "lookee" items but not so great at the "keepin' it movin'" items. A good looking '72 Benz, to be sure, but a '72 Benz nevertheless. Before that, I drove an '80 Subaru wagon, in Old Puke yellow. Great car, utilitarian as hell, $600 and drove it for almost 10 years. Only died when the girl I gave it to pulled out in front of a tow truck. Before that, a '69 BMW 1600 which, though an historical car and rather cool to BMW hounds, more-or-less screamed "bucket". Before that a '74 Dart with a slant-six. Given to us. Wouldn't die, also given away after years of service. Sigh. My vehicular history for the last 20 years has been a series of very reliable, inexpensive, responsible, and boring cars. They got me from point A to point B, but that was about all. Invisible cars, not noticed except as something to pass on the way to somewhere interesting. And I'm a car hound. A serious car hound, have been forever, but I never managed to talk myself into doing something *fun*.

 

The Z project has changed that, and yesterday I had a different experience entirely. Here's what happened: Got it running fairly well, took it down to have some new tires mounted on the new rims. The car isn't done, mind you, needs more tuning and more polishing and a passenger seat and a permanent place for the electronics and about a thousand other things, but it moves over the ground with no small amount of grace, and it's *pretty*. Not just "the paint came out well" pretty, not just "I've always like the Z's" pretty, but "Gosh Scotty, did *you* put that thing together? It's gorgeous!" kind of pretty. Cool.

 

So I'm driving around just for the hell of it after getting the tires, watching the laptop for tuning info, and I pull up to a stoplight by the lake. It's a pretty lake, and people like to do their jogging and power-walking there, weather permitting. So I'm sitting there waiting for the light, and I glance up and this jogger, a guy about my age (we'll say "forties") is grinning at me. I'm thinking "Do I know this guy? What's his thing?" when the light changes, so I take off and he give me a thumbs-up as I go. Odd, sure enough. So I go "around the block", which is about 10 miles through grape vineyards and almond orchards. I'm watching the coolant temperature and trying to figure out if the fuel pressure is still too high from the O2 sensor, so I'm pretty focused. Get back into town, and in the rearview I notice some guy in a mostly blue Camaro, a '67 or '68, is coming up behind me. I've seen this car before, it's also obviously in the middle of a restoration. As we get to the next light, he's in the front of the pack and comes up beside me. Young guy, late 20's or so, his window's open and he gestures to me to open mine. So I do, and he hollers "Is that a '70?" over the exhaust noise, kind of pleasant and real friendly, and I holler back "No, a '72! Just got it rolling!". He looks her up and down (honest to God, the guy looked her up and down with a smile on his face) and said "Well done! I'll see you around man! I want to look under the hood! Would that be cool?" at which point I nod "sure" and he takes off 'cause the light had changed.

 

Now, I'm not an especially "sensitive" guy, but the Camaro kid's "well done" just sort of hit me. All that work, all those hours out in the back yard when it was hot, or when it was dewey and wet, underneath working on engine mounts (and I *really* don't like to be underneath a car), all that sanding out the paint, all that time planning combinations of engine parts and matching components, and all the money and all that effort, just sort of came together. My friends have often said "Oh, it's nice!", but they *have* to say that, after all, so it doesn't really count, but when strangers, out of the blue, give you a smile and a "Well done", somehow that's what hit me. When somebody who doesn't even have to acknowledge your existence takes a moment out to compliment you on something you've worked hard to accomplish, you know that you've created something; there's a weight to it that has meaning above and beyond "car project". I live in a small town, I'll surely see the Camaro kid again, and we'll surely pull over and check out each other's cars, and I'll surely end up waving and smiling whenever I see him. I mean, I know a lot about him already: he's the kind of guy that's willing to climb under a car when it's hot or cold or wet, and plan modifications and worry the details and sand out paint and put in all those hours alone working on something important to him. That pretty much qualifies him as "friend", doesn't it? This car project is creating a friend. That's important, and worthwhile. And totally, totally unexpected.

 

Huh.

 

I think this afternoon I'll take some time off from adjusting fuel pressure and installing parts and go drive around for awhile. It could be fun.

[Phantom]

And that is exactly why I love my '77 and refuse to sell it and by a new luxobarge.

Welcome to the club - you are rapidly becoming adicted - aint it great?!

[dsommer]

I hope to have that feeling real soon too. Way to go!!!

 

ds

[Guest 73TPIZ]

Scott, i feel exactly the same way when i finally get a special project done (wish my wife understood that). Maybe if i stop driving my hybrid long enough to paint it i can feel that way again.

 

BTW, very well written. had a lump in my throat it hit so close to home. Take care.

[ratedZ]

I know what you mean....just when I think I've had enough messing with my Z, the thumbs up and the little kids calling my Z "speed racer" and gathering around the engine bay makes it all worth while. The approving nods and grins from strangers is what fuels my desire to keep working on her...it just makes you realize that I have something truely different and the real "gear heads" know exactly what the car is capable of. Keep pushing ever foreward my friend, it sounds like you have a real "head turner" and show us some pics of your pride and joy when you get a chance

[DavyZ]

Being rather melancholy myself, I nearly shed a tear through that story--well written!!

 

But that is car crafting isn't it? That is being part of a select few (relatively speaking) that want their car to be unique, not going with the flow or with the 'stock or nothing at all' crowd. I swear this craft is a lonely one at times, especially since we deal in old school Japanese cars with American engines, etc. and no one seems to understand that or accept it: the muscle car guys usually don't like imports, the new school car guys don't even know what these old cars are, and the majority of people don't understand cars as a passion. However, we at this site, of course, are a different breed altogther.

 

I think it is very cool that you found some people in passing that readily acknowledged your persistent work.

 

Davy

[tdab]

to you!

 

Good reading,

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[Guest ON3GO]

well being a young kid myself (19 years old) that hangs out with the "new school" groups i must say it is hard out there, because there isnt really any ppl my age into old school cars.

im really the only kid in town that likes old school jap cars but theres a few VW kids in town that get it. thats why i like V-Dub ppl so much .

But very well writen, good job

 

Mike

[Guest ON3GO]

oh sorry to post again but i forgot something important.

a friend of mine was asking me about my Z project.

he said "so how much are you gonna spend total on the old Z"

i said " im not sure maybe in the upper 20's when im all done but its never really a done project"

he said "man what a waste, i spent 17 for my 1999 SS and with a few things i have i beat vipers and its a new car with everything"

i said "yeah but theres something about driving a car you built that might not even be perfect but its what you dreamt (sp?) of, i dont care about all that stuff that new cars have, i do have a Z32 300zx that has more stuff in it then your car could wish for, but i jsut dont care for that stuff anymore... ya just dont get it"

 

he then told me i was gay and a dumpass, but he'll see when i get my car done and i pass him like he is standing still. hehe

 

Mike

[Cruez]

Great story...

 

I am not alone

 

My wife doesn't understand it either....come to think of it...none of my friends would understand..

 

It has been in my yard unstarted for 3 years now since I completed the first phase of construction and after driving it for a year or so..

 

I had a guy wanted to trade me a 325i BMW for it..I said "No way".. even though it was worth more...in $$$$ anyway..

 

If given the chance to have any new car for $30,000 or cash to do whatever to mine...I would take the cash.

 

I spent many 3:00am nights working on that car and have become attached.. you can't put a price tag on that...

 

Unless you are filthly rich , then I might be persuaded..

[pparaska]

Mike (ON3GO), is that SS really beating Vipers? So what if it is, a strong V8 in a Z with sticky tires will do that too. Plus you'll be in style.

Don't give up. I love to hear it when you young guys (sorry, I'm 40 ) are into the old Z. It shows that the dare-to-be-different attitude still exists, and the appreciation for great styling is timeless.

 

Funny, the guys that dig my Z when I have it out are the older guys (30 - 70+) that have Street Rods, 32 high boys, 60s and 70s muscle cars, etc. They know it's Japanese in body shell origin, but that it's just another street rod.

Call it Pro Touring, that's fine too. The guys at the local Dunkin Donuts Sunday morning cruise-in with the cars mentioned above welcome me and my Z with open arms and are always interested and complimentary to it.

 

I had a strange thing happen the other day. I was parked out in a shopping center lot a bit, so you could see the car from the far end of the lot. I was coming out of the store and saw this high-dollar Lexus near the car, kind of at an angle and noticed the occupants checking out the Z. As I got up to the car, I notice that the car had a guy in a suit in his 60s or 70s driving, his very classy younger looking wife in the passenger seat and a 30s or 40s classy woman in the back seat. They were really digging the Z, asked what it was (no emblems ) and complimented the car highly. This bunch could have easily drove back to a huge mansion they probably live in.

 

The appeal of the old Z car shape is universal - it's timeless beauty, on par with the GTO 250, Daytona Ferarri and Shelby Coupe, E-type, etc.

 

The fact that they are a rare sight makes them that much more of an eye catcher!

[Guest JAMIE T]

Well spoken. I get razzed at the shop I do work for becuase of my Z28. They are all import guys, and think American cars are for Mullet hair wearing rednecks. Then, I have this beater Z that they just love. One guy keeps asking me when I'm gonna sell him that little shitbox. I get respect from them though becuase the Z28 makes more hp than 2 of there cars. When I get the turbo Z going they better pay attention, cuase the they are gonna get schooled==== Old Schooled!

[Guest livewire23]

just had to stop to compliment you on a great story. Very well told. I hope to someday have that same feeling about something I built. Occasionally people compliment my car, but right now its just something that I bought, similar to thousands of other cars on the road. Great story, good luck with the car.