RaDeuX Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 So there's a guy that fortunately lives like 3 miles away from me with a decent deal on a Z. The paint is iffy, but I'm pretty sure I could temporarily put a couple layers of paint on it somehow. Here's the link: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/914800030.html I'll post back here again when I get enough details and pictures on whether I should purchase this Z. So excited~ Yayee-yay~ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Hmm... I think that's the car I've been trying to get my friend to buy forever. Did you buy it, or plan to? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 This is the first Z I've ever actually taken a close look at... The guy that's selling this Z needs to let it go, and he hasn't registered it since 2003 so he's willing to let it go for 2000 dollars. I don't know how to drive manual yet, so he took it for a spin around the block (nothing further since the carburetors need adjustments or something) The Z's rust is pretty minimal compared to a lot of other Z's out there. The passenger side floor is rusted through, so I suppose that will need a welding job. Well now that I got a lot of pictures posted, here are the problems that the guy pointed out: -The car has not been driven for 5 years so it's "stone-cold" -Radiator hoses need to be clamped down (hence the strange orange liquid dripping from the front -Carburetors need to be set correctly (never dealt with carburetors, so I have no idea how to do that) -Headlights and windshield wipers turn on and off by itself because of the "stock"? -The car runs so rich that my eyes got red from the smoke and I can smell the fuel inside the car as well (probably not very good for my health) -Rear left shock is really soft so it needs replacement -Rear bumper is rusted through (I was recommended to go find another Z and take its rear bumper off and replace it with that) I think that's about what me and my friend found out about the Z. I pretty much have enough time on my hands to work on a Z, but there are two huge issues. 1.) I can only use the garage during the daytime when my parents aren't around, meaning I can't let the car stay overnight unless I really have to. 2.) I don't have money just yet. I'm going to sell my Integra which should be worth at least 4000 dollars. Soooooo... What do you guys think? Is this fixable for a novice like me? (I'm willing to learn) Is 2000 dollars worth it for this Z? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 Hmm... I think that's the car I've been trying to get my friend to buy forever. Did you buy it, or plan to? Planning to. I don't have the money just yet, so I have a few plans just to get some cash before December 3rd when the owner is leaving for Kentucky due to family matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 15, 2008 Share Posted November 15, 2008 Headlights and windshield wipers turn on and off by itself because of the "stock"?Probably because of the stalk on the steering column. Not sure why they would go on and off by themselves though...Soooooo... What do you guys think? Is this fixable for a novice like me? (I'm willing to learn) Is 2000 dollars worth it for this Z?Not sure that I'd pay 2000 for it, but I don't think it's a bad deal, per se. Wait for someone else to chime in, since I still consider myself a noob, especially in the buying department. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 15, 2008 Author Share Posted November 15, 2008 I appreciate your input. The Z will definitely be a lot of work, but compared to a lot of other 240Zs it's not looking too bad. It has a rebuilt L28 engine that's really torque-y but the owner wouldn't rev over 3000 RPM since it hasn't been started for 5 years plus the carburetor settings are off. He told me you need special parts to tune it, but how much do those tools cost anyway? Oh, and decent shocks would be pretty expensive too... Ohhhhh. My friend was going to test drive it, but the car ran out of gas so all we really know is that the clutch reach is very short. He said it felt weird and twisted but maybe it's because the car is 35 years old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue72 Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 Usually one of the first adjustments done to the carbs is to synchronize the airflow on both front and back to the same reading. There are a couple of styles of tools for that job. MSA and a few other stores have them in stock. There are quite a few sites on the net that explain how SU carbs work and how to adjust them. A few books too. You might be able to beat him down a bit on the price using the rusted through floor as your leverage point. Unless you are familiar with welding and basic metal work (and have access to the equipment) then you'll be paying someone to patch or repair that floorboard in the future. If you can get the price lowered then you'll have some leftover money for the thing's that'll need replacing right away. Good rule of thumb is to take the budget you have in mind and then double it. It may or may not need other tune-up bits and pieces to get it running reliably and you'd be surprised how fast the little things add up. Then there's insurance, registration, etc... It looks like a good base, as long as there isn't too much other hidden rust. At least you've already got the L28 and round top SU's in your favor too. Just a few custom touches that not everyone would like. Keep us updated if you do buy it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darom Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 You asked for a piece of advice, so here it goes: I wouldn't recommend buying this car right at the moment due to your financial situation and the whole 'garage' arrangement with your parents. You are young, going to school/job etc., you need a reliable car. Selling your Integra and having the Z road-worthy fast won't happen. Getting parts might take weeks. You will need garage space to have your car jacked up, unless you can leave it sitting outside? Do you have welding equipment or a friend who will weld patch your floor panels? Is there a junk yard nearby where you can pick up some parts? MSA, Black dragon resellers aren't cheap. Did you check with DMV on 5 years of debt in registration fees? How much would it cost to re-register the car? Did the PO at least pay the non-op fees? Save your $2k now and buy a nice running, painted Z for $5-6k. You will actually save some money in the long run Good luck with your decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 16, 2008 Author Share Posted November 16, 2008 I talked to a friend of mine who's fairly knowledgeable with cars. He told to buy the Z no higher than 1200 bucks. Underneath the paint there is some rust, and the light blue stuff is hiding the rust as well. The fumes are probably coming from underneath the passenger seat rusted-through holes. The engine was rebuilt by some John Doe, so there are no documentations on the rebuild. No receipts. Nothing. There could be a chance that there is something wrong with the engine (I mean there was so much smoke it made the surrounding 10 feet radius smoggy) I'm going to think this one through. I got time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Half-Azn_Ninja Posted November 16, 2008 Share Posted November 16, 2008 haha, i was looking at that car too. i never went to see it though so i only saw the craigslist pics. i wouldnt buy that car for 2k, theres a lot of work that needs to be done for $2000 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Okay, I looked at two Zs today. The first one was a POS Z that has doors that won't close, broken passenger-side window, brakes/sidebrake that doesn't work, carburetors need to be timed correctly, etc. He wanted 2800 as it is. The link for that car is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/914054971.html The second one was a much better condition Z for a lower price. The only problems is the rust in the battery tray and the floorpanels, and the cloth on top is held by tape but all in all it looks like a decent Z. I feel lucky that a good running Z is being sold for this price and that it's close to me. I'm just afraid that someone will buy it before I get the money for it. The link for that Z is here: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/cto/912622756.html I'm going to post both Z's pictures although I'm not going to buy the black one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue72 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 The interior vinyl isn't bad pricewise, but paying someone to do metal work is. That orange one looks much better from the outside, but if the bottom is rusted through you might be in for a long haul project. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Pictures of the Z that I'm probably not going to get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Pictures of the better looking Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 The interior vinyl isn't bad pricewise, but paying someone to do metal work is. That orange one looks much better from the outside, but if the bottom is rusted through you might be in for a long haul project. The rust on the orange one is not as bad as I make it sound. There are a few holes here and there, nothing major. I'm not sure why, but I can always smell the fumes coming from the 240Z no matter which one it is. Is it coming from under the floorpanel holes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rturbo 930 Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 The rust on the orange one is not as bad as I make it sound. There are a few holes here and there, nothing major. I'm not sure why, but I can always smell the fumes coming from the 240Z no matter which one it is. Is it coming from under the floorpanel holes? The gas fumes issue is common among Z cars. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaDeuX Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 The gas fumes issue is common among Z cars. Is it somewhat fixable? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daeron Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 that orange one is tits, go for it. Something about an orange 72... they're damn good cars, you won't regret it. I was afraid when you were talking about the rust, but the pictures don't look so horrible. Try and talk him down to 1900-2K on it, work the shabby paint, those pinstripe things on the side dont look like theyre in the BEST of shape so exagerrate that and say youd really need to have them either replaced or pulled and that means paint... make the car sound like crap and see if he'll take 1900.. but I like that car for that price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitechocolatelove Posted November 21, 2008 Share Posted November 21, 2008 the orange one hands down. all around decent shape. and with the money you DONT have to spend on the body or interior you can use to put your own personal touch to something such as performance parts and such!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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