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1974 260z - Would you consider this car?


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I've been looking, off-and-on, for a restoration project for a while. The car below is located approximately 4 hours from me and appears to be straight. The rust, however, is somewhat of an unknown (beyond the pics) as the seller doesn't seem to know much about the extent of the damage. Asking price is $500. Based on this information and the pics below, is this something that might be worthy of an 7-8 hr round trip? Any tell-tell signs that you can see from the pics?

 

Thanks!

|dg

 

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Well almost any Z is worth $500 just for parts but depending on your skills, time, money etc. If you can weld and are ready to do a lot of work or have lots of money to pay someone else. That rust seems pretty major, not on the panels but floor/frame etc. If you want something to drive right away I would find something better.

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If you have the time and skills to repair rust or the money to pay someone else to fix it, then yes, I would consider it for a track car or stripped out street car. The rust doesn't look bad, and I can't see any on the body, but that interior is completely trashed. Check the floorboards and the rest of the underside for rust. If they are completely rusted out, I'd pass on it.

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Thanks all for the input. I'm good with mechanical and interior stuff, but body work/welding I'd certainly have to have someone else do. I'm looking at another car late this afternoon that's a bit more local. I think I'll put this one on the back burner for now.

 

Dave

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BTW that is NOT a 74 260Z, unless they swapped on the 77-78 Bumpers. [Highly unlikely]

 

Ask him to see what the motor is, the Engine stamp is on the 'spark plug side' of the block, right below the head on cyl #6.

 

That car looks really really rusty. It might be useful for parts [cool spoiler :)] if the motor turns over, but it being several hours away would be a deal breaker for me.

 

If this is your first Z and you want it as a project car I'd look elsewhere.

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Well from the looks in the pictures it had sat quite a while in tall grass and If its from Atlanta that thing could have major problems underneath. If it was sitting like that in the grass and with the flat tires it would have been lower to the ground.

 

I would say if you just wanted to take all the parts and trash the body, go for it. Otherwise if you were going to try and restore it, it's just junk and possibly would not be worth the money you spend fixing it depending on the rust and damage.

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I looked at another car yesterday, several actually, and they were all rust buckets. My dreams of a great barn find are quickly dwindling! :shifty: I've decided that the best thing for me to do is spend a bit more on the most rust-free car I can find. Interior and engine/mechanical will be secondary concerns.

 

Re the pics above, I guess I was having trouble differentiating the degree of surface rust, like the hood and roof for example, since the car is red. But Edward put it in perspective...how much more eat up will those areas prone to rust be if the surface is showing rust.

 

I just need more patience :mrgreen:

 

Dave

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By the pics you can tell that car has sat in water above the floor pans many times (settled grass on floor pic and mud marks on flat tires) that means that the rails and floor pans are probably very rusted plus the humidity inside will take care of everything else above the floors like the hatch area. Even as a parts car is iffy, I'd say $150-200 if you need an engine/tranny.

Rust rust rust: is the major problem and most and labor intensive restoration task in these cars, the mechanicals were designed and built to last forever.

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It's such a subjective question. Depending on your budget, time and resources the car may very well be worth it.

 

But if this is your first S30 then i'd say pass. Z's have a tendency to show rust in the weirdest nooks and crannies that you'd least expect even when they're MINT on the outside. The fact that this car is that rough in appearance to begin with hints at a nightmare once you start getting into the meat and potatos.

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