powershotnt Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 Is it going to be a show car or a driver? Thats what you have to ask your self. show car!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 This can be tricky, but, "right" is relative. You find a r-200 with less then 100k on it you are more likely right in buying it and just cleaning it up. Reason? Incredibly well built! Now if you rebuild it, you may not get everything as well done as the factory did. You end up spending much more and may not have as much success. The r200 is a fantastic rear end, this is well known! If it were not, then rebuild, and your odds would be better for longevity. This could be considered "wisdom" witch trumps "right". This is not meant as a flame, rather a pause for consideration. Also getting a part from someone you trust, doing a light over view without much disruption to it, using it, then replacing the failed part (when and if) allows you to spend your money on what was necessary. While in the part, do research on what else is known to fail. You see, to be a really perfectionist, you understand about metal fatigue, so really you would have to build the car out of the finest materials known to man (every bolt and screw, everything, for it all has ware), have everything quadruple checked, including third party quality control, maybe NASA, to insure your car will be "perfect". Just remeber, it is up to you to decide to draw the line, since true perfection is inpossible for us to achive. Note: Ever wonder why their is no "best" allow at this site? I love your reasoning..thank you..very good point..so how much would it be for the original zx metal presses shipped from japan?...i know..smart alec..but your point is very well taken!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 23, 2009 Author Share Posted November 23, 2009 Lowcarbz is sooooo right. If you are fruggle and want the challenge of finding good used parts...Im confident you can get away with less than you think. It will take time and effort and the car wont be perfect....but damn good! On the otherhand...if your wallet is deep and a "perfect" restoration trailer Z is desired....perhaps $40K+ is possible, depending what platform you start with. Actually the car shows in seaside oregon and long beach washington it will be trailered..within 20 miles the local ones I will drive to. Like i said this forum got me in contact with a member who has a neighbor who has a rolling chasis for$100..missing 1 tail light. If it is rusty I'm sure there are a ton of parts I can get off of it..I plan to strip it down and sell the stripped probably rusted shell to my buddy's recycling yard..if not rusty will do that with mine then. Oh I will be getting a set of rear tires for it on spare wheels and taking it to portland international raceway for the saturday night street drags just to see how it does when done..of course it will be trailered there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerryb Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Oh I will be getting a set of rear tires for it on spare wheels and taking it to portland international raceway for the saturday night street drags just to see how it does when done..of course it will be trailered there. Dont you think it will be more fun driving it there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnc Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Parts are the least of your concerns when doing a restoration. Most of then already come with the car so your purchased parts expenses should be about 25% of your total restoration costs. Stripping the car down, putting it on a rotisserie and getting it media blasted will set you back $1,500 to $2,500. From this point, you can now evaluate the work that needs to be done. Getting the chassis clean with no bondo, rust free, and all the body panels straight will be your biggest expense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1ghtymaxXx Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Holy crap, I love my car as much as anyone else, but for 30k I think I'd could fall in love with another newer car requiring less work. You can put 30k into an s130, but think about how much it will be worth in the end. I'm assuming you're going for a "concourse" style restoration. Perhaps you're better off doing more of a resto-mod and coming out with something more unique. Save all your old parts and leaving the possibility to return it to stock down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHADY280 Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 also another expense is if you do the work yourself. labour is stupid expensive. i did a complete down to metal resto on my car, replaced a buch of panels, at least the ones available. i spent 5000 on my motor, and about 5000 on the rest. the car is a nice one, but no show car as i dd it everywhere, incuding a 5000km round trip to msa!! as for my r200, it has 200,000 km on it, and still has never been apart, just the cover to check it, and a fluid change. why mess with something that is fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Parts are the least of your concerns when doing a restoration. Most of then already come with the car so your purchased parts expenses should be about 25% of your total restoration costs. Stripping the car down, putting it on a rotisserie and getting it media blasted will set you back $1,500 to $2,500. From this point, you can now evaluate the work that needs to be done. Getting the chassis clean with no bondo, rust free, and all the body panels straight will be your biggest expense. yes it will be the most expensive..so far estimates are $500 for undercarriage and floor pan rust repair. and somewhere between $4500 and $5000 for body and paint(custom). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powershotnt Posted November 24, 2009 Author Share Posted November 24, 2009 Holy crap, I love my car as much as anyone else, but for 30k I think I'd could fall in love with another newer car requiring less work. You can put 30k into an s130, but think about how much it will be worth in the end. I'm assuming you're going for a "concourse" style restoration. Perhaps you're better off doing more of a resto-mod and coming out with something more unique. Save all your old parts and leaving the possibility to return it to stock down the road. yes resto mod..the S130 2+2 is not an overly desired car I have found out..so I have to make mine unique. This forum has given me more i deas than i could have ever dreamed of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenJammin Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 I'm into my '72 240Z about $12k so far and it's still stripped and on furniture dollies. I want this car to be the best I can make it, so I'm taking my time, collecting choice parts and horsetrading to reduce costs. Being rushed and/or going cheap never makes me happy. Also, I am here and talking to other Z owners constantly picking up ideas and finding out what works and what doesn't so I don't go down dead ends and waste money and energy. But to echo other posters here, you must pick a goal for the vehicle and STICK TO IT! Otherwise, the " while I'm in here's " will nickel and dime you to death. Unfortunately, I know that from experience Lastly, imho there is nothing logical about restoring a Z, it has to be an act of love ( or lust ) ! From what I've seen, one will rarely get their investment back out of them, i.e., old Z's don't bring $30K+ at Barrett Jackson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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