240z

[thamlin000]

I'm going to go check out a 70 240Z tomorrow. It's a really good price. If I like it, I'm going to buy it. It'll be a 2nd/fun/auto-x car to supplement my daily driven 944. I'd rather get a 914, but this Z is really cheap.

Anything I should look out for? Any good Z web forums? Anyone have any thoughts on the Z cars?

[Rot 911]

The Z cars were and still are great cars. I had a 72Z. The biggest bugaboo is rust. Especially above the front wheel wells. This is a unibody car and the metal was especially thin. The "box" frame of the unibody extended up into the wheel well and easily rusts out. The cost of repair is much more than the car is worth. On the plus side, parts are fairly cheap and readily available. Victoria British carries most of them. I use them of my british cars and they have great parts catalogs. You can find them here: http://www.victoriabritish.com

[Rob McKibbon]

Had a 72/73 240Z back in the '70's too;

Dito on the rust problem ... right at the bottom of the front fenders, just behind the wheel well...... check it out! There is very little metal there to hold the fender and when it rusts, look out?

Cheap? Every so often I see them here for $5K "Canadian", and they look like they're in good shape. Nice toy car, the rawest of the Z series by Nissan. Mine had a straight six, aluminum block with dual weber carbs and 3/4 race cam, was a beauty to drive, did 130Mph.

Mine eventually rusted too. Eventually the fenders let go of the frame and would flap in the wind. Not good. I was very young - 20's; and drilled to holes just high enough to get into some good metal and then attached a bungie cord from fender to fender to hold them tight against the frame.

Owned the car for about 6 years, mostly a second car, but it was real fun. Good luck!

[MBAtarga]

I owned a 72 from 1980 until about 88. Mine had floorboard rust problems but nowhere else. These cars can be what I would consider "tempermental". One problem area I would report is the manual choke control cable within the console. The mounting design within the plastic console mold is weak, I imagine most have probably been fixed by using an exposed bolt through the console. Don't know about parts availability - sometimes it was difficult even in the late 80's. Oh yeah, if you don't know now, learn how to replace U-joints - there's lots of em.

P.S. - loved the car, still carry a picture of it in my wallet!

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

Several friends of mine in high school had 240's. (One friend even had a 2000 Fairlady roadster, talk about a simple car!) I always liked the Z's. They had power, styling and handling for a cheap price. You could pick them up for less than $1000. With a set of sidedraft Del Orto's and a good cam, you can really get them moving. But they have a huge problem with rust. I remember the rear shock mounts seemed to be a problem, under that wierd vinyl covering, moisture seems to collect and rust the panels.

[thamlin000]

I didn't get to see it today. The owner didn't return my call til 4:00 and since it gets dark around 6:00, that wouldn't give me enough time to thoroughly check the car out. The car is an 1.5 hrs away. So tomorrow I'm meeting with the owner at 2:00.

I'll check out for the rust, guys and thanks Kurt for the website.

Mark-

You're right on, the owner said that the chock cable is broken but he said that it doesn't have any problem starting.

[MBAtarga]

There is also a common feature with 911's - known as a smuggler's box. Unlike the nicknamed box under the 911 hood where the AC evaporator is, the smuggler's box on a 240z is located in the hatchback floor behind each of the seats.

[thamlin000]

The Z has no a/c, heater and radio. No front or rear bumpers and no hatch carpet. It's a lightweight for sure.

[thamlin000]

I saw, I drove it, I loved it! I didn't buy it. But I'll buy it tomorrow! Pictures coming soon.......

[Rot 911]

I can understand the no AC, but no heater?????

[thamlin000]

My heater controls are broken on the 944, it doesn't bother me much. Texas is pretty mild in the winter.

New problem: Car's registration expired in '99. It has been an autocrosser since. Needs parking brake, horn, and seatbelts (duh!) to be inspected and thus, street legal. It drives, brakes and handles great (koni adj) but it need numerous small things (mostly the legal stuff).

I'll keep yall informed, but I can tell this isn't going to be an easy transaction.