Andrew's 1972 240

[d3c0y]

There is nothing in the list here that most zed owners haven't had to tackle at some point.

 

 

You will obviously need jack stands and a trolly jack for working underneath the car and a crawler is going to make life easier too. You will want a good set of 3/8th sockets, a half inch breaker bar and some sockets as a starting point. Generally when i do a task myself i justify buying the appropriate tools by not paying for someone's labor. The correct tool makes jobs sooo much easier so don't hold out. Don't buy cheap tools because they will cause you more pain in rounded bolts etc. The top level SCA brand stuff is pretty good these days.

 

 

 

You left off the conversion to a 5 speed manual as well. From memory you car is an auto and you want to ditch that ASAP.

Auto cars also have a tall ratio ditch which isn't much fun, so you could just look for a 3.9 ratio unit to replace it with.

 

 

There is a company called MCA (Murray Coote Automotive) on the sunshine coast in QLD that are doing me a custom coilover setup for around $2500, so basically the same as the TTT stuff but a superior design in my opinion. All you need to do is ship them a set of struts and they will send you back bolt on coilovers. Alternatively you can just get a set of koni adjustable inserts and lowered king springs for under $1000 and fit them. Again easy stuff and tons of info on the forum about which ones to buy and how to set them up.

 

 

In my opinion buy the ebay bushes and then just replace whatever doesn't fit. It is such a cheap way to buy them compared to going to repco and getting a whole nolethane kit or similar.

 

 

Booster and lines you seem to have that pretty sorted, maybe just get a second hand one off a member here to get your car going and then got your original one reco'd? Just buy a new master cylinder off ebay, job done.

 

 

You are on the right track with the exhaust, just get some headers off here for cheap and get an exhaust shop to make you an exhaust.

 

 

With the electrical stuff there is lots of info out there on how to fix common problems, there is even a thread about headlights not working on here at the moment. Give it a crack before you call an auto elec and save yourself some money. Could be something very easy.

 

 

 

 

[Cozza]

Yep $9k is a big single outlay for a roadworthy in my opinion, unless it was rusty. It might be worth talking with another mechanic for a second opinion on what needs replacing for roadworthy.

 

I also agree with what others have suggested, and try and tackle some of the issues on your own. With a workshop manual, a bit of common sense and good advice from your fellow Z team here, I think you will find the Z to be a simple enough car to repair much of your list on your own.

 

But, the one comment above that I agree with more than anything is this.

 

- get your house first... Will be smartest, cheapest and best option. You have done the hard work and secured a tidy z... The build costs are endless, especially if your not 100% on the avenue you want to take and are unable to do a lot yourself...  Get your place witht the mrs (with a shed or DLUG), do some research as to what style/them your car is going to be and then go for it!!!

 

Project cars of this nature can be unpredictably expensive. Get the house first and tinker with your car in the background.

 

Good luck with what ever you decide

Mick

[Riceburner]

I'd ask for much more detail on the list and then if you're no clearer get a second opinion.

 

If the brake booster, brake master and all brake lines are faulty how can you tell which item/items need replacing? Same goes with the bushes, which ones? I couldn't tell my factory moustache bar bushes were gone until the bar was removed from the car. Even then they weren't completely stuffed, same with the control arm suspension bushes. The Engine, Gearbox and front diff mounts I'd expect to be replaced.

 

Struts or shocks? Pedders do some cheap ones but they're garbage. KYB GR2 should be good, you'll be able to do these yourself with minimal tools and help. Spring compressors will be required and the Haynes manual. The strut housings should be fine.

 

Steering rack, I'd expect bushes only. Unless he's meaning tie rods, ball joints? Again, more detail.

 

Diff, is it the seals or just the breather? Give it a good steam/pressure clean and it should be passable for the inspection.

 

Exhaust, get a new mild steel system done at a recommended exhaust shop. $300 from the headers back?

 

Electrics, get a new ignition barrel from ebay, plug and play.

 

$9K for 9 items, seems very expensive but the devil is in the detail. When he says parts or seals need to be replaced which ones and how many. Is it one or all of them?

[andyk_79]

OK so I went through the the full detail of the quote (provided in writing on Friday night), took a breather and stopped and thought about what I want out of the car.  It really did come down to wanting something that is old schoolish in terms of look and build.

 

So:

 

- Am going to take on a lot of the list myself.  About the only thing I have completely ruled out is the steering rack needing a rebuild.  Judging by the other threads some of you already know that inner tie rods for these things just don't exist any more.  Mechanic has a guy lined up that will machine up the inner tie rods etc and rebuild the rack for $450 - I can deal with that.

 

- The prices he got on bushes seem quite high.  I've ordered what I can tonight.  Think that will save me a few hundred based on the quote.  Can't believe the difference in prices between bushes from Australian suppliers vs what you can get from overseas.  Even if a couple don't fit and I have to chuck them out I'm still well ahead.

 

- have ordered a remanufactured booster and master - saved about 3 hundred in supply cost there.  Will also then potentially get a rebuild kit to have a go at reconditioning my current one as a spare but that is low priority

 

- Brake hoses - went for the HEL braideds (in black so that they look OEM).  Saved $180 there over the supply cost in the quote

 

- Since the shocks are gone I went back to my old school build plan and have ordered a set of Tokico Illuminas and a set of King Lows.  The shocks delivered from the USA I'm paying roughly the same price as what the supply cost in the quote.  Even though I'll probably never adjust the damping rate I wanted to get sometihng that lowering will not void a warranty.  Considered the KYB GR2s as an even cheaper option (or the Tokico Blues as well) but whilst I'm sure they're a great unit I was put off that they're only really meant for stock ride height.  I looked again at Coilovers but common sense won out in terms of that is outside of my plan for the car and it is also another $1000 or so on top.  When I looked at the price of Konis I figured it was getting up into coilover territory anyway.

 

- Radiator and heater hoses - ordered tonight as well.  again well below the supply cost in the quote....... and seriously if I can't change them over myself there is something very wrong with me !!!!!!

 

So - have saved 1 to 2 grand in parts costs all up, as well as looking to cut over a grand in labour costs.

[PB260Z]

Hey Andy

 

Giving it a go yourself is the answer - The best way to learn is to try and we all started somewhere.

If you get stuck drop me a PM and I will find some time to drop over one weekend and give you a hand.

 

 

Cheers

 

PB

 

PS: won't be back in Sydney until the end of July though, on Holidays 

[andyk_79]

Thanks for the offer - much appreciated!!

[PB260Z]

Thanks for the offer - much appreciated!!

 

No Worries, any excuse to get out of the house and work on a Z 

[andyk_79]

The parts have started rolling in - the postie has a laugh with my wife because he's dropping off a package every day.  Reckon the local DHL driver will know her by sight soon as well with the stuff from the US!

 

Hmmm as I typed the first sentence I couldn't help thinking of the old cliche about the postie "dropping off a package" and bored/lonely housewives.............. 

[Yo-Yo]

Hey Andy, good luck with your project mate! I'm in western syd as well so if you ever need a hand with anything let me know

 

Just FYI in future, I emailed the Techno Tuning guys & they said that their full coilover conversion kit will bolt straight up to the factory strut towers no welding required, they do sell a weld on kit for cheaper but I'll be getting the full bolt-on kit once I get my tax return sorted.

 

Looking forward to seeing the progress. I'm in the process of getting my car rego'd too, just need to sort out my booster & the workshop will sign off on my blueslip. With a bit of luck should be done within a week or two (fingers crossed)

[andyk_79]

I've been watching your thread Yo-Yo.  I will admit to some jealousy watching your posts about it nearly being ready for rego - I've got parts that I need that won't be coming till late July !!  Labour of love I guess !

 

Ditto if you need a hand too.

[andyk_79]

So apparently Tokico Illuminas are on "extended backorder".  Nice of the folks I bought them off in early July to tell me NOW, and then it was after chasing them up a couple of times to find out what is going on.  It's the pivotal part in terms of getting the rego work done, as there is no point doing all the bushes, steering etc until the shocks are here I figure!

 

The supplier has offered me a refund which I think I'll take.  I think I'll bite the bullet and spend the extra dollars to get the Koni yellows.  Anyone have any suggestions on a reliable supplier for these?  Also do I have to order the spacers for the rear separately?  Actually are the spacers even needed when using lowering springs - I think I saw somewhere that they are needed unless you shorten the strut (not planning to at this stage)

 

On the plus side the Fujitsubo full exhaust and headers is being delivered today and I intend to post gratuitous exhaust porn once I can take photos of them.  Gotta say Jesse Streeter provides an awesome service since it was only the 25th of July I asked him to get me prices on the kit.

[shaun240]

Hi Andy,

 

Enjoying your thread and build - keep it up!

 

I purchased a set of koni yellows about 2 months ago from Ground Control in the US. They were by far the cheapest i could find (shipping incl) following weeks of searching both here in AUS and abroad.

 

In terms of spacers - I can't help you there as I purchased the coilover kit at the same time so not sure if the spacers came with the kit or koni's but if you ask I'm sure they will include for free. Delivery took about 7 days.

 

I dealt with a guy named Trevor (details below)

 

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/index.php

trevor@ground-control.com

 

Hope this helps.

 

[adam]

Everything the fella above me has said, including the contact at ground control. Trevor was awesome to deal with.

 

As for spacers, you will need it even with lowering springs. The lower you go or the more you section off your struts, the smaller spacer you will require.

 

Since I modified my own struts, I made my own spacers to suit out of a steel tube.

 

You can read up on how to convert your struts to coilovers if you're interested in going down that path on my blog.

 

[andyk_79]

As promised........

 

For some reason the couriers are delivering headers Monday but I'm still smiling.

 

Think I'll spoon these in the garage tonight intead of with the wife 

[sydney mike]

Wow that's gorgeous, don't blame you for the impure thoughts! 

 

Look forward to hearing them too!

 

congrats.

[PB260Z]

Very Very nice.

Especially love that 432 style tail pipe arrangement

[Yo-Yo]

looking good mate, the fuji definitely won't disappoint, that's top quality stuff there

 

Sorry to hear about the setback with the struts, good luck getting them sorted.

 

Once she's road-ready let's go on a cruise up the mountains! haha

The night I got rego I took my car out for a spin up springwood road to the hawkesbury lookout, there's a nice stretch of bendy bits heading up the mountain 

[andyk_79]

Ha ha sounds like a plan!

[MaygZ]

Think I'll spoon these in the garage tonight intead of with the wife 

 

Why do you spoon your wife in the garage?

[Yo-Yo]

Why do you spoon your wife in the garage?

What, you've never spooned with your missus in the garage before?.. Don't knock it til you try it hehehe  :P

[vorn70]

Good to see your having a go Andy. You will enjoy the challenge and save money. Make sure you don't spend the house deposit. Very very nice exhaust. You have a good  straight car with some hard work and a bit if head scratching you will get there in the end. Keep us all updated and have a good search if you have a question because you always come across some good tips that you weren't looking for. Good luck mate.  Vaughn

[gav240z]

Funny I never fully appreciated good welds until I had a go myself. Those welds on that exhaust are perfect. Looks like a top quality unit.

[PB260Z]

Funny I never fully appreciated good welds until I had a go myself.

 

To true, was thinking the same myself 

[andyk_79]

Make sure you don't spend the house deposit

 

Yep - keeping a rein on the spend.  We've also now sold a car and have decided to cut our losses and sell our house we built in Melbourne when we were living down there.  Will give us a clean slate and should accelerate the process a bit !!

[andyk_79]

And the headers have arrived too. Should make it easier to fit the exhaust with the twins all lining up.