Jump to content

Hello From California, Early S30 Restore


Recommended Posts

After selling my 73 240z (owned for 10 years, still stings thinking about it) last year, I happened upon a dream car.

 

It has a long road to recovery, but I'm the proud owner of vin 00931, a 69 Fairlady Z. It's a rolling shell at the moment but I'm assembling parts to bring it back to life. Being that I'm over in California, certain parts are quite difficult to come by. I'm going for NOS mixed with quality Japanese aftermarket components.

 

Here is my old Z a little before selling it:

 

post-105717-0-98040900-1488919602_thumb.jpg

 

And the 69:

 

post-105717-0-14760400-1488919634_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My understanding is cars with vins below I believe 980 are considered 69s.

 

It does have an L20A, the original carbs also came with it.

 

The car lived for a longtime in the Pacific Northwest. It hasn't been on the road since the early 00s. I'll be reaching out to the previous owners as I can to find out more about the car's history, I'd really love to track down the dealership paperwork when the car first sold.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The car lived for a longtime in the Pacific Northwest. It hasn't been on the road since the early 00s. I'll be reaching out to the previous owners as I can to find out more about the car's history, I'd really love to track down the dealership paperwork when the car first sold.

 

The first sale of the car 'as new' would have been in Japan, so you're unlikely to find any dealership paperwork if it's not already with the car. I think you'll very likely find it was brought to the USA from Japan some years later, very possibly by a US serviceman who had been stationed in Japan.

 

Similar situation to my 1970 Fairlady Z-L, which was brought from Japan to United Kingdom (via USA) by a USAF pilot on an exchange program with RAF. He left it here when he when he eventually got posted back to the USA.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This car is registerd on the Z home site by a previous owner: http://www.zhome.com/IZCC/ZRegisters/fairlady.htm

 

VIN:S30 00931 

Model Year:1969
Color Body /Int:Orange / Black
Orig.Eng.Number: L20 410
Owner:Mike Vistan
City/State/Cntry:San Jose, CA
IZCC Member#:
Comments:
e-mail:Mikevistan@gmail.com
Date Registered: 11 Nov. 2012

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Amazing you are able to get that paperwork. Do they keep records that far back in a government department?

 

What kind of info can you obtain?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 months later...

After all these years someone finally posts an update on this car!

 

I'm surprised Mike sold it. Can you post more pictures of its current condition? From that photo it looks like Mike didn't work on it at all since buying it from me in 2012. He told me he would start a thread on Hybridz but I never could find one.

 

Also, my website hasn't been updated in years as well.

http://www.bleachgarage.com/fairladyz.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Administrators

Hey Bleach, I recall your posts on Classiczcars.com years ago. Surprised you sold it! haha.

 

It looks like you sorted most of the rust issues.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bleach! What's up man. I was in the process of reaching out to you through contact info Mike provided me. I'd love to chat with you one of these days about the car, what your plans were and share with you what I'm thinking of doing to it. In general I'm looking for a stock restoration with some choice upgrades here and there. Sourcing some neat parts from Japan recently.

 

I'll post up some more detailed photos in a bit. I think Mike was getting prepared to get the car back together but sadly it didn't work out. I'm in the process of dismantling the suspension for an overhaul and getting some components ready for painting.

 

Had some family stuff to take care of recently, but I'm planning out the next couple months for the car and really hope to have to on the road by next year at the latest. Wishful thinking perhaps.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 10 months later...

DOM! Keep working on the Z and keep us updated here. If you want to connect with me, just send a private message. I can give you my email or phone number to chat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that's downright eerie. I was literally thinking about reaching out to you this morning when I caught a glimpse of the Z in the garage. Went to a show over the weekend and saw another Fairlady. Yup, it's time to get off my butt and make this thing happen. I'll PM you, I have some questions and want to share my ideas for the car. Thanks for pinging me and helping me realize I need to stop wasting time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...
On 3/9/2017 at 7:07 AM, dom said:

The car lived for a longtime in the Pacific Northwest. It hasn't been on the road since the early 00s. I'll be reaching out to the previous owners as I can to find out more about the car's history, I'd really love to track down the dealership paperwork when the car first sold.

I purchased it in 2001 and in that year it had already been parked off the road. I think the last license tabs on it were from 1996. It could have been as far back as 1995 that it was last driving.

The guy who had it in the 1990's was possibly the 2nd USA owner. He had a Washington title in his name with the car listed as a 1970 Nissan coupe. That is the year, make, and model written in by the DMV when the unknown Navy guy brought it over in the 80's. If the California title says 1969 now, then it would be Mike who pushed for the year to be changed after purchasing it from me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been a long while since I've posted anything in this thread, but happily I have progress to share. The car is 99% out of metalwork, just about every panel save the roof has had some (or a lot) of attention. Wrapping up a few more details and then it will soon head into paint.

imagejpeg_0 copy.jpg

20200121_173754.jpg

20200212_070001.jpg

imagejpeg_0 copy 2.jpg

imagejpeg_0-2.jpg

imagejpeg_0.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Alan, is there anything I should be concerned about? I’ve noticed other cars don’t have those exposed sections on the top (in your red boxes) is this something unique to earlier cars, or does it need to be corrected?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, dom said:

Thanks Alan, is there anything I should be concerned about? I’ve noticed other cars don’t have those exposed sections on the top (in your red boxes) is this something unique to earlier cars, or does it need to be corrected?

You appear to have two screen washer bottle mounts, so I'm *guessing* that - at least - the bodyshell might have received a new LH inner fender/wing panel for an LHD car? On an RHD car, the screen washer bottle mount is usually on the RH side only.

I see other surgery on the bodyshell (like the extended floor support channels) so not surprising if it has received some donor panels. The extra 'tits on a bull' washer bottle mount could easily be removed.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, HS30-H said:

The extra 'tits on a bull' washer bottle mount could easily be removed.

Ha, great catch, you described it exactly. The top left wing panel was pretty rotted out, don’t know how I didn’t catch the washer bottle mount.

I’m going to see the car in person tomorrow morning, if it’s ok with you I would love to get your eyes on some details before it gets primer applied. I have so many questions/details to figure out, I’m doing my reading but I hope I won’t be a bother asking some questions here pretty soon.

As always Alan, your insight and knowledge is unequaled, thank you for catching what could have been an expensive headache.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Forgot to note the floor support channels as well, the floors and channels on it were in exceptionally bad shape, probably the worst (save perhaps the rear passenger quarter) and so I thought it wise to extend them and add some extra strength.

The only body modification of note is I removed the battery tray as it was completely rotted. I’m planning on relocating the battery and so that made the decision a little easier.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With the extended floor rails as they are you will not be able to mount the rear anti roll bar in its original position. You can either modify what’s been done or simply run a rear mount bar. 
 

Jeff

1DB8F909-17A4-4A37-B9C4-1F726E6B37B2.jpeg

this is what I did. 
 

10FB34D1-290A-4050-BAB6-C12F38397880.jpeg

Edited by CBR Jeff
Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, CBR Jeff said:

this is what I did. 

Another save, forgot that I was planning to run a Nismo bar in the rear and this would cause me issues. I’ll bring it up to the shop when I see the car, is that lower plate under the bar for reinforcing where the mounts connect?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...