Advice on purchase?

[mikedoeslife]

I am presently in talks to acquire the following 1977 260Z for a price in the vicinity of AU10k. I think this is a pretty acceptable price for this car, based on the following positives:

 

Brand new polished Simmons 16inch wheels and new tyres, also comes with 5 original alloys & tyres.

Originally automatic, converted to manual.

New Centre Console, very clean interrior.

New SU Carbies (extra performance and total reliability!!)

Extractors & Exhaust

Straight Body

Negotiable

 

The negatives:

 

"although the paint is in good condition, there a couple of small rust spots (under the doors and on one of the windows).

Also, the gearbox has a worn syncro, so you have to double clutch, or replace syncro rings."

 

 

 

 

The owner has also recently applied a set of Simmons F90s to this car.

 

 

So, a few questions...

 

What sort of price, ballpark, would I be looking at to get the syncros sorted out?

 

How about the rust? Assuming it's the standard rust issues that Zs have had to deal with, can anyone tell me what sort of costs they've personally had to deal with?

 

What's the general performance of this motor like? My experience with Zs is limited to a friend's RB20DET-powered 260z, so I've never been in a Z with the original 2600L motor.

 

I'd like to put an RB20 in it, as I was pretty impressed with that particular Z that my friend owns. Is it worth it? I can acquire an RB20 setup for around $1500, but what else would I need? Would the gearbox need to be upgraded to something from a newer car?

 

Anyway, I hope those questions weren't too vague, and any useful feedback would be massively appreciated!

[Natez]

1. if you go a RB20 you are wasting your time and money, yes the motor is cheap, but to install costs a bundle, and worth the extra cash to spend on a rb25det, as the extra torque.... and power possibiltys with this motor is alot better than the 20...., but to intall details, best to check out www.hybridz.org heaps of info there, basically you need new mounts,200zr sump and pickup, and electrics, and new brakes, ie budget around 8-12k if doing the work yourself.... and if you want it to be done right..

 

2. if it has visible rust, im sure that there will be more somewhere else in the car that you don't know about.... therefore costing more money... cutting the rust out of the car isn't a big $$ spenditure, if the bodywork then respraying that costs the money if you want it done right...

 

3. the original motor will have something of the 80rwkw mark, will be slow by todays sports car standerds, but an engine swap to a mild L28, with some nice cards, will boost it a bit, but won't be a rb25det...

 

my answers are pretty vague as well, but i havn't seen the car to say go for it or not, but it sure does look pretty good in that color.... another thing to realise that it is a 77, thou stil a Z, not as wanted as say a 70-71 240z, so the price should be adjusted for this as well...

[warrenz]

Hi

 

When you say rust under the doors do you mean the door skins or the door frame itself. As an example replacement door skins can be purchased for around $260 each. If it is in the bottom of the door frame there will be more lurking inside. Fixing the rust in the panels is not that expensive but a was said above it is the painting that is expensive.

 

I see it is metallic blue, they will want to spray half the car to match and blend it in. You could easily be looking at over a grand for that.

 

If it has rust there it will be elsewhere.

 

For $10K I would be wanting proof including before and after photos of the restoration job. If you end up with more rust and have to repair it and respray the whole car you are looking at several 000's.

 

Are the carbies the 240Z round tops or the 260Z flat top (boat anchors). Performance will be OK.

 

Good luck with what ever you decide.

 

Cheers

Warren

[warrenz]

Hi

 

Have a look at the classifieds thread as Sulio is selling a 240Z for $8K. Would be a more desirable car in my opinion.

 

Cheers

 

Warren

[lambs]

From the plates this car is in NSW, but your in vic based on your profile. Would you really spend $10K (or thereabouts) on a car you can't inspect for yourself ?? The car looks very good in the photos, but how recently were they taken ?? They appear to show a car with excellent paintwork, which might indicate they were taken not long after a respray, but rust appearing suggests reality might be different.....

 

Cost of gearbox synchros will vary considerably depending on whether it's got a genuine 260Z gearbox (ie close ratio with servo/Porsche synchros) or the more commonly installed wide ratio gearbox from a late 240K/C210 Skyline/280ZX (warner synchros = cheaper).

 

Auto 260Z's from '77 came standard with 3.54 R200 diff, but manuals had 3.7 gears. Doesn't sound like much, but the taller auto diff will knock the edge off acceleration if still fitted.

[NZeder]

Hi

 

Have a look at the classifieds thread as Sulio is selling a 240Z for $8K. Would be a more desirable car in my opinion.

 

Cheers

 

Warren

 

That is good idea but if you purchase this don't RB it. An engine builder sad that they are not that great of engine in NA form you must go turbo for any real power gains = and with all the $$ needed for this why not keep it old old school and put a good L28 in ie (180-200 RWHP).

[Doco]

I took a look at this car this car this morning (see my post about stress fractures) in my opinion, I'd pay about $6500 for it, but no more.

 

It looked nice, and the simmons set it off, but the rust is more exstensive than it sounds. There is rust under the rear passenger side C pillar window, under the doors in the body (skins looked pretty good)

 

I didnt get to drive it, the seller would be about 19 and wasn't too keen on the idea (Im 30!) so I didnt force the issue, if I decide I want it, I'll try to knock him down substantially in price, then test drive it if he bites.

 

The add says it has a new centre console, but its not orignal looking at all, it was some daggy looking upholstered vinyl thing and looked pretty tacky in my opinion.

 

Acceleration felt harsh, even though it had round top carbs, I felt sorry for the diff every time he gassed it. Having said that, it seemd to go well, and had a great exhaust note.

 

He says it's been up for sale for a couple of months, and I'd say it wont sell unless he drops his price to something more realistic. It could be a really nice car with about $6 thrown into it, without touching the engine that it is.

[gav240z]

Hey Doco,

Welcome to our site, you sound like you know what to look for in a Z car and have a reasonable perception on the cars value. I would say $7000 it would still be a good buy, but then again I haven't seen the rust in it.

 

Those hairline cracks on the C-pilar above the 1/4 glass are quite normal. Even a friend of mine's car with a roll cage has them from body flex and it was only painted a couple of years back, There was a discussion about it on www.classiczcars.com a long time ago and some people were trying to come up with a solution but I can't for the life of me remember what it was and if it would even work.

 

I guess anyone wanting to buy should keep in mind that it's a 77 260z and in my opinion less desirable than an early 240z especially series 1.

 

I'd like to see it with the Simmons on it.

 

[Doco]

Cheers Gav

 

My first car 12 years ago was a 260Z (ugly 2+2 though) so there are a few things I know to look for.

 

Out of interest, what makes the '77 less desireable?

 

The car looked alot better in person than in those pics, but yeah $10,500 is way unrealistic, I'd be wanting a pretty clean car for that money, or at least one that had recieved some body restoration.

[sco_aus]

They were built by Nissan rather than Datsun, a fair few parts are different too (believe me ).

[Rod F]

As far as desireability goes, there where less 240's sold than 260's, which makes them rarer. Also, subsequent models gained weight which impacted performance (from a stock point of view). The 2+2 was heavier again.

[warrenz]

Hi Rod,

 

Whilst I am a 240 owner I would like to debate your statement on more 260's than 240's.

 

When it comes to 260Z 2 seaters imported to Autralia there were only about 1200, where as there were about double that number of 240's.

If you add the 3000 odd 2+2's that came here then yes I agree.

 

So from a rarer car point of view the 260 2 seater is the winner, but then original model etc comes into with the 240.

 

Cheers

Warren