My Ride WTFF (Also 1974 260Z 2+2)

[lightmaster240z]

And a nice hair cut to go with the Celica. 

[d3c0y]

Could have had a pretty good 240Z for that money too. That's why everyone will advise you to buy a good condition car that you want from the outset. It's just modifying cars mate.

[gav240z]

-$247 New front crank seal fitted (29/06/2012)

 

 

fudge this, I've had enough. This car has sucked the living blood and soul out of me. I would've had $25000 in the bank by now if I still had my celica.

 

 

For Sale. PM me offers

 

Here is some free advice, from someone who's been there and done that, well not quite but I've been a broke student and I've spoken to Nigel (now Sexual_Sushi's car) about how he felt when he was putting it back together.

 

Nigel told me, he wanted to sell his car for a ham sandwich when he scratched the paint fitting the brake lines to the firewall of his Z. He got so fed up and frustrated that he didn't want to know about it anymore.

 

I think we can ALL relate to this, old cars like this require money, patience, skill and compromise. If you're feeling a bit sick of it now it's understandable but don't go and sell it for a fraction of what you have invested into it. It looks great and you've done lots of hard work. If you want to save some money that's fine, buy a cheap run-about something you don't care about getting a ding in, or leaving it in car parks for extended hours at a time.

 

Put the Z on CH plates, insure it as a second car and drive it on weekends and other special occasions. It looks like your old folks have a garage, see if you can store it in there out of the weather and work on it when you feel like working on it. That way you're not rushing to put it back together for work the next day and can take your time to do it right. Less stress that way.

 

Also don't be so sure about the Celica, my friend had 1 of those and blew a head gasket and had to rebuild the motor. He invested lots of cash in it and another friend of ours had the same car and even after the rebuild it was still slower than my other mates high mileage engine, drove him absolutely bananas.

 

What I'm saying is you've spent lots of your money, time and effort into this car and to be honest there are still a few niggles to sort out. If you sell it now, someone else will pick up a bargain and sort out those niggles and probably have a great car for many years.

 

When you don't have to drive 1 of these cars everyday, you'll soon realise how much fun it is when you do get it out and on the road. The noise, the seating position, the looks, the feeling of non-power steering. It's easy to forget how fun it is when it's a daily driver and you get stuck in traffic etc..

 

Of course you don't have to take any of this advice, but just offering some anyway. Last thing you want to do is list it for sale and deal with low ball offers and end up giving it away for 20 cents and a pack of tic tac's.

 

Actually part of the reason I moved to Europe was that I was spending all my spare cash on Z-car parts and I figured while I'm young I'll go travel, see the world and come back to my Z in a couple of years. Now I'm glad I have it stored at my parents place and when I went home and fired it up and took it out in the sun (Oh how I miss the Aussie sun!) I had so much fun with it and thought to myself, "I could never sell this".

 

 

[boyblunda]

Gav, this is one of the best and most timely posts I have ever seen on a Z Forum. Well said.

 

Bozo, you obviously have put in a huge investment in to this car and you are on the cusp of reaping the rewards. I am personally impressed by the energy you have put into your Zed and the the positive posts you have made on your build. Put it aside for a while if you you need to do so but realise that this is NOT the personal moment, or the climate in the market, for you to think of selling the car.

 

The light is beaming at the end of the tunnel.

 

Best regards

Dave

[53-681]

I sincerely appreciate your time and effort into typing up this very inspiring advice Gav.

You are 110% correct. It's just that when these silly breakdown occur it just pisses me right off as it's such an inconvenience having your car off the road and catching unreliable public transport to work so early in the morning in which people don't even know that I am in fact a Z driver!!!

The right thing to do is as you suggested - buy an everyday run around car to work and back, get the Z on CH plates and drive on the weekends - the only problem is I might not be in the work force next year and owning and insuring 2 vehicles can be a financial problem...

What really ticks me off at the back of my mind is the fact that I have spent an awesome amount of cash and invested in an inferior 2+2 model 260Z, whom many outside people dismiss as nothing so special. Just as d3c0y said - I could have had a decent condition 240Z.

 

 

When do you reckon is the right market climate to be selling vintage inferior model vehicles then Dave??

 

 

By the way Gav, is your Z the one with the L28 G35R turbo???

[Scoota G]

Part of the problem with your car is you Sam, on more than one occasion you've had work done and failed to seek peoples advice. It's no good saying is this the right price after the fact but all this bears little to no relavance.

 

What i hear you say?

How much have you learned during the process?

Will these skills transfer to other areas of your life?

No good wasting your life with ifs of buts, i have a friend in Ballarat who has spent about 100K on cars and all he has is a 71 Jag and a 90's model white work van. As far as i'm concerned you have gotten off lightly for a young fellow with limited knowledge, most get spanked severely!

 

As for the 2+2 being inferior i have one and once it's finished i bet you will hear me singing it's praises for years to come.

 

When you first entered this club you had an attitude which some didn't appreciate and many suspected that you wouldn't last long, wouldn't go the distance. But there you are, still here.

 

These cars can bend you over the table time and again, i swear some have a device that scans your wallet every third time you get in it and destroys a part to the value of $10 more than you have in there. One thing i can be certain of, if you were to go on a club cruise you wouldn't care if your car was a 2+2 or steals all your cash!

[luvemfast]

+1 for Scoota's advise.

Bottom line...... Learn to work on it yourself!

 

As far as not working next year and not wanting to spend money on insurance and rego. CH plates and insurance to suit, would cost under $500 together for the year.

 

And stop calling a 2+2 inferior 

[FuzzyDropbear]

**snip**

And stop calling a 2+2 inferior 

 

I agree!  No wonder your car spits the dummy if that's what you think of it.

 

If you really do dislike the 2+2 that much, then maybe you should sell it (or just stick it in the shed). Cut your loses, then take public transport to work while you save your pennies for a 2 seater?

 

**snip**

...I have spent an awesome amount of cash and invested in an inferior 2+2 model 260Z, whom many outside people dismiss as nothing so special. ...

 

If so, then I would be asking myself.... Do the opinions of these people really matter?

 

Honestly, the others have made one very, very valuable point..... Learn to work on it yourself. These cars aren't really that complex. You can buy a few books, ask questions here and buy a few tools (if you don't already have them) and have a bucket load of fun every time you go near it (whether fixing or driving).

[Scoota G]

You can see how far this family will go to help out another club member. That alone has to be worth 20K !!

[Zedman240®]

One other little point to add is these 2 seaters do breakdown as well..

and +3 for learning do DIY... grab a workshop manual and get dirty.

 

Remember...even geniuses had to learn not to crap in their own pants.

[53-681]

The best thing family can offer to you is advice and that's exactly what I'm receiving

 

 

I am very keen to refresh/overhaul my engine and get an r33/34 brake conversion done all around...

 

 

 

Is there anybody whom I can be an apprentice to and learn from scratch as a dedicated padawn???

I would really love to be able to do thing like this on my own, but quite frankly, the only things I know to do on my own are;

-Sweep/Mop the house

-Cook food

-Clean the car

-Change wheels

-Bleed brakes (didn't turn out well last time...)

-Top up oil/coolant for car

-Administer Microsoft Global Catalog

-Program JAVA

-Program PHP + MySQL (Extremely good at - www.vicspace.com)

 

I really used to enjoy programming and hacking away, but ever since I've been touched by the Z, my mind has been intoxicated and I cannot concentrate my full brain power to either one of them

 

Jack of all trades, master of 1

[53-681]

I have been contemplating a lot and I've come to the conclusion that I like my Z. When I am more capable of affording a 240Z properly built from scratch, I will purchase one and make it's appearance an exact replica of the midnight blue devil Z (So that I may take it to Japanese pop culture and anime expos).

 

I still think that being a 2+2, it is still somewhat cool and street respectable.

I've had quite a few discussions and debates with various other people, particularly one selling a yellow Evo on carsales who is keen for a Z swap whom when I proposed my 2+2, he continuously kept responding and asking "Is it a real Z or a 2+2" which really annoyed and frustrated me - especially with the amount of work and financial commitment my Z has undergone .

I only wish there were a particular aspect which of the 2+2 which is deemed superior to that of the 2-seater, but the 2-seater being in a jap anime/manga is proof enough of the superior vehicle.

 

 

 

 

I think if I get:

-280ZX dizzy on

-240Z carburetor air box on

-R34 front brakes

-R34 rear brake conversion

-Rota RB 16x8

-Fender Flares

 

It would be a pretty awesome Z regardless of it being a 2+2.

[Retro Z]

Good to see Sam. If you still like your Z then keep it, dont worry about what others say or think its your car and with all the money u've spent its probably the wiser choice to keep it. 2+2 are practically the same as a 2-seater and in some cases better/stronger so its not inferior.

 

 

[zzzzed]

Yeh you won't need fender flares with 16x7 rota's

[53-681]

Actually I'm thinking more like 17x8's. Sorry, I'm typing on a laptop and its a bit weird. typos all over the joint lol

[zzzzed]

Yeh you won't need them with 16x8 either. My 240z has. 9.5 rear and 9 front

My Datsun 1200 has 15x8 with no flares

[Retro Z]

On a 2+2 17x9's fit even a 9.5 with small tyres on the rear.

[lightmaster240z]

Sam my boy it good to see that common sense in now prevailing and you are back on track. Owning a car like this is not a night project. It take time to get it the way that you want and them you change your mine.

Bruce   

   

[53-681]

ahh yeah so it's just a matter of me purchasing Rota RB's then

 

Bruce, why do I get the hint that you're like my transparent Z mentor over here???

[lightmaster240z]

just call me Yoda young Luke I mean Bozo

[53-681]

Guys I've decided to purchase a new set of wheels and need to know what the right offset and width should be in order for the tyres to not scrape the guards and at the same time; to look natural without any fender flares.

 

I have read the wheel guide, but am still rather confused as there are no indications as to what the maximum width should be till it sticks out or scrapes the guards.

Spacers are not an option since they are ILLEGAL (and yes I already have a pair which I will not use)

 

Basically:

-What offset (without spacers)

-What width (without fender flares)

-What circumference (without ricer flex)

-What type of Rota? SA? RB? RKR?

[thriller]

Mossy on here has 16x8 +0 Watanabe R-types. They look perfect.

 

If you're buying new Rota's, you could probably get some second hand Watanabe's/cool stuff for the same price.

[Agno]

I have 15x8 -3 offset wheels on my car with 225/50/R15s on it and those wheels fit perfect on my car (coilovers F&R, -2ish deg front camber).

 

If you want to buy Rotas I would recommend Rota RB 16x8 +4 at all four corners. I would also suggest you find someone with wheels of similar specs you can test fit on the front of your car first to check inner clearance.

 

>> This 240Z http://www.rimtuck.com/setup/view/863 has the 16x8 Rotas on it

[Riceburner]

I have Konig rewinds 16x8 with 0 offset. basically another watanabe lookalike and are pretty light weight. 215/50/16 road tyres will fit with no mods, but 225/50/16 semi slicks will need gaurd lips rolled. This rolling diameter is almost exactly the same as stock so no speedo mod required.

[reverendzed]

2+2 is quite different than a 2 seat coupe in what you are able to fit.  I was running 8" Sportsmax wheels (on my 2+2) with a 0 offset with 225's on the front and 245's on the rear with perfect clearance under standard guards.

Rev.