SOLD! These photos are not in chronological order.
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This car sold before it could get to Bring a Trailer. $27k
New parts:
Struts
Tie rod ends
brakes (all) complete system
All suspension bushings
Clutch
Clutch master and slave cylinder
fuel pump
Tires
Upholstery
Fuel sending unit
and a bunch more I’m not thinking of at the moment…
Negatives:
Little ding in hood
Little scratch on hood
Cracked dash (they all do this)
Has a few creaks/squeaks/rattles, like any old car
Original clock doesn’t work
That is just drippings from the color sanding on the front bumper, not rust. (I replaced that bumper anyway, because it was bent.)
This style of wheel is a very popular option for the Zs. They are bigger and wider, so you get better handling, but a stiffer ride because of the low profile tires. This set of tires is available as an option for the sale or for an extra $750, as an addition. (they have less than 500 miles on the rims and the tires)
The door upholstery was just some plain white vinyl stretched over the door. I didn’t like it, so I bought this kit and installed them. It’s a far better look, styled like the original.
One of the places Z cars rust is in the spare tire well.
These pictures were taken shortly after I bought the car. The paint wasn’t finished at that time. I spent many hours cutting and buffing. The paint is single stage, (not basecoat/clearcoat) which is not only correct for these cars, but is a better product. A lot of people will tell you that base/clear is better, but it’s simply not. It lacks character, it fails prematurely and flakes off. I’ve gone back and buffed and polished 50 year old Datsun single stage to a high shine, but if even a tiny area of clear coat flakes off, that’s a whole new paint job. I think people prefer two stage for two reasons: it’s super glossy, and its easy to work with. (Of course, this is only my opinion, but it’s also my blog.)
The side stripes were removed when I was polishing the paint. They could easily be replaced – they are less than $100 for a vinyl stripe kit. I quite like it with the white interior and the white stripes, but opted for the cleaner look, knowing I could always add them later.
These were taken on the way home. Jumped in it, drove it 850 miles, sight unseen. Ran like a top.
The main work done recently has been the DEEP cleaning of the engine compartment, and the swap to a manual transmission (5 speed). The engine is a 2.4l inline 6, which delivers enough power to be very fun, but will also get 25+ mph on a road trip. And complete rebuild of all the suspension and steering.
The underdash pictures illustrate how clean the car is in general. Most old cars have filth and dust and even rust visible up under there.
This is a part I fabricated. The clutch pedal on manual cars came with a “stop” on the floor, so I built one to match the dimensions (if not the design) of the original.
Another place they rust is under the battery. This one wasn’t rusted through, but there was a bit of rust starting. The black stuff is rust converter/encapsulator, then the pics above are of the area after I painted it to match. Somewhere below are pictures of how the area looked before. (I didn’t take time to put the pictures in order.)
The holes in this picture are where the A/C lines used to run. In that video I sent, the duct tape was for plugging these holes because there was a exhaust and engine heat blasting through them. I have them plugged up with actual hardware now. It still has the A/C parts under dash, but everything underhood has been removed. Would take some effort, but could be re-added. A/C was a dealer installed option, so there are several different options. A modern aftermarket system would likely be the best/lightest/most efficient option.
These before and after pictures are in mixed order…. Assume that the better one is current state. 🙂
Awesome work. The interior really shines and makes this car stand out. I do like the look of the wider wheels. Nice work on the paint as well. That is a lot of hours just on the sanding and buffing the paint!
Thanks JB! It was a lot of work, but it turned out great!
Amazing work!
Is it for sale ?
Thank you
It is sold.