1971 240Z

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 7:43 am

hey moddy!
good to see the old girl all legal!

Bugger news about the engine. I guess all that servicing work that was done in the USA after sitting in a shed for 30years just hadn't gone far enough. Although by the sounds of things even what i'd been told was done may not have been - seized calipers??

Must be a great feeling to have her on the road! welldone!

No dramas in compliance?

cheers chris

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:13 am

Hey chris,

Yea was like an early xmas present getting her registered. I was so bloody excited haha. Didnt have any trouble when it came to compliancing. Just had trouble with her running the first time I took her in. Rolled her in the door and all of a sudden she decided not to start. Ended up having to take her home again to find out an old fuel line had cracked and was dumping fuel on the ground and not priming the pump and carbs. Fixed it with new fuel line and a full tank of gas and she passed no problems at all.

The calipers werent too bad. Just the LH front one was binded hard against the inside of the disk. The outside looked mint still but once I took it off... haha the pictures show what the disk looked liked. Not the worst id seen in the past haha.

The rest of the car was great. No problems with anything. Couple niggly little bits and bobs but its to be expected in a car her age. I dont blame anybody except myself for the engine. I skipped over things you just shouldnt skip over when doing head work and even if its a failure from something else, hey, she sat still for 30 yrs haha, then she got thrashed by a guy nearly half her age for 4months hahaha.

I want to keep an L series in thers but the fact that I can just drop an RB20det in over a weekend is veeeery tempting. I think ill b throwing this L24 away if my mate doesnt want to sell me his L31 stroker. The amount of coolant coming out tells me something expensive has failed >.< and I just dont know how I can justify spending huge dollars on such an old gutless (by modern standards) engine.

bernjean · Post by **bernjean** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:30 am

Very Very nice car. Looks like you got a keeper. Looks very original and straight. That is the best way to buy a project you have done well. The problems you are experiencing seem to show that the car has been sitting around for a long time. To me its screaming for a rotisserie build. Complete strip down and start replacing all worn and aged parts. It is my dream, to one day buy a car like that and completely rebuild it. And dam the cost. I would prefer to purchase the very first model with the vents in tailgate. I don't know what you paid for your panel work but sounds to me like you got a good deal. There is always going to be more rust that you can see. the secret is to know that it is done properly and not to done to just the price down. taking photos and keeping you informed is very professional and something that most repairers lack. I think if it only cost you double the original quote you did well. As an ex panel beater I know about the horror you you can find once you start cutting things apart. The brake upgrade you bought is the same one I put one my car. The only mistake I made was not painting the calipers before installing the looked so good didn't think they needed it but a few years down the track are starting to show signs of rust. I also bought the rear disc kit and fitted a 5/16 brake master cylinder as well. Good luck with the project and keep the photos coming.

BRONZEE · Post by **BRONZEE** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 8:32 am

Wow, fantastic to see she's running!

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Tue Apr 29, 2014 9:33 am

hmodlik wrote:Hey chris,

and I just dont know how I can justify spending huge dollars on such an old gutless (by modern standards) engine.

I hear ya! RB all the way!
They look fast just sitting there so why not give it the GO it always deserved!

Always tempted to buy another from Cali. just to fill the garage again.

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Thu May 01, 2014 12:01 am

Thanks Bronzee. Yea im pretty stoked. Just gutted about the head

Thanks for the advice Bernjean. I think I'll paint mine now while the car is pretty much immobile.

On another note. If anybody knows someone that wants to sell me a head that would be fantastic!

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Thu May 01, 2014 4:48 pm

Took a few photos of the old girl today. Mostly just an update photo on the condition of the engine bay. Pretty happy with my "custom" air cleaner haha. Just chopped up and sealed the old one, sprayed it black and WALA!

Heres another photo of the rear hatch job i did. Ignore the white sheet lol, thats my daughters birthday present hiding in plain sight haha.

She was looking so good sitting there in the driveway when i got home so i snapped another quicky. Who doesnt LOVE that rear quarter view. Soooo sexy!

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Fri May 02, 2014 9:06 pm

Mmmm she does look good! Nice hips! Assume she is a lady, kinda think most cars are, all trouble haha!
Did your panel guy replace the whole panel in the hatch/latch area? Or just repair it and put it back on?
Did a nice job.

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Fri May 02, 2014 9:24 pm

Hahaha yea she's a lady alright haha, the best looking ones are always trouble

I actually ended up just ordering a replacement panel from MSA as he said it would be costly to repair and the replacement panel was only like $90 i think? It was the wheel arch under the battery tray that was the horror. Pretty much the entire thing was rotted out. Needed to buy a whole replacement inner guard. Cost a bomb!

knorrieyiv · Post by **knorrieyiv** » Sat May 03, 2014 3:32 pm

What a beauty....good on you.
look forward to seeing this one.

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Sun Jun 15, 2014 12:47 pm

Just a bit of an update. Managed to track down a replacement head from Invercargill. Its an E88 so has larger valves than my E31 head but im going to transfer anything that will fit out of my E31 into it as all my research has said that other than the larger valves, the E31 was a much better head than the E88. Unfortunately ill be overseas for the next 6 weeks so fitting it will have to wait till i get back. Cant wait to go for a drive again!

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 9:56 pm

Good to here to got one sorted!
I've got a head gasket set laying around somewhere if you need it.

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Mon Jun 16, 2014 10:19 pm

Hey yea! That would be fantastic! I was just looking for something suitable on ebay. I hate using it though coz everything takes so damn long to arrive. How much u want for it?

Moddy · Post by **Moddy** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 5:21 pm

Finally got a chance to work on the old girl again. Heads off and the new head is being worked on currently. Waiting for it back so i can get it on the old girl and make her purr again. In the mean time i thought id fit the carpet set ive had sitting in a box for the last 6 months or so haha. Glad i did too. She looks a million bucks now shes got carpet

Now i just need to recover the seats and fix the dash and im pretty much all done with the interior

Except for little things like replacing broken window winder handle, etc. Heres some pics anyways

Greensheep · Post by **Greensheep** » Fri Sep 19, 2014 9:18 pm

Wow the carpets look great where did you get them?
I need some for my 260z
And by the looks of the centre consol there was a fair bit of spare change down the back of those seats