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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 4:09 pm 
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Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:38 pm
Posts: 572
Location: Orange, CT
http://jalopnik.com/what-happened-to-al ... 1583370936

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Nov/70 late series one HLS3014777 Sunshine Yellow 919


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PostPosted: Fri May 30, 2014 7:04 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:33 pm
Posts: 349
Location: Richardson, Texas
The author may have been drinking a wee bit too much of the Nissan Kool-Aid when writing about the fine details of all the refurbishments. "Each 240Z unibody was examined, stripped and reconditioned, then dipped and painted..." - really??? Over the years I've heard numerous horror stories of mangled wiring and patched up electricals, questionable interior quality, and other mechanical issues. Pierre Perrot may have turned out some exceptional cars but not every shop did.

My $0.05 worth and someone may think I need some change.

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Jim Arnett
Richardson, Texas
HLS30-15320 12/1970 (original owner)
ZCON 2015 Gold Cup - Street Modified class


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PostPosted: Sat May 31, 2014 1:21 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
We've actually got a guy near here who worked on this project. He spoke at one of our meetings last year (two years ago?). Anyway, he was part of a team which did one thing to every car. That apparently was the approach to the program; many small teams of well trained people doing "their thing" to each Z.
He did mention a few problems, now that you mention it.

I'd sort of enjoy getting him back to speak at another meeting, because enough time has elapsed for me to think of some pertinent questions which didn't get asked last time.

If we got him to speak again, you could Skype us while he talked and ask Qs yrslf. I've often thought of having you Skype us during one of our meetings, to show off your finished Z project, anyway.

Frank

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 2:29 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:33 pm
Posts: 349
Location: Richardson, Texas
Frank T wrote:
I've often thought of having you Skype us during one of our meetings, to show off your finished Z project, anyway.

Frank


Hey Frank,
The Skype idea sounds interesting - that would be a fun way to "attend" a meeting. I've got a Wi-Fi iPad but am a novice with it. Let me download the Skype app and play with it a bit, then get back to you off-line to see if we can set up a test.
Jim

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Jim Arnett
Richardson, Texas
HLS30-15320 12/1970 (original owner)
ZCON 2015 Gold Cup - Street Modified class


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:22 pm 
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Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:12 am
Posts: 2228
Location: Darien, CT
It would really be cool to "meet" you that way Jim!

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Ross Williams
1978 280Z Black Pearl Edition 38k Original Miles


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 6:40 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
We skyped Thor in Germany during one meeting. It was great. It was something like 0300 there, but Thor stayed up and waited for us to sign in. Then he took us out to his garage and fired up his 240Z :lol: Probably woke up his whole family and the neighbors too! It was great.
It would be something like 3hrs earlier for you than it is for us, so we'd interrupt your dinner for sure. We wouldn't care ~ you could watch us eat piZZa.

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 7:12 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:33 pm
Posts: 349
Location: Richardson, Texas
Frank,
Contrary to some opinions, Texas is not anywhere near the left coast (in ever so many ways!). Only one hour time difference - Central zone. Dinner time all around and maybe an adult beverage during the meet-up. I'm trying to figure out how to search for the durn app on the iPad.
Jim

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Jim Arnett
Richardson, Texas
HLS30-15320 12/1970 (original owner)
ZCON 2015 Gold Cup - Street Modified class


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PostPosted: Mon Jun 02, 2014 10:57 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
Well, what we hear back here in The East is that Texas is so big, it has 126 Area Codes and 17 timezones. You guys are SO big, you actually speak two languages there. Three, if you count Creole.
Is it true you guys are bigger than Russia and Canada combined?

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 1:16 pm 
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 2:33 pm
Posts: 349
Location: Richardson, Texas
An old Texas saying: "If its true, it ain't braggin'"... just saying. In truth, Texas does span two time zones - El Paso is in the Mountain zone. As to languages - where to start: East Texas, South Texas, West Texas, Texian, Tex-Mex (not limited to food), and even a bit of English (limited to major business centers that have to deal with outsiders). Maybe as big as Canada or Russia, but probably not both.

I've got the Skype app loaded, will play around with it and get back to you.

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Jim Arnett
Richardson, Texas
HLS30-15320 12/1970 (original owner)
ZCON 2015 Gold Cup - Street Modified class


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 03, 2014 4:59 pm 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
Posts: 14779
Location: CT
:lol:

OK. When you have set up yr account and want to Skype together, PM me your Skype address and we can give it a try if you want.

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:58 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:22 pm
Posts: 441
Location: Clearwater, FL
I think the rumors of poor quality related to the Vintage Z's have been greatly exaggerated.

I have personally followed the Vintage Z Program since it's concept phase. When the Vintage Z Program Roll Out was held at Nissan HQ - it was the IZCC and GroupZ that moved our annual Picnic there at Nissan's request so they would have a crowd for the Press Coverage. I also got an early copy of the Nissan Quality Documents that were written, which controlled the quality of process and materials - and which each VZ was held up to before it was accepted by Nissan.

I too have heard rumors of some low quality work done on the Vintage Z's. I however I have never been able to verify any of it. I've spend a lot of time talking to Vintage Z owners over the past 17 years. Haven't heard one of them complain about anything..

We have to keep in mind that Nissan did not technically "Restore" these Z's - they Remanufactured them. Meaning that they did not intend to produce them in perfect "as they left the factory" condition. So many newer OEM NOS replacement parts were used along the way{that may not have been exact date correct}. Things like braided hoses were not a top priority.. newer paints were used etc. etc. They may have used a NOS 72 dash in a 1971 model car..etc etc.

If Judged in a "STOCK" class - they might not have been 95+ point cars. However, a professional restoration of the quality they did produce - would easily at the time have cost $80K+. Today it would take over $100K to duplicate one. 800 NOS parts - yes, and perhaps more. Many parts had to be reproduced alone the way.

For example - there was a lot of talk - that the VZ's didn't get their original matching numbers engines - I've heard that many times - fact is - I can only find 2 that did not get their original engines. Because the original blocks had issues and couldn't be rebuilt again - and Nissan didn't find out about it until the cars were well under way in the restoration process.

I think if you visit ZMecca and look at the seven that Jim own's - you'd be hard pressed to argue that they suffer any quality issues at all. Randy had several others - and all were really extremely nice.

I have seen a couple that after 10 years of use - were starting to look a little ragged. Especially the one Silver Z that Nissan kept. It has been used as a Press Car from the beginning and it shows.

The article on jalopnik.com was good in that it made many new people aware of the Program - but as usual it has several errors of Fact - Nonetheless I did find one more of the VZ's that had been missing from our Register - so I'll be adding the info on it soon.
FWIW,
Carl B.


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 1:07 am 
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Joined: Wed Apr 09, 2008 5:53 pm
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Location: CT
Carl, do we know how many vintage Zs were finally completed and released?

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1970 240Z


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PostPosted: Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:36 am 
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Joined: Wed Aug 12, 2009 6:22 pm
Posts: 441
Location: Clearwater, FL
Hi Fank:
Yes - 37 were completed. The VIN's are all listed on the IZCC Vintage Z Register. Nissan of course kept one. It's the Silver Press Car. Before Nissan moved from Calif they had 2 additional VZ's in storage - but that warehouse area had to be cleaned out. So they were sold to the public through Courtesy Nissan.

Because of the future Collector Value of these unique Classic's - I worked for several years trying to get Nissan Motors to release a complete list of the VIN's - so that we could avoid the potential of Z's being fraudulently presented a Vintage Z's when in fact they were not.

Interesting side story - the person that included the story of the VZ's in his book - mistook a 240Z that was in that same warehouse as being one of the VZ's. Which it turned out not to be. So his book lists 38. The mistake was discovered after the draft had been sent to the publisher..

Carl B.


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