From our Chicago member, TENGU, comes this video:

Finding a rust-free California 240Z for $8,000, Wheeler Dealers decide to boost the engine power with a cam and headers, rebuild the SUs and swap out the 3-spd automatic transmission for a 5-spd ZX gearbox. The end result doubles the value of the car, all in less than 42 minutes!

https://youtu.be/V8G8s-LwCco

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1970 240Z

I saw that episode.
It was very good but the car was in seroiusly awesome shape before the swap so I think that's why they were able to get such a high price.
The cam regrind bothered me a bit because it cost them 600 just for the cam.
They didn't mention if they did a valve grind or replaced the rocker arms, springs, or pads which is necessary with a performance cam.
Also they put in a 5 speed from a 280 but didn't mention the rear diff at all and whether they put in a R200.
It was entertaining though.

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Nov/70 late series one HLS3014777 Sunshine Yellow 919

Yeah! We laughed about that ~ those guys really saw him coming. I can buy completely ReMan'd head, with a cam and all the valve train for $600. Good cams cost $200-$300 for a Z, new in the box.
The cost was generated by having them re-grind an existing cam into a grind which he could have bought off the shelf from any major cam manufacturer.

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1970 240Z

Pardon the late reply on this topic.

I enjoy that series as it tends to cover the repstoration or rapair of many of the cars I like. Of course when the Z episode showed up I had to view and save it.

The cam upgrade caught my attention too. These guys now have their US shop in CA, home of some of the best aftermarket shops around.

I typically enjoy the repair and mechanical restoration part of the show as performed by Ed China. He has come up with some rather enginious methods of performing some difficult repairs on cars in the past.

One other thing I noticed is that they skip showing a lot of the proceedures needed to do the repairs, probably for time editing purposes. for example, did you ever try adjusting the valves without first removing the cam oiler? It was already removed from the cam bearings.

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John Kish
1971 240Z - original owner