Just a note to say hi. We just picked up our first Z car. A 1982 ZX non-turbo 2 seater. We purchased it from a one owner in Waterford CT. It had been stored inside and sitting for the past 10 years. Not a spot of rust on it except for the rusted and seized rotors we just found. The interior was moldy from sitting so we have gutted it and will install new carpets. The rest is pristine even the seats after a good steam cleaning. We are finding parts can be a challenge. We have found 3 rebuilt calipers but the right front is no where to be found. So if you know of one let me know. Our only option so far is two bids to free it up and rebuild for $325. We are redoing most of the suspension and struts this weekend. Its so nice to work on such a clean car. We got it running and the only issue is a little difficulty putting it in reverse so we may be in for some tranny work. Also the wheels have some surface corrosion. I got a bit from Danbury to resurface to about 95% for $200 each. We are going to keep it pretty much stock but what do you think? New wheels or resurface original? We should have it all done by the summer so hope to meet some of you at some events.

WOW, that looks great for a 40yr-old car! The silver and black editions are such eye-grabbers, and the solid coupe top even adds to that appeal. Really nice find.

New all-black interior carpets can be sourced from MSA (Motorsports Auto) in California. https://www.thezstore.com/store/merchan ... creen=SFNT

Be sure to rust-proof every exposed bit of floor you can reach while you have the interior pulled out anyway. You can also lay down sound-proofing before installing the carpets, altho road noise was not that big an issue for the ZX cars, which focused on smooth, quiet, GT cruising. I don't Zee an airconditioner under the hood so heat shielding under the mats, over the gearbox and inside the firewall will help keep you cooler in the summer.

You will be happy to learn that your non-turbo ZX will accept any of the wheels made for any Z previous to that date (the turbo cars had 5-lug wheels). So you could decide to buy a set of 4-lug wheels while yours are being refinished, if you wanted to. In fact we have a member right now willing to sell a set of four 4-bolt wheels MOUNTED with useable rubber, if you're interested.

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=10047

We are all locked up for winter, but come spring you can count on meeting many of us as soon as the Zeason begins. There are 800+ of us in the Club, 600+ of us here in CT, and at least a doZen owners of the ZX cars (altho not that many black & silver beauties).

Congratulations on finding such a beautiful car. You're gonna have a great time in that Z-31.

Frank T

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1970 240Z

Gorgeous car! I tend to go right to the engine bay and can't believe how clean it looks! As I don't recall seeing your name anywhere, I am hoping you have registered with our club. In doing so, you will have access to a lot of Z friends who can provide you with help in accessing parts and information. With a car laid up that long, I'm sure you know you should consider replacing all the fluids and inspect and replace all critical hoses and belts and even tires.

As Frank said, we are shut down for the season, but look for future posts in the "Upcoming Events" topics on our website. We look forward to meeting with you and your new ride this coming season.

Welcome to the club!

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John Kish
1971 240Z - original owner

Thanks!
Name is Jim Stiles
Already signed in!

BTW Jim, I didn't ignore your poll. It's your money and you might have a lot more of it than some others of us do. But I will say this:

1. You can personally sandblast all 5 wheels yrslf for less than $100, then coat them the way you want them. It would take about an hour on each wheel;

2. You can buy a set of *NEW* wheels AND TIRES for less than $900;

3. You can buy used sets of Z wheels occasionally here or on eBay for a lot less than $200 each (often $25 per wheel) and because your car has the 4-bolt pattern, you can chooZe among many different styles and two siZes.

So you have a number of good options. I completely agree with PreZident Johnny Z, that you should not trust your safety and investment on old tires. There may be few miles on those, but "old is old" and where rubber is concerned, deterioration can be unseen. The year a tire was made is stamped into the outside casing around the rim; It's a 4-digit number showing first the number of the WEEK the tire was made, then the 2-digit YEAR.

https://www.tireamerica.com/resource/tire-date-code


Frank

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1970 240Z

Absolutely! Its been sitting for 10 years you can clearly see the dry rot. Thanks

Jim, personally, I like those period correct OEM wheels and would shop around for someone to re-condition them, or spend the time and elbow grease doing it myself. Keeping them will only increase the value of your beautiful Z car, especially since you are considering keeping it mostly stock. Of course, wheel styling will always be a personal preference. It is your canvas to paint on.

Regards,

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John Kish
1971 240Z - original owner