So what would be a few "beginner" projects I could do on my Z? I'm pretty car-ignorant right now and it bugs the heck out of me.

I know basic maintenance - oil / brakes ive done some minor dent repair and painting.

So what are a few of the easier projects I could do to start getting my hands dirty and hopefully not ruin anything while I'm at it.

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Best 500 bucks I've ever spent!

About the best FREE winter time project I can think of is on the most-important system of your Z ~ the brakes.

Pull the wheels one at a time and inspect the pads, shoes (if you have drums), brake lines and springs. Use a soft brush and dust them off to see what's left of your actual linings. Feel the rotors and drums for ridges and check for any leaking brake fluid.

You don't even have to have a lift for this, but never trust a jack alone. A jackstand is safest or use a good brick or cinderblock in addition to the jack and take your time.

You can pull opposite wheels together to compare sides. Note any differences btwn two brakes on the same axle. Check brake fluid reservoirs and intentionally look at every fitting for signs of leaks.

Even if everything is perfect, you will have learned SOMETHING new about your brake system. I've changed brakes probably 100 times but amaze myself each time by noticing something I didn't see before.

If you have rear drums, be advised they are NOTORIOUS for getting stuck on and often need a soft hammer to knock them free. There will be a clevis pin where the handbrake lever connects to the rear of the drum, which must be removed (don't lose the cotter pin). Then there is an oblong rubber cap on the outside face of the brake drum which will let you access the star wheel inside with a brake tool ($3) or screwdriver. A few turns of the star will close the brake shoes and let you remove the drum somewhat easier.

Even if nothing's wrong with your brakes, rust is insidious and continues to "weld" stuff together as soon as you put it all back together. So when the day finally comes that you HAVE to remove brake components, the degree of difficulty will depend upon how recently you have removed stuff before. I like to soak threads with penetrating oil, WD40 or just vaseline, but certainly don't let any of that get onto the brakes themselves.

Some guys wear masks while working on brakes, to keep from inhaling any asbestos dust.

With any situation involving an old car that is new-to-you some EZ things I recommend (in addition to the previous, excellent recommendations:)

Pull the radiator and have it cleaned by a radiator shop

Clean and regrease the front wheel bearings (can reuse if they look OK) and replace the seals

Put her up on sturdy jackstands and spend a half day checking the driveshaft and halfshaft U-joints, and all the suspension and steering linkage for missing nuts/brackets rusted loose from the frame etc. (Bright rust color coming from the U-joint cups usually means that the seals are gone and that the rollers soon will be as well.)

This last one is not as easy, but I have found the only way to be safe about the brake & clutch hydraulics is to replace the masters, calipers, and other cylinders if the car has sat idle for years previous. If, prior to your ownership, the car was driven regularly, then I would start with replacing the fluids if they look dirty or dark.

A compression test is also nice information to have, even if you decide to live with an engine with a low cylinder reading

Oh yeah ~ as long as you have the wheels in the air, so some other checks. Spin each wheel a few times and listen for rubbing or grabs. Compare how many times one wheel turns, to how many times its counterpart turns on the other side of the car. See if any wheel always comes to rest at the exact same point of the turn, indicating a brake grab in one point.

Also do a wobble test to check for wear of your suspension, steering and bearings. Don't do a GORILLA TEST (remember, it's up on jacks) ~ just try to wobble the wheel with your hands at 9 and 3 o'clock, then 12 and 6 o'clock. Listen for any "clunks" or watch for any noticable wobble.

Rear wheels have to both be airborne to test them, with the g/box in neutral. I've never been lucky enough to own a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) so you'll have to ask other lucky members what to listen for if you have one.

Turn one wheel a few inches then reverse the turn, listening for "clunks" which might indicate worn universal joints. If you hear any, try to locate the source SAFELY. Dont climb under a car on jacks. Try turning the driveshaft back and forth with your hands while listening to the U-joints under there (I always wear safety goggles under there, since I finally got all the rust flakes out of my eyes from the first time I did that).

While you're under there, try to record the number from your differential. You may want it someday for research or to order parts, and you may as well know which one you have now rather than crawling under there again in worse weather.

Any brake parts or bearings you need, please keep in mind that you're a CTZCC member now, so you get a 20% discount on all new parts from our great sponsors, Nissan of Darien. Identify yrslf when you call to order partZ.

*(HAHA! HEY MURF ~ WE WERE THINKING ALIKE. YOU POSTED YOUR ADVICE AS I WAS TYPING ALMOST THE SAME THING )

Awesome, thanks guys
- Dropping my car off to Rich for the clutch-diagnostic, I didnt feel comfortable getting that into it considering it is still my A to B for now.

Who knows I may come home from danbury with 3 cars. There is a Jeep I want to take a look at while Im up there. If thats the case then let the fun begin!

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Best 500 bucks I've ever spent!

Hey by the way ~ I just glanced at my references and I'm not sure you ever fully registered with us. If not, please take a minute to fill out our easy registration so you'll be a full-fledged member, and eligible for the discounts the rest of us enjoy.

If you're taking your Z to RDZ, you'll come back happy. They have a great reputation and we are proud to have them as one of our sponsors. If they tell you something about your car, you can bet they're right.

Once you get your Z to stop right, you might want to look into making it run better. If you haven't done so already change the fluids, check the belts, replace the fuel filter, spark plugs (Z's love new NGK's!!), rotor, etc. Clean all the electrical connections with a good electrical cleaner and treat them to some dielectric grease. Inspect and replace any questionable vacuum hoses. Z engines don't like vacuum leaks!! A good vacuum leak test is to remove the oil filler cap while the engine is idling. You should notice a marked change in the idle speed and the engine might even stall with the cap removed. If it continues to run smoothly, you have a vacuum leak somewhere.

Enjoy the ride!!
Phil

Hey Mark,

Good to meet you the other week. One thing I find helpful on any car is cleaning up the engine bay. This often help you find issues or broken parts, plus it looks nice when your done.

and thanks for the kind words Frank.

Heyyyyyyyy.....!