Mixed feelings.

I just bought a 94 300zx convertible a week or so ago. And I got it for a steal. It's a one owner Arizona (no rust) car, with a bit less than 102,000 miles. It even has nearly new tires.

It has some problems. The car had sat for a couple of years (the owner had died, and I bought if from his dad.) So the top is pretty much shot. A couple of tears, and the windows are rotted out. The paint is wasted from the Arizona sunshine. The leather seats are a bit dry, and the drivers seat as a couple of tears. The dash isn't cracked, but the instrument pod cover is busted. (I bought a replacement on ebay.) The right rear rim is bent, and needs to be replaced.

But, overall, this car promises to be a blast.

Except... I went out to start it yesterday, and the sound I heard was unfortunate. The timing belt let go. No -- it didn't happen when I was driving. (I'd driven it to the store a couple of days before, and it ran great.) I'm guessing that, after sitting for so long before I got it, the belt was weak, and it just popped when I tried to start it. But I could be wrong. In fact, I could be wrong about it being the timing belt. It could be the tensioner. I'm not a complete idiot, but I haven't actually checked it. Yes, there's a possibility of bent valves... but since it didn't pop when the engine was running, there's a possibility of no bent valves. (see http://www.ttzd.com/tech/timingbelttech.html for info on changing the timing belt.)

So, you can guess why I have mixed feelings.

I'm fully capable of fixing the car. I even thought of doing a TT engine swap. (Put a 99 J-Spec front fascia and rear wing on it, a set of 18" wheels, and a good paint job on it, and it would be amazing.)

But just because I have tools doesn't mean I have time. And, at this moment, I don't have the money to commit to paying an overpriced mechanic. (I used to have a great mechanic... but he's had health problems.)

So... I'm thinking about selling it.

Rather than put it on ebay or autotrader, I thought I'd offer it here first... so it could possibly go to someone who would truly appreciate it.



Here's my cost: I paid $4,000 for the car. I bought a new battery, had the oil changed (Mobil 1), and bought the instrument pod cover.

I'll sell it for $4,100. It still has the original title, so you'll be the second registered owner (it checks out clean on Carfax as a one owner Arizona car.)

But if you want to buy it, you have to promise to send me pictures of it after you get it fixed up.

(Alternatively, if there's a Z nut in Phoenix who can work with me in fixing it, I'd be interested in hearing from you.

You can contact me at evan@yares.com, or at (602)266-9959.

Evan

 

I just finished redoing my 93' vert and I can tell you it's a big project to bring it back to life. My top was perfect and had already done the t-belt, and still ended up with close to $8k in the project. I did the 99' jspec tails, 99'HID's and 99' front and striped the entire car and had repainted. We did a total disassembly to get it back to factory perfect. To bring yours back to life, I'd say close to $8-9K less if you did it all yourself and you'd just have a $10K car. If you did the TT conversion your looking at more time and money to finish. What I can see in the picture the body looks real good. Your engine would be iffy and suspect to damages. The t-belt was probably bad and after you drove it, it probably did preform and break when you went to start it.
I'm not saying all this to be rude or sarcastic, it looks like a good project car. Personaly I wouldn't be willing to give $2000 - $2500 at most for the car. Part being I would have to come to Arizona and trailer it back to Arkansas.
Good luck if you keep it and do the restore.

 

I'm afraid Steve is right, 2K to 2-1/2K, the engine is going to have some bend valves if you turned the engine over any with a busted timing belt. Thats just bad luck. LATER

 

I'd agree on the valves being bent. Very few newer model engines won't damage the valve train if turned over whether running or not. We lucked out on the Geo Storm, the girl working for me drives it and the belt broke running down the road and it didn't do any damage. The clearances on most engines would have torn it all to hell.

 

Mostly a question of how far I want to get into the project.

I'm at the point of assuming that the valves are crunched.

If I could find someone local who wanted the project, it would probably be worth the $4,000. But it becomes a lot less attractive if it has to be trailered across the country.

If I can't sell it at my cost, then I will keep it.

I can get the engine done, with the heads rebuilt, for about $1,000. (From the estimate I got today.) That's well below shop pricing. (The local Nissan shop wanted $900 just to change the timing belt. I'd figured it would need to be replaced, but I didn't figure on it snapping quite so soon.)

I'm wondering if I ought to get the transmission rebuilt while I'm at it... though I don't know what kind of cost I might be looking at there.

The top is about $240, and an afternoon to install. Seats... well, I'm in Arizona. Here, cloth seat covers are actually a *good* thing.

Paint... that's a tough one. I know, from reading the forums, that Steve had to do a lot to fix a paint mess caused by Maaco... but my thought is that if I can deaccessorize the car, and prep it right, I can get a reasonably priced paint job that'll look good.

If I go cheap -- just making the car a daily driver, it could be an acceptable investment.

Evan

 

Well thought out Evan. I was thinking the top was higher than $240, if it's that cheap that's even better. You'd probably not have to go as far with the paint, yours is original, just oxidized and burnt by the sun. What I quoted was probably a high end cost. You can shop around and find a good paint shop around $2500-$3000.
I just missed out on a 95' vert 5spd w/95k on it. I was waiting till tomorrow(my birthday) to offer $7500. Friend of mine bought it cheaper than that. I waited to long. He's put $3000(so he says) back into it and it looks mint. Now he's asking $10k, he has a car lot.
The belt went so fast because of preforming, your lucky you were able to drive it at all. In theory it should have went right away.
Is the tranny an auto or 5spd? don't remember you saying. At the least have it serviced and inspected.
You can live with the paint for awhile and get everything else done first. All the jams and everthing that wasn't hit direct by the sun should be ok on the paint. Like I said the picture looks like the body is in great shape.
Good luck, it just takes time and patience.

 

The transmission is an automatic -- unfortunately. (I like manuals.) Any sense of how reliable the 300zx auto transmission is?

The body on this car is pretty straight. It has the normal door dings that need to be blocked, and one small ding on the hood, but that's about it. Oh yea -- it has chrome wheel well rings that need to come off, and there will be some holes to fill from the screws on those. In any case, I'll get the car running before spending too much on cosmetics.

 

Evan most of those eyeliner rings on the wheel well usually screw thru the lip. Some screw on the lip and have adesive on the section that goes on the edge of the fender. Wouln't worry about the screw holes in the lip, they'll be hidden when it's primed and painted.
I'd at least service the transmission.
I think your making the right choice, although I got to where I hated to drive mine when it looked so bad. The way people looked at it, like how can anyone allow a car like that to look like that. I told the ones that asked it was a traveling ad for Maaco Paint Shops.
Keep us up on your progress, with pictures when you can.

 

Tnkrstoyco- I didn't know you had a '99 nose piece on that. Do you have any before and after photos? Once the zgarage is up and going, make sure you post some pics on there.

Evan...good luck. It sounds like it could be fun project, but it would take some time. Be patient. If I were you, I'd keep it and work on it for few years. You'll be glad you did.

 

Sure 91, here's one with the bad paint.