Hi all

I have recently become the custodian of this UK supplied 300ZX, and I'm trying very hard to save it from the breakers yard. I am looking for any tips or advice that will assist me to do this to the correct standard. I would like to get it back on the road, to show it and enjoy it. It has already caused a bit of a stir amongst the local kids who thought it was a Ferrari, but were still wowed by it's great looks and sound. 

Many thanks

Paul

Welcome. 

Tips / advice very much depend on its current condition. The more you can tell us the better. 

60k/120k cambelt service is a good place to start if it's been more than 4 years since the last. 

Thorough inspection inside the sills - particularly the rear. If they are showing any marking on the outside then the inside will be in bad shape. New sill panels are available. 

Leaky targas. If they're leaking then try and sort them as the can create a world of electrical pain. 

Electrics in general - connections are old and brittle. Go careful with them but check them all out. 

What does it run like? Smoke? 

Edited August 3, 20214 yr by Lexx

Hi and welcome to the club Paul...!

Nice late model UK car you have there - so congratulations on your new acquisition...... It's definitely one worth saving for sure - and you'll find all the help you need here.

First tip I will give you, is to get the car to Jimmer at Powerzed, in Bristol. Jim is the UK's 300zx guru, and is trusted by pretty much all of us here! 

I just checked the MOT history. There is history of rot going up to 2016. Was this sorted? Is there documented evidence of that? 

Hell of a fail/advisory list you've got to contend with at the moment! 

Welcome Paul and a UK Z is certainly worth saving. I see you have subscribed to the club so if you pm me the details in the link below I can send you a membership pack.

 

 

1 minute ago, Gaz 300 said:

Welcome Paul and a UK Z is certainly worth saving. I see you have subscribed to the club so if you pm me the details in the link below I can send you a membership pack.

 

 

....And thank you for your support Paul - most appreciated!

1 hour ago, RichardS said:

Hi and welcome to the club Paul...!

Nice late model UK car you have there - so congratulations on your new acquisition...... It's definitely one worth saving for sure - and you'll find all the help you need here.

First tip I will give you, is to get the car to Jimmer at Powerzed, in Bristol. Jim is the UK's 300zx guru, and is trusted by pretty much all of us here! 

Why thank you kind Sir !

Welcome to the Club Paul and thank you for your support!

FYI - I have the car in my UK spec register with a build date of May '93 and number 1413 out of 1548 imported to the UK.

Edited August 3, 20214 yr by AndrewG

Hi Andrew

Thank you for the welcome and the info, do you know possibly how many have survived?

Thanks 

Paul

12 hours ago, Lexx said:

Welcome. 

Tips / advice very much depend on its current condition. The more you can tell us the better. 

60k/120k cambelt service is a good place to start if it's been more than 4 years since the last. 

Thorough inspection inside the sills - particularly the rear. If they are showing any marking on the outside then the inside will be in bad shape. New sill panels are available. 

Leaky targas. If they're leaking then try and sort them as the can create a world of electrical pain. 

Electrics in general - connections are old and brittle. Go careful with them but check them all out. 

What does it run like? Smoke? 

Hi all, 

Thankyou all for the welcome.

When we purchased the car we did not know a lot about it, took a chance off Ebay as the price was right, though there was not any mention of the rust and from the pictures it looked ok. when seeing the car for the first time, we realised that the rust was going to be a major issue and had that tackled first as it was a definite MOT failure, The guys at IM accident repair centre in Andover undertook the work, fabricating new inner sills and part of the floor, repairing the front quarter panels lower edges and fitting the outer sills and sill extensions, purchased from Z Centre. The work was carried out to a superb standard, with photographic evidence taken at all steps along the way, being sent to me as updates and saved to a memory stick. After this was completed I took the car for MOT to get a list to work from for what needed doing, so not surprised that it failed, but surprised more what it passed on - I expected it to fail on emissions and brakes, but both passed. The car is already having the brake lines replaced and the lights have been sorted, so hopefully will pass MOT next week. The car is booked in with Jimmer, at PowerZed on the 18th for full service to engine, gearbox and Diff, replacing injectors, spark plugs and engine wiring loom. This was planned as the ad said the car was a non-runner, but it currently runs, though only on 5 cylinders, no smoke.

I am still going to need to find lower rear quarter panels for both sides, the bits behind the bumper and rear wheels, and a rear panel, as these need to be replaced soon.

I hope this spells out where the car is at.

Thanks for your help

 

You're in a good position then. 

For the lower rear quarters just get a good fabricator/welder to make then for you. The panels aren't available new, and any cuts you get from a donor are probably rubbish anyway. I've just had mine done and the fab guy just made new. I'll put pics below. 

For parts going forward there's UK suppliers like Luke at Zcentre, Torqen, AllCarPartsFast and similar. US you have CZP, Z1, Rock Auto, SpecialityZ, Zspec, BlasterZ. Japan has Greenline, Amayama, JPCarParts. 

6 hours ago, PaulRM said:

Hi Andrew

Thank you for the welcome and the info, do you know possibly how many have survived?

Thanks 

Paul

From my register of UK specs I so far have the records of 205 cars out of 1548 recorded in FAST (Nissan's parts DB) and working

from the last cars made 'Dec '93 backwards (plus a smattering of earlier cars).

I have 26 Taxed and 32 MOTd. That figure will have changed since I started gathering the stats a year ago, but it gives you a picture

of the state of play for the later cars.

Welcome to the club, well done for saving another 300zx.

On 03/08/2021 at 22:01, jimmer said:

On 03/08/2021 at 20:40, RichardS said:

First tip I will give you, is to get the car to Jimmer at Powerzed, in Bristol. Jim is the UK's 300zx guru, and is trusted by pretty much all of us here! 

Why thank you kind Sir !

Jim's reputation preceded him and once I knew the body was.. able to be saved, he was my very next call. Booked in for the 18th.

Ho van paul and welcome, good to see another one being saved 

Welcome Paul and good luck with the build. Car looks amazing and will only get better good luck with the build?

Update.... It's getting there..... just passed MOT, taxed and on the road.... ish. Now just it's planned visit to Jim next week..... and everything else that needs doing

Great news on the MOT pass Paul ?

Well done Paul another UK spec on the path to a full recovery!

I have a superb collection of OEM goodies waiting for this UK Model ?

19 hours ago, jimmer said:

I have a superb collection of OEM goodies waiting for this UK Model ?

On 04/08/2021 at 09:51, Lexx said:

For the lower rear quarters just get a good fabricator/welder to make then for you. The panels aren't available new, and any cuts you get from a donor are probably rubbish anyway. I've just had mine done and the fab guy just made new. I'll put pics below. 

If you don't mind me asking... what did you pay for that? 

Hi all

 

Just a quick update.... Car is at Jim's , a little bit of bad news.... drivers side turbo seized. Good news Jim's going to fix it. I might need to start a GoFund me to pay for all this... haha

Hi all

 

UPDATE .... After a small hiccup, the car is back home from Powerzed, runs superbly, imagine what a difference having 6 cylinders and 2 working turbos makes. Jim did a superb job and has made a lasting impression on the car, absolutely love it !! Now to look at all the other bits that need doing to really save her.

Glad you got it sorted paul looks a tidy uk Zed mate