Looking for moral support...

[Zpeed Racer]

Well.. my 1st post here.

Just bought me a 1990 300ZX a week ago.. and right now I kinda regret it..

I paid $6,000 for it.. an automatic.. N/A it is in serious need of exterior care.. cuz the lower part of the front is all screwed up and tha car seem like it has been painted a few times but not that good of a job, as it is chipped and flaking in some spots.. plus yesterday while giving it a wash I noticed a few rust spots..

But my main concern was the engine condition.. I had it checked superficially only to see if there was any considerable flaws.. since the mechanic told me that it seemed to de in pretty fair condition for a car that age.. I went ahead and bought it.

Now just 4 days later tha cars doesn't start.. at first I thought it was something with the car alarm cuz it looked like the killswitch didn't allow for the engine to start.. but after a while the car lost all battery life.

So tomorrow it's off to a mechanic to see what's wrong with it.. i guess it might be the starter or the alternator.. I wanted it to be a project car but didn't expect to start spending so quick..


Still.. my wish is to practically restore the car to mint condition.. the interiors are leather and they show some wear.. but I plan on gettin that trim they sell on ZtoyZ ..

The exterior.. well the plan is a Stillen GTZ-R front and maybe sideskirts.. plus re-paint it maybe to a Pearl White or Candy Apple Red (right now it's original color its "Aztec Red").. and hopefully I'm trying to replace all the gaskets, rubber trim and weatherstrips around the vehicle cuz the current ones are really fncked up.. (but finding them replacements seems to be a pain in the azz)..

But now for engine.. it seems it is better to go ahead and make the swap for the vg30dett and maybe a new auto tranny too.. (the current tranny was doing this weird hard shifting wich I guess isnt normal.. so my gues its that the tranny must be fncked too..)

Well this sh!t seems to be running long here.. anyways guys all I'm looking for is just to introduce myself in this here forum.. and get any advice or pointers for the near future.. cuz right now my "Project Dream Car"..seems to be heading for a nightmare..



PS - the bastard who sold me the car forgot to tell me that neither the horn nor the wiper reservoir worked (the wipers work fine and all but the tank that hold the water seems to have a crack..plus the lines that go to the washers on the hood were cut.. I feel so stupid for overlooking those things..

[klohiq]

Well if you're going to do a swap I would find a used VG30DETT and swap it in and make sure it's a manual tranny. If you don't know how to drive a manual then now is a good time to start, try on a friends car or something with less power if possible since the 300zx will spin it's tires if you give it too much and you definitely will when you're learning. Manuals can take more abuse and usually, unless the previous owner was insane, the only thing that will wear out is the clutch.

If you're planning on a repaint and a body kit then the exterior condition doesn't mean much. The car isn't in the greatest shape judging by what you're saying, but it could be worse...not a lot tho .

Don't feel too bad...least you have a Z. I might purchase one if I can't find a 240 or mr2 around here within a few months.

[z33guy]

that sucks you got burned, the same thing happened on my 90 VG maxima, biggest POS ive ever been in contact with. I bought it for 6k and ended up putting another 6k just in the engine and some other mech stuff to keep it running. I hope your project turns out well tho

[longlivetheZ]

You have my blessings, man. Wish I *HAD* a Z32. Doesn't sound like it will be to horribly big of a problem for you if you have the right resources. www.victoriabritish.com Sign up for one of their catalogs. You will find, seriously, everything you could ever need to restore your Z, from that weather stripping you were talking about (they have all stripping needed to do the WHOLE CAR over) down to the tiniest little suspention components and what not. Awesome place to get stuff, too. I've never had any problems with them. If you don't find everything you could EVER NEED there (which I don't know what the hell else you'd need) then check out the usualls.....stillen.com (BIG ONE), greddy.com, and a smaller Victoria British-like kind of place called Motorsport Auto (www.motorsportauto.com). You couldn't possibly need anything that you can't find on those sites. Good luck and NEVER GIVE UP....LONG LIVE THE Z!

[rizzspeed]

Don't worry yourself too much over the little things. Like it was said before, it could be worse. Trust me much worse. First off, it could just be your battery. You might just need a new one. The hoses for the winshield wipers isn't that expensive. Try http://www.z1motorsports.com/parts.htm
They sell used parts for the Z32. They basically have like an all Z32 junkyard. They'll have the windshield washer reservoir. Unfortunately, the automatic transmissions in the Z32's tend to be problematic. A simple check might reveal some things. It could be a simple trans fluid leak. Most automatic transmissions act the way you described when they're low on fluid.
For the rubber trim, gaskets, and weather stripping, go to your local Nissan dealers. You can special order all that you need. You'll want to shop around though. The dealers all compete for your dollar just like aftermarket retailers, so their prices will vary. www.courteyparts.com This is a link to Courtesy Nissan in Texas. They specialize in online retailing for all Nissans, old and new. They should give you a rough idea of what you'll pay and what is available.
Don't give up too soon. Your car is only a few minor repairs away.

[jennifer206]

Hey, Zpeed Racer!
I'm Sorry To Hear Of Your Problems, But I've Seen Cars In Much Worse Condition That Turned Out To Be A "diamond In The Rough". My Family Has Owned And Operated A Nissan Dealership For Over 50 Years, If There Is Any Part#s Or Info I Could Help With Let Me Know... I Will Do What I Can.