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Long ago and far away, Chris and Dan at Tribute built a 250 Kali convertible, sprayed it white, added some stickers and sold it on eBay.
It's appearance gave the impression that it had just completed the Targa Florio. That's a 450 mile road race in Sicily whose first event pre-dated the Mille Miglia.
I had always wanted to ask Chris to build another and for me to have the cash waiting. Building a 250 never directly appealed to me due to the side profile and the need to add door skins and handles. However, I liked the extended boot.
I'd watched the development of Barber's Z3gato with interest due to its use of the standard Z3 side profile and then the availability of a convertible version.
Time has moved on, retirement beckons and I find myself with a 2.0 Z3 bought just before Christmas 2020. Prices were rising even in winter and I didn't want a £600 banger, rather one with an MOT that I could refurbish piecemeal and still use.
I had it delivered, fixed a few bits and pieces and taxed it. It has a good service history but has been neglected of late until the last owner who had renewed components before moving it on.
I'd seen the 250 front that WCA had converted to fit his Z300S and approached him about selling it. I then asked Chris for a supply and fit price for a Z3gato convertible rear end. I sold my Astra TwinTop Turbo to start the funding.
Then I had an interesting tax coding from HMRC which provided the rest.
I pondered what to call the result- it not being a replica of any particular car. With a Scaglietti-inspired front and a Zagato-inspired rear; how about a ScagZag?
I've settled on Tribute Targa Florio Special. We'll see what the DVLRO make of that.
Progress so far includes resiting the oil cooler loop as close to the electric fan as possible and removing the "ears" of the cooling shroud either side of that.
Then I've replaced the bonnet mounted washer jets with ones mounted on the wiper arms. They each have four jets spraying in an X pattern.
The result is spectacular; just like Waltzing Waters (TM) but without the lights.
I've now checked the inner sills and removed the rust using Bilthamber GE-OX and zinc primer. After that, a top coat of matt black and a dousing with Waxoyl.
A trip down to WCA to swap the front and reconnect the lights has produced Phase 1.
Next step, make a booking with Chris to get the rear end replaced.
I have a Z3 that didn't come with the power steering cooling loop, it had obviously rotted away and had been replaced with a small copper pipe that just linked the two rubber pipes together so deleting the cooling loop. It has never given a problem and I can't see any reason why the car would need a cooling loop on the power steering.
I have a Z3 that didn't come with the power steering cooling loop, it had obviously rotted away and had been replaced with a small copper pipe that just linked the two rubber pipes together so deleting the cooling loop...
Good tip, Jag. Is the power steering on the Z3 self-bleeding? I've never had to do anything like that on other cars after re-filling with fluid.
Just seen on the Zroadster forum that turning the steering wheel lock-to-lock a few times gets rid of any air in the pipes.
An interesting concept Ian, can't wait to see the finished result. The side profile of the Z3GT convertible looks great and I'm sure it will work well with the 250 front end.
Hi Tigga- that's super to hear from you. It was definitely my first inspiration. My second is the attached from the 1962 Targa Florio.
Having fitted WCA's front with its high gloss black finish, seems a shame to respray that so mine is likely to be matt black like yours from the doors back.
Do you have any pics from when you first bought it, please?
I do like the "just done the Targa Florio in it" look.
Sort the exhaust and leave the rest.
If I had the space, I'd ask Chris & Dan to do one just like it for me.
Matt black doesn't do it for me ! I like the silver one in the photo above . Have you thought about a red oxide finish if you really want a "shabby chic" look ?
Matt paint on cars can be a problem. Lotus were selling matt red cars to Japan (or was it China?) as it's a 'lucky' colour there - any mud on the bodywork was a devil to remove and they looked just like red oxide primer anyway
I'm going for the "well-used racer" look. The Targa Florio route comprised roads that were dusty and rough in places so persistent mud might be a good thing.
I'm not giving this one the budget for a professional respray and as I have no facilities, rattle-can matt black is within my capabilities and scope.
Phase 1 appearance now complete. I pulled the steering oil cooler pipe back even more but there still wasn't enough clearance for the fan behind the alloy egg-crate grille as supplied by WCA. His doesn't have an electric fan but I wished to retain mine.
The black grille with painted lines (!) looks good- this is not a replica.
I've received the attached pics of my new Z3GTC rear panels from Chris. Moulded in dark grey, I'm hoping that will make it easier to smooth them off and decide on the final colour.
Collected the car from Chris yesterday and I'm very pleased with the result. Lots of bodywork priming and smoothing to do but I will keep driving it around those activities.
I spent today mounting the rear lights, have yet to connect them up. More in the concept than the execution, the reversing and high intensity fog lights are a bit clunky but that's the beauty of grp bodywork, any wrong decisions can be filled in and smoothed over very easily. The high level brake light is an MX-5 item.
I cant quite work out what's going on here... is that a trailer board, for towing, or is that the "clunky" reverse & fog lights you referred to? Do you have any pics taken at normal standing height, and at a slight angle please, to give an idea of the depth of those lights? I'm really struggling to find a set of rear lights I like, and have looked at something similar, but wasn't sure how well they'd sit on a curved rear, so any extra pics would be really handy.
Thanks.
I used the Lucas rear number plate light which doubles up as a reversing light. The fog light I fitted was right under the body and could only be seen from the back. I think the style of the lights doesn't need to be messed with for a "classic" look !
These should explain it, Kon- the lighting units are multi-function lorry/trailer lights that I partially shrouded with the number plate. With experience they are too large and certainly do not match my original ideas for the car.
I used the Lucas rear number plate light which doubles up as a reversing light. The fog light I fitted was right under the body and could only be seen from the back. I think the style of the lights doesn't need to be messed with for a "classic" look !
I did consider the combined reversing/number plate light but I also wanted better integrated lights rather than the afterthought fog light. The latest incarnation is closer to my original ideas.
Due to the curvature of the body at that point, a better solution may be to mount the lights and the number plate on the same sheet of metal or plastic.
I know what you mean about the fog light, it does look like an add on, which it is ! Typical of cars from the 60's - 70's, they were rarely integrated into the other lights.
To be honest I can't remember the last time I turned on a fog light in my daily driver, let alone a kit car that only comes out in the summer during good weather, they are redundant for the most part. Fit one for the mot and remove it when you get home !
