Oddessey

[Carl Beck]

and the other wants to visit a girl he has met on line. It should make for an interesting trip, photos to follow.

Just make sure she isn't one of the ABC Crew... we don't want to see your friend on T.V.

Carl B.

[BRE-240Z]

This is a great thread. Keep up the good work!

[hls30.com]

This is beginning to sound like something that should be in Nissan Sport...nudge, nudge, wink, wink....

Will

[=Enigma=]

I thought I had it made when he started talking cars with me. Telling me about bringing his Corvette to the bypass to blow it out as well, then he followed up by saying “but you just got caught”.

The good old double standard at work. How do these guys sleep at night?

[JLPurcell]

For the most part I am ready for the road trip, just a couple of loose ends to tie. Tentatively we are planning to leave on the evening of December 3rd, might move up the date but definitely no later than that.

Now back to the story: I spent my evenings for the next few weeks attending reckless drives school with the best society had to offer, at least Muncie. They showed us gory pictures of wrecks in graphic detail. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anybody.

When visiting my home town I notice a small new repair shop, Pro Auto Tune, setting outside was a way cool pearl white, slammed to the ground, plastic bubble for a windscreen, Triumph Spitfire. I stopped in to talk cars with the owner. He was in the process of retro-fitting a six cylinder Porsche engine in a Porsche 914, making it a 914/6. George the owner of the shop had just moved to Indiana from Washington state and was into SCCA roadracing and autocrossing. It was music to my ears.

I had raced go karts for a few years prior to going off to college. Comet cart sales, in Greenfield Indiana and my older brother had sponsored me. The truth of it is my brother bought the Kart to race and it scared him so he got "Jerry to do it". It was the first of the sidewinder carts with a Komet K88, 125 engine fully finger ported and running alcohol.

I started hanging out and bench racing at Pro Auto Tune with George when home. This led to joining the SCCA (Western Ohio Region or WOR) which of course led to my Z and I becoming weekend warriors. To be continued…

[JLPurcell]

It is sometimes necessary to take a sidetrack in the telling of any story. These sidetracks can help one to understand the points at which an inanimate object such as a car becomes something more. I will have to take a few of these sidetracks to tell this story. This is one such sidetrack: Driving past one of the malls in Muncie my wife and I noticed a dark green early 240Z and decided to investigate. It had some slight differences from ours, a rear hatch with vents and vertical defroster. Out of curiosity we decided to wait outside and see who came out to claim the car. We hadn’t waited long when a young man came out to get into his Z, my wife and I introduced ourselves. He, Gary was just out of college, Ohio State, and working as a metallurgist for Warner Gear in Muncie and his fiancée, Rita was still in college. This meeting over a car has led to a 32 year friendship and Gary and Rita are godparents to our oldest son. Gary gave up on restoration of his 70 240Z years ago. He and his wife live in North Carolina, where he is manager of a new Warner Gear plant. Gary and Rita recently attended our oldest sons wedding. When the restoration is complete a trip to North Carolina is at the top of my list. I can’t wait to pull up at Gary and Rita’s house in the Z looking as it did when we met. To be continued.....

[JLPurcell]

I just crated up my new dash for the trip to California. After watching one go for $1700 on ebay last week I decided to make a wood box for transport of my NOS dash. I also boxed all of the new parts. I would list them all but it would just make you cry. I purchased and put away tons of new parts in the late 70's just waiting for this day.

Back to the story: On the weekends I started going to autocross meets. I would follow George, who would trailer his fully prepared spitfire to the events.

I immediately did well. Seconds, thirds and even a first now and again. The first place finishes would come only when one lime green Z didn’t show up for the event. That’s right, we all have our Moriarty, and mine, from the start, was a lime green Z. When Moriarty (the lime green Z) showed up, he would always win our class.

George and his prepared spitfire would always, yes always, win his class and take FTD (fast time of the day). George went on to win the Nationals but that is another story…

Now mind you although I competed in the stock class, Moriarty always set a little lower than all the other Z cars; "age and spring sag" the owner explained, and never would you see under Moriarty’s hood, the hood release must have been broken. Ahhh… but I had a plan, MODIFICATIONS! My fellow competitors were quick to explain that the winner was the one who could best interpret the rules.

Fist came the Mulholland strut inserts. I would have Moriarty next weekend, well, almost had him. Just one more improvement and I’ll own the course. BF Goodrich Radial TA’s and pay just a little extra to have 50% of the tread shaved off. That’s right, pay out the nose for these highly prized tires and then shave half of the life off. I have him now! To be continued…..

[AZ-240z]

Jerry,

I just got out a box of kleenex and am mentally prepared to feel horrible.

So, lay it on me, what are all the parts you stashed away?

Dan

[JLPurcell]

Jerry,

I just got out a box of kleenex and am mentally prepared to feel horrible.

So, lay it on me, what are all the parts you stashed away?

Dan

I won’t bore everyone with a spreadsheet of the new parts, let just say that I put the new factory floor in it years ago (not on the road since). On the interior go from there to the melt in floor insulation, felt pad, carpet, dash, seat covers, door panels, to the plastic trim and plastic rivets, map lights, door handle clips and washers, even the vent control knobs everything in the interior of the car. Now for the engine area engine was rebuilt with factory parts years ago 10 over, (not ran since just maintained), all new hoses, wire clamps, screws, etc… Exterior, all emblems, bumpers, over riders, bumper rubber, seals, rear quarter panels, rear inner finders, rocker panels, front valance, front cowl panel, screws, bolts, even a set of the original 240 Z side stripes in white (due to age of the vinyl, I had some exact reproductions made from the originals for my car) etc… like I said tons of parts… Thank goodness, at today’s prices! I just hope after all these years the restoration is up to my expectations. I’m sure that Classic Datsun Motorsports is the right choice for the job. Can’t wait to meet Les.

[hls30.com]

I won’t bore everyone with a spreadsheet of the new parts, let just say that I put the new factory floor in it years ago (not on the road since). On the interior go from there to the melt in floor insulation, felt pad, carpet, dash, seat covers, door panels, to the plastic trim and plastic rivets, map lights, door handle clips and washers, even the vent control knobs everything in the interior of the car. Now for the engine area engine was rebuilt with factory parts years ago 10 over, (not ran since just maintained), all new hoses, wire clamps, screws, etc… Exterior, all emblems, bumpers, over riders, bumper rubber, seals, rear quarter panels, rear inner finders, rocker panels, front valance, front cowl panel, screws, bolts, even a set of the original 240 Z side stripes in white (due to age of the vinyl, I had some exact reproductions made from the originals for my car) etc… like I said tons of parts… Thank goodness, at today’s prices! I just hope after all these years the restoration is up to my expectations. I’m sure that Classic Datsun Motorsports is the right choice for the job. Can’t wait to meet Les.

No boredom here, I think sharing the filled outPart numbers) spreadsheet might be a good addition to some of the tings Mike has added to the site recently! WHen I ge t my list moved from paper to a spread sheet, I plan on sharing the situation for a '72

PS,

You story has me waiting for your posts like my son waits for story time!

[JLPurcell]

No boredom here, I think sharing the filled outPart numbers) spreadsheet might be a good addition to some of the tings Mike has added to the site recently! WHen I get my list moved from paper to a spread sheet, I plan on sharing the situation for a '72

I have attached a spreadsheet of most of the parts. Enjoy!

240z parts.xls

[JLPurcell]

Mulholland shocks, shaved TA’s, the course is mine! Well, at least I am consistently finishing second to Moriarty (lime green Z) now, no more thirds for me. Mulholland strut inserts $200, Shaved TA’s $250, one tenth of a second, PRICELESS! Ah yes, the high price of speed and agility. I decided to install a rear sway bar and a larger front sway bar and, at my pride's expense…attend driving school. No, not like the earlier Court ordered driving school with the gory pictures.

I went into the winter that year with better skills and a very tight 72 Z. I still had not been able to beat Moriarty. He not only had that mysterious spring sag, he was admittedly good…yes I said it, good.

Ahh… but I had a plan, MORE MODIFICATIONS!. That’s right, more money to be spent and work to be done over the winter. First I acquired Bill Fishers & Bob Waar’s "How to Modify DATSUN 510 610 240Z Engines & Chassis" (fresh off the press 7-73 Nissan part #99996-M8010). To be continued….