Topics Last 30 Days
Showing topics, images, events and files posted in for the last 28 days.
- Past hour
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Horn Relay Location on a 1978
Some of those relays near the fuse panel are easier to access with the glovebox out.
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Z's on BAT and other places collection
You've pretty much answered your own question there. And when it comes down to it, we'd have to judge it as a success in those very marketing terms let alone anything else. The press loved it. The project caught the imagination and support of influential figures in the North American Z 'scene' - including the kind who insisted it was a first for a major manufacturer (it wasn't) and "unique" in the auto manufacturing world (it wasn't). Those same figures still vaunt it today. We've certainly discussed the topic here on classiczcars.com many times over the years and our fellow member @26th-Z wrote what I believe is the definitive essay on the VZ cars. It was - when all is all said and done - a big deal in the story of the Z car's mid-life crisis. But as is often the case, the hype and commentary from offstage created unrealistic expectations. The misleading term 'Factory Restoration' was thrown around a lot and many swallowed it whole, including members of the specialist press. The VZ cars often get judged as though they were intended to be 100% factory correct concours restorations when that was clearly never the case. You can see the same thing happening in the current BaT auction. LOL. Another bunch of answers to your "why are the Vintage Z valued so highly?" question in there. It's the kind of people appearing in that video - and mentioned in it - who are part of the hype. High profile figures in the old Z car world, but often too the Typhoid Mary-like spreaders of bad information. Whilst looking in the engine bay of a VZ car we get the words 'Nickel' and 'Cad' plating thrown around (its mostly Zinc...) and a false story about the commissioning of re-pop braided hoses (Nishi san of Revive Jalopy in Japan was responsible for this and for many other previously unobtainable parts too). We even see a modern fuel filter pointed at as though it is some kind of ancient relic. Some typical 'Mr K Lore' thrown in for good measure when discussing early cars/chassis numbers. Larry Chen asks "why is it that the US got the early cars and how come Japan didn't get the early numbers...?" and Jaffe's answer talks about the '240Z'. Japan did get early cars (they got them earlier than the US too...) but the problem here is the congenital misconception that the 'US 240Z' is something over and above the whole S30-series Z family as conceived, planned, designed, styled, engineered and produced before the end of 1969. To the point that anything else is some kind of afterthought. We get Katayama's "PUSH" related as a one-man quest to get 'his' project made rather than the more realistic scenario of him lobbying for influence on something that was already happening. Apparently Mr Carl Beck ('Z car encyclopaedia') "can tell you how many went to England, Australia and its all very limited...", but there's no mention of Japan in their 'Z car' story. You can look at pretty much any volume - and non-volume - selling sports car of the 60s and 70s period and see the same story; volume sales in the USA. But I've yet to see any Triumph, Austin-Healey, MG or Jaguar being vaunted as 'Made Expressly For The USA'. VW shipped just shy of 400,000 Type 1 Beetles into the USA in 1968 alone, so 'Made For The USA'? Mainland USA was the biggest single potential market for just about any product of the period concerned, but I would like to credit at least some US consumers as being sophisticated enough to see through all the "we made this for YOU" type sales slogans. So, why are the Vintage Z cars valued so highly? It's in large part due to the influence of the kind of people who had eight of them, and sold six of them to somebody who now has eight. Larry Chen will make a video about them! People listen, and look up to, movers and shakers like that. Our old BaT friend Larry Stepp (he's a BIG fan of the classiczcars forum) made a prediction the last time this current BaT auction VZ car was up for sale. He said it would be worth 250k USD in a few years. There's the hype. It's not so much to do with the physical details of the object (which is not too shabby, to say the least), it's the perceived kudos and status within a fairly small cohort of people who are looked up to as sooth-sayers and mystics. Buy "one of the 37" and - hey! - maybe you'll even get the pleasure of putting the hose clamps on 'the right way round'...
- Today
- Is anyone there?
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1973 Rebuild
280ZX Brake MC is ready to go! I tore this apart several years ago thinking it would be a short project, but the rebuild kit I had turned out to be for the one made by Tokico (large perforated disc residual valves) and this one is made by Nabco (small rubber duckbill residual valves, see below). I had messed around with trying to rejuvenate the reservoirs. I had read you could cover it in a solution of oxy clean and hydrogen peroxide gel under UV light for 24 hours and it would take the yellow out. It lightened it up, but they’re still clearly yellow. Super clean, though. I also did some chemistry on some of the hardware. The bleeders and reducers for this thing are not common sizes (the reducers are m16x1.0 to m10x1.0) and after two weeks of searching for replacements I gave up and decided to try chemically coating them. I didn’t want to do the hardcore hot bluing or zinc methods because of the chemicals, so I used the rust bluing method. Basically, you soak them in white vinegar to strip off the rust, zinc, and anything else on them. Then you paint them with a paracetic acid / salt solution (8 parts hydrogen peroxide:1 part white vinegar + as much salt as it will dissolve). Dry it with a heat gun and throw it into a double boiler. You’ll see the rust turn black, which is when it turns into iron oxide. Buff it with steel wool and repeat until satisfied, then soak for 24 hours in motor oil. They came out okay. I was hoping they would look more like the pistons, but this is what they look like after four rounds of the process, so it’s going to have to be good enough. Fingers crossed that they don’t just immediately corrode. You could also do the phosphoric acid version (cold bluing), but this makes a harder coating of iron oxide. Then I just had to hone the cylinder, flush it with 91% alcohol, wipe it out, and reassemble. I kept the Tokico 240Z reservoir caps since I didn’t wire the car for ZX caps (PN: 46020-U6701) with the fluid level sensors and don’t have the metal (PN: 46020-K2401) or plastic (PN: 46020-N6000) Nabco caps. Maybe later if I can find a set for less than €53.40. It looks pretty good after test fitting it. I’m waiting for a dust cover and O-ring in the mail, then I can install it and bleed the brakes.
- Yesterday
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Helpful tip for getting directly to the last post when not signed in
So, on the All Activity page, you can click on anything and it will take you to the end. So, this would be the page to start from when not signed in. But...the page lists all posts instead of all Topics. so there's really no need to click through since they're all right there in the list. Oh well. https://www.classiczcars.com/discover/
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Sealing an oil pan
Will do, thanks for the photos. it is a very nice looking oil pan.
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ITM Piston Rings
Not so much trained but he does what he wants and gets what he wants I guess by just paying attention. He's the reason I get out of bed, his name is Rolex. I know what he wants and he knows what I'm about to do and runs and hides under the bed. Hates baths and toenail trims, cleaning his big ears are a weekly fight too. But I can't imagine my life without a good dog. So yeah I guess he is trained but I didn't do it, he did.
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Euro / JDM taillight wiring
Knowledge of 240Z wiring.
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rear clunking noise '76 280z
They all are, my friend. They all are. ☺️
- Last week
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280z DASHBOARD REMOVAL / UPGRADE
Another way is to go through the tachometer opening if your hands are small enough.
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Ads attacking!?
Never mind. I erased my internet history and the problem went away. Didn't know that "cookies" could do that. I think I had clicked on something by accident. Back to original programming...
- Z Parts For Sale.
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Large Language Model, Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence
We have some AI on here already, "why won't my car run as I think it should" 10 years going on 20.
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Datsun 240Z Ashtray Snuffer Plate Reproduction In Stainless Steel
I've looked into that. The costs into manufacturing it aren't light from What I've seen so far. I will have another look.
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1971 HLS30-14938 "Lily" build
The door latches I used Tail light chrome pieces. They weren't very flat. So I heated them slightly to reshape them. I did cause some wrinkling in the finish on the one that was pretty warped. I probably should have sent them back and exchanged them but for now it's fine Bought some washer to hold the trims on Installed Some butyl to hold the lens in The center post of the chrome is supposed to be long enough to go all the way through the back and get another star washer. The posts on my repops aren't long enough for that. So hopefully the lens don't fall out Felts for the bottom lens drains Shop dog More Belmetric Lights in place Finishers Badges, because everyone knows badges make cars run better!! ;)
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Guy's wanting my 240
Yeah, I like that Turbo 930
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Just Another Damned Z Car Project Thread
My '77 has that wide B like you're talking about and I got one out of a '79 2+2 that I put in my '72 and am really happy with it. Never use 5th around here but it's a game changer on the interstate roads.
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JDM fender mirror dimensions
I could sure use a 3d print file for the vertical base part of the mirror
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Let's show vintage racing pictures. I'll start.
I thought that was the name of the Farmers union?
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Oil Ring On Itm Piston - Trick Needed To Get It On?
Nice and clean very pretty i just wet myself....
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L24 engine with 4 speed Manual.
Post up the serial number and any information about mileage. And if it's complete: carbs, manifolds, air pump, etc. Might have value to somebody restoring an early 240Z. Also, on the 4 speed, whether or not it's a "monkey-motion" transmission or the later style. If it has the clutch parts too, that might help you sell it. Good luck.
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Datsun 240z Rear Taillight Trim
Selling Datsun 240z rear taillight trim for $220 USD or $300CAD on ebay.ca. Listing: https://www.ebay.ca/itm/376366931004
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1977 280z clock issue #xx of yy
I typed some of this into AI to see what it said, and it came back with a lot of stuff, but the main thing was: However, you can search for a compatible replacement. Look for a 4.1945 MHz (or 4.194304 MHz, which is a common close frequency, as 222/106approx4.194304) crystal oscillator with similar package, voltage, and output characteristics. You'll need to know the pinout of your existing oscillator if you want a direct drop-in replacement. You could measure the voltage on a working one to get that, but the other specs would be hard to get without a datasheet.
- Earlier
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Still struggling with car at idle after 8 years
Do i still need to pull the water pump to inspect and flush the radiator to determine if its blocked somewhere? 20250625_170637.mp4
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vin number
I have the paint code information and stuff. I didn't know if there was a report that showed all the stuff like the marti report out there or not. I have ran the vin on carfax and got all info that you are able to find out (maintenance, wrecks, title, inspection and stuff). It just doesn't show like this car is #1 of 1500 with this paint and trim.