Mystery metal brackets in 240Z - maybe dash?

[Warty]

I removed my dash a few years ago, and am getting the point where I can put it back in the car, but in checking parts today, I came across these 3 metal brackets, and I'm not sure what they are from. I failed to take good photos or a video when I took it out, and well, the old Mark I memory system is giving me nothing on these. 

They were in a bag with the screws that held the dash to the dashed, so maybe they are dash related? I've looked around at photos here and at HybridZ, and it's not obvious to me where these would be, if they are dash-related. 

 

[grannyknot]

The only things in your pic that look stock Nissan to me are the lock washers.  Maybe a previous owner had the dash off and improvised on the fasteners.  What year of 240Z are you working on?

[Warty]

This is a 1970 240Z, but it did have a new dash installed at some point. I need to check records, but I think it was around 1980. I don't believe it was actually factory new (the 2nd dash). Then that eventually cracked, and some PO put a top cover on it. I threw the cracked dashed and top away a few years ago when I took out the dash. 

It would NOT surprise me at all to find non-Nissan parts in here, because I've been finding them everywhere. I am generally trying to restore towards factory, but lots of limitations of course. Any idea what the original screw hardware would have looked like? This is best series of photos I've found of inside of 240Z dash, from HybridZ, but the screws look awfully shiny to be original. 
https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/128881-240z-reproduction-dash/

 

 

 

 

[Yarb]

Did the car have aftermarket air conditioning? Could have been some make shift brackets for that.

[Warty]

It got an air conditioner, but I think that was actually from the Datsun dealer, about a year after purchase (but still aftermarket). I know I saw a receipt for the install. But that was gone (long gone?) before I got the car. The 2 holes are there in the firewall. 

whelp... hopefully they didn't need to be there (wherever "there" was). 

This car project reminds me a bit of the Johnny Cash Cadillac song, except in reverse. Another 10 years, and I'll have gotten it all back to factory(ish), one part at a time. 

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Warty

[Warty]

Does anybody know a modern source for the self-tapping screws used in the dashpad? I found what I think is them:

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/dash-panel-side-instrument/7

 

SCREW-TAPPING MS TO
08510-51210

Not having any luck find what that looks like, size, width/height of head, etc. 

It seems to have been replaced with 08510-51212. I found this (probably a successor to that?):

https://www.autopartsprime.com/nissan/screw/oe-0851351212

Anybody know if those are the same? Any recommendations for finding a physically identical screw? 

This is probably the washer for it, based on both needing a count of 17. 
WASHER-SPRING MS TO
08915-13510

That one appears to be still available. eg.:
https://www.amayama.com/en/part/nissan/0891513510

Looks like the washers I have match based on that photo though. 

 

 

[Patcon]

Does Belmetric carry that type of fastener?

[Warty]

not sure. this is probably the closest to the Nissan part number, but is 1 mm longer. 
https://belmetric.com/m5-5-pan-phillips-tapping-stainless-steel-din-7981-c/?sku=MSM5.5X13SS

The thing is, I don't know what the 1970 original screws are supposed to look like. Is it a hex head or something? 

Not sure I interpreted this part number right, but it seems to "tapping screw pan head", 5mm diameter, 12 mm length, zinc cadmium coated. That's how I would describe my screws that you can see in the bag. So, pretty confused... 

[KenFirch]

Those 3 metal brackets look like the ones embedded in the foam dash pad for the screws.  There are 5 of them on the lower edge, at least on my old 73 dash.