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I had one of the best weekends of my life in Memphis, TN. Spent it with like minded friends and peers. Can hardly wait until that happens again. You guys are the best!

So before i went to vacation i ordered a lot of stuff from japan and elsewere and when i returned two days ago i had a load of boxes and envelopes waiting for me. that's how returning from vacation makes fun So what was inside these boxes and envelopes? A lot of reading material: 1) Brian Long's Fairlady Roadster to 280ZX book. Probably the most complete Z-book i've come along so far. 2) Original JDM HS30 sports option parts catalogue 3) Original JDM sports option parts catalogue 1979 4) Japanese S30 Fairlady Z Complete book, by "Nostalgic hero" Magazine. Basically a small Mook that includes scans of all original japanese catalogues and so on. can be quite handy sometimes. 5) Original JDM Fairlady Z Sales brochure cool thing is if you unfold it completely and turn it around it's a Poster of a Fairlady Z 6) JDM Service manual for HS30, PS30, and S30 7) Only Z Book (Japanese). Probably similar to 1) but in Japanese, tons of informations about Z's with many spec-tables and so on! 8) then got the JDM Parts list for the S30 on a CD. already have an other one as PDF file but this one is searchable so probably more handy... 9) Now to the non-readable parts Since i decided to go the Subaru-R180 route differential was wondering what adapters i should use. Wolf creek, Beta motorsports or some others. until i figured out that Kameari makes them for the same price with import and the somehow look a bit more appealing and more OEM to me with the darker material used and so on. and then it's Japanese too which i always prefer for personal reasons 10) and since i have a passenger seat now for the Z i also neaded a seatrail, and here it is

I finally drank enough beer to get up the nerve to paint the lettering on my face plate. The paint pen @psdenno recommended works great. I'm going to put a couple of coats over the next day or two.

I realized the stamped was inward punched, counterintuitive in my opinion so I ran a small bit in and out. With a high flow pump it drenches my cam now.

I get really leery when ONE kit fits a whole bunch of different cars. Reminds me of JC whitney. It's not clear what kind of evap they tie into. O-ring zx or flare fitting? or no fitting on the evap side of the hose set? Nostalgic air sells a universal sanden mount for 50$ and a sanden compressor can be had for a couple hundred. Gotta be careful you don't get a chinese knockoff nowdays. Kits fit 1971 1972 1973 Datsun 240Z 6 cylinder 2.4 liter 1974 Datsun 260Z 6 cylinder 2.4 liter 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 280Z 6 cylinder 2.4 liter 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 280ZX

well lookie what facebook found! Actually Bill Morgan. http://www.yoesheadporting.com/#!product-page/fuhi2/687b6dfd-1bc5-8b50-6674-2e4f8b055f90

So I finished up all the cleaning, caulking and coating application (bed liner) up behind the tank yesterday and went out this morning to put the tank back in. Got it jacked up in place, back on the fill hose (thank you heat and vaseline for another helpful service!) and started thinking about putting the straps on, then WHAM it hit me.. Forgot to put the ground lug and new bolt back in place...... Take it back down, clean the coating off the lug that got sprayed, ran a tap into the threads to clean it out, and put in a new pretty bolt.. THEN put the tank back in.. Sheesh....

He may have smoked a non OE fuse link. The only time I had one fail is when the alt shorted to ground, the wire melted inside the insulation which looked perfect on the outside. I would suggest just buying the OE's they are not hard to find and not expensive (under 10$ for a full set IIRC), try that and see if the issue comes up again. If you smoke the correct fuse link the def have a problem. Smoking a homemade could be simply a incorrect homemade. I have wondered about doing a voltage drop across the fuse link and calculating the amperage across the circuit (I don't have anything that I can directly read the high current, so use the fuse link as a shunt). then compare that to the rate current of the fuse link, the problem would still be I don't know the intended current of the circuit. Was it 50% of the rated current of the fuse link? just don't know.

Will print this up today

Not sure if you've seen this or how much help it'll be, but here's a guy on HybridZ that put in the HVAC from a Miata. If you give a mouse a cookie... http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/124965-frankenterior/

Well for starters, the 95 sentra compressor is serpentine and the compressor mounts look really different. I seem to remember someone putting in a 280z system into their 240z. Getting the evap to fit is the hardest part. Hybridz search perhaps. He integrated the controls into the 240z which is more work than most people want to do. Just give me a simple on/off switch. You either need a/c or you don't, right? We don't need no fancy mixing valves or vacuum bottles.... cheapest and least work is to cobble together a frankenstein system. A used hitachi compressor and mount off a 280z-x, new parallel condenser and a used ARA 240z evap with ARA on/off switch with all new custom hoses. Check out a video of a guy installing a vintage air evap. Notice he drilled holes up into the cowl where water can leak through. He also had to fab a bracket for the bottom. It's not a plug n play system. https://youtu.be/QDksgw4MVIo

Chemicals and paint for the tank ordered and on their way. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Nice job! All you need is a silver Sharpie, a steady hand, and balls the size of watermelons. The silver on my center console has held up well for a few years now with no sign of wear or flaking. Dennis

I'm glad to hear everyone is happy with innovation-interiors. I just ordered a red leather set with gray nueva suede inserts for my 2011 Miata. They didn't have a pattern for the "NC" Miata, so I sent them my OEM covers to use for a pattern.

Thanks everyone. I am reaching that desperation stage now where I am ordering the final parts I need and burning the Paypal credit card on e-bay and other sites to make it happen. Will soon start listing some of the surplus parts I have here to offset things a bit. It is funny looking at some of the items that the PO collected that were in the boxes. I have a bag here that must have about 30 of the red and yellow rectangular turn signal lenses, enough for 7 cars.

I'm working on a huge post about Z Factory transmissions and options but i decided myself i rather get some physical work done on my transmission. The goal is to check the state of my original FS5C71A factory five-speed (non-US-spec) and then decide if i'll stick with the stock transmission or switch to the FS5W71C transmission from the S14. So this is how i started on saturday: Decided to give the transmission a little cleanup with some engine cleaner first: Then drain the transmission oil before proceeding to avoid a huge mess in front of my garage: The magnetic Oil drain plug has surely collected a few metal-pieces showing some wear to the transmission: Then the sthifter stick pin had to be removed from the gear-selector rod: Next was to get the flange-connector of. Was quite a bit tricky without air-tools but a trusty hammer, a big ratchet and 30minuts later i was able to remove it without any damage to anything or anyone Next i removed all the bolts to the rear extension cover. Note the smaller bolts on top and bottom and the larger ones on each side. Before proceeding further i thought it might be a smart idea to remove the reverse switch as well: Then i carfulle hammered the rear extension housing off using a wood piece to prevent damage to the housing: So far it looks promising. wasn't able to find any damage on the gears but as soon as i have the clutch bell housing and the front cover removed and all gears are visible i will have a collegue of mine check through all the gearing, synchro rings and so on. Will get the covers repainted and all the seals replaced.

About two years ago i was a lucky guy to find a NOS Bride Histrix Seat on Yahoo auctions. Probably the last new one for sale. I bought it and ever since then i was looking for a second one, because only one would suck. A few months ago my Buddy Stef was at my place and we talked about how hard it would be to find a second one. The same evening he saw something about a Histrix for Sale and sent me a screenshot. I Immediately got in contact with the seller but it wasn't really a seat for sale, but more possibility to get one custom made for my by Bride Japan. A lot of emails back and forth and negotiating, which even including talking to Bride representatives at Tokyo Auto Salon earlier this year and finally, yesterday this box showed up at my door.. Inside was a Brand-spaking-new, Order-made only-for-me damn BRIDE Histrix Seat. Oh how happy i am My girl also liked the fact that there will be a passenger seat for her in the car now too So at least that task is closed now. Seats - acomplished

Yeah this Transmission thing took me a while to figure out. It turns out again there have been plenty of different transmissions and even more possible swaps. But let's start with this: Why do People swap Transmissions? There are three main reasons: - American guys running lame US-Spec 4-speed Manual or Auto transmissions - People doing High-power engine swaps where the OEM 5-speed is too weak - No Spareparts available for the original EU / JPN / AUS Spec 5-Speed Since the FS5C71A seems to be one of the most desireable original early gearboxes of the Z-Chassis (Porsche style "competition" steel synchros, 5-speed and all...) i would like to keep it if possible. But i'll talk about possible swaps and "upgrades" in the next post... First a few Facts about the early european / Japan spec 5-speed: - The FS5C71A was carried over from the Datsun Roadster, but with changed bellhousing, gearing and rear end so it doesn't really have too much in common except the Name. - The FS5C71A in the Z was used up to late 1971 at least in the USA, but maybe a bit later on EU-cars since i have two early 1972 cars which still came with that box. - It was sold in the USA As a "competition parts" Option but was standard in most other markets. - There were different gearing Options available through Nissan Japan, Datsun (competition) USA etc... - According to some swiss People the original gearbox is nice for 270hp street use. So what's my desicion? I'd like to keep my original FS5C71A Gearbox, It's the easiest and cheapest Option, will not ruin the car's value (keeping it "original) and so on. But what if the gears and synchros are worn out? www.swmotorsport.com.au carry some spareparts but not all of them are available. So my desicion is to open up the original gearbox and have a look. if everything is still nice or fixable i'll do exactly that and keep it. If not i will go for a swap with someething more modern, but still close to the family. you'll see