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So here we are, 24th October 2018 and the 49th anniversary of the doors opening to the general public at the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show - the official public debut of Nissan's S30-series Z car range. Here's looking forward to the Big 50...

We've all safely returned home with the treasure of everlasting memories of the people, cars, and events that made the fabric of ZCON Atlanta 2018. Weather that complied, traffic that was bearable, planning that worked. While the cars are billed as the attraction, the chance to meet--- at least once in a lifetime--- these people so dedicated to the furtherance of the Z is unmatched by any other aspect. Legendary figures of our community were everywhere there. Enthusiastic youngsters and wise old owls. From stock to ultra modified. From project to weekend cruiser to pristine show car to champion racer---it had it all. And to think the Z began with this man---- and I met and I shook his hand and I thanked him.

I have decided to stick with the original vinyl since it in perfect original condition and just re-install the original dash. I will cross my fingers that it continues on in its current uncracked condition. I think I will convert the instrument lighting to LED because it is pretty dim.

Here is some 4K footage I shot at the Judged Car Show, one of the few opportunities I got to play with photography/video this past week. The music may be a little much. There was music playing at the show, and I didn't want to worry about copyrights, so I found some royalty free music to substitute. The file is really huge: https://youtu.be/zgLgI6YWWtY. If you have a 4K monitor or 4K TV with YouTube, you may want to watch it that way to get the full effect of the video.

The article itself - as seems the case with so many such articles - is a bit of a dog's dinner, but the very first line jumps out to me as being particularly strange: "Nearly 50 years ago, a small Japanese car company..." Huh? Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. Japan produced nearly 1.2 million vehicles in calendar year 1969. They weren't exactly Crosley, were they?

Just receive a new set of NGK spark plug cables. Let me try them.

Can't understand peoples prejudices against them--- 1973 bone stock 240z with flat tops and points distributor 104 mph on the back straight at CotA in Austin TX 2017 120 mph personal best on a long straight going to Road Atlanta last week 24.4 mpg averaged over ~1600 miles round trip AR to ZCON 2018 and back (not hyper-mileing) Dedicated choke circuit for cold mornings I'm happy with the flat tops---yes they are more difficult to set up properly as the primary adjustments are all internal and can't be done with the carbs on the intake (floats and fuel nozzles), parts are scarce and expensive, but once that it is done I see no reason why they would not perform for a very long time with little additional service required. Many of the reported problems with them is due to a lack of routine maintenance of the engine in general. (valve adjustment, timing, plugs, points rotor and cap) If the quoted Dave Epstein was serious with his comments I wouldn't let him near my car----

Overview of control cable routing (correct me if I am wrong, I never decoded this stuff before). 1) the top slider controls two flaps (red) -a fresh/recirculate flap in the fan box -a direction flap in the middle assembly (routes air from fan towards vents in dash or through heater core towards floor and windshield defrost) This flap can completely close off air flow through heater core. 2) the middle slider controls the hot water valve (blue) 3) the bottom cable controls the foot area doors (green) - when the air is routed through the heater core with the top slider, it then routes to the windshield and foot area; this slider can close off the foot area and force all hot air to the windshield Controls as viewed from fire wall Water Hoses, core and control wire: Flap that closes off air flow through heater core and middle control wire 1 of 2: Flap that closes off fresh air at glove box (control wire 2 of 2 not shown) Floor Door flaps, internal linkage to other door, and control wire

While I was at Zcon in Atlanta I got to spend some time with Gnosez at the car show. It was a lot of fun and very informative. While we were talking, we ended up on the topic of the Bad Dog frame rails that Gnosez makes and markets. John was telling me that when the frame rails get added to the floor boards they should not be fully seam welded. They need to be spotted in with gaps between weld sections. John was telling me when people have disregarded his advise and fully welded the floor seam, cracks have appeared at the roof joint at the top of the hatch. We were wondering about that joint and since Matsuo San was just a few feet away, we went to ask him about it. When we asked him about that joint, Matsuo San said the car needed to "breathe" and they put that joint there at the hatch. The idea was that the movement, from the car flexing, there at the hatch was better than stressing the A pillar and cracking it instead. He also said that since the chrome window frame is not structurally supportive, it needed to be like that. If the door had a real frame around the glass it might have been different. So for those of us, me included, who have considered making that joint more substantial to prevent cracking, that is not such a good idea if you like your windshield to stay in the car. John may have more to add as he was interpreting for me...

I think I have a video, but if you have a crack there will be a sharp point at the end of it, this is a stress riser or a concentration of stress, and will tend to continue to follow that point lengthening the crack. using a small moto tool, you can fit them with a bit that has a very small ball. at the very end of the crack if you simply use the ball to cut a round end to the crack, the stress will be less focused and should help to stop the crack from continuing. It does not have to be a large radius just enough to make in no longer a sharp point.

As I stated above I found the same issue as Phillip when I went from SU's to Mikuni. Well I was looking thru some spare parts and found another linkage I thought was the same. But looking at it closer I see the fire wall bracket is different. It is made offset and it brings the alignment back to the way it was before. Installed and took photos. No new holes need to be drilled. Just need to clean up and paint. I have no clue what it came from. 280ZX maybe?

A few other points of consideration: - The majority of cars produced in 1969 actually arrived in the U.S. in calendar 1970; - Most of the 1969 production cars are titled as 1970 models, state DMV's make their own decisions so a very few chose 1969; - 1970 is the first full year of production. Ultimately, as Steve points out, its Nissan's determination to make and we'll all be glad to party with them in 2020. Trivia: when Ford introduced the Mustang at the New York World's Fair in April 1964 they called it a 1964 1/2 model.

OK, thanks for the explanation, but personally speaking I feel the North American concept of 'Model Year' is a commercial aspect of business practice that doesn't have much place in the commemoration of design debut dates. A 1969 S30-series Z is a 1969 S30-series Z to me. I don't want to wait until I'm 58 for my 57th birthday...

best birthday present I ever got, "bolt buster" induction heater. Expensive as heck but worth it after the hassle of a couple of hard to get at bolts get sheared off. Now I see China is getting in on the action https://www.banggood.com/900W-Rusty-Nut-Screw-Remover-Ductor-Magnetic-Induction-Heater-Kit-Automotive-Flameless-Heat-p-1336959.html?gmcCountry=US&currency=USD&createTmp=1&utm_source=googleshopping&utm_medium=cpc_elc&utm_content=frank&utm_campaign=pla-mix-us-pc-0626&gclid=Cj0KCQjwsMDeBRDMARIsAKrOP7F54ipCMtEAcUhjlNt-tpYl87Zh4oP721bngv-yv0LVuAnF7Gz2h3IaAvhdEALw_wcB&ID=48035&cur_warehouse=CN

Great work on this 86!!! You are doing a number of similar mods to me and I look forward to watching this progress! Glad to have another Z31 fan here as there seem to be very few!

Maybe you could start planning ahead for 2020. ZCON 2018 set the bar for the highest ZCON attendance ever. I'm thinking the 50th anniversary of the 240Z might make it where the 2020 convention could beat it.

I like that! Few car enthusiasts can say that they hit a higher speed going to Road Atlanta than on Road Atlanta. You're tough to keep up with Jim, thanks for a great week!

The only time when "You broke it, you bought it." feels good.

Here is the bulb from SuperbrightLED.com DE3022 CAN bus LED Bulb - 10 SMD LED Festoon - 31mm $2.88 Taken in a blacked out garage from the hatch area 72 body and block, everything else 71, Tokico springs, Illumina, R180 CLSD, 83 close ratio, 3.90 gears, Ztherapy SUs, BRE 15X7 Libre wheels and BRE front spoiler.

I'm thinking that because I took the picture in the dark without flash and have the light in the frame it sped up the exposure. 7tooZ doesn't have the light in the frame so the picture got more exposure. I think the light in both our cars is pretty close to the same. I might go take a shot from 7tooZ's camera perspective and I'll bet I get a picture more like what 7tooZ posted.

Yeah Site......Nice to finally meet you in person. Sorry you couldn’t have made it to the Sonesta bar.....or maybe that’s a good thing. The Rusty Nail would have been fun too! Guy

I'm home safe. Not caught up yet, but I'm home safe! Special thanks to @GGRIII my traveling partner, and @wal280z my roomie and comic relief while I was there. Thanks guys for having me covered! So the trip down, we had a couple noteworthy events. First, we learned that there is an intermittent connection somewhere in the oil pressure gauge circuit that makes the gauge drop off to zero randomly. Probably the sender unit itself is going bad. Then there was the rain in Asheville where we had to use the wipers that we really didn't want to use. But the most significant event on the way down was the chunk of metal in the tire resulting in a mandatory stop to have a tire patched. We were about twenty miles out from the show and were making our last gas stop when we saw that one of the rear tires was going down. After a couple frantic phone calls and several failed attempts to get input from locals, we found a tire place that pulled the tire and patched us up. The guys at the tire shop were enamored the car, and as it turns out one of the guys working there has a relative (nephew I think?) that is really into Datsun Z's. How much? Well... Picture of a picture, but this much: And for future reference, this is what we pulled out of the tire: The return trip home was more uneventful than the trip down. Other than having no heat (because having a connected heater core is low priority when going to Atlanta, right?), there were really no significant noteworthy events. We stayed in Harrisonburg, VA near JMU and hit a couple local brewpubs in town. But we're back, and I've got a couple more interesting pics that I'll post when I get the chance. It was great seeing old friends, even if they couldn't stay the duration, and meeting new friends! Great to put faces with names! Power to the flat tops!

Thank you everyone ! I am so happy that we can talk about this deeply . 4 speed vs 5 speed , I think this is slightly related to the topic which we always love to discuss “ S30 series was made for USA or not ? “ This is my thoughts at the moment, The S30 series oriented in Japan , was made for the WORLD . Its biggest market was USA . Probably this was the same for people in Nissan company at that time. However each person who was involved had each idea in his mind I think . Mr. Suitsu who was a chassis design manager of S 30 , he said in an interview “ we aimed USA as the biggest market of this car , we always kept that in mind “ For the US , he said “ there are many troubles about Porche synchro , people in the US mistake their shift , two way action ( put , then push with squeeze) makes a driver feel completed shifting , but it really has not completed . This makes a transmission worn out easily “ “ So we quit Porche synchro in the US “ I see why 5 speed was not available for USA and Canada until August 1976 , Nissan did not have “Warner “ 5 speed until that day . FS5W71B is a Warner synchro, after its debut , USA and Canada received 5 speed without fear of Nissan . Mr. Takei and Mr. Miyazaki dedicated developing Europe model in 1970 to 1971 , They were in a “ vehicles test department “ that they always felt Z car needs to be more sportier for the customers in Europe. 5 speed was no doubt for them . Mr. Uemura was an engineer and he had got to be involved S30 project in April 1967 and was told “ this car is mainly exported to the US “ He and everyone wanted to make a car which can be sold well in the US , he started work for chassis design . In his mind there was always people in the US . Also he was the crew of test drive in the US and Canada late 1969 . After the test he was convinced that 4 speed with 3.364 was proper for the US and Canada . He said about 4 speed and 5 speed , 5 speed is must in Japan because the car is not for the ordinary people in Japan ( engineers had heard of sports car was popular even for young ladies in the US , big difference! ) So , did not want to lose against TOYOTA 2000 GT or Mazda Cosmo etc , Nissan must have 5 speed for their sports car in Japan even someone doesn’t like the feeling of the Porche type synchronized gear shift . Sales department worried about the feeling of Porche synchro , Mr. Uemura too, but finally he insisted to fit 5 speed into S30 . Mr. Matsuo was passionate about to shock the WORLD with Z car . ( Mr. Yoshida and Mr. Tamura were too , the design team had been learning from and taking admire to many great sports cars around the WORLD , naturally they wanted to compete with those cars ) But at the same time every designer who I met said “ I wanted to be successful in designing sports car in the biggest market, USA . Winning in the US meant winning in the WORLD “ . And , the team had started it well before they met Mr. K !! After they met Mr. K , they put many US related things into the S30 . Like enlarging the height of the roof , widening the with of engine room for V8 , prepared for a big US made automatic transmission with a wide center tunnel . Also went to 6 cylinder engine from its original concept 4 cylinder engine, Those are all essential and very important things of S30 , those are can not be removed or replaced other things to suite for the each designated Export model . So S30 did not have much consideration for the US at the beginning of design study but later when it had went on real project, it was influenced by USA in terms of basic of car structure. BTW , for the body styling designers , 4 speed or 5 speed might not be the matter . Mr.K always said “ Z car , we made this car for you , USA “ . And he said “ selling car in the US , a single model is the best . Of course we offer optional parts for the customers who really want to add something special “ Mr. K , he thought 4 speed / 3.364 with a single model was suitable for the US and Canada as he had been seeing people enjoying SP SR . But I think the big difference between SP SR and S30 is , sales volume . I understand making small quantity with many variations is not good for a company , but for S30 , Nissan could still sell good numbers of 5 speed from the factory without ruining their profit even there was an issue of “ Porsche synchro shifting trouble “ . If I was able to ask Mr.K now , I would ask 5 speed for the US and Canada , and Mr.K would say yes ... Seems only Mr.K knew a huge success of S30 before its debut while other executives and engineers were wondering S30 ‘s potential of sale . Mr. Kawamata , former President of Nissan always said “ sports car does not make profit , it is just like an advertisement “ He would have never imagined selling a sports car in the US to make people happy , and make Nissan happy until he saw a S30 prototype. Kats And I always thank you everyone, you are all patient for my writing !

Thats done already.

@AK260 Jalex installed a new Bosch cap and rotor a few weeks ago.

If it were my car and it had a 5 speed later model transmission, I wouldn't worry about an AM radio for originality unless I was going to bring all aspects of the car back to 1971 showroom standards. Other opinions may vary. Dennis

The sensor is what you referenced as "1" above. It's in the valve you provided the diagrams of. I know there's at least 1 other thread on that valve and how it works.