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Actually gentlemen those numbers are correct. The KYB's have always been about 10mm shorter. The Koni's are actually the proper length. This is based on a cartridge Koni has used for 50 years. We know of numerous installs already on 240Z fronts that have lined up correctly. Our test pilot Hector has the same strut housing numbers you mentioned on his 240Z and they installed correctly. Even though it sounds as if you have the proper height struts in the front (based on the comparison to the KYB's), please confirm for us the numbers on the Koni cartridges you just received, as well as that measurement of the strut cartridge body. Please also include if you can read them any numbers on the KYB's, . Greg has been dismantling 240Z's since the early 80's, and he added that in addition to the often occurrence of somebody putting a spacer at the bottom, that also he has seen numerous times where oil and dirt in the housing have combined over the years to literally make its own 'spacer' of sorts. He said he has had to at times in the past literally dig years of near solid junk out the bottom of the strut housing. The only other possibility (assuming the numbers and height check out after you send that to us) would be strut housing modification, which sounds unlikely in your case, but just to be certain, if you can measure the height of the strut housing as well (outside), we'll confirm that too. Sorry you're having an issue, we'll get it figured out!

Thanks Alan , Blue. Last week I took my blue 240Z for a drive to Tokyo , to have its seats refreshed by the craftsman Mr. Sudo . As I told it here before , the blue seats were restored by him in 2003 . This time I want the seats look just like new again with replacing worn out pieces . Mr. Sudo is going to replace vinyl pices only where worn out , this is my request . He gave me the extra vinyl when he did the blue seats , but the vinyl is not enough for making a set of whole seats . Also I don’t think they need to be replaced whole thing as they are almost perfect in most of part . The seats were finished in later “ slim seat back “ style , I have been dreaming about having early “ fat seat back “ style in this blue vinyl. This time Mr. Sudo is modifying them to fat seat back style using minimal amount of the vinyl, I am really excited about it , I can’t wait to see it when he completes the re-upholstery. Here are some pictures in progress. I will be able to show you the seats done in the end of this April. Kats

Just an FYI - follow-up on Fusible Wire Lengths. The Rule of Thumb is that you use a Fusible Wire that is 4 gauges smaller than the wiring you want to protect. So if your wiring is 14GA you would use an 18GA Fusible Wire link. Fusible Wires Lengths are Color Coded. Good tips on Fusible Links on the AutoZone Web Page. Note the function of the insulation on them. https://www.autozone.com/repairguides/Circuit-Protection/Fusible-Link/_/P-0900c1528026a7fd

The cool thing about any exotic car with a manual transmission is that you eliminate a lot of younger car thieves who only know how to shift an automatic. All is good unless they bring a trailer. Dennis

Also the Z is as fast or faster 0-60 than all the 308's other than the Quattrovalvole. It's also cheaper to pick up some horsepower than a Ferrari would be. For a little more than a timing belt service you can get a Rebello or Datsun Spirit motor!

I'd go with the 2020 Corvette.

Might as well empty the bag ? Engine Dyno.mp4

Install was a straightforward process. It is detailed in my build thread. If you can remove the old set-up, remove the shock cartridge, the rest is fairly simple. The strut is trimmed at a height above the knuckle that allows for max grip and alignment to the coil over. A bead weld is run around the base (not onto the cast knuckle, but the remaining tube from the strut) and that's it. The 3 bolt system bolts right in. You can open up your shock tower like I did and get full access to the camber settings (and show off your fancy coil overs!). Start reading here:

You might find something at zcardepot, https://zcardepot.com/collections/cooling-heating?page=2 Or go to a parts supply and get them to let you look at their preformed heater hoses. You might find the right size with a 180 bend in it and just cut out the 180? Good luck, my heater core valve leaked and I smelt that sweet smell you describe. That turned into a major project I never want to do again.

This is very fun to read , we can gather information what we have got so far and we will see some interesting facts . When I am home on Sunday, I will check the LA auto show held in late 1969 had a silver 240Z , with C pillar emblems , without D emblem on hub caps . I guess the car could be different from the two test cars in the North America during Oct to Dec 1969 . Kats

You are so lucky Kats! You make us very happy with these posts.....and a little jealous! Keep it up!

The first 240-Z for display to the Canadian public arrived in Vancouver on Nov 10, 1969 for the Pacific International Motor Show. Sent from my SM-G935P using Tapatalk

Yeah, shame on me for not keeping better track of it. I moved three times since the restoration and I thought for sure it was saved. Maybe with the title somewhere.. I have one more box to dig through..

You might want to try one of your Grayscale experiments on one of the numerous photos* of the car at the Pierre Hotel NY event. Doesn't look 920 to me. *

(my bold) As I've pointed out before, I don't think this story holds up very well to scrutiny. It seems to me that Katayama's NY and LA trunk shows were organised under Force Majeure as an attempt to mitigate what was going on back in Japan. In Japan, Nissan was aiming squarely at the Tokyo Motor Show as the debut for its new models, and had a massive presence there. As usual, they invited members of the Press, selected dealers and well-connected customers to come to their party on the ground floor of their Ginza HQ a week before the opening of the Tokyo show. What options did Katayama have? What major shows in the USA could he debut the new HLS30U at? What was he looking at on the calendar? What car(s) was he going to show? They were in somewhat short supply... I don't buy the "disrespect" story about Detroit and the US auto industry. The 1969 Detroit Auto Show was held at the end of November, simply too late for Katayama's taste. There was nothing else that lined up. I think he was organising the NY and LA single-car events so as not to be eclipsed by events in Japan, and preferably to try to be seen to be 'first'. That would be true to Katayama's personality, and advertising/sales/PR was the basis of his education and career. With Nissan making such an effort in NY this week for their 50th anniversary celebration of the Z and GT-R marques, I'm already reading the legacy of Katayama's sideshow. Apparently the 240Z was "first seen at the NY show in 1969". It gets swallowed whole.

Mine would be a Porsche 911 Carrera S... ?

http://zzxdatsun.com/catDecals.php @zspert

Only 18% of Americans know how to drive a manual transmission. I have 2002 Xterra as my airport car when in Memphis. It’s a manual and anyone who gets in the car comments on it. I them them it’s my anti-theft device. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Started a little upholstery work. Funny thing is that I actually enjoyed it. Never thought I would say that about upholstery. Of course, I only did the easy stuff today. Got the two bottom seat cushions done. Also got the headliner in and the window frame foam. Working with White, so need to keep the hands very clean. Seat cushion base was just $15 to powdercoat.....such a deal.

Ok yep the blue line for the radio worked for switched power and there were two black lines one didn’t seem to go to ground maybe to a speaker. The other was ground and it works perfect now. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

who needs a car stereo when you can wear a bone phone? ahhh the 70's audio industry! https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/09/bone-fone-the-terror/279474/

Long range plan... the wood go kart I always wanted to build as a 8 yr old.

Second is do you want to work on one or buy a turn key car. 280s are fuel injected, 240s are carbureted. A fuel injected car as old as ours would need some new parts but the carburated ones just need a good rebuilding of the carbs. No ECU, coolant temp sensor tweak etc. and the carbs are more compatible with a performance cam than an EFI car. My $.02.

I cleaned the electrical harness first with Windex to remove most of the dirt and then with a rag that had paint thinner on it to remove oils. After that, I re-wrapped the harness over the original wrap as the wrap was in fairly good condition. (I have also done harnesses where I have removed the original wrap because it was in bad shape or had a short and I had to re-route wires). I used Hi-temp black electrical tape over the original wrap. I started at the small end and finished at the large end. I replaced all of the engine area connectors with new connectors from vintageconnections.com . For the singe blade and bullet connectors, I clipped off the old terminal as close to the back of the terminal as possible and replaced with new crimped on terminals and covers. For the 2, 4 and 6 pin connectors I did pretty much the same. So essentially, all the terminations are about an 1/8" shorter than the original with the old terminals clipped off, but that really is not noticeable when the harness is in place. The process on the larger connectors involves unlocking the terminal from the connector and sliding it out of the connector body. I then clip off the old terminal, then strip a small part of the wire end and crimp on a new terminal. I then slide that terminal into the new connector making sure I keep the same location. It's easier that way. I don't think the headlight connectors are available at vintage connections so these were not changed, but these were in pretty good shape anyway since they are inside a cover. Also, the fuseable link was pretty bad so I just re-created it with a new larger diam stranded wire. Will have to get one of those someday. Just always used the Starretts. Thanks

I agree. A lot of lead-time needed for the production of the manuals and literature on these cars, and I see a few Skyline, Cedric, Gloria, Laurel and assorted 4-cylinder type parts used on the (likely pre-production/not to be sold) cars and details in the photos. Not surprising.

Thanks Blue , nice findings. I might be curious if the car used in the service manual would be HLS30-00013 . A lot earlier car could be used for the manual , couldn’t it be ? Kats

You need to remove the calipers to remove the rotors and hubs. The rotors are bolted to the hubs, they are essentially one piece. You can hang the calipers using a strong string or wire, you don't have to break the brake fluid seal. But, I think that it's possible to change the lugs while everything is assembled. It's easier to have the hubs off and use a press, of course, but you can knock the old ones out and use stacked nuts and/or washers to pull the new ones in, while they're on the car. Just takes a little more ingenuity.

Yes, the paint does not seem to be the best quality. There are a number of photos that show a lot of orange peel texture. The shot under the hood with the decal looks pretty orange peeled as well, among others.

Found the source of that sweet smell in the cabin. Looks like these two hoses are the culprit. I'm having a hard time finding the part numbers on zcarsource and on the cooling system section on the fsm. Can anyone point me to the right direction. I don't need to have the braided hoses, rubber is just fine. Is this one of the hoses? https://zcarsource.com/heater-hose-transfer-on-heater-inlet-260z-280z-74-78-new Also, after finding that leak, I decided to wipe the car down. Found out that something fell on the hood while in the garage and just wrecked the paint. It was not a good day.