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It's truly amazing how tough addictions are to get rid of. Case in point, I've been patting myself on the back for the last couple of years in gradually getting past the Z voices in my head that urge me to look for Zs that need more work than my back can handle and parts that I have no place to store. I no longer check out CraigsList on a daily basis and 'had' settled into a peaceful retirement UNTIL today. Today, I'm driving down a street in SE Portland (note the secrecy) when I happen to glance over at an old chain-link fence almost totally overgrown with weeds and brush. First thing I notice through a small gap in the brush is the rear of a 63 Impala. As I'm remembering the days of my cousin's 63 four-speed, dual-quad, 409 Impala, I get just a quick glimpse of a two-tier rectangular tail-light with a reverse light in the inboard lower corner on a dark background panel. My heart rate instantly doubled and the Subie took the first right turn it could to circle back and find the 240 behind the fence. I pull up and park next to a 50' x 100' lot filled with decaying cars and a locked gate. I can just see enough of the Z to tell it's somewhere between a late 71 and a mid 73. It's white and very dirty. As i was trying to get a look at it a neighbor comes out and says if I'm interested in any of these cars, forget it. He says many people over the years have contacted the owner and he has always refused to even talk about selling any of them. The neighbor states that the owner has several lots (more cars?) around Portland and doesn't need the money and he doesn't know the owner's name. Well, I thought that's good because I don't have much money. I came to the quick realization that I hadn't kicked the habit, I'd just put in a closet where I couldn't hear it's stifled cries. So, now that it's out of the closet again and in control, I'm going to (must) contact the owner but first I have to find him. In the past I've approached buying parts that weren't for sale by assuring the owner with an emotional tie to the parts that they would be going to a very good home and the parts would be refreshed and on the road again, which is the reason we all hoard parts. I'd like to hear about others experiences, ideas, and the psychology used in separating beloved cars, parts from their owners. I have a feeling this one is going to be a tough nut to crack. Thanks

"GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!!!!" 😄😄 Did you see the under 500 vin Safari Gold 240z barn find on CL Portland yesterday? Sold in 5 hours for $20K I just bought this on Monday https://portland.craigslist.org/clk/pts/d/vancouver-near-complete-280z/7279621884.html I still listen to the voices.........Though I have never cold called anyone. I just jump on the ads. I have been pretty lucky that way. I have run across some good parts and pieces, and missed some as well. Now my wife on the other hand - "Where are you going to put that?"

The county assessor website should help with finding the property owner the car is on. Give it a shot, and see if the time is finally right for snagging that dusty white princess.

thats too far in, should sit flush with the outside face of the timing cover. I think thats in danger of falling in!

Thanks. Im thinking type b4. I have to take it apart again to measure. Might be the weekend befor i get back to it. i actually have a complete five speed from a zx in my shed. Im thinking there may be a fork/to bearing in it. Havent been in it in months so the snow is blocking the door... canada

Hey JTO. Zkars here from Calgary too! Send me a PM and we can chat or meet up. Replacing the bushings on the mustache bar and trans mount are fraught with issues. If your stock mustache bar bushing are badly worn, you may not have much choice but to use poly replacements, but doing so will result in more vibration and noise from the diff. These do not affect suspension or handling, so don’t do them unless you have to. Pretty much the same goes for the trans mount. Are the bushings too small? If so you have to remove the outer shell of the old bushings to make room. But again, unless the stock bushings are shot there is no point to changing them other them to increase noise. I know others have expressed concern over fitment. IF you want to go back to a stock mount, I have more than a few. I’m the local parts hoarder.... The belt over the diff is a last resort to prevent the diff nose from hitting the tunnel if the isolator mount fails. It fits a bit loose. I’ve added a rubber spacer in there to take up slop, no sense letting the diff lift at all.

I'll have to look into that. I haven't really sorted them all out. If I have all they styles I will make that effort. Thanks for the suggestion.

I should have the car back next week.

Hi Dave, What an incredible thing to see, a 1969 build date 240Z for sale on Craigslist of all places! Looks to be a pretty solid car. Also, congrats on your 280Z project purchase!

We must be on the same MEDS, the voices are relentless. Mine don't just whisper about Z's though, mine encourage me to pick up any old tool that I think I can fix, rebuild or restore. But the other side of the addiction is the "purge" a useful technique that helps me justify my weakness to the addiction, I recently threw up 17 items on ebay because I simply have no more room to collect stuff, about 1/3rd of it has sold and I'm sure you can guess what that money is earmarked for.😇 What a deal! Our cars are becoming more rare but the PNW is still a goldmine compared to the rest of the continent.

Hahaha.. i still do that! ( on local second hand marketplace..) but these last years not really much comes up.. It's been more than 5 years that i could buy some nice rare parts for z or zx.. Good (!) Parts are becoming rare and expensive .. I personally never had to persuade someone to sell me the part(s).. but thats because i only reacted on their adverts.. 🙂

Yes, they are the right points.. The many bad stories are because the middle steel plate that normally is in there has rotten away and the sides colapse easely.. That is not gona happen when you have restored your chassis well.. I totally agree (i already started the discussion with a smile on my face you know..) And your right, it's weight is low but it will get heavier. You know, when i see a car for sale and it's on a lift like that, i already don't trust the chassis.. It's probably rotten away inside..

I dug out my order info for the map light. I got that map light from superbright as well. The part I ordered (five years ago) was WLED-WWHP15-TAC But it appears they have changed the numbers and that part is now listed as 921-WWHP15-TAC https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/miniature-and-subminiature-bulbs/921-led-landscape-light-bulb-15-smd-led-tower-miniature-wedge-retrofit-100-lumens/2508/ There are different tabs for the different "colors" I like warm white (because I'm old).

Haha!!! Next time we're together, remind me about taking a wing man on potentially risky excursions. And how not all people are cut out for the job!

Yeah, that's what I was looking for. Something easy. I know you don't have a lot of time and are just looking for a patch at this point. So if that works for you, just tell the hauler guys to turn the key to ON and wait five or ten seconds before cranking the car. You could even tape a sign to the steering wheel if you need to. Haha!

I didn't see 'the boy with the banjo' on the front porch of the run-down house next door but it does look like he could live there.

On the SNL train...

Now after I've sat down and had a beer or 4, if I'm thinking what you're doing then yes. You can put the front cover with the seal tapped into place on and then the pulley or crank wheel you have will slide in, lube the rubber 1st, just fine. Then the big washer and nut and you're done.

ok. thanks. no that was a stock image i found on the internet

These days I can't watch Joe without seeing John Belushi.

Okay, I can 100% confirm most likely the oil pressure sensor or gauge is bad. Perfect oil pressure readings from the mechanical gauge.at idle sitting right around 10 PSI at 900 rpms idling. Guess I will just live with it for now as I've already thrown too much money into the car over the last two years I've owned it. Sorry for a super late response as I been too busy to work on the car

Thanks! I'm glad it turned out so good. As for the carbon fiber spoke I was just trying to get an idea how it would look....I have a big roll of the stuff and nothing to do with it 😅

That stripped chassis weighs just over 500 lbs, with the front suspension and cross member attached maybe 650 tops. On a fully loaded Z using the tire changing jack that came withe car I would agree with you on the jacking points but not the way it is. Besides, those points under the T/C mount are probably the strongest areas of the subframe.

I'm a bass player, and the Soviet era basses are pretty comparable to cars like the Yugo. They might run, but using them for their intended purpose isn't rewarding.

Working a Saturday at The Big Shed.

Ah, I think my picture just wasn't clear. I updated the drawing to make it more apparent that the measurements are from the fork surface of the ears to the edge of the throwout bearing surface (see red markup). Unless I'm still having trouble getting this concept through my thick skull, I think these are the relevant numbers. Yeah that makes sense, I'm betting zcarsource just sent me a 75-83 Z/ZX plate, as it measures ~44mm from the bench to the springs. According to my chart below, my best bet is the corresponding 75-83 Z/ZX collar which should get me up to 44 (plate) + 42 (collar) = 86mm. It's not quite 92, but add a few mm for the extra bit of bearing that sticks over and a few mm for my sloppy image measurements, and I think it may just work.