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SteveJ: Thank you for the Nissan valve cover gasket details. Once I saw your note last night I ordered a Nissan gasket from a well known Z Car parts house and it shipped this morning. Delivery is scheduled for Saturday.

I purchased my '71 Z about 5 years ago (car found via Bring-a-Trailer ad link), fixed it up cosmetically (mostly interior), rebuilt the suspension, and got the engine running very well. I enjoyed the car as a winter daily driver (no a/c in Texas) for many years and decided it was time to move on. I really enjoyed this forum, especially the helpful members. I hope I contributed some as well. I purchased the Z for about $6900, put about $7k into it and sold it for $19k. I think I and the buyer came out ok. Before you think I undersold, the car was definitely not perfect. So, this description might give you an idea of why the selling/purchase price: Engine: not number matching, 2.6L Trans: Not original automatic. I swapped in a five speed from early ZX Body: respray was off shade. Roof sheetmetal is wavy. several small dings. Hood/nose had been hit in past and repaired with lots of body filler. hood drooped at nose (emblem recess filled in, no emblem). I restored the black interior, original dash with NO CRACKS. Interior look great! Engine purrs, lots of power, no oil leaks or consumption. Anyway, car leaves my possession on Saturday...will be a sad day. And, I will miss this forum...take care all. Replacement project is an '82 BMW E21 320i Sport (Hennarot). I am using this car to learn how to do my own upholstery work.

Who is joining me in Birmingham?

I have not seen anything about a specific VIN when the change was made, but as noted above, the one with the welded J hood is “Early” (up to jan 71 ish) the smooth simple bent “J” is later.. Notice the bell crank ball arm on the other end is at a different angle as well. This likely corresponds to when the firewall belcrank mount change occured as well. Early geometry sometime resulted in a oscillating pedal motion and engine surging. Haven’t talked about this is quite a while

hope to get the new oil pump spindle today tired of swapping it so I can run a NA dizzy. when I get that in I will be able to button up engine, then I can do another flush thru the open expansion plug holes. the OE plugs should be here monday (not gonna use the made in China dormans 🙂 ). after I get the the plugs in I am thinking of filling up with some evap o rust and letting is set for a day to get more of the rust out. will just install some rad hose on the water inlet and fill till it come out the T stat housing. oh and got a new OE turbo oil tube on the way from japan, hope it survives the trip.

Top one in your first pic is from a 1972 240z.. i'm sure. (Also my 71 has that one and later models too i think?)

Currently I have the diff and the driveshaft for the euro version 240z ready. Still working on the transmission, need to find parts first. ( FS5C71A )

The bottom "J" rod in your first pic is what's on my MFG'd 12/70 car. Here's a shot of the attachment on the balance tube. In your pic I don't see the hole for the pin holding the washer for the spring (guessing it's really there though).

AC Delco or GM transmission fluid comes highly recommended for these transmissions. The part numbers are AC Delco USA p/n: 88900399 or GM USA p/n: 12377916 That or the Redline MT-90 (75W-90)

Well I have the car on a lift, so I took the tank to a radiator/fuel tank repair shop in York PA this morning. I talked to the owner and he looked the tank over and said it would be about 10 days if he started it today, they clean the tank and then have a fluid that turns into a tank liner. He showed me a 1916 Ford tank he's working on, Looks real good it's red the final liner is. I could find any company manufacturing new tanks for the 1975 S30, so I'll have to go with a relined tank which is mine. I have the car at my friends shop and I need to do something fast. But overall, this has been a job I needed to do since I bought the car last year, and I have a new gauge sending unit to go in once the tank is ready to be put back into the car. At least I now can drive around without a 1 gallon can of gas in case I run out ? I was wondering now if I should have pulled the evap tank and have it too relined ?

Sometimes you find something so cool you just have to share it. Only electrical geeks will truly appreciate the engineering behind this amazing device. Behold the StewMac “FREE WAY ULTRA SWITCH” Read deeply into the specifications for this thing. It’s mind blowing. Today you’d do that level of switching sophistication with software and transistors. Though not if you’re a musician apparently. There just has to be a way to use in a Datsun. Use your imaginations. Enjoy! https://www.stewmac.com/electronics/components-and-parts/switches/free-way-ultra-switch/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla&fbclid=IwAR0YLOqtfkuf7P3pU5U1-8y-GUQq0DAT3ijot58HA4WGxjiRK0EHCliiVAI_aem_ASTU1W3q0D2S5H0v8nqQHse-oXHOV9923BOfddgOcjqRR397O4C8gYfb9AgOl4wdqVDthbtRnwpiwta59eYrGLhanTqJkwoXQRjQht4sGniybm0TOJp6Lu2KmXapqbfOnMA&fs=e&s=cl

It has 28 terminal connections. Hmmmm…… Does a Z even have 28 circuits? Sheesh, with that much connectivity, you could control every circuit in a Z with one switch! 😅

Haha!! I've heard is said that it's one of my many endearing flaws.

Wow! How did I get to be this many years old and have never ever seen anything like that before. Ever.

Hi Gavin, Patcon is right , the red round hook on the front left strut is for towing. I don’t know why it is there , maybe there will be some reasons. The car has a FRP bonnet when running, I saw it was bent on the long straight , I felt it was not good for performance. G-Nose is certainly much better for racing on a track. Kats

We have come a long way since 1997 - when we had to plead with Classic Car insurance speciality carriers for coverage, when the Hagerty was the only one to respond. To now, with them suggesting we increase the agreed values of our Z’s. I think you want to insure against whatever loss you can’t afford to take. You want the coverage limit high enough that your Z would be replaced or repaired rather than Totaled. Much of that depends on the current condition of the Z’s. It would seem that $35K would a minimum number.

I missed those pics as well, so much for a quality restoration. Those welds are horrible. As previously mentioned one can only wonder what other hidden surprises exist.

In my opinion, very good. Probably an 8 out of 10, given the size and my car setup. Obviously I would use something better for track or auto crossing, but for everyday use and sometimes aggressive corning, I think they're great. I went on a ~100 mile drive yesterday with the Z club in the foothills, highway 49 (which sometimes makes Car & Drivers favorite road list), and my favorite, 193 coming down into Placerville. Pleased with their performance when we had no traffic in front of us.

I was all set to use a sealant as a precautionary measure, then decided to cut open the tank bc of some significant denting in it I couldn't resolve otherwise. Sure glad I did. The pick-up tube has a VERY fine mesh screen inside a baffle that I had never before seen nor heard of. I suspect the sealant would have done a brilliant job of sealing up that screen as well as everything else it is supposed to do. Tank is from early production '76 280

I did my 280 first then a 240 after I got the steps all worked out. No problems and it's been 10 and 6 years respectively. Turn the tank upside down vertically with the fill hole at the lowest point and in a 5 gallon bucket. It all drains out. I ran some welding wire through the vent tubes to make sure they weren't stopped up. The first time was a nerve wracking experience but the next one was much easier. I'd quit my job and do it for a living if I didn't live in Bumble Snot Alabama.

Get a tub from walmart. Tighten the plug when it's close full and pour it up in jerry cans for your lawnmower. Read over this. It really was a big help for me. atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/fuel/gastank/index.htm

Same with me. I bought all the fuel hose from O]Reilly's and did the 180 with two 90 degree brass PEX fittings. Cost about $50.

I heard that spindle pins and gland nuts are among the most dreaded jobs.