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Not opinion - that's fact. And while I prefer keeping the A/C in these things as stock as I can, there are very few of us that can deal with all of the oddities. I've been toying with the idea of building a more stock-like A/C system for both Lates (74-78) and Earlies (240Z (the Japanese S30 had A/C as an option)) using new and more easily obtainable parts. Maybe someday...

Worked on the AC lines from evaporator to firewall, sealing the box, and sealing the ductwork to the box. Fitted the dash frame to check all fitments have to crimp the fittings sealing foam for lines exiting the box closed cell foam to seal box to frame attachment test fitted evaporator box & dash frame gap around duct housing Even worse on the right added a flange to mate with the Nissan duct, so I could seal the gap. Factory evaporator box must be taller & narrower. extra thin foam on top half, due to angle of evaporator box Added thick foam to the duct, to seal against the flange then added thin foam to seal the facia vent to the duct sealed now

The BC Z guys had a fundraiser for a local Search and Rescue organization and had a nice turnout. Lots of photos here. https://www.facebook.com/groups/BCZRegistry

My plan is to make some templates for the jute. I am looking to do this for an 11/70 car. If anyone can provide any dimensions they would be most welcomed C

I guess if you're not reasonable, he'll unload a bunch of sarcastic remarks your way?

I plan to make and sell a full kit on my webpage, I will post links on here when it's all finished.

US $899.00 That seems like an attractive price, esp. when compared with the amount of time and labour required for a DIY repair and restoration of a cracked original dash. I wonder what Just Dashes are charging these days to refurb an S30 dash? You'd need to also take into account the fact that their solution requires 2-way shipping, whereas the JDMCP dash cap ships outbound only.

That's a bigger ask than you possibly realise. Mecum's online blurbs claim that the car "...showcases originality and authenticity." Their line with "The silver exterior..." might indicate that much of the description is cut-and-pasted from another auction listing. In any case, it is wrong. The listing claims that the car was "restored" twice, once in Japan and once in "London" (in fact, bodyshell work was performed in Wales and disassembly-reassembly in Kent). Judge for yourself whether the work done in Japan would qualify the car as "restored", let alone remaining original and authentic: https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/68418-best-botches-bodges-and-balls-ups It took a lot of work to reverse most of that. The car received replacement front wings/fenders, bonnet/hood, doors, both rear quarter panels, complete rear panel and floor panels. Many, many 432-specific parts were either missing or had been modified by previous owner(s) and many of the generic 1970 S30-series parts (interior diamond vinyl trim, interior plastic panels, door panels, carpets etc) were either missing or too damaged to re-use. For example, a pair of 1970 HLS30U seats had to be used in lieu of the correct 1970 PS30-D seats (therefore the 'flip forward' lever function is missing) and some of the dash gauges were re-painted to simulate their original specs. The owner made some somewhat strange decisions regarding finishes (look at that tail lamp trim panel) and also chose to simply leave some non-original parts as-found. For example, the front brake calipers were from an R32 GT-R and the differential was an open R180 unit when the car would have left the factory with a 4.44:1 ratio 2-pinion LSD R192 unit fitted. They remained on the car when it was sold to the owner in the USA. The Mecum description claims the car has an R192 diff, but I doubt that is the case. My impression is that the owner wouldn't know the difference, but the lack of the original differential completely changes the essential character of a 432. So, "originality and authenticity"? Not really. It's a nice enough car now (the extensive work performed on the bodyshell in the UK brought it back from the brink, I'd say) and would make a very usable and practical daily driver, but in my opinion it isn't the "exceptional investment opportunity for collectors" that Mecum claim. Yes, that's just sales patter and they all do it, but my worry is that some well-intentioned but not so well-informed buyer might end up believing he's getting Snow White when he's actually getting Joan Rivers. Due Diligence required.

Offcourse.. yeah..me lazy..didn't read it all.. tired guy these days... nice build! 👍

Can you tell us the history and its current specification/parts content?

First do your research on auto AC basics. I'm betting there are a lot of YouTube videos and websites that can give you the basic knowledge of components and their function in the system. As for re-using old components, the drier is DONE. I wouldn't trust it even if it was sealed. Since 280Z driers are unobtanium, that does shift you toward aftermarket. Another factor that should push you toward aftermarket is the fact that expansion valves are also made of unobtanium. Without a good expansion valve, your AC system is a lead weight in your car. The design of the stock system doesn't facilitate using a different expansion valve. Just my opinion.

Many of us will recognise the name and logo of Nissan-affiliate gauge and instrument makers KANTO SEIKI and their 'KS' trademark as they made most of the gauges in the S30-series Z, and a few other parts besides. Perhaps less well known may be the fact that KS had their own line of sporty aftermarket gauges and instruments, which they sold independently to owners who wanted to upgrade their cars for more sporting use. One of my current (long-running and sloooow...) project cars will have a 'Rally' theme, and will incorporate a few Kanto Seiki aftermarket parts that I have accumulated over the years. I have two of the KS 'Trip Counter' kits (one standard, one 'deluxe') and one of the rare 'Twin Counter' rally odometers (basically a crib of the Swedish-made Halda 'Twin Master'). There was some nice Z-related content in KS's period literature, and KS stickers on some of Nissan's Works rally cars:

All, I recently acquired this Kanto Seiki (Smiths) tachometer. Unfortunately, no documentation was included with the purchase. As you can see, four wires (red, yellow, white, and black) are attached. There is no switch to indicate 4-6-8 cylinder setting. Does anyone have documentation on this tachometer or can offer guidance on the proper connection to a 4 or 6 cylinder Datsun? Thanks in advance, Keith

I have two dashboards hanging on my wall, both with the hand marked Japanese Su-i-su katakana characters (ス イ ス), for destination switzerland. We all know that those dashboards all crack sooner or later crack on the top and mine are no exception. So far there were these options: - Repair it yourself with some backyard-engineering. It will most probably crack at a different location soon, or look terrible - Have them repaired in the USA by Justdashes. Seems like a nice option but two-way shipping costs would be overboarding. - Find a NOS Nissan dashboard. I got offered some, but as expected the price is exorbitant, and who knows how long those last before cracking. - Buy a replica Dashboard from Vintagedashes. I heard mostly good (aside from some small fitting issues) about them, but i had some "unprofessional" experience with the owner of the shop. Generally the website got updated meanwhile but back then it didn't have a lot photos with details and lacking information so i never got conviced to buy one. Luckily just recently a new option popped up: JDM-Car-Parts. Well known for their usually highest-quality available parts from Japan, they this time teamed up with an american producer to have them made: In the same way as the original and vintagedashes ones are made, it's some kind of a rubber foam mold covered in a vinyl wrap. A little rework is required here and there (cutting away excess material, etc). and you need the backframe from an original dashboard to install it here. They also recommend a repaint of the dashboard (no matter if your old glove box cover is still fresh or faded) to match the colour with the interieur, but i think it's pretty close to what i have. Here you can see the JDM-Car-Parts dash compared to my original (quickly washed, but also colour-faded) glovebox cover. In reality, the difference is even smaller... and i think the colour didn't even match 100% in the original setup as the glovebox lid is hard plastic and the other is a vinyl wrap. The difference i did spot though is that the original glovebox and dashboard vinyl had a more "dotty" pattern (See photo below), while the one from JDM-Car-Parts has more of a "grainy lines" type of pattern (See photo above). Looking at the vintagedashes website, it seems they use the same material or at least pattern als JDM-Car-Parts. However i don't think anybody will ever notice that small difference. And it might also be possible that there were slight difference in the factory parts as well. In my case the original glovebox and original dashboard pattern mach nicely, however. I got the 1972 dashboard with the hazard switch indent and JDM-car-Parts also supplies the (Separately sold) Sticker for it: And i thought let's throw in a set of chrome vents into the basket. They might come in handy when rebuilding the new dash: Also got a pair of replica "Datsun" doorsteps. My bodyshop needs those to get the position of the fastener holes right when installing the new side steps: And while ordering anyway, i thought i could add a set of heater control wires: Also ordered a full set of door clips, because my old ones are either crispy and dry or missing or bent, or rusty. Oh and today i also got this datsun enamel badge, which i recently found on a swiss auction website. I've seen plenty of similar ones, but this one seemed authentic and old with the paint chips and some rust on the backside. Most other i see these days seem to be some kind of replica stuff. It was cheap so i had to get it and will look for a nice place in the garage. That's it. I have a pallete with some cool stuff from japan, which should arrive here anyday. And the bodyshop guy should return from vacation soon, so i hope there are some updates again soon.

RB25 bell housing plate.👍

While at a car show took this photo of a really nice car in the parking lot of the hotel I was staying at. Ok maybe it’s my car.

And a couple of gauges, looks like OM22 in the catalogue above and VCM22 repectively (both currently on Yahoo); VCM22

They look nice! It's like a nice shiny front tooth inside a mouthful of coffee stained teeth. ? Now y'all are going to have to do the whole interior. But they do look good.

Got the dash, I think you guys will be pleased with your dash.

I’m ready.