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This is the Jet Hot cast finish. Please excuse the slightly green cast which is the result of either lighting or camera user error. I like the color but more importantly it's extremely robust. After more than 25 years the exhaust manifold on my 280 still looks like it was just done. Hope this helps. Not a job one wants to do twice. PS This is the exhaust manifold from the Z used as the model for the Franklin Mint Z car

My 3.12L is finally going in!

I got back in the shop today. Rear bumper is on. I don't like the fit but it's on for now... License plate light and hatch badges and I think the rear end is done Also worked on installing the leather pieces over the wheel arches I trimmed one of the last pieces and hemmed it with glue

Oh.. Americans with theire abriviations... 🙃 LET'S FIND OUT.... ;-) I took a run after reading a few lines... do you too? 😄 (From acronymmap.com) When it comes to quirky acronyms, SWMBO is one of the more humorous and culturally loaded ones. Short for “She Who Must Be Obeyed,” it originated from the 1886 novel She by H. Rider Haggard and was later popularized in British pop culture, especially by the TV series Rumpole of the Bailey. In modern usage, SWMBO is often a tongue-in-cheek way to refer to a wife, partner, or authoritative woman—sometimes with affection, sometimes with sarcasm. It’s playful, but depending on the context, it can also carry undertones of reverence, exasperation, or humor. But what if you want a different way to express a similar dynamic—whether you’re writing fiction, creating dialogue, or just having fun with words? Here are 30 alternatives to the “SWMBO acronym,” each offering its own spin on authority, affection, or dominance in relationships, with tips on when to use them. 💬" src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/16.0.1/svg/1f4ac.svg" style="box-sizing: border-box; vertical-align: -0.1em !important; border: none !important; max-width: 100%; height: 1em !important; display: inline !important; box-shadow: none !important; width: 1em !important; margin: 0px 0.07em !important; background: none !important; padding: 0px !important;"> 30 Alternatives to the “SWMBO Acronym”1. The BossMeaning: The one in charge—clearly or unofficially. Example: I’ll have to check with the boss before making plans. When to use: Light and common; works in everyday banter. 2. WifeyMeaning: Slang term for wife or partner, often affectionate. Example: Wifey said no more late-night snacks. When to use: Casual and endearing tone. 3. Her HighnessMeaning: A mock-royal title, playful yet deferential. Example: Her Highness demanded sushi tonight. When to use: Use humorously for high-maintenance behavior. 4. Queen BeeMeaning: The dominant female in a social setting. Example: At every family event, she’s the queen bee. When to use: Playful or slightly sassy tone. 5. The MissusMeaning: Informal British term for wife. Example: The missus wants the lawn mowed by noon. When to use: British-style humor or traditional tone. 6. Lady of the HouseMeaning: The woman in charge at home. Example: I’ll have to run it by the lady of the house. When to use: Respectful, classic tone. 7. My Better HalfMeaning: Affectionate term for a spouse. Example: My better half thinks I should eat more greens. When to use: Loving and respectful, ideal for couples. 8. She-Who-DecidesMeaning: Humorous variation of SWMBO. Example: She-Who-Decides has spoken—no takeout tonight. When to use: Playful and sarcastic tone. 9. Commander-in-ChiefMeaning: The ultimate authority, especially in decisions. Example: She’s the commander-in-chief of our calendar. When to use: Family, logistics, or decision-making jokes. 10. Madam PresidentMeaning: Feminine version of a powerful leader. Example: Madam President vetoed the weekend trip. When to use: Great for dramatic flair or political puns. 11. House CEOMeaning: The domestic leader. Example: The House CEO says we’re budgeting this month. When to use: Modern, corporate spin on household dynamics. 12. Home MinisterMeaning: Borrowed from political jargon; leader of domestic affairs. Example: The Home Minister says we’re painting the kitchen. When to use: Popular in South Asian or formal humor. 13. She-Who-Knows-AllMeaning: Exaggeratedly wise or all-knowing woman. Example: Let me check with She-Who-Knows-All about dinner. When to use: Good for light sarcasm and praise. 14. The Decision MakerMeaning: The one with the final say. Example: The Decision Maker chose Italian tonight. When to use: Straightforward and respectful tone. 15. Supreme RulerMeaning: Absolute authority figure. Example: Our Supreme Ruler has declared Sunday a rest day. When to use: Dramatic or theatrical humor. 16. The Real BossMeaning: Implies there’s a “fake” boss—you! Example: You know I’m just the assistant; she’s the real boss. When to use: Self-deprecating humor. 17. Lady SupremeMeaning: Formal and elegant version of a leader. Example: Lady Supreme prefers red wine, not white. When to use: Elevated, stylish tone. 18. Chief Home OfficerMeaning: A modern acronym-style twist. Example: The Chief Home Officer rejected my couch pick. When to use: Satirical or millennial context. 19. She-Who-ChoosesMeaning: Authority over all decisions. Example: She-Who-Chooses has picked the movie already. When to use: Fun for everyday decision contexts. 20. Life ManagerMeaning: Handles schedules, meals, and logistics. Example: My life manager says we’re booked Saturday. When to use: Modern, respectful tone. 21. She-in-ChargeMeaning: Simple, direct way to show authority. Example: She-in-Charge just changed the plans. When to use: Works in light banter or social media captions. 22. The OracleMeaning: Source of wisdom and prediction. Example: The Oracle says the weather’s too cold for shorts. When to use: When referencing judgment or intuition. 23. The GeneralMeaning: Authority with a military-like tone. Example: The General has scheduled laundry drills for Sunday. When to use: Humorous, structured or “bossy” tone. 24. The PlannerMeaning: Coordinates everything. Example: The Planner already booked the holiday tickets. When to use: Useful for lifestyle or family writing. 25. Queen of EverythingMeaning: All-encompassing authority. Example: As the Queen of Everything, she makes the rules. When to use: Sassy, confident characters or real-life queens. 26. Her Royal HighnessMeaning: Majestic and a bit dramatic. Example: Her Royal Highness refuses to eat leftovers. When to use: Fun and theatrical tone. 27. Operations ChiefMeaning: Runs the day-to-day. Example: The Operations Chief set curfew at 10 PM. When to use: Use for modern or workplace metaphors. 28. Lady LogicMeaning: Appeals to reasoning and planning. Example: Lady Logic said buying a third toaster isn’t smart. When to use: Clever, witty banter. 29. Mood ManagerMeaning: Controls the emotional climate. Example: When Mood Manager’s happy, we all win. When to use: Emotional tone regulation or family jokes. 30. She-Who-Must-Not-Be-IgnoredMeaning: A dramatic twist on the original SWMBO. Example: Trust me—you don’t ignore She-Who-Must-Not-Be-Ignored. When to use: Strong-willed or high-stakes situations, humorously. > How to Choose the Right WordWhen choosing your SWMBO-style alternative, ask yourself: Is the tone playful, romantic, or sarcastic? Go with Wifey or She-Who-Decides for affection, Supreme Ruler or Her Highness for sass. Are you in a professional, creative, or casual setting? Use House CEO or Home Minister in clever writing. Stick to The Boss in casual conversation. Do you want to sound respectful or silly? My Better Half and Lady of the House are gentler, while The General or Queen of Everything lean toward satire. Is it cultural? Home Minister resonates well in South Asian families; The Missus fits UK usage. > Final ThoughtsLanguage lets us show affection, sarcasm, and social dynamics all at once. Acronyms like SWMBO are fun because they capture complex relationships with humor and punch. But with the right alternatives, you can adapt the tone, show respect, or even poke fun—all while keeping it creative. So next time you’re writing a caption, penning dialogue, or teasing your partner, try out one of these 30 creative expressions. Let your vocabulary reflect the fun, fiery, or fabulous dynamics of the powerful women in your life.

Still waiting for the silicon rubber fuel lines, but in the meantime disconnected the fuel filter and took a container with new fuel, connected to the fuel rail. I made sure to purge the questionable fuel. Cranked the engine, coughed and sputtered and the engine actually started. It was running extremely rough, couldn't even tell if it was all cylinders. Once I cleaned up some spilled fuel on the ground, I'll try again. The fuel level is set to 10 turns (10mm) below the bridge. I then set the nuts on the nozzles to 2.5 turns out from the bridge. I should pull the plugs just to see what they look like, hasn't been running in probably 5-10 years. As the engine ran, I could even hear the electric fuel pump running, thus fuel on the ground. I'm going to connect the fuel system back to kind of normal, where it will suck clean fuel from a gas can, as the tank is dirty. I also need to put some 20 weight or atf in the carbs, think I've used too heavy oil. I didn't have the engine running long enough to experiment with mixtures yet. I'll keep you posted, not out of the woods yet. Jim

I just ordered a pair from Z, I've used silicon rubber hoses before for other gas-related things, they would eventually get soft, but I'm told their's is made for gasoline. I'll do a visual again, looking for vacuum leaks can be difficult, if the engine was running one can use propane that gets sucked up from the leaks and you can hear it in the engine, but this guy won't start yet, oh forgot, need to use new fuel to be supplied directly to the fuel bowls. I'll keep you posted, hopefully getting close. Jim

I'm taking a year off from life. 99% of the bad ones are from pushing to fast to get back to work. Not me, I enjoy being at home.

The reaction disk won't just fall out all by it's own. If this problem occurred all of a sudden, it's not the disk. A torn booster diaphragm will cause a hard pedal, and so will a malfunctioning poppet valve inside the booster. Either way, you're opening or replacing the booster.

So Cody and I got the tachometer working tonight. Big thanks to @cgsheen1 Chuck. His explanation for current flow to the tach and back made it all make sense. I took the tip of my thumb off with a hammer tonight in the shop, so I didn't get the last piece of leather in. Opposable thumbs are really useful, as it turns out.

I'm going to need to get some replacement floor pans as well. I have had at least three separate people tell me to go with KF Vintage. One was a contractor that had done previous classic car restorations, another was a vendor at the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals, and another was a Z mechanic. Needless to say, that's who I will be going with when I finally pull the trigger and decide to replace my floors. Mine were filled in with old Maxwell House coffee cans and lots of filler by a previous owner that did not want to weld. I was planning on replacing my floors as this winter's project, but I may need to put it off due to the persistent Gov't shutdown. Not having a current and reliable source of income may stall my plans somewhat.

Become a subscriber and the pop-ups will go away. The advertising is what keeps this site alive. By no means is the site making any money.

I am well pleased with the MSA Ceramic Coated Header and Premium Exhaust System I installed some 14 years ago. The fitment was spot on, the OE heat shield fit without bending or mods, no interference with the steering rod or frame rails. The supplied Turbo muffler was a bit loud and had some drone at 3k RPM, a 12" resonator I later installed cured that and softened the sound a bit. A local shop I use was very impressed with the overall design and exceptional quality of the entire system.

While I have turned much of my attention to my other 240Z recently, there are still quite a few things on the to do list for this car. One of them was replacing the glove box hinge/panel. My old one had broken at one of the three hinge areas. I was lucky enough to find a NOS one. Having recently replaced the decal on the original one with a new decal, I had to procure another new decal, and put in on this new panel. I still have some alignment issues to work out before the glove box will shut properly. The Vintage dash that is the car requires a bit of trimming of foam and vinyl on the lower edge of the glove box opening to allow the hinge to operate properly. Another small item on my list was to install these plastic seat belt buckle trim plates (old foam on the right, new on the left, which I glued to the center backside of the trim: These go here on the 1971 belts: I used a heat gun to warm them up quite a bit before snapping them into place, which went without issue thankfully. I still have a bunch of details like this that need to be completed. I would like to swap out the headlights bulbs for some other Koito H1 type ones that I found which look more like the originals. There are various other markings I'd like put in place to replicate factory ones (paint markings). I also would like to get the original wheels refinished and get some stock sized tires mounted on them. The original hub caps that I have are very nice, but if I can get better results with the paint color experimentation, matching the original much better than my efforts thus far, I will refinish them. I still haven't done anything to address the lean condition that I am experiencing. So, that is still on my list. After about 4 rounds of pulling the valve cover off to adjust the valves (the valve noise was much more than I can recall with my other L series engines), I figured out part of my problem. I have generally been adjusting valves with the engine cold, but sometimes when it was kind of warm as well. I was sure it would tighten up as the engine got warm. What I have found instead is the the lash clearance actually grows a bit when the engine warms up. The specification for my camshaft is .006" on the intake and .008" on the exhaust. I started off with setting the clearance at that spec with the engine completely cold. I then found that the lash was a bit larger with the engine lukewarm and a bit larger still with the engine hot. Seeing this, and after resetting lash a couple of times prior with no improvement, I decided to use .005" and .007" while the engine is cold instead. With that I achieve notable improvement.

My now closed shop generated 4 Gold medallion stock 240 recipients. We tried 2 different finishes for exhaust manifolds. One was a finish like you're using and the others had Jet-Hot cast finishes. In EVERY case the judges (?) said the finish was incorrect and deducted points. Our last Gold Medallion car was judged (?) to have a steering wheel finish which was "too shiny". Go figure!!!

Pretty happy with how this looks. Sprays on very nicely.

BOT.... btw.. Matt have you finished your car?

@siteunseen Our “Forum Librarian Guru” Strikes again!!

Good looking bird!

It did strike me as odd that Humble had you snug in the spline and then put a continuous bead of adhesive over it only to pull the spline out later. I can attest that this pulls out most of the adhesive as well. But, who am I to argue with a guy who did it this way and wrote the book on restoring a Z car? Attached photo of Page 130 shows exactly what he said to do. This was for the windshield but he later on says to do the hatch glass the same way. Then, at the bottom of the first column of Page 131 he says to do exactly as you say; i.e., put the sealant under the raised lip of the window. In fact, as I read it, he's saying to do this on all three channels: glass, exterior and interior. This makes eminent sense and really makes me wonder how that first bit of nonsense made it through editing. Oh well, live and learn. Frankly, it's stuff like what I've just been through that makes it all the more important that users of this site comb through all the old threads and extract useful info that can be condensed and put into technical articles for any and all to utilize. I'm trying to do that during my build. Final photo is of my pet Senegal parrot, Koki, eating the marrow out of a chicken bone; a favorite activity. He just loves attention.

I agree with Patcon. I'd cap off everything you don't really need right now, including the brake booster and the transmission. And yes, I think a vacuum gauge could be helpful. You should be in the 17-20 inches of vacuum at idle. If you're at 10, there's a leak somewhere. I also think pics could be helpful.

Oh, and I'd be hard pressed to believe it's a malfunctioning check valve. If you're off the gas pedal when you're on the brakes (as you most likely are), the check valve won't really matter because the manifold vacuum is high (because you're off the gas pedal). Does the idle go up a little bit when you press the brakes sitting at idle? That's a typical sign of a torn diaphragm.

Hahahaha!! It's true!!

I made some progress last weekend but not quite there yet. So I drilled out the two rivets at the switch. Replaced them with aluminum pop rivets for now. That made it better but it still didn't work. There was also a continuity issue at these other rivets The only problem is I used a grinder and as the rivet heats up it melts the housing. A die grinder might be a better choice. The LED lamp I was using worked for a moment then freaked out and wouldn't go full brightness. I ordered some more. So we'll see. I would like to replace the aluminum rivets with small copper rivets if I could find some good candidates and a proper way to staked them. They need to be about 0.095" or about 2-2.5mm OD

I think I would cap everything on the manifold that uses vacuum with an assortment of rubber caps. Then if you can get the engine started and sorted, add them back one at a time to check for vacuum leaks

Couple comments to hopefully help the process... So I don't know exactly how you are handling the choke lever, but the typical process is to give it a good pull, crank the motor, and then as soon as it starts, push the choke lever forward "some, but not all the way off". It's not unusual to need partial choke for several minutes to keep the engine running smooth when cold. If you're pushing the choke all the way off immediately as soon as the engine starts, you are probably moving too fast. Give it some time to warm up with partial choke before you try to get the engine to run with no choke at all. Engines don't like to run cold. and engines that have sit for decades are usually grumpy about being woke up from their sleep. It'll probably get better as you get more time running, but first bunch of minutes on an engine that hasn't run in a long time? Don't expect perfection. Next is there's no way you should need to be running five turns down on a stock motor. If you're thinking you need five turns down, there's something wrong somewhere. I'm hoping that it's as simple as you need to leave the choke on partially for five minutes, but if the engine is warm and you need five turns.... There's something wrong. And that "lifter" on the bottom of the carb does not make things richer on that carb, and in fact, it does the opposite. When you lift the piston like that, it completely disables the carb by making it super lean.

I haven't posted in a while.....hope life is treating everybody with kindness The single best thing I have done to my braking system was to install a larger 8" brake booster. Best of my memory 69-72's had a small 7" booster. Nissan updated the 240 brake boosters to a 8.5" in '73. They knew the boosters were to too small and corrected the braking problem. You also may want to inspect/replace your brake booster check valve. I did go a larger caliper but never got that great breaking feel until I completed this upgrade several years ago.......This made a HUGE DIFFERENCE in my braking power. JDM-Car-Parts use to have an upgrade for 69-72 that had the correct bolt pattern to accept into the firewall. That made the transition from a 7 to 8" a breeze for me with no extra drilling. https://jdm-car-parts.com/products/datsun-240z-1969-1972-8-inch-brake-booster-upgrade-kit?variant=31778739748973

The needles are adjust correctly, one takes a straight edge along the piston to make sure the shoulder on the needles are correct. There is a lot of history here, had a very difficult time getting the needles and floats adjusted right in the bloat bowls, that took an enormous amount of time. I have a tach on the coil, next is to turn the nuts to go on the rich side, then rock back and forth to lean, looking for max rpms, at least thats what I understand. I've been running fuel out of a 5 gallon gas can, the excess goes back into the main tank, ran my gas can out of fuel. The fuel tank is somewhat rusty, need to find if it is usable or now.

I have a maxima rear disc conversion available you're interested...

I wonder if the needles are set too low in the pistons? Closing off the fuel with the choke off

Front Willwoods are an easy install. Fronts are where most of your stopping power is. I just put the fronts on all but one of my cars…..they will really put your head towards the windshield. I use my stock Master cylinder with no problem even with the Z with front and rear Willwoods. A hard pedal usually is caused by a lost reaction disk in my experience. Don’t know what else causes a hard pedal.

Installed new fuel hoses from ZTheraphy, they are more flexible than my other hoses from the hobby shop. Fuel may have been OK, but running new fuel anyway. With choke all the way on, nuts about 2.5 turns down, starts with ether. Then RPMs picked up and engine ran for the first time. As I reduce the choke to the point where the choke is off, the nozzles all to the top, engine coughs and dies. With the chokes on again, engine runs, very clearly the carbs have been set too lean. I'm thinking about setting the nuts about five turns down, that should richen it. Then run it with the chokes on and gradually back them off. I think if I keep trying that and can get it to run with no choke, I'm in the right direction. If I get that far, I can start adjusting the mixture, one carb at a time to where the idle RPMs peak. I would then go back and forth between carbs for peak RPMs, once I get it stable, then synch the carbs with the unisyn and set the idle RPMs. BTW, have not done any actual testing for vacuum leaks. If there is a leak that happened by itself, I might check the vac assisted brakes, it has a large rubber diaphragm that could be rotten. I'm 77, and have forgotten a lot about this stuff but it's coming back. I think I'm in the right direction, appreciate comments. Jim

You might find some things here: https://junkyardjenny.com/

Need a lot more info to help with this . Ignition set up ? Timing at WOT ? Still running vacuum advance ? What year head ? Was the camshaft degree’ed? Camshaft specs ? Engine compression ratio ?

Nice, correct engine block color. I had a great black wrinkle color paint when I first did my turbo swap but they apparently quit and I have yet to find a decent substitute. Yours looks pretty good. Mine could use another refresh...

Pre-Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac.

SWMBO ;)

I did clean it! First with alcohol, then the 2nd attempt I even roughed up the surface of the weatherstrip with sandpaper, then cleaned it. I even bought another small tube of the 3M super weatherstrip adhesive from Walmart and got the same results. The fact that the adhesive adhered to the paint so good, made me think that it was still good. The hatch weatherstrip I got from Australia had a totally different feel to it. The rubber was more "sticky". It required 100% talc powder to be applied to it after it was glued on, so the painted hatch surface would slide over it when you closed the hatch, until the seal bedded in.

ZTherapy uses silicone nozzle hoses.

Thanks for the link! The one I pictured appears to be the same as the one on the far right of the three pictured by 26th-z. It only has one "hose barb" connection. Thanks Again!

I really like this stuff for all adhesive needs: 1 Gal. DAP Weldwood HHR Contact Cement You may have to clean some weatherstrip of its "mold release" before trying to glue it in. A little lacquer thinner on a rag and a few wipes on the surface to be glued is all that is needed. For door weather strips, I use an acid brush, start in the sharp corner at the top, back of the door. You can do it in sections about 18 inches long. Just apply adhesive to both surfaces, wait about 3 minutes, and then press and stick. It is going nowhere after that.

Spot The Bot!! ☺️

In all seriousness, I alllllllmost flagged him earlier today before he even ever posted. I think there was about an hour between him joining the forum and his first post. I should have followed my gut and done it. Would have looked like a master bot—spotter. Bonus points for those who see what I did there. Hahaha!

Excellent job reinvigorating a seven year old post!!! You're exactly right, things always come around again!!! Do you have bondo in your roof? How is Jan? Say hello to Dwight!!!

The flat top fuel rail should be perfectly fine to use with round tops. It has a restrictor orifice in the return line just like the rail used with the round tops. Other than the relocation of the outlet nipples that lead to the carbs, they are interchangeable. The engine uses a small amount of fuel at idle. In fact, if the carbs are tuned properly, the engine should idle for about 30 seconds or so just consuming what is in the bowls. No fuel pump supplying fuel necessary. So you should be fine running off the bowls until the pump turns on. It'll run for a surprisingly long time. First thing I'd do is look for vacuum leaks. A hose you forgot to connect, or a nipple you forgot to block off? If no joy there and you're double dog sure you have no vacuum leaks, I'd drain the bowls (disconnect the tube on the bottom and let the fuel run into a cup) and then refill the carbs with known good fuel. You can easily do that by disconnecting the inlet fuel line and sticking a small funnel into the hose. Pour fresh fuel in from a little cup until the carbs won't take any more. At that point, your bowl levels should be good and you should have 30 seconds of fresh fuel. Maybe disconnect the fuel pump so it doesn't push any more questionable fuel back into the carbs.

Two-fer! LOL!!! @siteunseen

Time to play "Spot The Bot!" @siteunseen It's a two-fer. >> https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/58853-if-its-good-enough-for-a-sema-car-then/#comment-680341 I'm totally winning this round! Hahahaha!!!

I wondered if it could be for air conditioning

I ordered and received one of these seals from Scott's as well. I can confirm that it's much better than the Precision version. With the Precision version there was a big gap all the way along the bottom of the hatch, which welcomed copious quantities of exhaust into the cabin. The hatch sat visibly higher than the edges of the quarter panels. The hatch was higher on the driver's side, and stuck out slightly at the back on that side. I removed all the weatherstripping (both inner and outer) and checked the fit. I was surprised to find that the hatch still sat slightly high and stuck out slightly at the back on the driver's side. I removed the support strut and that allowed everything to align. The strut is a replacement. I'll have to check the source. With the new hatch seal in place, but not glued, the hatch sits pretty nicely. It's very slightly high, but I suspect it will settle, and I haven't tried adjusting the hinges or latch yet. Once I connect the strut, though, it's noticeably higher again. It's lower than it was with the Precision seal and there's no gap along the bottom edge, so I don't think exhaust will be a problem, but it's higher than I'd like it. Has anyone noticed a strut causing the hatch to misalign? Any ideas about how to correct it? I'm a little surprised that the strut can move the hatch backwards. I would have thought the hinges would prevent that.