Bonzi Lon

I know how you feel. My 'College car' Z sat for 26 years unpainted in a back room of the garage. Out of sight, out of mind, out of money, but never for sale. I don't think I could of reassembled it without this site. Once going again, after all those years, it was like reuniting with an 'old friend'. Enjoy the ride. Welcome to Z madness. Bonzi Lon

Here is a side by side comparison of the bumpers, 69 & 73. Note the difference in width of the two bumperettes besides the narrower placement on the 73. Bonzi Lon

Having a friend as a tag collector, buyer, seller also helps. How bad is your plate? Could it be cleaned up? He sold me a 73 in original condition, I even knew the car it was on in 73, has a small chip on the bottom and minor fading. It can be restored (not the yellow) by him, but I wanted original condition and got the best in his lot. He told me to use polishing compound if I wanted a brighter/newer finish. For others using this method, beware if you have the 'light reflective glass beads' imbedded in the paint, usually the letter/number, or the border. This will have to be masked off, compound sticks in the texture. All of the yellow on my tag is reflective, and beleive you me, it does show up at night! Bonzi Lon

Attempting to read that colorful text made me dizzy. Anyone notice the ebay part of the description said it was a convertible? Bonzi Lon

Double post, sorry Arne, please delete. Bonzi Lon

These are not leather but would look good in Steve's color of car. Long story short, my car was to be bronze/copper (this is 1980) with an interior to match. The seats were done by a lady that did household furniture. I asked her if they could be made with more cushion around the sides and headreast, no problem, make the pattern bigger in that area. They came back in 2 weeks and $400 lighter in the checkbook. They are fantastic. Stitch work is great, even has cloth covered piping. The sit is unbeleivable, softer than any recliner. However, as you can see, they don't go with a blue car. Right now I am using the seats out of #110, no cushion left at all. Stock ride height but my eyes are lowered 3 inches. My options are many, but the ideal would be: Sell these seats to someone that could use the color. Get a set of 73 seats, must be reclineable, with bad covers and have that lady make me a new set like the old ones she did in off white leather, maybe blue piping, or a blue 240Z stitched in the headrest. Bonzi Lon

The wipers are supposed to be slow, so you don't drive it when it looks like rain. Remember, wet+Z=rust. There is a good writeup on a Honda wiper motor exchange, one just for the 73 because of the delay function. Bonzi Lon

When my internally oiled cam was installed in 1980 by the dealership they put little oval plates over the holes, as per Walter, no gaskets. 5300 miles later, everything is fine. There will be a hole at the back of an internally oiled cam that will need to be pluged before use. Using an internally oiled cam WITH a cam oiler is nice insurance. Bonzi Lon

When I was having the same problems it was solved with new lube where metal to metal contact was made. The striker, the two rotating lock fingers. This was after I had adjusted everything that could be adjusted. Bonzi Lon

I'm with Arne, my clock has always worked just fine, a little fast, but no complaints. This was the car that got me through college as a watchmaker / clockmaker, so I think it knows the downside to not working. I do not work on electro-mechanical movements, just the mechanical. I also made the mistake of putting a sunroof in my 73, but I blame that on being in 1980. (need I say more?) If and when it goes through another re-do I will have a skin put back on. Bonzi Lon

My problem is not the splash pan, it is on the garage wall nice and straight, rust free and in primer. Nor is it the bolts, I have the genuine Nissan number on file and ready to order. My problem is I have to remove 9 broken off bolts. Bonzi Lon

If you have two slots in the console, one is for a hand throttle, very early production, which should of been removed before sale at the dealership, safty reasons. However, I think you may have an early console. Someone here knows when they deleted the hand throttle slot. You have to lift, or remove, the console to get the the choke lever / cable assembly. A good cleaning and lube of the inner steel cable worked wonders for me. Leave the sheaths in place and pull out the cables. Bonzi Lon

Your single choke handle should operate the 2 choke cables. Bonzi Lon

I removed the ones mine had, should be somewhere in the shop. An interesting note, while going through my many manuals, the passenger seat belt sensor showed 3 different ones. A different color tape was wrapped at the connector for minimum weight for it to make contact, thus setting off the light/sound. Bonzi Lon

I went out and measured 12/69 and 7/73. From the rubber end of the lever to the bend in the spoke of the steering wheel, 12/69 was 3 1/2 inches, 7/73 was 2 1/2 inches. The angle / bend on the lever at the plastic surround appear to be the same. Where the lever attaches to the inner assembly seems to be where the difference is. Bonzi Lon

Look for little holes on each of the cam lobes. If they are there you have an internally oiled cam. Perfect to run without a spray bar. For peace of mind a spray bar can be installed, just remove the block off plates on the towers. It does have the little block off plates? Right? If not, fish around with a magnet all over the top of the head, in the oil pools. PS My 73 has the internally oiled cam with block off plates. Bonzi Lon

^^^ I bet that covy of cars made a wonderful sight & sound going down the hiway. Bonzi Lon

I imagine the holes are part of the manufacturing prosess. It would take extra time to either change the prosess of leaving the holes out or weld in patches. Just a thought. Keep us informed. Bonzi Lon

Yep, maybe next year. I could join up with the Colorado Z's. Bonzi Lon

It is of my opinion the problem is caused by the power of the strut. One quick test. Remove the strut from the bracket and close the hatch, see how it fits. There is a large amount of power on these closed struts forcing up. Just a thought. Bonzi Lon

15 oz is way to much. IIRC it took several ounces. Just enough to be below the top of the strut tube when the shock is inserted. Bonzi Lon

Sounds like a stuck float, IF the fuel is comming out of the top of the fuel bowl through the overflow tube into the carb. This happend to me on my first startup in a while. Tapped lightly on the top of the bowl cover with a screwdriver handle to unstick it. The insides, needle, seat, float, will gum up if the fuel evaporates in the bowl over time. Bonzi Lon

Take it to a radiator shop and have them look at it. Most can be saved and is the cheapest route. They can inspect, pressure test etc, and give you an assesment. Mine blew a hole, what a mess under the hood, had it repaired for less than $50. You should not use the 'stop leak' treatments (automotive cholesterol) as it will stop all smaller than normal passages in the entire system not just the small hole you intend to plug. Like the passages in the heater core. Not good. Bonzi Lon

I understand. Too many events, not enough weekends. Bonzi Lon