bpilati

Without electric windows, computers and fancy HVAC systems, how much power does an early Z need? I think you can add a decent stereo without upgrading the alternator.

Who thinks $10K for a strip and paint incl materials is too high? If you do, please give me a morale boost. I'll trade 8" of snow for a great paint job.

Why don't you talk to Les Cannaday about the reason for different carpets. First off, the Z was not originally designed with carpets, they came with rubber mats. When the first ones arrived, Mr K had carpet made, and only later did the factory supply them. This is the info I have, and apparently both loop and piles carpet were made. In fact the factory carpets were supposedly wool carpets that were pile. So it appears to me that there is no truly correct carpet. My car had loop pile in it when I got it, and I know this is was came with it. Pile carpet was used in the Vintage Z program, and that's what CDM sells, since they were one of restoration shops. Les also explained the reason for no snaps or slits in the carpet. Some cars didn't have the metal tabs on the floorpan and the clips weren't available from Nissan. I think there was also some misalignment with the snaps.

You guys are lucky, there are no Z's in junkyards around here. They're long stripped, cut up and crushed. I don't even bother with junkyards.

So how does the car sit, Carl? Is the height correct?

Including wives?

The first person to send me a certified bank check for $50K gets mine. Hurry before someone else gets it.

I didn't buy the floor vinyl.

I recommend staying with the 1.5 Ohm coil, because I think your tach needs this setup. Correct me if you know that I'm wrong, but I think that the for the 240Z you need to maintain everything like the original setup, only changing the coil to a higher voltage. I believe you can also use 280Z spark plugs. I believe I'm using a coil for an early 80's Nissan truck.

I believe that there is also a relationship between the ballast resistor and the tachometer.

hls30, how can you see brake fluid damage from there? Come on! Nissan spark plug wires are black. You really have to want to win to go buy a Nissan battery. How about the locking door for the gas cap? Possibly optional on early cars, but how many had it? I noticed an electronic ignition while looking through the distributor cap, did you see that? I'm sure the hatch hinge screws should be painted. Obvious error by those folks who buys the stainless screw kits.

My 432 rear spoiler from CDM has the raised flat area on the right side for the badging. It seems to be made reasonably well. It has stainless studs sticking out of the bottom with locknuts and the color is black.

Okay I had a talk with Les. He says that it wasn't so straight forward in the beginning as people might think. During the Z Store restorations, Nissan went out and bought the best Z's they could find, and apparently these were very original in their condition. Some came with loop pile and some with cut pile. The first Z's imported came with rubber mats only, and Mr K had carpet kits made by Chester & Herod using the rubber mats as templates. Apparently most loop pile was found on the east coast and but pile on the west coast. Loop pile is consider cheaper carpet. Now back in Japan they made the carpet kits using what they had available and wool carpets were showing up. I think Les said wool carpets are cut pile. Anyway, this is how I remember it, so don't shoot the messenger.

Is that the new original 70-71 repro boot?

Boy o boy, that must have been the toughest 18,018 miles ever driven.

Where the hell do people find all these professional video editors? It's like watching a TV show. How can you guys get so lucky?

This is the first time I've ever heard anyone mention a wet brake problem due to rain flowing through the ducts. Has anyone ever verified this? It's not like there isn't any water flying around under a Z without a spook and there is a shield. If this were a true safety issue, you think it would have been widely reported and the ducts discontinued years ago.

A 2003 240Z would have sold millions, but they didn't listen.

Les at CDM told me that these are the same kits they used in the Z Store restoration program for Nissan. Why would Nissan approve kits that are not loop pile and do not have the rear slots for the metal floor tabs or the front snaps? I guess I could take the kit to an upholstery shop and have them sew in the slots, and I could add the snaps. Looks like the Datsun Spirit kits covers even the vinyl portions of the interior floor.

http://www.radiosforoldcars.com/inquiryF.htm

I only saw the MSA spook briefing so I can't say with absolute certainty, but it seems to me the BRE spook is a bit heavier and more rigid than the MSA spook. Frankly I don't think weight is an important concern for those that aren't racing. Rigidity of the structure is important to ensure proper function and mitigate cracking. Les gets many of his products made by the same companies as others, but that does not automatically mean that they are the same. I don't know how you can determine how the products are made unless you talk to Les and MSA.

I was unaware of this, because it does not say on the website. It says sewn to original specifications, which I mistakenly took to mean made like the original carpet. Apparently Nissan approved the change for the Z Store program.

My Z was purchased at West Valley Datsun in Glendale, AZ in Oct 71. My dad purchased the 510 at Pence-Briggs Datsun in Richmond, VA in May 71. Both cars painted 920 Gold! Maybe I should join an Arizona Z club, eh?

Never heard this one, but I have heard the Datsun 510 referred to as the poor man's BMW, because the BMW 1600 may have inspired it. I can't verify it though.