bpilati

What series tires are on NASCAR vehicles? These folks that put on tires with 1/4" tall sidewalls, are not using them for performance but for appearance. Seriously, I've seen this stuff on Ford Expeditions..... silly.

So no one has reported a ride height issue to MSA?

Why the heck are OEM springs so expensive? Anyway, MSA has been selling those Euro springs for years. You'd think if the ride height was wrong, someone would have said something by now.

If you're good at opening a bottle champagne, you may be able to handle the spring removal without the spring compressor. Hahah, j/k. I'd add to Carl's suggestion a medium to large vise that is mounted to a work bench. Makes a nice place to clamp your strut while you remove the spring and strut cartridge/guts.

I agree with these guys, my Z mechanic says that there is usually little or no wear on this component.

ezzzzzzzzzz, make sure you use OEM-spec rubber bushings in most of your suspension and polyurethane in only strategic locations. You put poly everywhere, and your ride will be harder. Use stock type springs, and KYB or Tokico non-adjustable struts. These guys with series 35 tires aren't building sports cars, they're building race cars. You'll have a nice GT car, which is what the Z is. Some people get the crazy notion that the more jarring the ride, the closer you are to sports car heaven.

I'd like to know what dimwit put the differential forward in the first place. Seems like a fundamental blunder to me. If you have a 72 or later driveshaft, you're good. BTW, Zguitar71, nice paint color!!

The Datsun Service Manuals should tell you what the characteristics of the springs are. For instance, the 240Z Service Manual says the front left spring free length is 24.68 inches, and the front right spring free length is 15.2 inches. The installed height load for left spring is 8in/562lbs and the right spring is 8in/604lbs. The thing I always loved the most about the Datsun manuals was looking at the photos of the technicians performing all these service tasks on BRAND NEW CLEAN 240Z's. Nothing is rusty or dirty.

It's strange that you would never know that Performance Nissan has any early Z parts since these cars are not mentioned on the home page. Marty, maybe your old springs were so worn out that they were actually lowering your Z further than the Euro springs do. Springs do wear out, and looses their strength.

Old fart.

Kats, did you make these video files? Were you videotaping them off of a TV set? If so, maybe there is a better way to record them directly to a computer. Let me know how you did it. Thanks. In Nov 69 I was ten years old and lived in Virginia, far from where the tests occurred. It's interesting to learn of these tests, because I didn't know that they were conducted. My father bought a 71 510 4-dr sedan in May of 1971; I was 11 years old. The car price was $1995, and the only option he purchased was the air conditioning system for $495. I distinctly remember looking at the 240Z sitting in the Datsun showroom. The dealer was Pence-Briggs Datsun in Richmond, VA. My father originally wanted to buy the Datsun pickup truck, but we could not sit the family across the bench seat, there were three of us. Then he test drove the 510 station wagon, he didn't like the road noise coming from the rear of the car. So he settle on the 4-dr sedan. I asked him to buy the 240Z and he told me he wished he could, but it wasn't a family car. I also remember seeing the smaller Datsun 1200 model car in the showroom. Mr K came personally to shake my hand when we purchased our car........j/k. My father's 510 was the 920 paint color just as my Z is today.

Why do I bother. Every where I go, there you are to argue with me. Later.

http://www.fontfinder.ws/16985/Microgramma-Bold-Extend.html It'll cost ya.

Where do you buy the turbo?

Hey, if Mr K touches the part, it is by default "authentic". Well it sounds good anyway. If you are restoring a car, and you buy all parts from Nissan and they sell you a Nissan part that is called out in the microfiche, I don't see how any show judge can judge you to be not authentic. Now if you're up against a car that rolls out of a garage with all the parts it came out of the dealer with, then it is likely more authentic, not counting dealer added parts.

Well I would always prefer to have the 71 emblems and badges. I just want to know how they originally made them, and how they can be restored.

I was only asking a question.

How the heck do they paint these emblems in the factory anyhow? BTW, here's are interesting links I found Reviving old emblems Emblemagic Motorhead Jewelry Advice on chroming

The Z windows are slightly tinted aren't they?

"Factory" interchangeable may be Nissan, but not designated for that model Z. A 280Z engine or transmission in a 240Z is not authentic. Actually a 73 transmission in a 71 is not authentic unless the part # is the same. That's the purest approach. Now as far as I'm concerned, they're both 240Z transmissions. Rear vents on the hatch of a late 71 240Z is not authentic. Horizontal defogger on a 70-71 is not authentic. The only way I think you could get by is if the part was no longer available or Nissan officially substituted a later part for an earlier model Z (e.g., Upper shift boot).

Poor judgement on that sway bar decision. The didn't know what kind of nuts the Americans were. Should have kept sway bar!

Katsuhiko, this is great stuff!!! How do you find this stuff? Is that Mr. K in the first film? Also, does Nissan still have design drawings stored around at their facility? Anyway, I loved watching the footage, too bad they didn't have a better camera at the time. It must have been 8mm film or something. Thanks again for your efforts.

I plan to use mostly OEM bushings, with a few choice uses of polyurethane. The area that the Z is lacking the most is in sway. I will upgrade to a heavier front bar and add a rear one.

I will agree with Carl. The discussion of delrin bushings has come up many times and the final consensus for road use is a big....NO. The is a reason why it's good not to tranfer tons of vibration to your unibody. I know many think the Datsun engineers were complete idiots, unfamiliar with modern technology. Why else does everyone hate plain old rubber? Are you building a road car or a race car? You can't have it both ways, and have a desent ride. If your car rides like a brick on the street, what are you damaging besides yourself? The fact that a Z handle pretty dang good even with a worn-out suspension tells me that the Datsun engineers knew what the hell they were doing. You want to put in delrin, polyurethane or even solid steel every where, that's your business, but you don't need it. One of the guys who raced Z's said, the average driver can't even get everything out of a stock Z, much less one with all kinds of fancy mods. If you're going to keep your Z forever, don't set it up to last less then that by substituting stiffness for lack of driving skills. Build your car for American (or Aussie) roads and you'll be happier.

You must not have a family to support.