psdenno

One factor worth noting is that the headlight treatments on the majority of the cars shown are a significant design consideration - not just added on because cars have to have headlights. The Corvette, the XKE, the Miura,and a few others incorporated the lights into the form of the car which was visually interesting and relatively unique at the time of manufacture. The Z with headlights under "glass" in some cases perpetuated that theme. I've talked to Porsche designers and engineers who point out that they try to make the front of their cars menacing and intimidating so that when they're seen LARGE in the rearview mirror, cars pull over to let them pass. That's fairly standard for most performance cars. Dennis

Summing up the last 300+ opinions and rebuttals, it's probably fair to say....If it looks like a Datsun Z, sounds like a Datsun Z, and drives like a 40 year old Datsun Z, it's a Datsun Z. The more it's modified, the more it becomes less a Datsun Z to many of the members of this forum. Owners of highly modified Zs are probably more comfortable among members of other forums that revere modified cars or race cars. I doubt that this discussion has changed anyone's mind about what makes a Z a Z. The vast majority of us appreciate our Zs for what they are and tend not to make too many changes to what we feel is a highly adequate sports car. We get pleasure from our Zs by working on them and driving them - not from telling others how much they cost or how many modifications have been made to the basic concept. For the most part, we play well with others. There are exceptions to that last statement, but that's why there's an "Ignore List" that I've found can make everything all better. Dennis

Here's a link to a picture of the '73 inner shift boot: http://www.thezstore.com/store/merchant.mvc? You'll also need a metal retaining ring that fits over the bolt holes and secures the boot to the tunnel. It's an ebay, junk yard, or local high school metal shop project item. I used the high school when I needed to find one. Dennis

Since newer cars have very few components and fluids that can, or need to be, checked or serviced by the owner, the trend has been to enclose everything under covers for a tidy appearance. Hundred thousand mile tune ups and totally sealed automatic transmissions have become the norm. I still prefer the "old" days when you could open the hood on a car and see the engine and all its components as well as the ground below the car. Many of the older engines were works of art just like the car's exteriors. Dennis

So, let me see if I'm correctly interpreting what you wrote..... You, like the rest of us, own a Z because you like some things about it. But, you're emotionally secure and mature enough to not have to mention the wonderfulness of your Z in just about every message you post. You realized long ago that we all bought Zs for as many reasons as there are Zs and "beating your own drum" doesn't make you any better than anyone else. While an owner can make the car special, the opposite is rarely true. Good attitude! Dennis

That's essentially what I did when I replaced missing/broken studs on my headlight buckets. Rather than using threaded studs that could twist out again, I used screws of the proper thread size. I ground down the roundness of the heads just leaving a "crossbar" at the top of the screw. The result looked like a "T". I then put the screw, head first, into the drilled out hole where the original stud had been and packed it with epoxy. The "T" anchored the threaded part and kept it from turning or pulling out when the nut was tightened down. Dennis

Welcome back! Always good to hear from another '71 Z owner. Dennis

Or is it a CorZed? All the king's horses and all the king's will have fun putting this one back together again - if ever. Dennis

I've had an aftermarket 1970s vintage exhaust system on my 240 for about 35 years and prefer the throaty sound over the stock exhaust note - especially on a foggy morning. For me, it adds to the sports car's appeal. After years of driving "quiet" contemporary cars, I was pleasantly surprised by the burbling sound of the exhaust on my Infiniti. It adds another dimension to the driving experience. Dennis

Great '71Z story! Tracing a car back to its early owners can be an adventure. I've done that with a '70 Porsche and got car loan documents from the wife of the original owner. Enjoy the Z! Dennis

As Gary pointed out, the votes tell the story. There's no manipulation of the data. Certainly, the 60 members who voted have made it clear that THEY feel engine changes and exterior modifications change the nature and intent of the Z. Of course, coming to a clear conclusion based on the results of 60 voting members out of a stated club membership of 26,634 is a bit like the tail wagging the dog. In most cases, I find it easier to tolerate, or even enjoy, a modified Z than to tolerate an out of control Z owner who goes on and on about the perceived wonderfulness of his or her car, how much it cost, and why it's better than the original. That behavior tends to place one on the fast track to being viewed as an unlikeable twit. Dennis

Grant, thanks for posting the Tootsie Roll Pop commercial. Can't remember viewing it. I see it's from 1969. I was keeping the world safe from Communism at that time and missed a lot of TV. I'll add the Owl to the Frito Bandito and the Speedy Alka Seltzer guy as lasting memories of the '60s. Dennis

I agree. If cars have a soul, it's in the engine. Replace the engine and you have a different beast. That's not to say I fault those who change to a more powerful motor. Everyone has the right to do what makes them happy. They just need to realize their happiness may not be shared by everyone who views the end result. My experience is that great cars tend to speak for themselves and don't require the owner to constantly toot the horn to get attention. Dennis

OK, tried "pissin' up a rope"....4'7" was all the better I could do. Perhaps we could get a poll going on how high other members of the group can get. Maybe I should have asked, "Has anyone changed their mind about what makes a Z a Z or what modifications go too far as a result of the poll and comments of others?". Dennis

Here's a link to a Hemmings article about how car values have fared compared to stock market investments based on information in the Wall Street Journal. The 1971 240Z is one of the 50 cars tracked since 2004. http://tinyurl.com/9r2r6bn Dennis

Nope. Dennis

Sooooooooo, after 124 expressed opinions and responses, do we have an answer for "What makes a Z a Z? What modifacations go too far to be called a Z?"? Dennis

My son just finished working on a different NASA project as part of his summer internship with a major contractor before heading back to college for his Junior year. While it was not quite as exciting as the Mars probe, it was quite unique and will be amazing to see when put in place. Glad to see NASA is still plugging away in spite of all the budget cutbacks. Dennis

I'll be watching! So many complex operations in the landing process with no room for error. The cable drop system is amazing. Dennis

Speaking as one who changed my Zs color at one time, and then changed it back, I wouldn't change the color. Other than the obvious need to also change the engine compartment color, under hood color, door and hatch jams, floors, tool bins, and a few other hard to reach places in order for it to look like it was meant to be that way, in my case, it wasn't a wise decision. After a few years, I went back to the original color and am much more content. On the other hand, it's your car and you can do whatever it takes to make you happy. That's what Zs are all about. Dennis

You can see a selection of heater hoses here: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/SHC01 Dennis

If you're talking about the braided cloth hose wrapped in electrical tape, it appears to be a heater hose and would leak water/antifreeze. Trace the connection and attached hose and you'll see where it goes toward the radiator. Dennis

Are you referring to an air conditioning hose for freon/134 or a heater hose for water? Dennis

Yup. And isn't that emotional fluff why we all buy the cars we buy? Then, some of us tend to booger them up. If it wasn't for our desire for emotional fluff, all cars would look, sound, and run the same. Dennis