AZ-240z

That is a pretty severe deduction for Charlie's car, Jim. To have gotten down to correct valve stem caps indicates that his car must truly be spectacular. Does he also have the original tires? I would be interested in buying at least four of the Pacific Industries valve stem caps so please let us know if you get a positive reply from Pacific Industries. I also have a spare Bridgestone Superspeed-20 tire with this valve stem. Dan

Jerry, the parts CD really doesn't nail it down for you. I do know that the right switch in your picture was on the series 1 cars which would be up to production date of 1/71, as it was on my 1-71 car, and may, indeed, have been found on all '71 cars. The part number would have to be 25910-E4600. I am guessing that the other switch in your picture (left switch) would have a part number of 25910-E8300 or E8800. My best guess is that the left switch would be correct for your car and the E8300 or E8800 series part numbers would be common to many parts correct for your 6/72 car. No very scientific, but just my best guess. Dan

My car was "ziebarted" by the dealer when new. Zero rust 40 years later.

Marty, If you may be swaping the seats around, another related point of interest is, the fore/aft seat adjust lever at the bottom of the seat cushion should, also, be next to the center drive tunnel. I say this because, you may need to swap seat backs, and not the entire seats for correct installation. Dan

My apologies to all. My above post is not accurate. After taking a closer look at my car, the diverter flap that changes from vent to heat is, indeed, behind the center air control panel and incorporated in the heater box. This would most likely require removal of dash for easy access to the heater box. Again, sorry for the mis-information by relying on a fragile memory. Dan

I don't think the dash has to come out to access this diverter flap and renew the gasket material. I could be wrong, but you can just unbolt the heater box from the firewall, disconnect the diverter flap actuation cable from the right side of heater box, remove air ducting (don't forget to take out small retainer screws that secure the ducting) and drop the heater box. It's been a while since I have done this so recall might be kind of sketchy, but no need to take out dash I am quite sure. Dan

I, too, purchased my car off the showroom floor with the front bumper bar already installed on the front over-rider bumpers. The rubber on the bumper, as mentioned above, was cut to accomodate the installation of the bar. Personal preference and opinion, had I a choice originally, I would not have had these protector bars installed on either the front or rear bumpers as I think they impart greater damage to the parts they are supposedly protecting, and they detract from the appearance of the car. Just my opinion! Dan

You probably have the most realistic solution, Arne, and have considered this option. I could just use the KYBs and take a little off of my repros. It would virtually be impossible to know that the springs were modified and, sometimes, accomodation is the only reasonable solution. Probably wouldn't be too difficult to find a set of repros, as you say, Again, you have mentioned this in previous threads, but how much spring did you remove using KYBs to adjust for 3/4 " increase above stock height? Dan

Hi Jerry, I was just in San Diego a couple of weeks ago and wanted to go visit with Les but it didn't work out. I would be interested in your inserts and checked out the part numbers in the thread you mentioned. From what my parts CD says, the 56205-E4125 inserts are for the rear (soft ride) for 11/69 to 10/74 cars which would work for my 01/71 car. But, the 56105-N3785 are described as the front (firm ride) from 11/74 which doesn't match up with my 01/71 car. Is my thinking correct, Jerry? Did Les use KYBs with stock springs on your car, or did he cut the springs down? Thanks for your help Jerry look forward to your response. Dan

Thanks Arne, No, I haven't checked with Nissan. Just assumed they would be NLA, but I will check. My mechanic has used KYBs on other cars and said he didn't notice any height issues, but, as you said, the consensus here is an increase in ride height above stock, and I don't want to cut my repro springs down. Ride height with the Mulhollands is at, or a little above, stock on my car now. I think that the repro springs are a little stiffer than stock and may be responsible for a little height above stock. Dan

This is look'n for a needle in the proverbial hay stack but thought I would ask. The shop where I get my car worked on came across a set of 4 used original 240Z stock shock inserts. They look to be in very good condition for rebuilding, but, when they were removed, the strut seal kits (nuts with integral rubber seals) were thrown out. If I could find those 4 strut seal nuts, my mechanic said he can find some integral rubber seals that would work with these nuts. The set of Mulholland hydraulic shocks currently on my car, although NOS, are binding so no longer usable. My choices, and we have talked about this in earlier threads, are either to find original hydraulic shocks, or use KYB-GR2 low pressure gas charged hydraulic inserts. My hope is that someone who removed and replaced their original stock inserts my have kept there original strut seal kit nuts. Thanks. Dan Original Owner 1/71 240Z hls30-20419

Carl, 240dkw has perfect pictures of the missing bracket. Much better than any I could post. Good luck. Dan

Rich, Just curious, as I, too, use a Lexol product, but it is the Lexol Vinylex protectant for vinyl, rubber, and plastic. Are you sure that the recommendation wasn't for this, as opposed to the Lexol "Leather" product? If not, did the recommendation come with any specific reasons why the leather product would be superior to the vinylex? I have used the Vinylex on a NOS dash for the last 6 years as a hedge against deterioration. It leaves a nice, low luster finish and seems to maintain the supple, soft original feel. The car is garaged full time and only exposed to sunlight a couple of times a month for 45 minute drives. Thanks Rich. Dan

Looks like you're missing a piece. Mine has a metal bracket that the cable passes through to hold the cable sleeve stationary so the cable will be able to push and pull against this bracket. The bracket attaches with the screw shown in the top, center of your picture. I will try to get a picture of mine attached to this thread sometime today. Dan

Check out Banzai Motorworks, www.zzxdatsun.com. Go to his catalog, look under rubber and I think you will find what you need. Dan

Have you seen the reproduction firewall insulators that Classic Datsun Mortorsports offers. Depending on the degree of originality you are looking for, for $140, it looks pretty original, has insulation backing, and all of the correct cutouts. Don't know what the material is but may be worth checking out. Dan

This may or may not be of any help, but I will tell you how my dealer added system originally worked when new. To turn the system on with the dealer added A/C control switch, the top slide OFF-VENT-HEAT control lever on the air control panel had to be in the OFF position which closed off airflow from the outside so air had to be drawn through the A/C condenser. If you were to find the vent closed by this lever on the upper right side of the blower motor/passenger foot well area, you would find a small micro-switch and contact which senses the action of this vent. I believe that this micro-switch closed the circuit between the dealer installed ON-OFF temp control switch and the compressor. Electrics aren't my thing so this is a pretty rough explanation, but worth taking a look at. Too bad someone doesn't have a copy of the original installation proceedures that came with the aftermarket A/C systems. Dan

When you put the O-ring back in, put a little lub on it. This will keep it from distorting and being pushed out of postion when you tighten the retainer ring.

Jerry, Sorry that I didn't notice your question earlier. Nice find on the factory inserts. It has been 40 years so I can't be very specific, but I would agree that the ride and performance was probably most comparable to the KYB inserts as I remember. I do remember having a set of Konis installed some years later and noticing a markedly firmer ride with less body sway. I currently have a set of Mulhollands paired with repro springs offered at Courtesy a few year back. One of the Mulhollands, after probably some 30+ years on the shelf, is binding and the ride is way too firm so I am considering another set of Konis. I would do KYB-GR2 inserts but don't want to chance an increase in ride height above stock with the gas insert, and don't want to cut my repro springs. Let me know what you end up doing with yours. Are they going on your red car being done at Classic Datsun? Dan

Hi Rich, My take on what you have mentioned is, if paint runs, overspray, orange peel, inspection marks, etc., were not supposed to be there, factory quality control processes would have remedied these flaws prior to shipping. Concours events for such iconic cars as Corvette take great pains in duplicating these for total originality. As Carl Beck mentioned the tie-down hooks were the same as plastic covers for door panels, bags for hub caps and set belts, etc., all meant to get the care safely and undamaged to the dealship, but "weren't supposed to be there" for ultimate delivery to the customer. I am sure that there was a factory directive listing processes to be completed for preparing a car for sale probably including removing these tie-down hooks. As for undercoating, my car arrived at the dealership sans any undercoating. My dealership offered a process called Z-Bart rust protection. I definitely see your point though, Rich, as the stated mantra for judging concours stock class is, "AS IT LEFT THE FACTORY" which could be possibly clarified to answer our questions for these hooks. Just my opinion, and not based on any factual information. Dan

Just a thought, but it appears that you probably have at least one idler pulley under the hood for the A/C compressor. I would do a little oil on the idler pulley bearings to see if you can make that noise go away. Idler pulley bearings are quite often a culprit and make that kind of sound. Hope this helps. Dan

There are many products on the market made to preserve vinyl. My understanding of the science behind these products is that the chemical components that comprise vinyl will, under prolonged exposure to heat, sunlight and UV, etc., break down and off-gas thereby actually shrinking the material causing cracking. Products such as Armorall, Lexol Vinylex, etc., are supposed to replace those chemical components and preserve the integrity of the vinyl. Vasoline and mineral oil may seal the vinyl to inhibit off-gasing, but that is just conjecture on my part Again, this is just my take after reading many posts on the subject in this forum. I recommend going to the search function, plugging in a key word such as "Armorall" and then take a look at all of the threads which have discussed this in the past to help you form your own conclusions. Good reading. Dan

Grantf, I'll risk being criticized, again, on my research information, but, from what I have learned, this little tab is supposed to be trimmed and glued to the little front face of that trim brightwork, and not tucked underneath. This is also confirmed in a book "How to Restore Your Datsun 240Z" written by Wick Humble. I am not at home so can't give you a page reference right now in case you had that book. Maybe someone else can substantiate this. Dan

E, when I bought my car off the show room floor, it came from the factory with the single piece, tubular, outer hatch weatherstrip. Manufacture date 1/71 series 1 car and purchased on 03/25/71. Dan

E, lets work it backwards from CD, section 143A-3. Item 51-01, 76910-N3000, is indicated with arrow in the schematic as to top piece, ie., 1 required. The assumption with this part is that it has the tubular cross section profile. Item 52-01, 76911-N3000, is indicated with arrow in the schematic as the side pieces, ie., 2 required. The assumption with this part is that it has the non-tubular cross section profile. Now if we go back to section 121-5, these same two part numbers are offered in items 60-02, and 61-01, respectively. You are obviously correct that there are no date codes other than that given for the respective sections of the CD. I interpret this to mean that these parts are correct for early and late cars, but, as item 60-01, 767910-E4100 is listed first, or primarily, in this section, it appears to be a stand-alone part for the outer hatch weatherstrip. If there were two side pieces to go with 76910-E4100, they would be listed as 76911-E4100, but that part number doesn't exist. It doesn't seem reasonable that an E4100 part would be paired with an N3000 part, ie., top piece and the two side pieces in my limited experience working with original parts for our cars. Given the information on the CD, I don't think this is too great a leap in reasoning, especially since I have corraborated this reasoning with the substantiation I posted in #7 above. Dan