d240zx2

Dittos to what Arne says! I installed a Pertonix in my '70 about two years ago. It starts better and faster and there are no tuning problems as with points. It's a plug 'n play system, but make sure your shaft has no run out.... Frank

Hey, mlaw7 & Zcurves..... We ought to get together and drive down to the Z club meeting on the 17th. I'll be just back from a day at the track and we can swap lies.... Frank

As another poster mentioned, you'll need new hoses and such to go along with it. I don't have any idea about the price of parts, but Doug installed mine for ~ $2300 complete. Compressor and hoses should be a minor fraction of that. I'd suggest you call him and get an estimate if you're considering that route. Frank

Maintenance? It's a Nissan! I don't need no freakin' maintenance!

I can't speak to any of your questions except that of oil pan removal. Your '76 may be different in some respects than my '70, but I found it merely inconvenient, not difficult, to remove the pan without lifting the engine or removing the front crossmember. Since the blocks are essentially the same, it should not be a significant problem for you. Just remember to use jack stands! Frank

Houston is about the same latitude as is Tucson and I can highly recommend Royal Purple 20W50. These old engines typically have a bit more clearance than more modern mills and the heavier viscosity is beneficial to their longevity. Frank

Perhaps you could, Stephen. But I think I would take it to Doug and have him install a new rotary compressor for you. It's mounted low and to the left of the engine and is unobtrusive to view. Besides, it does a better job of pumping cold air than the compressor you now enjoy. BTW, when are you gonna go trackin'? Frank

Apologies for the delay. Haven't been here for a spell. My Z is 920 with a bit of gold metal-flake tossed in to give it a bit more snap in sunlight. The paint brand is PPG, Deltron 2000 line. The now-faded label says "OEM 920 Nissan." Hope this helps and is timely to some of you. Frank

You can likely get good results with a thorough cleaning, but it will have to be removed for that. Don't forget the fuel lines...they get dirty/rusty, too. Frank

R180 w/3.36 ratio.

You've done a tremendous job, Motorman7. Beautiful!! Frank

Contact Wolf Creek Racing. They're the Mikuni-Solex gurus in the US of A. I'd go with the 44mm for your L28. My L24 has 40mm M-S units and it screams. Mikunis are "better" than Webers in a Datsun application, I'm told. Frank

I'm no expert Scott, but I've read/heard that some older Mustang wheels w/4 bolt pattern will bolt on. Frank

Paint is Nissan 920 Gold, with a handful of gold metalflake tossed in for good measure. That's the original color of the car, just making it look a bit late '70s rather than early '70. Glad the welding tip helped. That procedure has saved me hundred$$ over the years. Wherebouts in Oklahoma? I grew up near Lawton. Frank

Weld it out. Using a high strength electrode like Eutectic 680 or MG equivalent, weld a nut onto the extended broken bolt. Allow to cool, then back it out with a wrench. Works every time it's tried. If the broken portion is below the surface, use the electrode to rebuild the missing portion of the bolt. Use a "dabbing" technique to minimize heat build-up and to avoid molten weld metal from rolling over and adhering to the casing. When sufficiently lengthy, the nut can then be welded onto the reconstructed portion of the broken-off bolt and it'll come out quite nicely.

You cannot go wrong with Dave's stuff, Stephen. I heartily recommend his HLH harness and his little $15 plug for the 280ZX alternator upgrade is drop-dead simple and, IT WORKS. If you want a true "NEW CAR" look, suck your taillights out and send to him for his LED upgrade. Your neighbors will wonder where you got the new car.....

Well, Mike, tell us more. What cars to you have and want to restore? Do you have any urgent issues? Can you provide photos of your projects? There's a wealth of knowledge here, all you need to do is spread the questions... Frank

In case some of you had planned on coming to the Texas Z Party, be aware that open registration for other-than-Zcars, i.e. Loti, Mazdas, et al, will begin tomorrow, 1 June. If you are planning to attend, get your registration (and payment) done muy pronto. We're shutting the track off at 100 cars and we're pretty close to 80 right now. Come play with us! www.texaszparty.com

Ditto 2 Fast 2 Z . My twice pipes are just like his except I have no rear resonators. Quiet when not on the throttle, angry at WOT. Quite sweet, actually. Frank

I think you've got a piece of junk, Walter. If you were to try to make a bearing race out of JB Weld, you'd have to have some sort of release agent to coat the balls with. Not to mention getting the race built exactly to diameter and bearing spacing. I think I'd look at another dizzy rather than spend the time trying to make parts.... Just my 2 cents.... Frank

There doesn't appear to be a lot of correlation between VINs and engine numbers. For example, my VIN is 00721 while my engine number is 3295. Go figger. Frank

Just an FYI.... Track slots are filling up, so should you be planning to attend, the best time to register is now. Hope to see all of you there!!! Frank

Could be bushings, but check all bolts for proper torque first. Chances are you've got one that worked loose. I had a similar problem when I got my Z back...bolts holding the diff to the moustache bar were finger tight. Frank

Why, John. I didn't know you were a blacksmith, too!

Royal Purple has "Purple Ice." It works pretty well, too. I've not used it in my Z because it runs pretty cool as it is, but it's proven itself in diesel motors where overheating was a problem. Frank