Oiluj

Made two more attempts at reproducing a decent insert that failed. I'm working on getting access to another 3D printer to make a "positive" from polyurethane, from which I could make a soft silicone mold. I looked into having a custom prototyping shop print one, but the cost was prohibitive.

Me too!

Yep, same place as my neighbor's "dealer installed in 1972 A/C drain tube exits.

I haven't heard what's going on with the owner of the mashed hood, so you may well still have a shot at getting the hood. I just offered to see if I could help him locate one. The rest, really, is up to him, (or his body shop)...

Go for it. I just forwarded the thread to the owner of the Z with the mashed hood and don't know if he has already found a hood or not. First come, first served!

I see so many people texting on the freeway I think I'm in Starbucks. They are completely disconnected with the task at hand. I often change lanes to avoid the obviously distracted drivers. My fear is that much like flying a fighter plane, it's the one you don't see that gets you... IMO, fines for texting while driving should be tripled.

Thanks for the response. I forwarded this thread to the owner of the car and will let him contact you if he is interested. I don't know You are the best! Julio

Sadly, a fellow 240Z owner mortally curled the hood on his daily driver 240Z in traffic. He's looking to get it repaired, but would prefer a metal hood over a reproduction composite hood. Please contact me know if you have a non-vented S30 hood you would consider selling and I'll let him know.

If you set it up like I did mine, get the "fan mode" switch. It just controls fan on / fan speed

Universal parts will work fine. The in-dash unit looks identical to my Gen II unit, and the controls look fine also.

I bought the 3-lever system and rotary fan switch. Just ask for it when you call to place the order.

That looks good!

Jorge, At the very minimum you will need: • Evaporator • Controls Module • Condenser • Drier • A/C Compressor • Compressor Mount. (purchased / fabricated) • Compressor Belt, (and maybe a pully wheel for the belt). • Hoses & Fittings • Safety Switch • Misc. Mounting Brackets / Fasteners (these will be custom fabricated) I suggest you go to the Vintage Air site and look at their “Basics of Air Conditioning” link. It will make things much clearer.

I was looking for something else and ran across this Car & Driver article about the effects of "upsizing" wheels and tires. As expected, extra weight and rotational inertia have a negative impact on acceleration and fuel economy, but better cornering on the skid pad. I was surprised by the difference in acceleration. Of course, the extra grip provided by larger tires offsets some of the disadvantages, not to mention that they "look" nice. The test could have been run better and I see a few issues, but overall it seems to make sense. Effects of Upsized Wheels and Tires Tested - Tech Dept. - Car and Driver

In 2013 I lost almost 25 lbs, but still have 7 more lbs. to be the same weight I was at 30. Of course, it seems like these last 7 are the hardest to shed... Know what you mean about relaxing. I need to work on being less stressed as well in 2014...._

Happy 2014! My resolutions for the coming year are to: a) lose 7 more lbs, spend more time with family, c) drive the Z more, and d) go sailing more often.

Jorge, I installed the "Gen II Mini" unit, their smallest unit. It's only 1.5" shorter and 1/2" less deep than the more powerful "Gen II Compact". The Gen II Compact would be a tight fit, but might be work. You can order/rent a mock-up" unit from Vintage Air to verify the fit. Vintage Air now has a nice control panel that would retro-fit into the center control panel that was not available when I did my installation. It would require cutting a hole in the stock control I'm gathering up photos of my A/C install to put together a photo-essay of how I did installed my system, If I have a good enough package, I'll post it in the next two weeks. Happy 2014! Julio

I went with the vintage air Gen II in-dash system. It works fine for our SF Bay area summers, (85-95 degrees F). __Others have posted it works fine for summertime in the Southwest. Just buy the complete package and you get everything you need. You can even get the tools to fabricate your own hoses. In terms of the controls modifications, I just sort of "cobbled-it-together" as I went along. I'm looking thru my files for better photos you can use for guidance.

Very true, but unless you seriously autoX or track your car, I doubt you'd really notice any difference.__ Also, stiffer springs and better shocks can help to somewhat offset the added unsprung weight penalty. For most of our "weekend" or daily driver cars, the impact of cast iron brake drums isn't going to be an issue.__From my perspective, it's more about keeping our cars on the road. Heck, I don't "jump & rebound" like I used to either, but I still get around just fine! There are companies like Whitepost Restorations that will turn and re-sleeve your aluminum drums with brass linings, keeping them lighter than the cast iron alternative. http://www.whitepost.com/brake.html They do great work, but it won't be inexpensive. I suspect re-sleeved drums might not be acceptable for a track car, but they work fine for street use or light autoX. An observation:__ I always find it interesting that when we talk of "upgrades" like larger front brakes, larger wheels and wider tires, no one ever mentions the added unsprung weight. This only seems to come-up when talking about cast iron brake drums.__Why is that? Same can be said about adding A/C and powerful stereo systems with amplifiers and heavy sub-woofer systems. Both of these can easily add 50 lbs to a car, but nobody ever mentions that in terms of impact on performance. Just my 2 cents...

16 additional lbs. isn't that much, especially in terms of the reclaimed braking force the new drums should provide. Heck, I add almost that much extra weight to the car as compared to when I drove my first 240Z.

I agree with Dennis that which kit is best is a matter of application and opinion. They probably will all work about the same. Here's a link to pics of my controls modifications. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/interior-s30/38904-stock-looking-vintage-air-c-controls-part-1-a.html Here's a link to the pic of the controls installed with new control graphics printed on self-adhesive mylar on a laser printer. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachments/interior-s30/37206d1279510439-custom-vent-ducts-vintage-air-c-install-hvac-controls-installed.jpg

That was me who modified the stock controls. Really wasn't that hard, but did take some tinkering. Made new control cables from hobby store materials and some minimal sheet metal brackets made with just normal garage tools. Will try to find some pics of the finished assembly.

I went with cloth inserts and they do breathe better.

For the A/C unit to hang down in the passenger foot well, I think you need to go with a custom, in-dash HVAC such as Hot Rod Air

Yep. I do that once a year, usually mid-April after the rains subside. It does make a difference in rear brake engagement / pedal feel. This year the rain hasn't even started so I'll need a new trigger point. Think it's going to be a dry summer....