Zedyone_kenobi

Looking to do more upgrades to the Z after playing the roadster for a year. Redo'ing the entire suspension with eibachs/tokico HP's/Top hats, Bushings, etc. Cannot wait to feel that, but now looking to really improve some aesthetics. Starting with the easy stuff. New smooth bumpers (form Futofab) and factory looking fog lights. Anybody know of a really good replica foglight (rectangular) for the 240Z? Thanks!

As usual your writing and clear choice of words is never insulting or condescending in any way at all. I thank you for the lengthy response and the clarity you provided Just a note, decided to get help with the glad nuts on the fronts. I could not move them once I removed the front strut from the car. I had no way of holding them while trying to loosen the nut. I took them to a local shop that has some experience with these cars. Also ordered a spring compressor and more ATI brake fluid from amazon. It has been two years since I put that in and it was time. It had absorbed quite a bit of water in that time. I may have to go back to using DOT 3 as it is less hydroscopic than DOT 4.

Yeah, you have to torque the inner rear bushings with load on them if I recall. You have the two large bolts, one each end of the inner control arm, then you have the 4 smaller bolts per side that hold up the arm. I forget which order you have to install these. I will probably have to loosen and redo all of these. Captain obvious, I hear what your saying, but the ease at which the removed struts can compress and then slowly or not rise means that there is little to nothing left in the way of gas pressure left. NO damping to be had in them. I hear what your saying about hard to press down is not an indication of damping, but to me it is an indication of a healthy strut. The ones I took off are definitely NOT healthy. I equate health to damping more than an arbitrary 'hard to press down'. I should have been more clear.

New shocks are WORLDS stiffer. I am not sure I can even press them down Such a difference damping these will provide. I cannot wait to see who they feel. I will provide pics of my springs. the difference is staggering. And since I have NEVER seen a direct tokico / eibach spring comparison.. here she is! My biggest issue is determining which is front and which is back. I am going to run the part numbers just to be sure. UPDATE: After some research it seems that the fronts are the parts ending in the 1 Therefore the front springs are the longer ones: 6305.001 Then the shorter springs are the rear ones: 6305.202 What everything I have found, this should be the ticket. Guy can you confirm?

Who hoo! all of my parts came in ! time to get to work! The Eibachs are MUCH longer springs than the tokicos! I think I am going to be happy. Pics to follow of course.

They are on the way Guy. Looks like the front end will be next on my list of to do. I cannot wait to see their state. Maybe I will install the bump steer spacers when I do this job. I have been meaning to give those a try.

Yup, got new rear vinyl for the parcel shelf, got the OEM seats completely redone(sold the miata seats), new convertible cover, new top, new door cards, polished the stainless door panels, and got new window cranks. Still have some work do to, but it looks awesome. Just need to figure out how to redo the dash. That will be after the Z suspension. Not sure how I ever thought I could afford to restore two of these things! I ran out when my youngest was sleeping today and removed the passenger rear strut. Well the story is not so good. I got it out without any issue, but it is much easier to push in and it only VERY slowly raises up until its about 2" shy of fully extended. I have to pull it to get it finish the return stroke. Meaning, that the driver was probably healthy and the passenger was NOT. So this means, I am back to new HP tokicos blues unless you guys can talk me into something else

I actually checked the ends and they are all painted with same extra thick rubbery paint as the rest of the spring Well I ordered new hardware, 4 new top hats and 4 new eibach springs. They will be here in a week. So nothing left to do but start pulling springs!! The roadster is what started me on this. It actually has damping and suspension movement when it goes up and over bumps, the Z feels like the suspension cannot move an inch upward at all. Like I am riding the bump stops all the time. So even though the struts appear to be fine, I will check each one the best I can when the spring is removed.

Oh definitely, OSHA white safety socks! HAHA I will never ever stop working on the Z's guy! I am concerned with the Eibachs as I hear they make the but droop too much. Is that an older problem? I really think the HP tokicos are fine now that I read more about them. IT takes quite a bit of effort to push them in and they rise instantly by slowly. So it would see I have a choice now. Which springs to try. Eibach's or tokicos. IF mine have been cut that would explain the harshness. I cannot even push down on any corner of the car. It does NOT MOVE. I think I would dent the sheet metal before the spring compressed. I may have to do a search to see what the free length of tokicos are to verify if mine have in fact have been cut! I would have never suspected that!

Well today I got back into the Z after almost a year of playing solely with the roadster. Man it was nice to show some love her way. Well my first hour of work went swimmingly I got to here rather quickly. I managed to get all of the parts off rather easily. My lower control arm pin, looked brand new so I think at some time it was replaced, so I did not mess with it. I will save that mamma jamma for later Well anyway, I have been thinking my struts were kaput for a while as they are at least 18 years old according to the receipt from the PO. Here is what pulled out. And it came off without any fuss at all. I think the gland nut is stuck to the strut though. haha. Sorry for the grainy iPhone pics, I did not have my camera. Now, I can push the strut in with my hand almost all the way to bottom and it slowly rises back up. you can hear the fluid squish as it rises back. So I think that means it is doing it's job. I have nothing to compare it to. The reason i am doing all of this is I want a bit more ride height and some actual bump damping. Was thinking of getting some eibach springs, but not sure if they give a better ride or not. Those are the tokiko springs and struts as you can see. Was thinking maybe going with the eibachs as I mentioned, and just getting some new tokikos, but not sure if that will give me more ride height. Any suggestions?

Love the Dino quite a lot, but anything that says Ferrari and 250 on it, sign me up NOW.

I would be down for a set of euro springs for sure.

You have to look under nissan, silly me I was looking under Datsun

When I searchd shox, they only had shocks for the 280ZX, not the 240Z.. let me check again.

I am looking for more ground clearance as well. I really want to get my car off the ground. I do not want OEM, I do not think, but maybe I something just a bit lower. The tokiko springs really put the car on the ground. My exhaust at times pays the price. I would really like maybe 3/4" more ground clearance to help with suspension travel, getting on ramps, etc. The car's primary purpose is to be a taken to vintage rally events. I need more suspension travel to do that with some comfort. I think A set of Eibach springs and tokiko HP's will probably be the ticket.

Me neither, I am going to something I rarely do.. I am going to be patient. I think I will drive the Z all winter (since it has a heater), and start a big roadster project since a convertible in 30 degree weather is less than enjoyable at times.

thanks John, guess the first step would be to see which works for a mildly lowered suspension, and which are currently available. I guess I should start with Motorsportsauto. the KYB and Koni have me interested. If I knew where to get bilstiens, I would seriously get those for my S30. Bilstien makes some fantanstic dampers.

This is truely disheartening. I just cannot fathom that with all the 240Z's out there, their are no suspension kits for them. I am have become finicky about my suspension lately. The 68 Roadster I have has wonderful bounce and rebound damping, and runs KYB gas shocks. I can still buy them. I am just boggled that a car like the roadster is still supported while the Z has no shocks out there... I would hate to tear the car apart and then be left waiting for parts to show up that may not be made to work together. Who knew putting a suspension on a car could be so difficult.

man I like dealing with Futofab. I will certainly give them my business. I would like a bit more ride height while I am at it. Was thinking of going to the eibach springs vs the Tokiko springs I currently run. So you are saying the strut for the 240Z is identical for the front or rear, but the only thing that changes is the spacer and gland nut. Very interesting. Make sense since the tubes are of different length.

I am getting ready to put the Z up on stands and totally refresh the suspension. I would like more ground clearance and a bit of actual suspension travel. I currently have 17 year old Tokico HP's that seem to be shot, and a set of progressive tokico springs. My plans are to make the switch to Tokico HP struts again Eibach springs (based on Diseazd reviews) New OEM nissan strut tops to replace my 43 year old ones. Troubling to hear people are not finding tokicos available any more. Is this still true. I will call motorsports day after christmas to see. I would like a combo that gives me about an inch more ground clearance.

mr clean magic eraser!? Never heard of that one before....

Just want to say great conversation guys! Well done

It is the front lower valance on a stock Z that you have to worry about IF the car is lowered. ON stock springs you would probably be okay. I had to run 205/55/15's. OR 195/60/15's. 205/60/15s rubbed when I turned and backed out. Just keep it a bit conservative and you will be fine.

See, you guys are on the same page (Not going down the income inequality road) Its good and it is bad. I think grannyknot has the right idea. A great car will go up in value. NO doubt. I do not really know when and if this trend will catch on or if it will eventually hit our Z's. But it seems rarity still commands a high price. Like it always did. Just did not know it would rise up so high!

Looking at my hagerty magazine this morning, I saw some auction results from Monterey. The classic car market is turning into a full fledged commodity. Which I do not like really. These are cars to be enjoyed, not traded like a barrel of oil or Apple stock. Back on topic... The prices were enlighteneing: A 1995 911 turbo sold for 190k bucks, so the 911 bubble has not popped yet. Closure to our hearts the japanese market has picked up serious steam. A Honda S600 went for 44280 bucks A 1972 2000 GTR skyline brought a staggering 242,000 dollars And finally, A 67 mazda cosmo sold for a whopping 264,000 dollars. These are incredible numbers. Not too long ago we were seeing 2000 skylines going for 25-30k. Cosmos I saw for less than 20 as well. With more and more ferrari's and Porsches approaching record numbers, I think the speculators have turned to japanese metal for a quick buck. I have mixed feelings about auctions... they do not really represent the real world, however, they do influence prices as they set high water marks and as you all know, a rising tide raises all ships or something like that. So if I am a rich investor, with a couple of million to play with, and I see japanese cars as market that is up and coming (which it is) and I want to kick start it. Can I create PERCIEVED value by getting a known collector to buy at an absurdly high price at a high profile auction. If the auction companies (who get filthy rich over these auctions) decide that this will be the start of the Japanese invasion, they can grab a bunch of rare or semi rare japanese cars and assign expected value at whatever they want and CREATE a value profile. Those who dont know will just assume the values of skylines and Cosmos, and 240Z's and subaru 360's that are in the RM, or Mecum, or Gooding Catalog scattered about Ferraris, and Corvettes, and Bugattis are legit, as if those companies say they are worth it, they must be. Collectors will think that the auction companies know something they do not. I mean they got the money for these cars so the demand was there. I just wonder if the demand is real or if it being created. Am I just rambling, or does this make any sense.