conedodger

Just three days till the May Sacramento Z Car Reunion... And guess what? I will be driving my Z to the event. The Porsche will stay home. See you all there!

I guess you could run all ATF for a short period. I am not sure if there would be any deleterious effect. I spoke with some one I trust last night and he was telling me he runs 1/2 Swepco 901 and 1/2 Ford ATF in his transmission and it makes for much easier shifting. You might be over thinking this though, old Datsuns are like old tractors. Abuse, neglect will eventually take its toll but not like other cars. My Porsches are very finicky. The Datsun? Give it hell and it just smiles...

Actually, as soon as the gasket kits get here, I will be caressing those Webers. I plan on pulling them off and apart - sending the bodies out to be soda blasted, sending all the rest of the fuel rails and linkage out to be blasted and painted then put those suckers back together...

Don't worry about it. There are two types but the type is more important to your automatic transmission than it is to your engine. Like I said, just very detergent oil...

So a little work today... Paid a visit to California DMV which is usually about equivalent to a root canal. Curiously though, I went up, got my number, headed to the restroom, sat down, opened a magazine I had brought with me, they called my number! Oh my! So, 5 minutes after arrival I was on my way out the door with new plates, (they wouldn't let me use my blue originals) and current registration. Sweet! But, the oil needs changing so I head for home and raise it up and give her 5 quarts and a filter... Now, it's time for a ride! The carbs need rebuilding and I have ordered a gasket set from Peirce Manifold but it will take a few days to get here I am sure. I decided to give them suckers a blast of carb cleaner! After a few minutes of making smoke, she runs better so I back out the drive and head down the street. I take her on a 5 mile test route and she starts to run better on the way home... She needs some miles! Ok, I can do that!

ATF is just extremely detergent oil. Old school mechanics, especially on cars older than ours that actually did use some oil sometimes poured in a quart of ATF just before the oil change to wash off the crap and get it out with the oil change. It isn't a bad idea. I still do it on occasion to honor my late father and grandfather. It works... I don't think it is really necessary on newer cars though. My 4Runner has 205K on it and doesn't burn a drop of oil. Comes out almost as clean looking as it goes in!

As my screen name might intimate, I know just what you mean about the R rate rubber 'going away'. My first set of R rubber were Yokohama A001R tires on a Z. They lasted 5000 miles on the street with a few autocrosses thrown in... I remember thinking - 'well that sucked!'

I kept thinking they were ugly and I wanted to get rid of them but they have somewhat grown on me. They are light and tires are plentiful in R rated rubber. Sport Compact Magazine before they closed up and went away listed these wheels as the best of the cast aluminum performance aftermarkets available. Shortly after that, Tire Rack started selling them... I guess they can read as well as advertise??? If someone wanted them and made me an offer, I would probably go with Panasports or Superlites (which aren't by the way. Light that is...)

Jerry, the problem with original Minilites is that you can't hardly find performance tires for 14" wheels. Easier perhaps for 15" but it is even getting hard for 16" in the sizes that those of us with narrow body cars would use. On the other hand, the smaller wheels are a great way to change gearing and get some grunt out of the corners for sure... I just prefer to use R rated rubber and there isn't much in that neighborhood...

None yet Rod. Slower than you'd like is the proper way to install the new interior though so don't get too frustrated...

Thanks Gary... I have a smallish herd of old cars and when I bought the Porsches, I didn't expect them to be so finicky. My 914 is on its third engine in 6 years, soon to be 4th. The 911 is up on a lift in my garage with its transmission having a blown 2nd gear. I reached an roadblock with the new 914 engine in that I elected to have a custom SDS harness built rather than go with the one SDS supplies. The guy who was going to build it for me suddenly found himself with a pregnant and rebellious teenage daughter and half of his coworkers layed off. That left him with stress at home, stress at work and no progress on the harness. A buddy is supposed to help me rebuild the 911 transmission but so far he has no time. So, with nothing else to work on... the 240Z got some attention! I put in the newish dashboard and hooked up all the wiring and oh crap! Now it doesn't run! I worked with the manual tracking things down - Nada... Silverstreak dropped his car off for me to use as a model - Nada... But it was fun to drive it around! Finally, I gave up and called another of our members here - Gary who owns a repair business called GT Auto... Gary had it figured out in no time. Previous owner had eliminated the mechanical fuel pump and put a smallish electric pump back by the tank. He ran a rogue wire up to the front rather than hacking in to the original pusher pump harness wiring. It was just hanging there and I didn't know what it was or what to do with it. Gary had it running - 'badly' within about 20 minutes after I left... 24 hours later I went to pick it up and Gary just reached through the window and turned the key and she starts right up.

I try to do my part Mike... Sometimes I wonder about this crowd though... Hmm...

Dave, they are either Nissan Comp Sport Mirrors or a replica. I had planned to use Vitaloni Californian mirrors and even painted them 901 White to match the car. But then after paint, I discovered the holes drilled in the door were spread too wide to put on the Vitaloni's. Too bad. They're gorgeous...

I'm thinking of trying to put together a Group Buy for these Airboxes for triple carbs. Actually, I suspect you could use them for SU carbs as well. They come with a blank backing plate so you cut your own holes in that. They retail at $375 and as another Z guy put it today, that is a 'bit pricey'. I figure if we can put together a group of 10 or more we might be able to negotiate a better price. These are distributed by Borla (formerly known as TWM). If you're interested, post here and let me know at what price you would be in at. I suspect we could get at least 10% off maybe more.

The exhaust is a Nissan Comp header with a mandrel bent exhaust going through an unknown muffler and emptying out through that Ricer Fart Can in the back. I am the second owner and the original owner's son did the mechanical build. Everything I have done is cosmetic. But that is about to change. I plan on getting some seat time in SCCA Solo II FP against my good buddy Steve Mill...

You Sacramento Area Guys - Fess up! You know you want a donut, right? So get on down to the May Sacramento Z Car Reunion! I may even drive my Z there... How's that for temptation Madamba?:classic:

Thanks guys... I have a friend who has a shop called Original Customs. I think the name of his shop embodies how I feel about my cars. I want them to look original, but underneath, I want them to go like hell on the autocross course or the track. That way, I can take them to the concours on Sunday after having torn up the autocross course on Saturday...

Here she is, 1973 240Z Coupe in new 901 white. Original interior replaced in its original red. Suspension has lots of BRE parts in it. BRE sways, possibly BRE springs. Camber adjustable. Nissan Comp headers, strut bar, LSD Differential. Kosei K-1 Racing wheels which I am not sure I will keep. I have always loved Panosports - want to trade? Engine is 2.4 with flat top pistons, E31 Garolomy head, triple Weber 42 DCOE carbs... So as Steve Parmley said, check out the Z Rated Porn!

Police report and call to the attorney general's office... They will instruct you on how to proceed. Use the words 'web fraud' and tell them you have filed a police report.

I found this one today. I don't know what all that stuff is strapped to the back though...

I think the best hope in California is that someone will put the budget ax to CARB and the whole thing will go away...

For sure, if a vehicle is registered as a 1975 or earlier it is exempt from smog testing. If it has a production date of 3/76 or earlier that is true as well but there is enough stupidity at CA DMV that I wouldn't count on being exempt with those fools. It is also correct that you are only exempt from testing. You must still be in compliance with State and Federal law as it regards smog equipment being in place and smog testing. There has been a rash of CARB roadside sniff testing going on in Northern California. You just drive along and they can sniff your exhaust as you drive by. If you light up their lights, they pull you over up ahead and put you on roadside rollers and do the full test. A nice set of Webers on a '75 and you're toast...

That's right guys! The May Sacramento Z Car Reunion is coming up! Saturday, May 14th - 9am to Noonish at Family Donuts and Deli - 9045 Fair Oaks Blvd. corner of San Juan Avenue and Fair Oaks Blvd. Be there and get your donut on! Unless you have a dog agility trial or some damn thing like that...

Another picture of our fallen hero...

Sam S. Melnick Attorney in the Chicago area.