Richard McDonel

To: Namerow, 7tooZ I really hope that this is my last "Duh" moment of the year. Yes, take away the tension and the spring pops right out! Easy. Thanks for taking the time to reply.

Namerow, Thank you very much for this. Looks like I'll be going the spring route. I was not as clear as I should have been with respect to the idler wheel. It's not just the wheel that is missing, but the steel axle is also gone. Best regards,

I'm fortunate to have two driver's door window-lift mechanisms. The sad part is that each is missing a piece. One is missing the coiled spring, and the other is missing one of the little plastic idler wheels. A parts swap is logical, but I am unsure as to how to remove either one. As for the spring, has anyone removed that? How much tension is it under, and how far will it unwind if removed? Is there a tool for re-installing? With the idler wheel (I'm sure I'm using the wrong name, but if you've had one of these apart, you'll know what I'm talking about), can anyone suggest some way of removing it without destroying? Many thanks

I began this discussion back in August and received several replies. Somehow many have disappeared, so pleased don't feel insulted if I fail to acknowledge you. Your suggestions were greatly appreciated. In any case, my problem was having choke cables too short to allow full opening of the chokes. It turned out that I have 1972 or '73 cables, which are too short for my 1971-based car. Longer sets, new or used, are not readily available. Someone on the forum (sorry, I can't find the original replies) kindly suggested that I replace the stock cable with "music" wire, .055 diameter. So I went shopping and learned that music wire is not available at music stores (well is it for a guitar or a violin? they asked), but it is readily found at industrial supply shops (the guy at the front desk did not believe me, but when he asked his boss, he was told to "just look in the catalogue"). Presto, I had a roll of music wire. It wasn't too hard to bend it to fit the two-line Datsun setup, but the sheathing was still the stock length. For that I went to a bicycle shop and they kindly gave me a foot of outer bike cable. I installed all that, going 2 1/2 inches longer on each of the front and rear carbs, but every time I moved the choke lever, the bike sheathing would separate from the stock material - it didn't know how long it was supposed to be. What to do now? My own bright idea was to ensure that the bike and Datsun sheaths were butted up against each other, then slip over a length of electrical heat-shrink. Put a cigarette lighter to it, and wonder of wonders, it adhered to both types of sheathing. So far it works. Whether it's good for 100,000 miles, I don't know. But we'll find out. Would be interested in hearing how anyone else makes out with this. Thanks for everyone's help.

In my still-running '78 Mercedes 450 I use only ethanol-free - that's Shell Premium where I live. In my 240Z - which I just drove around the block last weekend for the first time ever, some restorations needing more time than others - I plan to use nothing but ethanol-free. Now if I were to drive either car in the winter I think I would would still run the good gas, but just add a small bottle of gas-line de-icer (methyl alcohol) every few tanks With respect to whether to winter-store the cars with full or empty tanks, I drain in the fall to get any rust-causing moisture out of the system, then fill it to the max with good gas and a bottle of fuel stabilizer. I guess I could drain the tank and leave it dry all winter, but I prefer to start and run the engine every month or so as weather permits. Now having said that, I profess no qualifications as a chemist and am only taking the word of others with respect to the efficacy of stabilizer. So far it hasn't caused me any grief.

7tooZ Bingo! This is not the car I started with, but is a relatively rust free beater I hauled up from Phoenix, Arizona, where the paint and upholstery had baked for decades.

7tooZ Thanks - I'll heed your advice and go with lighter stuff. But having said that, mine would seem to be one of those mysteries to be found in most close-to-half-century cars. I have no idea why someone would install this hyper-heavy grease (meant for use on railway couplers? I have no idea).

If I may pile in on this discussion, albeit slightly off topic. I am just in the process of reassembling the window mechanism, and as a couple of others have mentioned here that includes greasing the sash assembly. When mine came apart it had an extremely heavy grade of grease. This was stuff you didn't wipe off with a rag, but rather scraped and pried off. It was real grease, but nothing you could ever run through a grease gun. Is that kind of grease a factory installation that should be replaced with like, or is normal chassis grease OK?

With bits and pieces of three 240s laying around, I find myself building a 1971, but with only one choke cable on hand, that being apparently from a '72-'73. Too short. I would like to buy a good or restorable '70--'71 cable. Cash, or trade for mine if you like. Thanks

Joe, How much experience / practice at painting have you had? By following instructions, we back-yard restorers can assemble the engine, the suspension, and all that mechanical stuff, and if we get something wrong unfasten and reassemble, but painting, based on my limited experience, is very much a practiced art. Unless you have something less valuable than your 240Z - perhaps a friend's stock car - to practice on, I'd let the pros do the paint. Guaranteed, your first try will not turn out looking like those photos posted by Motorman7.

Thank you CanTech! Richard

I'm restoring (assembling) a 1971 240. Too many parts from too many cars can cause confusion. I have one choke cable assembly, and pulled tight, the cables barely reach the choke levers, in fact full open choke is not achievable. I notice in various catalogues that there is a different part number from 1970/71 vs. 1972. Is the difference between the two cable lengths? Or does the difference lie in the mounting position of the lever on the console? Thanks

SteveJ, You're partly right. It says "Oh Sorry" in both official languages.

Hi Dan, Glad to see you and your car getting some recognition. Looks good on you! BTW; Fired up the engine in my 240 resto for the first time today. Music to my ears, after all these years. Many thanks for all your help and advice along the way. Cheers, d***

Just got my September Road & Track in the mail today. They have a three-page feature on the original 240Zs. Nothing really new for most of us, but great to see our car back in the news.

Namerow, Here is the reverse side view of the two seals. Don't know if it will solve anything for you. There is a market opportunity out there that someone is missing out on. Certainly the need is there; a part that the fsm says cannot be repaired, with the only option being to buy a new one, but the factory doesn't make new ones. Someone must have the tools and the knowledge to rebuild these these things. For myself, I'm just grateful that Grannyknot was able to come through for me with a workable used unit. I'm one step closer to putting my many-year project on the road.

grannyknot, Mea culpa! I forgot the great price (free) that you offered. Again, my thanks. Best regards, Richard McDonell

Namerow, You and I have been sold different kits. The O-ring is fine, but the other seals in my kit differ from yours. I hope the attached photo is clear in showing the the seal that I - rightly or wrongly - mounted at the bottom (inner) end of the stem has notches around the perimeter. Neither of yours appears to have these. Their purpose? While it is always a source of great satisfaction to solve a difficult problem such as presented by the brake proportioning valve, I am grateful to Grannyknot for selling me a workable used unit. I am now able to get on to the thousand and one other little items that have my restoration project many moons behind what I originally envisioned. Perhaps a plea to the overall membership of this forum for a good, used unit? Best wishes,

I've often heard that a typical car manufactured in North America will cross an international boundary five times during the course of manufacture. Last week I found out why. Last week I was replacing front wheel bearings and seals on my 240. The local Nissan dealer, bless 'em, had what I needed, specifically an inner bearing, an outer bearing and a seal. So I'm buying parts in Canada for a Japanese car. I get three packages, all marked SKF - a Swedish bearing manufacturer. The seal is made in Taiwan, the inner bearing Brazil, and the outer bearing China. Nothing made in Sweden, Japan, or North America. Must be a good time to be in the shipping business.

Zed, Thanks for the tip. Actually I have a shed full of all sorts of misc. parts. I've promised myself not to sell any of them until the car is on the road, because I just know that the first part I sell will two weeks later be needed to complete the job.

Final chapter, My machinist friend decided that weld-filling the existing hole in cast iron, then re-drilling would be very time consuming, and was not the best answer to the problem. Instead, he filled and re-drilled the exhaust pipe flange. In doing that, he made sure that the pipe stubs still fit snuggly in the manifold. Result; manifold, gasket and pipe all fit like the proverbial glove. Thanks for all your thoughts and advice.

Thanks guys, If the 280Z hat measures less than 1.5", then it would appear that the larger ones are for the 240. Bolt pattern - hub to disc - is the same on both. I appreciate the advice.

I'm back again. Having the remains of three 240s available to build one really nice one (that's the plan) has its benefits, but is not without its challenges. A brand new, and apparently stock pair of front discs came with one of the cars / wrecks. I installed them, but then found I couldn't fit the aftermarket mag wheels on. I started poking around the other parts on hand and found that I had two different "hat" sizes available (see photo). On both types of discs, the diameter is 27 cm (10 5/8"). The hats however are different, with the new ones being 4 cm ( 1 9/16") deep, while the others (off which car?) are just 3 cm (1 1/4"). Does anyone know which discs should be on a 1971 Series 2 (sr. # 28726)? Thanks, ps I chose the backdrop for the photo to ease the guilty conscience of others on this forum who may be feeling that they are the only garagehounds who neglect to regularly mow their lawns.

"Blue is now 240260280" You are referring to our country's largest parts supplier, Chinese Tire?

There have been several posts on how to - and how not to - install the headliner in 240s etc (tricky job). In comments there seemed to be some confusion over which adhesive was most effective. 3M Super 77 was suggested by some, and denigrated by others. I called the 3M factory, and they replied by e-mail, and flat-out said that Super 77 is "not strong enough," and further that it will deteriorate anything with foam. They recommend 3M part number 08088 "Spray Trim Adhesive." This is considered an industrial rather than an automotive product, so your local auto supply shop will likely not have it - you have to go to an industrial supplier. Looking forward to getting my fingers sticky.