Mikes Z car

The pictures are helpful. Since it is an intermittent issue the approach I would use would be to improve the existing grounds meaning the C4 connector ground and the battery to body ground strap. I am not sure what car model you have but I have seen on a 240Z a ground wire that connects to a ring that looks like a washer that goes under the mounting screw on the cigarette lighter which I guess could be the C4 ground showing in your diagram if your car is wired like a 240Z. That ring could be taken off and scraped clean (The area under the ring could be scraped too) and the screw mounting it tightened. I like to solder any connections I have any doubt about such as the crimp connection on that ring. My car has two ground wires that connect to the battery negative (ground) terminal. The very large one goes to the starter ground and then there is a much smaller one that is screwed to the car body next to the battery on the firewall. On my car this wire that is screwed to the firewall continues on and ends in a ring that goes under a screw on the engine block but I don't know if the wire that goes to the engine block is a stock arrangement. This smaller wire could have the firewall screw removed and the body and screw scraped clean, same thing for any connection to the engine. I am out of ideas, hope some part of this helps. Someone else might want to chime in.

My wild arse theory is that the ground for those gauges is loose. That would explain the intermittent aspect and I think why some gauges go up and others go down when the ground opens up and stops grounding. Any dissenting opinions or ideas of where the ground is? Finding the ground point for the gauges would head in a good direction if this theory is correct.

Won't load for me right now either. It did a couple days ago when I did that earlier post. Well on my car a PO managed to damage the vinyl covering on the rear shock towers. Something heavy and hard must have been hauled in that area as many repairs had to be done. Different people have different ideas about what is okay to do to a car.

A bunch of us retired folks could drive down there in our largest vehicle (truck? RV?) and swarm over that pile like ants, leaving it picked clean. What an analogy huh?

That guy behind the wheel is the most important part of the car. For a quick look I have have had someone wiggle the steering wheel back and forth while I lay under the front end looking for anything moving in some way it isn't supposed to.

Here are pictures from a 240Z, don't know if holds true for 260 or 280Z. Distance from metal lip down (weather strip not installed yet): Close up of down measurement: 354 MM from metal hatch lip to front of rod mount (no weatherstrip there yet either): Measured from metal lip not weatherstrip at far right of picture:

If the birds don't croak you are safe to munch away, sorta like the old canary in a coal mine routine. I swear I now remember seeing one of those in my car on the floor. No clue about what it might be.

This isn't as exact as you were looking for but the Z car registry at Z Car Registry - Online Spreadsheets - EditGrid appears to indicate it was made between 2-74 and 4-74 so from that it would be 2-74 or 3-74 or 4-74

May as well make another set of them, tried to buy them today and got the out of stock message.

Imagine what the final price would have been if it had been perfect. I noticed that 72Z dash has a metal flat bar across that goes under the radio. The 71Z I used to have and the 70Z I have now have a plastic piece there. On both of my cars that plastic piece broke, I guess the metal bar is a better idea.

Hmmm I just realized I am in over my head here as the accessory relay only has a normally open contact the normally closed contact would not be used. Now I wonder if the ACC circuit is wired to the wrong wire on the ignition switch? Hope this helps, I am outta ideas.

I wonder if the wires on the accessory relay could be switched around so the normally open connection is now the normally closed? Also does the radio do the same thing, play when engine is off and not play when it is running since it is supposed to be on the accessory circuit?

I forgot when I welded shut the larger 1 inch holes on the back hatch from a wing I took off I ground down the welds with a dremel which wanted to jump around and hit the paint. Had to replace the drive belt on that dremel. The smaller holes would make it more difficult to avoid the paint so I will try something else to fix the holes. Want to keep water out until I can paint the car. Right now the back hatch just has duct tape over the wing holes. Might be a candidate for a mention on the red green show, they like duct tape. Thanks for the compliment on the picture. I got lucky, just stuck the camera in the door and tried a couple of angles since I couldn't see the viewfinder. Typed in brazing in a search engine, ran across this thread on sealing up holes: Filling holes [Archive] - Classic Car Restoration Help Forum - Eastwood Shop Talk

Good thoughts on the damp bath towel and the JB Weld. Will try welding first. Thanks for all the great ideas I couldn't have learned this much by searching on the web.

Thanks for the video on soldering. I learned the welding paper that protects paint only works if the surface is vertical and the door in that area is somewhat horizontal so unless I want to take the door off I don't think I will try welding. If I were sure I was going to paint the car soon so I didn't have to worry about the paint I would try the welding. Might try the JB weld. Thanks to everyone for teaching me options. Mike

hr369, Indenting the holes seems a good idea. I had forgotten the soldering option. Is scraping the metal clean and using acid core solder sufficient preparation for soldering? Do I need to back the hole with a steel washer or something while filling in the hole? Mike

When I removed the aftermarket mirrors the PO installed on my car three holes were left on each side of the car when I put a stock mirror back on the drivers side. Two workers at a local paint and body shop gave me different advice on how to fix the holes, what I would call the hard way and the easy way. The hard way is to weld over the holes and the easy way is to put body repair tape on behind the holes and bondo over them. The last time I welded over much larger holes the weld splatter damaged nearby paint a bit though the body shop has welder's paper they say will protect the paint. I plan on putting just enough bondo in the holes with a dab of paint on them to hide them to keep water out, I will not be feathering the surrounding area for now. I may paint the car later just don't have time right now. My question is has anyone had experience with this they can share as to whether or not I can put tape behind the holes and have it work? I think Eastman sells a small hole repair kit but it looks like it is for larger holes. View looking straight up inside driver's door, the front of the car is to the right: Holes in Driver's door:

That is a great idea though a minor change I would make would be that in addition to saving the girls they get to drive off into the sun with them.

I noticed today the TV show El Rey's garage featured a red 1966 Datsun roadster. The show is on 3net which is DirecTV's 3D channel. I don't know if the show appears on other channels. They painted the car, fixed holes in the gas tank and sold it.

If I ever get my hands on one I am going to document the dimensions and hole locations for possible duplication. I wonder if it cuts down on water getting in the engine compartment and helps reduce corrosion?

I have been putting JY VINs in the z car online registry at Z Car Registry - Online Spreadsheets - EditGrid I hope Carl sees them there or maybe he started that registry I don't know the history behind it.

I thought it was a Z painted brown with racing tires

I have thought of putting in extra drain holes in lower areas that tend to rust, anyone know if there is a way to put in a drain that stays open in in such a way that water can get out from the inside but cannot get in from the outside? Like a 90 degree hose or pipe that comes out of the hole somehow? Or maybe a rubber plug that looks something like the throttle boot at the firewall does but is not as long so it doesn't hang down to be visible?

Thanks, making the background white took some time with the paintbrush program but I had seen that done on graphics elsewhere on the net and noticed it can provide clarity depending on the material being presented.

You are welcome Mike.