Zed Head

That looks worth the effort. Just keep in mind that these cars are basically big squarish tin cans. The "frame" rails are just reinforcements so the can doesn't crumple.

What are you going to use to run the 3.1? Carbs or the 1977 EFI? The word is that the stock EFI system doesn't work well with high performance engines. It's not tunable. Plan ahead. That 82 5 speed likes 3.9 gears in the back. Might be a little "boggy" off the line with the normal 77 3.54. Looks like fun. Several 77's in the works on the site right now.

77 is a transition year?

Generally, if the numbers are within 10% of each other it's considered good. Nissan's range is even wider. Plus you're supposed to measure on a warmed up engine. Your numbers look pretty good. Don't worry about the actual number, the gauges all vary in what they produce. It's the comparison between them that matters.

Glad it worked. I was not kidding though about a $25 GM HEI module being better than the XR700 for producing a strong spark. In its day the 700 was high tech, but now it's an antique. Like a TI-99 compared to any of the cheapest modern computers. Keep it in mind if things go back to weird. Good luck.

That looks like electrical noise on the wire. The tach just "counts" voltage pulses. That tach looks like it reads right otherwise. You might try adding a condenser to the negative post. It worked for me, when I had a similar problem. Might also be a sign of a failing XR700. That's what the factory ignition module's do when they start to fail. Weird tach behavior.

Stole this from an eBay listing.

Grab it with some channel-locks or big pliers or a meaty fist and twist/pull it off. Give it some taps with a hammer. It's just a metal sleeve over a tube.

So far it's just been pictures of rusty and/or missing metal. What's the rest of the car look like?

There's a ton of opinions out there. Sometimes the methods used are really just making up for failings in other areas. Proper fitment is the key for dampers, which the various instructions out there go in to detail about. Even if thread locker is used, it too has to be used properly. Loctite on oily threads isn't worth much. So, it's not just a more is better scenario. It's the details. Red Loctite on a sloppy fit will probably fail also. Some of these guys go "full red" Loctite, some don't even use it. Why not just tack it on with a MIG? One surface that's not mentioned much is the flat mating surfaces, where the clamping actually happens. Not the bore. Those surfaces need to be clean and flat and parallel so that no distortions are induced by the bolt. It's a simple looking part with lots of complexity. https://sdparts.com/attachment/306380-Installation Instructions http://harmonicdampers.com/downloads/pdf/tech/BHJ_DamperSteelInstallPress.pdf http://www.atiracing.com/instructions/Super-Damper.pdf https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thread-locking_fluid

If you still have things disconnected, measure continuity from the post on the tach that the red wire was connected to, to ground. Or measure continuity to ground at the blue wire terminal by the coil, with the red wire connected. It sounds like your tach might be shorted to ground at the red wire post. So when you connect the blue wire to the coil it also shorts to ground which would cause the ignition system to malfunction. There's a guy out there somewhere that rebuilds these tachs.

We call those bushings, or bushes. Here is a web site that will have the part numbers. You can search the part number on the internet and find many places that might have them. You'll have to remove the spindle pin to get the control arm (transverse link) removed in order to replace them. It can be difficult. Wilkommen to the site. Forgot to say that the part you're pointing at is just an outer flange of the main bushing. There's a steel shell around a cylindrical bushing assembly that is pressed in to the control arm. http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/axle

Stock parts?

Any idea why yours failed? Was it a stock Nissan damper? Wrong bolt length or washer? Looks painful.

Just to add - the head itself can get new valve guides so if it's not cracked you'll be fine, probably. That camshaft is probably good also, the surface rust isn't bad. Also just noticed an anti-rattle spring hanging of the head in the first picture. So you probably have all of the parts BUT you won't know which rocker goes with which cam lobe, assuming that they fell off in transit. That might or might not be a problem. Probably depends on the wear of the rocker arm lash pad. Endless discussion...

What's up with all of the missing rocker arms? Spendy to replace if they're not in the box. And the camshaft is falling out. Movement during transit? Doesn't look terrible.

Compression ratio, cam lobe profile, and ignition system are the main differences and they are minor. Some option will probably drop in to your lap while you're working on other things.

I was serious about having many parts if you want to start with simple NA EFI or even carbs, or an engine swap. Engine, distributor, EFI harness. I'm down here in the Portland area and trying to reduce my parts hoard. You could even leave the turbo on and run exhaust through the waste gate. Lots of crazy options.

Now you've got the virus. Searching for and collecting parts is part of the condition.

Forgot to say, that's on old tach. sometimes they just die. Confirm that the blue wire at the tach is continuous with the coil negative blue wire. And, a GM HEI module would be more powerful than that XR700. The XR700 is another primitive points-to-electronic conversion system. If you still have the 260Z electronic distributor, with electronic pickup coils, for $25 you could have a much better ignition system.

I have an engine in my garage from a ZX that I was thinking of selling. My current engine is very solid. I also have a 78 280Z EFI harness that I used to run it, to make sure it was good before the one month warranty period ran out. And some spare electronic distributors. You know he's going to swap an LSX in there after he looks at all of the options though. Mark, that yellow 280Z is still there.... @Mark Maras

The 260Z was the first year of electronic ignition so your tach would be the voltage triggered tach, not current triggered. So scotta's solution won't work for you. Here is a link to the instructions for the XR700. Look at page 16. Your tach should work if the blue wire is connected to the coil negative terminal, and the blue wire is unbroken on the way to the tach. Looks like yours have been hacked at by the coil. Also, make sure that original electronic ignition by the fuse box is disconnected, but the wires aren't cut. The blue wire branches at the module and one leg goes to the tach. If somebody cut the wires you might lose that tach leg. https://static.summitracing.com/global/images/instructions/xr700%20instructions.pdf

Just trying to define the do it / buy it line, that's all. To each his own, just laying out a smorgasboard of options, without too much of what I would do myself. Don't really know smackhq's situation or preferences. He might like making wiring harnesses. Apparently some people do.

I just linked this thread in someone else's, and noticed the above. Now that's commitment. Bought a new house so you can do your Z project. O Canada...

Wheee! defines one end of the spectrum - https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/50908-1976-280z-restoration-project/ Smackhq has a simulator. So he'll get many of the bugs worked out from the beginning. I think that many options depend on what's nearby. If he gets on CL and finds a four barrel carb setup, who knows. Quick and easy, a drivable Z while he's messing with MS.