steve91tt

I installed a new MSA headliner today. I found that if I stuck old licence plates in the moldings around the perimeter to hold up one side while I glued the other it turned into a pretty easy job for one set of hands. It turned out great with no bubbles or wrinkles. It only took about an hour and most of that time was spent waiting for the adhesive to setup. Not a big deal but I thought I would share.

I switched out the rad cap, added foam strips to the spaces around the fan shroud, wrapped the metal fuel lines with rubber fuel hose and it looks like the problem is gone. It was 75F yesterday, I idled the car for 10 minutes with the AC on and blowing 40F at the vent and the engine temperature gauge stayed near the middle where it does during normal driving. I'm not sure exactly which of the small things I did to fixed the problem but with summer coming I'm just glad that the car is handling heat better than it did. Hopefully it will do as well at 95F as it does at 75F.:paranoid: Thanks for all the help and suggestions along the way.:classic:

An extensive cage would make it safe but I question the investment in time and materials.

Looks like you have quite a project on your hands. Looking forward to more updates.

Very nice. I'm getting ready to send my car in for paint next month so I was planning to fix up my badges as well. What method did you use?

Yep, 6'3" here. The 240Z is one of the best fitting cars I have ever driven.

Those are great threads and I have read them and many others several times over the past few weeks. I used the information they contained to eliminate all of my exhaust smell and 90% of the gas smell. On the gas side I have replaced all of the vent hoses, the filler neck and the rubber o-ring around the gas tank sender unit. My gas cap does let out some vapor and I have a new one on order. However the smell is on the inside so I think there is something going on in the interior. My next step is to go back and re-check the the things I have already checked/replaced. It's not a complicated system. I've gotta be missing something small.

Sorry, I will spend more time with the search function next time.

Wow, if clay bar won't touch it you may be stuck with sand paper and bringing the gloss back with compound.

I think steel wool or sandpaper will dull the finish too much. You might think about "clay baring" it. I have clay bared several cars with overspray and I have always been impressed on how well it works. I have always got a glossy, smooth result even with sandpaper like overspray. You might have to use a bit of degreaser on the dirty bits but I suspect clay bar will do the job after that.

I have been tracking down and eliminating sources of gas odor in my 1973 240Z. I have replaced all of the vent hoses and the filler neck. The problem is 90% better but I can still smell a faint gas odor at times. I have been sniffing around and I think the source of the smell is from the gas cap area. I tried tightening the three bolts that lock the cap seat through the filler neck to the body to no effect. The cap looks fine and I tried bending the little tabs in to make it fit more snugly but it still smells. :disappoin Is this standard? It seems to me that the gas cap should seal pretty much 100% of the gas fumes. But before I lay out $55 for a new one I wanted to know if fumes from the filler door is standard on these cars or if I am missing something.

At least it won't stall when he goes through a deep puddle.

Those MSA's look great! Are they vinyl or leather?

Purdy!

Sheepskin! There's a thought. After all, sheep are made of leather. I'm thinking I would have to install an 8-track, a chain link steering wheel hydraulic suspension, red metallic paint and white walls to complete the look. Probably more work than I'm looking to do.

I had read on a couple of old threads that the vinyl in these cars is tough to deal with in the summer. If you are saying that the leather has no advantage over the vinyl reproductions then you just saved me a bunch of money!

Update: I took the fuel filters off and blew down the fuel lines. I also cut the filters open to see how much gunk had accumulated. Much to my surprise I found the inside of the filters to be perfectly clean! I guess my tank isn't as dirty as I had thought.

Impressive! I love the look in a custom car but I am going for more of an "original look". I want the interior and exterior to look like it came that way from the factory in 1973. In other words, In a perfect world, I want to keep my seats looking basically the same but in black leather rather than brown vinyl.

You are right those MSA's don't look to be of as good a quality as the factory originals.

Bonzi, sounds like we are in similar situations. I am changing the seats in my car because I am switching the exterior from brown to 901 silver and switching the interior from butternut to black. I was targeting leather over vinyl because I was hoping that leather would be more comfortable in the summer months. I did a 1991 300z last year in black leather. It turned out great and I got to have fun playing with listing wire and hog rings. Unfortunately the company that made the 300z seat skins does not make a 240z kit so I am looking for alternatives.

Sound like a great option. Do you have any photos?