jfa.series1

I'll likely have a right seat available for the run from the hotel out to the Oasis, experienced co-pilots are always in demand.

One more welcome to the group. That's a Zweet looking car, looks like you'll have some fun with it.

Its on my dance card!

As long as the heater core is part of the cooling system plumbing, the pressure will be the same everywhere - radiator, hoses, thermostat, ...etc. Absolutely get that core pressure tested just as you would with the radiator. A good radiator shop should be able to clean and test it properly.

When you look at the engineering on the OE coupler, a couple of things stand out: the hole in the middle and cross-shaped grooves. I'm not an engineer and I'm strictly hypothesizing here but I suspect the hole is to allow for some torque relief. As to the grooves, when I twisted the OE unit I just sold I realized they provided some relief for the U-joints around the coupler and could reduce the side load on the bolts and bushings. Just guessing you understand.

HA! He's a "LT of USAF" - hardly. If he was real he would be a "LT in the USAF". Damn shame - he's in HI and the car is locked up in a military base on the mainland and can't be inspected.

Guilty as charged. I have a stock steering wheel and really did not want to mess with experimentation. I'm well satisfied with the sharpness of the steering with new tie rod ends, new ball joints, and the rubber content.

I too bought the MSA bushing pkg. thinking it was the way to go. After getting the car back on the road, I regretted that decision. I have eccentric bushings on the front control arms for camber adjustment so there went the stock rubber bushings. With poly in the rack and steering coupler, there was a lot of road feedback getting to the steering wheel - way lot! I was fortunate to find a set of Beck Arnley rubber rack bushings and did not hesitate to swap back to the OE coupler. Now, all is well with the steering feel. PS - I also swapped out the T/C rod poly bushings back to new rubber. Not a fix for steering but much better overall front-end behavior. I have 16" wheels with 205/55 tires.

"commutative property" ??? Do we need Joe McCarthy back for another round?

I think we have a winnah! PM back to you.

Its certified UOS (Used Old Stock) - I make a few bucks, somebody gets a good OE part.

Thanks Mike, sorry for the wrong forum selection.

Unicorn: a mythical animal typically represented as a horse with a single straight horn projecting from its forehead. Alt.: a rare Datsun part, usually made of unobtanium. I took this rubber steering coupler from a 12/71 parts car recently. Its in amazing condition - the rubber is flexible and lively, NO CRACKS or other damage, no signs of aging, bolts/nuts are in perfect condition - no thread damage. I've used a wire wheel on the plates and bolts to remove rust, bathed everything in Metal Ready. I'd throw a coat of black paint on the plates but its too cold to paint right now. Offering it here to fellow enthusiasts before listing on any classifieds or eBay. Priced at $40, includes USPS Flat Rate Priority shipping.

I just checked MSA - the hose for a '73 is not available, but you might consider using the hose for a '72, see link below. The header is the MSA 6-1 ceramic coated and I used the MSA premium 2.5" exhaust pkg. Thanks for the comment. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic16d/15-6211

Here's the hose you asked about going from the vent pipe to the PCV. The unattached hose coming from the valve cover is the one that goes to the air cleaner.

+1 on the MSA ceramic coated header and 2.5" exhaust pkg.. This is the 6-1 on my L-24.

Hey James, if you recall my OE bumpers have been shaved and painted body color for that monochrome look I wanted, no regrets. My plan is to be able to swap them out with a chromed Euro/JDM-look set with no rubber strips or bumperettes. Toward that goal, I have a NOS JDM front bumper anxiously awaiting a rear partner. It turns that Futofab, BD, MSA, and perhaps others were/are sourcing their replacements from the same mfr. I originally tried a Futofab unit and had fitment issues. Dave Patten asked me to take a series of body measurements and gave me a full return credit, including shipping. The BD bumper I bought had the exact same issues. Dave has compiled additional measurements, identified errors that crept into mfg. process, has notified the mfr. and expects revised versions sometime in the 1st qtr. I pulled a rear bumper off a '72 parts car last week - the ends look good but the center bar needs some help. I'll get it to a bumper shop soon to see if it can be brought up to quality at a reasonable cost. If that fails and nothing else turns up, I'll probably wait until Dave confirms he has the Mk-II version and it meets his expectations.

Here's an update to the original post on this thread. I was the successful bidder on the rear bumper and quickly got pushback from the seller after he went to UPS and they told him it would cost $120 to ship it intact. I suggested he consider a two-box shipment - one box for the ends, one box for the center bar, then take it to FedEx or USPS as they would be cheaper. He then said the little bolts broke as he removed the ends and I said OK as they are easily replaced. Over two weeks after the purchase, two boxes arrived and what a mess! There was far more rust than described on eBay and chrome was delaminating from one end piece. Even worse, he removed the bumperettes by breaking the main bolts and broke one welded bracket on the center bar that attaches to the U-brackets on the body. Lots of messages back and forth as he denied responsibility by claiming I was the one that told him to take it all apart. Ultimately I resorted to the eBay dispute process and today they decided in my favor - ship it back and I'll get my money back. For the record and any future eBay shoppers, the seller is mjj6875. Beware of any items he offers.

Another vote for Super Clean - be sure to glove up!

To update this thread even further, has anyone located a current source for the Nikki rebuild kits for any of the substitution vehicle models listed in #1? I've surfed several of my popular sites, no joy.

This is my pan in factory engine block blue. Nissan painted them in gloss black. Your car - your choice. A matte finish will tend to hold dirt and grease, I recommend glossy no matter what color you choose.

If the car has alloy wheels, axle straps can be run thru the spokes and hooked to ratchet straps. I suggest a "X" pattern on the ratchet straps to eliminate side-to-side movement. I strongly recommend leaving the car in neutral during towing. Any forward/back rocking can damage the driveline - I've heard of snapped crankshafts. Handbrake on is a good idea. For a 250 mile trip, pull the car full forward and use the supplied front wheel straps. Yeah, you'll likely be over the Lexus recommended tongue weight as I was but it should not be a problem for a short trip. Cross-country - different story.

Here's my car on a U-Haul last year. The U-Haul and other rental trailers are pretty tongue heavy when empty and the vehicle then loads very far forward. I suspect the tongue weight on my factory hitch was substantially over the 500# rating. We made it to Memphis and back with no issues but I have since joined with my son-in-law on the purchase of a car hauler so I can better balance the load the next time.

Hi Gary, Yes - the rubber couplers and rack bushings are pretty much unicorns now. When I resto'd my car, I initially tried poly bushings for the coupler and rack. With poly, there was no compliance in the steering and a lot of harsh snap back reaching the steering wheel with every little bump. Great for track, lousy for street. At the time (2011) I was very lucky to find a set of new rubber rack bushings and my OE coupler had no signs of aging, so everything went back to rubber. If your OE rack bushings are not deteriorated, you might try the old racers trick of adding some metal shims under the clamps to tighten the old bushings. This will probably work OK for a street car. Look over your coupler before discarding it - it too might just be serviceable for the foreseeable future.

RIT fabric dye is what I used to get my faded straps back to a nice black - no change to the thickness or texture of the material. Soak the straps in a bucket with the dye and water for about 15 min., stir a few times, let dry, reinstall.