jfa.series1

POR-15 is VERY viscous - it will run like a rabbit if applied too heavily. A little goes a long way. Be sure to get the instruction sheet and read it thoroughly before getting underway. Jim

Those wheels look to have a pretty good offset. The blocks in the springs may be to keep the body from rubbing on the tires. You will find out as soon you pull them out. Also, check the diameter of the tires - stock is right at 25". If these are much bigger, that could also contribute to body rub. Here is a link to a tire size calculator, plug in your tire specs to check the size. Have fun!!! Jim http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalc.html

I have some 3/4" wide X 5/16" thick closed-cell, self-adhesive weatherstrip that I used to replace fender seals and a few other bits. I sliced off a strip about 5/16" wide and used it as a replacement gasket. It fit right in to the channel and looks just like like the original factory seal with nice square edges. Jim

... AND less than 20K miles! Snatch it up someone, quickly!

From one 920 gold to another, this is almost an unbelievable loss. A beautiful car, now just a beautiful memory. Your description of the accident is horrific, glad you are OK. As unintentional as it might be, the crush on the front end is what probably saved you from serious harm. I'm sure the folks at Hagerty have previously entertained all the salvage questions you will come up with and those you might forget to ask. They will likely take good care of you. Jim

Not to hijack this thread, but... comments above regarding insurance valuations should be carefully considered. Conventional insurers (State Farm, Allstate, Farmers, ...etc.) typically look to so-called book values when trying to settle claims. In the absence of a book value for a 35-40 year-old car, they will try to go to local/area sale histories to try for a baseline. If you think your car is worth more than the $1,000 - $1,500 a similar model sold for, you might need to have collector's or antique auto insurance for a guaranteed value. It is no more expensive but usually has a clause preventing daily driver usage. Be cautious of "stated value" or "agreed upon value" contracts, insurers can and do fight these claims if you do not have professional appraisal to back it up. Jim

Excellent checkout! Looks like the mechanicals are OK. Sometimes the simplest answer is the best one. Good luck with the alignment. Jim

As much as I would like to see another Series 1 rescued, I must agree with all the comments above. This car will break your heart and your bankbook. At best, it should be consigned to parts car status before being given a graceful end at the crusher. Keep looking, your project car is still out there. Jim

Super find!!! Thanks for seeing the car's potential and doing something about it. Please take good care of my car's slightly younger brother. If you decide not to keep the car, try to get it into good hands. Keep us updated on your direction. Jim

Don't overlook getting your original booster rebuilt locally. It may be a wash on $. Jim

Correct, camber and caster are not designed to be adjustable on these cars. The caster is controlled by the position of the tension/compression rod that runs back to the frame rail near the firewall. Check that all connections are firm and the rail mounting point is not rusted. The T/C rod is double-nutted at back. Camber will only be out if the LCA bushings are shot or there is something bent. Unless something is very seriously broken/worn/bent/loose, these two items should not affect your steering as you describe. If your wheel is not returning to center, check the bearings at the top of each strut - one or both may be binding. Get both front wheels off the ground, unlock the steering, manually move the front wheels thru the entire left-right swing and feel for resistance. Of course, if the steering rack is damaged internally, this could also be the problem. Hope this helps. Jim

Agreed - the replacement hood and wonky front bumper suggests collision damage so give a good look where the hood mounts to the body and along the inner fenders / frame rails. How is the battery tray and surrounding area? Get inside and pull the carpets to check the floorboards all over and check the spare tire well. Run a magnet along the rocker panels and at the dogleg area. Check for rust on the tray under the hatch. Any repair records available from said mechanic? With a running engine but non-driver status, ratted-out interior, and visible exterior cosmetic items this is probably a $1500-1800 car IF you do not find other issues with your inspection. Remember - as a non-driver, you can't check out the driveline, brakes, steering, suspension. As the man said, good luck. Jim

Very nice looking car. On the bumper comment: the rubber/plastic end caps come much farther forward on a '78 bumper - all of the curve is in the cap, not the metal portion of the bumper as on yours. Do a Google on '76 and '78 models and check a few images. I like yours better! Jim

I have the MSA ceramic coated 6-1 header w/o smog fittings and the performance exhaust system. These are really nice products. The header installed with no problems and no clearance issues when the engine was dropped in. The 2.5" exhaust mates up very well with one small problem: a welded-on hanger bracket was not positioned correctly for the hanger on the differential. The supplied muffler is a bit noisy and has a resonance around 3k RPM - don't count on listening to your stereo system too much, it will be overwhelmed by the Symphony in Straight Six. The muffler installs best with center in and offset out; tilt it about 30 degrees outboard at the top for a clean fit up into fender cavity. Hope this helps. Jim

Congratulations on your find and having the good sense to grab it. Thanks in advance for all your future efforts to keep another Series 1 car on the road. Please share the VIN and build date with all of us. On your question about ball joints: the '69 and '70 cars had a smaller tapered shaft on the ball joint where it attaches to the steering knuckle. At some point the '71s were changed but I don't have an exact date in the actual production cycle. Reportedly, the older style ball joints are NLA, thus requiring '71 or later steering knuckles for replacement ball joints. Because my car is a 12/70 build date, I chose to get replacement knuckles from a dismantler to be sure. The steering on the Z is pretty quick so be cautious in opting for a quick steering kit - see the bushing comments below. Urethane bushings will eliminate ALL compliance in the suspension and transmit every pebble, road crack, and bump directly into the body and steering. I can't say this is wrong but do be prepared. With my urethane bushings, the steering has a lot of undesireable feedback and snap coming back into the wheel. This summer I will begin work to remove the urethane bushings and get back to OE rubber. I too have Tokico HP shocks and lowered springs. The gas shocks will firm up your ride and provide a certain amount of lift to somewhat unload the springs. Be sure to get bump stops all around if you go with lowered springs. Here are a couple of pics of my suspension overhaul. If choosing black color, consider using POR-15 paint. A bit tricky to use, but virtually indestructable from road chips. Again, good luck with the project. Wish you were in this area as I would love to be hands-on with another one. Jim

Chaser - I live in Richardson and could probably take a look at the car Blue found in post #7. I can't do a mechanical eval beyond driving it but I can sure check out the cosmetics and any available records. The price is a bit higher than your target but everything else I've seen you looking at will suck up that difference and a lot more. PM me with your contact info if interested. Jim

Here is my before and after. I went with a gloss finish on the repaint to reduce the amount of dirt that might stick. Don't overlook painting the five tabs for the grill mounts. Jim

There is some adjustment available to you with the bolts that attach the hinges to the body. Remove the grill to allow easy access to the bolts. Loosen the bolts a bit with the hood in full down position. If I recall correctly, the hinge position may block access to one bolt, so it may have to be loosened/tightened with the hood open. Gently push down on the front corner of the hood and see if you can move it into better alignment, lightly tap on the hinge while doing this to encourage it to shift. Hold the hood in place and tighten the bolts. Re-install grill. If this does not work, then the hinges may be worn and need to be replaced. Also, try some dry-lube spray on the hinge pins to be sure they are not binding. Jim

The P/N is 26029-E4600 (courtesy of the online parts manual: http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsunS30/DatsunZIndex/Electrical/HeadLamp/tabid/1677/Default.aspx A check of Courtesy Nissan's site shows it to be NLA. Other than a chance find on eBay, your best bet may be a parts car at a nearby wrecking yard. Your assumption it may not be unique to a Z is probably right so include other vintage Nissan and Toyota vehicles, including trucks. Good luck and glad to see you are keeping that Series 1 going! How about some additional pics in your garage? Jim

Congratulations on keeping a '71 OE radiator in service all these years! That speaks very well for the care and maintentance of your car. If it turns out a repair of your core is not practical and you want to maintain the look of originality, consider having your radiator re-cored with a 3-row insert. The extra cooling capacity is a big help and you give up nothing in appearance. Been there, done that. Jim

Post #8 suggests the large dia. vent hose is NLA. I purchased three of the four hoses for my '71 car from Courtesy in Sept. 2010. I think the P/N for this hose is 17236-E4601 and Courtesy's site shows it available from the warehouse for $101 (list). The hose I did not purchase was a small dia with no special bends. The other two special bend P/N's are 17235-E4601 and 17239-E4601. I think they also fit the '72 cars. If you replace the hoses, don't overlook the rubber seals where they transition into the interior - available from Banzai and perhaps others. Jim

Chris, You have pretty well identified the reason for the FSM to recommend replacement of the LCA assembly: pressing out the old bushing is not an easy task and requires exactly the correct dia. tool to hit the bushing and not the surrounding LCA. My approach years ago was to hacksaw sections out of the bushing until I could get enough relief to pry out the remainder. Pressing in a new bushing does not have the tool mating problem. Another paint alternative for your suspension parts is POR-15. A bit touchy to use but a resulting finish that is almost indestructrable. Good luck! Jim

Italian cars and Italian women... beautiful to see, wonderful to touch. Their personalities can sometimes be a bit challenging to live with. When all is said and done, a session with either will leave you with a smile of contentment and looking forward to the next interlude.

Sometimes you're good, sometimes you're lucky. Today you are both!!!

Here is my approach to the hatch weatherstrip issue. Hope this helps. Jim http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?42260-Hatch-Outer-Weatherstrip&highlight=hatch+weatherstrip