Healey Z

dkw, Thanks for posting, that looks great. I've completed the prep work for welding, which I hope to do one evening next week. We'll see how my first experience at welding aluminum goes.

Hey hr, That is a great idea. I spent considerable time getting this one cleaned up, all the connections fit and it is the right size for the application. You are probably dead on regarding the rectifier. It was showing some pulsing on the head lights and it failed at the auto store when I had it tested today. Perhaps I will pull this one apart and see if I can find a part number for the rectifier.

I was getting pulsating lights and it tested bad at the auto store. Since my car is quite the mixture of Z parts, I'm not sure what year/model the Hitachi alternator is from. They couldn't however identify it as coming from a 240/260/280/280ZX, although I suspect it does. Note the band around the alternator was a bright green. I toned it down a little with the color seen in the picture. Does anyone know what year model this was from?

I would have created a GT option that had a motor that put out closer to 200hp and perhaps sportier suspension.

It looks like there is some budget, if they are willing to buy a car or paint a car. From the bay area craigslist: Hi! We are shooting a film in Napa Valley Sept. 29, Oct. 2~5, and Oct. 10 and are looking for a working 240z to film zipping through parts of Napa Please contact me ASAP: **if you have a lime-yellow 240z **If you are willing to let us paint your 240z **if you have a working 240z you want to sell Please put "240z (color)" in the subject line of your email. Thanks, and look forward to hearing from you! (Email or by cell: 510.778.2066)

Good for you for taking the time to call the original owner. I have an attachment to my past cars and I'm sure he enjoyed hearing about it.

I would look at and drive 10 cars before you decide to buy one. After that, the right car will find you.

I live about an hour away and I would drive there and back for a few nice bottles of wine and a copy of the film...ask them if they want a Z powered Healey!

Project is officially started. I have 8 stands/ports to do. I got half of them done so far and also found a guy that will let me use his welder, set up to do aluminum for $30/hour. First pic is the car, second pic is the extra tube I bought, third pic is the extra tube with a few of the features removed.

Blue, perhaps I'm just cheap, but it would be tough for me to part with $230 or so just to improve the aesthetics of the motor. I bought an extra tube for $20 and hope to have $50-$60 when done.

tlorber, That is my plan. Did you cut and smooth before you had the opening welded shut?

I think it looks pretty cool. I'm sure most all of the mechanical parts would be interchangeable. It has the round top SU's instead of the more problematic flat top with the 260z. Chances are it is a 2.6/2.8 liter and not a 2.0 liter as claimed in the ad.

I would love one like that. The only one I could find on the planet is from Z Therapy... $150 + $60 core + $20 shipping.

I just realized that I already posted this and got some good responses....I'm getting old.

Wow, great job there 45, love the stripe.

Ok, you guys hit a few of them that I will try. I run the cheapest gas and lowest octane I can find. I heard some pinging on some spirited driving the other day, so my next tank was going to be a higher grade. The timing is spot on, but I am idling around 1100. I will crank that down a bit too. Thanks for the advice, I'll update once I run through the tank and make the tweaks.

The car started dieseling after it is warm. Not for very long, just a second or two, but it is annoying. Anyone know a common cause for this? L28, 4 screw SU's, petronix ignition.

Interesting discussion. When I had the motor on the stand, I painted one side of the motor Datsun blue and the other side Austin Healey green and then walked by it for a week to decide which one I wanted to live with. I decided to go with the blue because I thought it was a better color, it would go better with the dark green body and my goal has never been to fool anyone and I didn't want to give the impression that I was trying to. Here is a stock Austin Healey: And here is the Datsun Healey: I have to say...the Datsun motor looks better in there! I have some projects in mind to clean up the engine: - I'm trying to find another balance tube, grind off the unused stands, seal up all the unused ports and make it nice and smooth (anyone have one they would part with for cheap?) - re-route the fuel line under the carbs in steel - install air cleaners - get rid of the do-hicky on the valve cover and route a hose to the air cleaner

Bruce, I milled the NISSAN off of the valve cover. I think there were few people that would have known that the motor was not original, if I didn't state it on the flier I put on the car. Maybe next time I'll just leave the flier off.

Yea, I understand the timing comment. In Healey's biography he talked about how the US serviceman over in Europe was one of his biggest customers. It is also interesting to note that of the 42,929 AH 3000's cars built, 35,981 (84%) were exported to the USA.

He mention a 100/4, with the fold down windshield, which was available in '53.

The show was great. I spent a few hours just talking to some fantastic people. Only a few "how could you put a Datsun motor in there" comments, but no big deal. The highlight was a discussion with a man that picked up an Healey at the end of WWII, when he was stationed in Europe. He drove it around and then the Army shipped it back to the states for him.

Now on ebay. The first Scarab built 1972 Datsun Scarab 327 350hp 8 cylinder engine with 4 speed manual transmission, Leather Interior, Air Conditioning, and Am/FM Stereo with Cassette. Rare opportunity to acquire a significant piece of automotive history. Long-term owner of 27 years has decided to offer Scarab #1 for sale. Not only is this car fully documented as an authentic factory produced example, it is the first one produced by the factory. It was used as the test car in the February 1976 Motor Trend and the September 1976 Road Test articles. It was also the car featured in the original sales brochure for Scarab Products. Its original owner was Brian Morrow, the creator and owner of Scarab Engineering. The original registration in Morrow’s name along with the original sales brochure accompany the car. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1972-Datsun-Scarab-Rare-Find-/260851169625?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item3cbbf0f959

Thanks for the replies. I laminated the sheet, so my mistake will be embedded for now I uploaded some recent pictures to "My Garage" I'll post a few pictures of the show after and let you know the comments I receive. I expect some negative ones, but my skin is pretty thick. My last car I brought there was a 1966 GT350 replica. It was very, very accurate to an original Shelby. You would really need to know the marque to know that it was not an original car. Most all loved it, but still had the people that are looking to put other people's work down.

There is a big "shine and show" up in my area (Auburn CA) tonight. There are 200+ cars that show up and is really neat. I haven't been to it all year and this is the last one of the year. I've posted pictures of my car on a British car forum and have been scoffed at for bastardizing the car in such a way. The engine swap was done 25+ years ago by a PO, and frankly it performs better than stock, is more reliable than stock and costs a fraction of the cost to maintain. It will be interesting to see people's reaction to the car when viewing it today. Here is the placard I made that will be sitting under the hood.