cgsheen1

I should have also mentioned that it could just be the bulbs. When the filament blows they can do strange things. It's easy to check the filament continuity without removing the lamp from the headlight bucket. Just unplug the 3-pin connectors behind the grill on either side and test that there's continuity between the positive wire (Red on the right headlight, Red/Yellow on the left) and each of the ground wires (Red/Black and Red/White) and that there is NO continuity between the grounds. If you have a power supply you can also test both filaments of each bulb while you have them disconnected.

Randy, The power (+12v) to the headlights runs through the two 10amp fuses at the top left of the fuse block. Stock wiring would be Red wire to the right headlight and Red/Yellow to the left headlight. The ground(s) to the headlights come through the selector switch attached to the turn signal stalk. The selector switch swaps the ground between the low beam filament in each bulb ( stock wiring = Red/Black) and the high beam filament in each bulb (stock wiring = Red/White) (I may have those backwards - you know how my memory is). The selector switch is pretty simple and I can't see how it would deliver ground to one low beam filament and one high beam filament if the wiring to the headlights is all correct. I would start with the 3-pin switch connector under the steering column. With a multimeter you can verify it has a connection to ground (for completeness of investigation - if the headlights come on at all, they're obviously getting a ground from somewhere) and if it's competing both circuits when switched. It should rock between the the R/W and R/B. Disconnect the 3-pin dimmer switch connector from the dash harness. Check continuity between the ground source and each of the other two wires. When there is continuity to the R/W, the R/B should be open (dead, no continuity) and vice versa. Just make sure that the switching takes place and is reliable and consistent. IF the switch is acting properly, then the problem is likely in the wiring (or connectors). The path of the wiring is from the switch -> 3-pin dash harness connector -> to right side of dash in those myriad of connectors near the glove box (RW and RB are not in the same connector) -> engine bay harness -> right headlight -> left headlight. The path is straight except for a junction off to the high beam pilot light in the speedometer from the high beam wire in the dash harness. It's a drag but you can find and separate the connectors along the path and check wire/connector continuity point-to-point. ONE THING: Incandescent bulbs "are a coil" (positive and negative are connected through the filament) - it's easiest to check their wiring with the bulb unplugged. When the bulb is connected, voltage passes through the filament and you'll see voltage "on the ground side" - which means with all the wiring attached, you'll record voltage all the way back to both RB and RW wires on the dimmer switch and thus to the ground connection. The ground connection here is switched on/off by the headlight combo switch. Good luck (and know that you can just bring it in and we'll figure it out).

The keycode is also stamped on the passenger side lock cylinder. You have to do some disassembly, but it's not too difficult. Download the Factory Service Manual for your year.

Looks factory to me. I've had dozens of Z's torn down to this point. I've also done a roof skin replacement. Replacing the roof skin has nothing to do with the areas you've shown. Your last picture looks like a little body lead drip that they didn't wipe. And yes, the brown metallic is the original color.

In your bleeding process, did you bleed the master cylinder itself?

The one issue you may have is with the joints. In the early Z cars the connections were flare fittings and flared copper tubing. The connections to the condenser are flare fittings. I've never taken apart a '77-'78 A/C system so I don't know if they are the same as the '74-'76 A/C fittings but I would think they would be the same. With the 280ZX, they started using o-ring connections. The fittings on the condenser are probably o-ring. You could have the high-pressure lines that connect to the condenser custom made if the ZX condenser is the same form factor (or could be made to fit in the Z chassis). But you will probably be better off with an aftermarket condenser that's made to fit the Z car and it's flare fittings (if that's indeed what you have).

You're correct, chrome doesn't like to be hit - not with a metal hammer. That indent would need to be pushed (pressed - from the backside). Someone skilled might hammer that out but not the way you'd think. I'd advise against trying it yourself (if you need to ask the question, you probably can't complete the task...) Most formed metal likes to go back to it's formed shape unless it's stretched too much.

I hope these aren't huge - Galaxy S20, best camera I've ever had. See, my chopped off bumper strut is still there...

I can't tell from that photo. I used 240Z bumper mounts and the ones I have don't really fit right but mount the bumper fairly well. I should have fabbed a pair of custom brackets, but you know the old saying about the cobbler and his own shoes... I don't make the time to work on my personal Z like I should. I'll post some phone pics.

That's me. Mine had no bumpers, took quite a search to find early 260Z bumpers and I hated them... Later found some fairly good '73 bumpers and installed them (ya, huge front bumper mounts too)...

Ya, should have mentioned that I've done a few subsequently on other Z's in the shop. It is entirely possible to remove that strut without completely removing the tank AND without cutting anything. It's much easier when you have a lift. I've lowered the tank - disconnecting as few of the hoses as possible (normally right side only - but that's most of them, right?) - supported the tank variously (rope, straps, whatever) and wormed the strut out in one piece. It's kind of a PITA but completely do-able. On the floor it's a little tougher.

I installed 240Z bumpers on my early 260Z several years ago. I didn't want to use the pistons for mounts so I removed the driver side completely. I too, at the time, didn't really want to drop my fuel tank to get the passenger side piston completely removed. My answer was my Sawzall (reciprocating saw)... I cut the end of the piston off flush with the end of that outer casing. I cut from the bottom upwards so when I got to the pressurized section it spewed oil and gas out the bottom.

Ya, I'm an A/C nut - cuz Phoenix. I've collected about three complete stock A/C assemblies over the years but just like SteveJ says - that expansion valve... It's a doozy. Most expansion valves just have an inlet and outlet for refrigerant, but the one Nissan used has multiple tube connections to the evap core. To get a simpler expansion valve you need a whole new evap core. The expansion valve CAN be dis-assembled and cleaned/refurbed - but it takes a bit of a wizard to reset the adjustment screw for the orifice if you need to and you'll have a search for the proper o-rings. Having said that, my A/C has been all stock since I got my 260Z back on the road 11 years ago - and it's my daily driver even when it swelters here in Arizona. (Oops, except my Ultra-Heaven duct which increases the airflow from the center vents HUGELY!) (dang, I also forgot my Kia Sportage blower...)

Yup. That's what I found in the '73 FSM. Got to be it.

How many pins (wires)? What are the wire colors? What is the manufacture date?

Yup. I did that too. Awesome upgrade from H4's. So bright I had to make sure my headlights were aimed properly... 😎

There are fairly detailed instructions and examples in the Factory Service Manual regarding the adjustments to the two "rails" you may need to look at to get proper window movement. The part you mentioned may help you in other ways, but not with the issue you've described above.

Just as a side note, this type of side-bulb welt can be acquired from many different sources including Amazon. Just be sure the "bulb" is large enough diameter to fill the largest gap space you have between door and body. If your door is still a bit hard to close after installing this type of welt, it's likely due to a place where the gap is much too small and part of the door is actually hitting the "pinch" portion of the welt. The bulb is generally super soft. You may need to adjust the flange (ya, bend it in a bit) on the body at the pinch point to increase the gap a bit.

Yup. This is my preferred removal method. I've found that if I can get them to turn, I can get them out. Even if they don't spin freely, it I can get them turning at all I can tap them out while they're turning. I love that they're the same thread as a lug nut. I always use an old lug nut to protect the threads when I'm removing a spindle. Normally I'm locking two nuts together and using my impact wrench to see if I can get them to turn.

Even if you got them on without chipping the paint, you'll never get them off without scratching it. I know, you're not PLANNING on ever taking them off again... Guess again. Some things you just have to live with.

You have no reason to fear drum brakes. Ya, they're different than discs but once you understand how they assemble it's not hard to deal with them. (Okay, I'm an old guy who was raised with drums on everything, but still...)

I think you can tell from the picture the OP posted that there is no room on the right side of that radio for the switch he has in his hand (which is from a later 240 radio). That radio needs the switch it was supplied with but is now obviously broken off. (which is probably the reason some previous owner bought the switch he has and mounted it in the place he did...) It doesn't need a new face plate...

Ding! Ding! Ding!

Okay, I understand your concern but I'm not convinced thin rubber is what you're looking for. Might be better to cut a thin strip of a more rigid plastic to interface between the handle mount and the door surface. Use rubber to seal the hole. There is a good amount of force exerted on that handle every time the door is opened, I don't think you want that bracket rocking on a piece of rubber...

@zKars & @240260280 Far from my first rodeo. (And, that's as far as I got the pin to move without damaging it - at that point the threads began to give as you can see in the picture. No use going further as they have to be replaced now anyway, so I'll just cut them and press them out.) I guess this is my karma. I did bushings on my 260 before I ever got it back on the road - 12 years ago. My spindle pins pushed right out without much fuss thereby lulling me into a false sense of mechanical superiority... After that I did 8 or 10 pins in the shop that I pulled without destroying them - not all of them easy, but they all came out. I even once or twice bragged about my removal prowess and may have scoffed at those having difficulty. 😏 Then about 4 years ago I had my very first total fail. Couldn't get pins to budge no matter what. Even after I cut those pins up I couldn't get them out of the hub. I had to take them down to the mechanic at the end of our building who had a press beefy enough to push the pins out. This pair will be the third fail since then - so the smirk is definitely off my face. Luckily now I'm in a shop where I have everything I need to cut and press these pins out but it's such a waste, and a royal PITA. Without exception, the pins I've had difficulty with have been mushroomed at the locator notch - and there is no reason for it other than sloppy installation procedure. (Yes, I've seen pins with corrosion that hampered dis-assembly (but this is Arizona, not Maine...) - I can generally get those loose, unless they're also mushroomed.) I'm still gonna look for this guy...