Captain Obvious

So the wires got hot with the LED installed, but were OK with an incandescent? Which LED were you using? Even though it really shouldn't get hot, it sounds like a polarity issue? One thing to check... You said that the GW went to the tip, and RL to the base, but that's not the whole story. Since the polarity didn't matter in the original configuration with incandescents, the people who slid the contacts into the plastic connector shells didn't pay attention to which went where. So just because the GW goes to the tip of the bulbs at the tach, it may have change polarity at the connector shell. You need to check the wire colors on both sides of the connector. (Or do your checking with a meter to a known ground source like a screw head.)

Haha! Maybe you can teach me a new word tomorrow. On second thought... That might not be the best idea.

Been there. Done that. Was wearing safety glasses and a groin cup, so it grew back.

Were you asking for pics of the tape that we used to re-wrap harnesses, or something more complicated?

Don't get me wrong. I wasn't espousing the advantages of the Bosch EFI. I was just saying that at this time, mine seems to be working just fine and I don't need to go poking that nest. I got higher priority stuff to work on. To each his own.

My pleasure. I were running carbs, I'd run as set of flattops. Detractors aside. I'm running the EFI though and it's working fine so I just have no real reason to change it out. I've always been curious though as to which would be a better performer and better for fuel economy.

Who's a good boy? Who's a good boy?

And putting it another way... If the switching point (click) is at the same place when it comes out of the freezer as it was when it went in, then it means all the gas has leaked out. That thing works by balancing spring pressure against gas pressure, and the trick is that the gas pressure is supposed to change with temperature. But if all the gas has leaked out, it won't do that and the switching point won't be affected by temperature anymore.

Sorry. Couple follow-up thoughts/questions... What was it that originally made you think that you had the incorrect carbs on the car? Did the carbs look different before that shop changed the carbs back in 2013? Who was it that told you that you have knock-offs? The current shop?

They put flat tops on two years, not just one. The last year for the 240 (73), and the 74 260. I like the flat tops, but I'm not going to spend a lot of time fighting an upstream current.

Excellent. What you have there is a "non-problem". Not only are those carbs what we refer to as SU's, but (from a distance) they even appear to be the correct variation for the year. If it runs great now, don't even worry about rebuilding. Focus on higher priority stuff! Another crisis averted! I'm Captain Obvious, and I'm a member of this forum.

I've got some parts on the shelf and I'm not far from you over the bridge in PA. I don't have a head, but I do have a valve cover that I would have parted with for $20.

Kira, You probably knew this already, but since it's my job... None of the Z's carbs were actually made by SU (Skinner's Union). They were all made by Hitachi who licensed the design from SU. So if you're seeing the Hitachi logo on your replacement carbs and thinking it's a cheap knock-off, then that's not the case. They may be cheap knock-offs of REAL SU's made by Skinners Union, but that's what all the Z's came with. In reality, none of the Z's had "SU's". They all had Hitachi's the were shaped like SU's. Everyone just calls them SU's because that's what they look like. Thinking this might be an "obvious" issue. And I forgot... So how about some pics of these cheap knockoffs? I've never heard of such a thing?

If you're really really looking for stock, then the 72's were unique to that year. They included water passages into the carb bodies that did not exist on previous versions. And different intake manifolds to match. If your heart is not set on factory proper, then you have other year options with some simple mods.

Man... You don't have good luck, do ya. What did you get for $20 in that last pic? Whole thing or just the valve cover? And I don't think that corrosion spot is going to clean up with just a head cut. I think welding will be necessary to seal that up.

Haha!! Yeah, this was a funny one! Thanks for the reminder!

Thanks Jims!

So speaking of carpets... I'm thinking that I'm going to mess with this soon. Problem is, however, that I've made some changes in my interior that would make any pre-formed "kit" not fit right. Anyone know of a company that will sell appropriate automotive carpet in just flat square sheets that I could cut myself?

You guys are all wearing safety glasses, right? Right?

Nice! And some Looney Tunes... and: http://looneytunes.wikia.com/wiki/Lumber_Jerks

So have you thought about using multiple pieces to cover a part and overlapping the edges a little for a lap joint? That test piece you did on the corner of the taillight bulb access panel makes it look like the material you're working with is thin enough that you might be able to do a pretty good job of hiding seams like that. And on some of the parts (like that bulb access panel) you could even put the seams on the underside where they would be hidden in use. Unfortunately, I doubt that technique would work on the dash though as I don't know where you would hide seams. What we really need is a large vacuum table, one of those big radiant heaters and an adhesive backed thermoplastic sheet.

What year was the junked 5 speed from?

Yes, those dimmers are three wire devices with: 1) A 12V connection that controls the internals of the module 2) A pulse width modulated output connection that pulls the low side of the bulbs to ground, and 3) A ground connection for both the internal electronics and the bulb current. I made some internal changes to the electronics on mine such that I could run it in two wire mode if I wanted to. Still works in 3-wire as described above, but as long as I keep at least one incandescent in the system somewhere, I can run mine in 2-wire mode as well.

Yeah... I think maybe I'll wait till you nail down the process and then send my panels to you. Or, maybe that rear taillight panel is, in fact, the most difficult and the rest of them will be a breeze by comparison? Top of my priority list would be the dash, so I'm anxious to hear your results there.