Captain Obvious

I have lots of experience with it's hardtop predecessor. A 61 Giulietta Sprint. [sigh...] What advice can I provide? Same as a Z. Buy one that has as little rust on it as you can afford. Other than that, everything is easy. The driveline is rugged assuming it hasn't been abused, but the rust is the big issue. Interior is "just money". Other thoughts? You've got the choice between Veloce ("Performance" model), and Normale ("Normal" model). Veloce commands more money. Your wife probably doesn't need one, and your wallet will be thankful. Your troubleshooting time will be thankful as well. Beyond that? Lucas electricals - The only thing worse is Marelli. Girling brakes - As bad of a reputation as Lucas electricals. I love the old Alfas.... If I had more room, I'd still have one.

It's a thermostat. Good picture and description on pages EC-12 and EC-13 of the 1972 manual. 72 is the oldest FSM I have, so I don't know if they used a thermostat in that location on earlier years, but from the fact that it doesn't mate well with the tubing on your 71, it seems the answer is "no".

Sweet. I'll have to keep an eye out for that the next time I'm into struts. So, what's the "Hardway multiplier" for struts? :ogre: Man, are you gonna be so done with suspension stuff after all this!!

Hardway, Good pic. Certainly appears that the gland nut is down as far as it's gonna go and there isn't anything to be gained by working on the threads anymore. I'm with Zed Head in that it's weird that one side tightens up but the other won't. I'm guessing from the responses from others that this is a common occurrence that has been run into before? I personally haven't had this problem... When I've done inserts, thankfully they all tightened up like they should. It's not like I've done a lot of them though! My suspicion is that since Datsun never intended those tubes to house an insert in the first place, we should consider ourselves lucky that they work as well as they do and the occasional spacer here and there is a small nuisance?

Cool. That clip isn't rocket science. That's why I was suggesting that a replacement clip (of some sort) would be a lot easier to source than a replacement arm. As long as the clip you found holds the arm securely but still allows it to float on the cam and doesn't interfere with the linkage, it should be fine. Good idea to take a pic so others can see options.

I guess that's good news... One less thing I need for my 77!

Good news on getting the nut installed, but bad news that it has to come off again! Do you still have threads showing? Is it a matter of the gland nut grinding to a stop on crappy threads before it hits the top of the insert, or has the nut run out of threads (either internal or external)? Haha! Does that even make sense? What I'm trying to find out is... Are washers the correct solution, or is the correct solution to do some more work on the threads?

I've turned up a few issues with the 77 color wiring diagram: a) Hazard Switch Illumination Lamp Missing Defroster Relay Internal Short c) Ground Connection Missing a) Hazard Switch Illumination Lamp Missing - The hazard switch includes an internal illumination lamp, but that lamp did not make it to the color wiring diagram. Here's a snippet from the FSM showing how they represented the bulb: That works, but I find it a little confusing because of the implication that the connections to the bulb are affected by the ON-OFF switch position (which they are not). So, while simply adding the bulb to the color diagram just like the original FSM would work, I would humbly submit that it would be better represented by something like the below: Defroster Relay Internal Short - There is an internal shorting connection shown on the defroster relay. Simple fix as shown below: c) Ground Connection Missing - There is a bunch of items that need a ground connection in order to function, but do not have one. Again, simple fix as shown below: This diagram is such a lifesaver (or at least a carsaver)! Can we get this post as a sticky?

Haha! So there's my problem!! The problem isn't that I have spare parts... It's that I need more cars to use those parts on, right? Thanks everyone for the well wishes to the 1000 post club. I know I'm a relative newcomer to the forum, and I just hope I've pulled my weight around here.

So are the later year cars supposed to have those hatch seals or not? Anybody?

I think the slotted wheels look terrible. You should send them to me. I'll sacrifice my car in order to spare yours... Edit - 1000th post!

Do all your estimates include "The Hardway Surcharge" for when it's supposed to be easy but turns into a nightmare? :knockedou

So the factory didn't put those hatch hinge seals on the later cars? I don't think I have them on my 77 either, but I have no idea if that's because of the factory or my PO.

Excellent. The arm would be much harder to source than the retainer clip. I looked through my lock pics (get it?) and I don't have any pics of that clip, but I could take one if you can't. And BTW - A P/N won't do you any good at a generic H/W store. Just take in your other clip to show as an example.

Have you tried one of the other gland nuts on this housing? I know they are supposed to be the same, but who knows... I've had situations where nuts and bolts that had been paired together for so long fit best with their original partner. About the out of round strut tube... How did you hold the strut assy when you loosened the gland nut to take it off? If you clamped the tube in a vise up near the nut, you may have ovalized the tube in the vise? And if it is oval, you could use your new hydraulic press to squeeze it round again. :bulb: Would be a lot more controllable than a C-clamp.

Keep in mind that not all of the manufacturers use the same shape for the rotating cam post that sticks out the back of the lock. This, of course, also means that there are more than one shape used for the corresponding hole in the actuation arm that clips onto the back of the lock. Point is, if your plan is to buy a new lock and move that arm over from the new one to the old one, it might not fit. To make matters worse, the factory locks seem to be unique in their shape... Granted, I'm no lock expert and I've surely not seen all the options available, but I can attest that the aftermarket Chinese locks on ebay use a different cam and hole design and their newer arms will not fit the post on the original locks.

Do you have the original flat top carbs on the car or have they been switched to the older round tops?

Ouch! Those sleeves must have really been rusted in place. Kinda makes me wonder if they were that stuck, then what is the condition of the rod portions that were under the sleeves? Are they so rusty that the diameter has been reduced?

So, you've got a 280 that came to you with an N-42 block and a N-47 head and you're wondering if you can replace your cracked N-47 head with a P-79 off a 280ZX? Is that right?

78sid, Are you using the original black plastic knob, or have you switched it to something else? I found the plastic knobs to be quieter than others because the softer rubbery plastic absorbs vibration. I switched to a wood knob and as goofy as it seems, it makes much more noise than my original faux leather plastic knob. Shifter bushings? I made some out of Delrin. Has some compliance like stock, but not as harsh as brass. They work great:

Yeah, but the reason it seemed like such a great place to tap off was that it was already self contained to the console. The point is that you could get your "hot in ACC" and your "hot at all times" without having to run another wire to the console. Unfortunately it's not as good as it sounds.

OK, Seems nobody else wants to play? Here's the issue: The 4-way hazard light system works at all times regardless of the key position, and because of that, there IS a wire going to the hazard switch that is hot even with the key in your pocket. So, it sounds like you could use that wire as a "Hot at all times" supply to a radio install, but you can't because that wire is hot at all times EXCEPT when you turn on the hazard switch. When the hazard lights blink OFF it's because the battery connection to that wire is broken by the hazard flasher module and if you use that wire to your radio, your memory supply will blink on and off with the lights. In other words, it works great until you use your hazard system. You might be able to construct a simple storage circuit to hold you through the times that the circuit is open, but it depends on the internal design of the radio you use. In my case, I unfortunately could not do that and had to find my hot at all times connection elsewhere.

Here's some pics of the connections to the mysterious sub-harness. These pics are from my 77: Still no ideas?

What did they call the heat soak reducing cooling fan that blew on the injectors on the 280ZX's? I'm wondering if maybe they realized as far back as 76 that they might want to include something like that and put provisions if for the fan, but never used it until some time after 78? That's all I got.

Hmmm. I'm not quite ready to give out any bonus points yet... My thinking when I made my original suggestion of tapping into the hazard circuit was that since the 4-ways work at all times regardless of the key position, then there must be a signal going to the hazard switch that is hot even with the key in your pocket. And that belief can be verified... If you probe the wires going to the hazard switch, there is in fact a wire that is hot regardless of the key position and has 12V on it even with the key in your pocket. Sounds like it would work great, right? Well, not so quick. There's a definite problem with using this wire and I'm only giving out bonus points if you can specifically identify what that problem would be. :bulb: