MikeW

You can't. New car VINS have all of that information encoded in about 17 alphanumeric characters. The Datsun numbers are simple sequential serial numbers preceded by the model type. The only way you'd be able to get the information you seek would be if Nissan had maintained a database of VINs with all of the options stored there. I've never heard of such a thing.

Yes, yours is the 120th car produced of that model.

Let's see. HS130 would indicate a 280ZX. 220226 quite possibly makes it one of the last 1980 models. While it isn't necessarily accurate, the Black Dragon catalog at least makes an attempt at breaking down the numbers: http://www.blackdragonauto.com/icatalog/z/0008.html What kind of information are you expecting to get out of the VIN?

I can't help you with the Kansas City part but from everything I've read on the subject there's only one place to get the pans from: Zedd Findings http://www.datsunzparts.com/NewParts/summary.htm I'd suggest searching this site for past discussions on the subject. Many people here have used these pans and can offer good advice about the installation. I've never seen a single complaint about the product.

As Gary said, Octane is the measure of the resistance to detonation. In other words, the higher the octane the harder it is to ignite. It's not somehow a measure of power but I think that people somehow associate the two since high-performance engines tend to be high-compression engines and therefore require higher octane. What you don't want to happen is pre-detonation or pinging. This is when the fuel/air mixture ignites before the spark. That's bad. If it's not pinging on 87 then higher octane buys you nothing (except for the fact that premium fuels might have better additives).

As I recall it just pulls out through the front but you have to unscrew it in the back first and that's the tricky part since you have to really get up under the dash.

I don't know that 72's are considered the best any more. They used to be simply because they were the most refined version before the 1973 models came out with emissions-driven carbs that people considered less desirable. A lot of the deficiencies with the earlier cars were corrected along the way. Now the emphasis seems to be the earlier the better with certain people proclaiming that a specific maximum VIN is what really matters and that the potential maximum value of the car drops considerably if you're not in that elite range. There are plenty of people with very nice examples of all of the models. I say go with whatever makes you happy and don't worry too much about what others think.

Ted's victory with Courageous was incredibly inexpensive compared to more recent America's cup races where the syndicates build multiple yachts out of carbon fiber and other advanced materials. Also, money alone wouldn't have been enough to win. He was actually a good skipper. I agree that in recent years it's been more about the money. Shoot, the current champion is from Switzerland As an aside, I got to crew aboard Dennis Conner's Stars & Stripes (USA-55) a couple of years ago that he used to win the cup back from Australia in 1987 before losing it again.

Welcome to the club. If you can, please upload pictures of your cars to your gallery here. I'm sure a lot of people here would be interested in seeing them.

As an experiment with my old cracked heater control panel I actually used a black permanent marker to restore the worn black paint. It came out better than expected.

Didn't he say all but the speedometer are not working? The speedometer is the only mechanical gauge. If all of the others don't work it's obviously an electrical problem and could be easy to fix.

Unless Alissa has another buyer lined up or has a use for the dash herself why discourage him? I say sell it ...

I don't think it would be fair for him to expect that you'll know what problems he'll run into. It seems to me that you should happily sell it to him with the stipulation that you don't know whether or not it will work and that he's on his own.

What type of paint is it? Does it have a clear coat? I'd suggest 2000 grit wet/dry paper with plenty of water. If that doesn't work then the paint is already damaged by whatever you're trying to remove.

If Zabasearch couldn't find it then I'm afraid the person chooses to not be listed. There are certainly other methods but they aren't free. If you want to send me a PM with the address I'll see if I have any better luck.

I thought I responded to this earlier today. Perhaps I forgot to hit send. In addition to Arne's advice there's a possibility that the needle is bent. The ZTherapy video mentioned above shows a clever trick for straightening needles. You chuck it in an electric drill and spin it while pressing it from the side with a piece of cloth.

Consider using a PM (private message) on this forum for exchanging information that you don't want visible to the world.

Phone book? What's that? Oh yeah, now I remember. I haven't used one in years. http://www.zabasearch.com

Which interior parts are you referring to? The plastic panels in the hatch area all attach with plastic rivets. The vinyl is glued on. The door panels and dogleg panels use clips. If you can be more specific - perhaps by posting pictures since you may not know what you're missing - we can probably help you out.

There are actually two kits from Eastwood. The product that removes deep scratches (those you can feel with your fingernail) uses different grades of an abrasive disk. If you end up needing this there will likely be some distortion in the glass. The other product uses a powder that is mixed with water to a "gravy" consistency along with a felt wheel. When used properly this will clear up all of the haze, water marks, etc., leaving clear glass. While it's possible to use either of these with an electric drill I found that a variable speed angle grinder works much better.

Thanks Will. The monthly club meeting is actually tonight so the timing is perfect: http://www.georgiazclub.com/

Looking good. Be very careful putting the bumper back on. It's too easy to let it slip a little and scratch that new paint. Perhaps you can wrap up the ends temporarily with something like bubble wrap and duct tape.

I'd suggest shots of the typical rust-prone areas that any serious buyer would want to see. The frame rails, battery tray area, floorboards, spare tire area, etc. It would also help to see pictures of all of the available ID tags with VIN numbers and engine numbers and so forth.

When it jumps around a little what is the car doing? If the battery is low and you rev it up I expect the ammeter to jump up a bit as it tries to recharge the battery. If you're idling and turn on the headlights I expect to see the needle jump to the left a bit as takes on the extra load. You can't electrocute yourself with only 12 volts so I wouldn't worry too much about that. I don't know that you could electrocute yourself even on the ignition circuit. I don't think the current flow is high enough at those extreme voltages to do more than knock you backwards a few feet. Of course, I'm not willing to get first-hand experience with this.

My understanding is that a fusible link is really just a wire. The key is that it's a wire that is about 4 gauges smaller than the rest of the circuit (making it the weakest link) and has a special non-flammable insulation for when it melts. http://www.madelectrical.com/catalog/fusible-link.shtml