texasz

Good catch mperdue!! I have been lurking on this thread since the very first post and was wondering how long it was going to be until my name was mentioned. :classic: I will get one posted in the next day or two, I have been having some computer issues that are preventing me from uploading any pix from my camera right now. Maybe I'll look through some recent ones and see what I can come up with.

This causes me to have a question. I have an F54 block with flat-top pistons that I want to put an N42 head on, now I know that there is no problem with that. The potential for a problem is that I want to then put on an N36 intake and SUs. Will this work as a direct bolt on or are there modifications to the head that must be made?

Lookie maw, no hands....or brains!!!

Ok, I got it done!! Over all it was quite easy...but I'll explain more here. 1) Place wheel chocks at fron wheels, jack the rear of the car up and rest on jack stands. 2) Pull rear tire and get a trouble light (makes it MUCH easier to see). 3) There are four muts/bolts behind the wheel that hold the half shaft to the wheel and four nuts/studs at the other end that hold the half shaft to the diff, you must undo all of these. 4) Remove the four bolts from the wheel end and move the half shaft so that you can then pull it straight out away from the diff and off the four studs on the diff mounting flang. I had a hard time with this and used a pry bar and hammer to break it loose then it just pulled right out. 5) This is where it got really easy, I took the half shaft to the Z Clinic and had the owner replace the u-joints while I watched, it only cost me $50 and I saw what needed to be done to do the others when the time comes. The first hand education was well worth the $50 to me! 6) Reinstall is the reverse of the removal. I used antiseize on the nuts/bolts/studs to make it easier to remove next time when I replace the diff (some of them where rather difficult to remove). 7) Test drive and enjoy. No more noise!!

Have a junk yard do a parts locate for you. What you are looking for is the front diff from a Datsun 720 4x4 Pick Up that was manufactured between 1/83 - 6/83. This was the only time that there was one made, so as you can see they are tough to come by but they ARE out there! I just got one myself a couple weeks ago. I came from Arkansas but this was the only one in that state. I looked in the South Central and mid-West area of the country and found several but may were over priced; as in $300 wich for some, at least, included the entire rear end...chaching! there goes your shipping price and these places were not willing to sell only the diff, you had to take the whole thing or nothing at all. I see that you're in NC, I do recall there being a couple in AL.

Another way to find where the water is coming in from is go to a drive thru car wash and sit there watching it to see where it is coming in from...then after you have found it not only do you know what needs fixed but you also have a nice clean Z. The car wash is good because there is more force behind the water and you will see all the spots that will leak even in the worst of thunderstorms.

Depending upon the size of the sub you want to put in you may be able to have a box between the seat backs and the verticle wall of the hatch area (where the tool storage is on the series I 240Z). This would certainly be hidden and you are guaranteed to "feel the bass!" I figure that a pair of 8's would be about right, or maybe you could fit a single 10" in that area; I'm just working from memory on the size of that area and have never measured it.

I too sell things on ebay and I typically only add about $2 (sometimes even less) to the actual shipping cost unless the item is VERY heavy, then I do add a bit more. For some items I charge a flat rate, like CDs are $3 which barely covers the shipping and Jiffy-Pak. Tip: I ALWAYS email the buyer their tracking number immediately, this eliminates that email three days later, plus then I don't have to try and find that damn receipt with the tracking number on it.

Suicidal Tendencies....... I saw you mommy and you mommy's dead! I saw her laying in a pool of blood At least that's the way I think this song went...

1975yellowBSPZ, I have not done the job yet. I have ordered the Spicer joints only for the side that is bac (2 joints) and will let you know how it goes after I have done it. I would like to have a go at it this weekend if the parts come in time.

I have a PU that I shopped around for a spray in bed liner for. Rhino came out to be the best out there, it's sprayed on thicker for one which in the bed of a truck this matters. Any how, as far as what was said...these spray in bed liners do prevent rust...as long as they remain intact! Once a tear, rip, chunk or what ever has been taken out of it this exposes the underlying metal to the elements. Being that it is designed to be abused in the bed of a truck this stuff is all pretty tough, however it's not bullet proof and can be damaged. Just think of the under side of your car when you kick up rocks and other items at a highway speed...what if you hit a board in the road, etc. On the bright side this material can be patched easily! I have a spot on my tailgate where the bolt heads are that hold the handle on that has been scrapped off through normal usage and the Rhino place will fix it for me...no problem. Hope this helps a little.

Be careful with the plastic, it is old and they do break. Trust me. That plastic thing is threaded so you can also turn it so that it moves up then you are just left with pulling the metal rod out, this may give you a little more room to work with and also move the plastic part out of harms way. This is a tough job as there is not much room in there to work and it's hard to get your hands in there. Best of luck.

Most of these and some other parts are now for sale on eBay. Please go have a look-see!! http://cgi6.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewSellersOtherItems&userid=djsting1&include=0&since=-1&sort=3&rows=50

I sent the seller an email requesting more information and clarification. NO REPLY!! EVER.

Seeking the following parts: The center console from series I(if in very good shape with no cracks, breaks, etc) Heater/Radio panel (no controls, just the plastic cover panel)(if in very good shape with no cracks, breaks, etc) The ashtray from series I The valve cover from series I(if it is the same as mine, reads "NISSAN 2400 OHC") Rear license plate light assembly (if in very good shape with no cracks, breaks, etc) Fuse box and cover from series I(if in very good shape with no melts and has long pigtail) [/list=1] Please provide prices, pix, and any other info you have on these parts.

Xargon321, check out this thread I have going...I'm in the same boat! http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10034

And I see that nobody has bought one yet. Hey, does this require you to run Active Desktop? EDIT: I should have clarified my statement. Based upon the auction link above it appears as though only 1 has been sold thus far. Sorry about that.

kmack, great info! I will be doing that in the next day or two. About my other question...how much more effort would it be to swap the diff while I'm doing the u-joints? I'll be under the car, I'll have the shafts partly taken apart already...

Unfortunately like mentioned previously, it is not that clear cut. My car is a great example! It's production date is 8/70, VIN is HLS3008215, has all the charateristics of a Series I car yet is titled as a '71. *shrug* Go figure.

He must have said U-Joint and by the time I posted this I was just confused (he's very knowledgable about Z's, he has been working on them since the beginning and went to the first Z school that Datsun/Nissan held). The question I have before ordering them is since all he did was drive the car and not put it in the air how can I tell if this it the real problem? Can I just jack the car up, roll under there, look at them and be able to tell? What will I be looking for to tell if this is the problem? I just don't want to order the expensive u-joints from MSA and find out that this was not the problem after all. While I'm there how much more work is it to swap the diff? I have my new one sitting in the garage ready to go!

I saw a website months ago that had them listed for $9.99 but I can't seem to find it again. DAMN, I wish that I had bookmarked it when I saw it!!! :mad: :stupid:

Only reason I could see that someone may want to run a 5.88 in a Z would be for some of the hill-climb races that are around. Something like the July 4th climb to the clouds (I think it's called, and I think that's the date) that runs up Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs, CO. That's one big hill with a huge elevation change...I have read how hard it is to tune the cars for the race due to the change in elevation...the peak is over 14000 feet. To add to the difficulty the last 2/3 of the road are not paved as I recall.

I know that there are a few of you on here that live in and around Austin and I would like to know who you trust with your engine rebuild and machine shop needs? I am working on rebuilding an engine and will have to send some of the work out and want someout good.

Ok, I swung by the Z-Clinic this morning and the owner/mechanic told me that the awful noise coming from the passenger rear was a very bad c-joint. He wants $125 for the one side and stated that the part is about $50 from the dealership. I was looking in both VB and MSA catalogs and did not find them...did I misunderstand and he said U-Joints? Is there such a thing as a c-joint? So if it is the u-joint then they run $12.95/each from VB for the stock type and $17.95/each for the same at MSA. Now MSA also has a Spicer heavy duty u-joint they recommend for racing which costs $32.95/each. Does anyone know how much better these are? I will be autoxing my Z and would like to know if the extra money is worth it on these. Other questions are how hard of a job is this? Do I have to replace ALL the u-joints at the same time or not? If yes does this include the ones on the drive shaft or just the half shafts?

Generally putting in an '81-'83 280ZX Turbo engine will be what you are looking for but what you DON'T want is the P90a head! I think that these were only in the '83s so what this really means is that you will be looking for an '81-'82 280ZX Turbo engine, this will have the P90 head which is said to be the best flowing head and all three years have the F54 block wich is considered the best block by most. The difference is that the P90a went to hydrolic lifters and they are crap (from what everyone says...and I do mean everyone). After that there are other mods you can do but I do not know anything about these as I am focused on a carbed non-turbo car and have not investigated your choice.