Carl Beck

40 years old... Think about that... If you bought a new Pontiac GTO in 1965... driving a 40 year old car would put you in a 1925 Ford. If you have a 1970 240Z.... 42 years earlier you might have been driving a 1928 Ford... or perhaps a 1928 M/B SSK... Today driving a 40 year old Z - you are still driving a relatively modern car.. If you have never seen one before, and it came out new today - you'd be down at the Dealership trying to buy one for $18,500.00 adjusted for inflation dollars.

I've pulled them both ways; together and separately. If you intend putting the engine on an engine stand for teardown - I'd pull the engine by itself. Much easier to deal with if your by yourself as well. With the engine out of the way it is easier to drop the tranny as well. If you are just going to set the engine and tranny aside as a unit - for body work on the car - then pull them together. If you are going to buy an Engine Leveler - spend a little extra money and get a fairly good one. This one from Jags or O'Reilly for example are a better design than the less expensive ones. The cheap one's can be a complete PIA as they jam or slip in jerks and starts. JEGS Performance Products #555-80048 http://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS-Performance-Products/555/80048/10002/-1?parentProductId= and http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/ACD9/34134/N0767.oap?ck=Search_N0767_-1_-1&pt=N0767&ppt=C1944 Picture Below: Cheap one on the Left {Yellow} has a Pivot Point higher above the slide bar, so finer adjustments are harder to make. The cheap one on the left uses a round bolt to support the slide bar and above the bar so there is too much play and they do not operate smoothly..you crank the handle and nothing happens so you crank some more - and then the slide bar finally jumps to the next position... Hard to describe but anyone that has used one knows what I'm talking about. The more expensive one on the Right {Red} has pivot point closer to the slide bar and more stable slide bar support. It also has a finer thread on the rod which give you much smoother action. Snap On uses a roller bearing for the lower support of the bar...{expensive!}. But note the design of the Snap On and the red one from Jags.. The one from Jags is $60.00 vs $25.00 for one from Home Depot.. The extra $35.00 is worth every penny. FWIW, Carl B.

Looks like there is only one connection on the drivers side... but you would have to disconnect that if you want to pull the entire harness out. The main connections seem to be on the passenger side - as you note. Can you get a picture of the connectors in the Junction Block?? Maybe that would help...

Looking at the Parts Manual - it seems that only one bolt holds that Junction Block {the big plastice piece} up - have you removed that bolt and dropped the Junction Block down to see if you can get a better look at the connectors? I don't have a 280Z - so I'm not sure how the connectors are locked in place... Just don't force anything... I don't think you want to try to pull the engine harness into the passenger cabin - just too many big connectors in the engine compartment. FWIW, Carl B.

Ops... reading the manual... seeing if I can find a picture... Carl B.

The picture of the pistons in the block - look like flat tops to me.

Can anyone recommend a good mechanic in Las Vagas, that could be trusted to know what he's doing with a 350Z? Contact info needed thanks, Carl B.

If anyone wants to see what the rear tail light finisher looked like when new - those pictures at Post #35 are a great example. Great pictures... Carl B.

Wow.. a 38 year old Z that looks brand new! I don't recall seeing wheels like that on a Z before..they look great on that car. If I can accross that Z close to me - I'd most likely have bought it. Great cars for Grand Touring.. Take it on one lap of America.. FWIW, Carl B.

Dan: I would highly recommend that you include a set of Dust Covers - that cover the stock shock piston rod inside the springs. This is very important if you want them to last very long. In 1970 - Nissan replaced my shocks three times! As I recall the first set started pumping the shock oil out past the seals in less than 5K miles. The replacements didn't last much longer. The third set Nissan installed when I had about 16K miles on the car. Even though it was technically out of warranty at 16K miles - the car was less than 6 months old. The fourth and last time - the Dealer actually replaced the OEM set up - with a set of Koni's - I paid just a few dollars for the difference in the cost of the shocks and the Dealer ate the cost of labor. There was a real good reason that Nissan switch to using cartridge inserts.. That give them a primary seal on the Gland Nuts that helped wipe the road dirt off the shock pistons - and then a good seal on the cartridges to keep the oil in. That is also one reason that the shock manufacturers usually send new Gland Nuts with their cartridges. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Dan: Yes - I'm here. That all lines up fairly well with what we found as well. Calculated tire size is one thing - the actual size mounted on a specific rim width, inflation pressure and load or no load can vary .25 to .5 inch in diameter. So all these measurements have some tolerance 175 x 80 = 144.0 mm / 5.67 inch ...5.67+5.67+14= 25.34 inch 175 x 78 = 136.5 mm / 5.37 inch....5.37+5.37+14= 24.74 inch 185 x 70 = 129.5 mm / 5.08 inch............................24.16 inch 195 x 70 = 136.5 mm / 5.37 inch............................24.74 inch 205 x 60 = 123.0 mm / 4.84 inch............................23.68 inch I do still have a spare set of the Repro Stock Springs if anyone needs a set - just PM me. I also have a set of NOS Euro Spec. Stage I's... FWIW, Carl B.

Most likely Owner Installed - usually seen on cars that were used in Rallies. Snaps were also used to hold Safety Netting across open side windows on cars that were raced. FWIW, Carl B.

You could have - it was in the Classifieds here... for at least a few days... FWIW, Carl B.

That one was too nice to pass up!! AACA: EXHIBITION CLASSES 1.HISTORICAL PRESERVATION OF ORIGINAL FEATURES (HPOF) CLASS Since its’ founding, AACA has been dedicated to the preservation, restoration and maintenance of vehicles. In the furtherance of the “preservation” mission, the AACA Board of Directors in 1987 established a program to encourage the saving and display of collector vehicles in their original, as manufactured condition. The Historical Preservation of Original Features program encourages owners of vehicles 35 years old and older, retaining significant original features to allow them to remain in this original condition, and to show them at National Meets. A vehicle may be entirely “original” or it may have certain “original” features such as paint, chassis, upholstery, engine compartment, etc., that are essentially as delivered. These vehicles will not be point judged. They will be certified using a percentage system which includes a total average percentage of the original features of the exterior, interior, chassis and engine. The vehicle must receive a score of sixty-five percent (65%) or above to receive certification. They will be recognized at the awards ceremony and will receive an exhibition award (and a mounting board at first certification). A certification badge will be presented to each vehicle upon acceptance into the HPOF category. The badge should be mounted at some visible location on the front of the vehicle. Vehicles entering the HPOF category will be prohibited from future registration in any other competition or exhibition class. If the vehicle is restored, certification in HPOF category will be voided. No previous National First Prize winners are accepted. An HPOF certified vehicle that is significantly restored will lose its’ HPOF certification. HPOF certification remains with the vehicle even if there is a change of ownership. (See Attachment 5 HPOF Judging Form p. 48) I'd keep it A/T - and only detail it out. Pure Survior -Just as it left the Dealership ... Not too many out there like this.. But that's just me.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Steve: I don't know why two - I just followed the mfg. wiring dia. - my tach worked just fine. If I had to guess - I'd guess it has something to do with the fact that in the "Start" position on the ignition switch - the ballast resistor is by-passed and the coil is feed 12v. You don't want to feed 12v to the unilite ever - and there may be no need to feed 12v to the ProMaster Coils. The feed to the tach is in that loop as well... But all that is just a guess.. FWIW, Carl B.

It is there for Radio Noise Supression - I wouldn't worry about replacing it. Any Radio Noise suppressing condenser that fits will be fine - if you want to replace it. FWIW, Carl B.

The Mallory Unilite is one of the best additions I've made to my 72 240Z. Installed it back in the late 70's and have never had another ignition problem. I went with the ProMaster Coil as well. Works with the stock Tach - but I had to use two ballast resistors. http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/MalloryDist.htm I did have a problem with the Pertronix system in another 240Z. It keep breaking up above 5800 RPM. An Ace Datsun Mechanic and I spent two hours going through everything - including the carb's... Everything checked out fine in the shop - but not under a load on the track.... Pulled the distributor with the Pertronix and replaced it with a rebuilt 280Z distributor.. problem gone. I'm Not "certain" it was the Pertronix or the distributor itself.. I personally wouldn't screw with it again... With the new Unilite you are getting a new distributor.. Agreed it isn't "cheap" - but in todays dollars that isn't a lot of money. I say do it once and be done.

DATSUN Rear Bumper Bar - on EBay. In Texas, but you should be able to locate one in CA http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-240z-Rear-Bumper-Bar-/150821719601?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item231dacce31&vxp=mtr FWIW, Carl B.

Just keep in mind that cleaning your fuse holder contacts - will not save your Light Switch. The best solution is to relay the headlights - and lower the voltage going through the switch and fuse box to begin with. It is a very simple fix. FWIW, Carl B.

Truly a timeless design - and still beautiful. Our local Studebaker Dealer took a couple of my friends and me on a "demonstration ride" the summer of 1963. I've loved them ever since. The man two houses down from me - Mr. Rebeck no less, was the original owner of his 63 Avanti - would never sell it - and left it to his son when he passed away a few years ago. He also had a very early 50's Stude Pick-up.

You can convert a older R-12 system to R-134a. When you do, one of the first things you will find is that the R-12 system will lose about 20% of its original efficiency. The next thing you will notice is that the R-12 rubber hoses if not already the shielded type {and most were not} - will seep/leak R-134a, and any connections that are not O-ring sealed - will also leak R-134A. R-134a ran in a System designed to run it - is just as efficient as the old R-12 Systems were. However there are significant differences between them in terms of their actual component parts. R-134a has a smaller molecular size than R-12. While it may seem ever so slightly smaller at the molecular level - it makes a lot of difference. For that reason R-134a systems use both condensers and evaporators with smaller diameter tubing, and longer lengths of it. R-134a systems are designed to use shielded high pressure hoses so the R-134a doesn't leak though the rubber hose walls. R-134a systems also use O-Ring'ed fittings {and double O-Ringed in some cases}. In the 90's - Nissan provided a R-134a upgrade guide - in which they told the Service Personnel what all had to be changed when upgrading the Z32 R-12 systems to R-134a. Makes for some interesting reading.. In effect they had to change out everything except the compressor. Personally - I would first make sure my present R-12 system is brought up to factory standards - In effect - make sure you have no leaks. Install a new receiver/dryer and suck the systems down to a vacuum for 24 hours.. The refill it with R-12. Most of my R-12 systems have held their charge for decades. Other than that - I'd plan on changing every component part to R-134a spec.'s. Vintage Air - might be able to supply a 134a evaporator core - that would fit inside your existing housing... FWIW, Carl B.

HI Tim: First let me say welcome. I bought my first 240Z in March of 1970... so I fall into that "old guy" category now myself. Still have the 72 I bought new at the end of 1971. I looked at that Ad/car - but didn't expect someone in California to come East to by a 240Z. Usually we tell people to pick one up on the West Coast!! Maybe the supply is getting thin out there. While the 280ZX's have their advantages.. like decent factory air... 240Z's are still my all time favorite. I'm sure you'll love yours too. Enjoy the ride... Carl B.

214K miles... just under $4K. Not bad..not bad.. Is that the original paint - or has it been repainted? Very nice, rust free 280Z in Gainesville, FL. 42K original miles.. ready to drive anywhere... but $6,000.00. Oh yes - I would not recomment cutting the roof.. FWIW, Carl B.

Looks great - just make sure you clean the inside of the valve cover out - very very completely. That sand gets stuck everywhere!!

$3K ??? First option is to buy an engine that someone else has spent $6K+ on - when they feel the need to move up again. Lots of guys have really great L series engines - for sale - when they decide to go with a SBC. Here is a real deal - if it isn't already gone. You would have to buy a new ECU.. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/107061-rb20det-s30-swap/page__view__findpost__p__1001801 Edit .. Oops...didn't read far enough... It was sold!! Nonetheless, wait and deals like this come up... Second option would be to check with Rebello - and see how much he would charge to rebuild your L26 in a mild street mod set up... might be a bit over your $3K - but you would be very happy with the results... It is a case of spend more up front - and be happy vs spending less up front and then spending more and more as you try to fix problems... FWIW, Carl B.