Carl Beck

Or it is possible that someone thought that the "gray" was simply sun faded plastic, and sprayed it black to make it look new. We'll most likely never know... FWIW, Carl B.

At that price you ought to grab it for a futue project - you could fly out and drive it back... Carl B.

Looking at the Ad. - I'm a little confused. The Ad claims it was built in 69, but titled as a 1970 Z. The Date Of Manufacture stamped on the data tag says 02/70. It might have started production in 69 - but it would seem to have been finished 02/70. The original engine certainly lines up with a production start in 69... wonder what held it up... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi bigoak: I lived in Washington State for four years in the late 60's and early 70's- believe me - it takes no effort at all the get across the border. There are at least 10 back roads that cross the US/Canada boarder on the North East part of Washington - where there are only Boarder Guards stationed part time or not at all. That is also the case above Idaho and Montana. What is really funny, is when you pull up to a boarder station (a little one man hut) that is closed and you can see the trail around the "gate" that has been worn in the ground by so many cars coming and going. Today - if you have a GPS system with you - you might be able to determin if you are in the US or Canada - when your out in the woods hunting/hiking or off-roading on an ATV... for hundreds of miles along the boarder. Friends and family that still live and hunt in the area tell me nothing has changed. Just one reason that the US's entire "Homeland Security" agency is a bad joke. FWIW, Carl B.

Anyone near the car? That could go inspect it with a critical eye and report back to us? FWIW, Carl B.

Somewhat off topic perhaps...but.... Actually, it's hard to think of any car mass produced by a major automotive manufacturer, and sold in the USA since 1956 that doesn't fit that description. Can anyone think of a car that had a totally new body style, on a completely new chassis, powered by a completely new engine and drive train by its manufacturer? Why 1956? I just picked it out of the air - pick any model or calendar year you like. 1960 Corvair perhaps....body √ chassis √ engine √ drive-train √ FWIW, Carl B.

Zak/Sliprenoodle - did you check the VIN to see if the car was stolen in the US? Just wondered why the VIN wasn't posted here, or why it was removed from visible sight on the outside of the car, and why the previous owner didn't have a title.... etc etc. FWIW, Carl B

Hi Julio: Good tip... and always a good reason to keep a spare mustache bar around. I pulled the rear cover off the differential. Soaked the drain and fill plugs with Kroil for a day. Then put the cover in a vise (with wood blocks), applied a little heat from a propane torch to both the inside and outside surfaces around the fill then drain plugs. They broke free pretty easily at that point. Inspected the internals of the rear end, replaced the gasket and cover, then coated the plugs with anti-seize compound. Steel plugs in an aluminum cover always call for anti-seize compound. FWIW, Carl B.

The "estate" is only the transfer agent, carring out the wishes of the original owner. The agent for the estate, will transfer the title from the original owner directly to you. If the original owner put the car in a living trust, and transfered the title to the trust - then the trust is the second owner and you are the third. Title will transfer from the tust to you. FWIW, Carl B.

Given that this car has - Full US Spec. Emissions Controls with Air Pump - Ignition timing of 5 degrees, and single point distributor - Specifications given in US units So far - I would see no reason to think it was anything other than a US Spec. car. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: The bumpers without rubber trim have always been listed in the Parts Catalog. 62650-E4102 ASSY-FRONT BUMPER (With Rubber Hole) 62650-E4103 ASSY-FRONT BUMPER (Less Rubber Hole) From 06/70 As an interesting aside - the rubber stips on the bumpers were required by certain State Laws - Florida was one of them. GM window stickers used to list the additional charge for the "Florida Required Rubber Bumper Trim"... around 74 it was $29.95 AIR. FWIW, Carl B.

Did "Euro" versions get the rubber trim on the bumpers? What we call the "Euro" bumper comes without the rubber trim, nor the holes to mount it. The car in the picture also has no Emblems of any kind.. Interesting as usual - thanks Kats, Carl B.

Thanks David!! I appreciate that... Carl B.

Hi Dan: I appreciate your looking... thanks. Most people do not realize that the quarter panel extends into the roof structure and is sandwiched between the inner and outer roof structural panels for strength. When you cut the old quarter off, at or just below the visible seam - then weld a new quarter back on there - you can wind up with a much weaker uni-body as the result of a poor butt joint weld. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Adrian: I sent you and Mark an e-mail message. So the two of you could connect directly. If you didn't get it - let me know. I did get a response from Mark, and he has reviewed this thread... perhaps sent you an PM. kind regards, Carl

Good for you!! Looks like a good job too. You didn't by chance take pictures of the area where the rear quarter panel, merges under the roof structure, over which the roof panel goes - did you? If so I'd love to have a copy. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Dave: Let's start with the Stock Front Spring. If you look at the Field Service Manual (FSM) you will see that the spring's Free Length is 15.5". ( I don't have a FMS for the 260Z - so I'll have to use figures that are guesstimates for this discussion). Your FSM will also list an "Installed Length" or "Installed height" - it will most likely be something like 8.72". Your FSM will also tell you how much weight is sitting on the spring, when the car is sitting on the ground. That will be something like 685 lbs. Your FSM will also tell you what the "Spring Rate" or "Spring Constant" is. It will tell you how many pounds of weight will compress the spring one inch. As a guess on the 260Z that spring constant will be around 101 lbs/in. (might be 112 lbs/in... but we'll use 101 for now). So if you have 685 lbs... divided by 101 lbs/in - the spring will be compressed 6.78 inches. 15.5 minus 6.78 = 8.72". ( this is just an example of how these numbers are arrived at) Now if you install a spring with a shorter Free Length to begin with - but one with a greater Spring Rate.. that same 685 lbs will not compress it as much per inch. So if you start with a spring that has a free length of 10.75" and you intend it to be 1" shorter than stock when installed.. your installed height would be 7.72" (rather than the stock 8.72"). 10.75" - 7.72 = 3.03" So you would need a spring that would compress only 3.03" with a weight of 685 lbs sitting on it. A spring rate of 226 lbs/in would get you there. (685 lbs divided by 226 lbs/in - Spring Constant = 3.03) Another thing to keep in mind is that a coil spring has a more or less constant rate of compression - once the spring is pre loaded and compressed to 80% of it's free length. So starting with a spring 10.75 in free length - then using it compressed to 7.72" will give you a pretty constant spring rate in use. The fact that the spring is loose with the tires off the ground - isn't a big deal really. What matters is that the spring is held in place with the weight of the car sitting on it. To have the spring shift - you would have to get the entire weight of the car off the spring, at the same time the shock rod is fully extended, and the wheel/tire is off the ground. Unless you are running high speed Pro Rally events and making long high jumps .. you aren't going to have the entire weight of the car off the spring... (if you are running Pro Rally events you have to have travel stops on the suspension to keep it from dropping down to full extension when the tires come off the ground). FWIW, Carl B.

Calipers usually freeze up when the car has been sitting for prolonged periods. Moisture gets into the brake fluid - and corrosion can form around the piston. Then when you step on the brakes, the piston extends, but will not retract. (far greater force is exerted to extend it by the hydraulics) First thing to try - flush the brake lines and caliper out with fresh brake fluid through the Master Cylinder. In effect bleed the brake until you get clean fresh fluid coming out. Drive the car and heat the brake caliper up. As the car is rolling about 40 mph or so - hit the brake pedal several times... Usually the caliper will free up. You can tell if a caliper is hanging up, if the car stops by itself when at a very slow roll. Likewise you can tell if the caliper is free again, because at a slow roll the car will keep rolling. If the above doesn't work... you can take the caliper off. Manually clean off the piston and clean the cylinder. Make sure there is no pitting from corrosion and check the rubber seal. "Usually" that's all it takes. If the piston or cylinder are pitted or scared - replace the caliper assembly. Or if you don't want to screw with it - just get a rebuilt caliper. They aren't an arm and leg... The "problem" you can run into is dealing with the flair nuts on the brake lines. Amazing how many of them are rounded of. Not a bad idea to change the rubber line at that point as well. They are inexpensive and they do crack with age. The other possible cause - is a front wheel bearing that is going out and that has seized up, or that has been over tightened. Put your hands on the tire at the 12:00 and 6:00 o'clock position - try pulling out and pushing in on the top and bottom - and see if there is any flex or movement in the assembly. There should be none.. good luck, Carl B.

Hi Adrian: Mark Belrose has HLS30 7940. It was an SCCA C-Production competition car. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL US http://ZHome.com

Interesting indeed. Have you ever seen so many candidates to vote for? We must have had 10 or 12 here!! I voted for the guy at the bottom of the list.... I thought he deserved to get at least one vote for all his trouble. FWIW, Carl B.

Not with you around Alan. By the way, how many 1969 production year JDM Z's were equipped with an A/T? For that matter how many before the introduction of the L24 there in Oct. 71? Back into your wheel Hamster....

Really.....? Wonder how I missed that fact..... Did you mean that A/T's were available "from day one", in the 240-Z's in Japan? That would put day one around Oct. of 1971 for the JDM 240-Z's, FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gary: I believe Courtesy only had about 7 sets left. Actually - I worked with a Spring Manufacturer that Bryan had located, and who expressed an interest in working with us. Bryan was the one that initially drug me into this... We sat up a Group Buy for the Internet Z Car Club and the Classic Z Car Club, so that the cost of the springs could be held to something reasonable, considering the custom build order. Courtesy Nissan supported our effort, buy paying the manufacturer for the entire order. Then they collected the funds from the people that had agreed to buy sets in the Group Buy, and shipped the springs out to each individual involved. I talked an owner that had purchased an NOS set of Euro Spec. Springs on E-Bay - into reselling them to me, so we could be sure that the reproductions were accurate in every detail. Being a real Z Car Fan he was willing to sell the NOS set to me, and he purchased a set in the Group-Buy as well. (Z Car People Are the Best - Mark Graham). I provided the spring spec.'s to the manufacturer, as well as the correct paint codes, and I keep track of who was signed up for the Group Buy. As I recall, out of the original order for 40 sets (4 springs in a set), we had about 33 sets pre-sold, and Courtesy held the remaining sets in their inventory, for later retail sales. They didn't last long.... We did the same thing with US Spec. Stock springs. I mention all this because without the support of Courtesy Nissan's Parts Department - I doubt any of it would have happened. This represented a lot of time and effort on the part of the guys at Courtesy - and all for next to no real profit. One more reason to give them your Parts Business if your going to order parts on-line from anyone. http://www.courtesyparts.com FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Al: The Metallic Blue 240-Z that I bought new at the end of 1971 - first received some head work, a set of triple Webers, Nissan Cam Kit, Bilstein Gas Shocks, Nissan Comp. Headers with 2.25 exhaust system and turbo muffler. BRE Front/Rear anti-sway bars, BRE Front/Rear Spook/Spoiler and headlight covers.... that was followed by a Type-A 5spd. and 4.11 rear gear. Then around 77.... I pulled the L24 and replaced it with an L28. Bored, head work, Euro Pistons, Nissan Cam Kit, fully balanced, triple Webers... added a 77 5spd. and Torsen/Gleason Posi unit in a 4.11 R200 (by BSR). To say I love this car is an understatement. My son (now 35) and I have taken it on several longer road trips over the years. It's just a blast to drive and rock stable; the faster you go the better it holds the road. The problem was.... the longer I had the car, the greater my fear that some old lady in a Yellow 75 Caddy would take it out.... Either because she ran a red light, or because I was sitting still at a red light and she didn't stop... Happens here in Pinellas County all the time.... So I quite driving it much... I decided to simply buy another 72 240-Z to DRIVE. Around 1995 - I found a one owner car here in St. Petersburg, refreshed it and keep it basically STOCK. White/Red combination. Getting older now, I needed more support for my back and hips on longer road trips - so I took the stock seats out and replaced them with great seats from an Accura Integra. Because my main use of the car was going to be longer road trips - I added an 83 5spd. and left the stock rear end in. This gave me a highway cruise at 70/80 mph - with lower engine RPM and thus far less engine noise in the cabin. I added the BRE front Spook and headlight covers, new gas shocks, ARE Libra's and 195HR14 tires. AIR the car had just under 60K miles when I bought it... On our first road trip in the White Z - after about 5 hours into the trip - I ask my son if he noticed anything different about this trip.... He said; "YES, I was just about to ask you the same question." Both of us had noticed that on this trip, we could hear one another talk, we weren't traveling in the 90 to 100 mph range (which was all too often normal in the Blue Z), and we let people pass us if they wanted to go over 75/80 mph on the freeway... They would pass and give a thumbs up - and we would simply wave and let them go. (something we just couldn't do in the Blue Z - we just couldn't let anyone pass...;-). Where the Blue Z urges you to go just a little faster.. and faster.. and faster. Where it urges you to slow down to 70 mph, just so you can feel it rush up over 130mph... Where the Blue Z demands your total attention to driving... because your constantly at high velocities.... The White Z - allows you to enjoy the trip. The White Z allows you to enjoy the company of the person that is along with you because you can hear them and carry on a conversation .... because your total focus isn't on SPEED.. trying to catch that car ahead.. and blow by them.. Performance/Speed is addictive - just like any drug... the more you have, the more you use and then the more you want. L24 to L28 to Turbo L28 to Corvette Power... it never ends. Until one day you have some mind altering experience.... Like taking a basically stock Datsun 240-Z on a trip... and realizing just how wonderful a Sport/GT it was to begin with. Grand Touring.... a pure stock 240-Z will run all day and all night at 90+ mph if you want to... but it will give just as much driving pleasure at 70 mph. If you want performance - go buy a good body shell and drop a Corvette motor in - rework the entire suspension and brakes. Skip the half measures in between, in the end it will save you a lot of money. Not to mention preserving the value of your stock 240-Z. Planning on taking your wife on a longer road trip - leave the Z basically stock. Enjoy the trip with HER and you'll both want to do it again. It is really a pleasure to enjoy a Classic Car in it's original incarnation. Just my experience... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gregg: Contact Inside Line Editor-in-Chief, Scott Oldham at: soldham@edmunds.com I do not have a phone number for him. FWIW, Carl B.