Carl Beck

I'm pretty sure that this has been discussed here - in an earlier thread someone posted pictures of their modified shift lever - they had cut it off and rewelded it in another position, then bent it. Nissan Competition used to sell a "Competition Shifter" that was made to install the newer Type B Competition Transmissions in the Series I/II body. It looked a lot like the MSA Short Throw Shifter. See: http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/AandBtranny.htm Note that both the above - change the pivot point at the transmission as well as modifying the shift lever itself. I'm not going to tell you to use the "Search" function - but this is a case where it might do you some good. It doesn't look like anyone is actually going to measure theirs and send you information... per your request. good luck, Carl B.

Hi Mike / Bonzi Yes - that is a new one for the "List of 69's Found To Date". Bonzi - when you get it - let me know what the original engine serial number was. It should still have its engine compartment Data Tag, so you should be able to tell the original engine serial number. Sounds like it is worth saving... good find... I'm sure that several of the people that called wanted it for Vintage/Historic Racing... they wouldn't care if the original engine was in the car or not - they just need a build date prior to 1970. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ron: Actually qw know it's not the math - - - the answer is: 2 Z's plus all the other junk that it takes to refresh one... Work Bench Parts Cleaner Compressor and Air hoses Package Racking to hold the parts Tool Chest + roll around tool cart Torch Set Pressure Washer & Steam Cleaner Shop Vac Small Parts Storage Ben Engine Stands Engine Lift Jack Stands Jacks - at least two Car Washing & Detailing Stuff - buckets etc. Lets see - what else am I squeezing between, triping over or having to move around?? Oh yes - a couple of cars:tapemouth If I could just put a 24x24 addition on this garage, I might have some room to workROFL FWIW, Carl B.

Hi mally002: Looks like the construction is coming along quickly... Now is the time to build!! Tell us about the "loft area" - - does that mean you'll have enough height outside the loft to put a four post lift in? Sure wish I had made my garage with 14' high walls, instead of the usual 8'. I just didn't realize how inexpensive four post lifts would become... keep the pictures coming... FWIW, Carl B.

OK - I'll bit.... "tibZ" ??? wannaz I understood... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi ohio260Z That is very interesting - for the benefit of us all - could you show us the page in your regular insurance policy, where it states " Agreed Replacement Value $8,000.00". I would guess it's on your Declarations Page or within the Comp/Collision section... I'd just like to see it in the Policy, to see exactly were it is, and exactly what is written. So we all know where to look and what to look for... thanks, Carl B. BTW - I lived in Ashland, and when in Columbus I worked for Nationwide for a while... small world...

Hi Jim: Advanced Auto - at least shows the correct part in their On-line inventory... They did not have one in Stock at the Store, nor in the Stores in this Area (nothing new), but said they could order it. I didn't order it, because I needed it now of course. Bumper To Bumper Auto Parts said they showed the number on "backorder" and did not have a "expected date" shown... I wound up over-hauling the one on the car. Searching on line, it looks like you are right. All the "new" one's show pictures of the 9/71 Forward, and the reman's show the correct master - but without the reservoirs. Interesting... FWIW, Carl B.

Just FYI - - Our local Advanced Auto Parts (as well as others) sell a couple different after-market brands/types of Brake Master Cylinders for the pre 8/71 Z Cars. One type is $135.00 - but it comes WITHOUT the fluid reservoirs - so you have to remove the old one's from yours and put them on the replacement. Another type is $185.00 and comes with new reservoirs. NOTE - the rubber stoppers in the reservoir caps will dissolve in brake fluid over time. They turn into a thick black gooe.. So if you use your old reservoirs, be sure to order new caps. This is a very common problem with cars parked in the barn for 6+ years... FWIW, Carl B.

As I recall, 810 was the model number. The base model got only the model number, and the "Maxima" was an upgraded trim package, that included A/T on the 77/79's. As I recall the 80's Maxima was V6 with Front Wheel Drive.. actually much better styling. However the Toyota Cressida with an in-line six and far better build quality was the market leader in that class from 81 forward, although the class was small. They were both relatively expensive for a Japanese import and Datsun/Toyota buyers were not for the most part looking for high prices. One of the managers I worked with had a 82 Cressida - very impressive car at the time. If I could find a low mileage example - I'd buy one today. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Poindexter: For SURE... with the right routing coming from Ohio South.. you could do the Tail. Here is picture from one of the Annual ZDayz in Fontana, NC. Large Z Car Meets there, along with my white 72 at one of the scenic stops along the Tail. It's beautiful scenery and wonderful driving in a Z just getting there and going home.. http://www.zdayz.com/ FWIW, Carl B.

Just as an aside - The color codes that the manufactures use, along with the formula the paint supplier creates - that specifies the exact amount of which if their color tints are mixed - - - are originally based on the type of paint and type/quality of color tints that were current and specified when the cars were produced. Even then - minute differences in the droplet size, dispensed by various color mixing machines could result in slight differences of the resulting shades of the same color. GM used to sell "Factory Packs" where they took the actual paint being sprayed at the factory that day or week - and packaged it up for later use if necessary by their Authorized Dealers -to fix transport damage etc. Buying the Factory Packs was the closest you'd ever get to the actual color the factory put on the car. As paint systems, formula's, and base composition of materials used evolved over time - the paint manufacturers had to adjust their formulas, so that the newer technology paints and different color tints being used - could produce results as close as possible to the original colors - - they are close, but don't expect exact color matches to 20 or 30 year old paints, based on a formula that has been adjusted several times to account for several different types of paint.(fading, aging and environmental factors aside). Today, using modern paint types - if you do want to get a close as possible to the original color on a 240-Z, I'd agree that using a panel with the original color for color matching is the way to go. Keep in mind that what you see as "color" is reflected light - acrylic enamel from 30 years ago reflected light differently than todays base/clear systems, or todays single stage urethanes. They are just such different materials. The color matching systems look at the reflect light from the sample part, then using the modern color tints and considering the modern paint base - they create a formula that will get you as close as your going to get (if everything in the color matching system is up to spec. to begin with). As mentioned above - PPG seems to have evolved and corrected their formulas over the years about as well as anyone could, but don't be surprised if the paint you actually get is two to four shades off.. As mentioned above - if your looking for a certain end result - you'll have to buy extra paint and spray several large test panels - then select the one that is closest to your expectations... FWIW, Carl B. BTW - the 77/78 280Z had its rear chassis redesigned to reinforce it where necessary, to pass the required 10mph bumper standard, because the Federal Government would not give Nissan (or any other manufacture) another waver to the Standard, as they had in 1975. That resulted in additional strength in the rear frame rails, which required additional room under the rear deck - .. so they raised the metal floor and added the false interior floor to cover the spare.. from Aug. 76 85210-N4700 Comp-ShockAB rear bumper RH 85211-N4700 Comp-ShockAB rear bumper LH Up to July 76 85210-N4200 Assy-Absorber Rear Bumper RH 85211-N4200 Assy-Absorber Rear Bumper LH

Working as a New Car Sales Manager for a Datsun Dealership in 73, and selling Datsuns here in Florida in 74 - I can tell you that if Nissan had been able to produce three times as many 1200's and 510's we could have sold them in a heart beat in 73. The reputation the 510 had built was almost at it's peak - why Nissan decided to come out with a model change at this point is beyond me, and it was beyond all the other Dealers in Dealers Association at the time. By 73 you didn't really "sell" 510's - you just took orders and delivered the cars. The 610 was supposed to be an up-scale/luxury reincarnation of the 510 - but it completely lacked the wonderful personality of the 510. The 610 was actually a very nice car once you got the 510 out of your head, the problem was the public still wanted a Datsun 510 - and they simply went to Toyota as their next alternative.. It was an interesting situation - one that the Sales Force and I discussed - even after I moved down here to Clearwater. People would come in, with their decision to BUY a 510 already made. We would have to inform them that the 510 had gone out of production, and was being replaced by this wonderful new 610. The average Customer would say something to the effect of "well $^!#". then they would simply leave - they didn't want to hear about anything else. The had finally made up their mind that they wanted a 510 only to find they couldn't buy one.. The switch from the 1200 to the B210 went better - it was all about gas mileage in a known dependable car... The Trans/Am being over - the poor 610 never really got the enthusiasts hyped up.. So they continued to recommend the 510 - even if all you could find was a used one. They saw the 610 as overweight and not as tossable nor fun as the 510. Of course the US Emissions Standards also hurt the 610's performance.... and the price increase for the 610 didn't help sales either.. I'd buy a 610 Wagon in a heart beat if I could find one in excellent shape around here.... but you just don't see them anymore... FWIW, Carl B. BW - that little F-10 that was on E-Bay was amazing.

OK - credit China with having the intellectual honesty to chose the best design for their purposes... it is a magnificent structure and it does just shout CHINA. It seems the first step in developing design and engineering capabilities is to hire the best from around the world and learn from them. I should have googled it first... I think I'll go look at what else these Architects have done... FWIW, Carl B.

Looking at the DATSUN X-Link: Personally, I'd be OK with the styling for 2010. Make it 1200cc, 110HP and less than 2000lbs - that sells pretty well equipped for $11,995.00 (and actually sells for that!!). Make it rear wheel drive, with a typical DATSUN bulletproof engine and drive train... 21mpg in town and 38 on the highway. Build a lot of Customer VALUE into it - and yes, it would be a modern DATSUN. Of course it would have to be sold through a NEW Dealer Chain where the new Authorized Dealers were real car people and hungry to build a successful dealership. Dealers that actually own and operate their Dealerships and actually deal day to day, face to face with their customers... Yep - you couldn't build them fast enough. Send it to your typical Nissan Dealer - and it would represent another FLOP... they want to sell $35K Maxima's now, or $32K Pickup's... At $12K they would let the little car sit on the back lot.. or blow you out the doors if you came in and ask for one.. DATSUN was about 25% the actual cars/trucks, 50% the Authorized Dealers and their Service/Parts Departments and 25% DATSUN USA. The people at DATSUN actually listened to their Customers and delivered the high quality cars/trucks they wanted to buy - at prices they could afford. Every Datsun had a large dose of Customer Value... Something that seems to have been all but completely lost in todays market.... As the standard of living of middle class America, goes steadily downward - the need for low priced new cars will grow here. Toyota was very wise to start their low priced brand - and Nissan has a huge advantage in the DATSUN Brand Name... who ever actually wants to buy a Sicon?... Every car nut would love to have a new DATSUN.. even if for their kids.. FWIW, Carl Beck Clearwater, FL

I agree with everyone - Shawn Johnson is the darling of the 2008 Games for America. So cool, so confident for a 16 year old - and yes a smile that makes you smile back. She is just too adorable. Whoever Shawn has for a "Sports Agent" will be smiling all the way to the bank - if we had 10% of what she is about to generate in revenue we'd all be rich!! Nastia Liukin has pressures that Shawn doesn't - Nastia had to fulfill her parents dreams and expectations - her expression and her attitude show a little resentment I believe. Nonetheless she is a thing of beauty to watch - Classic Lines - I'll bet if you saw her with her hair down, and smiling at someone or something - you'd be amazed how pretty that girl is. Another one with a very bright future if she adjusts her attitude - and doesn't become an alcoholic or druggy resenting the pressure her parents put on her to ACHIEVE.... their dreams? The Chinese Gym Team - they were so cute - little girls are so cute when they lose their baby teeth and smile with that gaping hole in front. I tell the boys (now 38/35) if I had known now neat little girls were - I'd have traded them in at the start! Delayed development from physical exercise... my arse! Nonetheless they were very good... I look at the Birds Nest - and wish I had the artistic ability to have become and Architect. The Design and Build of that structure is simply magnificent - so perfectly cultural and reflective of China growing industrial powers. If they are developing that level of Design and Engineering capabilities - can you imagine what cars we'll see coming from there in the near future? Phelps? You certainly can't take anything away from him. Strikes me as a fairly level headed young man and all reports are that he's a very "nice guy". No question "Best Swimmer". He also recognized the fact that for him to set a new record of "8" - he had to go with one of the best "TEAMS" ever put together. The 32 year old (forgot his name already - now sad)... really accounted for two of Phelps 8 Gold Metals... and I was glad to see Mr. Phelps recognize that in most of his interviews with the media. Instead of counting TOTAL Gold Medals in that sport - because so much depends on what TEAM you happened to go with that year - the focus should be on Individual Medals. I wonder how many other guys received as many Individual Gold Medals.. only had the bad luck of going to the Games with a Silver Medal Team.... Love the Women's Beach Volleyball !! Just my impressions... Carl B.

Fay was originally projected to come up the West Coast of Florida.. and turn in at about the Tampa Bay area.... Of course that didn't happen, it very rarely does. Looks like Fay went all but completely around us here in Clearwater. Three days of clouds, very short rain showers blown by at most 30mph winds.. The truth is - The East Coast and Central Florida really need that type of storm and/or weather patterns - it helps prevent Forest Fires and refills the ground water table... Of course no one needs 25" of rain in a 24 hour period!! Looks like you are going to get a bit more before this is past... Stay Dry.. FWIW, Carl B Clearwater/St. Petersburg

Hi Ron: Thanks - I'd never seen that. The Data Plate looks like a photograph.. and the source is credited to Nissan.. We have a pretty good idea that the car was produced -the question still remains as to it ever having been sold to the public or retained by NMC USA. Perhaps for the US Federal Governments destructive crash tests.. Regular production cars had to be used for the MVSS certifications.. Very interesting nonetheless FWIW Carl B.

Amen Ron! Analyze what you design, build what you analyzed, test what you built and feed the results back to the analysis. Iterate until you get the same results from testing the as-built as you got from the analysis. As Designed, Configuration Management, As Built. In the end, As Designed and As Built must be one and the same. Because any necessary changes to the design, have to be implemented with a Design Change Order first. Ideally changes are made to the Master one at a time, and everyone involved is notified - - but we usually don't live in an ideal world. Hard to explain the fundamentals to people that haven't had the pleasure of working in a manufacturing or production environment; but even harder to make the people that do work there follow and apply them!! Some of the reasons that the Factory Service Manuals and Parts Catalogs may or may not perfectly match your car. There is a TV Show named "How It's Made". Produced by the Canadian Dept. of Education for Public Broadcast. It is a wonderful show and provides some insight to the world of manufacturing. A world that perhaps 95% of the people never see. FWIW, Carl B.

The harder edged ones, were developed and sold by aftermarket vendors here in the US. They extend the side body line around to the end of the hood, making that harder edge you note. I'm not certain, but as I recall the earliest vendor of headlight covers here in the US was BRE. They first sold the Fiberglass covers, for use on race cars, then offered the clear plastic versions. The Nissan OEM Covers were more rounded and smooth out that hard body line. "Original Style"?? I guess that depends on how you think of it. The Nissan Factory OEM head light covers remind me of the production originals on the earlier E-Type. Many people here in the US didn't like the trim ring sticking up above the body and thought that they looked to "added on" rather than designed in. They also objected to the relatively high price charged though the Parts Dept. The fiberglass head light nacelles on the 70-73 Z's have quite large production tolerances allowed, so it seems that no two sets are perfectly alike (that's an understatement). The factory covers overlap the headlight nacelles so perfect fit on the inside edge is not needed, then use an overlapping trim ring to hold them in place. (and thus they stick up above the body surface) If you buy the aftermarket type, which mount more or less flush to the body surface, because they mount inside the headlight nacelles, you'll find that they don't fit perfectly inside the fiberglass headlight nacelles either - for the same reason - production variations in the dimensions. This is far less a problem with the 73 steel headlight nacelles. Nonetheless, you usually have to "shave-to-fit" the plastic covers inside the headlight nacelles. Very seldom does anyone get it perfect on the first set they install. (for that matter neither on the fifth or tenth set!). Nonetheless from a few feet way they are close enough for most people. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Kats: I would recommend taking the test drive routing North, loop though Canada as they did - it is beautiful driving country!! Then back into the States, and take the Northern route across the top of the USA, come down around the Great Lakes into Ohio (land of beautiful water) and head South though the mountains into Georgia (with stop in Atlanta) and on down to Florida. Plan your trip at the end of Sept to the first part of Aug. It gets cool early in the Northern part of the US and lower part of Canada. By the end of Aug. it is possible to run into heavy snow in the mountain passes. No offense to the people in AZ, NM, TX, LA... but that route is shall we say less interesting, less green, and boringly flat.. I believe that the Notes from the Test Crew - means the Test Crew arrived back at NMC by the 20th of Dec. - to find the first car with the improved parts was already there. HLS30 0008 was the Cover Car for Road and Track Magazine - and it was on display at the 1969 SCCA Run Off's by Nov.26th Every indication I've ever found - from the people involved and press coverage etc indicated that all three of the Press Cars arrived just after the middle of Oct. 69. So they must have been flown in from Japan. The first ship to arrive in L.A. with 20 Z Cars included in the shipment, arrived in late Jan. 1970. That is where BRE got their first Datsun 240-Z. Cars 0009 though 00015 - no one really knows for sure yet. Since the mid-70's there have been "stories" or "urban legends" about them. The most usual is that they were sent to Canada for further cold weather testing, or that they were the cars used for the US's Safety crash testing and certification programs. Some people belive that they were given to some of the private race teams like 0008 was. According to the Nissan Parts Catalogs HLS30-00013 was the first sold to the public. I have been in contact with people that claim to have seen it. One person sent me a picture, but I couldn't see the VIN. That person wrote to tell me that his friend had the car then sold it. So it is "possible" that 00013-00015 are out there, but so far we've never been able to track them down. (I've been looking since 1974). FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Kats: Perhaps... just maybe... The Test Crew arrived at NMC the 20th of Dec. to find the first car to arrive with the new parts had already been received while they were on the road test. By Dec. 20th the Jan. issue of R&T was on the news stands. Magazines usually are printed and delivered before the Issue Date. That sentence you had a question about might read if more fully explained - - -This car is the first one "to be built with the new steering and drivetrain parts" and pictured in the road and track issue of Jan 1970. That would make sense - it would have been HLS30 0008. It was silver and delivered to Bob Speckman (a private racer) by the Datsun Competition Department, in the fall of 1970, after Nissan was done using it for publicity etc. It was in the L.A. Auto Show, was the cover car for R&T and was sent to the 1969 SCCA Runoffs (Nov. 26-30) as a show car. HLS30 0008 was raced as car #14 at the 24 Hours of Daytona and was the first Z to finish the race. It finished 4th O/A. It is still being raced in Vintage Events by Dr. Bork FWIW, Carl B.

John Williams 770-806-2926 You won't find any better FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Filipe: Your Z looks wonderful - you have to be very proud of it. When David comes to visit us in Florida - we put him to work!! Here's a picture of David sitting on a friends car - his Uncle is standing next to him. By the time they left we had the car stripped to a bare shell and ready to go to the body shop. Standing to the far right is Jim, that's his garage. FWIW, Carl B.

I doubt it will take Greg long to get used to that GT-R... and take it to the track.. Thanks for posting the pictures - just wish Miami wasn't so far away... or maybe it wasn't so hot in Aug/Sept here in Florida... Looks like you have a good group of enthusiasts in your area.. Carl B.

From earlier threads - Kats said that the test cars were Pre-production or Primary Production prototypes #14 and 15 ---------------------------from the last corrections to the referred thread - - --- May 1969 - total 2 cars - one domestic, one export: 1 = S30-00001 (Factory prototype 1) 2 = HLS30-00001 (Factory prototype 2) June 1969 - total 1 car - domestic: 3 = PS30-00001 (Factory prototype 3) July 1969 - total 4 cars - two domestic, two export: 4 = HLS30-00002 (Primary Production prototype 1) 5 = S30-00002 (Primary Production prototype 2) 6 = PS30-00002 (Primary Production prototype 3) 7 = HS30-00001 (Primary Production prototype 4) August 1969 - total 7 cars: 8 = S30-00003 (Primary Production prototype 5) 9 = S30-00004 (Primary Production prototype 6) 10 = S30-00005 (Primary Production prototype 7) 11 = PS30-00003 (Primary Production prototype 8) 12 = HLS30-00003 (Primary Production prototype 9) 13 = S30-00006 (Primary Production prototype 10) 14 = PS30-00004 (Primary Production prototype 11) -------------------------------------------------------- Production for Sept of 69 9 Domestic 2 Exports 11+11 in Sept is 22. So the two exports in Sept had to be HLS30 0004 and 0005, with domestics filling in the blanks. Add any HS30 in Sept. and it becomes impossible for the test cars to fill positions 14 & 15, as the total would have been 22 or above going into Oct. As mentioned the test cars arrived the 9/10th of Oct. so they couldn't have been produced after that. Past that point, HLS30 0006, 0007 and 0008 arrived just after mid Oct. 69, in time to make the North American Show Car Circuit in late Oct. 69 - LA and NY being the first of the series then. So I don't see how the build of HS30 0002/3/4 could effect anything.. I could be missing something... FWIW, Carl B.