Carl Beck

Hi Kats: The Red car is HLS30 00007. The photographer that took some of the original pictures of the cars in early Oct. 1969 contacted me some time ago and I now have some of his original negatives and photo's. (he kept the one's that Nissan did not purchase for publication at the time). FWIW, Carl B.

HI Kats: No - I noticed yours because 5 or 6 of the 69 production year cars I've seen still have one or both. AIR #20 had one, and one regular bolt (not even a wing head) in the air cleaner. There are actually two slightly different types with the nut wrapped by the wing... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ron: Great video - and the roadster sounded wonderful. Do you suppose you could have pulled a little higher gearing on that track? regards, Carl B.

Hi Gregg: Great story - you were born about the same time as the Z. Might as well go right for the 3.1L again... Good luck with your project. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ron: Thanks - should be a 5 page article on the BRE Baja Z in the upcoming issue of Classic Motorsports (Sept. issue I believe). Chip Fouse is a real talent... would be great to talk to him about Design. Good thing he's still relatively young - we've lost a lot of the old guard in the past few years. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Brandon: Great idea. But which is it? "Yellow Zinc" or "Cad. Plated with yellow chromate treatment?(quite a difference in price and performance). Are you talking about finding/buying Japanese Metric (JIS) sizes? Would the exact shape and type of the bolt heads be identical to OEM used in each case? Exactly how many individual bolts and or nuts are you talking about ? If they were exact matches to the originals - I'd think you could sell hundreds of sets over time. If they are not exact matches to the originals - the market might be somewhat smaller. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gang: Yes - we have "cruise-in's" here in the Tampa Bay area as well - have had for decades. They are in the evenings and held on the same days almost every week. The Cars & Coffee gatherings early Saturday mornings are held only once a month - and they seem to draw an almost completely different crowd of people. Morning People perhaps? Car Enthusiasts rather than Street Rod'ers, Drag Racers, Drifters etc. Just thought it was a slightly different concept to hold Saturday AM meets - and one that could be supported by businesses and/of sponsored by clubs - other than drive in restaurants. They are all fun... FWIW, Carl

It would be very interesting to get a wide-band A/F meter/recorder on that engine - then dyno tune it... Would be interesting to see if the SM's are too rich.... I've seen several reports that they are - but it would be good to see a direct comparison with supporting dyno runs..(on the same engine, same day, same dyno etc). Everything sure looks great... FWIW, Carl B.

This is a real heart-breaker ... Scott lived just South of us in Palmetto, Florida. I had the pleasure of meeting his Father Connie in the early 60's when he ran at West Salem's Dragway 42. Of course the speeds were lower then.. but the danger is always there..The entire family is top shelf... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rick: Cars & Coffee - is a "non-club", "non-marque specific" event - that encourages a very diverse gathering of cars. Many people simply do not have the time, nor desire to belong to a club, and this gives them an opportunity to share their car and automotive enthusiasm with others, when they have the time to do so. Most of the local car clubs hold monthly meets of course. FWIW, Carl B.

Hello Everyone: While it seems that the Z Car Community has broken itself into generation specific sub-cultures; only to come together once or twice a year at the major Z Car events; there is a movement afoot to bring "Car Enthusiasts" together in local areas at least once a month. This is an interesting concept and one I believe we should all support and encourage. It's originator calls it "Cars and Coffee". It's held the third Saturday of each month hosted by the "duPont Registry" in their corporate offices parking lot. It starts at 7:00AM and is over by 9:00AM, leaving the rest of the weekend free. The idea is simply to get Car Nuts in the local area together for a couple hours once each month, to meet one another and talk "cars", have a cup of coffee if you like and appreciate the diversity of automotive interests in your local area. Today, we had about 15 Ferrari's, 1 Audi R8, 1 1968 Camero RS/SS Convert, 1 Lambo, 1 1958 Chevy Station Wagon Full Custom, 1 Continuation Cheetah.... well you get the picture... about 150+ really neat vehicles... Why 7:00AM?.... No traffic on the roads at that time Saturday morning, so it's relatively safe to bring your pride and joy out. Plus it's cool in the morning in the parking lot. Ending at 9:00AM leaves everyone free to do all the things needed on the weekend... Yes it takes a little effort, but believe me it is well worth it... especially if you enjoy meeting and networking with fellow "Car Nuts" in your local area. Local Z Car Clubs could start this - working with their local Nissan Dealers, or local shopping Malls etc. Local automotive related business could also start this - it may take a year before word spreads by word of mouth... but you'll be amazed at the number of cars that show up each time. Coffee - supplied by a mobile Starbucks vendor - the Host business or organization has people there to greet the arrivals, walk them around and introduce them their fellow Car Nuts as necessary... just as good Hosts would do anywhere... Attached is a note from the Publisher of the duPont Registry - Mr. duPont is the originator of the "Cars and Coffee" get-together and wants to see the idea spread... Just takes a very little effort and a lot of sticking too it... I especially like this months Publisher's Letter.. http://www.dupontregistry.com/ FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL http://Zhome.com

Do you have a picture of the console you want to put in? Carl B.

Hi Bob: The story of Datsun in the USA is a great story to tell. Earlier - I should have also said that "part" of the story of Datsun in the USA can be found in the book that John B. Rae wrote, "NISSAN/DATSUN - A History of Nissan Motors Corporation in U.S.A., 1960-1980". The hope is that the DHM will contain information that expands greatly upon Mr. Rae's book, and exhibits the powerful combination of an entrepreneurial spirit in a free market, with responsive corporate structures. Not only was Mr. K and Datsun successful here, they helped make over a thousand Dealers successful beyond their dreams, while providing tens of thousands of good paying jobs for others. In these days of bashing Large Corporations and International Trade, this is a story that needs more public attention. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gang: 26th Z called and suggested that many people had many questions about the Datsun Heritage Museum aka DHM, for which Bob C. had put some items on e-bay. The Datsun Heritage Museum is really the brainchild of Fred Jordan, and as Bob mentioned Fred was the Sales Manager for the first DATSUN Dealership in the US. Fred also founded the Z Car Club of the Inland Valley (ZCCIV) and has had a very close relationship with Mr. K for decades. Fred is first and foremost a "DATSUN Enthusiast", and perhaps one of people in the US with the longest personal history with the marque. (he started at a very young age). The DHM is at this point a reality, but lets say it was just born. Still an infant, with lots of growing to do. Well past the "concept" stage - but not fully developed and ready to run. That means that are hundreds of "To Be Determined" (TBD's) to pin down. So I'm sorry to say that the hundreds of questions that can be thought of - simply do not yet have clear answers. It will take time.. and good people are working tirelessly on it at present .... What I can tell you at this point: DHM Creed: The Datsun Heritage Museum is a 501©(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the education and preservation of the history and the products relating to Datsun/Nissan. Documenting; “The greatest Automotive Story Ever Told.” All donations to the museum are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Please consult with your accountant. DHM Officers and Borad Of Directors: Officers/Directors: Masataka Usami President Fred Jordan Vice President Betty Jordan Treasurer Johnnie Gable Secretary Directors: Robert O. Link Yoichi Matsumoto David Ochenreider Dan Banks Honorary Board Members: Yutaka Katayama Gunnie Vacha Mitsuo Katayama Yoshihiko Matsuo Eiichi Shimizu Carl Beck Summary: Fred has pulled lots of individual strings together, rolled them into a single ball - and got the ball rolling. This has been a huge task that has taken a major investment of his time; and its a huge accomplishment to say the least. Lots of people have great ideas, few like Fred turn them into reality. He has established a vision of the DHM and ask a core group of people to help him more fully define that vision, do some initial planing and organizing and in effect move that ball forward to the next stage of development. Various options/plans are being discussed related to the final location of the DHM, initial efforts to define its content and scope are underway. All too preliminary and too numerous to go into at this point.. A thousand details have yet to be determined - as things progress a little farther, I'll try to keep you all informed... In the meantime - like Bob said - go to E-Bay and put your money down. It wil help fund the initial stage - and we'll be back at you when the massive fund raising starts ;-) FWIW, Carl B.

You can watch the C-Span broadcast hearings I outlined here: http://www.c-spanarchives.org/library/index.php?main_page=product_video_info&products_id=205931-1 see if your perception is the same as mine... Takes one and half hours... Carl B.

Watch this: Basically the same thing that Congress was told... FWIW, Carl B.

Order them from your Nissan Parts Dept - yes use the Turbo Head Bolts. One of the few things that happen to the L series engines is blown headgaskets - so maintaining proper torque on the head bolts is critical... FWIW, Carl B.

Did any of you watch the "House Energy and Global Warming Committee" hearings last week on C-Span? The subject was "Oil Supply and Demand". Every American should be watching these hearings - they are simply AMAZING... I'll give my recap: Five panel witnesses... all recognized experts in their fields. From Major Universities, Think Tanks, and even an investment banker. All pretty much either said the same thing, or give testimony that supported one another's facts, statements of facts or positions. The single exception was the representative from the Sierra Club - who did not refute any of the sworn testimony - but simply did not want to drill for oil anywhere, nor build nuclear energy plants anywhere, nor build refineries anywhere, etc etc. All that testified agreed that: - we (the USA) have plenty of oil, coal, natural gas etc. etc. - we can't expect OPEC to drill for more oil, or produce more when we refuse to do so ourselves. - speculation is driving prices up currently, but it's a bubble that will burst... all agreed that the laws passed during the Clinton Administration, should be reversed - to limit the speculators again. - about 20% of our imported oil comes from the OPEC producers ... 80% from friendly countries like Canada and Mexico etc. Imported oil accounts for about 45% of our use, so OPEC accounts for about 9% of our import oil. - all agreed that the US needs no one single answer - we should be doing everything.. building nuclear power plants, using Wind and Solar, drilling our shale oil in Montana, opening up Alaska, drilling off shore (the Cuban's are already 45 miles off the coast of Miami, and so are the Chinese). Using energy more efficiently and conserving where-ever we can. - all agreed that the US has enough domestic supply of oil, coal and natural gas to supply our current energy demand for about 100 years. -All agreed that our biggest problem is politics in Washington DC. Two of the witnesses stated that bluntly, openly and honestly to the Representatives on the Committee!! I've never seen that happen as directly in any House or Senate Committee Hearings - IT WAS AMAZING!! HATS OFF TO: Amy Mayer Jaffe of Rice University and Ms. Hubbert of the 21st Century Energy Committee. They had the BALLS to tell it like it is, in sworn testimony!! They said both Democrat and Republican alike were causing our current PAIN and it MOST STOP!!. - All agreed that there are NO US OIL COMPANIES... only Global Corporations finding and recovering oil where-ever it is the least expensive for THEM. Our laws, passed for political reasons, make it VERY Expensive to operate in the US. That means a huge outflow of US Dollars to countries around the world... rather than circulating here in the US Economy. - All seemed aware that while global average temp's had gone up over the past 30 years - they also all knew that the average temps had not gone up at all over the past eight years... Though-out the hearings - the Chairman of the Committee, seemed to completely ignore all/any sworn testimony related to facts - and every statement out of his mouth simply repeated the Political Propaganda and Slogans his party outlined as talking points... Presented with fact and figures, compiled by the Countries leading Geologists and Scientists, from the Countries leading Universities and Research Lab.'s - - that proved the Chairman's statements completely wrong - he still kept repeating them - and bashing the "current administration"... Even when told that laws passed during the Clinton Administration were far more favorable to the Oil Companies and Wall Street... I'm telling you - his performance was absolutely sickening.... Rep. Markey from MA. IMHO if the people that elected him had watched this they would throw him out of office... The only "Problem" we have is the politicians in D.C. - all of them... FWIW, Carl B.

curtis 240z: Can you show us a picture of your rear quarters. Maybe it would be less costly to get a body man that can fix yours - rather than simply replace them with very expensive NOS sheetmetal. FWIW, Carl B.

Having them, and having them for sale is not quite the same thing. Are you SELLING?? Carl B.

What or where is "Ballina"?? New rear quarters are $2,800.00 apiece -are you sure you can't fix the one's you have? FWIW Carl B.

Re-check the valve adjustment on that cylinder - first time through you may have one that slipped out of adjustment... If everything is OK on the valve adjustment - run a compression test. It is possible to have a small piece of carbon stuck to the exhaust valve - holding it open. It is very very rare to have a valve stick and get hit by the piston in an original, stock, never milled head - L24 with 123K miles on it, let alone 23K miles... Something else is going on more than likely. Could be a blown head gasket... a bad spark plug (very rare but it happens).. keep looking... Carl B.

The single biggest problem with driving a 240-Z on longer road trips - is finding a passenger that you want to share a road trip with, who will let you do ALL the driving, without bitching about how fast your going!! ;-) Always glad to hear from others that have used their 240-Z in a Grand Touring mode... They are simply amazing cars. I've covered all 48 lower States and a lot of Canada in my 240-Z's over the past 38 years. No matter how good the camera, all you can hope to capture are a few visual records, that remind you of the actual event. The US and Canada have breathtaking scenic beauty and it is not only visual - but must be experienced by all the senses to really be appreciated. The amazingly clean, crisp mountain air at noon, or the heavy warmth of driving through the clouds in the morning. The smell of wheat fields rolling almost forever through the mid-West, the smell of thousands of acres of corn fields, the smell of fresh cut hay... Camp out a few nights, spend a few nights at good hotels. Take the time to drink the local water, brew fresh coffee at dawn in the mountains and watch the sun rise. Come home after covering several States in a week or two... and you will have a whole different perspective on personal freedom and the natural as well as man made wonders of the US and Canada. FWIW, Carl B.

Ah.. great - thanks... Carl B.

Hi Mike: Yes - I'd put them back in. They seem to be pretty rare and gives you yet another talking point to show people on such a rare Z Car. I have pictures of about 20 69 Production Year cars - and so far only two have the longer luggage straps with the buckle. Looks like Ron found one also... FWIW, Carl B.