Carl Beck

Hi Alan: Are the slits and cutout areas in the mats - for extensions that allow the seat tracks to be mounted farther forward in the JDM models? Carl B.

I can't, but many people seem to be doing just that. Perhaps the thought that started this thread is more correct than not. The media discussion, the political propaganda and the responding automobile marketers all depend on everyone sucking up the 15 second "feel good" sound bits, and then repeating them as though they were true. Most of us are old enough, experienced enough to know that subjects of this nature are extremely complex to say the least. The problem is we don't usually have the time to personally research any of these "Green Slogans" to find what is being traded-off for the reported end result. We also allow ourselves to be diverted from the objective we all support - ie a cleaner/greener earth for everyone - when we are refocused on simplistic solutions. Simplistic Solution #1 - Americans should drive cars that get better fuel economy. Is the Prius the car that serious environmentalists should put their money into? I use the term "environmentalists" here to actually mean the people that want to care for the earth, in scientifically proven ways; as opposed to the new Socialists politically correct "environmental movement" that is based mostly on junk science and feel good propaganda. For Example: Go Green - Buy a Used Car. It's better than a Hybrid. "As Matt Power notes in this month's issue of Wired, hybrids get great gas mileage but it takes 113 million BTUs of energy to make a Toyota Prius. Because there are about 113,000 BTUs of energy in a gallon of gasoline, the Prius has consumed the equivalent of 1,000 gallons of gasoline before it reaches the showroom. Think of it as a carbon debt -- one you won't pay off until the Prius has turned over 46,000 miles or so. There's an easy way to avoid that debt -- buy a used car. The debt has already been paid. But not just any used car will do..... See: http://blog.wired.com/cars/2008/05/the-ultimate-pr.html or Toyota Prius proves a gas guzzler in a race with the BMW 520d. http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/used_car_reviews/article3552994.ece Here is another interesting perspective: Hummer vs Prius - the Hummer is Greener... http://www.vegfamily.com/earthtalk/hummer-prius.htm Everything is a trade-off, I think we all realize that - - and if we are to really make a difference in the future of our environment - we need to know the entire story. I'm not saying any of the above are true or even perfectly factual - just that they deserve your consideration, and if we are serious about the environment - perhaps we should seek more comprehensive information. We may be lead to doing more harm than good, so that others can profit in the short term. When chicken little is running around yelling "the sky is falling in" - we should learn from experience and be very very critical of that warning... and we should start looking for who is paying that chicken. Keep driving that old Z - its greener than most people realize. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: Three of the 69's I've owned had some the rubber mats - minus the driver side as Jim mentioned. Yes, some of the 510 models also had only rubber mats and yes they are similar.. but not interchangable. I also ordered the rubber mat for the rear of my 72Z, when I bought the car in late 71. Didn't think to order the complete set back then... FWIW, Carl B.

Is your 137 a Right Hand Drive model? That looks just like the Right Hand Passenger side of the Left Hand Drive cars... but then there is no cut-out for accel. pedal either...hummm FWIW, Carl B. Oops... Arne beat me by two minutes...

But the disparity you point out - is between the Past 100 years and the present. The disparity we should be worried about is that of the future. The disparity between North America with it's clean air acts, EPA, CARB and OSHA's etc etc... vs. China/India with none of the aforementioned. The disparity between the damage done by three hundred million people vs that which is going to be done by an additional three or four billion people if they are allowed to continue on their present path. I agree - but the masses are in China/India/Southeast Asia. When they work to become as green as we already are - then we can work on a level playing field from there. It's not just oil - its all fossil fuels. How much soft coal is Canada burning? How much is China burning today? The air is so dirty in China that many Olympic Teams are talking about not attending the games there for fear of their health. I truly believe we need to put the focus on where the major part of the problem will be - not where it was in the past. Of even more concern to me - is the effects of deforestation. If you want to go green - we have to stop cutting every tree in the world down... and that has NOTHING to do with CAFE. FWIW, Carl B.

The article is intended to show you how to do the fix - without welding. You just cut and drill - and bolt together. For example see below - Of course you can replace the mechanical linkage, with a modern cable type - hot rodders do it all the time, but then that might also involve welding new brackets in place.. FWIW, Carl B.

Your comment sounds like sour grapes to me... jealous perhaps? FWIW, Carl B.

Actually the car's body lines curve... and that is one reason many people install the side markers wrong. I think it would be better to say that the lens of the side markers has to be parallel to the car's centerline. just a thought.. Carl b.

The Amount Drive is one thing - but really not that important in the overall game of averages. It's the Passenger Miles Per Gallon that really count. I've been driving Datsun 240-Z's since March of 1970. For many many years the 240-Z was my DD. On typical short trips to/from work, to/from the Mall etc... I was lucky to average 15 mpg in town. Pull the choke on, drive three or four miles and shut the engine down. Same thing on the return trip - and both in stop and go traffic. Today - 38 years later - my wife's Yukon averages 14/15 mpg during the same use, only it's running on unleaded fuel, and has reduced harmful emissions by 98.6%. Where the Z carried only my wife and I on longer vacation trips and averaged about 22/23 mpg... the Yukon carries my wife, my daughter, my dog and I - and averages about 17/18 mpg. The 240-Z and the Yukon break even in stop and go traffic. The 240-Z averaged 44/46 passenger miles per gallon. The Yukon averages 51/54 passenger miles per gallon. "Saving The Environment" used to mean running vehicles at greatly reduced air pollution levels. We have accomplished that in spades!! Now the meaning has been redefined - to using less fossil fuels!!! Overall Consumption has to be world wide!! I suggest that the "using less" discussion needs to be held with China and India FIRST. Every drop of oil we Americans pay to save - fuels China and India's booming industrial economy with cheap oil. It does NOTHING to reduce total consumption. In fact quite the opposite effect. If you believe the world should use less fossil fuels - then the more we Americans use now, the higher the price of oil will be - the higher the price, the fewer Chinese/Indians will be able to afford it, and the slower their economies will grow. We've done our share, we've lead the world in reducing air pollution, removing lead from gasoline etc etc etc - now it's time to hold the other 95% of the worlds population to the same standards. FWIW, Carl B.

Well there is "something"... The SEMA Action Network. Every car club, every car nut should be an active part of it. As far as I know it's the only professional lobby representing "us" at the State and Federal Governmental levels today. They have been and continue to be very successful on our behalf. http://www.semasan.com/ FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Terence: Not just your opinion. Carl B.

Did your Father buy the 73 new in Spokane? Maybe he bought it from me! I was at Jaremko Motors and Valley Datsun in 73. Does he still have the 73 also? Good luck with the restoration.. FWIW Carl B.

Well - our age I guess. I can remember when you had to have a Church Key to open a can of beer, and it actually took some grip strength to crush a beer can... Of course I can also remember when all "soda" came in 6 or 8 oz. glass bottles and sold cold for a nickel. I sure wish they would put Pepsi back in returnable glass bottles... it was far better then... Some things have NOT improved with age...(present company excepted;-).. FWIW Carl B.

Want to force the guy to sell? Get to know one of the people on the City Commission, then start writing "citizens" complaints to local Zoning Enforcement Board about the "junk yard" in question. Get the people that are trying to sell property around that "junk yard" to file complaints saying that the ugly appearance of that lot is preventing potential buyers from bidding etc. Cars parked on lots - that do not run, are not registered etc - are usually in violation of local zoning ordinances - and the owners of the lots can face very heavy fines if they don't comply with Orders of Enforcement from the Zoning Enforcement people to clear the lot. I doubt that guy has a permit to run a recycling yard, I doubt that he has pan's under all the cars to catch oil/gas from them etc etc. Just two residents that live in that City (whatever it is) could force the issue... Even if the area is zoned as "industrial", I doubt he can run a junk yard there. Just a thought - FWIW, Carl B.

I see the shell of a Sunbeam roadster... but what makes anyone think it is a Tiger? Just curious? Carl B.

On the other hand..... 69 Production Year examples seem to bring $7K+ no matter their condition or completeness. The car might have been worth more had he NOT added yet another coat of paint that will now have to be removed... da... FWIW, Carl B

Come on - they haven't make beer cans out of steel for decades. FWIW, Carl B.

The Hunting Beach Concours is Saturday 31 May and Sunday 1 June 2008. They are accepting Datsun 240-Z's this year and looking to get more representatives for the Class on Sunday. They even have two Classes into which your "Classic Z Car" can be entered. "Concours" (for non-driven cars) and "Street" for pure stock 240-Z's that are driven weekends/pleasure. This is a significant show.. and a chance to show off your Classic Z Car. See: http://hbconcours.org/ Contact Bart McGrath at 714-960-2100 Many people have been working hard to get the Datsun 240-Z's into this type of event. So take the car cover off - and get out there... FWIW, Carl B.

Thanks Ron. I posted my warning after I requested the VIN from the seller and did not get a response. Given that we now have a public list of the VZ Vins.. a none response sent up the red flag for my part. I also notified E-Bay that the seller was using someone else's pictures and that the description seemed to lack complete honesty. Much later, I did finally receive the VIN from the seller... but by then the car had been removed from E-Bay. The owner is a ligit. guy - but just handled the whole E-Bay thing wrong...As it turned out, he did find another place to keep the car in the family, and decided to keep it that way. An ounce of prevention... I'd do the same thing again.. FWIW, Carl B.

Well that was fun - thanks Brandon Carl B.

Owner decided to keep it in the family. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Alan: Very good point - and it should bring us (well me) back to reality here. Symbolic meaning always boils down to the personal significance one assigns to the symbol. Now back to our regularly scheduled programing.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: Yes - I'm beginning to think that this could be a Goertz thing in more ways than one. Interesting nonetheless. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Jason: That is kind of my point. Earlier I ask if it was the signal flag or the letter Z that was the cultural symbol. I found it odd that the Japanese would have an English Letter used for a Japanese cultural symbol. On the other hand flags are in general used for national symbols... If Admiral Togo wrote in his ships log that he ran up the "Z" flag in 1905 - then years later when his ship was being restored Post WW-II ; and someone at that point in time looked up the then current signal flag, they would have found the Yellow,Blue,Red,Black example.... When they should have referred to the list of Navel Signal Flags in use circa 1905 in which case the actual flag used might have been the Blue/White example. It seems that the Yellow,Blue,Red,Black flag is used today by the Right Wing in Japan as a symbol. So if it is actually a Right Wing Symbol, flown by the Japanese Imperial Navy circa 1905 and then by the ship that lead the attack on Pearl Harbor... is it the same as the Swastika flag used by the Nazis Party in Germany? Japan's territorial expansion between 1875 and 1930 lead to the deaths of some 20 Million to 30 Million people. Does it meaning of "ultimate" actually refer to Imperial Japan's ultimate dominance of South East Asia?? If so, maybe we in the West shouldn't be pushing this flag as in any way associated with the Z Car. IMHO - Wikipedia is a great idea, and usually provides some information - but all to many times it provides wrong or misleading information. In my opinion it is still way to hard to get misinformation corrected. FWIW, Carl

Six years without a major change or upgrade with constant price increases -is partly the reason the 90+ lost sales... and ended the Z line in America. They need a totally new design... That Pontiac Soltice Coupe is looking better and better.. FWIW, Carl B.