Carl Beck

Hi E: I just went and dug out the parts... and looking at them carefully - To tell you the truth - I think I got the terms right as applied to the parts for the Z. The lower portion of the rear window guide - is named "rubber"... but I'm not positive of exactly what the material is. On the one hand it seems like a very hard foam rubber, but on the other hand it feels like, or has the texture of a rubberized compressed felt... At any rate: The Nissan Parts Catalog lists them as: (see attached Page below) Item #5 - Felt-Glass Run Door 80335-E4102 Item #6 - Rubber - Glass Run Door 80336-E8700 If you order #5 above - -- What you get is 80335-N3700... and it is described as "Felt-Glass Run Door" in the Parts Catalog - but when it shows up, the new Part Number Tag says: "Guide-Front WIN". {it is the same part number for the 2+2 up to 6/75} It fits fine as I have already installed one set on one of my 72 240-Z's. #5 - would appear to be a rubber base - with Fuzzy Felt applied on top of three surfaces as you describe. The rubber base is then in contact with the metal frame... and the fuzzy felt surfaces wrap around the glass. Thus it is called "Felt-Glass Run Door". #6 - would appear to be either a very hard foam rubber it's texture does look a bit like compressed felt.. but there is no fuzzy felt bonded to it, like there is on item #5, nor is it made of pure felt. FWIW, Carl B.

Bummer.. sorry to hear that... Carl B.

A proven fact in Motor Home use, where the brake lines are 35 feet long. Not really a problem in a 240-Z. True - it takes a lot of effort to bleed the brake system using DOT 5, and you do have to be careful not to aggitate it. Not recommended for "Competition Cars". Everything in life is a trade off of some kind. I've used DOT 5 in all my 240-Z's for over 30 years now. Saved a ton on money and greef on corroaded wheel cylinders, master cylinders and clutch systems. Very few of us are driving our 240-z's every day... and DOT 5 is ideal for cars given limited use and exposed to sitting for prolonged periods.. FWIW, Carl B.

Let us know what it turns out to be - but I agree with bobc - dead short in the battery. Had that happen to a brand new battery - it drove me nuts for a week trying to figure out what was happening... Took the battery in for a "Load Test" and the short showed up. The battery would take and hold a charge.... so I thought it was good, especially because it was new.... live and learn.... good luck, Carl B.

Check the front differential mount !!... lay under the car, put your strong arm/hand under the nose of the differential -PUSH UP AS HARD AS YOU CAN. If you can push the front of the differential up - the front mount is broken - replace it. Secondly - there is a "strap" that runs over the top of the nose of the differential - make sure that is in place and stoping the upward movement of the nose of the differential - that strap is there to help prevent breaking the front differential mount - by limiting the upward movement of the nose of the differential under acceleration from rest. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ryan: As I recall..... when you have the ignition switch on the "START" position, it by-passes the ballast resister and feeds 12 volts directly to the coil, when the switch returns to the "RUN" position the voltage going to the coil, is run though the ballast resister.... So if you have checked the ignition switch - check to see if you are getting voltage through the ballast resister. Many times it is as simple as a bad connection, broken wire or lose connection. Good luck, Carl B.

Hi Kats: Oh by the way - the reason I ask about finding and restoring some of the 240-Z's that were raced by either the Factory Backed Teams or Private Teams in Japan; was because it would seem that some of them should still be around, and maybe not as sought after as the 432's have been so far. Might be a good time to find one of them to buy and restore. Brian Long lists 16 races as "Notable outright victories in Japan" between 4/70 and 4/75. After the 240-Z was introduced into the competition in 7/70 the 240-Z's won 10 of the remaining 14. 3 Drivers are listed for the four 432 victories, but 6 different drivers are listed for the 240-Z's 10 victories - so it would seem that given the larger number of drivers, if not cars - some of the 240-Z's would have been located and restored to their historic spec.'s by now. Does Nissan have any in their collection in Japan? Have you located any of the original Drivers? As you know several of the noteworthy Drivers of the early Z's are still active in the Z Car Community here in the States and several of the early Championship cars are being or have been restored. <a href=http://www.canepa.com/inventory/racecar/240z.html TARGET=NEW>Brad Frisselle's IMSA GTU Championship Z</a> The "asking" price is $275K regards, Carl B.

Hi Kats: As always, very interesting. Do you have captions, for the pictures of Mr. Miyazaki? Is that him standing by the Z's and 510? What year was it taken? As I understand it - the conflict between the former Prince employees (Skyline Group?) and Nissan employees (Z Group?) continued far into the 90's. More understandable now, if Nissan used Prince's engine for the 432, but not the people that developed it, it would cause some hard feelings. It is a shame that Nissan Management allowed the two groups to compete within the corporation for so many years. Mass production and the sale of the Skylines in the US might have added significantly to the NISSAN brand here, as well as adding sorely needed revenue. The story is that when Renault took over - the Skyline group was finally forced to join the rest of the Nissan line-up. Of course the RB engine plant was shut down, the Nissan Competition Dept. in the USA was consolidated into the overall NISMO umbrella etc. So we might finally see the new Skylines sold here in the US. Of course with the very cheap cars predicted by Carlos and Toyota coming from China, we might well see the "DATSUN" brand brought back to the States as well. They are all saying a new car will be about $6K in the near future.... As a side note - seeing the 510 in the picture you Posted and speaking of the return of DATSUN, here is a picture of my latest Datsun - a 1972 510 Station Wagon! It has about 200K miles, is mostly all original, and runs like a top. The original engine has never been taken apart, and with the exception of the hood, left front fender and door - the paint is all original. I'm the third owner now. As much fun to drive today as it was in 1972. regards, Carl B.

Anyone have Brian Little's E-Mail Address? thanks, Carl B.

Window Channel Felt - Rubber ? They are both. The Felt runs from just below the door panel, at the rear of the door - up around the window frame, to the front side. Below the Felt, on the rear of the door - there is a piece about 18" long that is rubber. I believe that the rubber supplies firmer grip on the window glass when it is all the way down. (just a guess)... FWIW, Carl B. BTW - I thought that Bambikiller240 had removed ALL his Posts to this Site... yes deleted them before his death - were they restored from older archives - now that he is no longer here to protest?

The Seller didn't list the original VIN - so who knows what he did? Could have been an early 260Z shell - maybe he has a set of 260Z tail lights sitting around... FWIW, Carl B.

NO Carl B.

Hi Fuzz: Almost anything is possible - if you are willing and able to spend the time and money. Many people building high performance L28's prefer to us the older N42 blocks, because the coolant circulates better and the cylinders are cooled in a more even fashion. So you could use that block for sure. The L28ET's ran dished piston's with large cc combustion chambers - to attain the most volume at the lowest compression ratio. This allowed the most boost to be applied without engine knock/pre-detonation; more boost results in more HP than less boost with higher compression to begin with. So you would want to use dished piston's... maybe you can get a set from your local Nissan Dealer, and if not, you would want to spend the money on a set of aftermarket forged pistons. The P90 head would be the best if you can find one. If not, no super big deal... you can rework almost any of the heads - but you would want to attain the largest possible combustion chamber size along with the largest valves you can install. The L28ET's used Turbo Rod Bolts, and the higher capacity Turbo Oil Pump (for more flow to/from an oil cooler). You could use the ARP Head Bolts / Studs...and order the Tubo Oil Pump from Nissan. The L28ET used higher flow Fuel Injectors..... you can order them from Nissan or buy in the aftermarket. Lastly there are several modern Engine Management Systems that are far better than the original one's Nissan used - you would want to use one of them anyway.... After that - it all depend on how much HP you want to make - the stock L28ET's ran about 8lbs of boost and did not use any intercooler - you can easily run 11 lbs with cast pistons and an intercooler - or go higher with forged pistons and a larger intercooler. So 225HP to 300HP is a pretty easy goal to attain. I'd guess you would spend about 6 months planing, detailing and gathering all the stuff you would need for the engine build - and perhaps $8K to $10K. Then you'd have to spend a few more dollars upgrading the rear-end and half-shafts, upgrading the brakes, and running wider tires etc. That should give you at least an idea of what you would be looking at... FWIW, Carl B.

Note how smoothly Greg is driving..... acceleration, deceleration, braking, turning... nothing done in a jerky or reactionary fashion... precise..smooth... Great video... Carl B.

Hi Brian (everyone)) To each his own.... but for the life of me, I can't understand why anyone would replace, rather than eliminate the fuel vapor hoses that run into the cabin. It was a stop gap measure at best, to comply with the California ARB rules in effect in 1970. Wasn't even required in the other 49 States nor Canada at the time. You can't see any of them without taking the car apart either... If you have fuel dripping down the side of the car, just behind the right rear wheel - you most likely need to replace the Fuel Filler Neck - the long, large rubber hose that connects the fuel filler to the fuel tank. They dry out and crack, when you put the nozzle of the gasoline pump in them, then lean on the pump handle. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Lee: Thanks. That is pretty much the spring spec.'s we used to have the OEM Stock springs reproduced. FWIW, Carl B.

OK - now were at least making progress... I'm not sure exactly when Nissan stopped putting the original engine serial numbers on the Data Plates. I was thinking it was with the begining of the 280ZX's ... but it would seem that the 78's are quite different than the 75's. As you can see from the Data Tag I posted a picture of VIN HLS30 200207 had Engine Number L28-001482 As the VIN's on the 280Z's started with HLS30 200001 - the car above was the 207th one built. Given the VIN on your Z - of HLS30 451125, we would expect to see an engine number about 251xxx higher (451125 minus 200001 = 251124) ... and sure enough you have 254234. (they don't run in exact numerical sequence). Also - HLS30 452525 has L28 259635 as it's original engine... So I would say it is most likely the original engine in your Z. FWIW, Carl B.

Either you aren't looking hard enough at the Data Plate on the Strut Tower.... or someone has cut it down to only the VIN... and the entire top part of the Data Plate is missing... Take a pencil and piece of paper with you - and maybe a flash light... The Data Tag on the car should look a lot like the one pictured below ... As you can clearly see - the ENGINE NUMBER 001482 is listed just above the VIN.... HLS30 200207 There are TWO little pads cast into the block - it would seem you took the 254234 number off the second one, and failed to see the L28 stamped into the first pad (first being the one on the left). Go look again... BTW - it would help of you stated what the VIN on the car is... FWIW, Carl B.

It might not be overkill , IF you were converting to DOT 5, while retaining all the original parts. Frankly I wouldn't bother at that point. I'd just flush the brake system with clean DOT 3/4. I do convert the brake systems on my cars, the first time I do a complete rebuild of the brake system, and I only flush out the hard lines with DOT 5... I've never bothered to clean them out with alcohol and blow them out with air... I've always felt that the pressure exerted by the brake master/and your foot on the pedal - forced the DOT 5 though the hard lines with enough pressure to clear out all the old DOT 3/4...... I could be wrong, but in 35 years I've never had any problems result from that process. Most of my 240-Z's sit a lot, it is very humid here in Florida all the time.. and if I don't convert to DOT 5 - I have to replace or rebuild the rear wheel cylinders every couple years (they are getting very expensive!!). Being aluminum, the rear wheel cylinders are only repairable (rebuild-able), IF you catch them before the corrosion has pitted the cylinder walls... which usually is not the case. Also the front calipers do tend to hang up and drag when left sitting with DOT 3/4 type fluids. That too has been eliminated by the use of the DOT 5. DOT 5 is NOT recommended for competition use - where you are going to heat the front brakes up to the point that it melts the bearing grease etc... Besides, you change the brake fluid after each track event anyway.. FWIW, Carl B.

If the clutch master is holding the clutch fluid - and the push rod at slave is in fact moving the clutch fork rearward about an inch and half..... all that is working at this point. If the clutch master was getting low - due to a very small, slow leak somewhere, when you were driving the car - then when you pushed on the clutch pedal to shift gears - the clutch itself may not have been fully disengaging at that point.... and you could have damaged either the clutch itself or the transmission. Since you said that the clutch pedal offers no resistance (even after bleeding it, even with all fluid levels full)..... I'd have to guess that the clutch disc or the pressure plate itself failed. With a good transmission - it is possible to start a 240-Z in first gear - and let it roll forward, then to build the RPM's up to around 2800... and shift it from 1st to 2nd with no clutch... This however is something that takes some practice, to get the right feel for the needed RPM's etc. .... Not something that is easy to explain, nor walk you though with words here... If you can start it in gear, and shift from 1st to 2nd without the clutch - then you know the tranny is OK, and it's the clutch itself that when out... But like I said - it is not something you want to try to learn with the car in its current condition... It won't hurt anything to go ahead and change the clutch master and slave out at this point - but if that doesn't do it - you'll more than likely have to pull the tranny and inspect the clutch assembly. FWIW, Carl

Z or ZX if it is an L28 the engine serial number will begin with "L28" Get the Engine Serial Number - and we'll see if we can match it up with something close - for which we would have an idea of the date of manufacture. The "F54" is one type of casting number found on the lower part of the block. Carl B.

Oh.. btw .. I hope you are correct about it being the clutch master/slave.... but you should be looking at the slave - while someone else pushed the clutch - to see if the slave is able to move the clutch fork or not. If it is moving the clutch fork about an inch and half - then it's not the clutch hydraulics that are the problem. Did you notice if the Clutch Master was very low on fluid or not, when you first looked at it? Does the fluid leak out quickly if you refill the master ? FWIW, Carl B.

Ok - New Clutch Master New Slave Cylinder New Rubber Line between the body and the Slave Fill with DOT 5 Silicone Brake Fluid. The Silicone will not absorb moisture out of the air like DOT 3/4 Brake Fluid, and it will help preserve all the rubber seals in the Hydraulic Clutch System. My original clutch master and slave lasted 30 years this way. (bought my 72 240-Z new and still have it). If you replace all three parts at one time - and use a little Silicone to flush out the hard lines from the Master to the Slave, before hooking up the Slave - you can switch to Silicone. DOT 3/4 are not compatible with DOT 5. Also make sure you buy pure silicone DOT 5. (not just something compatible with it). Do it right once.... Also agree - either use NISSAN OEM parts or NAPA's best... you have to tell the NAPA Parts Countermen that you want their best replacement parts - not the cheapest they handle... FWIW, Carl

A 240-Z with that VIN was mentioned in the Feb. 2003 Issue of Sports Car Market... they said it did not sell at auction.... wonder if it's the same car. $20K - - not out of the question if the car is nearly perfect - and if the car checks out clean and straight in the undercarriage. If it is an original 48K mile car - not a doctored up, slickly detailed rag... Looking at the picture of the engine compartment I'd say that the Cad. Plated parts would have to be properly re-plated to make it a show winner.. Nonetheless, better to pay $20K up front for a really nice, clean, low mileage 240-Z - - than to pay $7K for a car then put another $10K into fixing it up - - only to wind up with car that's now worth $12K.... I can't see the engine mounts - but it was common to have a bit of engine blue over-spray on the original engine mounts by 73. If they are painted entirely blue -they have been repainted the wrong color.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Randy: Oh boy... this should be fun. I would say that the "test" you conducted is certainly an initial indication that perhaps your fan clutch is weak, if not shot. But in my mind it's only an indication to check farther. True that a Fan Clutch when new, will give resistance to spinning when it is warmed up to normal operational temps... but with the engine stopped. True also that a fan clutch that is shot - will spin easily under the same conditions. The big HOWEVER is that a fan clutch that is not new, nor shot, but somewhere in between the two extremes can do its job for a long time before it actually does wear out, or leak out. Given the expensive and difficulty of finding, buying a new fan clutch - you don't want to change one out until it is really necessary. Before I forget - - - - Did you write that wrong? "the temp would never go past 120-130" and for some reason you installed a 190 thermostat? I'll guess you meant 220 to 230 degrees F. I don't understand why you would be using a 190 degree thermostat in Knoxville this time of year. The first thing I would do, would be to replace it with a 160 degree thermostat, and add a bottle of Red Line Water Wetter.... then see if the engine returns to its more normal operating temp. In the middle of the Winter in one of the very Northern States, I might be running a 190 degree thermostat to maintain a normal operating range during severe cold.... About the fan clutch.... the "method" used by at least six of the professional "Datsun" mechanics I knew back in the day (the 70's) goes as follows.... YES IT IS RISKY - YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL... I'm not TELLING ANYONE TO DO - only reporting the procedures and processes that worked well for the guys you pay to work on your Z - 1. Start the engine and make sure it is up to normal operating temps for at least 15 minutes. This will allow enough time for the fan clutch itself to heat up (ie to catch up with the block temps). This is important. The fan clutch is activated by the hot air coming off the radiator, as well as by the hot water flowing through the water pump. All this has to normalize before the fan clutch - engages. Centrifical force driving the hot and expanding silicone fluid toward the outside of the fan clutch also plays an important roll (part of the reason the "static" test of spinning the fan on an engine that is stopped can give you a false indication). 2. While your waiting for everything to warm up - get a piece of thin cardboard, typically used for product packaging...not the type used in heavy cardboard shipping boxes.... Fold the thin cardboard until its about three or four layers think, two to three inches wide, and about 10 to 12 inches long.... 3. With the engine idling - push the cardboard on a downward angle into the spinning fan, in the direction of rotation, when the fan blades are moving in a downward motion. If the fan simply pushes the cardboard out of the way, and keeps spinning - the fan clutch is fine. If on the other hand if you can stop the fan from spinning by using moderate resistance - the fan clutch is shot. If course replacing a serviceable Fan Clutch with a new one - can't hurt anything. But it might mask, at least for a while, some other problem with the cooling system. FWIW, Carl B.