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Carl Beck

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Everything posted by Carl Beck

  1. Hi Gang: If you'd like to see a couple of seconds of the BRE Baja Z, as raced by Ventura Datsun in the MINT 400 in 1974 or 75 here is an old video clip... BRE sold the car in 74... Don't know if Ventura Datsun sponsored the Z or just held it and raced it themselves. Not sure who the Driver/Navigator are... still researching it at this point. Amazing what shows up on the Internet... <a href=http://www.photoahead.com/old/zcar.wmv TARGET=NEW> See: Venture Datsun MINT 400</a> FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com
  2. Sad... 134 designs and not one I would spend my money on... Carl B.
  3. Hi Marty: Agreed - the first prototype is pretty nice, but I believe with a few minor changes it could be better. Looking at the pictures from Kats and the NOS one on E-Bay.. it looks like the repop's grain pattern is somewhat off the mark, there is no rubber grommet supplied, and the stitching at the top goes too far up. The OEM product has little tucks at the very top... most likely to put less strain on the stitching.. Perhaps a small order of the proper size grommets from Badgerrubber.net. (if you supplied them with the complete spec.'s they might have the exact thing)... and a second prototype stitched up to look a little more like the OEM part would work some of this out.. and result in an even finer reproduction. FWIW, Carl B.
  4. Hi Bruce (everyone) That is a very common question usually ask by people who don't own Show Cars. The real problem is that even if they receive an answer, they don't seem to comprehend it, and they keep asking over and over... The truth is, to an extent you answered your own question in your last sentence. If Show Cars didn't exist and all that was left is "drivers"... in a few years no one would know what that ratty old driver, now driven into the ground, or turned into another wreck on the road - looked like when it was new, nor would they understand why anyone would want to drive such an old rag in the first place... FWIW, Carl B.
  5. We Do - Right here in Florida...you just have to get out early in the morning, and before the Tourists Season begins. :devious: Carl B.
  6. Hi Jerry: As far as I know - none of the 69 production, nor early 70 production HLS30's had the HS30's heater control panels in them. I don't know why - but I do seem to recall one version where the "off" was in the center position, then Room and Heat were at the ends... Might have been on the later 280'z when Factory Air was available... The 69 production HLS30's heater control panels,radio face plates and ashtray lids were gray - while the later panels were black.
  7. Interesting side note - BRE called it a "spreader-bar" back in 73. Gives you an indication of it's purpose and set-up as far as they were concerned. FWIW, Carl B.
  8. Interesting - the Stickers are quite different... Carl B.
  9. Hi Randy: That TR-6 is stunning... I've always admired the styling on the car. Also good to hear that the Z is finishing up within your expected schedule... We're all waiting on pictures.. You really should plan to take some time and drive that TR-6 down for the Sebring 12 Hour mid March... Nothing like camping out in the infield with a Classic Sports Car at the 12 Hour. FWIW, Carl B.
  10. Hi Avery: I pretty much agree with what has been said - only want to add a few points... When water runs down the rear hatch glass - it pools up in the corners at the bottom. IF the rubber seal is actually sealed to the glass at that point - the water sits there and evaporates. IF NOT - then the water runs under the rubber seal and down into the window channel... where it sits until the paint fails and the metal starts to rust. So the first point is that you really need to get a new seal, and have it properly installed on the glass, then in the deck lid. Those spots in the corners around the rear deck lid glass/rubber - MIGHT still be very small or they might get larger under the seal.... At any rate they will NOT get better, only worse. They will also get worse quickly! Given the current rarity and associated high price of a solid Series I rear deck lid - I would highly recommend that you order a new rear glass seal, then pull the rear glass out of the deck lid. Take the deck lid to a good body shop and have them strip it - metal patch any small holes or area's that require repair, then repaint it. You need to look closely at the very bottom "lip" of the deck lid (where it overhangs the rear tail light finisher panels) . Make sure it's not starting to rust and if it is NOW is the time to fix it. It would seem that rust free Series I deck lids are now over $400.00 if you can find one for sale .. so you really do want to address these issues now, before they have much of a chance to worse.. See: <a href=http://zhome.com/Classic/CommonZRust/RustPrevention240Z.htm TARGET=NEW> Hidden Rust Area's Of The 240-Z</a>. To stop surface rust - you can sand the area to remove most of the surface rust - then treat the area with Ospho (a mild phosphoric acid solution that chemically converts Iron Oxide to Iron Phosphate). Ospho is a brand name - carried by most Automotive Paint Stores/Suppliers. Once the chemical conversion is complete - the area can be primed and painted. good luck, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com
  11. Hi Gang: The "weight" listed on the sticker under the hood - is the weight to be exerted by a mass, on the end of a lever, that is swing into the front bumper - to simulate the weight of the car traveling, depending on the requirement at the time, either 2.5 mph or 5 mph. Kinetic Energy released if the car hit an immovable object at either 2.5mph or 5mph.... The Vehicle Curb Weight is printed on a sticker in the glove box... required to be there by law for 1973, but was in place before that on the 240-Z's. Along with the tire inflation pressures... FWIW, Carl B.
  12. Hi Mohammed: Great to see you have the car on the road and are enjoying it. Thanks for Posting the Video... regards, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com
  13. How About A Picture of the data tag on the Drivers Door Jam??? This should be 12/70.... thanks, Carl B.
  14. Hi Rob: I have several NOS Door Panels.... The discoloration you see is I believe the result of how the hardboard (cellulose compressed under heat and pressure in a form, usually with some type of bonding agent). It's fairly wet when worked - all my NOS Door Panels exhibit the same random staining... What looks like rust in the picture - is actually the adhesive used to bond the vinyl to the metal.. again all my NOS Door Panels have the same brown glue on them. Lastly - If Eiju tells you they are NOS - you can take it to the bank. Many of us know him personally and you won't find a more serious nor honest Z Car Enthusiast. FWIW Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com
  15. Carl Beck replied to z-spec's topic in Racing
    Hello Joris/Adrian: My copy looks like this.... This copy was a very old copy... not sure when it was made, but before dry ink photo copies were common.. the originals were very yellowed... Carl B. Clearwater, FL http://ZHome.com
  16. Here you go Jim Carl B.
  17. This repaint could be a real bondo wagon... I wouldn't consider buying it without a personal and very close inspection... yes it's a 69 production car - but seems to be missing the Door Jam Data Plate that was stamped with the production date... Past that - as has been mentioned before - you are looking at putting an additional $30K into a reasonable #2 restoration - or $40K+ into a #1 restoration.... This car would need most everything... it has the wrong dash, center console and steering wheel... about the only thing good on the interior might be the seats.. In Texas it's a $2,500.00.... are you willing to pay an additional $4K just for the VIN?... I'd rather find a 69 that has most, if not all of it's original parts - and which still has most of it's original paint so I could better see what I am getting into... Looks nice in a 15 foot beauty shot - and might be worth $6K as a driver to someone... but even then it will need an additional $6K spent to make it road worthy... the engine compartment is a real mess... Wonder what this puppy looks like underneath - note the seller is talking about "visible" rust area's - he says nothing about anything you can't see standing up... I might be a buyer at $3,500.00... just for the VIN... FWIW, Carl B.
  18. For the vacuum advance to work - it has to be connected to a Ported Vacuum Source. When you go to wide open throttle - vacuum in the manifold drops, while the vacuum signal right behind the carb. increases... So you connect the vacuum line to the rear of the front carb. FWIW, Carl B.
  19. With new hatch seals - 1) make sure they are all new - the large inner one, and the three smaller outer one's. 2) Place a dollar bill between the seals and the deck lid - close the deck lid.. the dollar should be hard to pull out. If it slides out easily - adjust the hatch lid tighter to the body. You have to do this all the way around the hatch lid/body. Many times the hatch lid is slightly warped... Sometimes - it isn't exhaust gas - it's gasoline vapor/fumes. In that case you have to replace all the vapor recovery lines in the back of the car - or eliminate them and seal the holes. Sometimes the OEM rubber seals around them, on the inside of the car are cracked and leaking exhaust gases. Yes - the tail light seals do harden over time and fail. The rear tail gate vinyl finisher on the 71-73 240-Z's needs to be in place and the seal around it has to be replaced. The foam rubber originally used 35+ years ago simple desolves... You have to remove it and clean the area and replace the foam rubber seal. Other wise exhaust gases come in through the latch itself... Yes - because of the aerodynamics of the Z - the exhaust gases are flowing from the relatively high pressure area behind the tail lights, into the relatively low pressure area in the cabin. When you roll the windows down, the air flow over the sides of the car, past the open windows, acts as much the same as air flow over a high chimney - it pulls air out of the cabin, thus lowering even more, an already low pressure area. Opening the floor vents in the kick panels as well as the Vents in the Fresh Air/ Heater helps to force air into the cabin thus raising the relative pressure in the cabin. The bottom line is that exhaust fumes in the cabin was never a problem when these cars were new.. so we have to know that it can be eliminated if enough time and effort is put into it. Adding the BRE Style rear spoiler also helps reduce exhaust fumes in the cabin, because it moves the relatively high pressure area behind the car - farther back away from the tail lights. It can be fixed so don't put up with it.. Good luck - Carl B.
  20. Carl Beck replied to 77JAPAN's topic in History
    Hi Ian: Darrel of Darrel's Datsun in Santa Clara, California was one of the few people that could actually make the 73 240-Z's and 74 260-Z's run properly with the Emissions Carb.'s. So when I was in that area around the mid-80's - I stopped by his shop to see how he was doing it. He had Nissan's "Fuel System Modifications Manual", an 85 page manual that pretty much laid out the processes and listed the various parts for the 3 Stages and the Modifications Plus fixes. I had never been able to find a copy of that Manual and Darrel was a very busy guy. He wouldn't sell me the manual, but I offered him $150.00 to photo copy his manual and send me the photocopy ( a couple of hours of Shop Time). Another Z Car Friend in the area, offered to stop by Darrel's and pick up the photocopy and mail it to me... he also stopped by from time to time to encourage Darrel to get it done... Looking through it I see that the fuel nozzles are to be replaced if they are ovaled out - but don't see any thing that recommends re-drill a fuel passage (it might be there somewhere, but I'd have to study this in far more detail than I have time to do..). There are also Technical Service Bulletins on the subject... that may or may not have been included in the Manual. Technical Service Bulletin TS73- 38 is HLS30 Carburetor Float Modifications and adjustment Procedure (HMB46W F2 and R2). 7 pages. See TS74-053, BE74--010 or the A.C. Section of the 260Z Service Manual. FWIW, Carl B.
  21. You have already started in the right place - save your money. Then do it once and do it right - L28 Turbo.... Don't waste money in the mean time.... FWIW, Carl B.
  22. As I recall - you need a bumper bar for a 70-72 only... aren't the rear uprights on the 73's spaced farther apart? Better ask for measurements between the uprights to compare with what you need. FWIW, Carl B.
  23. Hi Arne: The value drivers on the Series I cars are Matching Numbers and Mostly Rust Free body. If the car was sitting here in Florida/Georgia - it would sell for $2K to $3K. Which would mean that someone here back East would have to buy it for $2K, then add the shipping costs to get it here..$1K or more depending on the cost of fuel, so it most likely wouldn't sell. Non-matching numbers knocks it out of the Collector Market, so not too many people are going to put the money it would take to "refresh" it - into it at this point. Most buyers are willing to put $3K to $5K into mechanical repairs, upgrades etc - but the same people will not get involved in $3K to $5K worth of body work and paint... (we've seen all threads on dealing with Body Shops). There are still too many 240-Z's in the market with better bodies competing for buyers cash. True buyers here in the East will pay significantly higher prices for 240-Z's - but most of the time it's a solid body they are looking for and willing to pay for. good luck, Carl
  24. I started selling cars in 1963 when a friend of mine's Mother purchased the local Pontiac/Olds Dealership (it's a long story). Having just been graduated from High School, I needed a summer job... Then later I worked my way through College selling cars and working in bars. One of the first things the New & Used Car Sales Manager told me was - "never believe what any customer tell you - they all lie through their teeth when it comes to making a deal on a car. They all think that it's OK to lie to the salesmen, because they have all been told that all car salesmen are dishonest, or it's just horse trading." Being a kid, I thought he may have had a point, but still believed that basically people were honest.. by the end of the summer I knew he was absolutely correct. People would patch or attempt to cover-up known problems with their trades (yes, fine sawdust in an A/T that was shot, stop-leak in radiators that were shot, etc.). The bottom line is - what goes around comes around. Used car salesmen can be just as dishonest as the public they deal with - only they get far better at it because they get to practice every day. The truth is most used car salesmen don't need to resort to outright dishonest practices, only because the average buyer is so stupid they don't understand the ramifications of the truth when they hear it...da... and that is Page 2... as Paul used to say.. Carl B.
  25. Years ago - like back in the mid to late 70's I talked with the guys from Bob Sharp Racing when they were here in Daytona. All I can tell you is what they told me at the time... The earliest E88's had improved castings - so they were less likely to crack around the exhaust valve seats. The second type of E88's had the improvement castings around the exhaust valve seats and improved curvatures as well as smoother castings in the intake and exhaust ports that helped improve the flow. I have never found any Nissan documentation supporting this, but both Bob Sharp Racing and BRE ran the E88's on their L24's from 72 forward. Over the years it seems that the main problem with the E31's has been the fact that they do tend to develop cracks around the exhaust valve seats. So if you plan to use one be sure to have it checked before putting additional money into it. FWIW, Carl B.
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