Carl Beck

Hi Ric: Wait long enough to find and buy a good one... shop, shop, shop... The 240-Z has been my automotive love now for 36 years. Bought my first one in March of 1970, then my second one in Dec. of 71.... still have it to this day. The Z has been more about "beauty", "fun" and "utility" than performance, at least to me. Of course part of its beauty is its overall performance as a Sports/GT... I'd still rather drive a 240-Z Coast to Coast than any other car... hope you find a good one... good luck, Carl Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Dan: Most likely is the original engine. Engine numbers for 03/72 seem to run from L24-90xxx though early L24-95xxx. Chassis numbers from HLS30 71xxx into HLS30 75xxx O4/72 HLS30-75xxx though HLS30-80xxx and engines L24-95xxx into L24-80xxx. FWIW, Carl

Hi Chris/Alan: Alan ask me about white bodies several years ago. Last year Andy F. ask me about RLS30 00017. At first there was some confusion about it being "HLS30 00017".. which of course it could not have been, as we know John has that one.... RLS30 00017 makes sense.. We do know that the OMS Pace Car for 74 was RLS30 00020 and it was prepared for Pace Car duties at BRE. I'll see if I can get some more info related to the build of that Pace Car.. The advantage was not having to strip a production car of it's paint and sound proofing, prior to seam welding, plus being far less expensive from Nissan's perspective would make it worth while to ship a bare body rather than a penny car. So I would say a "white body" is a "white body" regardless if it had a VIN or not. It was really it's state of completion and purpose that mattered - (yes/no?) Perhaps Nissan didn't stamp VIN's into the Second Gen. cars... based on some bad experience from the First.. "THE VIN" per Federal and most State Laws is the one that can be seen through the windshield. All the other matching numbers stamped in the sheetmetal or printed on stickers.... are simply "references to" the car they originally came on. Perfectly legal to take any parts or components off a Junk Yard Car - and put them on your car... (just keep the bill of sale for them to be safe). No Federal law against it - the Federal law only makes swapping VIN's to defraud - conducted across State Lines illegal. Federal laws do not prevent the private repair of a privately owned car, using the proper used parts. (emission laws still apply etc.). Florida allows full chassis swaps on unibody cars - and has a written procedure that outlines what you have to do - in effect a Florida Law Enforcement Officer (State, County, City) has to be present when you remove the Dash VIN from the car - and he has to be present when you put it back in .... Florida only uses the VIN numbers stamped into the body - to identify stolen cars or parts from stolen cars. It's required to be there when the car is produced - by Federal Law, to reduce auto theft. When I ask the DMV about swapping the metal stampings on uni-bodies - the response was that there was no law against it - Putting a false ID on the car to cover a stolen car would be against the law... ie with intent to cover a theft or to defraud in some manor. The Florida Trooper at the DMV did mention that Florida Law does outline how commercial body shops can, or must, repair your car... but nothing to say they can't use junk yard parts with your permission... just that they have to be installed per the Factory Recommended Procedures... May be other tricky questions of law there somewhere... for which some set of circumstances could be outlined - - - but if your doing everything on the up and up it shouldn't be a problem. I don't see why it would be cut in thirds... the rocker panels hold the structures together along with the roof. If you cut the old floorboards out - to replace them with after-market stamping... it would seen to be far less work to just cut the entire panel out....total length of cutting/welding would be less wouldn't it? Fitting the aftermarket parts in requires welding them back to what's left of center console metal... that what?... 48 inches front to rear on both side... the remaining center console is only about 24" wide at the front and rear - plus the joining parts already had a mating lip... Full floor pan replacements in the old VW Bugs are very common...(because the parts are still available from aftermarket suppliers) The Part you show - is a standard Nissan Replacement Part - listed in the Parts Catalogs..and rusted floorboards have always been a problem with the first generation Z's... ASSY-FLOOR FRONT 74300-E4600.......thru 74300-N3350 Sounds quite possible - but then, no reason to think that a "white body" could not have a VIN.. just because the Second Generation white bodies did not. Alan's observations about the condition of the wiring harness loops not being bent - etc are significant... Wonder how much seam sealer was in that car??? FWIW, Carl

Sent twice.. oops..

Hi Dan: What is the Engine Serial Number?... I'm guessing it's very close too or below L24-95xxx Looks like the car is more likely 03/72. 03 Cars went into the low 75000 range.. Carl

I did. But it was worded poorly enough to read either way ;-) Carl

add: Wrong Dash All the parts that should be Bright Yellow Cad plated - look to have been painted silver... uck Pin Striping on hood.. uck.. we could go on and on.... Bottom line.... it's a very nice #3 car. Should sell for between $16K and $19K in Texas... a couple grand more back East... FWIW, Carl B.

I know that one of them originated there - the second one was a private sale, and I'm not sure where it originated. I've seen more extremely low mileage 10th AE's than any other type of special interest Z. Seems a lot of people kept them as future collectibles. Carl B.

14 plus 14 is still 28 isn't it ?... Carl B.

At least two different 10th AE's with less than a thousand miles and in pristine condition - were worth $28K to at least two different buyers within the last two years. (about what they cost when new). FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Very interesting. I do not know, or did not know... that one could order a complete body shell for the 66 Datsun Station-wagon through a local Datsun Dealer. Too bad the original paperwork wasn't kept with the body. Nissan Motors USA, did though their Datsun Competition Department supply "white bodies" and "penny cars" for the factory sponsored, or factory supported race teams here in the USA. A "white body" was a bare body shell, sprayed with only a white primer/paint (actually a very thin coat of paint to prevent rust). I have been told by various members of various race teams that the white bodies had no chassis numbers. However I have also been told by one of the people that bought a white body a few years ago that it did have a chassis number... 00017. So who knows?? The "penny cars" were regular production cars supplied to the race teams for use in competition. They were sold by Nissan, to the race team for one penny, so ownership would transfer and with it the liability that could be incurred. Here in the States, roadster bodies, 510 bodies and Z bodies were all supplied as either "white bodies" and/or "penny cars" to the competitors. It was a contract violation, as well as a breach of Federal Law if any of the white bodies or penny cars were re-sold to the general public for road use, or titled for sale. Normally ownership was held on the Manufacture's Statement of Origin (MSO). FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

When the seller states "complete respray, including jam's, hatch, etc."... then shows pictures of the mess left in the engine bay - it should raise a large RED FLAG. The car might be worth $5K at this point... but IMHO it's already been bid up why who knows who - to well above it's value. Private Auctions are an invitation to join in the fraud as far as I'm concerned. In my opinion, no one that knows anything about 240-Z's would give this offering a second look. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Gee... I hate to see a 240-Z taken out like that... I agree with most others .... putting the work, time and money into swapping the 240-Z parts into a 280Z body - simply isn't worth it. The 280Z body is heavier and the L24 will feel pretty weak pulling it around. If you ever did need/or want to resell it - I think you'd have a hard time finding a willing buyer unless you wanted to give it away.... Pass on the 280Z and find a good Series I body.... regards, Carl B.

Hi Arne (everyone): Just a minor point of clarification.. Lets say that the OEM Stock springs are 14 inches free length, and have an installed height of 9 inches. The springs are pre-loaded, ie. partially compressed when installed on the struts (why you need a spring compressor to remove/install them). After being compressed to aprox 80% of their free length - their spring rate is pretty constant - lets just say 82 lbs per inch for the stock front.... It is possible that aftermarket springs had their spring rates adjusted to compensate for the lift provided by gas pressure shocks - but that would mean lower spring rates would be used, which is not normally the case for after-market springs. It is more probable that that after-market springs had their free length/installed height adjusted to compensate for the additional lift of the gas pressure shocks. So we may need to shorten the OEM and Euro Spec. springs when used with gas pressure shocks.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: I purchased a NOS set of the Euro Spec. Stage I springs, then sent them to a spring manufacturer we had worked with on the reproduction of the OEM US Spec. springs for the 240-Z's. The manufacturer reproduced them for us, and with the help of Courtesy Nissan we sat up a Group Buy and had about 40 sets of the Euro Spec. Stage I springs reproduced. A few of the guys that installed them, along with new shocks had reported that their cars were sitting between 1 and 2 inches higher as a result. To assure that the reproduction springs were in fact made to spec. I took them to a local race shop that had the equipment necessary to measure the spring rates of the OEM and reproduction springs. They measured out as near perfect reproductions - exactly the same as the NOS Set of Nissan Springs. While taking to the guys at the race shop - they told me that they also measure the action of the shocks they install.... They said that it was very common to have quality aftermarket Gas Pressure Shocks show rod pressures of 100 lbs or more, and many of the high performance racing type shocks measured out between 200 and 300 lbs!! (these are NASCAR type cars)... The weight at the corners of the typical 240-Z in the neighborhood of 600lbs... the Euro Spec. Springs have a rate of 102lb's front and 112lbs rear as I recall.... so if the rod pressure on the gas pressure shocks is lifting/holding 100 lbs... it's easy to see how your Z is going to sit at least an inch higher... This is not what most of our buyers wanted - so it looks like they will have to cut a inch or so off the springs, if they combine them with newer Gas Pressure shocks. Also interesting to hear that the Illuminas don't have that effect Marty .... perhaps we'll have to recommend them with the Euro Spec. Springs... or the older non-gas pressure type shocks if they can be found. BTW - measured from the garage floor - to the bottom of the rocker panel, at the front and rear jacking points - a stock 240-Z sits about 7 3/4 to 8 inches high (the 73's actually sit a bit higher than the earlier cars do to the headlight height standards and bumper height standards for that year). Bottom of the rocker panel - means just that - NOT to the pinch weld that sticks down farther... FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hope he got something North of $10K for that car...

If they are stock Nissan Cam.'s... 13001-E4126 'A' Camshaft (L24/L28 to 8/81) 13001-P3026 'B' Camshaft (L28ET A/T to 7/82) 13001-N3636 'C' Camshaft (L26) I wouldn't recommend using the "B" cam - for other than a Turbo engine. For stock cam's - the L26 cam has the best profile for street use.. slightly higher lift and duration according to Nissan. I don't know where the "H" came from... FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Chris: Absolutely no disrespect taken... and I'm glad my comments might have encouraged you to share that deeper meaning with us. With Father's Day coming up here in the US, I'm sure we could start a thread about the influence, or lack thereof, that our Fathers had on our car addictions. kind regards, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

I don't know - I think your average Dad likes to throw in some bits of trivia about most subjects.. just to expand on his considerable knowledge of the world .... VBG..... How many of our Dads ever stopped at just answering the question??? ...

Hi Chris (everyone): Years ago - I can't remember how many... Johnny Carson (the late night TV show host) had H. Ross Perot on as a guest. Perot was one of US's first self made Billionaires (long before he attempted to start a third political party and run for president). Carson ask him what the secrete of his success was, to which Perot replied; "it's easy, you just watch what successful people do - and you do that." Carson then ask for an example of what successful people do... to which Perot repled; "They hire the best people and then let them do their jobs; so that's what I do." I believe that the heart of the "Project X" series, if I understand it correctly, is about reviewing what successful people had done in the past, with the hopes that it would help others be successful in the future.. If the book was simply "amusing reading at best".. well then you certainly got your ten or fifteen bucks worth out of it, but you may have missed most of its real value. FWIW Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Guys: I believe that there is great misunderstanding of the series of events that resulted in the current SAE Net HP rating system. It is not a matter of Gross HP vs SAE Net HP. Didn't happen like that.... These are three different rating systems. Gross HP SAE HP SAE Net HP Nissan used SAE HP ratings for our 240-Z's. It's not Gross and it's not Net. The L24's were rated at 150/151 SAE HP, and when measured at the rear wheels the average 240-Z will put down between 112 and 118 HP. Where you see large differences in reported HP - you are usually looking at the difference between California cars and the rest of the US. California had stricter emissions standards than the rest of the US for several years during the 70's and early 80's. (remember that L28's in California got Cat.'s when the rest of the country did not have have them etc.) FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

hi Cuong: I PM'd you... regards, Carl

Sorry Jon - he did not. He said "81-83" 280zxt... the only tranny that fits that bill is the A/T. T-5 was 82/83. {just wanted to see if you were paying attention ... <vbg> regards, Carl

True - in my 72 the passenger side seat doesn't go back as far as the driver side. Carl B.

Hi Jon: "T-5".... who said anything about a T-5? Carl