Carl Beck

Hi Steve: I don't know why two - I just followed the mfg. wiring dia. - my tach worked just fine. If I had to guess - I'd guess it has something to do with the fact that in the "Start" position on the ignition switch - the ballast resistor is by-passed and the coil is feed 12v. You don't want to feed 12v to the unilite ever - and there may be no need to feed 12v to the ProMaster Coils. The feed to the tach is in that loop as well... But all that is just a guess.. FWIW, Carl B.

It is there for Radio Noise Supression - I wouldn't worry about replacing it. Any Radio Noise suppressing condenser that fits will be fine - if you want to replace it. FWIW, Carl B.

The Mallory Unilite is one of the best additions I've made to my 72 240Z. Installed it back in the late 70's and have never had another ignition problem. I went with the ProMaster Coil as well. Works with the stock Tach - but I had to use two ballast resistors. http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/MalloryDist.htm I did have a problem with the Pertronix system in another 240Z. It keep breaking up above 5800 RPM. An Ace Datsun Mechanic and I spent two hours going through everything - including the carb's... Everything checked out fine in the shop - but not under a load on the track.... Pulled the distributor with the Pertronix and replaced it with a rebuilt 280Z distributor.. problem gone. I'm Not "certain" it was the Pertronix or the distributor itself.. I personally wouldn't screw with it again... With the new Unilite you are getting a new distributor.. Agreed it isn't "cheap" - but in todays dollars that isn't a lot of money. I say do it once and be done.

DATSUN Rear Bumper Bar - on EBay. In Texas, but you should be able to locate one in CA http://www.ebay.com/itm/Datsun-240z-Rear-Bumper-Bar-/150821719601?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item231dacce31&vxp=mtr FWIW, Carl B.

Just keep in mind that cleaning your fuse holder contacts - will not save your Light Switch. The best solution is to relay the headlights - and lower the voltage going through the switch and fuse box to begin with. It is a very simple fix. FWIW, Carl B.

Truly a timeless design - and still beautiful. Our local Studebaker Dealer took a couple of my friends and me on a "demonstration ride" the summer of 1963. I've loved them ever since. The man two houses down from me - Mr. Rebeck no less, was the original owner of his 63 Avanti - would never sell it - and left it to his son when he passed away a few years ago. He also had a very early 50's Stude Pick-up.

You can convert a older R-12 system to R-134a. When you do, one of the first things you will find is that the R-12 system will lose about 20% of its original efficiency. The next thing you will notice is that the R-12 rubber hoses if not already the shielded type {and most were not} - will seep/leak R-134a, and any connections that are not O-ring sealed - will also leak R-134A. R-134a ran in a System designed to run it - is just as efficient as the old R-12 Systems were. However there are significant differences between them in terms of their actual component parts. R-134a has a smaller molecular size than R-12. While it may seem ever so slightly smaller at the molecular level - it makes a lot of difference. For that reason R-134a systems use both condensers and evaporators with smaller diameter tubing, and longer lengths of it. R-134a systems are designed to use shielded high pressure hoses so the R-134a doesn't leak though the rubber hose walls. R-134a systems also use O-Ring'ed fittings {and double O-Ringed in some cases}. In the 90's - Nissan provided a R-134a upgrade guide - in which they told the Service Personnel what all had to be changed when upgrading the Z32 R-12 systems to R-134a. Makes for some interesting reading.. In effect they had to change out everything except the compressor. Personally - I would first make sure my present R-12 system is brought up to factory standards - In effect - make sure you have no leaks. Install a new receiver/dryer and suck the systems down to a vacuum for 24 hours.. The refill it with R-12. Most of my R-12 systems have held their charge for decades. Other than that - I'd plan on changing every component part to R-134a spec.'s. Vintage Air - might be able to supply a 134a evaporator core - that would fit inside your existing housing... FWIW, Carl B.

HI Tim: First let me say welcome. I bought my first 240Z in March of 1970... so I fall into that "old guy" category now myself. Still have the 72 I bought new at the end of 1971. I looked at that Ad/car - but didn't expect someone in California to come East to by a 240Z. Usually we tell people to pick one up on the West Coast!! Maybe the supply is getting thin out there. While the 280ZX's have their advantages.. like decent factory air... 240Z's are still my all time favorite. I'm sure you'll love yours too. Enjoy the ride... Carl B.

214K miles... just under $4K. Not bad..not bad.. Is that the original paint - or has it been repainted? Very nice, rust free 280Z in Gainesville, FL. 42K original miles.. ready to drive anywhere... but $6,000.00. Oh yes - I would not recomment cutting the roof.. FWIW, Carl B.

Looks great - just make sure you clean the inside of the valve cover out - very very completely. That sand gets stuck everywhere!!

$3K ??? First option is to buy an engine that someone else has spent $6K+ on - when they feel the need to move up again. Lots of guys have really great L series engines - for sale - when they decide to go with a SBC. Here is a real deal - if it isn't already gone. You would have to buy a new ECU.. http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/107061-rb20det-s30-swap/page__view__findpost__p__1001801 Edit .. Oops...didn't read far enough... It was sold!! Nonetheless, wait and deals like this come up... Second option would be to check with Rebello - and see how much he would charge to rebuild your L26 in a mild street mod set up... might be a bit over your $3K - but you would be very happy with the results... It is a case of spend more up front - and be happy vs spending less up front and then spending more and more as you try to fix problems... FWIW, Carl B.

Ah.. great idea...

Pretty easy. There are four small screws that hold the 1/4 window to the body. Just make sure you soak them with a good penetrating oil before you attempt to remove them. You do not want to break or twist them off. You will have to remove the interior plastic trim panels of course - if they are not already out. Once you put new rubber seals on the outside of the frames - they will be much harder to push into place on the body. Far easier with two people.. FWIW, Carl B.

CIBIE used to spend a lot of money advertising money back then as well. They were one of the supporting sponsors for the BRE team. Today it is getting harder and harder to find NOS CIBIE Super Oscars from that 68-72 period. I wound up getting mine from E-Bay sellers in England.. Expensive to buy and more expensive to ship. They do however "Light Up The Night".... FWIW, Carl B.

The question about the value of adding "Headers" is still left unanswered. The OP did exactly what the manufacturers and sellers of Headers do - change out the entire exhaust system - and claim that the Headers were responsible for the HP gains. When a larger and free flowing exhaust pipe is added to the stock exhaust manifold's header pipe after opening it up, combined with free flowing mufflers - you will see a 10 to 15 HP gain on most dyno's. If you then add expensive Headers to an otherwise stock or mild street mod engine - you won't see any significant additional HP gains above what the free flowing exhaust system gave to begin with. Bottom line is don't waste your money on headers if you are looking for performance increases. All you will get is more heat and noise under the hood. If "Looks" is what you are after - go for the headers... FWIW, Carl B.

That is correct for 1972. 901 Silver came with Black in 70/71 and again in 73. The "Red" interior was more toward the Burgundy Side of the red range - than pure bright red. As I recall SEM's "NAPA Red" interior dye is a very close match to the original color. Every set of original "red" plastic panels that I have seen - have been died red on white plastic. At least the backs of the panels would indicate they were white when formed. FWIW, Carl B.

The parts manual shows two small rivets - down where the license plate sits on hooks, near the bottom. FWIW, Carl B.

Where did you get that? 112 Yellow.

The finisher panels - Right, Center & Left have a lip that goes over the threshold {the area where the deck lid closes down}. All three are fastened to that threshold by small plastic rivets. The Right & Left tail light finisher panels overlap at their edges on top of the center section. You can order the small rivets from Nissan Parts. 08510-52097 Rivet-Plastic M5 From the parts catalog - it looks like there are two smaller rivets that go in the bottom of the center section of the finisher. Part # 79909-E4100 Rivet-Plastic M4 FWIW, Carl B.

Could be a bad fuel pump - but you would have to hook up a fuel pressure gauge to check it. There are no accel. pumps in the S.U.'s - so pumping the gas pedal should have no real effect - engine vacuum determines both quantity and fuel/air mix. Make sure you don't have any vacuum leaks in/around the intake and carb.'s. Ignition and fuel problems have a way of looking like each other..

None of the colors shown on the web page you reference - look right to me.. If you can not order the paint from an automotive paint supplier using the Nissan Paint Code - 112; then take a panel to a local automotive paint supplier and ask them to "color match" it. You could take the cover from one of the tool storage area's, or perhaps use the inside of the gas filler door. If your car isn't 112 - then maybe you could buy a panel from someone in the US that is the correct color. Like an original tool storage access door. It is a very hard color to get right simply by looking at color chips. FWIW Carl B.

Cracked distributor cap? Faulty condenser? If they are not new, I'd change them just to rule them out. Did you rebuild the distributor? Or even disassemble and service it? Have you put a fuel pressure gauge on one of the supply lines - to see what pressure you have coming out of the pump? What else if anything have you measured or verified? What can we reasonably rule out?

TURN SIX SPRING Custom wound coil springs designed to lower your Z about 1". Increase spring rate decrease body roll, increase lateral acceleration in cornering and are progressively wound so there is no appreciable loss of ride characteristics. Durable rustproof epoxy finish. Set of 4 44-1513/1514 $139.95 as of March 1987 That would be 283.45 in todays reduced value USD's. Which means that someone stored them for 25 years and lost $233.45 in the process. FWIW, Carl B.

I've been driving 240Z's now for over 42 years. I've torn down, with others, perhaps as many as 30 L24's for rebuild. Many of the engines that needed rebuilding had over 150K miles on them. So far I have not really seen undue wear on the valve seats. We have been running "lead free" fuels in these engines since... when...lead was completely phased out in the US...1980?... I'm sure the phase out of Lead in gasoline has had "some" effect on the life of the valve seats in the L24's ... but I'm not convinced that the L24's suffer significant damage from lead's absence. So no - I've never used an additive to replace the lead. Different story with the high compression "Muscle Car" engines of the 60's and early 70's. I had to use Octane Booster in them. The engines I had ran 11:1 to 13:1 compression ratio's... If not octane booster, then I ran 50/50 Aviation Fuel{leaded} and high test lead free auto fuel. Just my experience.. FWIW, Carl

Don't see why it wouldn't start/run etc.. However I wouldn't want to bet that it would pass smog in CA. You would be pumping the fuel/air mix specified for an L28 - into the smaller volume of the L24 cylinders...and that might make it run very rich... I just don't know for certain.. You'll be down on torque/hp for a heavier car than the L24 was found int. It would also make it harder to resell if the need arises. You should be able to find a good L28 block in California - I'd do that... FWIW, Carl B.