Carl Beck

Hi Gus: First I have to say what started out as Jim and I - turned into a larger group of contributors and volunteers pretty quickly. Dan Banks, Chris Karl, Jeff Madder, Kelly Warczyglowa were all very generous. It really would not have gone as smoothly without the aid/assistance of Eiji Hosomi, Yoichi Matsumoto, and Shin Yoshikawa. If anyone missed meeting Mr. Matsuo - you really missed a treat. Great spirit and great sense of humor. He had many of us laughing for hours and he stayed with us until well after midnight every night. Like most designers I've met, he draws really great pictures of everything under discussion, usually on whatever bar napkins were present ! I thought his remarks at the Closing Banquet were especially interesting and entertaining. Certainly no stage fright there and he seemed very comfortable in front of such a large crowd. Of course if you have Eiji Hosomi standing guard next to you - you have to feel pretty secure ;-) One person remarked that he was like the Energizer Bunny - he just kept going and going. At 75 he has the energy of someone 40. As we were walking around downtown Nashville for several hours before our Dinner at the Wild Horse Saloon Thursday night - in 100 degree F heat I was wore out... After a couple hours and several miles or wondering around sight seeing and shopping; we came to the Bridgestone Arena at the base of a rather long uphill stretch - at the top was the old Union Station. One of his friends in Japan told him it was worth seeing... I told Jim I'd never make it up there alive... So Jim and Mr. Matsuo shuffled right on up there alone... I went to the closest bar for some thirst quenchers... and A/C. I believe that Mr. Matsuo a wonderful time, and was very impressed by the obvious respect and affection shown to him by everyone at the Convention. He looked closely at every first generation Z there - and especially enjoyed meeting the owners at their Z's. He was more than willing to autograph glove box lids, sun-visors and indeed the cars themselves. Thanks to everyone for making his visit such a pleasant experience. Carl B.

Jim Frederick and I are flying up to Nashville tomorrow - should be there around 1:00 PM Carl B.

Nissanparts.cc http://www.nissanparts.cc/cart/?pn=46100-U5200 The "Brake" waring light on your dash will glow. If you want to see if the Brake waring light works - try pulling the E-Brake handle clear up. The wire that connects to the assembly - is in the engine bay wiring harness. Where it goes - who knows??? Somehow it is connected to the Brake Waring Light on your dash.

True - even easier from the Front wheel wellROFL

I think MikeW gave you the best advice - go watch the video's. They are pretty good.. and they seem to answer your questions. Is you Battery Tender AGM enabled? FWIW, Carl B.

Assembly-Switch Brake Indicator 46100-U5200 It senses the brake pressure balance between the front and rear brakes. If they are out of balance - the Brake Light on your Dash should glow. It is there to let you know that either your front or rear brakes may have a problem -usually do to low brake fluid in the resivour The electrical connection should NOT go to your wiper fluid bottle. You can clean the outside and paint the outside - but the unit should be replaced if bad.. FWIW, Carl B.

Behind - you have to take the entire headlight bucket out - 4 screws.. drop it down then take the headlight out..

When a friend of mine passed away - it took about two weeks to sell his 260Z. It was exceptionally nice...and a bargain at $12K. His wife simply wanted it to go to a good owner.. and I believe it did.

$2,500.00 YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING!! Unless the floorboards and frame rails are GONE - you couldn't touch that Z around here for less then $5,500.00 to $6,500.00 Looks like it would be a good car for a complete REFRESH... Even in that area he's selling it for half its value - unless there is something seriously wrong with it..

Someone could have swapped the rear-end out. The 280ZX A/T's had an R180 that was a bit stronger than the earlier types. Clean the top of the case off, and see if it has an"N" cast into the case. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi First I agree with everyone that the car has to be physically inspected - and very closely at that. Looking at the pictures - I would have serious doubts about the quality of the paint and body work done -especially when you see the the lower fender bubbling up already. That is something you simply have to go look at in person. If the car really needs to have it's paint and body work redone to bring it up to reasonable standards for a Classic Car... then the value of the car is cut at least in half. For the sake of discussion - lets say that the paint and body work were actually first class - then in that case, looking at all the other work that has been done -- if the car drove out well - - around here it would be an easy $10K to $12K as it sits. On the other hand - if you have to take it all apart again to have the paint and body redone properly - or if you just looking for a Z to drive and enjoy that is simply "presentable".. then around here it is a $6K to $8K example. In California - ???? High unemployment rates, bleak outlook.. you might well find far better for the same money. Although I agree that it looks like a pretty nice Z. You don't have to take cash - if the man will accept a wire transfer just do that. All you have to do is talk to an officer or the head teller at your bank before you leave. Tell them what your seller is requiring and ask if you can call them directly, after you have inspected the car and after you have decided to buy it. They will be more than willing to work with you - if they aren't - - take you money somewhere else. Once you get there and decide to buy the car - you go with the seller to his bank, get his bank's routing number and his account number - then call your banker, provide the information and ask them to wire the money at that point. Usually it takes no more than a hour or two... There is nothing hard nor complicated about it. Make sure you get a Bill Of Sale marked as Paid In Full - signed by the seller, in addition to the title. As you will not have a document of payment like you would with a check. The bill of sale should contain the VIN, the color and mileage of the car.. or a statement that the mileage is unknown. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Alan: Yes, I know what you are talking about. I thought it would be productive to look at where it originally came from, rather than argue about who used it first on the Z. There seemed to be a question of "who" designed it. It has always been broadly reported that Nissan "used" MacPherson and Chapman Struts, the A/T used was a Ford design produced by JATCO, S.U. Carb's etc etc - No one seems to argue with that - - I don't see the rear spoiler as being any different. Indeed most of the automotive magazine articles about the 240Z in 1970, all mentioned the fact that there really wasn't a lot of new technology created, but it was the combination of technologies selected to work well together, and the packaging of them, that made the Z Car such a brilliant design. No reason we shouldn't recognize the rear spoiler as well for what it is and where it came from. Indeed the automotive reporter from the L.A. Times made the first comment about the Z having a Camaro rear spoiler at the Tokyo Motor Show back in Oct. of 69. Nothing really new there... I have to say I was very pleased that Mr. Matsuo accepted my invitation to join me and all the Z Car Enthusiasts at the 40th Anniversary Celebration Of The Z Car in Nashville. Several of the Directors and Supporters of the DHM will be there as well. The ZCCA Officers working with Nissan have planed a really great event. It is especially nice that many people in the Eastern US will now also have the opportunity to meet him personally. Of course Mr. Matsuo will also be visiting the Datsun Heritage Museum in California the following week. We have some exciting plans there are well. As to original design, no question that the styling of that beautiful body and many of the detail features were created by Mr. Matsuo and his team. In that regard, I'm sure that lots of people there will have many questions they would like to ask him directly and I wanted to assure that they would have the opportunity to do so. Mr. Matsuo's visit this time will also be covered by several automotive magazines and news press people. My hope is that perhaps finally - they will learn for themselves "who" did design the Z - and we won't see the myth repeated so often in the future. I believe that my original Post about the origins of that rear spoiler was the best information I could add to the discussion. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: Yes - I wasn't questing the fact that Nissan made use of a wind tunnel - only the fact that they had their own at that time. All the reports I've seen said that they used a University wind tunnel because they didn't have their own at that time. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Alan: I don't recall "Nissan" having a wind tunnel in 1967,68 or 69. At least it was broadly reported that they used models in a fluid dynamics simulation - and later used a wind tunnel at one of the Universities in Japan. Yes/No? FWIW, Carl B.

Neither Nissan nor BRE designed that rear spoiler - instead it looks like they both adapted almost directly - the rear spoiler designed, developed and styled by GM/Chevy for the 1967 Camaro. http://www.camaro-untoldsecrets.com/articles/rpo_d80.htm Front end "lift" reducing chin spoilers and rear spoilers for added downforce were all used on mass production models here in the U.S. years ahead of the Z. FWIW, Carl B.

http://www.grc.nasa.gov/WWW/K-12/WindTunnel/Activities/Pascals_principle.html FWIW, Carl B.

Personally I always like the "Datsun/Ferrari" catalogs. ;-)

How did you do that? The piston will be at TDC and the timing mark will be on "0" on both the compression and exhaust stroke. So you have to also assure that your #1 cylinder is on the "compression" stroke. You do that by looking at the position of the intake/exhaust cam lobs. They should be pointing more or less UP such that the valves are CLOSED. Keep in mind that if your #1 cylinder is actually on the exhaust stoke - the rotor in the distributor will be pointing 180 degrees opposite the #1 plug. {just as it was before} I'm sure you knew that - but just for those following along. Very important to confirm the compression stroke. FWIW, Carl

I'd pull one lug from each rear wheel - and check to see that they are the same length. If you use too long a lug on an aluminum wheel it will hit the rear drum before it actually clamps the wheel to the hub/drum. Better to be sure.. FWIW, Carl B.

Have just the headlight buckets been changed? Most of the cars with them have fiberglass fenders as well. Just curious.. Carl B.

I'll add that BSR was at the time the only racing shop providing the Torsen/Gleason mechanical limited slip differential for the R200. Jason at BSR installed one for me and satup my R200 - that was around 1975 and it's been perfect ever since. The BSR Team were always friendly, indeed gracious to the fan's at the track as well. Neat group of guys. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Carl: Can't you use the aluminum one's as plugs with which molds can be made? I'd think that is what they are for - I doubt that they would last very long when used as a clip - aluminum doesn't flex very well... Check with a plastics molding company in your area - with the aluminum models, it should be pretty inexpensive to have them recreated in something like nylon.. FWIW, Carl B.

That is most likely because WD-40 is not really a penetrating oil. Get some ATF and mix it 50/50 with Acetone. Use that for a couple days..and let it soak into the treaded area. You may have to apply small amounts all around the threaded area a couple times a day.. but once it gets down into the theads it will not only break the bond of rust, it will lubricate the threads..so the part doesn't seeze up once it starts moving.. The shaft on a flat blade screwdrive, will flex when you try to use it like a chisel - and that flex will absorb to much of the needed force. Likewise using a steel hammer much of the needed force is absorbed in the bounce-back. Using the righ tools matters..

Hi EDDIE-Z The 240Z will be a COMPLETELY different automobile. While it's very clean, elegant, classic and sensuous body always attracts, driving one is even more enjoyable in the right climate. IMHO - the right climate is anything below 80 degrees F. Above that, there really is no A/C that will compare to any 90+ automobile. Again, IMHO the 240Z is strictly a Windows Down vehicle, unless it is time to use the heater/defroster. With the windows up - you still have a lot of wind noise caused by the door/window frames leaking air... Of course you have to assure that all the rear hatch seals and tail light seals and body seam seals are air tight... otherwise you can get exhaust gas in the passenger cabin. All things considered - even today - if I had to drive across America {some 3,500 miles}, I still rather do it in a Datsun 240Z than any other car made today. Show it an open freeway or a good secondary highway and it will eat up the miles faster than you can count them.. The trip in a 240Z is far more fun than the destination. You may miss a lot of things about that Escort... but you'll never be unhappy with your decision to get the 240Z. good luck, Carl B.

Doesn't look like a major problem. First - soak the threaded area down with a good penetrating oil. Let that work for a day, then soak it down again and let that work for a day, then soak it down again. DO NOT RUSH THIS.. let the chemicals in the penetrating oil WORK Second - using a chisel with a blade about 1/2 inch wide and brass hammer..apply the chisel at about a 45 degree angle, such that you are pushing what remains of the gland nut counter-clockwise and tap the chisel fairly hard with the brass hammer. Do this at different points around the gland nut. If you have used a really good penetrating oil {Kano Lab's Kroil} and if you have let it work - the gland nut should break loose. If it doesn't, after a few good firm smacks with the brass hammer.. Then the next step is necessary. Heat the strut tube around the area where the threads are. Actually, you can do that just before you use the chisel in the steps above, but I don't do it unless I find that it is necessary. If you don't have a brass hammer - go to Harbor Freight and buy one. A brass hammer will not bounce back from when you hit the chisel, and it will deliver the most force to the chisel. Sometimes I use a pointed Punch instead of a chisel.. depends on which gives the best purchase on the material at hand.. good luck