Carl Beck

@hayitsrama - thanks - PM Sent. Carl

Hi Terrapin @Racer X - thanks for the feedback and help. The fact is "How to join" and "Searchable members list" - - should no longer be on the Site. Thought I had eliminated the links... but obviously had not completely done the job. I'll work on that as I get time. Just as a bit of background: We subscribers to "the Z Car List", an Email Based Z Car Discussion Group started in 1987 - started " the Internet Z Car Club" because at the time vendors offered discounts to Car Club Members. All you needed was a Club Name and your Club Membership Number. So we started a "virtual" club on the Internet. At the time we had somewhere around 12,000 subscribers. As all things Internet and Business evolved, competition for Customers drove most retail prices down and Club Membership Discounts became pretty much a thing of the past. If people shopped on-line they could usually find better prices everywhere. So the real reason and need for the Virtual Club evaporated. Secondly maintaining the Membership Data Base became more and more an issue - as it was usually based on vendor proprietary software - that was or was not supported by all the different Operating Systems on which the Web Site was hosted over the decades. Thirdly the number of volunteers with the software knowledge capable of supporting all this - became fewer and fewer. So today the Internet Z Car Club is truly virtual - it exist only in the minds of its members.

Hi jonbill Thanks for the feedback and help. - - Since you found aktar and ask... "aktar" was Tony Fruzza. He was one of many volunteers that pitched in, devoted his time to help build and keep both the Z Car Home Page and the original "Z Car List" up and running. Since then he has long since moved on (who knows maybe he driving Porsche's now). The Membership Sign up form and data base -as I recall - was a based on a Pearl Script, and as such it required an O/S that included or supported Pearl Scipts. So the form was hosted at mlinks. This was all in the late 80's early 90's and since the beginning both the Web Page and Email list - were moved from one O/S to another and another and another. (IBM Main Frame, DEC/VAX, Univac, Unix, Mac OS-X..). OK - back to the problem - - Interesting thing is - if you go to that Page (links) - and hit the hyper-link back to the ZHome.com sight - at least on my browser (Safari) everything works as it should - everything that is supposed to work -not previously deleted content. That hyper link is "http://www.zhome.com/" This is interesting - as of right now - If I open a new Browser Window - enter just ZHome.com - everything that is supposed to work seems to work. Tried opening an additional Tab in a Browser that was already open and holding several Tabs... and everything on ZHome.com is now working for me. I have not updated nor changed anything. Did all the same using www.ZHome.com and everything is now working. Strange...

Hi Terrapin - thanks for the feedback - in 25 years with the Web Server, I haven't run into this problem. Kind of weird .... all the HTML is the same, the server software is the same for over 2 years now..

Thanks for the feedback - - use this URL http://zhome.com/Racing/Racing.htm When that page comes up - shorten the URL to just http://Zhome.com and enter that - then try the links on the Left Hand frame - - for some reason that works in older versions of Safari ..

Up-date. The Z Car Home Page at ZHome.com seems to fine. The problem appears to be with the Browser being used. Older versions of Safari seem to be effected . Google Chrome works fine and newer versions of Safari are working fine - Safari version 14 works but version 11 no longer seems to.

Hi Guys: Thanks for the heads up - working on it - - code all seems to be good - so may be something at the system level? FWIW, Carl B.

After seeing some additional pictures, I will repeat my advice from above - - "Other than a good detailing, I wouldn’t put any more money into it, as it won’t seriously effect its sale price in the market. Actually most serious buyers would rather fix whatever they want, the way they want. They would rather see it “as is” than worry about “cover-ups”, or “cheap fixes”. (not saying you would do any of that - just pointing out the skepticism in any used car market)." Looking at the additional pictures - - I'll add, messing with such an original condition 240Z - can actually reduce its value to the most serious collectors. They will not only have to address its minor flaws, they will first have to pay their professional restorers to undo what ever you have done. They will pay more for a car that hasn't been messed with.. If you want to help your Dad get the highest dollar value, I would say spend your time and money getting clear high resolution pictures of every detail. Get that Z up on a lift and get pictures of the undercarriage, lots of pictures of the most common rust areas. Take the battery out and get clear pictures of the area under the battery. Pay a professional photographer to provide good high resolution well lite images if you have to, pay someone to put the car up on a lift so you can get great pictures. IMHO that would be the best time and money you could spend on the Z. Go look at the Series I 240Z that sell on BAT - read the comments - you will see that the cars that sell for the most have a couple things in common - 1) 150 to 200 great pictures and 2) a seller that stays on top of answering questions and responding to requests. To get the most value out of a 50 year old Classic Car - you have to put the most effort into SELLING IT. Good luck, Carl B.

@Miljack It wasn't "research" - so much as record keeping. I've kept records of every 240Z VIN I could find for the past 30 years or so. Especially the 69 production years and very low VIN's. (cheap hobby). Glad it helped. FWIW, Carl

Hello Miljack - welcome back! HLS30 00798 was on eBay 12Jan2015 in Conyers, GA. Then it was offered For Sale in Pompano Beach, FL 8May2018. Good luck with finding another one... still plenty of very nice 240Z's - FWIW, Carl B.

Guestimates: MOR - More Or Less ROM = Rough Order of Magnitude SWAG = Swinging Wild arse Guess A “little” a “lot” are relative terms. To me, it is worth a lot - how many people have $30,000.00 in savings? For that matter how many people can plunk down $30K for a fun purchase? Regardless, the fact is you did the research and now both you and your Parents are in a better position - should any need to actually sell the Z arise. That's a Good Thing.

Hi orangecounty240Z - your Dad has a wonderful 240Z and I’m happy that he has enjoyed for 50+ years. It is actually amazing how many people purchased their Datsun 240Z new from the Dealer, and kept them to this day. There are about 189 of them listed on the “Z Car Original Owners Register” on the Z Car Home Page. Most likely twice that many out there still not Registered. Speaks volumes about the desirability of the Datsun 240Z’s from 48+ years ago. http://www.zhome.com/IZCC/ZRegisters/original.htm We would have to see a lot more detailed pictures of your Z - to give any real estimate related to its market value. Engine Compartment, dash, interior etc. With what we know - a ROM - $25K to $35K as it sits. Other than a good detailing, I wouldn’t put any more money into it, as it won’t seriously effect its sale price in the market. Actually most serious buyers would rather fix whatever they want, the way they want. They would rather see it “as is” than worry about “cover-ups”, or “cheap fixes”. (not saying you would do any of that - just pointing out the skepticism in any used car market). The paint flaking on the hood - that is just paint peeling off of the galvanized sheet metal, usually see it on the firewall as well. The cracking of the paint in the rear deck area - that is just the tar mat heat&sound insulation shrinking with 50 years of age - quit normal.

What happened to the Pictures/Images that were Posted here? thanks, Carl

It its 33xxx it is a 06/71 build date - if it is 38xx it is a 07/71 build date. #42464 seems to start 09/71 build dates..

What is the VIN on your Z? Both the 1971 and 1972 Model Year Datsun 240'z were built in 09/71. It don't think it really matters as both had the fuel vapor line... Part Number is the same up to 06/72, then it was superseded by the next part number up to 07/73.

Thanks for the plug - we need to sell a lot more copies - - anyone can order the English language edition hard copy or now download the digital copy at: https://www.lulu.com/search?adult_audience_rating=00&page=1&pageSize=10&q=Datsun+240Z As usual Alan give me far to much credit. I had nothing to do with the translation - Mr. Motomura, one of the Suspension Engineers that worked with Mr. Uemura supplied the English language text files and image files in several different file formats. Having never seen a copy of the original book, I worked with a professional book layout expert to reassemble all the individual files into the single format needed for hard copy publication and distribution, as well as with Art Singer for the Cover Art. The Title page that Mr. Uemura & Mr. Motomura sent was “ The Development of Datsu Z Car" By Hitoshi Uemura, formerly Principal Design Engineer at Nissan Motor Co., The above is cut/pasted from the original text file sent. Yes, the title of the book was changed for the English Language edition to: “DATSUN 240Z ENGINEERING DEVELOPMENT”. “Engineering” as added to differentiate it from all the previous books devoted mostly to the origins in the “Styling Studio" . Datsun 240Z was selected - to increase meta data for search engines (recommended by the Publisher’s suggestions) as that is what the vast majority of English speaking customers initially search for. It was the goal of Mr. Uemura and Mr. Motomura to get Mr. Uemura's story to the American enthusiasts that embraced the Datsun 240Z's in such massive numbers and who had kept/maintained so many of them for 40+ years. “Kwaishinsha” is exactly what was sent - I suppose Mr. Motomura or perhaps Mr. Uemura had photo’s of the original company signs or literature. Being a proper noun - the name of the company isn’t subject to having its name respelled. (no matter that later someone thinks it was spelled wrong to begin with)- it is the name. The owners/ creators had the right to spell it any way they wanted..

Interesting isn’t it? That the sedan was introduced ahead of the Z. It seems that Nissan’s top management felt that the S20 should be introduced in the Z, so that the Skyline could be advertised/sold as having the most powerful sports car engine - rather than putting a sedan engine in a sports car. That was why the S20 was put in the Z by management direction. (as I currently understand the story). It was a clever trick by the head of the Development Department to get Mr. Matsuo’s Plan A selected for production - as the long nose on plan C based on the previous roadster chassis was ugly)...

As Mr. Iida described it - "The improvement of L20 continued afterwards. It is because four cylinder series such as L13 and L16 are completed. To share these four cylinder series and the parts, L20 was again designed. L type series of four cylinders was developed over time, and had been rationalized to detailed parts. It was too good to miss these parts. Reduction in costs can be attempted by sharing parts. The engine that shared parts was called a module engine." "The engine that shared parts was called a module engine." These engines did not share parts with the original L20. Mr. Iida also tells us that the original L20 came about based on the engine block of a previous 4 cylinder block. http://zhome.com/DatsunLSeries/L20NH2004AprilTrans.htm I think the statement "would prove to be a bulletproof workhorse" is accurate.

There are a couple elements that need to be distinctly identified. a) the compressed fiber door panel and b) the vinyl covering. I take it that you are talking about the holes in vinyl covering - Y/N? The difference between the later left side door panel - on the Left Hand or Right Hand Drive models - was the pre-cut holes in the vinyl. (see picture below). As far as I can remember - the original early fiber door panels for the Left Hand Drive Z’s did not have the holes in the fiber door panel backing necessary to mount the Passenger Assist Straps on the Drivers Door. That was changed some time later. Will see if I can find or get some pictures. My guess related to why the Passenger Assist Strap is on the subject $77K example - The Seller said it was a 10 year project - he most likely ordered the correct part number for the Left Hand Drive model, but received a replacement meant for use on a Right Hand Drive model. On these the black vinyl had holes pre-cut for the Pass.Asst.Strap - and the only way to cover it was to install the Strap. This happened to several of us back in the late 90’s and early 2000’s. When i received the wrong panels - I notified Courtesy Nissan and they replaced them for me with the correct parts.

I believe you are correct..Ground the positive wire at the gas tank - the gauge should swing to FULL.. If it doesn’t its the gauge - if it does its the sending unit, or a broken wire. Your Agreed Value is WAY to low today. It should be closer to $40K. Even then it would take a long time to find a replacement at that price.

@madcow See: http://zhome.com/Racing/FuelTankVaporLineMod/FuelTankVaporMod.htm

Thanks forechecking in - we want to send them some of the failed pumps, so they can determine for themselves what the problem is. (it's a corporate thing...LOL). I have 3 new one's myself I bought as future "donors".

Hi Guys - looks like "The Z Car Home Page" at ZHome.com is back on-line now.. thanks, Carl