Carl Beck

If it checks out as having "perfect" paint - and the undercarriage is as clean as it should be - - $19K is a bargain. The problem is that usually when go see the car - with 40.000+ miles - it turns out NOT to be the "perfect" show winner you had in mind... The seller isn't misrepresenting it - its just that we get this mental image of the "perfect" 240-Z that doesn't match up with the car we go look at.. Nonetheless - if you keep in mind that it HAS been used for 40K miles..you most likely can't put a 240-Z in that condition for any less money... Not to mention years of work.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: Please let me know when you can buy an electric sports car that you can jump into and drive from Seattle to Tampa in 48 hours. At that point you'll be driving a hydrogen fuel cell, supported by all filing stations with a gasoline, diesel and hydrogen pump... circa 2075. I suppose if think of a "sports car" as one you don't want to go much farther than 50 miles at time, or one that can weight over 4,000lbs to carry the batteries... it might work for you. IMHO - The next affordable "sports car" that will shake the world - will be one that weights less than 2000lbs and is powered by a very small displacement turbo diesel. If China cranks up the baking ovens, they could produce a full carbon fiber/aluminum honeycomb Sports/GT that would be a game changer... most likely from VW.. FWIW, Carl B.

Beautifully put - ahmen... I would only add: In addition to exceptional styling and affordable performance the Datsun 240-Z fit the average American like a glove, in both size and utility. A Sports/GT that could eat up thousands and thousands of miles crisscrossing America, while delivering its driver and passenger comfortably refreshed at the end. The additional utility of its cavernous hatch back and its daily driver comfort and reliability put its value to its owners - far in front of any other offerings at the time. Still true today... The beauty of the 240-Z is far more than skin deep. If the Crossfire had the room and comfort that the 240-Z had, my wife and I would have been driving it home... We actually went to the Chrysler Dealer to buy one... Couldn't recline the seat backs more than a couple degrees, it had about half the cargo area of 240-Z, and less shoulder room,overall we felt cramped in it ... damn... We went home very disappointed.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike/Chris: Here is a picture of the item in HLS30 00016. That is two owner car, and as I recall it has about 70-80K miles. Always garaged and cared for.. We drove it back to Florida from Ohio with the original 1969 Spark Plug Wires still in place.. As you can see, compared to the Black Dash,and Heater Control nobs - the Heater Control Panel is gray. FWIW, Carl B.

Anyone that is restoring a 240-Z to Pure Stock will need the Air Pump if they don't already have one working order. So I sure wouldn't throw it away... Nissan needed to use the Air Injection system to meet the U.S. EPA's Air Quality Standards. So no matter what State one was in - for the Z's to be sold in the U.S. it was part of the engines Emissions Control System. You may be thinking of the Gasoline Vapor Recovery requirement that existing in California in 1970, but which wasn't yet required by U.S. Regulations. Nonetheless that requirement was in the "draft" legislation in D.C. as well, put their by pressure from the environmentalists... So the auto industry knew it was coming. Canada on the other hand, had no legal requirements for either. So several 240-Z's but strangely not all - arrived without one, the other or both.

Hi Arne: hummmm..... When I was at Les's shop around 1999 - he had just begun to reproduce the Spooks.. I bought four of them because I was so happy to get high quality reproductions, rather than having to rebuild mine for the fifth or sixth time. Plus I knew some of the guys around here would want or need one sooner or later, and Les needed to move a few to pay for the initial costs of startup.. Anyway - I still had one on the shelf. I went out and took a look and sure enough the circles that indicate where to drill for the core support are clearly present. I'll see if I can get a clear picture tomorrow with some indirect sunlight. {hard to get clear picture of an all shinny black surface with a flash}. Even in 71, in order to get that first couple of bolts threaded into the captive nuts - one had to push up with one's right hand with a lot of pressure - and start the bolt on its way in with your left hand. Just holding the Spook in place - it is about 0.5" of more below the core support. As it is flexed up and the three bolts are tightened down - it spreads out to the sides a bit as well. Not knowing much about the design of fiberglass structures, I don't know if this pre-stress is intentional or not. I do know that the original held up on my Z without showing any stress cracks etc - at least until I destroyed it on parking stops.. Like I said - that was around 99 - so things might have changed since then.. FWIW, Carl B

Just use fresh and good quality Masking Tape - over the paint where you intend to drill though. Use a sharp center-punch to start and hold the drill bit in the correct place. The BRE Spook bolts to the bottom of the Radiator Core Support - with three bolts that go into the existing captive nuts. Look at the underside of the core support and you should see them... If you look closely at the Spook - it should have three little circles scribed in the fiberglass - where the Spook overlaps the bottom of the radiator core support.. If the body shop sanded and then painted the Spook - you may not be able to find the scribed circles that show you where the bolts should go though... See BRE's mounting instructions... FWIW, Carl B.

If you are not thinking of it already - Coat the inside of the bumper with POR-15 while your at it...These bumpers rust from the inside out.. Mask the edges off, and cover the entire exterior chrome! Shoot the interior of the bumper with some aluminum paint to cover the POR-15, just as the POR-15 gets tacky to the touch.. If there is already some surface rust on the inside of the bumper - just knock it down with some sandpaper and blow it out, then wipe it down with some lacquer thinner.. FWIW, Carl B.

Things just don't work out sometimes... due to a number of conspiring issues.... my trip to Atlanta is NOT going to happen. I'll have to do a better job of planning for next year... FWIW, Carl B.

Looks like the previous owner refreshed it a bit - and changed the color from the original Metallic Brown to White. Nonetheless, looks like a pretty clean Z... Personally, I've always liked the Metallic Brown... if I refreshed it I would have to put it back to its original color. Although I like my White 240-Z very much... BTW - I feel your pain. A couple weeks after I took delivery of my Metallic Blue 72 240-Z, I was sent overseas, and the car had to sit in a hanger at the base.... Couldn't wait to get back home... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Stephen: I think - and who knows for sure what the people at Nissan were thinking at the time - that the logic has to do with the primary focus of the different vehicles. It seems the logic associated with the name of the Black Pearl Edition 280Z - was that it was logical to use the name of the Black Pearl Paint to identify the car, because the paint color was the primary focus of the car. The 78 Black Pearl was a limited edition because it was actually a test market vehicle. Nissan wasn't sure that the American public would buy a black sports car at that point. So they built enough to scatter around America and observe the reaction. They were an immediate sell-out and Dealers requested more - but of course being a Limited Edition, Nissan hadn't actually set up to produce more.. There is a very nice man that worked for Nissan/Bob Sharp racing doing video work during that period. He owns the 1979 280ZX 2+2 that was the first prototype for the "Black Gold 280ZX" advertising/marketing campaign. Because of his association with Nissan/Sharp he was allowed to buy the car directly from Nissan Motors USA, and Bob Sharp put a set of Gold Gotti Wheels on it for him as a gift. The ZX has just under 7K miles now, and can be yours for $20K. I think the logic associated with the ZZZap Z on the other hand, had more to do with the Special Decor Package itself adding some Zap! to the Sunburst Yellow 280Z. There had been many yellow Z's before ... so the color itself was not the primary focus in that case. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Adam: White Vinegar {aka White Distilled Vinegar usually made from corn} - seems to be one of the "miracle" solutions. It is effectively used for potty training puppies, applied to sunburns, cleans corrosion off electrical connections. Used to clean tile floors without leaving a soap scum and removing calcium buildup from coffee makers. Mixed 50/50 with Witch Hazel it's used to treat "swimmers ear" {also used to clean dog's ears when they get a fungal infection}. We know it's used for other yeast infections found in some of our favorite places. As it pertains to the TCP - there is some off-setting effect between the uric acid in the TCP and the acetic acid in the Vinegar - that eliminates the foul odor. FWIW, Carl B.

The absolute worst odor - I've ever had in a car - was TCP {Tom Cat wizz}. This came about while transporting my at the time Girl Friends pet to the Vet. I had him in a trasport box, sitting on the passenger side seat - he got scared and let go - all over the seat, down onto the carpet, into the carpet pad ... After removing and cleaning everything with various soaps - then letting it all air dry... The odor from TCP was still there. Finally another Cat owner - hearing of my situation - suggested the use of White Vinegar as the cleaning agent. I used it, and the odor was GONE!! FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: For the benefit of the elderly living in Sarasota - let me spell this out. Maybe pointing to the visual graphics of the individual letters will will help . S A P Special Appearance Package The SAP was available only on the Black Pearl in 1978. S D P Special Decor Package The SDP came on the Sunburst Yellow 280Z in 1977. So a ZZZap Z is a 1977 Sunburst Yellow 280-Z with the Special Decor Package. BTW Note that it is ZZZap - with 3 Z's. :stupid: The 240-Z was the first Datsun Z and it had Zap The 260-Z was the second Datsun Z and its larger 2600cc engine had more ZZap The 280-Z was the third Datsun Z and its larger 2800cc engine, plus 5spd had even more ZZZap So "wrong" is as usual a case of a befuddled mind, confused details and incorrectly defined terms. You have the address to which the "check" can be sent. I'd rather have you owe it me than cheat me out of it!! Chris, you have to get out of Sarasota!! FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: If you look at the Z Car Home Page, you will see the information sent to the Dealers about the BP and the optional SAP. What the SAP contained is specified in the "Dealer Sheet" - just click on the image to view a large version http://ZHome.com/History/BlackP.htm Below the "Dealer Sheet" - you will also see two different Window Stickers - one shows the Black Pearl Paint - and the additional charge for it. The second shows the additional option and cost of the SAP. When it comes to the ZZZap - we have only limited documentation. The Nissan Ad.'s that we do have say that you will get the 280Z Special Decor Package on a Sunburst Yellow exterior. Jazz-Z. The Special Decor Package contains/consists of: Red, Yellow-Orange and Black multi-color stripes on - Hood, Deck and Roof - Equally striking Side Strips - Racing Mirrors, plus Rear Window Louvers {aka Shade Kit} I do not believe that the Sunburst Yellow in 1977 was an extra cost option - but is likely that the Special Decor Package was... We'd have to gather copies of window stickers to see what was listed as extra cost options on them. FWIW, Carl B.

Long term, 100K+ miles - and the difference between running Leaded and Unleaded fuel may start to show up. When it does, it still won't be a significant difference in a normal street engine. The lead additives in gasoline, in addition to being a cheap way to increase octane ratings, also had the side benefit of supplying additional lubricating to the valve stem/seal interface and the valve/valve seat interface. As lead was removed from the gasoline, the material composition of the valve stem seals, the valves and valve seats was also changed.. So the net effect in that area was minimal. I think the article you referenced - intentionally used "relative" terms like "soft" and "hard" because in order to be specific - they would have to have used a very large matrix. A matrix outlining make/model/year produced as well as each model using different engines - then showing all manor of copper alloys and steel... In general categories valve seats moved from copper alloy{other than tin}, to brass, to bronze, to steel, to hardened steel - as well as all of them with special alloy formulas between. The Bronze valve seats in the 71 were quite a bit harder than the ones used for years before that.. Ultimately of course the L28's started coming with steel. Bottom line - you may want to use a higher octane rated unleaded fuel, as they contain additives to replace the lubricating functions that lead used to add. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes but you still read it.... Carl B.

Hi Mike: You are correct. The Black Pearl Edition 280Z - was a limited edition of units painted with the Black Pearl Metallic Paint and for which there was a $90.00 charge on the Window Sticker. The SAP was an extra cost option, over and above the cost of buying the Black Pearl. The SAP option was only available on the Black Pearl edition. Nonetheless one could have purchased a Black Pearl without the SAP.... or with it. FWIW, Carl B.

I'm pretty sure that Datsun Alley shut down -and Mark moved to AZ.. Yes/NO? Carl B.

Am I dreaming - wasn't there a post from Jim in Lutz saying he had a hood... Carl B

Another approach...... When I had the Muffler shop - I'd simply slip the largest A/K (aluminum killed) exhaust pipe that would fit - into the damaged strut - usually 1 7/8's inch.... then using the pipe expanding die's on the Pipe Bender - I'd heat the strut then expand the exhaust pipe inside the strut - until the strut was round again. The steel in the strut and the threads cut into it were far harder even when warmed up - than the A/K pipe, so no damage to the thread if one was careful. Taking the expanded exhaust pipe back out of the strut, was simply a matter of cutting a slot in the A/K pipe. First time I did this, I used a cutting torch to cut the slot when I couldn't get the exhaust pipe back out of the strut {standard stuff for a muffler shop}... second time I cut the slot before expanding it in the strut.... da.... FWIW Carl B.

Hi Joel: da... I should have remember that. Actually I should have bought that car myself when Randy decided to sell it. A very nicely refreshed 240-Z, it was easy to understand how it was mistaken for a VZ when sitting beside the VZ's that Nissan had in their warehouse. That mistake however simply makes for a 240-Z with a more than average story to tell. So have you got it out and enjoyed it on the weekends? You'll have to Post some pictures in your User Gallery... FWIW, Carl B.

The instructions that came with the last set of KYB's that I installed, directed the use of light oil in the strut. As a result of time/experience that might have changed - what do the installation instructions that came with your shocks say? FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: This too is incorrect. The car did NOT have a dash plaque. Pete's trip to the warehouse was to see what cars Nissan STILL had there vs which one's they had sold off since he left the company. I was communicating with him during that period -and he said he wasn't sure what all was left in the warehouse... he'd have to go see. The warehouse was dark and dirty.. nothing like you would expect a company like Nissan to have... When Randy bought the non-VZ car from Nissan, they didn't even have a title for it. A new title was generated based on the Manufactures Statement of ownership. Doug bought it from Randy {super bargain} and I'm not sure if he still has it or not.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: I have confirmed ownership of Mr. Crain's VZ. He sent the data in some time ago and I talked to him at Amelia. He said he'd try to get a picture and send it in. I may have to bug him again.. FWIW, Carl