Carl Beck

Hi Gregg: Thanks for letting me know - and please convey my best wishes to everyone! Sounds like you will all have a great time! Drive safe... Carl B.

The shape of the center valance and front corners for the 280Z's are DIFFERENT than the parts for the 240Z.... I do not know if the center section for the 280Z will line up with the mount on the 240-Z. The 280Z has a larger radiator core support and I believe it sits lower in the car... Maybe someone here has been there/done that????? But I've want to know for sure before ordering parts.. FWIW, Carl B.

Also - you always want to check the little rubber hose that runs from the float bowl to the bottom of the carb. This hose needs to be a very high quality formed vinyl construction - and over the years many have been replaced with less expensive, even cheap rubber fuel line. These rubber lines easily kink with age/heat - and restrict fuel flow.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gang: Mr. Shin Yoshikawa will be spending the day with DATSUN Enthusiasts at the Datsun Heritage Museum this coming Saturday - 25 April 2009. Datsun Heritage Museum 41610 Date St., Suite 103 Murrieta, CA 92562 1-951-696-1087 Shin will have plenty of his wonderful Cutaway-Drawings of our Z Cars, as well as models of the Toyota 2000GT along with his book on the Toyota 2000GT. If you have an interest in the 2000GT - Shin's book is a "must have". A bit expensive for some - but the printing/publication/photographs are well worth the price. Here's your chance to get an autographed copy!! All donations will go to support the Datsun Heritage Museum... See Poster below or visit http://DatsunHeritageMuseum.com for all details. You can also download a copy of the DHM News Letter while visiting the sight. FWIW, Carl B.

Sound interesting... hummm http://www.hemmings.com/newsletter/newsletter.html?volume=4&issue=45&id=2195&refer=news&emlid=70721#2195 FWIW, Carl B.

Penetrating oil and gravity: In many cases - I've simply put a little penetrating oil down the strut tube - then hung the Shock Rod in a vise, and let the strut tube hang below over night - about six inches off the floor. By the next morning they have usually broken themselves loose. It's usually not just "rust", so much as a vacuum that sets itself up below the shock valves, or the bottom of the old cartridge and the bottom of the strut tube. If that doesn't do the trick - like Enigma and Arne said - get the slide hammer out... it is usually not a major problem. Note I said "usually" In very few cases, I've had to put a little heat on the lower part of the shock tubes. Good luck, Carl B.

Hi Chris: Great - thanks for the heads-up. I wish that the owner of the 911 and I had been able to spend more time together. Really nice man and very neat car. It was very hard to stay by your car to talk to people about it - and still get around the field to see everything else. Thanks, Carl B.

Carlos!! If you want us to buy a new Nissan - start resupplying the parts for our old DATSUN!! The bumper sticker that the Classic Z Car Club should promote!! Print them at home on your ink jet - and start mailing them to Nissan USA and Japan HQ !! FWIW, Carl B.

So you can start the car, and with it running you can put it one or another gears. Then when you let the clutch out - the car still doesn't "want" to move - is that correct? Either the front or rear brakes are hung up. Put it in gear and drive it... there nothing that you can hurt. If it's the brakes hanging up - drive it around and warm everything up - and keep appling and releaseing the brakes.. that will most times break them loose... good luck, Carl B.

With the exception of the Datsun 240-Z that has been my experience as well. Over the past 40 years there have been at least 20 other automotive interests that have all come and gone.. but the 240-Z always stayed. Without regard to "price" it is the best Sports/GT we will most likely see in our lifetime. People will still be driving them 40 years from now.. FWIW, Carl B.

I have "watched out" now for about 40 years... sorry to report -no such luck.:stupid: It took a V12 Ferrari to get my present wife to go on our first date!! (and she has been worth every bit of effort too!). Nonetheless - it sounds like it's time for you to get a 240-Z for your next trip to the beaches... and I'm too old now even with a FerrariLOL Neat memories... FWIW, Carl B.

Can you say "Camel Toe"?..... I thought so.....

How many miles are on this transmission? If your clutch works fine in all forward gears - it is most likely not your clutch. Reverse is not synchronized - - when the transmission are well within factory spec - this is not a problem, because you have to come to a full stop, before engaging reverse. As these transmissions acquire 100,000+ miles the bearings/shafts and synchronizers wear - and it takes reverse gear a bit longer to stop spinning.... this is not all that uncommon. Could be your transmission is simply in need of a rebuilt..... FWIW, Carl B.

If you have a stock L24 - you should have flat top pistons. But you don't have L28 size flat tops. So you won't have 10+ : 1 compression ratio's on your L24. (unless you over-bore the block an install larger pistons, or lengthen the stroke etc.). FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: I'm not sure where Jeff/Arne got 8.3:1 CR for the 1972 Model Year L24. The Factory Service Manual says it's 8.8:1. After gathering statistics from several engines, most of the engine builders agreed that it actually comes out to the following. L24 E-31 Head Swept volume = 398.9cc Combustion Chamber = 42.4cc (E31 Stock) Gasket volume = 7.61cc Deck Height = - 0.174 cc 42.4+7.61-0.174 = 49.836 49.836+398.9 = 448.736 448.736 / 49.836 = 9.004:1 compression ratio L24 E88 Head (72 Model Year) Swept volume = 398.9cc Combustion Chamber = 44.7cc (E88-1972) Gasket volume = 7.61 cc Deck Height = -0.174 44.7+7,61-0.174 = 52.136 52.136+398.9= 451.036 451.036 / 52.136 = 8.65 : 1 Note: Deck Height is as measured, not published in the service manuals. Nonetheless Nissan seems to have included the deck height - as they reported 9:1 c/r for E31 Heads. But then Nissan reports 8.8 : 1 for 1972 Model Year, although it calculates out to 8.65 : 1 As you can see - if you play with the numbers - taking a few thousands off an E88 to assure it is flat, or un-shrouding the valves, or adding larger valves - - will all change the C/R to a great extent. As they can all increase/decrease the total combustion chamber volume. With the pump gas available in most parts of the country - and lacking a modern engine management system - you really don't want to go much over a 9:1 CR for a street engine. If you do, you have to run 93 Octane, and have your timing spot-on at all times. It also leaves you no room for any possible future over-heading/blown headgasket episodes if that head needed to be milled again... FWIW, Carl B.

Some things don't change - thank goodness. That is the same Fuel Pressure Regulator that BRE ran on the Baja Z in 1973. The original was still on the car, and you can still buy rebuild kits for it. Both the High Pressure and Low Pressure versions are identical in construction - the only difference is the spring used. The rebuild kit comes with both springs and can be used for both High and Low pressure regulators. Just to be safe, I rebuilt mine - put a fuel pressure gauge on it and it is right on the money. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Greg: So the questions still are - "where in the RPM range - are the harmonics critical enough to hammer a main bearing" - and/or - "is that the problem area"? Anyone know what the Factory Red Line is on the LD28? Might be a clue there related to the use of that crank. Lightening and balancing on that crank would also be VERY important {as mentioned} As I recall, when the cranks started walking around in the early L24's - it resulted in cracked flywheels and blown clutches.. sort of a harmonic whiplash at the end of the crank. If the center main was the only one hammered - - could have simply been an improperly installed (torqued) center main or cap. Maybe weak main or rod bolts/nuts that failed to hold proper torque. It just seems that if you ran into a harmonic wall - you'd see more damage than just the center main bearing. be sure to let us know if you ever find an answer... good luck, Carl B.

Agreed - Keep Looking...that one is too far gone already. Carl B.

LOTS OF MILES on a 280Z = 300,000+ Looks like a nice clean 280Z worth taking care of and sure to be enjoyable to own. Now save some money up - and plan a trip around America early summer when you turn 21... Stay off the Interstates as much as possible -and stop for a day or to in many interesting spots.. Take a good friend with you to share the experience with... This is an Amazing Country... good luck, Carl B.

1974 Datsun 260Z - $4200.00 - WinterSprings (Orlando) Florida http://orlando.craigslist.org/cto/1100616584.html Even with the 72 Carb's, this one might still pass the inspection required for 1974..

Also depends on what you plan to use the car for, or plan to do to the car. I wouldn't put $6K in a non-matching number 240-Z's, if I ever hoped to refresh it toward saving a Classic Car. If you want a street mod 240-Z - I still wouldn't pay that much to start with... better to buy a bare shell for $2K and do your own thing, or pay a bit more up front and get a street mod car that is really performance oriented and done. FWIW Carl B.

Here is an E-Production 240-Z in Florida... http://www.zcar.com/forums/read/8/2021634 FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guy: Short of Turbo-charging these engines - - The real HP gains are made by increasing the displacement and raising the compression ratio. You can run up to 9.5:1 compression ratio on pump gas in most area's of the US, and in some places 10:1. Depends on the actual quality of the pump gas in your area among other things. If you don't want to shave the head - then you can deck the block and install oversize flat top pistons. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rob: That looks like a very pleasant way to spend a long weekend. Around 850 miles round trip and in some beautiful country. Wonder if we could start something like that - back here on the East Coast... Approximately how many cars were participating? FWIW, Carl B.

The Parts Catalog lists 11041 HEAD ASSY-CYLINDER I believe that all of the following had casting numbers of P79, as I don't recall ever seeing a head with a casting number of P71 nor P81 on a ZX. -P7180 07/78 to 01/79 -P8100 02/79 to 04/80 -P8180 02/79 to 04/80 -P8181 05/80 to 06/80 -P7980 07/80 on.... So I'd say that the P79 heads were on all the N/A 280ZX's 79 to 83 Model Year... Just my guess... Carl B.