Mark Maras

When the clutch locked up with a metal fan on my 71. The engine sounded like it had a aircraft prop. under the hood. It also robbed the engine of a bunch of power but no flying things. I'm not a big fan of the original clutch. I've never found two that spin alike.There was a noticeable difference when I took mine off. The engine revved quicker. If I remember correctly, Carl was referring to metal flex-fans self destructing. When my original fan clutch seized, I replaced it with a metal flex-fan and ran it hard for another 15+ years with no problem. Maybe I got lucky.The f-fans decrease parasitic HP loss because they flatten at speed and don't pull any air. The cooling system doesn't need a fan If the car is moving over 10-15mph.

Harbor Freight has a cross-bar dent puller. It uses glue to attach to the panel. One user reports successfully pulling dents out of a motorcycle tank. Success seems to depend on prep. 70 reviews, three stars. For $11.99 it's worth a try. This got me wondering if one couldn't do something similar with a large flat-head screw or nail. Glue it on and use a slide hammer. I don't know what adhesive i would use but there are many to choose from. Should you choose to weld studs on the tank, drop some dry ice into it first. When co2 vapor comes out of it, you're good to go.

I've not tried to pull spindle pins yet but I've had success removing corroded pins and bolts on other machinery. Along with the soaking but before heating I get some dry ice. Fortunately, the local Baskin & Robbins sells it. After heating the casting, chill the pin with ice. Wet ice will work but dry is better. Then use a press or a factory adjusting tool (BFH) on it. I've found even if the pin won't move at first allow it to cool and continue soaking. The shrinkage from the ice seems to break the bond between the casting and the pin allowing penetrant to seep in.

Gainesville Craigs List-TODAY Sanford Fla. 240-260-280 parts. bottom of the list-body parts. Hope you get lucky.

FWIW. Craig's List-Seattle 72 or 73 Z. Looks to be complete L26, E88, 4 screw SUs. Body is pretty bad, rust wise but that is in the eye of the beholder. Looks to be an excellent parts car. $800.00

Sorry, no. We haven't spent enough time with them yet. And besides you're just going to get them dirty.

I would think if there was that much twist in the frame and or body the gaps between the hatch to body & door to body wouldn't align. Your door alignment looks good. Can't see the hatch alignment. IMO the problem lies in the suspension. Any chance the rewelded mounts are in the wrong location?

What is the best way to remove a broken EZ-out assuming there is nothing to grab?

Has anyone had any success using an easyout extractor on this particular stud and are they ever loose enough to back out with a small center punch? If so, it would add credence to to shifting manifold theory. Possibly enlarging the stud hole in the manifold would prevent the stud from shearing? I have one I haven't dealt with yet. If it refuses to budge, my plan is to drill it out and install a heli-coil.

The buyer will be someone with a completed Z and money still in the budget. I don't know anyone in either category. But then I don't know Jay Leno.

Wow, I didn't think it would look that good. Honestly, I didn't think it could be saved. Thanks for the pics. Mine is going into CLR for a soak.

That was fun. Thanks

I'd be interested in seeing the sending unit after it comes out of the CLR and is cleaned up. I have one that I haven't dealt with yet. It still moves and the wires appear intact. Not quite as crusty as yours.

Sanded and scraped the topside and louvers of the cowl today. When I pulled the original pads from the backside, moisture had crept under them. It looked good on the front side but after removing a fair amount of rust from the back, I have four 1/16" rust holes on each side to fill. Shouldn't be too bad, at least it's straight. BTW there are 40 louvers in Z cowls. Kinda figures.

This group of people IS truly amazing. To be a member of a group of people that believes in giving, is a privilege. CZCC is a bright spot in the world. Keep up the good work. The world needs it.

Possibly in your parents reasoning, they knew the minivan would be the safest for you for now. It will spend a lot of time in the driveway if you don't want to be seen in it. When you get your Z, you'll appreciate the Sienna more. It will become the Z's lifeline to the parts store.

Geoff, How dark are the plugs?

Jai, I think this says it all. Congrats. That is one fine looking Z.

One down and nine to go.

Interesting. I assumed it was aerosol. He mentions the mixing ball still rattling in the can. Never having owned a new Z, it was news to me. I didn't see it on CL today, probably gone.

Craig's list Salem $10.00, an original aerosol can of Datsun #306 sterling silver. Seller says Datsun used to include them with the car in the early days? I can pick it up & ship it if anyone wants it.

Craigs List Portland, There's a fellow who has a torque plate for rent, that fits many different heads including Zs. $90.00-7 days, $150.00-14 days, $350.00 refundable deposit.

Sorry, this is not going to be pretty. IMHO, As far as body strength goes there are no good points. They were built with thin sheet metal and are very prone to rust, especially in hidden places, thus weakening what was already a so so structure. They don't hold up well in an accident. There is also the cost of keeping a 40 year old car in running condition. Much of the work can be DIY, IF you have the DESIRE, but if the repairs are farmed out, the expense of repairs, the towing bills & the time the car is in the shop will soon spoil the joy of owning a Z. The drivers ability is a huge factor. A lot of people jump into a Z & think it's going to make them faster than *&^% before they learn the cars' or their own limitations. Not a good recipe. You haven't given much info about yourself but the following advice is applicable to any new Z owner. Join a local sports car club that is involved in club racing. Shouldn't be hard in Cal. They usually host a drivers training course. On track, you will learn, in safe conditions, how to handle a car at speed & learn the cars limitations. In my years of driving a Z, that track time experience was the best money I ever invested in my Z & myself. I hope you get your Z but PLEASE respect it & drive it carefully for at least six months to get used to the car. Many Zs were wrecked in the first six months due to driver over confidence. These cars have the ability to make you feel like Paul Newman. Mark

You're welcome. I forgot about the bolt on the bottom. It has been a number of years since I did a Z cyl. Most recent one for me was an 81 RX7.

Pull the snap ring out of the end and drop that end onto a piece of wood several times. The seals and pistons should move toward the open end. Keep them in order as they come out. Take a close look at the bore & pistons. I normally clean them with a Scotch Brite pad & brake fluid. After cleaning, inspect the bore for pitting. If the bore looks good, reassemble the new & old parts in the proper order, reinstall the snap ring & you're good to go. Oh yeah, It's best to loosen the bleeder screw first. just to make sure that it will. I rebuilt a cyl. once & broke the bleeder screw off after reinstalling the cyl. in the car. Never again.