Mark Maras

IMO, if you're going to work on the trans, clutch and oil pan, pull the engine and trans as an assembly. By the time you remove everything underneath to pull the trans and loosen the motor mounts to fix the pan gasket. there isn't much more to do to pull the engine. I've done it both ways. I'd rather drop an engine and trans in from the top, than stuff a trans in from the bottom. In my younger days I could do either method easily. Not now though. If you do pull the trans only, be sure you have enough clearance under the car to allow the height of the bellhousing to clear the underside of the car. It's a common dilemma.

I didn't grab the $600.00 Z in Vancouver. However, my brother lives in Centralia. Probably the only person there that drives a Model A rat rod. Might be time to pay him a visit. HMMMMM! He has storage space. Lot's of it. Covered. He's single. Zed Head. You are one of the "trolling voices" driving my schiZophrenia. Honestly though, I appreciate it. The voices started in the summer of 73 when I sold my 69 SS 396 Chevelle and bought my first Z. Remember the gas shortage? The first piece that I saved from HIRO (my 71) was the air pump and all the extraneous B.S. that went with it. Still have it. (there might be a pattern here) I had sellers remorse only once when I saw the identical model Chevelle sell at Barrett-Jackson for $67,000 a few years back. The raw acceleration of the 396 was fun but Zs in corners are much better. The shed is done except for paint. Now I have to keep Kathy out of the loft. I already have a Z stash up there. I think I'm safe, she's afraid of heights.

I'm reasonably familiar with the SW Washington but I don't remember Kingston being there. The only Kingston I remember is across Puget Sound from Lynnwood, North of Bainbridge Island. That would be up in Mike's territory. Just a ferry ride away.

Even with the sunroof it's a good deal. Besides, here in the P.N.W. a roof skin patch panel would be easy and cheap to source if you couldn't live with the sun roof. The rest of the car looks pretty good.

The original equipment had a separate switch for the antenna. The radio had no control over the antenna.

All U.S.A. Zs had power antennas as standard equipment. I'm unsure of the others.

So, How far past the end of the barrel does your "muffler" extend and how effective is it? I'm assuming it's a 22 cal.

Congratulations. RedBird is beautiful all shined up. Let's see now, First show you won a Second Place. Second show you won a First Place, Third show, we're expecting a Best of Show. Don't let us down. BTW, you might want to buy a lottery ticket or even two. You're on a roll.

Interesting. My early 74 has lead plugs. Maybe one of the POs replaced them. Something that doesn't make sense about the lead replacement used for balancing. Seems to me that the small piece of lead would weigh more than the rubber plug. Nice to finally learn what the hole in the drum was used for. Duh! Forty three years around Zs and I'm still learning. Thanks.

Wow, I didn't catch that. A Freudian slip if I ever saw one but I remain steadfast. I have most of a 71 parts car that I have to find a place for first. I think I see a lean-to addition on the back of the shed in the near future. BTW, Kathy did agree I could paint automotive logos on it. Datsun, Mazda for sure, and a few British and Italian ones too. I'm halfway there.

I appreciate the heads up but another engine isn't not on my list. I have three. Oh the temptation tho. I just moved a nice 10' x 12' x 11' high, gambrel roof Tuff Shed with a loft onto my property from my neighbors. The first thing Kathy says is "Now, I don't want this used as a catch all for your car parts." She knows me all too well. We'll see how that idea turns out though. There's plenty of room in the loft for 401Z investment sheet metal.

There's too much wrong with it for that price. Don't get in a hurry to buy a Z. You'll spend far less time and money and be on the road sooner if you use the money that would have gone into this one to get one in better shape. Many sheet metal parts are available but it is very discouraging when you open a Z up and find the rust keeps going and going. The battery area rust could and probably does include the firewall and the front frame rail. I also don't trust bondoed flares and such mods. They can hide rusted out quarter panels. Also the flex and twist in these bodies will crack thick Bondo. That said, I would consider it if it didn't have the flairs.

Well done. Beautiful Z. Bit of a shock to the others? I can hear them saying " But it's Japanese." while kicking rocks across the parking lot.

I don't know if this will help or if it's already obvious. When I'm welding thin steel, a poor fit or a hole, when I stop welding I watch the weld cool. IMMEDIATELY when the orange color disappears and the weld turns dark I start the next weld. The weld is still hot enough that the next weld starts easily and blends in with the previous weld. Weld times are typically about a half second in duration. It's easy to develop a rhythm that will give you a flatter weld and look more like a continuous weld. Less clean up too.

Many members have reported using a 79-85 Mazda RX7 fuel pump. It's an inline pump and was said to be relatively quiet too. Carter #8566-05276566. PartsGeek sells them for $35.00. No regulator needed. These were used to supply a downdraft 4 barrel carb on the rotaries.

A few years back my son's 81 RX7 caught fire while sitting in the driveway. Left side of the dash, electrical. If I'd had a glove next to the extinguisher, I wouldn't have gotten blisters from reaching through flaming dripping plastic to reach the hood latch. I was headed for the battery to disconnect it. I think a glove is a great idea. Not all car fires are gasoline. I've also wished I had a hot glove when doing roadside repairs on a hot engine. BTW, we saved the car. We had to replace the dash and rebuild the wire harness one wire at a time. It's his daily driver now.

A very primitive, but effective, method to source very poor connections and short circuits is temperature. Often you can feel the heat buildup in the connection with your fingers. Be careful though, things can get hot enough to raise blisters in a very short time, especially if there's a short circuit. I usually do this test first to see if there is anything obvious.

What type of plastic did you use? My son just built a 3D printer and I'm nudging him toward recreating some Datsun parts.

That engine is fueled by upsidaisium. The metal munching mice got the rest of the car.

I've got a couple of tanks that have loose nail head connections. Does anyone have a method to tighten the loose nail head connections or is best to just seal it up with some sort of fuel resistant goop?

This one appears to be in exceptionally good shape. Too bad about the color changes inside and out but a solid, numbers matching 70 will bring a tidy sum. If you consider $20,000 plus, a tidy sum.

If it is to be driven often, I'd go with the 918 orange. Everyone loves it, it's easy to repair and I wouldn't have to deal with flake or pearl. If it is to be garaged and shown as Z porn, Aston Martin's Madagascar Orange would be stunning on a Z.

And hopefully a spotter too. Be safe.

Yes, it does make sense. Start looking in the rear for fuel line grommets, weather stripping and tail light gaskets that are leaking. These cars are notorious for sucking exhaust into the car.

If the paint is the original yellow, it probably is a Zap edition. As always, body condition still is the main factor. It looks like one hell of a deal but it could be a high priced parts car too. Referencing the member map, we have at least six members in Eastern Washington.