Racer X

Thank you for the comprehensive and informative reply. I have been collecting license plates for about 50 years, and have learned quite a bit about the details, but just now learned something new, so it is appreciated that you took the time to compose such a great reply. I recently reregistered my 72 240Z, using the original license plate as “year of manufacture”. It is now permanently registered, although use is limited to test drives after maintenance or repairs, parades, travel to and from shows, or for pleasure.

What is a Q plate?

Spent the last week after work harvesting parts from a 77 280 I picked up from a neighbor about 15 years ago. The clutch and brake pedals for converting my 72 240 to manual, the seats to rebuild and reupholster, maybe for the 240, and all the usable interior, possibly for another 280 I have intentions of building up.

Did someone forget to start a "What I Did To My Z Today" for 2020? *Edit* Never mind. Didn't see it way down below all the pinned threads. Carry on, nothing to see here.

I know. But I need to get the 77 stripped down and then move it back outside, and free up the lift.

Been too busy to take pictures, but I've been working on the 72, sort of. Determining what I need to replace before driving it, then sourcing everything. Still need to decide on what hoses it needs (all of them), and work a weekend of overtime to pay for that and a new set of tires. The seat foam is 48 years old and needs replaced, but I could drive the car some before spending time and money there. Prettymuch got everything else. I need to make a fixture to hold the engine and transmission, with a radiator and exhaust so the condition of the 'temporary' L28 with SU carbs and a 5 speed can be determined. This week I harvested some parts from a 77 280Z I have. About 15 years ago I bought a set of Panasport wheels from my neighbor, and they came with this car. It ran, but the local "Z" shop had been working on it, and the short rubber hoses from the fuel pipe to the injectors leaked badly. I had offered to fix it for him, but his experience with that "Z" shop soured him to having the car, he just wanted it gone. It has sat out behind the shop ever since I bought it and drove it there. So far I have the clutch and brake pedals, and may use the tach too, as my 72 has a distributor from a 280, and my tach doesn't work now. Next up, the alternator. I also pulled the plastic trim panels, as they are in decent condition, and I may need them for one of the other 280Zs I have. The car has lots of other good stuff, but is a rustbucket. I will try and get some pictures up this weekend, including the pictures of the underside of the 72 for @Captain Obvious

Thanks Ryan!

Looks fantastic. What paint was used? Acrylic enamel, like original? More modern base coat clear coat?

I feel the need to comment on your process. It appears that you are going to do a complete restoration of the body and paint. But. The car isn't completely stripped of everything. The glass needs to be removed. The fenders need to come off. The wiring harnesses, brake and fuel lines gotta come off. Anything that can be removed must be, to protect it from damage by the stripper and sanding. And when you start cutting out rusty metal to weld in new, you won't want anything in the way that will be ruined by cherry red slag balls flying from the welding splatter. You mentioned the tube nuts on the hydraulic and fuel lines were damaged, so you just bent the lines aside. Get a double flaring tool, tubing cutter and new nuts, and repair them. In the meantime, remove all the tubing from the car so it doesn't get damaged. If any of the lines need related, they can be used as a pattern to build new ones. Good luck on your restoration. Racer

Do they make left hand drive version?

I like everything but the e-brake boot. That should be made with some nice leather, along with a matching shifter boot. The car looks sweet too, especially the floor. Makes me want a frosty mug of root beer.

Soon.

It has the same shifting mechanism of every 240 four speed and 280 five speed I have, but it is the only transmission I have with a companion flange, rather than an open spline.

Is that the 900cc three cylinder two stroke bike?

So one of the engine options I have. L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr It is an L28, N47 head, and (I was told but don't know for sure) a Datsun Comp 5 speed. A guy gave it to me, and said it had been in a 240Z. Supposedly it has an aftermarket cam, and whatever else was done to hop it up, but without opening it up I have no idea. He also claimed the transmission was some special Datsun Comp unit, again, I cannot establish that to be true or not. I haven't seen any examples in any of the online resources for Datsun transmissions of the era. It did come with a custom built driveshaft to mate it with a Datsun differential, in a Z, and it is a 5 speed gearbox. I'm going to rework the cart it is sitting on, and hook up a radiator and exhaust, and see if I can get it fired up to asses its condition. If it is usable I'll likely drop it in the brown Z until I can budget the time to rebuild the original L24.