w3wilkes

I have dealer experience from back in the day with my 73 240Z. Bought in July 1973 in SLC, UT. It was fine that summer. Over the winter I drove a bunch to both Denver and Albuquerque multiple times. Seems like the next summer is when I had my first vapor lock, more like a loss of power, like 25 to 30 percent, very noticeable but it still ran. I could always start it after being parked, but it would take some cranking. Took it in multiple times. They put on the fuel rail insulation, that didn't really help. They added the electric fuel pump, helped a little. On hot days on the way home from work I'd pop the hood latch like mentioned before. It would help some, always got me home. They fiddled with the flat tops a bunch, but never hinted that the carbs sould be swapped for round tops. It was pretty much like that the rest of the ~20 years I drove it. Other than the really hot days in July and August the flat tops were fine for over 100,000 miles. Wilkes

I think the front bumper is bent on the passenger side. It isn't straight with the grill bars. Gaps on the hood don't match. Drivers side fender and headlight bucket appear to be pushed in towards the front, might just need adjustment.

Found it interesting that the 73 description says the carbs are original. They may be original, but not for a 73. This one has round tops and the 73's had flat top carbs. And is it just me or is the front bumper crooked on the 73?

Those caps look like they're not as tall as the ones that came with my wheels. These caps fit over the dust caps just fine with no mod to the cap. I bought my wheels here; https://www.18racing.com/collections/rb/products/rota-rb-1570-4x114-3-4-73-gunmetal-with-polish-lip Maybe they will sell just the caps.

Reminds me of a BMW 633CSi. Very nice!

My guess is it's in the American west... I used to do the off-road stuff in my 73 240Z. At about 40MPH on washboard dirt road it was kind of like being on ice, felt like you were floating. Once we drove the 73 into a fishing hole on Flaming Gorge reservoir and there were a couple of guys in a 4 wheel drive truck that couldn't believe we got there in the 240Z. On the way out we hit a rock and separated the exhaust pipe from the headers, man was that loud getting back to Manila, UT where we were able to put it back together at a gas station (back in the day when gas stations had lifts and would let you use them). Here in Google Earth 41°02'03.20" N 109°33'38.20" W

The wheels look Primo!

I love those wheels. Had them on my 73 Z until one got bent in the 80's. Couldn't get a replacement so I ended up changing all 4. I now have the Rota RB's on the 71 and am very happy with them.

I do run the return. When it's cold out and the car is cold I will turn on the ignition so the pump will pressurize the system, say maybe 5 - 10 seconds. Makes the car easier to start. Don't know how cold you get there in July - August, but here today's hi was -1.11C (30* F). We do occasionally get 7.2 - 12.7C (45 - 55*F) December - March that are good driving days. I would still have to crank 2 to 5 seconds to fire. Don't know if the 3 deuces are easier / the same / or harder to start in the cold. 3 deuces is a term from a song by Ronny and the Daytona's called "Little GTO" back in 1964 about the first Pontiac GTO's that had 3 2 barrel carby's. The GTO was pretty much what started the American muscle cars through the rest of the 60's and into the 70's until the oil embargo when they fell out of favor due to mileage and then pollution control requirements. What a fun time to grow up.

@Home Built by JeffA note on the K&N pump you have. I've been running it for over a year now without a pressure regulator on my SU's with no trouble. MSA sells this pump and says that you don't need a regulator with it. https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic17a09/11-3078 The pump isn't exactly what I'd call quiet, but with my 6to1 headers, 2.5" exhaust with https://www.magnaflow.com/products?partNumber=10426 as a resonator and https://www.magnaflow.com/products?partNumber=13216 for the muffler you can't hear it once the motor is started.

If you still want the bumper installed picks here's 3 shots of the bumper/valance spacing on my series 1 car, both sides and center. Looks like it's about 3/8's all the way across.

What tires are you thinking about? Some big fatties?

Just followin' your lead! And it looks like the 60's were good to a bunch of us. ?

(Alice's Restaurant). and creatin' a nuisance...they all came back and shook my hand and we had a great time...

Glad you found this thread and that it worked out for you... Now, what else to do with all that money you saved!? ?

It would be fun to put these on my series 1 car. I put in 77 seats so I can have the fold forward option and much easier to adjust the recline. I don't think anybody that goes to car shows here in Utah would even know the seats or corner protectors weren't correct.

I really didn't like the recliner adjustment on my series 1 car and with the plastic tool housing being right behind the seat was a pain to get to. Since my car isn't completely series 1 correct anymore I had no issue sourcing later style seats that fold forward and have the spring seat bases instead of the straps. I got the new foam from MSA and recovered them in leather from Interior Innovations and am very pleased with the result.

The car may be a 73 with an L28 block, but those are not 73 carbs. From what I can see they are 4 screw early SU round tops. So they're more like 70 - 71 carbs. @siteunseen 's pictures are pretty much like you want it to look when your done de-emmisioning it.

I think putting 260Z bumpers on a 280Z has not been desirable enough for anyone to do it. Many want to do 240Z bumpers on all 74 through 78 Z's so that's the market for any kits. For what you want to do it will be a full custom job = $$$. Just my opinion.

I know this thread is old, but I was over on Z car Depot and they have spacers for $10 if anybody needs one. https://zcardepot.com/products/fuel-pump-spacer-plate-240z-260z?utm_source=beeketing&utm_medium=precommend&app=precommend#

Is there an abridged version? ?

My 71 (same month build as your car) after sitting garaged for 14 years had frozen wheel cylinders. If you don't care about pure correctness you can use the 73-76 style cylinders, they're like $50 vs $240 @ MSA (the $165 ones are NLA). Had to do a little bend mod on the hard line, but that was no big deal.

Wow! My 73 with flat tops always required a lot of cranking to get it to fire when cold for the ~20 years I drove it. When warm it would fire instantly as long as I wasn't in vapor lock territory. I had both mech and electric fuel pumps and that made no difference. If I let the electric run for a bit before I tried to start it would be easier, but still needed some cranking. EDIT: When I say cold I'm referring to winter time with temps at or below freezing which is a typical northern Utah morning winter temp.

Nissan will be of little help. You can check ICZZ http://www.zhome.com/ and see if a prior owner registered the car on Carl Beck's history and Z info site. You can ask who you bought it from if they know who the prior owner is. Really not much you can do beyond following back through who you bought it from and the Z registry.

Of course the car pictured in Adrian's article can't be it?!