26th-Z

AIR COMPRESSOR: A machine that takes energy produced in a coal-burning power plant 200 miles away and transforms it into compressed air that travels by hose to a Chicago Pneumatic impact wrench that grips rusty suspension bolts last tightened 40 years ago by someone in Hiroshima, Japan, and rounds them off. AVIATION METAL SNIPS: See hacksaw. BATTERY ELECTROLYTE TESTER: A handy tool for transferring sulfuric acid from a car battery to the inside of your toolbox after determining that your battery is dead as a doornail, just as you thought. CRAFTSMAN ½ x 16-INCH SCREWDRIVER: A large motor mount prying tool that inexplicably has an accurately machined screwdriver tip on the end without the handle. DRILL PRESS: A tall upright machine useful for suddenly snatching flat metal bar stock out of your hands so that it smacks you in the chest and flings your beer across the room, splattering it against the Rolling Stones poster over the bench grinder. EIGHT-FOOT LONG DOUGLAS FIR 2X4: Used for levering a car upward off a hydraulic jack. ELECTRIC HAND DRILL: Normally used for spinning steel Pop rivets in their holes until you die of old age, but it also works great for drilling rollbar mounting holes in the floor of a sports car just above the brake line that goes to the rear axle. E-Z OUT BOLT AND STUD EXTRACTOR: A tool that snaps off in bolt holes and is ten times harder than any known drill bit. HACKSAW: One of a family of cutting tools built on the Ouija board principle. It transforms human energy into a crooked, unpredictable motion, and the more you attempt to influence its course, the more dismal your future becomes. HAMMER: Originally employed as a weapon of war, the hammer nowadays is used as a kind of divining rod to locate expensive car parts not far from the object we are trying to hit. HYDRAULIC FLOOR JACK: Used for lowering a Datsun to the ground after you have installed a set of NISMO lowered road springs, trapping the jack handle firmly under the front air dam. MECHANIC’S KNIFE: Used to open and slice through the contents of cardboard cartons delivered to your front door; works particularly well on boxes containing convertible tops or tonneau covers. OXYACETYLENE TORCH: Used almost entirely for lighting those stale garage cigarettes you keep hidden in the back of the tool box. PHILLIPS SCREWDRIVER: Normally used to stab the lids of old-style paper-and-tin oil cans and splash oil on your shirt; can also be used, as the name implies, to round-out Phillips screw heads. PHONE: Tool for calling your neighbor Chris to see if he has another hydraulic floor jack. PLIERS: Used to round off bolt heads. SNAP-ON GASKET SCRAPER: Theoretically useful as a sandwich tool for spreading mayonnaise; used mainly for getting dog-doo off your boot. TIMING LIGHT: A stroboscopic instrument for illuminating grease buildup on crankshaft pulleys. TROUBLE LIGHT: The mechanic’s own tanning booth. Sometimes called a drop light, it is a good source of vitamin D, “the sunshine vitamin,” which is not otherwise found under cars at night. Health benefits aside, its main purpose is to consume 40-watt light bulbs at about the same rate that 105-mm howitzer shells might be used during, say, the first few hours of the Battle of the Bulge. More often dark than light, its name is somewhat misleading. TWO-TON HYDRAULIC ENGINE HOIST: A handy tool for testing the tensile strength of ground straps and hydraulic clutch lines you may have forgotten to disconnect. VISE-GRIPS: Used to round off bolt heads. If nothing else is available, they can also be used to transfer intense welding heat to the palm of your hand. WIRE WHEEL: Cleans rust off old bolts and then throws them somewhere under the workbench with the speed of light. Also removes fingerprint whorls and hard-earned guitar callouses in about the time it takes you to say, “Django Reinhardt.”

I just saw a used power antenna go on Ebay for $60 or so. They are around, but you have to look. I would be prepared to spend up to $100 for one. The last brand new antenna I bought from Datsun six years ago, was $75. I have a working antenna that needs a new mast. Evidently, one should not leave the power antenna up! Radios are around also. I might have one. What year are you looking for? Chloe helped me find a radio and a Hitachi 8-track player. She would be a good source.

Pick up a copy of Hemmings Motor News and see if you can find an appraisor in your area. They will advertsize their credentials, but it really boils down to a matter of what you believe and trust. There are several threads currently looking for a car like yours, and evidently, willing to pay the values 2Many discussed. I personally think Ebay is a lousy place to sell a good car. You get great exposure, but I don't think the value is there. I just see too many nice cars go for cheap on Ebay. A couple of them are on now for around $5500 and have not met their reserves. Bob Zola could not sell his car and has chosen to part it. The factory restoration program was a thorough reconstruction and many pieces were replaced in the process. The Quality Control Checklist includes items like the proper tape to wrap the wiring harnesses. Those restorations should be considered by us as a standard, and when you think about it, $26,000 is not a bad price for a new sports car these days. I have only seen one of those cars and it is brand spanking new. I think they were actually more than $26,000. Finally, salt air is not the worst. My car lived all it's life in salt air. Now I won't argue that I have some serious damage to attend to, but the poor thing is 34 years old! A well garaged car will do just fine in a nasty atmosphere. Keep it waxed and clean. There are several low VIN cars living down here in Florida and they are doing just fine.

Have you looked at this? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=6187&item=2438169369

They may be just now coming out of the woods, and after an auction for $1600 will make them worth reconditioning! Beautiful wheel in my opinion. I also like the choice of painting the spokes to match the Datsun trim charcoal. I just hope no one thinks they can sell a used, rashed, out-of-round set for big bucks.

Yea. Go out and buy a set of BBS wheels for your BMW and that is what you will pay. I can easily imagine Keystone would charge $200 a wheel to restore them. Libre wheels are fairly uncommon and these are drop dead gorgeous! You have a diamond in the rough, 2Many!

I suspect the Libre's are so expensive because they have been restored. Used ones just went for a little over $500 on Ebay.

I have been looking for those headlight covers for some time. They are available - brand new - from Datsun Freeway in Japan for around $500 + tax + shipping. They understand an English e-mail. To the best of my knowledge, Zedd does not have them nor does Chloe nor does anyone. Kats sent me a link to a Japanese Yahoo auction for used ones some time ago. I recall they sold for around $200 in Japan. I am satisfied that the Ebay auction is legit and this is a piece you will see only on the EXPENSIVE pages. An FRP headlight scoop is required or else big holes will be required in the metal scoops to install them correctly. I have seen several used sets around and I suspect they will become available on Ebay in the future.

Thanks, Alan. I just found a valance with the captive nuts.

I'll jump back into this and say that the benefit is driving a Z while restoring one thereby contributing to enthusiasm and respect for your restoration. A hidden cost benefit, perhaps. Just don't spend a bunch of money buying it. DRIVE HER TILL SHE DROPS!

The photos of the spoiler came from an ebay listing. The piece sold for $350. I am still looking - perhaps Japan - which means it is REALLY expensive. I don't know if it is appropriate for my car, which is why I have not looked in to this further. I prefer the BRE style with the brake ducts myself, and I know it's not appropriate for my car! The E8100 suffix would indicate the part is intended for 260/280 series, however that could also be a supersceeded suffix - easily with Datsun. I could use some knowledge about the application of this part.

Yea - Ricardo

"Naugahide" is actually a better material than the vinyl Datsun used! It is a seriously well produced leather imitation. I really think people generally don't know what real leather is. Especially Carlo's "Corinthian" leather!

And the valance with captive nuts

Another view

Is this what you are looking for? This is Nissan 98300-E8100 and attaches to the under valance that has the captive nuts. A later model - perhaps 260Z or 280Z.

I'm very interested in this request also! Factory option spoilers?

I suggest you try to find someone to look at the car and give you an opinion. I think it could be worth the reserve. Give Carl Beck an e-mail and ask him if he knows anyone out there who might help you.

I think you guys are picking at the car with a different point of view. I DON'T think the VIN is low and I don't think the car is worth looking at in a restoration / valuable manner. I think it looks like a great daily driver for two to four years. I stick by my thought; if you can get it for under $2400, it's a great deal. Drive the crap out of it and parts it out.

My car has had problems in all of those areas. Check the frame rails where they terminate under the seat mounts. Check the frame rails up front at the cross members. The fenders at the front of the rocker panels will blow out too. Any body shop that will repair rust like this for you should be able to pull the kink out of the front and adjust the hood alignment. New metal for all these areas is also available from Victoria British and Tabco. Dont forget Charlie's superb floors! I did a $4,500 shot on my car that fixed all of those areas in 1992. I'm about to do it again. Best of luck.

The description is half arsed, 2Many! Dealer option leather? I think not! The gas tank leaks because the vent hose is broken. I know where you can get lug nuts. Nice wheels BTW. Momo steering wheel. I have a dash cap for you, Mark. The body has already been hacked on - no telling what will happen in the future. I would say go for it under $2400. Give the Camry to your son and drive the crap out of the Z and sell it for parts.

My car has a Nissan 2400 ohc valve cover and an OIL cap. I have a couple of caps I purchased on ebay "bottom fishing" as I call it. I'll have to compare them and file a report. One has Japanese script around the outside of "OIL", the "Elephant" cap, and the "710" cap is peculiar to Australia, Victor. I read on Ebay, once, that the "Elephant" cap commemorates the East African Safari Rally. I also understand from Ebay research that there is an "India Elephant" cap as well as an "Africa Elephant" cap.

It sounds to me as if the fuel tank vent hose is broken. Common.

$7000 plastic! See what I mean? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&category=34206&item=2437610253 Six months ago, I was buying ash trays for $25. I'm trying to keep a positive outlook about things and make a joke about soaring costs.

I sometimes joke about how expensive some of these parts can get. The plastic molding that covers the top flange of the rear deck just behind the seats is called "luggage stop molding". Most cars have a scratched, warped remnant - like mine - and I went shopping for one a few months ago. Mind you, they sell on Ebay for $10 all day long, but they are scratched, dented and warped. I finally found a new one for $70 - through Chloe - and the joke goes on from there. This is an add from a 1970 Road and Track with the full line of Amco parts for the S30. It includes the bumper bars, foot rest, and the luggage bar. Shift knobs were available in lether as well as walnut.