26th-Z

Good show Alan! I'll do pics to this forum when mine gets back.

I saw Jackie at Sebring once, but never met him. Let alone a ride! I'm one of those who stands in line to get autographs at the ALMS races now. I don't know whatever happened to Cline or May. Cline crashed his DP Triumph and damned near killed himself years ago, and I remember sealing the Ferrari in a building in 80 or 81. I went to the F1 races in Spa and Hochenheim a few years ago. Most everyone (excluding myself) grew up and I don't see them any more. I will be restoring the Z - her lovliness, miss 26 - and plan to post my efforts in the coming months. She is lovely now, but you know how old broads need a lift in their old age! I want her drop-dead gorgeous again.

This is Great! I'm Christopher, 49 year old Architect in Sarasota, Florida. I am single with a 15 year old daughter. I bought my Z from the estate of the original owner in1984. I grew up in Sarasota, the car is from Sarasota, and it is probably the first Z I remember seeing. It belonged to a friend's father. In my younger days, I raced an MG in SCCA FP, an Alexis FF, and a Porsche 911 in DP. The Porsche went on to GTU IMSA during the heydays of John Paul, Don Wittington and I got to drive one stint at the Daytona 24 before Freddy crashed the car at 5 in the morning. Bobby Rahal used to hang out with his FB at Florida Region SCCA beer parties. I remember Janet Guthrie and Lynn St. James from those parties. I worked on Triumphs and Jaguars for Rick Cline in Gainesville during my college years and watched Rick and Jack May drive off in Jack's Ferrari on their way to the Redball Garage in 1975? I have crewed for several different race teams. Florida is full of race teams with Sebring and Daytona here. I am partial to Chevrons and Lolas, but I wouldn't turn a Lotus down. I took up sailboat racing in 1980 and raced Hobies for a while, but sold all my boats a few years ago and started traveling in Europe. I have been hiking in the Alps. During all this, I got married, got divorced, started my own business seven years ago. I drive a BMW 330Ci. This is a great forum. I have enjoyed reading about all of you.

Try the rear brake adjustment just to make sure. Never hurts to check and adjust anyhow.

Lets see pictures of the A pillar and pass. side! That really looks like a nice ride - $1200

Looking at your pictures, the body condition is good and in need of a thorough paint job. The better your prep work, the better and longer lasting your results. Take care of the rust now and you will have many more years of Datsun famous cheap transportation. Consider a low monthly transportation cost excluding gas, oil, and insurance of $250. That's what a Neon, Saturn, Taurus cost in 1999. That is $3000 per year of driving. Right now you are getting off pretty cheap, but you can see what might be reasonable expenses for repairs. In other words, $4000 now for driving the next five years is still way cheap. $15,000 now equates to what it would cost to drive a cheap (new) car in 1999. I put a MSA dash half cover on my Z ten years ago and it still looks good. I recall it took me three or four hours to get it to fit just right and look as good as it does. There was a forum a month or so ago about sending our dashes to Australia for a $600+ restoration and I'm doing it, but I will vouch for my dash cap.

Check Banzai Motorworks at zzxdatsun.com for the fender flaps. Item # BO-54 I think they are $5 each. Been down that road before. The drain extension is a great idea. I welded a tab inside the fender to hold the tube and cut it off flush with the bottom of the fender. The next owner or your heirs will appreciate you for it!

You did very well on the price. I am still getting accustomed to the rising values of Z's and I am encouraged with what I see in the market.

It makes my heart smile to see such nice cars out there. I am against the notion of changing the transmission, but suit yourself. Am anxious to hear what you paid. Would have to agree that anything under 5K would be a good deal.

I'm about to dip my little beauty because I think blasting is too radical. I have blasted cars before and blasting can easily pit the metal. Will be posting my dip experiences in the near future. The last time I did a major paint job and body work was in 1992 and I paid $4700. The car was stripped to rolling chassis and sanded to bare metal; top side with minor floor and frame work. I was told the other day to expect to pay in the $4700 range just for the paint job. I believe this is a business of "you get what you pay for"and since I am expecting stunning results, so am I expecting to pay a stunning price. I'm in Florida also and will visit a place in Wauchula called "Revivations" next weekend. They came highly recommended from my restoration friends in Naples.

There is a small discussion of lead fuel additives in the Engine forum - search lead additive. Basically lead is good for the older cars without steel hardened valve seats and valve guides. Use a high octane fuel always. If you know you have hardened valve seats and guides, don't use a lead additive.

Don't forget to mention differing metal and fiberglass headlight buckets!

Always ask first, but my experience with this seller is that they are probably genuine Nissan.

I used my 1969 Z as a daily driver between 1986 and 1990 and then between 1993 and 2000. I know the car was a daily driver from birth to 1980. Testimony to Datsun - this car ran reliably all the time. It was serviced plenty, and went through its share of repairs, but generally speaking it was always kept up and maintained like any normal car should. I can't think of any one thing that broke before a long service life. Probably rust maintenance is the worst problem requiring the longest repairs. After I restore it within the next three years, I will use her for pleasure only.

From Internet Z Car Club technical topics - color codes for North American Cars: 1970/71 Exterior Color Interior Color: Silver 901 Black Dk. Blue 903 Black / Lt. Blue White 904 Black / Blue Red 905 Black Dk. Green 907 Tan Orange 918 Black Yellow 919 Black Gold 920 Black (#920 aka - Mustard) 1972 Exterior Color Interior Color: Silver 901 Red White 904 Red Orange 918 Black / White Red 110 White / Black Yellow 112 Black (#112 aka: Lime ) Green Metallic 113 Tan Brown Metallic 114 Tan (#114 aka: CoCo Brown) Blue Metallic 115 White 1973 Exterior Color Interior Color: Note 1 USA: Canada Silver 901 Black Black White 904 Red N/A in Canada Orange 918 Black Black Red 110 Black Beige Yellow 112 Black Black (#112 aka: Lime ) Green Metallic 113 Brown Brown Brown Metallic 114 Brown Brown (#114 aka:CoCo Brown) Blue Metallic 115 Beige Beige

No fuel cell - restoration. I did this once before in 92 and I'll be doing at again this summer. Still working on finding a home to take it apart. I think July will be productive.

I learned a quite a bit from this discussion - my tank and vent system will be coming out this summer. It will be interesting to see what I have in 26.

Carl Beck wrote me this morning with this comment: That is correct. Emissions Standards are implemented by the US on an "as of" date. They then apply to any car produced "as of" that date. The evaporative emission controls were not required by the US until 1 Jan. 1970. None the less Nissan intended to sell the 240-Z's as 1970 Model Year vehicles here in the US. So they started equipping cars ahead of 1 Jan. 1970 - but they had limited supply to begin with and only part of the cars coming to the US, built in 1969 were equipped with the vapor recovery tanks ( none of the 69 production cars that went to Canada had them and most didn't even have air pumps)

Yea, me too, Bambikiller. I doubt it has been hacked. In 1968, the Feds passed the "Evaporative Emmissions Control Act" and all cars had to have a recovery system according my Datsunmeister. Our cars should have had something. I plan to see Carl on 20 June and will consult with his meistership on the subject. I will also see Jim Frederick and will be able to ask his meistership. I will capture a photo opp if I get the chance.

Further, Compare the part numbers of the gas tank to the corresponding vent tank numbers. The E4100 gas tank is listed up to 7/73 as is the second listing E4600 with evapo. The original vent tank, 17350-E4600 lists only to 8/71 and then E4601 continues to 7/73. E4600 doesn't list with Nissan but E4601 does; $127.29 if it is still available.

Thanks for the part # references. From the sound of it, I'll be looking for a vent tank. Scotty-the-Datsunmeister concurs that early tanks were plastic and that they broke. I won't get my gas tank out for another month, but I'll check my vent situation and let you know. I have only one vent hose through the rear floor just behind the tail light - where that boot goes. Glad to see you dealt with the straps.

Looks like I may be a clown on the vapor recirculating tank issue, Mark. May have been one of those plastic tank explanations. My research isn't looking good. I use PB Blaster, but any penetrating oil will work better than WD-40. I want to try the Sili-Kroil. Soaking has always brought me luck on the tough ones. Soak it for days - keep it wet! Gas tank straps and J-bolts are hard to come buy because they all rusted. I finally got my Parker 821 braided hose and it looks great.

I made a CAD drawing of a Z (2d plan view) for you CAD drafters out there. It was drawn in a late version of the popular Auto Cad - .dwg format and I'll e-mail it to you. I know I can save it back to v14 and I might be able to save it back to v12. Let me know what you require. I design custom homes and I frequently design custom garages. I like to fill the garages with cars on my presentation drawings. This drawing is to scale, ready to drop in your plans. I was going to post it on E-bay as one-of-a-kind, RARE, hand constructed import from Electronapan with a low starting reserve of $240 but I didn't think anyone would get the sarcasm. The attached is a jpg export. Try it and let me know what you think!

My parts fiche shows the fuel recovery system and is no help at all. If memory serves me, the gas tank vent hoses come up through the floor and then turn toward the filler inside the car. Your picture shows the T valve (Nissan part 17227-E4100) and the hoses, but not where they pass through the floor. There is a rubber grommet for the opening and the boot fits over the opening, sealing the hose on the inside of the car. I'm going to have to look at mine and take a picture. The hose just doesn't simply pass inside the car through a grommet. It is sealed with the boot.