26th-Z

You might find it here. http://www.utdallas.edu/~perdue/paintcodes.html

I don't think those are original seats, Gavin. Notice the oil filter is remote and the engine is fitted with a lot of St. Steel braided lines, suspension options, etc. From the way I hear Alan describe the cars in Japan, it is common - as it is in America - to find modifications and upgrades.

Hey Brian! Through your link, I just surfed S30 cars and S30 parts on the Japanese Yahoo. All the times I have tried before were in Japanese and I couldn't read them. It looks like you could find a nice car there if you were so inclined. Expensive, but not out of hand. I saw a 72 for $2,600 and RHD dash brand new. Thanks. It was fun surfing.

I had to laugh; "My old clapped out junk will beat your old clapped out junk...". Yea, yea, the TR6 guys should stick to their "ruggedly handsome body" and "beautiful engine". Everyone knows. I don't like the suggestion of milling the head, but all the others are good for getting extra horsepower. Head work can get real complicated. For instance, milling the head will put the cam out of proper height and you have to shim the cam towers up. Just balance the engine, perhaps a mild cam, and headers. Spend the bucks on bigger carburetors if you wish, but consider suspension tuning as part of the horsepower discussion. One of the reasons a Z is so fast is it's weight.

No real hijack - just a diversion. Zhome has a real good explanation of the limited production American models and they are mostly the 280 Z series of the S30. The Black Pearl and Zzap editions, for example. Our American 240Z came in one flavor and we consider different variants that were actually dealer add-ons after the car was imported. In other parts of the world and especially Japan, the S30 came in several different flavors. There was a basic Fairlady, a luxury Fairlady, a high performance Fairlady and a racing version of the high performance Fairlady. There were versions with different body work (Alan has a beautiful example) and different engines. And because so many military Americans were in Japan, there was a version for them to buy in Japan and take home with them. Some of those cars were actually limited productions and some were low production volume. Brian Long gives a great description of all the S30 versions in his book; "Datsun Z, Fairlady to 280". Check it out!

Smokey, That's a Black Pearl and you can get some info about them from Zhome for starters. I thought there was supposed to be a commemorative plaque on the console, but I could be wrong. The Black Pearl is a limited edition model of the 280Z and quite collectable. You could expect that car to increase in value as an original example - strictly original. From the looks of it, you would have very little to do to return it to original, but some things, making it a fun and easy project / collector car to own. It looks to be in very good shape. I would just have the rocker fixed and blend the paint. I don't have the slightest idea how hard it would be to find a stripe kit for it, but I wouldn't if I didn't have to. At 50,000 miles, that car has reached it's tolerance of miles for a collector car. Any more miles - substantial miles - would lessen the value of it. If you drove it on outings and to events only, maybe no more than 500 miles a year, it would be a fun car to have. But if you plan on driving it frequently, forget the collector car routine. You will wear it out and loose the value. I liked the reference to the Zzap add, thanks. That's another collector car at the same point in it's collector car career. Time to retire to the garage. This is a good time to start finding cars like this. They still have relatively low miles and exist in original condition or can be returned to original economically. The paint is original, the stripes are original, the interior is original, even the cad plating still gleams. They will be the ones most sought after in the future. I don't know what to tell you on the price. You need to do some homework and find out what they have been selling for. Incidently, that ebay $33,000 Factory Restoration car with 50,000 miles was reduced to $25,000 and sold without meeting the reserve. That will give you an idea of what is happening in the collector car world. If that car does trade, it will be above $25,000. If I had $10k for a garage toy, I would call him up and make arrangements to see the car.

Check this out: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6753&item=2449180549 Isn't there a copywrite on this picture? Or what am I missing?

Koito's here! Chloe sold me spare lamps a while back. Check with her. I think you will find used Koito's around.

This stamping is quite common. It is an inspection stamp and is called "ken" as Alan wrote.

Yes. Wu Tang chic. Ricer, but slippery.

Interesting, Alan. I don't have a matching pair. My clutch pedal has no stamp at all. Now instead of numbers on my brake pedal, I have letters. I didn't stand on my head - the pedal cluster is out of the car. I think you have found a different pedal for RHD cars? My brake pedal arm is straight bar stock and my clutch pedal arm is thinner stock and bent to a cup shape. Play on! I don't have a match. yet.

UJ 02 and no date stamp at all

http://members.aol.com/zclock4u/wp.html

I wasn't real sure of RPM limits or time limits, so I was conservative with my numbers. Also, my old race engines didn't have fans and I didn't want to talk about an amount of run time without a fan! I always prefered to watch the temperature gauge. The variations in engine speed over the run-in period will be fine as long as it is not over-revved during this process. I always found that strong, long lasting engines resulted from a nice break-in / run-in. Have fun!

Set it rich and let it run at a constant RPM below 3000 until it reaches temperature. Use colder plugs than the ones you plan to race with. Avoid revving it or RPMs over 4000. Just let it run constant from cold to operation temperature several times (3 or 4). Continue to watch oil pressure and check for leaks. Make adjustments and tweak. Change the oil after your run-in.

Oh you guys. That's a 280. Weather or not it's a Black Pearl is the question. It should have an identification special edition plate on the console and some other peculiar special edition identification. It MAY be a Black Pearl and it MAY be a 280Z painted black. BIG DIFFERENCE. Black Pearls also had red and silver pinstiping. Make sure you know what you are buying!

And the other side of the yard

Here is the Suncaost Z Car Club Christmas Party.

So what did you think of Yate's book, Carl? I liked how he had others tell about their experiences. Didn't you get the feeling that you had to be there to really appreciate what was going on?

I have been dying to write this all day but thought you guys would think me a snob or jerk or something. Why don't we see wings on Z's? Because they don't belong there!

That thread is 28 pages long and contains heartfelt sympathies from all over the world. The Ron Jeremy joke was pretty good. But go back and read the original post and take a good look at the damage. Somethin' ain't write.

Guus, Great bumper! All that work looks great. But, what a shame and lucky it was not worse. That's called "patina"!

That's covered under the factory warrenty! NO PROB!

We play a lot of Bingo down here in Tampa, Alan! Shuffleboard is big too. But to answer billcapp’s question, there are a bunch of S30’s in the Tampa Bay area and even to my surprise, a bunch of low serial number HLS30 cars including a new acquisition in Lakeland. I saw a Black Pearl last weekend at a Suncoast Z Car club party and rally. I don’t know that I would call the cars rare, but rather unique. Rare should have a higher standard, in my opinion. A car of maybe fifty examples, maybe one hundred examples is rare. I don’t think the S30 is rare. There are also very many unique variations of the S30; a unique type on it’s own with a unique and interesting history. How unique a specific car is might be a better question as we compare the words “rare” and “unique”. An S30 variant produced less than fifty times might be the most rare of unique! Perhaps uniqueness ratings could be ranked in points - one point for each unique feature. Everyone who owns an S30 starts with one point. HLS30 in Japan - two points. Tattyest carpet West of the Mississippi - two points. Factory variants get a point. HS30-H - two points. ZZZap edition - two points. Tattyest carpet West of the Mississippi HS30-H - four points because it is in America.