SteveJ

Look at the links on my tech tips site. You'll find plenty of vendors to get the parts you need.

I had a file of that about 12 years ago. I wonder if I can find it again.

Well, (edit) many parts descriptions are way off since few (edit) of the parts listed would work on a 280ZX.

Caffeine and Octane in the Atlanta area has grown so much that Autotrader bought the show. Surprisingly, they have been somewhat low key about advertising at the event. What's great is hearing all of the stories as people walk by. One guy talked about how a friend used to drive them around in a Z, two of them under the hatch, banging their heads together in the turns. One gentleman stopped to talk to me. He was staying in a nearby hotel and saw all of the cars. He encouraged his wife to come down because she was a former owner of a 77 2+2. She was thrilled to see the old Z cars. In June I let a couple of young boys sit behind the wheel of my car. It made their day and mine. Now the newer Z cars park near the S30s. Many of the owners appreciate the old school cars, and some of them even own them or are thinking of getting one. I have to thank Pete (thomas461) for getting me to start going to the shows.

The alternators featured in that kit are rebuilt 280Z alternators. It also comes with a plug to jumper out your voltage regulator. As for what is compatible, there are many different swaps that have been done, including a GM 1-wire alternator. Quality? How much do you trust rebuilt alternators? I did a swap 12 years ago with an Autozone rebuild and still have that alternator. YMMV. Note that the plug MSA includes is offered by itself, as well. It is very convenient for the upgrade.

Here's the (almost) monthly dose of Caffeine and Octane pictures. While some of the regulars were on vacation or hiding from potential rain, some interesting cars did show up. Caffeine and Octane ? July 2013: Who?ll Stop the Rain? | Steve's CARtography

FYI: I have had to deal with RockAuto customer service. I ordered two clutch master cylinders for my Zs. I only received one. I called them up and let them know that they accidentally short-shipped my order. They had another off to me promptly. I also ordered vacuum advances from them that the computer said were in stock but weren't available. They quickly notified me that they were not in stock after all and not available. They also very quickly updated their computer catalog to remove the part. It is a challenge for a company to support as many makes and models as they do. They rely heavily on their suppliers providing accurate information to them. IMHO they also value their customers. I would not be surprised if they are very cooperative with you returning an undamaged, unmodified part that did not fit correctly.

Panoz put a lot of money into the facilities when he bought the place.

I installed a new bumper on the 73 today. Rear Bumper Install ? 73 240Z | Fiddling With Z Cars

A friend (and member here) used Bob's Speedometer. Pete was very pleased with the results.

A previous owner really went to town on the wiring. One issue with trying to identify the random wiring you show is that in many cases you made no effort to say where the other end of the wire went to. For instance, in the top picture, does the other end attach to the negative cable for the battery? If so, the previous owner probably used it for a chassis ground. In picture 2, that's likely a ground wire. Buy a nice multimeter and learn how to use it. Then you can see if the wire is connected to the chassis ground. I think another thread on this board suggested a wire like in picture 3 is involved with AC control. Picture 4 shows door switch wires. You can probably just ignore those, at least for now. Picture 5 - I'm not sure which 6-wire connector that is. Download a copy of the 75 FSM and look in the BE section. Match the wire colors to the descriptions to find the function. Picture 6 -You know you're going to have to trace that one out. Maybe someone replaced the stock clock with a 1.5 volt clock. I hope you don't think it is stock. In picture 7, are you referring to the wire with the inline fuse holder or the lug that is missing a wire?

The electric fuel pump should only be running when the key is in the ON position and the alternator is turning.

You would probably benefit from installing an inline fuel pressure gauge. Get one with a low range. The lowest I saw at first glance go up to 15 PSI. That's still on the high side for your car. You should expect around 3 PSI or so. Also use a multimeter to see if the electric fuel pump has voltage after the engine catches and the key is in the ON position. Does the car still have the mechanical fuel pump on the right front of the head?

It's good to hear you got it working. Now enjoy your Z before the snow (and salt) returns.

Electrical issues are not that bad as long as you keep the magic smoke in the wires. If the issue changes when you manipulate the switch, it is a likely source. When the turn signal is in the left position, it breaks the contact for the left brake light. Conversely the right brake light contact is interrupted when the turn signal is in the position to signal a right turn. If the contact is broken in the middle position, the switch may need to be cleaned/adjusted. Since you went through the hazard switch/brake light/turn signal analysis, I assume you also found the guide on cleaning the turn signal switch. It's not that daunting of a task. Just be careful with the tabs. If you need a replacement, I'm sure that either Dave Irwin or I could help you out. Dave probably has more time than I do right now, so he'd be the better alternative.

Internally regulated alternator with an external VR is bad mojo. It is frequently accompanied by overvoltage conditions. Going from 14.5V to 17V will result in a 17% increase in current through a circuit. A good multimeter is your friend. I hope nothing was damaged.

That sounds about right. Keep in mind that the wiring diagram is NOT even close to a scale drawing.

Okay, I was looking from the top down and saw the gauge illumination first. I hate it when they duplicate wire colors like that.

How far from the fuse did it change color? RL should be for gauge illumination.

I guess the next question, Jim, is "Can Buna-N be milled down to size from a bar?" Chas, do you have any idea?

Only if you let us know what resin it was.

Dave Irwin has retro-fitted taillights with arrays of LEDs.

If you measured that with a thermometer, yes, that is probably too high. The correct thermostat is Nissan part number 21200-V0105. You can remove the thermostat and test it. It should open at 170 degrees F (or is it 160?). Directions on testing are in the FSM.

That's too bad. I was hoping they found some lying about. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

I saw this on eBay: Nissan Hitatchi Su Float for Datsun 510 Roadster Z Car and Others | eBay