SteveJ

There is also an ad over at Zcar.com. Considering how many of these cars are missing rear windows or the entire hatch, I'm thinking there is a good bit of rust waiting to be discovered.

I think I need to clarify. I think it might help to approach the slave cylinder from engine compartment instead of underneath. I was probably also handicapped by using too short of a piece of tubing from the oil can to the bleed screw.

Are all of the wires on the new switch connected to something now? Are there the same number of wires on your old switch?

Okay, I tried it, working from under the car. It didn't work well for me. I suggest that if you try it, go at it from the top. I'm still not sure it will work that well, either. Also, make sure you have a long enough tube from the oil can to the bleed screw.

If it's the proper switch, you should have a 6 wire connector and maybe a couple of other wires. The connector only goes on one way. The other wires should be the same colors as the wires they go to. Is there something I'm missing here? If so, post pictures.

Today, I removed the window tint from the driver and passenger windows in the 260Z. I found a video on YouTube that showed how to use a steamer to get the tint off. I went to Wal-Mart to get a steamer (I had the wife's blessing since she wanted a garment steamer.) and got rid of the old, almost-opaque tint. I'm going to take care of the rear hatch next, since I can't see a darn thing out the back window. I'm also attacking a leaking clutch master cylinder. I love having some time off.

It never hurts to quote the point you are addressing. That way it's almost impossible for someone to edit what they said that you're responding, too. Of course, quotes CAN be manipulated.

You can buy replacement connectors from Vintage Connections. I have purchased a lot from Del. He is a good man to buy from. Many others here will agree. If you carefully work the old terminal out of the connector, many times you can re-use it in the new connector.

kats, There are companies in the US that remanufacture enough of the parts that you can essentially build a "new" 60s muscle car. I'm pretty sure Year One did that with a Camaro. My wife's uncle completed a mid-60s GTO not too long ago, too. Parts are certainly plentiful.

I finally took some pictures of the taillights. I swapped the incandescent bulbs from the right to the left to reduce the influence of any exhaust soot affecting the perception of the lights. In my opinion, the 1157 incandescent bulbs are SLIGHTLY brighter. However, I have some LED 1157 equivalents with more LEDs. They do require taking apart the taillight to install since the LED bulb is larger than the opening for the socket. The 67 LED equivalent does seem to be a little brighter, though. Considering the drop in current flow through the circuit, I'm still VERY happy with the results.

Jamie, the White/Red wire going to the fusebox is a good source for your positive side. It is attached to the fusebox with a ring lug, so you might be able to get another ring lug on the stud. From the negative side, go to ground. On the shunt across the old ammeter connnections, use shielded terminals, and match the gauge of the wire, so you don't create a "fusible link". Let me know if you need a hand. I might be able to come over.

That's part 76818-T3000. Look for part number 11 here. You could always try Courtesy Nissan or NissanParts.cc. The latter has the part listed at $2.34 each with $2.99 S&H (if available). However, it may take a week or so before they know whether or not they can get them.

Here's another possible source & genuine Nissan, though I can't say for sure that they'll work on your car...

IMHO, Rockauto has some decent quality parts. I picked up a nice combo switch from there. However, I know they carry some lower line parts. Airtex is a generic aftermarket parts company, and I don't know much about their quality. It is likely Blackdragon is using a similar supplier, too. Rockauto seems to make up some of the pricing differences through higher S&H charges. Z Car Source is on the high side for used parts, but the door stoppers I purchased from them are in pretty good shape for 30+ year old parts. Keep in mind that all of these vendors have similar sources for parts. I do know that MSA still carries plenty of NOS parts. In the end, I think there's always going to be a little hit-or-miss with the parts vendors, and that's going to be due to a large part that there are lots of parts they have to buy from suppliers with varying definitions of quality.

It does help to have the paper copies of the Blackdragon catalogs around. Sometimes the part names don't come up in a search of their site.

Okay, I'll bite. What part were you looking at on RockAuto? I searched for a 77 280Z there, and I saw three different parts. Two had four leads, and one had two leads. Granted the two lead part is "non-stock", but it should be available. They will email you if they can't get it. Black Dragon lists parts 71-770 and 71-771 as working for a 77 280Z.

Replacement Also try contacting Z Barn

Jim, I can't remember the size off the top of my head, but I found replacements for the larger holes at Year One in Brasselton. Do they look original? Heck no. But who lifts your carpet up to look?

Dave, what I love about these LEDs I used is that they are just drop in replacements. I really like how your tail lights turned out, but frankly, I'm just too lazy to try to go to the lengths you did. Anyway, given what I've seen and read about the parking light circuit, I can't overemphasize the value of a solution like this. To me it's even easier to implement than your relay solution. The dash lights are on the list for me. I just need to get smarter on taking out the gauges.

To be precise, the LEDs consume less power, so less current is flowing through the circuit and therefore the flasher unit. Since power is proportional to the square of the current, there isn't enough heat produced in the flasher to deflect the switch. What I found curious is that replacing one flasher for an electronic flasher did not make it where either the turn signals or hazard lights would blink. Both flasher units had to be installed to get either circuit to blink. I was under the assumption that the flashers were independent of each other electrically, so I assumed that replacing one flasher would allow either the turn signals or the hazard lights to blink.

Nice, now just take care of it, and don't keep your car out in the sun too long.

For my 260Z, I just copied a bracket that I found a previous owner installed in my 240Z. I think I posted drawing of it in another thread.

Dave, I haven't taken my deep dive to try to figure out why I needed both changed to get either circuit to work. It is on my list, though. I'm curious about whether or not I can develop a plausible explanation.

While the MSD may not have needed the ballast resistor, unless someone move the Black/White wire over to the Green/White wire at the resistor, the resistor is still in the circuit. Also, reading 9.8 VDC at the coil is about where I would expect the voltage to be with the resistor in the circuit. Anyway, I hope you or your mechanic can track down the short.

Thank you. That helps a lot. Look at the wiring in your steering column, in particular, around the ignition switch. Look for damaged/melted wires or connectors. Also check where the dash harness goes to the engine harness. I have a strong suspicion that the short is in the wiring the steering column. Focus on these three wires: White with red stripe, Black with white stripe, and Green with white stripe. I really suspect that the short is between the White/Red and Black/White wires since you saw 9.8 volts at the coil. The Black/White wire goes to the ballast resistor before going back to the Green/White wire. On the other hand, the low voltage could have been from the battery draining. When you turn the key to Start, the contacts close between the White/Red and Black/White. When the key is in Run, the contacts close between the White/Red and Green/White wires. If you don't see any physical damage to the wires, there is still some testing to do. Disconnect the plug from the back of the ignition switch. With the key in the Off position, look for continuity between the contacts for the White/Red wire and Black/White wire. Also check for continuity between the contacts for the White/Red wire and Green/White wire. If you see continuity in either case, replace the ignition switch. Whether or not you saw continuity on the ignition switch, you should also test the wiring for continuity. You can push spade lugs into the connector to give yourself a place to measure continuity. With the battery disconnected (positive and negative), look for continuity between the White/Red wire and Black/White wire. Also check between the White/Red wire and Green/White wire. If you don't find physical damage and you don't have continuity between the circuits, that pretty much clears the stock wiring from being at fault.