Go240Zags

I recently lifted a 280Z engine with tranny attached with my 1 ton chain hoist with no problems. Since the entire car isn't that much over a ton (the early 240Z) I don't think anything larger would be necessary. 500 pounds should be about right -- maybe a little on the high side. After taking the auto tranny off I lifted it w/out hoist into a wheelbarrow, but don't recommend it. Just didn't want to unhook the engine from the hoist at that time. Gary

Deadflo, I have a Series I that has a 5 speed that was installed by a PO. Altho you can't tell by just looking with the console and shift boot on, the tranny tunnel has been modified I believe by removing a little bit of metal (looks like about 3/4") on the dash side of where the shifter comes through the floor. There was also some of the early Series I console cut out, but I didn't realize this until I took it out. This is done so the shifter can do its full foward throw. The modification is entirely hidden by the shift boot and does not show. My 5 speed has the bent, rather than straight shifter. I prefer the five speed and have considered a swap to a T5, which is discussed here: http://www.geocities.com/zgarage2001/borg.html Much work to go before the car will be roadworthy, but should be well worth the work. I could probably post a picture of how they cut the plastic/fiberglass away to make room for the shift if you need one. Gary

She's a beauty -- looks factory fresh, even if it isn't one of the factory restored cars. Gary

Ditto: Edit. Previous sympathy message no longer warranted. Gary

Hey 78 240zcar, getrdone is right, except I recall 5 bolts, I could be wrong. Turn the torque converter until the first bolt in back is at the bottom of the engine, remove, turn converter some more for second bolt and so on. Pretty simple. Anyone in need of a nice looking automatic tranny is welcome to it (whether it works or not, I have no idea). I'd advise pick up in Oroville, Washington, becuase shipping might be high. I lifted it into a wheelbarrow, but should have used the chain hoist as my 43 year-old knees don't like to bend much any more. However, I wasn't ready to disconnect the L28 hanging from the garage ceiling. I already have the 5 speed on my L24, so I'm really doing an engine swap. Gary

I figured it out, pretty easy to do if you use a little common sense. Next time I'll look it up in the Haynes manual, instead of just eyeballing it. Gary

Ok, this may sound like a silly question, but here goes. I was given a L28 out of a 77 280Z the P.O. was going to crush. The price was right, free. I didn't realize it was had an automatic until I saw it waiting for me. After figuring out how to hoist it out of my pickup, I removed the tranny. That was the easy part, but the torque converter is still attached. I have a five speed in my 240, so I am all ready to swap over, but how do I get the torque converter off. Does it just pry off, I can't see anything fastening it on. Any help would be appeciated. I'd like to get the L28 on an engine stand and down from hanging from the ceiling.

All right guys, my e31 has been majorly shaved and the guys I took it to for the larger valves and a run through are concerned about clearance etc. The cam towers already have been shimmed but they think I should have a shim added for the entire head -- they don't think .020 is enough and recommend .040 or even .060 as better. I haven't been abled to find such a shim that thick. They usually go to Innovative Machine and Supply http://www.innomach.com/shims.htm, but they don't stock for the older cars. They will, however make me a custom one for $125 plus. Am I just wasting my money (something I have little enough of in the first place) or will the investment in the e31 be a good thing. I have two of these heads, but the other one has some major corrossion issues in the valve areas. Should I stick with the e88 I have? Does anyone else make a reasonably priced shim? Gary

Beauty! Which front spoiler is that, I'm in the market as well?

Born in Ellensburg, Washington, same as my mom. Parents moved to Seattle, WA. when I was a few months old. Stayed there until age 6, then Dad decided it was time to move back to "God's Country," Okanogan County in Eastern Washington where he was born & raised. He bought a tavern in Oroville, WA. where my great grandfather, an Italian immigrant, had a cattle ranch and a hotel/bar in the 1890's -- the hotel and bar are gone, but the family still has the ranch. When he first immigrated he followed the railroad as it was being built in southern BC (British Columbia, Canada, just 4 miles north of Oroville) with a tent saloon and restaurant. After graduating high school I went to college at Gonzaga University in Spokane, got my journalism degree and moved to Seattle. After five years there I had to get out. Loved the area, hated the rain and traffic. I moved back to the dry side of the state and my old hometown and saved Seattle for visits. Became editor of our local newspaper. Got married to a girl from one town south, bought a house and divorced. I have two kids one in college in Spokane. I bought a couple of Zs and another house (it's either laugh or cry). I live in a log home on the Okanogan River with my dog Sophie. The house has a huge garage (pic attached) for my Z project and is about a mile from my boyhood home and from the ranch. Don't plan on moving again. I talk too much. Take it eZ, Gary.

Mr Camouflage, You may be right, I guess I never dreamed of repairing a Series I, with Series II quarter panels -- but anything's possible as the combination on your car proves. I wish I had your Series I repair panel and you could have both of the rear quarters off my '72 parts car (altho they've had some past work done on them) -- heck you could have all that's left of the car. . Maybe even the parts I took off (It was more of a learning experience, and I hated to crush anything I could unscrew or unbolt). My garage is starting to look like a parts store. Soon, I hate to say, what's left goes to the crusher.

Seems I've seen this car for sale before -- http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=2477498052&category=6187 It's listed as a 1970, but obviously it isn't because it has the pillar vents. Like the last time it was listed I thought about contacting the seller and explaining this to him -- just didn't want to see one of those "don't contact me with advice or opinions" type comments added to his auction. Oh well, Caveat Emptor. Gary

Hi everyone, All right, I have my new floorpans from Zedd Findings, actually ordered them about a year ago. I've taken out my seats and my floors are actually a lot worse than I thought. Here's my question. After I cut out the old pans, and have the new ones welded in what do I do for seat mounts? Cut out the old ones and weld them in? Or do most people fabricate something new (that is those with skill)? My old seat mounts look kind of bad after 34 years. Your opinions are much appreciated. Gary D.

Inf, I don't now why the full face dashcap would make it any harder to remove the speedo and tach, don't they always come out from the back of the dash? Removing the whole dash shouldn't be any more necessary with or without the dashcap. I too, could be wrong. I'll probably go with a full dashcap myself. Can't afford a new dash (or uncracked used one for that matter) and I'm afraid to remove my old one and try and put in a replacement. I have a 1971 (12/70 build date) 240Z and a 1972 parts car. Took the cracked dash out of the parts car (to sell or junk) and that was enough to scare me away from doing dash re-installation myself. I found a 72/73 uncracked dash (picture attached) right across the border in a wrecking yard near Osoyoos, BC that someone had removed, grabbed all the instruments, and left laying unharmed inside the wrecked car. Sold that one on ebay for a nice profit, but I didn't want to switch to that dash because it is quite a bit different from my 1971's dash. So, it's either a full dash cap or find someone with a cheap, uncracked dash that wants to help me swap it in. One can dream can't one?

As far as wasps go, the first fall I spent in my house I would wake up in the morning and there would be 30-40 wasps flying around in my kitchen. Moving slow because of the cold. I got tired of swatting them, so I brought out the vacuum and started sucking them up. This was repeated every morning for about a week. Sometimes there would be more, sometimes less. I couldn't find where they were coming from. One day I heard a kind of buzz coming from the refrigerator, but just figured it was the fridg doing its job. I live in an older log home. Little did I know they had somehow gotten from the outside of the house and into my wall behind the fridge. One night about 3 a.m. I remembered the strange buzzing and pulled the ice box away from the wall and there they were, dozens of mean looking buggers and they didn't look happy. They had chewed thru the wallboard and the wallpaper. Luckily I had a couple cans of wasp spray left over from a sale the previous summer. I shot both cans full at the nest and watched them slide down the wall. I was in my robe and hadn't bothered with slippers. They were not happy and my adrenal gland was working overtime. After I ran out of wasp spray I hoofed it out to the garage, got my cordless drill and a piece of plywood. Screwed the board over the hole pushed the fridge back and went back to bed. Guess I'd better do a better job patching it up now that wasp season has started again. It seems like all they do all day long is look for a way into the house and/or a place to build their nest.

When I first went to pick up my two Z's they were in horse pasture. A PO had removed the engine from the '72 and put it in the '71 (Series I body style). The owner of the cars had taken them in trade for some horse training/boarding. She said the block for the 71 was sitting out near the pasture under a tarp. I went to see it and lifted the tarp and there was a nice shiney black widow. I covered it back up and still have to go back and get it. To answer the first post, we do get black widows in Washington State -- but they like the wet side, not the dry. Here in Eastern Washington I've found them under rocks by the river. Yet the only others I remember seeing were in our basement when I was six and lived in Seattle, the wet side of the state. Or when kids who found them and brought them to school in Oroville. Here in Okanogan County we worry more about Rattlesnakes, altho I hear reports there is the occassional Scorpion found, but they're more common in Southeastern Washington State. Someday I'll tell you about my experience with wasps.

One little note about Washington State. Yes Puyallup, WA is on the wet (western) side of the state, but those of us in Eastern Washington don't have moss growing between our toes. In fact, after the snow melts it gets downright hot. That's an interesting car, especially with the Turbo, but I'd be scared as it sounds like he didn't do any of the work himself. Gary

I'm six foot six and xl would work, but xl tall is much better. Thanks, Gary :ogre:

I know how you feel. I was the high bidder on a 1970 balance tube and the seller took it off. I believe he just wasn't getting the price he was asking. He said it was because he misdescribed it and then in the next breath said he did it to put together with the set of carbs he was selling. Funny, he had taken those off early too. Needless to say he has never re-listed them. I suspect someone made him and offer off of ebay. So much for actually thinking I was going to get a deal -- and there is no way to leave negative feedback for someone who does this to you. If I ever see him list another item for sale I will definately not bid as he has earned no good will from me.

Are those vented pillar emblems or the solid ones I think have been discussed in past forums. I don't think the JDM Z got the "flying wing" 240Z emblem like the early cars sold in the U.S (like in my avatar). Of course I know very little about the Fairlady Z, other then what I've read here. Would be fun, if not expensive and time consuming, to restore. I didn't notice the rally clock, but my laptop monitor isn't very big, also can't tell much about the pillar emblems from the pictures on my computer. Gary D.

I say "ditto" to seerex and choose "D" All of the Above, as well.

I was thinking it looked more like the old AMC Javelin or some sort of illegitimate child thereof.

I'm sorry I started this post. After reading about the honda strut bar "swap" to a 240Z at several other sites I thought it would be good info to pass on. Especially as they were way less expensive than the one's designed for the Z. However, after drilling, bending and cussing the bracket I've come to the conclusion it's a lot of work and, as sblake01 said, the hood won't shut. Well, that's not entirely true in my case, it's just once I got it part way shut I didn't think I'd be able to get it open again. I did, but not without sweating a little bit. :sick: The one in the photo I posted doesn't look like it was that modified. I've decided to fashion a whole new bracket to allow the bar to sit lower in the engine bay. I like the looks of the bar, altho mine is slightly scratched now from the hood incident. For those who have already ordered theirs and don't want to try modifying the brackets I'm sorry. I think I'll be happy when I've made the changes, but would probably think twice if I had it to do over again. Now it's time to put those welding classes to work. They have a real neat plasma cutter at the school that may just come in handy. Gary

Hey v12horse, I know there have been lengthy discussions on the rally clock in past threads, but I must have missed it. You don't need an oscillating box when you used the 74-78 version? Do they look basically the same as the one from the 70-73? I figure if my oscillator doesn't work I'll still put my early rally clock in, 'cus it just looks "cool," and that's not a word I use too often any more. Now I'll be on the look out for one of the later models as well. Gary