Seppi72

You will most likely have a similar area on the other side of the car to deal with too. Check the soundness of that metal with a pick. IF that's all the rust you have on the car, congratulations. It will not be hard for someone with even modest metal fab skills to make a patch for you. Plus, this entire region can be covered with undercoating when you're done so no one will see whatever kind of welding and grinding butcher job you might produce making the repair. One other thing to check for are perforations in the firewall where the inner fender meets up with it along that little flange line. Pull away the firewall insulation in the footwell and then shine a bright light from the seat area towards the firewall. In a darkened garage, look at the panel from the fender side. If you have perforations, you'll see little speckles of light shining through. Perforations are best sealed with brazing.

When I got my second '72 with a Rebello L28 and Pertronix, it didn't even have a resistor and the car runs just fine, thank you. For years, I've wondered why that was. Obviously, I must have one of those "bypassable" coils too.

My speedo only starts fluctuating when I get above 85 MPH. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen too often (often enough?) as I have a ride-along rev limiter; i.e., wife.

For some reason unknown to me, I've come into possession of somewhere around 5 door sets over the past year and have taken each one apart. I've seen "grease" that runs the gamut from your JB Weld look-alike, to wheel bearing grease, to white lithium grease. I suspect the FSM calls out some sort of grease that is probably NLA after 30+ years. When I reassemble the doors for my rebuilt '72, I'm planning to go with white lithium grease on the nylon slide.

I can only assume that you want the original engine S/N so that a new plate can be created. The VIN is on the plate on the driver's door frame as well as stamped onto the top of the firewall above the brake M/C.

Here are two pix of the structural steel on the inside of the rocker panels. One of the front end and one of the rear. I hope they help you. However, you must know that there is undoubtedly at least surface rust on all these bits. If I were you, I'd figure out a way to bathe these parts in Ospho to convert the rust and then apply a two-part epoxy or polyurethane coating to them. You'll have to remove the seats, dogleg finisher panels, sill plates, and pull up the vinyl covering to expose all those lovely access portholes. It's a bit of work, but surely worth the effort in the end.

Because the foam is cross-linked polyurethane (PUR), solvents will, at best, only be able to swell it; at which point you could try scraping it off with a chisel if you have the leverage to do so. The only other option is to burn it out with a torch. You'll get a lot of char because the PUR is based on aromatic ring structures and that's what aromatics do in the initial stages of oxidation (burning). However, that char will eventually oxidize or, when it's cooled, you can scrape or wire brush it off. Ideally, such burn outs should be done outdoors. If that isn't possible, have good ventilation going; such as a box fan blowing fresh air at your face and another one blowing fumes out the door. If you can smell the burning PUR, your ventilation is inadequate. Stop and fix things. Also, have an ABC-rated fire extinguisher (or two) handy - just in case. Because the foam is inside a metal structure, I don't believe that burning would be located anywhere other than on the exposed surface because enough oxygen would not be able to get to the hot zone from any other direction. But never say never.:stupid: Also, be sure that combustible materials (grease, oil, plastics, etc.) are not in contact with the other side of any metal surface that's being heated. Of course, any paint on the metal will be "toast". BTW, I am nearing the end of rust repair work on my original owner '72, which was every bit as big a rust bucket as what you're facing after being a daily driver from late '71 to early '79 in, in order, upstate NY, central Iowa, northern WV, and western PA. Oh, the salt, the salt... It's taken the better part of a year and many thousands of dollars to get to this point (mostly because I am not a welder - that's a BIG plus in your favor). However, I do not regret one moment of this adventure and I am in the "happy phase" of the project now where I'm choosing my paint color ("Arrest Me, Officer Orange") and getting ready to build a stroker L6.

Back when my '72 (currently undergoing rebuild) was new, I too was afflicted by this infrequent gremlin. My recollection is that it would happen mostly after driving in rain, which makes me think it is electrical in origin, but it also happened in dry conditions. This happened in both freeway as well as in-town driving. The symptoms were that I would lose what felt like one cylinder. Then, perhaps 10 seconds later, I'd feel another one cut out. When the third one would go away, I'd pull over and shut it down.:stupid: The car would crank, but it would have to sit for 10-30 minutes before it would fire up again. There was no after-effect upon firing; e.g, black smoke. I was never able to identify the source of the problem. It just became something I learned to live with - like the ignition key locking up. I have not had this problem in the 6 years that I've owned my second '72 with the Rebello L28 and Pertronix ignition. But, the ignition key thing - oh yeah...

you need to prioritize things. Fix the holes in the car first then start wondering about other stuff. Your muffler sound isn't going to mean anything if your car is sitting there with its back broken because you didn't restore its factory integrity.:stupid:

My body guru has always told me to weld in a patch and use brazing to seal up any small holes or preferations. Of course, he is an expert with MIG, stick and gas and that's why I have him do the heavy lifting. Me, I just say thank goodness for grinders when I take off the helmet.

I am taking my complete suspension off to clean up and repaint the bits and pieces prior to putting the car back on the road now that all the crash damage from last fall is fixed. My '72 has Illumina shocks and Eibach springs. On the front springs (15.25" uncompressed length) there is a slightly tighter "wind" at one end and, I believe, that will be the case for the rears too when I get them off. My question is, when I reinstall them, which end should go up? Because the springs will be loaded the same regardless of which end is up, I think it shouldn't make any difference to the ride. But it will certainly look different depending on how I reistall them. At the moment, I'm leaning towards having the tighter end up. Just checking for folks who might know.

Ok, Jon, I'll give it a try later today or tomorrow. I figure there has to be a way or MSA and Black Dragon wouldn't be selling the kits.

It sounds as though you are talking about the front camber bushings and, if you are, I agree that they are way easier to adjust. In fact, I have an old adjustable wrench that works well on them once I welded it at the correct opening and ground off some thickness. My problem is with the rear bushings because of how they are designed and attached to the car. As an aside, the reason that I want to have these things on the car is that it is about to get back on the road after being repaired from the crash that I had last September. We had to replace the left front frame rail and, even though the body shop checked and verified all the front dimensions, I want to be ready and able to correct any small crookedness in the rear when the car is getting aligned.

Great info, Jon, and it figures to be comng from an experienced hand like you. That's the vaule of this site. BTW, I cross-posted this on HybridZ. My big probelm is that I can't even seem to get the bushings to turn when the car is on jack stands with the wheels off. I literally began to distort the "tool" while trying to do so. I can't imagine how a mechanic unfamiliar with these bushings would begin to use it even after I explain the process. I'm considering having the tool, which I recognize is really the only thing that easily works in the space allowed, being copied in hardened steel plate. That would likely solve the problem and I could put a proper handle on the damn thing. The other approach I've thought of is to drill holes into the flats of each side of the hexes and build a "pin wrench" that would lock into any hole for adjustment purposes.

I am in the process of installing G-Machine camber bushings (purchased from MSA) in my '72 - replacing the urethane ones that have been in for almost 5 years - and have a question. How does one actually adjust the rear camber with these things, especially with the flimsy "tool" that MSA sells for this purpose? The rear bushings are located at the pivot points for the rear A-arms and are aluminum cylinders with thin, hexagonal end plates and offset holes for the A-arm tube. The tube ends are isolated from the aluminum with polyacetal (Delrin) bushings that are inserted from either end of each assembly. Now, the aluminum part is what is supposed to be turned using the so-called tool in order to adjust the rear camber. The tool is a piece of sheet aluminum with an appropriately sized hex pattern (four sides of the hex) cut into it. It looks like a smashed line wrench but without the vestigial fifth and sixth hex segments. I could post pix if that helps anyone, but as my question is directed to folks who have already used these things, they are unnecessary to the matter at hand. So, here's the problem. The aluminum bits are supposed to be turned and yet they are the parts that are clamped into place by the brackets that attach to the unibody frame. Even if I were to install grease fittings, I don't see how the bushings can reasonably be expected to turn while clamped. Now, someone might say you jack up the car, loosen the clamps, and adjust them. Yeah, that might work, but because you're ostensibly trying to adjust the camber, how is this done easily (or at all) when the car is on an alignment rack?:stupid: The issue isn't quite as dire for the front bushings as they (1) have the aluminum bit inserted into the Delrin parts, (2) go inside the front control arm, (3) aren't clamped into position so much as held by torque and (4) have a much wider hexagonal end with which to work. The MSA tool is still a thin piece of aluminum sheet, however. Those of you who have (or had) these bushings installed are requested to reply with your experiences, observations and, I hope, work arounds. I want to decide whether these go on or get switched out for the urethane ones this coming holiday weekend.

To an aspiring geezer (in marked contrast to an EXpiring geezer) like myself, it's just so refreshing to hear someone say that they are baffled by carbs.:classic: To me, they're second nature and I wouldn't want to be responsible for anything that relies on those infernal EFIs and computer chips. Turbos... Gaah.

My advice is to work with some operation that has an in-depth knowledge of the L6 engine. I'm building an NA 3.2 L stroker for my original owner '72 and I started off working with Kim Blough at Idaho Z Car. Now that Kim has "retired," I've moved to working with Paeco Industries in Birmingham, AL, which has built racing Ls for decades. While they are going to to the head work, I'm utilizing their accumulated knowledge to help me direct the block work here in central Ohio. I intend to do the mechanical assembly. I'd love to work with Rebello - who built the NA L28 in my other '72 - but I couldn't get them to return an e-mail inquiry I made shortly after they became a sponsor of this Web site late last year.

forgive my ignorance - as I only have in-depth knowledge of the '72 version - in asking why the choke cables are coming in on the right side of the engine compartment. I thought they "all" come in on the left side. Was that a change made before the EFI era?

I have always been in love with the racing Lola T60 coupe, but realistically, the car I always admired is the DeTomaso Mangusta (and perhaps it's cousin, the Pantera). Maybe that's why I fell in love with the 240Z when it came out. They do look very much alike from the side but that was the profile that the late 60s gave us for performance cars (sorry, Triumph fans). Look at those lines and how incredibly small the car really is. I suspect it was/is a nightmare to maintain - a deserved rap against Italian cars of the era - but it is just so damned unique. I have no idea what the price is to enter that club.

On my '72 undergoing rebuild, the side markers openings are now filled and "disappeared." If, at some point in the future, Johnny Law says that I need markers, I'll go with some small, round LED set up where I can just drill a hole. That's what Datsun should have used from the start rather than those clunky rectangles. But, when you're getting stuff from the corporate parts bin, you make compromises, I know.

There's background needed here and that makes this lengthy. Sorry. As some of you will recall, I started the rebuidling of my original-owner '72 (HLS30-46372) last summer. We have the front end, floor pans and rockers all taken care of. However, I have been stymied for some time trying to get the rear fenders addressed. The reason is that one of the curved parts that makes the arch from the inner, vertical wall section of the "tub" to the outer skin (where it meets up with the external body work and gets pinched together) has been eluding my acquisition. This part is colloquially called the outer rear wheelhouse and the illustration shows it as part number 75. I've purchased all of my other rust repair parts directly from Tabco in Cleveland, OH and have been happy with them. However, Tabco simply has not been very accomodating about making these parts. I have been trying to get them since last October and it's always the same "we'll be getting that die in the press next week" answer that began to ring false around New Year's Day. I finally turned to Mill Supply (curiously enough, also located essentially in Cleveland, OH) and they had the left hand unit in stock. However, the fellow told me he has four back-orders for the right hand part (who else among you is on that list?) and they've been getting the same runaround from Tabco. They are looking to get them from another supplier, but I don't know who that might be. Anyway, the last time I spoke to Tabco, I was told that they sold a bunch of these parts to someone in Canada in 2007 or 2008. Do any of our Canadian members know who that might be? I've called Charlie Osborne at Zedd Fndings to see if he knows, but he hasn't gotten back to me yet. Geezer, you're practically a U.S. resident there in Windsor, and Sailor Bob, you're practically an Icelander there in Newfoundland, so you're excused if you don't know the answer - unless you do.:laugh:

The ABS coupler will give immediate feedback and it will probably make your forearms nice and big once the pain stops. I wouldn't recommend it for anything other than a full-on race car. The urethane couplers are fine for everyday use as well as the ocassional track event. I also agree that this sounds like a defective part.

I've never had this problem, but those parts are simple, stamped steel. There "should" be right angles between each plane. I would think that any suspension guy with an oxyactylene torch would be able to straighten out such deviations. After all, there's a likelihood (albeit small) of finding simlar out-of-square parts at a junk yard. If you're going to get replacement parts, call Eric Neyerlin (Zparts.com) at his new Winston, Oregon location (541-679-0791). If he has them, he'll have good ones and at a reasonable price.

Your seats look to be about the same size as the Corbeau CR1 that I have as a driver's seat in my S30. It's a tight fit - both in the car and for my butt - but they both work. As for that submarine belt mounting location, I hope one of our racer members will answer to tell us how they do it. Hopefully, we will never have to rely upon the device and the speeds we'd be at in street machines don't compare to race speeds. But if it's good enough for them, the SCCA and NASA, it ought to be good enough for us.

Mikewags: If what you've said about your rear toe condition is accurate, your car's rear wants to track to the left. Does it? There are no "plates," per se, in the rear of an S30. There are two points where each A-arm gets fastened to the unibody. If these are out of square, that means your entire rear had to have been whacked at some point in time. It seems more likely that there's something messed up with each A-arm, but that still would imply a great thwacking at some time in the past. This whole "toe" thingy sounds fishy to me. Keep us updated.