dspillman

Having an all out engine built early on would be great.....I personally would spring for rebuilding stock bore engine yourself......rings, bearings, freshen up the head, if money is any kind of issue. Yes, you can get a decent 40 over "ITS" engine built for you any where from $3000 - $13,000......how fast$$$ can you go?.... HP ranging from 165-200 at the crank......How important is that last 10 horse power$$$$$.........But your fresh engine will be for naught if you haven't spent much time on the track....Worry about the engine last....Money spent other places will do more good now......Shop around a little for a built car, I just picked up a nice car, with trailer for under 10,000 grand........Less expensive then a all out engine from Sunbelt....which by the way are worth every dime...... David

HI Jay, Get on the track with a safe car....cage, belts, just any kinda cheap tires. Get a decent coil over setup, with 300/275 F/R or maybe 325/275....spring rates, bilsteins Get on the track for at least a year, get a little seat time, then worry about building a engine.... Stock can be fast, and fun as well. Fresh valve springs, buy a new cam from nissan go racing..... ITS cams should be stock....leave those half inch lifts jobs for E-production!!! Have fun, talk with the other Zguys on the track, listen to their opinions. It will save you a ton in time and money. Good Luck!!! David Spillman

Mackamans is a stepped header that could be made to look acceptable....Welds are a little rough but is quite functional...I'll send you a picture when I'm back home. David

Hi Mark, I'd go as small primaries as you can find for a stock 240, on the street, unless you plan on really winding it..... That being said, if you are interested, I do have a couple of stock manifolds, you're welcome to check out if needed...and Mackamans stepped ITS header...that could be bought for a bargain...the stock manifolds are even less if you are looking that direction, I think I owe you for a windshield anyway. I'm sure you've seen the write up by Katman years back comparing headers to the stock 280 manifold...I think maybe 2 HP/Torque difference? Over on Zhome.com....... Quieter/heavier....vs.....2-3 HP, louder "maybe a good thing?" Headers do look cooler as well. Personal preference issue David

Looking for seats? I have one pair of 2006 RSX Type S Seats on my shelf, should fit both ZX and Z..... Son wrecked his Acura, totaled out, I bought back from Insurance...Only have 6500 miles on em. Son is fine, but now driving a Jetta!! $300 for the pair, plus shipping. Bunch of stuff I need to sell. David Spillman

HI Carl, For those interested. I've been told that car rests upon 4 pads measuring a multitude of inputs.....Should be quite accurate. David

HI Guys, I'll throw in my 2-cent worth..... I can tell from looking at my caps both early D and later D caps, that they are same in color These are NOS caps in the wrappers never in the sun...should be accurate shade. Daivd

Don't try to look at football while ID'ing parts,,,\\,,

Blurry EGR....... I think. David

HI Guys, I've built 3 race engines, and 2 street engines myself over last 10 years, without putting spring behind the tensioner....counting on oil pressure to keep slack out of the chain. I did replace timing chain and all parts new each time. I read in a "how to book" that spring wasn't really needed, and looking at installed chain, I agreed that engine had bad problems anyway to "skip" a tooth. Please set me straight if this is somewhat foolhardy......Tensioner is not a problem popping out when adjusting timing this way, although I still use a block between chain as insurance. FWIW....I have never built a high compression engine 10.5 or higher if that makes any difference. David Spillman

Mckracken, You're on the right track...Classiczcars.com....For publically questioning the experts. Several reside on this site. 240z David

Autocross build? I'd worry about suspension first...looks like you've lowered car quite a bit, How? Engine still pretty much stock in engine compartment? If built to the hilt, will need larger primaries.....1"1/2-1"5/8 Stock you'll want smaller runners, close to what I had on ebay couple weeks back 1"3/8" primaries. Again,Engine not that important on the local autocross circuit. This site may not be the ultimate site for performance questions....although its full of great people, just not a performance site.....Overload of info on HybridZ.org......read some threads there first and post some specific engine details before asking, or you may get same response on hybrid. Good luck with your autocroser, David

HI Guys, I have a early dash with extra switch that looks to be same make/manufacturer....Was anything resembling this found on the datsun roadster? I'd love to get some ideas, as to origin. Maybe a dealer installed fog light switch? Just a previous owner add on? Take a look, let me know

HI Doug, This dash has "VIN" #5470 ...70-71 dash, but will fit later cars with a few wiring mods. David

This is something several of you guys may be looking for....Early uncracked dash with a lok of little goodies attached..... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250063386380&indexURL=3&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting THe intended car is now having cage installed. David

Guys, The true rarity of this car can be easy to miss for some of the newbies here, but a quick glance in the engine compartment shows the early 6-4-2 proto type gas miser model, later copied by Cadillac in the early 80s. Of course these first 50 models, were a manual system, requiring that driver be quite the contortionist to operate the wire removal at speed. Shown in the above auction pictures, car is in High MPG mode, with just 2 "firewires" attached. I have heard that the sister to this car is proudly displayed next to the infamous diesel 240-z in a show room in Japan. It will be a struggle to resist bidding on this piece of history. David "Too much coffee too quick today" Spillman

HI Randy, I'd be tempted to put air in #5 at TDC and try to determine where, if any air escapes.....Use ear/rubber hose test and listen at exhaust, at carb with throttle open, listen at front of cam cover, with valve cover off. Where is hissing the strongest? Maybe a bent valve? May not determine anything...Thinking out loud. David

texas-Z, I sent an email to ebay, reporting fishy smelling auction, it was gone next day....May or may not have made any difference. David

Wow, that guy was stamping #s all over the place.... I didn't doubt the legitimacy ofthe car, just interested in when and why some early cars had expansion tanks, while others didn't. Early hood bumpers visible, also appears a intact inspection lid clip? david

Maybe that earlier cars were stamped by hand, causing unevenness. David

I have 1222 and 2446 .... No expansion tanks, no provisions on left side of gas tank for vent hose either. I remember a while back reading a quick thread, but no difinitive cutoff for w/or without expansion tank. Duffman since you have VIN 1300? or, maybe California had emissions issuses back in 70? David

HI Guys, Looking at ebay pics on this one...I know ya'll like to check out the details...at least i do. 1)...I thought early cars...< Vin 2400 or so came without expansion tank inside hatch area. 2)Later 72-73 dash... Isn't it amazing that so many of these early cars, that came with Slotted rotor hats are still running em. You'd figure after 30 plus years, wear, warpage would take these items out of service. David

Hi Bre, Send me your address and I'll send you one.....what year? David Spillman Rutherfordton, NC

Congrats to You Mark... Looks like someone else agrees that you're great with the camera, Anyone that can find a good side to my racer has mad skills !!!!! You da Man!!!

Quick racing update for anyone interested. Having cooled off for a week, I'll give a quick run down on where my DASH for Tires race went at Road Atlanta. Couple of weeks ago I sold my NOS dash on ebay raising money for "The Race" for me of 06...Course the dash only has 4 more good heat cycles:cry: , but I still feel it was a good deal for me ..qualifing on outside front row. Wound up in third after turn one at start, battling with a VW corrado for several laps. Our group had been combined with a group of "quicker" corvettes..TCC. Although these vettes "handled" well on the straights, some of these cars struggled in the twisty sections... The vettes were given a split start in front of the ITS group. With the vettes started first.....course some of the handling challenged were quickly over taken by our group....getting by these rolling road blocks was next to impossible. Hold ya up in the twisties, then blast away in the strights....Long story short, 3rd through 8th ITS positions being held up for 5-6 laps, finally I was able to sneak by entering turn one....had pulled out quite a space for myself, feeling good, due to brakes still cool, tires saved by following the slower vette, for so many laps. Ready to make a hard charge. Well, the vette I been following for the last couple laps, was able to erase my gap, by the end of the back straight....and "outbrake" me....sliding by, off edge of track driver right, then back across, I had no where to go...hit the rear corner hard enough to bend my fender, bow hood, and lay the bumper across the right front tire...ending my day. At first I thought the vette had no one around he was racing...But after viewing the VWs video....he was racing...there were 2 other vettes close by, but they were lapping him :mad: Well, I still had a great weekend, although I was disappointed in end results....Easy for me to blame other driver, But I could have backed off a little, drove off track to avoid contact, just let him go.....hindsight thoughts, but still can't help but wondering if the guy in the vette was having problem with our little Z giving him fits on the track .... Zs still have it on the race track... David Spillman