Ben

What side is the handbrake on in the LHD 350Z? In the RHD version it's on the LEFT of the trans tunnel.... Food for thought!

Steve, I can only count 4 plug wires & fuel injectors in that R30 engine bay - It's a Z20 or Z22 (it's got the tall block). And it had the twin-plug dizzy (only 1/2 used) Still it looks the goods, doesn't it?

Yup, they were dealer options, and not all that legal either.... There are plenty of F54's around - late model 280ZX's, 280C's & Patrols are a good place to start (my F54 came from a Patrol).

The auto is already available in the Touring model, but not yet in the Track model. i've just come back from my local dealer (picked up an engine gasket set for my FJ20ET) and they have just received their demo 350Z Touring. It's bright red & I really want one (more so now that I've crawled around this one from front to back!), but cant afford it They've sold 4 pre-release. I think that they were all Track's.

I seem to recall the roofless-Laser (aka Capri, aka 323 with no roof) had a leaky soft-top from the day it was made. The XR2 Turbo's generally has a better reputation, but that was really only due to their extra grunt (was it the BP-Turbo motor?). The 'early' Capri was also made/developed in South Africa as the 'Perana' - with a 351 jammed under the bonnet/hood. That with a full-spool 9" is a pretty quick combination! A friend of the family had a P76, with all the Holden V8 stroker bits in it - it wasn't too shabby really (performance-wise).

There was no 280Z turbo. The 280ZX turbo was US-only. However.... there were a number of dealer-fitted turbo kits sold in AUS (an HKS kit was used). If you plan on making a L-turbo you can keep it pretty much stock, except shave the pistons 0.015" (or buy new ones with a pin 1mm higher). Get a fabricated exhaust manifold, bigger injectors & an aftermarket ECU (don't forget an intercooler). I'm making 220HP from a home-built non-decompressed L28 with a T3 on it. Yes, it's reliable - 70,000km so far. Boost is only 6-7psi though due to the CR still being 8.4:1, if you lowered the CR to ~8:1 you would be able to run ~12psi. (this is how much my original L24 turbo in my Z ran - that was ~250HP). I believe the Patrols were available with an LD28T form memory, but it's not easy finding one. RB is pretty easy, but L-power is easy too if you want to keep the original engine family in the car. Look at Simon de-Groot's car...(which I would post the URL to, but It appears that his page is no longer on the UNQ website ) His car was featured in Zoom a few months back, it's producing ~220kW at the wheels now from an L28 Turbo setup.

I'll second that Alfadog. I've been to the US twice in the last 5 years - once as a SoCal tourist & the second time to work in Portland, Oregon for a month. Even in the 'burbs of Portland I found that the cost of goods was dis-proportionate to the exchange rate. Eg - a full-strength beer was ~$5USD in a restaurant. I can buy an import beer for that amount in AUD here (a local full-strength is generally $4). A meal in a non-chain restaurant here is between ~$15 & $22 AUD (the seafood would be at the high-end, Beef steaks in the middle), I was paying the same in USD for the same. Apart from vehicles, which do appear to be 5-10% cheaper in the US (but some of them are real crap:cheeky: ) I've genrally found that living was the same in $$ count as it was here, which meant that I was paying 40% more! Mike, what's a salary comparo you could give to help us out with the Aus equivalent? PS In order to keep this message even slightly on-topic - I eagerly await the delivery of my local dealerships' first 350!!

Mike don't forget the exchange rate.... If the 350Z @ $35kUSD was the equivalent AUD it'd be $60k (well $59540.91 to be exact :classic:) So the 350Z in Aus. is only a couple of thousand more - not much really... Don't forget that our cars also have to comply with different rules & when there are only ~20 Million people in the country, the market is just so much smaller. And your $20k USD RAV 4 = $34k AUD at the current rate. (I still can't afford $66k AUD for a new Track model ) Another thing - the '96 Z32 2+2 NA was $87k AUD, this makes the new 350Z an absolute bargain!

The story of AlanT's life - leant it out (to a magazine) & never got it back.... Anyhow, Doehring is correct with the group assignments & part listings. Homologation papers for the S30 are still available from CAMS for ~$70. I also have all the listings of the x-flow head & other Z parts, along with the Formula Pacific twin-cam L-16/L20B catalogue. But you have a fat chance of finding a Group G 16-valve head these days.... Good luck Alan(F), I know a few drivers that would be interested in running triples on their 'Sc' cars... BTW i have seen 160RWkW from an 'Sc' 240Z with modified SU's.

In Australia all the SSS's were coupes. Badges on the C-pillar (a-la 240Z) & twin SU's (round tops). They also had a different ignition curve & smaller combustion chambers (I think). I can find out more info from an associate of mine who has owned around 20 of them... He currently has a fully-restored sedan and another sedan which is his rally car. You should be able to find out more info if you search on Datsun 610 (for the US market) and have a look on http://www.ozdat.com for Australian info.

I was at my local dealership late last week & bid the Dealer-Principle a grumbling goodbye as he left for the airport to fly up to the Gold-Coast for the launch. grumble, grumble.....

Keep the oil in the trans, else the planetary gears will rust over & you may have to rebuilt the whole thing later on... As long as you plug the output shaft & the oil lines, you shouldn't lose much fluid at all. I have had gearboxes in storage for a few years with fluid & all they got before use was a general service.

Yes, they are rare - but I paid only ~$250 for mine. I expect that they are on the last L-block Patrols in 1987.

The rear-end of the C10 is the same design as the P510/610 but I do not know if the arms are the same. I wouldn't be surprised if they are the same since they are both C1970 vehicles....

It really sux that he's playing 2 potential buyers off against each other. You could tell him that your offer is valid there & then. If he's not interested, you'll look elsewhere. If you manage to convince him, then he has to decide to either sell & maybe miss out on a few extra $$ from the other buyer (but still sell), or risk losing the sale completely if the other buyer isn't interested in the higher price. If the sale completely falls through, then you could be in a position to offer a slightly lower price & pick it up. Incidentally, where (if at all) was the car advertised?

The message from RS-Watanabe (April 2002).... Hello Ben We get a mail from you in this morning, and we don't have a dealer and distributer in Australia. But you can get our wheels by direct. We will be recommended wheels are follows. DR30 F: F8 15-65RST+14.5 R: F8S 15-70+15 F: F8 15-70+21/R: F8S 15-70+15 F: F8S 16-70+25/R: F8S 16-75+20 S30 F: A14-70+3/R: B14-75+1.5 F:F815-70(+1)/ R: F815-75(+2) F:F815-75 +8.5/R:F815-80(+7) F=Front R=Rear +~=offset Price F8 15-65(All type is same price)=39,000yen(per 1wheel) 15-70=40,000yen 15-75=42,000yen F8 16-70(All type is same)=48,000yen 16-75=49,000yen standard color: silver & gold (Natural complexion)...Non-painted option color: Add.charge 2,000~3,000yen (per wheel) we have many color variation, Red Yellow,Black,Brown,Blue,etc. Air transportation price for Australia: 1set(4 wheels) 15inch?35,000yen 16inch?38,000yen In an order, an estimate is sent. Then, We are waiting for your order. ?Prior payment is a principle. Thanks Racing Service Watanabe Co.,LTd. T.Tsuruta(manager) Sorry about the formatting.... (note that the correct offets are listed for all the sizes - they know their stuff) Performance do 15x7, but I'm not sure about 16x8.... Panasports are available in 16x8

theoretically, yes.... But some of the crankcase fumes end up coming out the rocker cover breather as well.

Yes - I have made direct enquiries with RS Watanabe in Japan. Cost is between $500-$600AUD per wheel (depending on size), custom colours are a bit extra & freight is ~$600AUD. You have to pay up front too. Check out www.rs-watanabe.co.jp for more info.

It's an auxillary-air-control (AAC) valve assembly. It controls idle speed, including fast-idle & hot-start flare-up. It doesn't belong on a 240Z.....

wow, you found a completely stock '33 GTS25T - most of the ones we get here are modified.... (the going rate for one of these in Australia is ~$25000 A lovely car, 187kW on tap, comfy, fast, big brakes. What more do you want (apart from a Z badge)?

Some of the differences between 6-cylinder 5-speeds are: Removable bellhousing on A box (hence the ability to transfer between roadster & Z if you have the right parts) Flange output on A box (yoke on monkey-motion shift (a'la 510/610/A10) on A box B box has shift the same as 710/910/R30/260C/280C/S12 & 260/280ZX. Porsche-type synchros on A box (nicer shift) Borg-Warner-type on B (tougher) (note: models listed are based on Australian spec) The Factory 'Option boxes' 1 2 3 etc. were basd on the B series. They also had the 'upside-down' shift pattern (in racing you tend to use 2nd & 3rd lots): R24 135 That should be enough to visually identify them anyway....:classic: Gee - if it bolts on you can use it.

Walter, you are correct - the air is ingested from behind the air-cleaner & then the fumes are drawn out under vacuum through the PCV valve to be burnt. If you plan on altering this setup, then you should put on a catch-can w/overflow.

Yes, there seems to be some confusion with the option vs std gearboxes in the USA. What was Mr K. thinking when they decided to use a 4-speed only? - I though that a 5-speed would be a requirement with all the open roads.... Perhaps there were thousands of 6-cyl A series 4-speeds in stock in Japan & they needed to offload them somewhere:classic: (don't put them in the Euro & Asia-Pacific cars, they'll notice....) The option-boxes are fetching a very high price here in Aus - $5000 for one that has stuffed synchros.... A friend of mine had an Option 2 in his Z24 Turbo-powered 910, it was a bad combo - you were in 5th by 60km/h doing 3000rpm!' (it was far better in the 610 rally car that revved to 8000rpm) Needless to say the japanese domestic box has gone back in , complete with it's too-damn-short 3.6:1 1st gear. Funny that - the Z18T has a 3.6:1 1st & the FJ20ET of the same era has 3.3:1.

I ran a 3.54 with my L28ET, it was great, but I liked the extra power & acceleration that the 3.90 gave me. My 240Z will initally be using the stock 3.90, but I have a 4.375 R200 LSD to go in. Top speed will be ~100mph, but I expect to get there VERY fast :classic:

Yes, you will find them in the Diesel Patrol. But they are RARE. I got my LD28 crank 2nd hand, and I know someone who has a brand new one (not for sale tho). Do the ring-around - and specifically contact the Zcar workshop run by Alan Stean, he might be able to help.