Royce

Yes, you can use either a three screw or four screw air cleaner. If you don't turn one up let me know, I friend of mine has several and he may be interested in selling one. Have fun!

A carb change (or any part change) by itself may improve or may even degrade performance. The engine systems all opperate as a unit so it really depends on the supporting pieces. What model/size weber carbs do you have, what modifications have been done to your cylinder head and/or block, exhaust, or ignition? When all else fails put it on a chassis dyno! There is a shop near me that just started offering three pulls on the dyno for $50!

Guycali, Take your car to the events!!! Sure there are a few people who will turn up their nose but most Z folk will come over and want to talk to you about your plans for the car. You will get more advise and help plus you will meet more people and probably save some money along the road! Stand proud and have fun!

Well I spent most of my life in Redwood City but now live in Sacto, where the property is way cheaper and the jobs pay about the same! If you decide to do a Wine Country run let me know, I am sure I could round up a couple Z folk from Sacto.

When all else fails go with cubic inches. You could get an L28 engine block from a junk yard and bolt that to your head and get some more HP. If you get one in good condition it could be less than $200 but with any change the little things can exceed you budget quickly. To stay with your current compression ratio go with an N42 block ('75 280Z - '79 280ZX) or for an increase in compression go with a non-Turbo F54 block ('80 - '83 280ZX). The engine block model number is stamped on the block near the motor mount under the exhaust manifold. Of course the extra cubes would like a bit more fuel.

Howdy, Regarding your first question. Unlike American cars the VIN on the 240Z cars don't tell you much. The US 240Z's didn't have any factory options other than auto or stick as far as I know. I don't think the VIN even distinguishes which trans it had. They all came with AM radios, rear window defrost, cig lighters. Only the engine is numbered (not the trans) and that number is stamped on a plate inside the engine compartment that also contains the VIN. Everything else was dealer add ons- A/C, bumper overriders, mag wheels, and center console arm rests. No cup holders! Best place to find one is at a Z car show! Good Z's are hard to find and can pop up anywhere. You will find them on ebay or on your local used car lot from time to time. Good to ask questions on this forum or the many other Z forums to help you find what you are looking for! Sometimes you can find a complete but ruff car for $500 and a fully restored mint condition could be $10K to even $20K. Usually more for the early series one cars built '69 through '70. Hope it helps!

Just read the news and wanted to say that I am wishing for the best for Keith's mother and Alfadogs great aunt!

Oh yeah, a tune up and a compression check would still be a good idea to find out if there is anything wearing out!

It is most likely both the valve guides and the valve stem seals. However, replacing the seals will probably make it go away and unless the guides are heavily warn you could probably drive for years without any issue. Unless it is smoking heavily I wouldn't worry about it. To change the seals you would have to disassemble the valve assembly- rockers, springs, etc. Then you would need to do something to keep the valves from falling into the cylinder, ex. fill with compressed air or rope. I have only done it with the head off the car but I have heard of people doing it these other ways. Hope it helps!

You could use the door skin from the 280Z but if you want to swap complete door for complete door you need one from any year 240. I don't know about the striker but the internal door parts are certainly different, your 240 door panel and arm rest would not mount to it. I believe your second question was about using the 280Z window regulator in a 240!? This would require fabrication as the mount holes for the 280Z regulator are not in the 240 door. Hope it helps!

Hey Mark, Keep looking it is in there! As previously mentioned it is hard to get to. The only original 240 mirror I have removed was on a door that was off the car and I removed all the door internals first. With some creativity and if you take your time you could probably get it out without removing everything. Have fun!

Howdy, I use synthetic in all my cars. Not because I am a expert on engine oil but I know enough engine builders to be convinced that synthetic is the way to go. The only time I would not use synthetic is if your car uses a lot of oil, because synthetic is more expensive. I choose to go with 10w-40 for all my cars ('99 Honda Odyssey, '90 Honda Civic, '71 240Z L28, '79 Ford F250) because it is in the middle of the road and I buy it by the gallon! If you are in colder climates and have difficulty starting your car you may want to go with a thinner oil during winter months and if you race you may want to consider a single grade thicker oil. Hope it helps!

I weighed a N42 block L28 complete with N42 head (no valve cover), water pump, FI manifold, exhaust manifold, flywheel, and 4-spd trans at 600 lbs. on a commercial scale. I will admit that a L6 does look a little scary sitting on an engine stand. But I stored the same motor minus the trans on a rear mount engine stand, using long bolts so I could leave the flywheel on, for more than a year. Make sure you use good bolts!!! Have fun!

I took mine to Baylands Raceway in Freemont, CA USA in the first year I had it, back in '88. I went to watch my buddy run his 13 second '65 SS Nova. It was the Wednesday night grudge matches and it was the same price to spectate or to run your car. My best pass was 16.66 @ 88 MPH. I was just outta high school and had no clue how to get off the line well. The car was bone stock with 195/70R14's. I remember going home and digging through my Dad's old Road & Tracks to see how I compared to the car new and I was dead on! They listed 16.5 quarter mile and 8.7 0-60. I know it doesn't sound like much these days but it was pretty good for it's time. Hell in the '80s I think a stock Camero/Mustang was in the mid to high 15's and a stock C4 Corvette only ran a high 14 second et. I hope mine is a little faster these days. Actually, my Z buddy just bought one of those Gtech copies and we plan to take are cars out to a long stretch of lonely contry road and see how they do. Just gotta go get it (with me in it) weighed at the local metal scrap yard. Have fun!

Hey LA240Z, Yes, congrats on the new car! It was the E31 & E88 heads that came with soft valve seats. In US the N42 head started with the '75 280Z and with hardened valve seats so don't worry about them sinking. If in good condition it is a good head and you can use straight unleaded gas (won't need leaded substitue). All the carb Z's came with Hitachi built carbs. They key is are the domes on them bell shaped or flat. The '70 - '71 240s came with "4 screw" Hitachi SU type carbs and the '72 240Z came with "3 screw" Hitachi SU type carbs. IF you have either of these you need not be concerned. The '73 240 & '74 260 came with the flat top Hitachi carbs that are not as desirable. But I have seen people use these with good results it is just harder to find help or parts for them. Since your head was changed I am willing to bet you have the earlier round top carbs. I am also curious if there is a L24 or a L28 under that cylinder head. May just need a good tuneup, some fresh fluid in the carbs, and a valve adjustment. Hope it helps! Have fun!

Regarding carbs, I was not being specific the '71 - '72 240Z's have SU style carbs that are made by Hitachi. Have fun!

Looks like quite a find! I would say it is a keeper so long as the frame and unibody are in good shape! Even if they are not it would be hard to pass up with all the original bits it comes with. Looks like a bone stock US market, series I 240Z with a few dealer addons- front bumper overrider, center arm rest, A/C & wheels. Regarding the wheels, either they are 14x7 or have a bit of negative offset judging by the way they stick out from under the body in the back. I may be joining this a little late and this may have already been discussed but check to see if the orignal engine is there by comparing it (near the back on the passenger side of engine) to the tag on the fender wall in the engine compartment. Also, if all original should have E-31 head, E46 intake manifold and 4 screw SU carbs without the drain plug in the bottom of the float bowls. Have fun!

I am also on the hunt for mirrors. I would like something chrome like the stock mirrors that fit both sides. I have considered putting a stock mirror on backwards but am still looking at other options. Rob, we in the US did not get the Ford Escort until the late '70 or early '80s as a front wheel drive econo box. Not the warrior rally Escorts of the early '70s which is what you are probably referring to. I saw the pictures of you motor, very nice setup, but do you have any of the mirrors on your car to share? Thanks,

The valve cover breather is attached directly to the air cleaner and yes would be under vacuum. The PCV draws vapor out of the block by vacuum. But I don't know if a bad PCV valve allows more or less vacuum or maybe to regulate pressure at various RPM levels!?

Oh yeah! My last post was for US Z cars! Sorry, folks!

I have seen discussions about the breather on other lists. The valve cover breather should be attached to the air cleaner and is under vacuum. I have heard arguments that this helps draw gas vapor and other contaminant gases from the valve/cam area as well as equalizes pressures. But that is just what I have heard, any experts out there? Have fun!

As far as I can tell the '70 - '72 the bumpers are the same. In '73 different mounts were used up front that were more substantial and they mounted the bumper a little further off the car. The front bumper had additional metal and rubber trim to take up the gap between the bumper and the car. The guards were closer to the middle and it used a different narrower over rider that mounted to the bumper instead of the guard. The '73 rear bumper mounts and looks a lot like the earlier style but the guards were moved further to the corners. I have not seen a rear over rider up close but it also look to be a little different. I haven't seen a early 260 bumper up close but from a distance they look like the late 240 bumpers but with full rubber covers on the overriders. The late 260 went to the shock style mount just like the '75 - '76 280Z. Also, the late 260-'76 280Z still had the 240-early 260 rear bumper mounting holes in the rear panel of the body work. But the side mount locations, behind the rear tires, were not the same. No clue about the '77 - '78 280Z bumpers. Just got some ZX bumpers and starting to figure them out. Hope it makes sense. Corrections, comments, or questions are welcome!

Mr Camouflage wrote: "I'm sure that would work, wouldn't it?" It has worked very well for me! Again see "Transmission ratios and suggested rear gears" thread on this site or go to the original at www.zhome.com in the Z technical library, Index of technical articles and look for "How to determine which ratio..."

Zed, Nice looking car! I am guessing your airdam is fiberglass?? It is hard to tell if the one from the picture that driftmunky posted is fiberglass or urethane because of the nice paint. Like 2manyZs, I would also guess that it is a standard urethane airdam without the air inlets. Regarding the Z in question, I would suspect that as 2manyZs said they used tape to cover all it's lights as required for racing. Very tastefully done! By the way it sure looks like it says FairladyZ on the front fender of that car to me, especially since the license plate is also from Japan! They could have easily moved/changed the mirrors since they didn't mind adding the ZX Turbo vent to the hood. I wonder if it is turbo of if they use the vent to feed the carbs? Regarding the wheels/tires. Could be BBS, Enkie, Riken, etc. many manufactures made that style wheel. The rear tires are certainly taller and wider but it almost looks like the rims may be taller as well. But, I will vote 16" diameter front and back because it is probably just my eyes, it sure is hard to tell from the picture. Anyone have more pics of it or know more about this car? Also, it seems to have a BRE spoiler on the back. It sure is a pretty Z!!! Would look really good in my garage!

Sounds like you have to be pretty precise to measure the ratio that way if the diff isn't welded. Something I would not be good at! Typically if you spin one wheel/axle of an open diff with both sides free the other wheel/axle will spin in the opposite direction. This means neither wheel is spinning as much as it should and the calculation would be off. Since the differences are pretty small I think with an open diff I would have a hard time turning the two axles the same and would screw up my calculation. Holding one side still is a little easier to me than spinning both sides equally. But hey, whatever works for you! Have fun!