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Here's one for the Japanese researchers out there! I'll start this with the disclaimer that I have yet to see anything to back it up. I was asked had I heard anything to substantiate it. He brought the story back from a recent Nostalgia car show in Japan (Nagoya?) I have a mate who has had a professional and hobby interest in Japanese Performance cars, mainly '60's to '70's....anyway he recently suggested the "Kenmeri" name for the 1973 C110 range actually pre-dates the "Ken & Mary" adv. campaign. The original idea was this model be released to the American market, or was to be an "American styled/flavored model". Someone or some Japanese article had led him to believe that "Kenmeri" was a Japanese spoken word form for "American". The Ken & Mary (from Kenmeri) connection was a development from within the company responsible for the advertising campaign. I guess this really boils down to is this in anyway true or possible?....Or somebodys phonetic word association flight of fancy (tell 'em they're dreamin' son!)Well?....waddayareckon?! Jim.

How about a rousing "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" for Miles, our SKYLINE man on the spot in Japan.... Have a great day mate, Cheers, Jim. P.S. virtual birthday present attached:laugh:

John Ellis was there. With his restored 1965 GT-Be2. Johns car is the grey one with hubcaps near the lightpole. This pic was taken on the Sunday in the sleepy little village of Milthorpe...very very quite place is Milthorpe, 'till a rumbling bunch of triple weber fed two litre sixes show up for lunch! Streetscape is not mine.(Photographer: Bourke, M )

Far too many negative feedbacks to sales ratio for me. Have a read of these, something just doesn't sit right :paranoid: http://www.toolhaus.org/cgi-bin/negs?User=mad_boyz_toyz+&Dirn=Received+by They are either incompetent or shonky....maybe both! The picture they are using is from the previous owners eBay auction, they've pinched pictures from Alfadogs brochure and book eBay auctions, the description is certainly not precise, but that's not unusual I guess:rolleyes: Their main gig is very average radio controlled toy cars, and their problems seem to revolve around A: Quality, B: Communication, and C: Post & packaging. If the car can be viewed before bidding, a lot of the doubts can be erased. If we can find out just where they are in Sydney, I may be able to check it out for any remotely placed interested parties (Brian?). A few niggling doubts though, (when considered together) The auction is a no reserve in answer to a question about a CASH price, they answered $7000. Do they really expect the bidding to reach/pass $7000?? Say it stops at ~$3500, classic situation for a shill bid! I may be being unfair and uncharitable to the seller, but with all things considered..... Maybe someone here can give their own take on it all? I would really like to be way off here, and see this get a good home to one of our forum members.

Hi Miles, I'd be interested to hear more about your engine. I gather it's still a 2 litre? Interesting choice for someone to add all the nice bits, like triple twin sidedraughts and a decent header/exhaust sytem. It seems to me that any of these GT's that are for sale all have had the 2.8L transplant, which makes yours all the more interesting! Do you know what other work has been done? Any plans for it now it's in the hands of a rebuilder?? Cheers, Jim.

If the age of the dizzy cap is unknown, it's advisable to replace it as well, include rotor button, condenser, leads, plugs. Doing it for the first time can be daunting,the right tools, specs and info are a must. Better to get an experienced friend to show the way, but once you've done it I'm sure you'll agree it's a piece of cake. The icing would be if you can get your hands on a vacuum gauge and incorporate that as tool into the job. They are a very good visual indicator of how your tune is going.

Sad news indeed I was only recently having a laugh at some comments attributed to him in an old Aust. motorsports magazine article on the Southern Cross...something along the lines of the 240Z rally cars being quick, but an accident going somewhere to happen I never realised just how young he was in his "Datsun Days"

I picked the car up this morning. Main problem was loose main jets,some were one turn from dropping out! timing was way out, advanced to where it should have been pinging its head off. No parts needed, and engine is in sound condition. Appears the head is a low compression unit says Mr Wilkins. I thought it was OK before, but the difference on the road is amazing. Much smoother, and crisper revving, and more usable torque. Acceleration in 4th gear is great:laugh: The attached graph says it all, better power and broader torque. Not a big numbers motor, not as much as I expected but still a fun package:classic: 1 hour on the dyno 2.5 hours labour

..... But GM did build a few.A design exercise when they first released the Corvette. There was a cavalcade of Corvettes I think it was called. I'm still waiting on the return of my book that covered this release from a fellow 'vette enthusiast...sorry I can't remember the full story. Thanks Victor, that Kodak slideshow was fantastic, as were all the shots of this event.It really looks like fun! Jim.

I know what you mean, that is standard operational procedure for my son unless we're talking music:classic: They sound like blokes of my era. Definitely the 1972-3 Holden Torana LJ XU-1. The 175CD's were standard on this model. The factory (dealer team) ran a variety of setups.If I remember correctly, The 1973 "Bathurst 500" entered cars...one ran triple SU's not CD's, and the other ran triple 58mm dcoe webers with one choke blanked off!! This was so it still complied with the original 3 choke setup of the showroom cars. Doug Chivas had the SU equipped car, remember him having to push it, out of fuel, in pit lane? I've included a pic of the Bob Morris driven, Ron Hodgson owned series production XU-1 with the Weber setup I spoke of....one way to interpret rules I guess! This pic was taken years ago (early eighties?) in the Mt Panorama Motorsport museum. By then the car was in private hands. Jim.

WOW! It looks new. Notes say it's been bead blasted....if that's a typical result of bead blasting, I will definitely look into it for refurbishing cast parts. Thanks for the link Miles. :knockedou Jim.

Hey Speedy, what do you mean by "Toranas and such"? The only Toranas I know of that used side draught carbies were the little Brabham Torana 4cyl. using a single Stromberg Zenith CD 150, the LC 186cu.in. XU-1 using three Stromberg CD 150's and the L J XU-1 202cu.in. that got three 175 CD Zenith Strombergs . Did you mean SU type carbies? The only side draught carb I've seen on a V8 Rover (1974 RangeRover) was the 2x 175 CD Zenith Strombergs . Did earlier ones (Rover V8's?,P6B 3500S?) get real SU's? I've always liked them, but never had a close look:stupid: I'd have to agree about their performance on the Rangies, but that may have been a case of poor choice by BL. Constant Depression diaphram carbies on a 2.5 tonne 3.5 litre 4x4!? They did much better on the smaller and lighter(~1100kgs) XU-1's...but even there, for flat out performance you were better off switching to 3x 2" SU's. What's a Z weigh? Two properly reco'ed (ie correctly needle and jetted)175 side draughts on a warm 2.8L Z just might work. I guess it all comes down to cost. What size are the current carbies? If it's of any help, the "175" equated to 1.75 inches or ~44mm, "150" =1.5inches or ~38mm. Jim.

G'day all:classic: I checked under the bonnet Gav, it's an N42 head sitting on an N42 Block. Today I had an over voltage problem addressed. The battery was being presented with 14-18V by the alternator!! The car was using the old "vibrator" type voltage regulator, and after ensuring the battery was still serviceable, I had the regulator replaced with an electronic unit. We had to wait a few hours for a new unit to be delivered, so I pulled the alternator and the auto sparky fella pulled it to bits to give it a thorough check. The diodes had been replaced, and thankfully everything else was fine. On the testbench the alternator was pumping out a healthy 50+ amps. With the new regulator in place the charging cct was performing perfectly now, 12.8-14v. I had some time to observe these guys Riversone Pde Auto Electrical at work and I recommend them highly, particularly anything to do with oddball vehicles being built. For example;Sorting the electrics for an old crewcab VW Kombi fitted with a 3.8 litre V6 Holden (GM), and a Toyota Van fitted with a 3litre twin cam Toyota straight 6! I'm booked in at Stewart Wilkins next week...should be interesting Jim.

Thanks Art. I just wondered what the benefit was of running without it. I'd only seen this on cars that had been modded for sport. I had an ex series production XU-1, another multiple side draught carbed straight six. Like riding in a wheelbarrow, but it could corner with you hanging on for grim life at the tiller with ya legs out the window before it would let go:laugh: . The distributor had the vacuum point blocked and the points plate spot welded to the baseplate. Mine was not the only race car I had seen with this done. Remember this was early 1970's series production racing and technology....so I guess it was of some benefit higher up the rev range? Anyway I have a Crane Fireball unit not doing anything at the moment . If I can get the bits needed to set it up on the Nissan 6 I'll try that. Hmm.. I was thinking controlled dwell and all, but I might have to investigate if the unit wants the vacuum adv. or not. I'm off to do a bit of research now! If any of you good folk want to post in a bit of free advice about the subject of ignition systems please feel free to do so:classic: Jim.

Sorry Craig, it was your "Wayback machine " reference that got me larfin! It was a line used by both Mr Peabody and his pet boy Sherman. From Rocky & Bullwinkle & friends, Mr Peabodys (and his pet boy Sherman) improbable history Jim.:squareeye (too much TV)

Nice goin' ED, thanks for pics. Two things really grabbed me, just showin' my age I guess....the cragar S/S mags:love: on the blue sixty something Chevy Impala, and the two tone '55 with a MoonTank:love: hangin' out front...memories:classic: Thanks Jim.

G'day Greg, Arizona's alright by me. I didn't get rusty 'cause I was too busy gettin' well oiled in Williams on Chili Beer:laugh:

G'day Al, Thanks for that. I wasn't game to say it was right (correctROFL ) hand drive as I wasn't sure anymore:paranoid: Anyone care to do a summary post on the different models marketed that used the 2.8litre motor? bonus points for neatness:cheeky: Jim.:classic:

Thanks for all the replys so far (hint hint!) guys. It would appear the dizzy is definitely one of the contributing culprits. Just on that area, whats the considered opinion of the distributor running with the Vacuum advance disabled? . Is this a consideration to the lack of steady constant vacuum at relatively low engine speeds/loads in an engine fitted with a combination of a large or many carbys and a cam with a big overlap? (not gospel, just my wondering) Vincent! If you like PM me when you're coming up. If I can I'll come up and say G'day if it suits.

Carlos Casmiri out my way in NSW has one I think. He showed me this rally car, looked like a 240Z front but a later model rear? He was very proud of it and told me it was a rare beast in Australia. Could it be what you speak of? I think it was for sale at the time ~6 months ago. Nice guy anyway...and lots of 240Z type bits at his workshop. What do we call you now Mr C.? Sherman or Mr Peabody