Ricklandia

EBay? AFAIK, Appliance has been out of business for quite some time. Talk to me when you're ready, I "might" just be talked into swapping them for a nice set of Panasports or Konig/Watanabe's :classic:

The internet is a wonderful thing... http://www.prirace.com/induction.htm These are complete setups for the Spitfire/GT6 (very similar in size/power to the L24) but I'm sure that they could be easily adapted to the Z. Price is pretty steep, but these guys look as if they've been doing this for quite some time and could be a valuable resource.

Cant say for sure till it arrives but I am reasonably sure that those are standard bolt ons. It is coming with the original 5 slots as well. Not sure what I wanna do with those yet, maybe trade out for some parts it needs.

Lovin this thread! You obviously have put alot of thought into this, if you continue on I hope you can document everything to share you progress with us all. The "wow" factor on this is... hypnotic! :knockedou

Tomo, My new baby is due to arrive this week ('73 240Z) and sports a set of Appliance Wire wheels. I have this photo (from the sellers ad) and will post more of the car when it arrives. Couldn't tell you the weight of them but I will be able to post specs.

First and foremost, I'll state right here that I am by no means an engineer, nor do I have engine swapping experience. But, I do have some thoughts on this swap: 1. Although the LD28 motor is virtually the same block as the L28 (280Z block) and will bolt right up to your existing transmission, there are minor concerns in this area. The LD28 motor uses an entirely different HP/Torque range and this will effect overall performance. Someone could chime in here, but I would expect that you would be wanting to have the LOWEST rear end gearing you can have. Diesels have gobs of torque but all of it tends to be at the lower end of the RPM range. the 81-83 Diesel Maximas did come with a manual tranny but I suspect they are rare (very) and I cannot speak to them being the same as in the Z series. 2. your 240 was/is set up for carbs, while the LD28 is F.I. mcuh like the 280Z's. Swapping in a LD28 will require some plumbing work in the fuel delivery system (return fuel line, adaquate fuel pump, etc. I would recommend looking very closely at the entire 280Z fuel system, it may be easier just to swap that in too. 3. Obviously, the EFI control box and wiring will need to come with the motor. If your searching for a boneyard motor, you'll want as much of the wiring harness (associated with the motor) as possible. 4. Vibration - this is the big "if". Consider that a diesel runs significantly "rougher" than a gasoline motor. ie MUCH more vibration. You may find that you will need to strengthen the frame rail structure. My guess is the LD28 is also a bit heavier, which will effect handling to a degree. This swap is not for the faint of heart, but I honestly believe it is the most interesting one out there. Unfortunately, the owner/builder of the "original VeggieCar" sold it (on EBay) and no longer is involved with the website or answering technical questions. A damned shame as I honestly think that if more info were available on the swap, more people might be interested in trying it. As an alternative, if possible you might want to consider parking the 240 (in a nice dry garage!) and start into biodiesel by trying to find an LD28 powered Maxima in running condition. Run it for a while till you are more comfortable with the diesel then if you decide you still want to do the swap, you'll have a complete donor car. I missed out on a very nice one myself by just a few days, otherwise I would have bought it.

IMHO, I would hate to see a 4 cyl Z swap. As an alternative, why not look at a Miata? Used Miatas can be had for cheap, thier engine is bulletproof, parts are also relatively cheap, it gets 30mpg even with spirited driving, and handles like a go-kart. Granted, you'll never blow anyone's doors off at the line, but that would be rare in a Z as well (unless you go the V8 swap). Personally, if I had to do a swap on a Z and wanted economy as well as a little flair, I'd put in an Nissan LD28... that's right, a diesel. It's been done before (http://www.veggiecar.com), the LD28 motor is a basic bolt in swap althought no swap is without a little creative engineering. The only problem is that LD28 motors are becoming rarer and rarer (81-83 Nissan Maxima). Too bad really, or I'd be seriously temped to do it myself. Biodiesel, a very real and logical alternative to gasoline. Do a little reading, I think we will be hearing quite a lot more about it in the future, especially if gas prices top the $3.00/gallon mark. (or at least we SHOULD!) A few biodiesel and SVO/WVO links: http://www.greasecar.com/ http://www.veggiecar.com/ http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html http://www.veggieavenger.com/

Extreme example? Probably not. I'd venture to guess that the impact speed on this collision was probably significatly lower than you'd think. In all honesty, when these cars were built, safety was NOT necessarily an issue, or at least not one addressed very seriously. I would say that even the cheapest POS car out on the showroom floor today is SIGNIFICANTLY safer than nearly every car built pre 1975, if only for the fact of computer design. "Crumple Zone" was virtually unheard of in those days. I'm afraid in these days of massive SUV's, the most you can expect is driver diligence and a little luck. My daily driver is a Miata, so believe you me, I KNOW what the bumper of an SUV looks like, I stare at them eye to eye every day! :paranoid: :rambo:

I think at one point in this discussion, both Mike and Carl BOTH started looking like thier avatars! JUST KIDDING!!!!!! On a more serious note, I'm glad that everyone was able to see this discussion as it's an important one. I've seen boards collaspe into chaos over this type of issue, and it's nice to see that everyone here is willing to discuss the matter openly and honestly. "intellectual" property is a very hazy subject, and in the case of a board such as this, the area can get even hazier very quickly. Consider, for example, the most innocent idea of posting a wiring diagram to help out a fellow member with a problem with his/her car. TECHNICALLY, you do not have the right to post such a thing. In reality, no one much cares. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Admins of this board, I think this is THE place for Datsun (more specifically older Z) owners and lovers. I understand completely how much work is involved in running a site like this, and the dedication by all (including it's members) is reflected in the quality of the site. I hope that every member can also appreciate this and do thier part, large or small, to contribute.

EDITED: Pulled this quote as I do not wish to add fuel to a rather controversial subject. I deal with this subject matter in my professional life and basically my advice to people regarding this matter is that if you do not wish to have any of your material saved or copied from the internet, do not post it. There are many ways to disguise or shield material from the "average" users/viewers, but the truth of the matter is that ANYTHING posted on the net is subject to retrieval, often quite easier than you would imagine. That is not meant to discourage people from posting images, in fact I encourage it whole heartedly. It is only meant to say that if you are concerned about your images, more specifically are concerned about them being used in a "for-profit" use by others without your permission, then you are strongly encouraged to do your homework and learn how to protect your material. If anyone would like more specific information regarding this, feel free to PM me and I can get you some info. The internet is a pretty amazing place, and it opens up avenues of sharing previosly unimagined (this fantastic place for example). It does, however, have it's inherent pitfalls, protection of "property" being the largest of them all. Rick

Tomohawk, Okay, I'll admit straight up front that this goes back a long way, but I believe it is true as to the best of my recall. In the '80s I had a 260Z for a short stretch (about 2 years), and a friend of mine happened to have a 240. I bought mine off a used car lot so much of it's history was unknown to me. Mine was considerably louder than my friends (known to be virtually stock). I crawled under both to inspect. My attention was immediately drawn to the fact that not only did mine not have the (large) rear muffler (at the tip) as did his, in fact it didnt have one at all! I cannot recall why, but at the time I was sure it was an ANSA system. Couldn't tell you why that is now. Okay, now it gets a little fuzzy, but I "think" it had a catalytic converter too, but other 260 owners can chime in on that, I honestly dont remember. With all that said, the sound was definitely louder than stock but very acceptable for street use. I loved it. Not so loud as not to be able to hear the stereo, but loud enough that when the accel was planted it really sang. I'm hoping to cince a deal on a 240Z real soon and that will be one of my first projects, to get "that sound" that I missed so much.

Always been partial to Black myself. I did not realize that 240's were not originally offered in that color. This was my 260 of 20 years ago. http://www.classiczcars.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=14317&size=big&sort=1&cat=500&page=1 It was originally black, I simply went the "monochrome" look so popular back then, just used flat black on the window and windscreen trim. The car was loud as hell (in a good way), backfired when decelerating from high rpm's (prolly needed a valve job), and so with the proper lighting it looked and sounded positively sinister.

Woof! 13K and climbing, WAY too much for that car (IMHO). This one caught my eye... http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6187&item=4535949215&rd=1 I've always thought white was a very nice Z color. If the price doesnt go up too much, this could be a nice catch.

Robert, I'm fascinated by the glimpse of your yellow and black Z. Do you have any more photos you could share of this one? Can honestly say I've never seen one quite like that (paint scheme) and I'm intrigued. Rick

Thanks guys. By the way the guy was drivin the car, it certainly didn't seem like he was concerned at all about it. Hopefully (HOPEFULLY!) I'll be able to post the news that the ride is mine sometime soon. The seller is getting rid of the car as he is so busy he never has time for it. Because of that very reason, getting the transaction done (via emails and phone calls) has been agonizingly slow (for me, I would like to have the car in my garage YESTERDAY!) but I'm trying to be patient as I can completely understand where he's coming from.

He was definitely driving the car. If the indicator light is for the parking brake then I'm not worried. If it's for the brake fluid level then that brings up some questions. Any 240 owners out there wanna add thier $0.02? The light did go out at the second stop sign he came to. He took the car out on suburban streets and although not "hustling" the car, he wasn't babying it either so it's either not a concern of brake pressure or he's got real big ones!

Okay, I'm going to ask the obvious... no problems? I have a Miata that the R-12 appears to be running low in. It works "ok" but not like it used to. I am paranoid to take it into the shop, only to have them drain out the remaining R-12 and then claim "oh, you've got a leak and we cant put your R-12 back in (been there before), and BTW it'll cost you $1000 to repair the A/C". I've cruised the net for info on R-134A replacement or alternatives and get everything from doomsayers to prophets. I'm also negotiating with someone on a '73 240 that has A/C installed. Again, everything is there but it probably needs a charge. Hence the question. Anyone else want to chime in on R-12 conversions/alternatives?

:stupid: Call me stupid, but I actually like it! I will agree that it might look nicer if the stitching were in black, but that's nothing a little dye wouldn't take care of. If the guy doesn't want it, I'LL volunteer to take it off his hands!

Gents, I am working to buy a '73 240 from out of my area (another state), and the owner sent me a video as he drove the car. I noticed that on there was a red indicator light on the speedometer just under the the odometer. Can someone please tell me what this light "indicates"? The light did not got out immediately after engine start, but did go out after about 30 sec of driving. Since the Z's have an oil pressure guage (correct?) I don't think it's that. Can someone clue me in? So far, I think I'm getting a rather sweet deal on this car so I don't want to wizz off the seller with too many nagging questions. :tapemouth Many thanks in advance!

DOH! :stupid: My bad! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=6187&item=4533217311&rd=1

It's a 260Z currently on auction. The ad claims the car is not running but looks to be in pretty decent shap for the price (parts car perhaps - currently at only $420). What caught my eye, however, were the wheels. They are wire wheels (okay, not comments please - I happen to LIKE wire wheels) of a kind/brand I've never seen before. They have a definite "classic" look to them, reminiscent of the 50's and 60's, not the "uber-chrome" look of the 70's and up. Maybe it's the photo, but the hubs are the giveaway's. I would think about making an offer for it, but my wife screwed up with ebay years ago and I'm not that interested to get the account cleared up. :disappoin Anyone ever seen wire wheels like these on a Z? Maybe they are worth something to someone?

You can try these guys: http://www.jescoweb.com/engineparts.htm I had them quote me on a complete LD28 (they had 2 rebuilt and 1 used). Don't know if they sell individual parts but it's worth asking.

My daily driver is a Miata. It doesn't had the headrest speakers per se but I have heard them as well as read many reviews on the subject ( http://www.miata.net - THE Miata source on the net ). Anyway, the stock Miata headrest speakers are marginal at best. There are aftermarket replacement speakers though if you want to go that route. Check out the Miata.net site, there are some how-to examples of the retrofit. I had a very similar problem in my own Miata, little space and poor performance from the door speakers. The door cutout space is very limited in the Miata, so guys come up with some pretty inovative ideas. I had my own moment of inspiration. I didnt want to cut anything up, yet I wanted something loud enough that I could at least hear it when the top was down. Solution? Found a pair of sealed indoor/outdoor box 3-way speakers (100watt), used some supergrip-velcro on the bottons to mount them onto the rear deck of the Miata. The velco keeps them solid in place, yet if I want to I can very quickly pull them out. The added benefit is that if I stop somewheere, I can very easily drop the top, grab the speakers and use them for outdoor tunes! Works like a charm. I'm planning a 240z purchase in the next few weeks and have already considered the idea for the Z.

FWIW, when I had my 260z (20 years ago), it's previous owner had cut out 6x9 holes in the bulkhead behind the seats and mounted some 6x9's in each of the two toolbox cabinets (speakers facing the bottom rear of the seat) The sound was marginal at best. I asked an audiophile I met for a suggestion and he offered that I could clip the mid and tweeter cones on the 6x9's, effectively making them woofers and leave them where they were (since low frequency is not direction critical). I then mounted some quality midrange speakers in the doors, and got two ribbon tweeters that mounted just at the corner of the windshield and roof pillar junctions. With some proper EQ and balance applied, the effect was pretty amazing and done cost effectively too (I was a student at the time , so no $$$). Would I do it again? Maybe, but this one already had the 6x9 holes cut. Not sure I would have the nads to do that today.

the black spacer you are speaking of, is it the same as those that were on the early 74 260's? My old 260 had the small bumpers (early) and in front had a little "flap" that covered the tops of the bumpers in front. I thought those were 74 specific, no? I actually liked the look of them, I can only imagine they are scarce these days.