Arne

Louvers on these and other cars were big when I was growing up and 240Z's were new. But I've never really cared for the looks of them myself, even though I understand their value. How fussy about originality are you? You could always take any later piece of glass and try to remove the defroster grid. It would still be tinted glass, but maybe that would bother you less than the gouges? I've actually got a rear window out of a 280Z hatch with a bad defroster grid that I was planning to get rid of. But shipping it to you would be a major pain.

Thanks for this report. It just confirmed what I had planned anyway, to have my exhaust (when I get to that point) done locally. As simple as a Z exhaust is, a good shop should be able to bend it and install it with my choice of mufflers for the same or less than the MSA system. The better hot rod shops can do mandrel bends and take the time to get it snugged up tight, and I really don't need (or really even want) 2.5" for a stock L24 anyway.

I did the nudge and oil thing on the first one, and it would run for anywhere between 6 and 20 minutes until it stops again. For this latest one, I think I may send it to Mr. Scanlon and let him do it - he may have the touch. (Or maybe it's just that he has better oil than I do.)

I've now got a pair of non-working clocks too. The new one is better looking than my original one, so it is a better candidate for repair.

Hang on, folks. I'm not quite ready to start selling parts yet. But for those who asked about things so far: Kelly - It does have a fairly rough but restorable original steering wheel. Of course, it is the early 240Z thin, wood-composite style. I don't know if it will fit a 280Z. If you're still interested, I'll keep you posted. Ian - The gas cap is not perfect, but decent. It might be better than none at all, but definitely not pristine. Again, if you're still interested, I'll keep you posted. Rich - no radio. Sorry. Jim D. - Choke cables have been modified. Headlight buckets are both damaged.

I brought home a parts car today. It is a later '71, HLS30-27602 built 4/71. It is seriously damaged, but still has a fair number of useable parts, some that will go on my car, some I'll keep as spares, and some I'll sell. The poor thing is basically totalled. It had a touch of rust under the battery box when the prior owner's son spun it through the weeds and slid into a telephone pole between 2 and 3 years ago. No body panels are undamaged, and the driver's frame rail is collapsed. So the bodyshell is trash. The engine is supposed to have been in great shape prior to the accident, but the fan was pushed into the radiator and so it hasn't been started in close to 3 years, and I have no easy way to confirm its condition. Until I have a chance to look into it in depth, I have to consider it to be a core. Besides the engine, it has an early Type A 4 speed that I could keep as a spare, or sell. The engine has a decent looking 6-into-2 header. The rear differenial is the one I want (3.36:1 to match my 4 speed). The console is darn nice. Rear glass is good, with the proper vertical defroster grid (that is said to work) and professionally tinted. The turn signal switch seems good. Nice gauges (although the clock appears to not work). The front bumper bar MIGHT be salvagable. I'm told the springs and shocks are all Tokico, and fairly fresh. Dash is about the same as mine, one small crack in the center. A slightly scruffy set of 14" six spoke ZX alloys, and decent looking 4 screw carbs. Other miscellaneous parts too, of course. So guess what I'll be doing tomorrow?

Another thought for a 240Z is a defective alternator diode. If it fails, there is a pretty serious draw on the battery. That can be checked out by most anyplace that repairs electrical systems, as well as many parts places.

I did convert mine from auto to 4 speed, but most of my 240Z friends have automatics. So personal preference is a big part of it. But as noted, many people who are interested in this type of car (myself included) prefer manual transmissions. Not that there is anything inherently bad about an automatic for normal street driving, but many of us simply prefer to shift for ourselves. As to the why some of us folks who prefer manuals buy automatics and then convert them, rather than to simply buy a manual to begin with - the answer there is simply supply and condition. (Maybe a bit of price, too.) When shopping for a decent Z (240s especially), the supply is small enough that you want to look at all examples, whether they are exactly what you want or not. Also, many people (again including myself) have found that automatic-equipped cars tend to be in a bit better overall condition that the manual transmission cars, and sometimes they are a bit cheaper than the manuals as well.

Yeah, I'm thinking a pressure plate/release bearing collar mis-match is a good possibility. It's that, or badly mis-adjusted. Not going to be a bleeding problem, if there was air in the line the clutch would grip too well, not slip.

If I recall correctly, all the experiences with the US outfit posted here are a couple years old. It is possible that their quality has improved in that time, but the only way to know is for someone to give them another try.

This was an original intake seat, right? So it was a bronze seat that probably was mostly worn out. As it got thinner I suspect that it finally got too thin to take the abuse and pounded itself loose.

Cheaper isn't always better. I have to re-learn this every now and then. Courtesy's prices on factory Nissan parts are competitive, in the cases I have checked.

I order from both MSA and Black Dragon (formerly Victoria British). But I learned long ago with the MG restoration that a.) you couldn't get any reliable info from the phone people at Victoria British, and b.) if it was a part that I considered critical or if strict originality was important, I bought from Moss or The Roadster Factory instead. (I loved the people at TRF, and would happily pay a bit extra to buy from them, as I knew it would be right.) Today I do much the same, ordering the more important stuff from Courtesy or MSA.

Reminds me (as many things about the late '60's Japanese cars do) of a typical English car. Why would the heater be optional in England, of all places?

Chris, is that the plug that has the pebble texture and the pair of mounting tabs that attach with screws to the underside of the console finisher?

Or if you are referring to the flares, those are also available from several places. MSA lists them in either fiberglass or carbon fiber. Here's a link to the fiberglass: http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/7BSA02/50-1562

I'm not totally sure that this applies to the '73, but in the case of my early '71 no one wanted to know the production date of the car, as that was not a reliable way to identify the proper harness. Go by the two part numbers you mentioned instead. When I was searching, I found that the availability of good used wiring harnesses was much better in the rust belt. I did not have any real luck finding one for my car here on the West coast. Apparently back East some cars rusted out and were stripped for parts before the wiring harnesses got butchered. Out here in the West where it has taken longer for the cars to rust, the harnesses have all been abused. So I'd try places back East like Bad Dog Parts, Z Barn or others in that part of the country.

Popular misconception, I think partly due to comments on Bryan Little's page. If you ask around, you'll find there are a fair number of people here running the ZX ignition with the stock 240Z tach. I'm one of them.

I expect to have a serviceable but not pristine heater box available within a week or so.

I was waiting for you to pop into this, Chris. "Drain plugs? We don't need no stinking drain plugs!"

If you're after originality, yes, the early ones should be restored and used.

I'm not certain what month car my carbs came from, but they are the same as yours, Jim, no drains, squared covers and plastic damper caps. Mine originally had the notched heat shield and flapper air box, though. The parts car that I pick up this weekend is 4/71, and does have drains.

The earliest float covers were round, with definite screw hole tabs. As shown here: Later float covers were "squared-off" as shown on the bottom row here:

If you are at all mechanically inclined, it's not hard to do, I did mine in a day.

Perhaps... no idea whether they work or not, but they might help? http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Fade-Stop-Brake-Cooler-240Z-260Z-280Z-Datsun-Brakes_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ42605QQihZ007QQitemZ170006667103QQrdZ1