Arne

I used to do brakes for a living, and I've seen this before. It is trapped air pressure. Check to make sure that you don't have too much extra grease in the cap, and try spinning the hub as you tap the cap on to hopefully relieve some of the pressure.

No kidding. If I were a bit farther along in my project I'd have bought them. But right now I still have more important things to deal with than (admittedly very cool) wheels.

Since my goal is to have a mostly stock-looking driver, absolute originality isn't crucial. That said, I do want it to look "period" so I will try to find a stock-looking radio of some kind. But I'll be using both speakers in back, probably with a small amp that has an auxiliary input jack for my iPod.

Could be, my carbs are early ones and both float covers are the same. But I also note that MSA's catalog lists a different "needle valve" (proper term for what we have been calling "jets") for the front and rear carbs for a '72. So I'm leaning towards the original poster having a matched pair of '72 carbs.

Automatic Transmission Fluid

AM I missing something? Where can I see the pics?

True, but I was reading some of the original road tests of the first 240Z (in old R&T) where they mentioned a noticeable delay in braking action in the rain. I've not yet driven my car in the rain, so don't know how bad it might be. I have experienced this on other cars from the 70s and 80s, and would prefer not to make it any worse, considering how much rain we get here during the winter and spring. Also true. I don't have any big plans for real track time in mine, just an autocross now and then, so brake cooling shouldn't be an issue for me. I guess the big decision for me is that while I would prefer a non-vented spook, I would prefer to buy the real thing from Canaday even more.

Seem to recall something on ZTherapy's site about the different ear sizes. Certain years had different float caps for front and rear carbs. The different length needle jet may have been to go with that, don't know. But regardless, the needle jets are only to open the float inlet, they have nothing to do with the mixture. (Not a true jet, in the normal carb meaning.) You should still set the float level even in both bowls.

Don't know that I prefer the non-vented one, but I do like to stop in the rain. My 240 will someday be my daily driver, and it can rain a lot here in Western Oregon. I'd rather buy from Les, so I'll probably go with his vented one anyway.

I note the recommendation in the book pictured above to use the non-vented spook on the street to avoid wet brake problems. I had already come to that conclusion on my own, but it appears that Les at Classic Datsuns only has vented in the original spooks. Am I going to have to get the replica from MSA if I want the non-vented one?

You should ALWAYS replace the rear bearings anytime the stub axles are removed. They are not designed to be pressed in and out more than once.

Should be able to get straight 20 weight at a motorcycle shop - most brands of fork oil are available in that weight.

All the way forward is supposed to be the 'off' position. Pull back to activate the choke. Yes, it sounds like your car is running way rich. Tuning your SUs is more involved than just using the gauge and synchronizing them. There are mixture settings as well. If you are not familiar with the workings of your SUs, get the video from ZTherapy and/or the Power Tune your SUs book before you start.

See my reply to your other thread in the Engines forum. Probably best not to start the same thread in more than one place.

All the way forward is supposed to be the 'off' position. Pull back to activate the choke. Yes, it sounds like your car is running way rich. Tuning your SUs is more involved than just using the gauge and synchronizing them. There are mixture settings as well. If you are not familiar with the workings of your SUs, get the video from ZTherapy and/or the Power Tune your SUs book before you start.

I want a spook for my 240 some day too! The perfect look for the early cars. Black is fine, but I agree with one of the previous posts that it might look better painted black instead of the black gel coat. Side note - I've heard that Canaday's spooks (from the original BRE mold) are nicer than MSA's. Anyone seen both in person?

Nope, they look too big to me. Not right for a Z. I do like modern tires too, I've got 225/45-17 on my family car. But it just doesn't look right to me on a Z. Might do the 15's, though, when I replace my mis-matched 14's.

You might be right. But Danny's would be a lot handier for me - they are located all of 70 miles away, so I could avoid shipping on bulky items.

I've left voicemail on the phone, and tried via e-mail as well. Can't get a reply from Danny's Datsuns. Anybody been in touch with them lately?

I like the vintage style, that's what's on my car as well. (Not a matched set, though. ) The 15" would probably be OK, but the 17" don't look right to me. Something about that style wheel doesn't lend itself to the "big wheel - low-pro tire" look. Just my opinion, of course.

Hitachi built them, but they are SU's built under license from SU.

I like all this, makes lots of sense. But where can we find the station specs of the N54 and N27 needles to compare with? The linked sites don't have the Japanese needles listed. Also, my car has an '83 280ZX 2.8 in it. I'm putting SUs back on it, but I can leave the O2 sensor in it. Any one know if there's a way to get a reading of some sort from the factory O2 sensor?

Alternator needs to put out more than that - should be 13.5-14 volts. 12.5 volts is battery reading only (assuming it's fairly well charged).

I plan on it, Dave. The hatch on my car is not so great, so I'll probably try to find an original vented one, rather than add vents to this one.

Yeah, the basics are pretty simple. But there's a lot of details to getting it done right. A fuel pressure regulator is a viable option, if your existing pump is good. But you don't want a cheap regulator that might go bad and start delivering 30 psi to your SUs. The best scenario in that case would be a rich or flooded engine. The worst is a catastrophic engine fire! Better to have a cheap low pressure pump that can't over pressurize. I found one locally that is 4.5 psi for $30 US. Your injection probably has coolant lines running to the manifold and/or throttle body. You may or may not want to connect them to your SU manifolds, depending on your climate. But you'll have to deal with them either way. Either re-plumb them to the manifolds, re-route them or block them off. (I'm blocking mine off.) If your car has an oxygen sensor of EGR in the manifold, you'll have to deal with that as well. The oxygen sensor can be left in place, or you can get a plug for its hole. The EGR (if any) will have to be plugged somehow. You'll need different bolts (or better, studs and nuts) for the intake manifolds. The injection manifold bolts into different holes on the head. Luckily, the holes you need are still there, under the current manifold. The studs or bolts need to be 8mm x 1.25. If you use studs, 40-45mm long is good. You will need to re-route the breather hose from the valve cover, as well as the PCV hose. You will probably need new hoses for those. PCV should go into the balance tube on the manifolds, the breather goes into the air cleaner. You will have to fabricate a choke cable setup. I've got it much easier here, I just need to find and re-install parts that my car originally came with. You will need to start from scratch. The vacuum advance needs to go the fitting on the front carb. In my case, my ignition is partially controlled by the injection brain, so I will need to deal with that as well. I don't think yours is that way, however. I'm not sure about your car, but in my car with the ZX injection there is a slight mismatch with the throttle linkage. The carb linkage won't quite let the injection fall all the way to idle - it holds the throttle open ever so slightly. So to make certain that you are able to open the throttle fully, you may want to get the linkage pieces from the firewall of a carb'd car too. Basic parts list - one pair round-top SUs, center linkage, pair of manifolds (including the balance tube with linkage), heat shield, return springs, fuel pump or regulator, fuel rail, air cleaner(s), choke cable assembly, manifold gasket, 8mm x 1.25 bolts or studs, assorted metric fittings and plugs, fuel, vacuum and coolant hoses, etc. Last thought - my car didn't come from the factory with injection, it was (rather ham-fistedly) installed a few years back with the '83 280ZX engine now in the car. The installation was not done right, and so rather than start over I'm going to yank it and go back to carbs. But had it been done right, or if I had a car that had come with it from the factory, I'd probably fix it rather than replace it. When it's in good shape, there's nothing wrong with the factory injection for a daily driver.