SteveInOakland

Will do. Meanwhile, it is amazing to me that this guy still hasn't sold his 14x6 slot mags offered at 4/$100, which is a more than reasonable price. Far as can be seen in photos, they look pretty good -- http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/pts/239950494.html Scan down to bottom. Steve.

If you want to go with mags, I'd look for 14x6 or 14x7 in either slot-mag or turbine style. That'll let you use somewhat wider tires than either the original steelies, or narrower mags, would allow for. If you want original steelies and hubcaps (correct style for 73, ie not the first generation), try to be patient and I'll offer to sell you my set. I'm going with a set of turbines once I get tires onto them. --Steve.

It certainly does. This one could be worth talking to the guy about, much closer to you -- http://adcache.collectorcartraderonline.com/10/3/5/86708835.htm Steve.

I wouldn't rule out a '73 if I were you. Once the flat-top carbs have been replaced with round-tops from an earlier Z, I believe you have something just as desirable as a '72, and the price is likely to be lower. Too many people rule out the '73s. Two more thoughts: Cars from Arizona and many parts of California can have what I find to be an amazing lack of rust. Shipping -- there's an online site that you should be able to find, which features ratings by users of various delivery services. Most of the ones rated have automatic quote-generators on their own sites. Steve.

I just want to add that the silicone oil needed when rehab-ing one of these fan clutches proves to be pretty easy to find at hobbyist stores where they sell radio-controlled cars. I just bought a 50-ml bottle, which is somewhat more than I needed, for $6.50 in the 3000 weight. 5000 and 10,000 are also commonly available. The 5000 might be preferable to the 3000, which seemed a little thin to me (although no thinner than 20-w-50). It is used in radio-control car differentials, so you might mention "diff oil" as well as "silicone." This compares pretty favorably to buying 3 of the 18-ml bottles from a Toyota dealer, particularly in that neither of my local dealers had any of the three weights in stock. This clutch behaves really nicely now. Steve.

Maniac makes some good points. However -- two things. If there is no spark at his points, the condition of his plug wires is not a factor (they may be bad, but even if he replaces them, the car won't run with no spark). He does need to have the wires on the right plugs, but again, he has to have spark. Second, the original poster states his coil is good, but he does not state that it is producing current or voltage. If in fact his coil is good, if I were the OP, I'd be looking upstream. I would see if any voltage is coming into the coil. Checking whether the wires run to the right cylinders would be a good first move though -- maybe in fact there is spark -- and it takes no work at all to double-check as to the wires and firing order. Steve.

Thanks, Gary! I took a look at some weed-block fabric I happen to have, and it does look really good for this. It's quite thin, but it does not stretch. I will probably use this since it's on hand -- unless I run into the silt-retention stuff Enrique is talking about and it somehow looks better. Enrique, thanks also for clarifying on JBW Kwik and Not-Kwik. So is it the Performix stuff that you are recommending for softer vinyl? (I hope so because I think I can find it readily.) --How thin is this? I've done well with Shoe Goop and similar, but it is thick, and what I want to do right now is work some into a small slit, hopefully not enlarging the slit. And I'll have a patch on the back side to hold the two sides of the slit together. A thin glue would help. These things tend to be a mess when they get stuck on the front of the vinyl, partly because they invariably get filth embedded in them. Seems to me the thicker it is, the more will wind up squeezed out onto the front. Appreciate it, Steve.

Those rings get attached to a wire, or bar, that runs through a horizontal channel in your new seatcovers. You can reuse your old one. It's how you get the tuck at the bottom of the headrest. You can reuse the wire from your old covers (yes, you need it). It doesn't have to be sewn in, it's relatively easy to thread it into what should be a channel at the bottom of your new bottom-covers. If the foam you bought is the same as what I got from MSA, there is one big problem -- the headrest foam. On mine at least, the stuff sucks. It's too soft and it's too small, so it will never fill out the headrest upholstery. I ended up taking my backs in to a pro place, and they insisted (rightly) upon using my original headrest foam. Unlike all my other old foam, this 33-yr-old stuff was not bad at all, and much more viable than MSA's headrest foam. That, and the use of the bar mentioned previously, and a tight tuck job at the bottom of the seat-backs, done by an experienced hand with the right tools, would be the difference. Steve.

Meant to ask -- which JB Weld do you suggest? I take it the standard, slow set, versus the Kwik? Also -- any more detail on that lawn material, the anti-seepage stuff? Is there a name? Is it sold in big yardage or is it in strips or little squares?? And as long as you're here -- can I ask what you suggest for repairing soft vinyl? Specifically, a few slits of an inch or so in a headliner or similar? (I.e. there's no missing material.) Thanks for your time, Steve.

Appreciate all the excellent suggestions. This group never ceases to amaze me, both the knowledge and the generosity in sharing it. Enrique, are you opposed to using fiberglass cloth with JB Weld? Somehow it seems like cheesecloth would have too much give in it? If not fiberglass cloth, what about some of that non-metallic, nylon-type screen mesh used for window screens? Thanks again, Steve

The answer to that is, Not exactly. See my attached file. In practice, there is no single, short wire going from the ballast resistor to the coil. One thing that looks fishy in your photos -- the capacitor deal, up above the coil and mounted to the bracket around the coil -- is wired to the same side of the coil as the wire leading to your distributor. The capacitor deal should be wired to the + side of the coil. The small wire coming from your distributor should go to the opposite (minus) side of the coil (as in the drawing attached). Steve.

Several of mine have cracks that are inconspicuous when the panel is not bent; maybe even invisible. But I haven't had much luck in getting a repair to stick to the back side. Ideally I'd just be applying some thin material across the back that would keep the panel from flexing at the crack, and discourage spreading. Scratching up the back of the panel with sandpaper and then applying epoxy and a patch -- the patch came off. Shoe/upholstery-type stuff (rubber-cement-style) didn't work well either. Would appreciate suggestions on both an adhesive and a material to use as a patch. Duct tape is the best I've done so far. Fiberglass??? Many thanks, Steve.

If Canoga Park isn't too far, Precision Z. They know the cars backwards and forwards. Call and talk to Ed. You can get their information off their site, precisionz.com. Steve.

Thanks, Gary -- but are you positive it was the 4877 and not the 4874? Here's what you wrote last March -- "Go240Zags, the window channel # 18-4874 it comes in 8' lengths and you need 2 The prices may have changed a little but are about $8.00 EA Gary" Just checking -- thanks. Steve.

I ordered some of this stuff recently and got it today. Just now, digging around in the site to look for tips on putting it in, I see that the JC Whitney item originally posted about by Bambikiller is a different product. It's 18-4874, also known as ZX184874U. My friend Beandip has recommended this one in addition to the one he mentions above. A guy on HybridZ says he used 18-4874 with success. There are small size differences between them, with the 4877 stuff being a little larger in both dimensions. Measuring just now, it looks to me like even the smaller would be a tight fit. So my question -- has anyone actually installed the 4877 stuff? Many thanks, Steve

Check the thread starting March 23 of this year. I believe it's an '88-91 Civic, but CRX probably uses the same one. There are a bunch of other threads as well -- "Honda blower." The benefit is the thing blows about 3X as much air and is about 1/3 as loud. It "bolts right in." Literally it was about a 10-minute job. One advantage of the eBay blowers is they're nicely terminated with the Datsun connector that's needed. You might want to paint the 2.5" or so disc in the middle, which is a bare-metal color and a little conspicuous pointing at the passenger seat from a sea of black.

Hey Tony, Can you describe explicitly the roller you're using? When I read the Mopar thread it seemed a little vague on what kind of roller. Were you able to get this at your Sherwin Williams place? Thanks, Steve

Enrique -- Thanks. You're saying there's a product called "Spray Nozzle"? A standalone thing, or do you mean a compressor accessory? If standalone, who makes? Thank you, Steve

I bought one of the eBay blowers (azariara@cs.com, Patrick Restorations, although I'm not sure that's the name she listed under). It makes a huge difference and the transaction was easy, in fact I bought it outside eBay. The blower however looked like it was a used one, although functionally perfect. Not sure if that's what she'd supply if you bought on eBay. I'm sure you could save yourself $40-50 or so by going to a PickNPull. Steve.

I knew my car didn't have any significant rust and the rocker panels looked great outside, but this morning I had the interior vinyl off that area for the first time to run some wires. This gave me my first look at the inside of the rocker panels. I had thought there would probably be the beginnings of rust and figured I'd be poking my fingers in those holes with a brushful of Por 15. What a delightful sight I saw. I have attached one photo; excuse me if I seem to gloat. This is a California car, '73, spent its whole life in dry Pleasanton/Livermore till making the trip to my garage last December. Best, Steve

Congratulations, man, nice find. Steve.

Intake manifold. To and from the heater as you said, and over to the intake manifold for the third. Steve.

At the Hayward yard -- The yellow 240Z seems to be gone. The early car, which is to the left in the first six or so rows, is in fact a 1970 (5/70), not a '71 as I said earlier. This car has an N42 head on the engine. The other 240 (a 1973) is still there. At least one good glove box door between them. Both 280Z's still have their engines. The white 280Z, to the right of the aisle and pretty far in, has the kind of retracting shoulder belts you can put into a 1973. Still has those turbine mags on it. There are several good hoods. Steve.

That is a really nice-looking car. I would stay with it. As you undoubtedly know, L28 engines in yards are really a dime-a-dozen, given all the Z's, ZX's, and Maximas that had them. Prices start at $200 U.S. with *them* pulling the engine. Try carpart.com -- and look under 280Z, 280Zx and Maxima. Steve.

It looked pretty good at a distance. They had it priced at $1600 -- a '75 or '76 model. Something like that, you can telephone them for info. Steve.