Did the 71 240 have rear sway bar?

[Walter Moore]

I have a couple of questions. I am afraid that I already know the answers, but here we go.

First, Did the 71 240Z have a rear sway bar? The reason that I ask (obviously...) is that mine doesn't, and the Haynes manual shows one.

I discovered this when I finally got around to starting the process of replacing the rear strut insert.

The second question is: Does the STOCK front strut assembly have bump-stops?

Again I ask because I realized AFTER I got both front strut inserts replaced that there were no rubber bump stops present. In this case the Haynes manual does NOT show bump stops on the 240Z strut. Only the diagram for the 260Z shows a rubber bump stop, but all the aftermarket catalogs seem to imply that they should be installed on all models of the Z cars.

I am not sure where bump stops would even fit on my 240, because there is a pretty deep recess in the upper spring retainer housing and it would take a long spacer to get past the steel part.

[2ManyZs]

Question 1. No, not on US (HLS) models, they didn't appear here as standard till sometime late in the 72 model year. Other markets did have rear sway bars during all the model years.

Question 2. Yes, there is a stock bump stop in the upper spring perch or insulator. It's not a true rubber, and as such, has probably fallen out in pieces due to dry rot over the years.

[Walter Moore]

Thanks, at least one answer was what I wanted to hear...

I really hate the thought of pulling those front struts off and tearing them apart again, but I guess better now than after I get the fenders back on.

[2ManyZs]

Well, at least you were thinking ahead enough to ask before you put it all back together......

You can get urethane bumpstops from MSA and possibly from MidwestZ. They should last forever.....

[ZmeFly]

2many is spot on, if I remember correctly late 72 definetly 73 models came with a sway bar on the rear.

HEHE as far as the bump stop material, what would you call that stuff in there:cross-eye

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by Walter Moore

I have a couple of questions. I am afraid that I already know the answers, but here we go.

First, Did the 71 240Z have a rear sway bar? The reason that I ask (obviously...) is that mine doesn't, and the Haynes manual shows one.

I discovered this when I finally got around to starting the process of replacing the rear strut insert.

I've owned 71, 72, and 73 240Z's (HLS30) and none of them came from the factory with a rear sway bar. There were some 1973 registered 240Z's that did come with them, but they were manufactured after the 73 registered Zcar that I owned (2/73).

[ChrisA]

Hi Folks,

My 5 of 71 Z had no rear bar. It was a 4 speed.

My 8 of 72 Z has no rear bar. It is an automatic.

My 2 of 73 Z has a rear bar. It is a 4 speed.

Dont know what the correlation is, maybe Nissan thought the slush box cars wouldnt be driven hard but they were proven wrong. I can send the rear end of the 72 out at any hard left or right turn. Makes for great fun.

My 2 cents.

[sblake01]

I read somewhere that the transition to having a sway bar was 2/73. Based on Carl and ChrisA's response, it must have been sometime druing the month. That's why it's so hard to pin down some of these things. So many things about the early cars are not clear cut.

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by sblake01

I read somewhere that the transition to having a sway bar was 2/73. Based on Carl and ChrisA's response, it must have been sometime druing the month. That's why it's so hard to pin down some of these things. So many things about the early cars are not clear cut.

This is quite true. Also, unless one is the original owner, or has owned the car for virtually it's entire existance; a rear sway bar found on an early car COULD have been added by a Previous Owner at some point in the past 30 years. They were a quite common after-market add-on piece, sold by many companies such as Mulholland, Interpart, and Quickor to name but a few.

[civ104]

Looking at the information on the fiche, I would say the rear suspension was revised /updated in 7/73. That was probably the time they finally added the rear swaybar.

[ChrisA]

I think Chuck is right, I crawled under my 2 of 73 Z and the rear bar mounting is not stock according to the microfiche. Plus the bar is bigger diameter than stock also. FWIW!

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by civ104

Looking at the information on the fiche, I would say the rear suspension was revised /updated in 7/73. That was probably the time they finally added the rear swaybar.

This could certainly be the case. I just checked the info on the 73 that I owned, at it was actually mfg'd in 3/73. I know for certain that it didn't come with a factory rear bar (I added one).

7/73 would have been very close to the end of 240Z (HLS30) production, so if this is when the rear bar began to be installed by Nissan, there probably aren't very many (HLS30) 240Z's that were built with this item.