Basic 240z education needed

[Carl Beck]

Hi Guys:

The biggest "real" difference between 72 and 73 interiors, was the addition of the Federal Safety Standards requirement for flame retardant interior materials. This didn't effect the "looks" of the 240Z's very much. We did get Gold and Orange PL510's with Blue interiors however... uck...

[Carl Beck]

Zthing wrote:

>WOOOHOOOO!!!! I struck a gold vein of information. Thanks again people.

>

>Carl, the plate in the door jam reads 3/72 and HLS30-73112. Same HLS

>number as the ID plate in the engine compartment.

Hi Zthing:

Ok.... now look at the Data Tag in the engine compartment again. It has both the VIN and the original engine serial number stamped into it. The Engine Number will begin with "L24-" Check that number against the number stamped on the engine block just below the #6 cylinder spark plug. If it's the original engine, the numbers will match. (let me know what it is for our data base - should be something close to L24 90xxx to L24 92xxx).

If you look on the firewall, just to the left of the Master Vac for the brakes.. you will find the chassis serial number stamped into firewall. Sometimes you have to move the vacuum line from the Master Vac out of the way to find it. The chassis serial number should match the last numbers in your VIN.

>I am trying to get the Datsun in the garage asap. Right now it's under the

>car shelter. As soon as I can get it in there, I will start making my list of

>needed parts. Hope to have it in the door by the weekend. I have the

>garage from hell. Boxes of PC parts, Motorcycle parts, etc. stacked

>everywhere. This shall be remedied soon. At any rate..you people are a

>great help. Thanks again. I will check out the recommended sites above.

One of the best "additions" I've ever made to my garage, was the addition of commercial grade "Package Racking". The difference between "Package Racking" and "Pallet Racking" is that Package Racking has flat surfaces to hold packages, boxes etc.. and Pallet Racking has only steel beams upon which Pallets are placed by fork lifts.

Sam's Club how carries some fairly good, and fairly inexpensive Package Racking (rivet racking type) but nothing as strong, nor in most cases as wide as the commercial stuff. The commercial stuff is cost prohibitive for private use... UNLESS you call around and find companies that resell it USED. Go in person/business to see them, and the products they have to offer... I also found that they will take less than quoted prices if you are there in front of them with CASH offers. Really good stuff can be had for around $200.00 per section (which would include four shelves with the plywood to cover them, and the additional strengthening supports under the plywood.) With the current prices of plywood and lumber it's hard to build shelving for much less and impossible to build it as strong or as wide without upright supports.

I have three sections, 8 feet long, 7 feet high and 4 feet deep. Two have about four shelves for large item storage (doors, fenders, hoods, interior parts like seats etc. One section has about six shelves for storing less tall, flat items like carpet sets, door panels, and containers with all manor of smaller parts.

It was simply amazing how much stuff you can put safely on one of these sections.. I'd highly recommend the purchase of this type of storage unit... you simply can not beat having shelves that are close to 8 feet wide, with no uprights obstructing access, nor limiting the size of the items that can be placed on them. Plus it is far less expensive than adding the additional now useable, square feet of floor space to your garage.

good luck with your project..

See my white 72 at: http://zhome.com/Classic/Refresh/Refreshing72Z.htm

regards,

Carl

Carl Beck

Clearwater, FL USA

http://ZHome.com

[dogma420]

Zthing, just curious,

does your Z have vertical or horizontal defroster lines on the rear window?

Didn't that start right around that time?

You picked a good year for a Z, the '72 is one of the best years (if low vin isn't a concern)...

The rear diff has been moved back a few inches to allow for proper geometry on the half shafts, the tool bins are installed behind the rear seats, and last but not least, the steering wheel has holes in the spokes to break your fingers in!

Congrats on getting your own Zed! Get used to being broke if you're serious.... :knockedou

[Zthing]

Carl, went out to check all the numbers you mentioned, and now I don't know whether to be depressed or not. The number left of the master vac matches the one on the id tag. The engine number on the id tag does not in fact match the one on the block. The number (if I read it correctly in the dark with a flashlight)

on the tag is L24 092653, but the number on the block is L24 008107. Like I said...It's 11pm here...but I am pretty sure thats what it is. I guess the engine is not original. :disappoin

Dogma420, you were wondering about the rear hatch glass, well the lines are horizontal if that helps.

Another thing which may or may not be a good thing is the carbs are Webers (2 of them - filters on top) instead of the originals. Since the car had been sitting for quite sometime, I spray marvel in the cylinders for safetys sake, and removed the valve cover and coated the cam and components with Mobil 1. Turned it over for the first time (plug wires removed) yesterday just to see if all was well. Turned clean. By the way, all was spick and span under the valve cover when I removed it. Ultra clean up there....hope that's not a fluke.

Couple of things I am wondering about. First off, the previous owner somehow magically managed to damage the 90 degree nipple on top of the valve cover.

Part of if snapped off and he had attached a hose with a bend since the nipple that turns towards the breather was mostly gone. I will try to post a pic tomorrow to give a better idea of what I am talking about. Anyway, have not studied the valve cover yet to determine if this is a removeable piece, or pressed into it permanently. My guess is its permanent. No biggie, will fix or find.

Lastly, since the hose that leads from the valve cover heads over to the air filter (at least on the original setup), would it not be possible, since the car is equipped with the webers, to run that hose to a seperate dedicated filter, instead of modifying the individual chrome breather assemblies mounted on the webers. The person that installed the webers modified the chrome breather lid on the foremost carb and attached the hose there. That may have been what was recommended. But if I keep the weber setup, and replace the fugly (scratched-pitted) breather setup that is in place now with a new set, I think it would look better without the hose attached to the top.

If there is a vacuum or temperature issue I am overlooking.....just clue me in.

Thanks for all the help people.

[Bambikiller240]

Well, your car is not alone. There are many 240Z cars out there with a different engine than the one it was born with.

[Mr Camouflage]

Think you mean E88.

Either way, sounds like someones got the z bug.

[Bambikiller240]

I think he was referring to the various Chevrolet Camaro models. RS, SS, and Z-28

[Mr Camouflage]

No Carl you are wrong. He was referring to an E88 cylinder head.

What I am saying is, just surfing about the site I am hearing terms such as Fairlady, Samuri, L88 Head casting, etc......

[Bambikiller240]

In that post (the one you recently quoted) you are correct. I was refering to the #1 post as I didn't see the one that you saw. Had you initially quoted the post that you were referring to, I would have understood your statement more clearly.

[Zthing]

My mistake.....yes I meant E88. Easy enough mistake to make, heck there is only 5 keys between the two letters. Speaking of which, seems mine has the E31 camel back 300's. Naah.....actually just E31.

[Bambikiller240]

My mistake.....yes I meant E88. Easy enough mistake to make, heck there is only 5 keys between the two letters. Speaking of which, seems mine has the E31 camel back 300's. Naah.....actually just E31.

That's one of the more sought after early heads. Worth some money.

[sblake01]

My mistake.....yes I meant E88. Easy enough mistake to make, heck there is only 5 keys between the two letters. Speaking of which, seems mine has the E31 camel back 300's. Naah.....actually just E31.

Humor, ar, ar! I wonder if the non-Chevy oriented got it.