240z FRONT Tow Hook

[Arne]

If you happen to have the hooks, why not mount them?

I have all three of mine, in a box in the garage. My car was one of those that was not properly PDI'd when new. They are not on the car now, because to me they aren't at all attractive. So if they don't add anything appearance-wise, no real function, and weren't really supposed to be on the car after delivery, why put them on?

[71ZZZZZ]

If you happen to have the hooks, why not mount them? Of course you would have to take them off if you are entering your car to be judged, because like you said they were not supposed to be there in the first place. However, there are other original parts, such as splash pans, that were original on some cars have been tossed in the past. My point is that we should save Z parts and with the modifications people make here and there, I think a hook is not a big deal. My Z had the hook in the front (was probably used in towing because valance is dented) and I even saved the back 2 hooks off of a '73 in a junkyard. Once prepped, primed and painted black I am sure they will look great

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46244[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46243[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46245[/ATTACH]

Interesting thread...I'm reassembling now and found the tow eye, and 2 cast hooks. I'm sure I took pics but as I recall the tow eye was in the front on the driver side and the 2 hooks were in the back attached to the bumper mount...

[Decoy12]

71ZZZZZ- Yea the tow eye goes on the on the front driver's side and there were 2 that were (but are not supposed to be there anymore?) on the back bumper mounts. But there was once up on a time a hook on the front passenger's side.

Look at post# 8: Zulaytr has a better picture of the front set up:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?17998-Tie-down-hook-color&p=136746#post136746

Edited June 24, 2011 by Decoy12

[71ZZZZZ]

hey decoy thanks for that link...I'm always amazed when you guys come up with answers to these questions ...I think I may actually all 4 of mine, gotta keep rummaging for the parts I "put away". I keep mine on, because they were on when I got the car, never thought that they werent supposed to be on the delivered cars but does that only refer to the tiedown hooks? There's a picture in the Haynes Owners Workshop Manual of the front with only the left tow eye mounted...

[Arne]

The left front - being the true tow eye - was supposed to be left in place. The other three should have been removed, but it's really amazing to me how many cars all across the country still had/have them all these years later. Lots of lazy PDI guys back then, I figure.

I actually had to remove the tow eye also, to clear my front spook. It is also safely stored away.

[texasz]

If you happen to have the hooks, why not mount them? Of course you would have to take them off if you are entering your car to be judged, because like you said they were not supposed to be there in the first place. However, there are other original parts, such as splash pans, that were original on some cars have been tossed in the past. My point is that we should save Z parts and with the modifications people make here and there, I think a hook is not a big deal. My Z had the hook in the front (was probably used in towing because valance is dented) and I even saved the back 2 hooks off of a '73 in a junkyard. Once prepped, primed and painted black I am sure they will look great

[ATTACH=CONFIG]46244[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46243[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]46245[/ATTACH]

71ZZZZZ- Yea the tow eye goes on the on the front driver's side and there were 2 that were (but are not supposed to be there anymore?) on the back bumper mounts. But there was once up on a time a hook on the front passenger's side.

Look at post# 8: Zulaytr has a better picture of the front set up:

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?17998-Tie-down-hook-color&p=136746#post136746

These were the kind of pix and info I was after, thank you both. I did not expect so much response surrounding originality and should they be on the car. The question was because I have a parts car that I have to have a way of dragging up on my trailer and did not want to use the radiator support or sway bar and rip either off the car. I have a hook hanging around in my garage (that I pulled from a '73 about 8 years ago) that I wanted to put on for this purpose.

[Mikes Z car]

Blue,

When you saw the breaking loose, what broke? Did the hook or towing eye straighten out or did it pull out of the threads they were screwed into? I always thought I wanted a tow eye in case I needed to get pulled out of a ditch. I did put my previous 240 in a ditch once on an icy road. Didn't hurt it though.

[26th-Z]

Looking over the comments to this and the other threads, I was surprised not to find this description and photograph from the factory service manual and owner's manual.

Then the discussion about judging and 'originality'. I would be surprised and somewhat disappointed if deductions were made from the tie-down hooks remaining. I read what Carl wrote some time ago, and with no disrespect for Carl in the five years I have judged and organized car shows for the ZCCA, I have never seen Carl judge a car / participate in the judging activities. I would question his qualifications, frankly. Love his opinions, as always, but they are opinions. I have yet to see any Nissan documentation directing how the cars were to be prepared for sale.

[Bonzi Lon]

Mikes Z car: I was pulling one up on a trailer by the front eye, it looked solid, then half way up the ramps, the frame rail around the back & sides of the mount peeled open from interior rust. Not good. Make sure it is solid before you use it.

Bonzi Lon

[TomoHawk]

I've mentioned to a few S30 (240Z) owners I've seen that those things were "supposed to have been removed on delivery," and I was 'informed' that they were indeed normal parts for the car, along with the missing lower grille!

Did you know 240Zs didn't have a lower grille? Nor the 280Z?

IIRC, there was a lot of 'rope towing' done back then, so IMO, they left the hooks/eyes on probably because people were complaining about not having the convenience of a tow hook, and had to buy one (back) from the dealer after it was removed. So instead they started leaving them on, and people thought it was normal since lots of other cars & trucks had them. My dad's '68 pickup had them (we towed out of the construction area mud occasionally.)

Edited March 5, 2012 by TomoHawk