Cheers Mike, I will dig out my tatty ones to measure.... attached is an image taken from a Yahoo auction.... Thinking about it, only the "i" would need "making", as the other letters for Nissan are in Datsun. Thanks for considering my slightly off piste request.

Ta

Ian

No worries, Ian. Anyway, better to be "slightly off piste", than to be "slightly piste off" (.....little Yankee levity there)

Mike

Putting in my vote for fusible link blocks as well. Might be a bit tougher due to the labor involved in the potting, but I think there's a market for them.

Semi,

Am not quite certain as to what is meant by a fusible link block. Do you have a picture or more detailed description of what the part is? Also, would such a part have numerous adaptations that would be year or model specific, or is this something that is common to most Zs?

Thanks,

Mike

Another low-tech item that might be profitable (or not) to reproduce would be the center caps for those Appliance mag wheels. The old mags look cool and very retro shined up with new "A" caps, see the thread from a couple of days ago. Saw a couple threads about scrounging around to find the caps. Maybe the market wouldn't be limited to Datsuns.

Hi, Stanley,

Thanks again for the post. I suspect that there will come a time that reproducing mag wheel center caps for the various versions of mag wheels used by Datsun dealerships for the Z cars will make alot of sense. But, I'm not quite sure that that time has already come. There are purveyors of center caps and wheels, such as AKH Wheels, that always seem to have a fairly generous inventory of both wheels and center caps for those vintage mag wheel manufacturers. Additionally, I would expect that there is considerable inventory amongst Z car owners of abused center caps that could be restored to new condition for less than the cost of reproducing them to new specs . I could certainly be wrong, but I suspect that restoring existing pieces currently in the marketplace might be a more economical alternative to reproducing the various styles, at least at this juncture.

To illustrate my point, I have a service where we provide chrome plating for pieces just like (and including) the center caps for mag wheels. I can restore a set of 4 center caps to "like new condition" (sans the stick-on labels, if applicable), for around $25.00 a piece. Knowing what it costs to re-plate plastic, I can't conceive of any way that one could reproduce the set of center caps, have them chrome plated, and offer them for sale for even twice that price, per unit. So, it would seem to me that the best strategy would be to restore existing inventories of center caps, before attempting to remanufacture new ones. (I am attaching a sample of what I described below).

Like I said.....I could be wrong. I just think that you have a great idea that may be just a little ahead of it's time.

Mike

Here's a picture of the fusible link. There are two per car (present on the 77-78 280z, not sure about earlier models). The mounting tabs break easily and often. As I said, this may be more difficult to reproduce than other molded or stamped parts.

Thanks for the pic and description, Semi. Does anyone else know whether this part was used for more years of the S30 run than the 77-78280z?

Banzai Motorworks has fusible links for 70-73 z's, but they're quite different. Pics:

Banzai Motorworks

Banzai Motorworks has fusible links for 70-73 z's, but they're quite different. Pics:

Banzai Motorworks

Thanks for the pic and description, Semi. Does anyone else know whether this part was used for more years of the S30 run than the 77-78280z?

There was one set of fusible links (2 fusible links/set) in the 74 260Z and two sets in the 75-78 280Z. The cover is the same part number for all years, so I would think the body is the same. You'll probably need a lot more detail than the one picture, though.

Looking at pics of 240z engines online, I see no similar fusible links in the same location. I assume they were used on 77-78 EFI engines only, or they are mounted somewhere else? Probably doesn't make sense to reproduce them.

Edit: SteveJ seems to know more than I. ^^

Edited January 23, 201312 yr by SemiEvolved

Looking at pics of 240z engines online, I see no similar fusible links in the same location. I assume they were used on 77-78 EFI engines only, or they are mounted somewhere else? Probably doesn't make sense to reproduce them.

I think they where on the 280z from 8/76, but Im not 100% sure of that. Banzai make the fusable links and covers. No one makes the base.

Mine was completly melted and crumbled in my hand from old age and heat. I found a used one. Its also melted on one fusable link, but still servicable. The second block is in good condition.

If the fusable link terminals develope resistance, they will get very hot and melt the base without blowing the link.

Chas

Banzai website with links and cover.

Banzai Motorworks

Edited January 23, 201312 yr by EuroDat
My base is melted

Thanks for the info, Iron, Steve, and Chas. I'll check with one of my mechanic friends to see if he has any bases laying around that I work with.

Mike