How rare is an original 5 speed manual 240z?

[bartsscooterservice]

5 speed is not rare in an Australian 240z. All zeds came with 5 speed as standard. In fact, I have never seen a 4 speed here nor probably ever will since no one wants them.

So maybe just the US..? I'm not the expert in this to. Wiki says about the 240Z:

Four-speed manual transmission: 3.364:1 (37:11)

Five-speed manual transmission: 3.90:1 (39:10) (not available in US)

Best thing for GeoJoe is to check the gearbox, and we'll know

[GeoJoe]

Follow up now that the Z has been on a lift, it's got a full 280z swap of motor and transmission and not an original 5 speed. Guess I should have been able to spot the engine - such a rookie. Anyway, now I know!

Thanks all.

[revlimitbounce]

Reviving this old thread because I just bought a European market '73 240Z (I'm in AZ). Owner had (and now I have) a ream of documents and the VIN plate in the engine compartment is an HLS301XXXXXXX number. Also has square front turn signals mounted above the bumper and those Euro taillights, plus the original sped in kms. I wasn't really looking for something unique like this, but wondering what addition intrigue or value this places on the car (Orange btw, with the original E88 head).However, the dash top has no VIN plate and I'm wondering if anyone can confirm that Euro market Zs then did not have such a VIN on the dash. Thanks. I plan to comb through this site quite extensively over the next few days....

[HS30-H]

However, the dash top has no VIN plate and I'm wondering if anyone can confirm that Euro market Zs then did not have such a VIN on the dash.

 

Confirm no dash top 'VIN' plate on European market cars. It was purely a north American market requirement.

[dmorales-bello]

Confirm no dash top 'VIN' plate on European market cars. It was purely a north American market requirement.

Incredible amount and depth of knowledge from the across the pond! People like you make this forum an invaluable tool for all of us trying to keep these great vehicles on the road in proper form. Thank you.

[revlimitbounce]

Thanks, HS30-H. While I'm at it, anyone know if the F5C71A-5 in the Euro cars is the same as the later US 280Zs with the optional 5-speed? I ask in order to order the right rebuild parts (synchros, etc.) Also, I assume the clutch and flywheel are tranny-agnostic. Here's a photo of the car; picked it up Saturday with my (excited) boys. They will be helping with the work, learning about tools, mechanicals and investing time and energy into a project. A bonding thing, too. 

 

[HS30-H]

Incredible amount and depth of knowledge from the across the pond! People like you make this forum an invaluable tool for all of us trying to keep these great vehicles on the road in proper form. Thank you.

 

Thanks for the tip o' the hat. Appreciate it.

[HS30-H]

Thanks, HS30-H. While I'm at it, anyone know if the F5C71A-5 in the Euro cars is the same as the later US 280Zs with the optional 5-speed? I ask in order to order the right rebuild parts (synchros, etc.) Also, I assume the clutch and flywheel are tranny-agnostic. Here's a photo of the car; picked it up Saturday with my (excited) boys. They will be helping with the work, learning about tools, mechanicals and investing time and energy into a project. A bonding thing, too. 

 

 

 

Be aware that your '73 'Euro' model 240Z would not have been fitted with the FS5C71A type transmission. By '73 they had been superseded by the FS5C71B. A and B 'boxes are two completely different designs.

 

The later US '280z' models would use the same 'B' type transmissions, but in FS5W71B form I believe. Different ratios, and different synchro ring design/material.

[revlimitbounce]

Be aware that your '73 'Euro' model 240Z would not have been fitted with the FS5C71A type transmission. By '73 they had been superseded by the FS5C71B. A and B 'boxes are two completely different designs.

 

The later US '280z' models would use the same 'B' type transmissions, but in FS5W71B form I believe. Different ratios, and different synchro ring design/material.

 

Great, thanks. I had an inkling....

[revlimitbounce]

Still curious about the transmission. From beneath, I took a look under the rubber boot covering the shifter pin; the ears with the holes that secure the pin are quite short. A specialist here told me the early boxes had short ears and the later ones had much longer (higher) ones. Can't find a trans stamping number, but it's in the car and I can't drop it yet. Bell housing # is 7707 307, though. Does this seem like an early A? I guess I won't know conclusively until it comes out and apart. 

[EuroDat]

If you are seeing "ears" in the selector, it's not the "euro" FS5C71A.

The "A" transmissions have a rubber insulated shifter. The "B" trans uses the cross pin selector.

To identify your 5 speed, it's best to look forward of the selector. If you see a long plate with bolts holding it in place, it's the 280Z model. The speedo gear retainer bolt will also be at 12 o clock and it will have twoo ears under the selector for exhaust support brackets.

The 280ZX (not 2+2) doesn't have the plate. The speedo gear retainer bolt is at 6 o clock and it has one ear on the drivers side.

Note: You will read about a mixed version. It has the speedo retainer at 12 o clock, both ears like the early model, but doesn't have the plate in front of the selector. This is the FS5W71B out of the 620 with the L16 or L20B engine and the 720 with the L20B engine. I think this version might have also found its way into the 280ZX 2+2 in the later years.

If you take some photos of these areas, it would help a lot identifying which version it is.

Edited December 9, 2015 by EuroDat

[HS30-H]

Does this seem like an early A? I guess I won't know conclusively until it comes out and apart. 

 

Why would be an "early A"? You're talking about a cross-pin attaching the gear stick to 'ears' on the trans case, which already tells us it isn't an 'A' type 5spd.

 

It's not difficult to distinguish between and FS5C71A and an FS5C71B even when both are in the car. The 'A' type has a straight gear stick and has three main housing castings (bellhousing, centre case and tail case) whilst the 'B' type has two (combined bellhousing/centre case and tail case) so looking at the bellhousing from the engine bay (you can clearly see the split line where the bellhousing attaches) or the gearstick and its attachment (by taking off the gaiter) should show you the difference.

 

Additionally, an 'A' type 5spd will not fit into a 'late' centre console car without a special gearstick. It needs a big dog-leg kink put into it to clear the console in the forward gear positions (1st, 3rd & 5th) so that too should be visible by taking the gaiter off.

 

EuroDat, I don't know where all the 280Z, 620 and 720 stuff is coming from? Why make this more complicated by introducing ideas from left field? We could suggest a whole raft of other transmissions too, but seems pointless and unlikely to me.

 

As I've already pointed out, if the car is indeed a 1973 production 'Euro' market HLS30 it would have been fitted with the FS5C71B type transmission. If you think that the transmission is the same one that it left the factory with, then that is what it will be.