Restoring a 1977 280z! (My first z car)

[Captain Obvious]

That's just weird. I have no idea what's up with that.

 

And that's the kind of thing that makes me wonder what kind of problem the previous owner was chasing.

[Captain Obvious]

OK, I got one wild guess... Maybe he put in an aftermarket cruise control and that was the clutch pedal kick-off switch? WAG.

 

On edit. I took another look at your engine bay pics looking for some sort of cruise control actuator diaphragm, but didn't see one. I did, however, see what looks like more of that chain on your gas pedal linkage right near where the linkage passes through the bulkhead wall.

 

Take a look right behind your EGR valve.

 

Pull it! Pull it! 

 

On second edit... There does appear to be an unidentified device on top of your brake master cylinder that has a couple vacuum lines going to it. Can't see the whole thing because it's way down in the corner of your pic. Can only see part of it but that might be some sort of cruise device and uses that chain in the engine compartment to actuate the throttle. Can you take a pic that includes more of that corner of the engine compartment?

Edited August 15, 2015 by Captain Obvious

[Jacob Grimm]

Here's some closer pics

[gwri8]

That unit over the brake booster with the vac lines is definitely not on my 1/77 with factory A/C.  Can you get a shot of that Whole corner including the Brake and Clutch Master Cylinders?

[siteunseen]

That's really interesting.  I found something that is close to what you have.  They think the chain on the clutch disengages the cruise control.  https://www.reddit.com/r/Datsun/comments/38shj5/what_the_hell_am_i_looking_at_1978_280z/

[Jacob Grimm]

Best pics I could get in the lighting

[Zed Head]

Both pictures, site's and snake's, show a switch on the brake pedal too.  Electrical, and looks like one of the hoses from the can by the booster might attach to the brake pedal switch.  I'd be with CO, on some sort of primitive cruise control but I don't see any throttle control, unless it has some sort of air bypass around the throttle blade..  Maybe it's a starter lockout system, for safety.

 

Edit - find out where the ends of those two hoses attach.

Edited August 15, 2015 by Zed Head

[rossiz]

interesting...

 

always amazing to see what a po spliced into the engine bay at one point or another. when i was test driving mine, the owner proudly pointed out his custom installation of a surface-mount quad outlet box with extension cord - so you could plug the car into house current and have power for your tools in the engine bay...

 

yes, this fine piece of equipment was actually shot to the fender well with drywall screws.

[gwri8]

interesting...

 

always amazing to see what a po spliced into the engine bay at one point or another. when i was test driving mine, the owner proudly pointed out his custom installation of a surface-mount quad outlet box with extension cord - so you could plug the car into house current and have power for your tools in the engine bay...

 

yes, this fine piece of equipment was actually shot to the fender well with drywall screws.

Box.JPG

Genius always hides in odd places…….

[Patcon]

Captain,

I believe cruise control is a good call. The chain looks like is could attach to the throttle linkage to control speed.

 

Jake,

Look around the interior for a small add on cruise control switch. Possible under the dash, on the stalks or under the seat near the center console.

[Captain Obvious]

Yup. After seeing the additional pics, I really think it's a cruise system. I can see the cable linkage that comes out of the can and yanks on the beaded chain. it comes out of the module with what looks like a small thin diameter cable and goes into a coupler that transitions to the beaded chain. The coupler is probably there to account for adjustment on the length of the pull.

 

Another mystery solved?   

[Captain Obvious]

always amazing to see what a po spliced into the engine bay at one point or another. when i was test driving mine,

 

That still makes me laugh! Like the guy with the house window air conditioner sticking out his car window.