Flying Z

[heyitsrama]

Howdy,

So I picked up another Z.... another because the other one is the garage waiting to get worked on, this one is now in the driveway waiting to play. Could not have been "better" timing as the syncro's in my daily seem to be on their way out the door.  I digress, my buddy let me know about this 260 one night super late, I figured because there were no pictures it was going to be absolute mess, but I called the gentleman SUPER early in the morning, and he said to come on down. So I come across this 260 sitting in the yard with no motor in it, and surprisingly "very little rust" ( i say surprisingly because i assume there will be rust on the car once i start working on it, BUT the battery tray was not shot at all, so that looked good in my book.

So I picked it up, and I also picked up what would appear to be a L26 block from another individual whom decided he was going to do a gt3 spec car, and was going to swap an LS motor into it. HOWEVER the price was correct for this one. (150 bucks for motor + carbs + intake box + linkage + all pumps + dizzy). When I picked it up it appeared that the motor had been sitting inside for a while, the oil filter says 1989 on it    and the freeze plugs are shot. 

Currently I have planned to go through the car, I found some rust in the spare wheel well, and under the floor pans. I need to address these first, I'm actually debating if I want to sand down the car and give it some primer, I have access to warehouse space, and i have a rotisserie, so i cant imagine it would take more than a couple of days of work (we all know how that goes tho....) 

• What I wanted to get some input on, is what would be the best way to approach this motor? Is there a way to estimate mileage based on the wear of the motor? (my honda motorcycle has wear in the crankcasing from the primary chain ~30k miles) I know that I have to order some freeze plugs for it, currently its able to retain oil in the oilpan, however with it being on the engine stand would it be a good choice now to replace water pump + gaskets? (head gasket?) valve seals? etc?

 

Now I know why you are really here, and that's for pics.... so

[psdenno]

A little rubbing compound and a coat of wax and you're good to go!    How's the wiring harness in the engine compartment?  Radiator?  Looks like you have quite a project ahead.

Dennis

[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, heyitsrama said:

 

• What I wanted to get some input on, is what would be the best way to approach this motor? Is there a way to estimate mileage based on the wear of the motor? (my honda motorcycle has wear in the crankcasing from the primary chain ~30k miles) I know that I have to order some freeze plugs for it, currently its able to retain oil in the oilpan, however with it being on the engine stand would it be a good choice now to replace water pump + gaskets? (head gasket?) valve seals? etc?

 

If it's still assembled you could clean it up and start it.  Put it on a cart, crank it up and see what happens.  Are the core plugs rusted or removed?  Is there a head?  If there's no head, is the timing chain held in place with a wedge?

The short blocks are known to be very durable and last hundreds of thousands of miles.  The heads tend to wear or get warped from overheating before the short block has problems.

[heyitsrama]

43 minutes ago, psdenno said:

A little rubbing compound and a coat of wax and you're good to go!    How's the wiring harness in the engine compartment?  Radiator?  Looks like you have quite a project ahead.

Dennis

Im super tempted to just keep this dirt color on it, but im really considering painting it, as i have the time now, and after university starts im not going to get much time to work on it. Plus right now some of my buddies are car guys the extra hands always help . The wiring harness appears to be cut at the firewall, ill double check. However i do have a harness from the 73' 240 in the garage i could use, but that still brings out the issue of having to upgrade everything to relays (indicator stick/switch almost melted in the 73 when we were troubleshooting it) 73' has a radiator i have to verify that it does not leak... or you know aluminium 

 

15 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

If it's still assembled you could clean it up and start it.  Put it on a cart, crank it up and see what happens.  Are the core plugs rusted or removed?  Is there a head?  If there's no head, is the timing chain held in place with a wedge?

The short blocks are known to be very durable and last hundreds of thousands of miles.  The heads tend to wear or get warped from overheating before the short block has problems.

They have little holes in the center of them, I plan on ordering a new set, but i want to pay shipping the least amount of times as possible from "theZstore" unless this is something i can run down to an autoStore and get. Hence im attempting to plan out what i need to order, and shoot for 1-2 orders of items.

[Zed Head]

You can run down and get core plugs at the OReilly or Autozone.  Sorry ZStore.

Get a cart from Harbor Freight, bolt up a transmission and starter, and you can get an idea of what shape the engine is in.  Looks like it was in running shape when removed.  People often remove perfectly good engines when they get V8 fever. 

[heyitsrama]

22 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

You can run down and get core plugs at the OReilly or Autozone.  Sorry ZStore.

Get a cart from Harbor Freight, bolt up a transmission and starter, and you can get an idea of what shape the engine is in.  Looks like it was in running shape when removed.  People often remove perfectly good engines when they get V8 fever. 

Oh i completely forgot about the engine carts, you think it would be possible to build one out of wood, or if i could weld one up?

I found this source for plugs https://zcardepot.com/engine/engine-rebuild/freeze-plugs-plug-set.html

Indicating that I need

1. 50mm x1
2. 40mm x1
3. 35mm x7 (8 for late blocks, mine has 4 plugs on the spark side)

Now i as able to find some sourced at Autozone // Napa but they are all Standard sizes where something like 1.375" == ~34.925mm, would this be okay to fit inside the block? I assume that I fit them dry, and without any form gasket.... Ill try to run to the store and finish this tonight, not doing anything anyway. I think i have a coupon somewhere too!  

 

[Captain Obvious]

You would have had to peel me off that big bandsaw.

Also, what's the olive drab green thing in the upper left background of this pic? Right behind the guy?

[Zed Head]

This one works well, with an extra board lengthwise for reinforcement - http://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/dollies/movers-dolly-39757.html

Not positive on plug size.  Your local Nissan dealer might have them also.  http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search/Freeze+Plug/02267/C0367.oap?year=1974&make=Nissan&model=260Z&vi=5142642

Here's the head plug.  Nissan uses the very proper term of "welch plug" - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/cylinder-head

http://www.courtesyparts.com/?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=11021-E3000

#9 here is the block plugs - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/cylinder-block-fitting

http://www.courtesyparts.com/?year=&make=&model=&search_str=01648-00084&p=catalog&mode=search&scat=&search_in=all

[heyitsrama]

41 minutes ago, Captain Obvious said:

You would have had to peel me off that big bandsaw.

Also, what's the olive drab green thing in the upper left background of this pic? Right behind the guy?

The gentleman had several WW2 and Korean war vehicles on the sides of the property, i guess his wife was cool with all the trucks. I believe that was a APC he had, 2-stroke (turbo?) desiel that apparently takes any type of fuel in there to handle fuel constraints.  

27 minutes ago, Zed Head said:

This one works well, with an extra board lengthwise for reinforcement - http://www.harborfreight.com/material-handling/dollies/movers-dolly-39757.html

Not positive on plug size.  Your local Nissan dealer might have them also.  http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/search/Freeze+Plug/02267/C0367.oap?year=1974&make=Nissan&model=260Z&vi=5142642

Here's the head plug.  Nissan uses the very proper term of "welch plug" - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/cylinder-head

http://www.courtesyparts.com/?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=11021-E3000

#9 here is the block plugs - http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/engine-240z-260z/cylinder-block-fitting

http://www.courtesyparts.com/?year=&make=&model=&search_str=01648-00084&p=catalog&mode=search&scat=&search_in=all

a have a dolly... but it has another motor on it, You guys know that Europeans ship expensive stuff in oak boxes? I build some cabinates in my room with some from that were are the wearhouse, i think i have some 2x4 left over that i can build a little dolly out of. I'm going to run to the store real quick and check out if they have the plugs, if not then off to a stealership.... brass is the way to go to avoid corrosion? 

[heyitsrama]

Alright, i went to multiple stores in the area, none of them had the correct size plugs, the stealership is closed still tuesday, BUT im going to try to go to Napa Auto tomorrow and see if they have anything there. Someone said i can go to a Home Depot and peep around there, its close to Napa so ill check it out tomorrow.... if not order it i guess

[siteunseen]

I used these from O'reilly's, Sealed Power #381-8027.  They had them the next morning from one of their HUB stores.  

I used the proper size socket, one that fits tightest inside the plug, with thick tape on the edges of the socket to keep from leaving scratches.  The big one in the end I used a piece of wood and hammer to get it down flush with the block then tapped it the rest of the way with a hammer and 1/4" extension around the edges.  They go down past the block about a 1/16" to the end of the chamfer.  $11.49

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/detail/SPO0/3818027/02268.oap

[siteunseen]

12 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

You would have had to peel me off that big bandsaw.

Also, what's the olive drab green thing in the upper left background of this pic? Right behind the guy?

My Dad called those a "deuce and a half" when he was in the National Guard and I was in diapers.  It's an M35 2.5 ton cargo truck according to google.com. Check out that driveshaft and differential in the bed of it.

I love looking at pictures!  Curious to a fault usually but sometimes I learn stuff. 

Never heard of a Warner Swasey Hopto excavator my whole life, now I read where they help build alot of "Ike's Interstates" in the 50s.