Some questions about the 240Z's Doors and Locks

[Namerow]

I have a few questions that I'm hoping some of our CZCC veterans can answer:

1. Door Panels: The parts manual shows a change made to the Door Panel Assemblies (lhs and rhs) starting in 71-10.  Can anyone comment on the design change(s) made?
   (Note that the upper/lower Hinges are not considered to be part of the Door Panel Assemblies)
    
2. Door Hinges: The parts manual shows a change made, starting in 72-07.  Oddly, though, the change is noted only for the upper hinges.  The lower hinges are shown as staying unchanged.  This seems odd, because I believe that the design change included adding a revised travel limiter link with a detent, so that the doors would have two opening positions:  fully-opened, and half-opened.  The travel-limiter link, however, is part of the lower hinge. And the Nissan 'updates' document that Carl Beck posted a couple of days ago indicated that the detent feature was added to the driver's door only.  Is there a mistake in the parts manual, or am I missing something?
    
3. Lock Cylinders and Keys: At some point in its development, the S30's locking system switched from a 2-key set-up to a single-key arrangement (I thought this took place as part of the launch of 1972 models, but maybe it was actually when the 'early-to-late' transition happened during MY-71).  In any case, it would seem that the design of the lock cylinders would have been revised as part of this change.  However, the parts manuals shows no changes to the parts numbers for the door and tailgate lock cylinders over the complete span of the 240 model.  The steering column lock assembly (c/w lock cylinder), on the other hand, shows a change in 70-10 (why?) and then nothing until 73-07.  Can anyone explain how all of this works?

Edited November 26, 2017 by Namerow
additions made

[jfa.series1]

29 minutes ago, Namerow said:

I have a few questions that I'm hoping some of our CZCC veterans can answer:

1. Door Panels: The parts manual shows a change made to the Door Panel Assemblies (lhs and rhs) starting in 71-10.  Can anyone comment on the design change(s) made?
   (Note that the upper/lower Hinges are not considered to be part of the Door Panel Assemblies)
    
2. Door Hinges: The parts manual shows a change made, starting in 72-07.  Oddly, though, the change is noted only for the upper hinges.  The lower hinges are shown as staying unchanged.  This seems odd, because I believe that the design change included adding a revised travel limiter link with a detent, so that the doors would have two opening positions:  fully-opened, and half-opened.  The travel-limiter link, however, is part of the lower hinge. And the Nissan 'updates' document that Carl Beck posted a couple of days ago indicated that the detent feature was added to the driver's door only.  Is there a mistake in the parts manual, or am I missing something?
    
3. Lock Cylinders and Keys: At some point in its development, the S30's locking system switched from a 2-key set-up to a single-key arrangement (I thought this took place as part of the launch of 1972 models, but maybe it was actually when the 'early-to-late' transition happened during MY-71).  In any case, it would seem that the design of the lock cylinders would have been revised as part of this change.  However, the parts manuals shows no changes to the parts numbers for the door and tailgate lock cylinders over the complete span of the 240 model.  The steering column lock assembly (c/w lock cylinder), on the other hand, shows a change in 70-10 (why?) and then nothing until 73-07.  Can anyone explain how all of this works?

Re question 1: I use the online parts manual for most of my lookups, it shows a door panel assembly change at the '72 model introduction - 7207, items 11 & 12.  I browsed around the various parts, found no references to 7110.

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/door-moulding-finish-arm-rest

On question 3, my car (12/70) is a two-key setup.  Probably too early for your transition comment.

[Namerow]

1 hour ago, jfa.series1 said:

Re question 1: I use the online parts manual for most of my lookups, it shows a door panel assembly change at the '72 model introduction - 7207, items 11 & 12.  I browsed around the various parts, found no references to 7110.

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/door-moulding-finish-arm-rest

On question 3, my car (12/70) is a two-key setup.  Probably too early for your transition comment.

Re door panel assemblies:

No, sorry.  You're looking at the wrong diagram.  See items 1 & 2 on this diagram...

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/door-panel-glass-hinge

[psdenno]

My 4/71 Z has just one key for all locks and ignition.

Dennis

[jfa.series1]

1 hour ago, Namerow said:

Re door panel assemblies:

No, sorry.  You're looking at the wrong diagram.  See items 1 & 2 on this diagram...

http://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/door-panel-glass-hinge

Got it - we're talking hardware, not software.

Riddle me this: the assembly has a 7110 rev. date but none of the component parts.  Interesting!

Edited November 26, 2017 by jfa.series1

[CanTechZ]

Here are the door related pages from my parts CD, they have more info relating to questions I & 2 than that shown in carpartsmanual.com.  Page 6-G-7 shows four p/n's each for RH & LH door panels and page 6-G-8 shows two p/n's each for lower hinges but not an implementation date.

[CanTechZ]

Regarding question one, I remember reading about a change to the doors where side impact bars were added to the door structure.  I just can't seem to find a reference, this change might have been for later models, ie. 260Z or 280Z.

[rturbo 930]

32 minutes ago, CanTechZ said:

Regarding question one, I remember reading about a change to the doors where side impact bars were added to the door structure.  I just can't seem to find a reference, this change might have been for later models, ie. 260Z or 280Z.

I believe 73 Zs (or some 73 Zs) had side impact beams added, and the doors for the '77 model year saw major design changes - for one, the door lock pull is farther forward in 77/78 Zs.

[Captain Obvious]

10 hours ago, Namerow said:

Lock Cylinders and Keys: The steering column lock assembly (c/w lock cylinder), on the other hand, shows a change in 70-10 (why?) and then nothing until 73-07.  Can anyone explain how all of this works?

I can provide only a little bit of info (in an area that probably doesn't even help you). They added a seventh tumbler to the ignition locks somewhere along the way. I don't know about the early single sided keys, but the early two sided keys used locks with six tumblers.

My guess is the change in July 73 is probably the addition of the seventh tumbler.

[Captain Obvious]

Oops. double post

 

 

Edited November 27, 2017 by Captain Obvious

[jfa.series1]

I have a theory on the item one question.  Both parts catalogues are consistent in showing a rev date for the assembly and no rev dates for any of the component parts.  My theory is that the change was in the method/sequence of the assembly and not in the parts.  They assigned a new P/N to keep track of the change.  Thoughts?

[Namerow]

On 11/26/2017 at 5:13 PM, CanTechZ said:

Regarding question one, I remember reading about a change to the doors where side impact bars were added to the door structure.  I just can't seem to find a reference, this change might have been for later models, ie. 260Z or 280Z.

I don't think the PN change in 10-71 has to do with the addition of side impact bars.  The 1970 FSM mentions a feature that I think refers to the side impact bars ("The door main unit is rigidly constructed, the outer panel is provided with two stiffeners, and thus, together with the highly rigid inside panel shape, the strength, rigidity, and safety of the rider compartment is highly improved.") and that language is repeated verbatim in the 1971, 1972 and 1973 FSM's.  Curious that the FSM describes these two stiffeners ads being attached to the outer panel when, in fact, they're really attached to the inner panel (albeit, located right up against the outer panel.  For reference, have a look at these photos posted recently by a CZCC member (Patcon, I think)...

x

FWIW, the US federal safety standard mandating side impact protection (FMVSS 214) came into effect in November 1970.  It appears that the auto manufacturers had been advised well ahead that this was coming, because a quick check of in-period write-ups on US domestic models like the Chevy Camaro and Ford Mustang shows that the feature was introduced on their 1970 models.  My April 1970 production 240Z has these beams.  Hard to say, though, whether they were fitted to all Z's, right from the start, or introduced as a running change sometime before April 1970.  Maybe someone with a very early car can chime in on this.