We're bringin' back the Flat Tops!

[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, hls3073z said:

That insulation on the fuel line looks impressive.  I would assume asbestos.  

Good point.  Nissan confirms...

[240260280]

You can coat the insulation with shaving cream to reduce the asbestos dust or soak it with lots of water.

Be careful. A friend just died from breathing it when he worked dismantling a Royal Navy ship as a summer job. 

[Gav240z]

Yep was gonna say watch out for the asbestos in that insulation material.

[Zup]

I would highly encourage @motorman7 to not reuse it.

I am using Thermo -Tec express sleeves---it looks very nearly the same, performs the same and is non-toxic. It can be had in various diameters and lengths, suitable for the fuel rail and fuel line hoses.

https://www.amazon.com/Thermo-Tec-14035-I-D-Express-Sleeve/dp/B003HIPBJM/ref=pd_sim_263_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B003HIPBJM&pd_rd_r=c017de25-8c72-11e8-9961-e7c4ac9dd126&pd_rd_w=Zb0e8&pd_rd_wg=G67Pc&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=2610440344683357453&pf_rd_r=B9FTZ64ZPGDMXF4Y3FMK&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=B9FTZ64ZPGDMXF4Y3FMK

 

[Gav240z]

RE: Flat tops, thought it worth mentioning this.

https://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/5381-whats-the-difference-between-240z-carbys-and-260z-carbys/?do=findComment&comment=84116

Quote

The 260Z SUs have had a lot of "bad press" mainly due to the fact that most mechanics don't understant the basic design pricipals or how to go about tuning them.

The first thing to check is the float level. A small window is provided in the front of each carbie for this purpose. The fuel should be level with the small dot in the centre of the window. If this is correct and assuming some "bush mechanic" has not been fiddling with the factory settings the carbs will do the job they where designed for. The fuel level is usualy too high due to worn neeldles and seats. Replacement of the needles and seats should bring the float level back to the original settings. Another possible cause of a high float level can be a sunken float. Solution, replace the float.

Gordon Dobbie is well known in Australia for racing S30Z's and many other Datsun (Fairlady Roadsters which had the Twin Solex/Mikuni 44's fitted to a U20 motor in Australia). I've heard from a few old racers in Australia that the 260z carbs performed well if not better than round top SU's on the race track! Just to stir a few pots here ?

This is also backed up by member Xnke, perhaps someone here?

Quote

The reason I find the flat-top carbies superior is that they have a separate idle circuit. You can run a rich main needle and still lean the idle out so it doesn't smoke out the pipe in the driveway.

Set the float level, turn the idle screw 1.5 turns out, set the main jet nuts 1.5 turns out, sync carbs. Set idle mix. Set RPMS to 2500RPM, adjust main jet nuts. Return to idle, re-set idle mix, BAM carbs done.

Wheras the roundtop carbies tend to run fat at idle, or if idle mix is proper then they run lean up top. Needle adjustment is possible but adjusting the idle area only is a pain.

This is also a view re-affirmed by someone here. When he discusses experimenting with different needles in the SU's on his stroker (4:55) mark. However found that SM's were ideal, even though they lean out up top, around town at lower RPMs they were better suited. So it's difficult to set up the round top's to work at both upper and lower RPM. Food for thought on the topic anyway!

 

 

Edited July 23, 2018 by Gav240z

[motorman7]

I figured that the insulation would be a little controversial.  Here in California, asbestos is right up there with coffee and saw dust for being cancer causing agents.  As of right now, the insulation is wrapped with Saran Wrap and in a box for it's protection (and mine I guess).  I did not want to get any dirt or grease on it.  My current thoughts on it is that I would like to keep it original and will use my 'Go to' Hi-temp matte clear paint spray over it when I am ready to install.

Edited July 23, 2018 by motorman7

[Zed Head]

It's fine as long as you don't crumble it up and create dust.  Like the lead in paint.

[motorman7]

Well, lot's of stuff going on here.  Currently I am sorting, disassembling and cleaning parts that will be sent out for zinc plating.  Most likely I will have several batches to send out.  The box of parts in the picture below does not look like much, but it actually goes fairly deep.  I would guess the box weighs close to 50 pounds.  That is a lot of parts to plate.

I got a call from the machine shop early this morning. They said the head is not in very good shape and that the water jacket and exhaust port were disintegrated enough that there were two small holes between the two and the metal was very thin.  I almost felt like I could touch my fingers together when I went to check the thickness of the material.  Not easy to see from the pic but if you shine the flashlight into the water port, you can see light in the exhaust port of the first cylinder.  The exhaust ports of cylinder 2 and 3 were also eroded. Welding would be a bit of a challenge as the exhaust port area seems to have lost a lot of metal.  Not sure how that happens. 

Anyway, while I was waiting to talk to the shop owner about the head, I noticed another Z head on their 'unclaimed parts' rack. As I passed by the shelf , I checked the serial number and saw that it was an E88 head just like the one I brought in, all completely serviced and ready to go.  I asked the owner about the head and he said it had been sitting there unclaimed for almost a year.  I asked if it was available for sale and he said he would love to get rid of it as it is just taking up shelf space, the price was $300.  After inspecting it and comparing it to @jayhawk E88 head, I told him i would take it.  Such a deal. That's about what the valve job would have cost anyway if the head were in good shape.  So, the shop owner said he would clean the head up, since it had been sitting for a while and run pressure and leak checks and I can pick it up tomorrow.  I will probably keep the original head but, not sure what to do with it.

Tomorrow, I will go down to the paint shop and pick up all of the suspension parts.  The shell is now lifted and on rollers so the body can be easily moved and worked on.  Will take pics of that tomorrow.

[motorman7]

Here's a few pics from the paint shop.  Picked up the suspension, will start to disassemble.

Car is on rollers so it is easy to move around the shop.

[jayhawk]

On 7/23/2018 at 8:28 AM, motorman7 said:

I figured that the insulation would be a little controversial.  Here in California, asbestos is right up there with coffee and saw dust for being cancer causing agents. 

Don't forget plastic straws...

[jayhawk]

2 hours ago, motorman7 said:

Here's a few pics from the paint shop.  Picked up the suspension, will start to disassemble.

Car is on rollers so it is easy to move around the shop.

 

Even in this condition, I just love the shape of these beautiful cars.  Below is this very car when new in 1973:

Edited July 31, 2018 by jayhawk

[jayhawk]

At Motorman7's request, today I visited the shop of Vintage Dashes to check out their dash to replace the cracked dash on my car.   Their dashes are less than half the cost of Just Dashes.  They do an injection mold and vacuum formed dash (similar to Datsun's original process, apparently) and you attach it to your existing dash frame.  They currently are shipping 240Z Series 1 and Series 2 dashes, but not one specifically for the '73.  However, the '73 dash is essentially identical to the Series 1 dash, so it looks like a good choice for our restoration. (subject to Motorman7's review of the photos I sent him!)  A '73 owner posted the details of mounting the Series 1 Vintage Dash for a '73 here:  https://imgur.com/a/vLTnkk9#8UVRDwF

The Vintage Dash (for a Series 2) fresh out of the box:

 

A Vintage Dash Series 1 dash close up of the area for the cigar lighter and emergency flasher:

 

Picture of the metal brackets built into the inside of the dash for attachment to your existing frame:

 

Picture of a Vintage Dash Series 1 dash with an original Series 1 glove box door. You can see in the close up the difference in grain, but looks pretty good to me. (Vintage Dashes may get around to new matching glove box doors in the future, but they are busy expanding their dash lines to 510s, 260s, 280s, and other marks, so I'm not holding my breath...) :

 

 

 

 

Edited July 31, 2018 by jayhawk
deleted duplicate pictures