We're bringin' back the Flat Tops!

[Mike B]

More flattops. Supposedly rebuilt could be good for needed parts? https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202607383454

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[motorman7]

@Zup Wow, that kit is impressive to see.  Those filters are probably worth their weight in gold or more.

@jayhawk will bring these filters by on Saturday and we will check them out.  The collar is a bit long and it is not 'crushable' but we will check the fit.

 

 

[motorman7]

@Captain Obvious I like the looks of that Hyundai filter.  If Nissan was making the filters today, it would probably look more like those.

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, it's a much cheaper and more forgiving than the original "crush to fit" Nissan style filter.

I was poking around on ebay a little today and here's the parallel filter for Toyota's valve timing system. This one has fingers on the interior end that could be cut off if desired:

And another shot of the Hyundai part. This one has that nice tapered seat at the interior end:

The point is... The threaded hex caps are relatively easy to make. If you can find a filter with the open end that's the correct diameter to seal on the face down inside the carb body, you could have a cap made for the other end to account for a slightly different length. I wouldn't be surprised if there wasn't something out there that's close to what you need.

[grannyknot]

But isn't the fuel going through at least one fine paper filter before it ever gets to the flat tops?  What is that screen actually catching?

[Captain Obvious]

Chunks of rubber that have deteriorated and come off the inside of the fuel line? Rusty dust from inside the fuel rail? Pieces of the fuel pump diaphragm? Small rocks?

To be honest, I was running a quality paper filter on the passenger side of the engine compartment and no filters in the carbs. I could sleep at night.

At this point for me, it's just the challenge to get something that fits and works that has me spending cycles on it.  

[Zup]

1 hour ago, Captain Obvious said:

To be honest, I was running a quality paper filter on the passenger side of the engine compartment and no filters in the carbs. I could sleep at night.

Agreed. Use a good paper filter and change it regularly when it needs it.

We are going into the weeds with this, but for a good reason. Datsun didn't do things on these cars just for $hits and giggles. I want it there because the designers put it there---but I'm a little obsessive about all of it.

1 hour ago, Captain Obvious said:

At this point for me, it's just the challenge to get something that fits and works that has me spending cycles on it.

Thanks to your inquiring mind and pursuit of solutions Capt'n there are workarounds for quite a few issues. I salute you sir!

[Zup]

@Mike

Could you change the topic image of this thread??

The current image is a shot of my 73 exhaust manifold that I placed in the thread many pages ago and should not be the introductory photo to the wonderful archival material Rich has compiled.

Being biased, I would suggest using this one--- which exemplifies in one photo the very essence of the thread title. "We're bringin' back the Flat Tops!"

Thanking you  muchly for any assistance with this request, I am!

[Mike]

1 hour ago, Zup said:

@Mike

Could you change the topic image of this thread??

The current image is a shot of my 73 exhaust manifold that I placed in the thread many pages ago and should not be the introductory photo to the wonderful archival material Rich has compiled.

Being biased, I would suggest using this one--- which exemplifies in one photo the very essence of the thread title. "We're bringin' back the Flat Tops!"

Thanking you  muchly for any assistance with this request, I am!

Hi @Zup, I'll see if I can change it.  The image is automatically loaded so I'm not sure if I can change it.  I'll look around in the admin functions to see if it's possible.

Mike

[Captain Obvious]

11 hours ago, Zup said:

pursuit of solutions Capt'n there are workarounds for quite a few issues.

I like this kind of replacement part stuff, especially if you can find something that's cheap and easy to obtain and hidden (so it still looks stock from the outside).

If it weren't so cold, I'd be out at the junkyard pulling VVT oil filters out of heads and measuring them. But it's just too cold for my fingers. I got issues...  

 

[jayhawk]

19 hours ago, Zup said:

@Mike

Could you change the topic image of this thread??

The current image is a shot of my 73 exhaust manifold that I placed in the thread many pages ago and should not be the introductory photo to the wonderful archival material Rich has compiled.

Being biased, I would suggest using this one--- which exemplifies in one photo the very essence of the thread title. "We're bringin' back the Flat Tops!"

Thanking you  muchly for any assistance with this request, I am!

As the owner of the Z and the flat tops that are the subject of this thread, I completely support this idea. 

[motorman7]

Made some nice progress this weekend.  Got the front grill and bumper brackets installed.  Got the differential restraining strap, differential and half shafts installed.  The differential went in pretty easy with my new Costco jack.  Just set the diff on the large rubber pad and lifted it into place.

Also, @jayhawk stopped by to look the car over.  Glad he was able to see the car in person, instead of just the pics.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 4, 2019 by motorman7