77 280z Restoration

[Av8ferg]

Totally agree, cars today are far too complicated and some can be blamed on government regulations (some good and some bad) . I mostly blame the manufacturers as they constantly try and out do each other. They think they’re making things better when actually they’re making it worse. Example: I hate electric parking brakes and push button starts. Push button starts has only introduced more problems. My key fob battery died and the car wouldn’t start.

[Av8ferg]

I forgot to add. The average new car has 1,100 micro chips while a high end luxury car can have as much as 3,000 .

This is ridiculous!


https://www.forbes.com/sites/willyshih/2022/11/20/why-are-automotive-chips-still-in-short-supply/?sh=655a140a782a

[Mark Maras]

Our daughter just got a new Nissan. She showed me all the bells and whistles it had which included "push button start". The look on her face, when I told her my 49 Chevy had push button start was priceless.

[w3wilkes]

5 hours ago, Mark Maras said:

Our daughter just got a new Nissan. She showed me all the bells and whistles it had which included "push button start". The look on her face, when I told her my 49 Chevy had push button start was priceless.

Don't know which '49 Chevy you had but my wife's '50 chev 3100 had a "push button" start before we hot rodded it. It was a foot "push button" that activated the solenoid for the starter.

 

We have modified the truck a little since we inherited. It was her dads and she drove it in high school over 50 years ago.

[siteunseen]

I helped a buddy of mine replace the starter on his Toyota Tundra pickup last weekend. My main job was to keep him from unloading his pistol unnecessarily. It's located under the intake.

 

[dutchzcarguy]

11 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

My main job was to keep him from unloading his pistol unnecessarily. It's located under the intake.

?? His pistol is/was under the intake ??  OH you mean the starter was under the intake!  Nice place to hide it.. now you have to disassemble half the engine to get to it! pff..   I can understand if your friend wants to empty his gun on such a car-enginedesign.. 

[Mark Maras]

9 hours ago, w3wilkes said:

Don't know which '49 Chevy you had but my wife's '50 chev 3100 had a "push button" start before we hot rodded it. It was a foot "push button" that activated the solenoid for the starter.

 

We have modified the truck a little since we inherited. It was her dads and she drove it in high school over 50 years ago.

I actually had two old Chevys back in the day. A 39 long bed pick-up and a 49 deluxe coupe. As I recall the 49 had a push button starter and the 39 had a starter pedal that you stepped on to mimic a starter solenoid.

[Patcon]

Alot of the six cylinder BMWs have the starter under the manifold. Its a hateful process! I totally understand the frustration

[Barefootdan]

I’m liking that fire extinguisher and mount! Which did you go with?

[Av8ferg]

Dan sorry for the late response.  This is the First Alert Brand for auto applications.   I picked it up at my local hardware store ($25).   I think both Lowes and HD have them.   I used a piece of angle iron and mounting it to the existing seat bolts.   I’ve purchased a different mount for the bottle itself .  It comes in this week and I’ll post new pics.   This current mount impedes the seat from moving forward.  

[Av8ferg]

Finally got my Louvers installed.   I bought these over 18 months ago for $100 on CL and dragged them home from Oakland on a work trip.   They sat for a long time as I pondered how to install them.  The hardware they came with originally is unobtainable.   I have a buddy near my that has a 78’Z with different style Louvers (rounded corners) and he has aluminum fabrication skills as an aircraft mechanic.   He built these upper straps that hook around the rear hatch and the lower fittings that slide under the rubber molding  to I could mount these .  It came out great in my opinion and is very sturdy with no drilling required .  Here are some pics.  BTW…fresh powder coat was done this in Satin black for $130.   They look like new . 

Edited April 6, 2023 by Av8ferg

[Patcon]

I had louvers on one Z in the past. I found they made the car interior much cooler which helped the AC cope better.