14 hours ago, eimkeith said:

As I'm thinking more about it, I'm inclined to pull the entire low-mileage drivertrain from the '72 and put it on the shelf, put carbs on the ZX engine and install that drivetrain...  Should be completely reversible, no?

Yes!  It is pretty amazing how easy it is to put in later Z parts into an early chassis.   You will need to use an electric fuel pump, as the ZX motor has no provision for a mechanical fuel pump.  the wiring for it is all there.  Above the diff, toward the right side, look for a connector wrapped in blue tape. You get power for the pump there. Then behind the radio there is another connector wrapped in the same tape. Here I put in a jumper wire, so when the key is turned to the "on" position, the pump runs.  If you use the SU carbs, make sure you get a fuel pump that only puts out around 3 PSI or you can  flood the carbs.  You will need round ports headers/manifold for the exhaust.

As Yarb is hinting toward, make sure the drive train is good before you put it in.

 

11 hours ago, Yarb said:

What history do you have on this parts car?

Oh, it will all need going through.  A engine rebuild would be in order, certainly.

1 hour ago, Marty Rogan said:

Yes!  It is pretty amazing how easy it is to put in later Z parts into an early chassis.   You will need to use an electric fuel pump, as the ZX motor has no provision for a mechanical fuel pump.  the wiring for it is all there.  Above the diff, toward the right side, look for a connector wrapped in blue tape. You get power for the pump there. Then behind the radio there is another connector wrapped in the same tape. Here I put in a jumper wire, so when the key is turned to the "on" position, the pump runs.  If you use the SU carbs, make sure you get a fuel pump that only puts out around 3 PSI or you can  flood the carbs.  You will need round ports headers/manifold for the exhaust.

As Yarb is hinting toward, make sure the drive train is good before you put it in.

 

That's fantastic information, thank you.  I'll look at the 240 engine today; I'm assuming then, that the mechanical pump has a cast mount on the block somewhere?

2 minutes ago, eimkeith said:

That's fantastic information, thank you.  I'll look at the 240 engine today; I'm assuming then, that the mechanical pump has a cast mount on the block somewhere?

According to ZCarSource, this is a P90 head. You can see that the window for the fuel pump hasn't been opened up. On the N47 Maxima head in my 260Z, I put a cover plate over that area that I bought from MSA.

40 minutes ago, SteveJ said:

According to ZCarSource, this is a P90 head. You can see that the window for the fuel pump hasn't been opened up. On the N47 Maxima head in my 260Z, I put a cover plate over that area that I bought from MSA.

ah - that looks like an easy mod to run the mechanical pump, then, no?

45 minutes ago, eimkeith said:

ah - that looks like an easy mod to run the mechanical pump, then, no?

Not sure, but I would worry about metal shavings getting into the head/engine.

Please don't read this wrong. It is your car and you can do whatever you want to make yourself happy. IMO, that is a very nice, solid, unmolested example. Even with a "modified" driveline the car will not be very fast compared with a modern car. Why not go through the car and keep it all original? I have done the L28 with e31 head , turbos, and other variations in the past. Sure, it was fun, but I didnt really find them to be that much more fun than a stock 240. I just have an appreciation of the survivors, I guess because I am becoming one myself!

2 hours ago, emccallum said:

Please don't read this wrong. It is your car and you can do whatever you want to make yourself happy. IMO, that is a very nice, solid, unmolested example. Even with a "modified" driveline the car will not be very fast compared with a modern car. Why not go through the car and keep it all original? I have done the L28 with e31 head , turbos, and other variations in the past. Sure, it was fun, but I didnt really find them to be that much more fun than a stock 240. I just have an appreciation of the survivors, I guess because I am becoming one myself!

I understand that sentiment, and I share it, being a professional restorer myself.

To that end, I’m completely comfortable with preserving the original, low mileage drivetrain on a pallet while enjoying a “play engine” so long as it is reversible when it is time move the car to a new owner.  

After all, I do intend to drive the car quite a bit during my stewardship.

5 hours ago, eimkeith said:

ah - that looks like an easy mod to run the mechanical pump, then, no?

Not really; it looks like they changed the casting.  It's also missing the eccentric on the nose of the cam that would run the fuel pump.

Potentially dumb question:  Why would you want to "downgrade" to a mechanical pump when you have all the bits for a LP carb-friendly electric pump all present and accounted for?

I would do the ZX as much as possible but not all the EFI wiring, run SUs.

 

I've made a, wait for it......

huge mistake!

You are already in the old. You just need the fuel pump for your SUs. 

My bad!

6 hours ago, BoldUlysses said:

Not really; it looks like they changed the casting.  It's also missing the eccentric on the nose of the cam that would run the fuel pump.

Potentially dumb question:  Why would you want to "downgrade" to a mechanical pump when you have all the bits for a LP carb-friendly electric pump all present and accounted for?

aesthetics, mostly.  :shrug: