240Z restorations, what's right and what's not

[SpeedRoo]

On 11/28/2022 at 10:14 AM, motorman7 said:

Some reference photos from "04684" May 1970 build

 

- Horn face should be olive drab color, not bare zinc

 

- Seat texture for the base/seat does not match the back.  The back is the original vinyl, the seat is aftermarket.  (This one probably bothers me the most).  I would have changed the back also, just so the textures match. 

Here's the original seat texture from "04684"

On 11/28/2022 at 10:14 AM, motorman7 said:

- Plastic trim is missing from seat base, both seats.  On early models only. You can see the rubber seat base trin on "04684" here.

 

- Steering wheel color seems to light.  Could be lighting. 

 

- choke knob is later model.  should be more trim and rounded.

"04684" choke lever with blanked out "throttle lever" slot

 

- Door panels should have two screws near the bottom holding them on.  On early models only

Original door panel on "04684" with two screws

 

On 11/28/2022 at 10:14 AM, motorman7 said:

- Hatch attach large flathead screws should be silver zinc

 

On 11/28/2022 at 10:14 AM, motorman7 said:

- I dont see rivet divots in the rear hatch panel.

Also, I am not a Just Dashes fan as I think they do a poor job with the three scallops over the center instrument cluster.  Vintage Dashes is more true to the original on this feature.

And, when buying the braided engine hose, get it from jdmcarparts.com.  There are other sellers out there for these items, but they do not match the original NOS very well.

I am sure I may have missed some stuff, but pretty darn nice car.  Will be watching this one.

 

Rich

 

[SpeedRoo]

On 11/28/2022 at 4:13 PM, 26th-Z said:

No, the early cars were not underbodied black. 

Spare tire well is missing the velcro and the alignment stickers.  The small black location sticker at the front of the spare wheelwell in and velcro patches. Also the correct jute.

 

Interior tail light panel cover is the later style with the access panels. "04684" interior tail panel with no access covers.

 

On 11/28/2022 at 4:13 PM, 26th-Z said:

I could go on and on.  But how about this?  The 240Z badges would be chrome Zs and the gas door knob would be the vertical version.  I learned about early tail lights recently.  These are later version replacements.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by SpeedRoo

[Racer X]

No one has mentioned the engine number yet.

The font of the numbers 4080 don’t match the font of the L24.

Also mentioned, the door jamb tag is not original, the numbers aren’t stamped, but rather engraved. 
 

Regarding the black underside, many Z cars were undercoated at the dealerships, as part of the upsell all dealers do when selling new cars, so the car could be considered restored as sold to the customer. It would appear that the car was intended to be driven, so reapplying undercoating would be a very good idea.

[SpeedRoo]

19 minutes ago, Racer X said:

No one has mentioned the engine number yet.

The font of the numbers 4080 don’t match the font of the L24.

Also mentioned, the door jamb tag is not original, the numbers aren’t stamped, but rather engraved. 
 

Regarding the black underside, many Z cars were undercoated at the dealerships, as part of the upsell all dealers do when selling new cars, so the car could be considered restored as sold to the customer. It would appear that the car was intended to be driven, so reapplying undercoating would be a very good idea.

The engine number stamping is correct, the font of "L24" was always a different style. Here's another for comparison. Seems from engine number 5000 onwards there were two zeroes at the beginning of the number.

[Carl Beck]

On 11/28/2022 at 12:10 PM, SpeedRoo said:

Another lovely early 240Z, Jan 1970, has turned up on BAT. Restored by Pierre and Whitehead over the last decade. Loads of photos which really help me, and others, when we are restoring our cars.

....snipped..cjb....

I believe the horizontal water hose running front to back should also be braided like all the other hoses. Additionally did the early airboxes have stickers/decals on them?

 

I'm sure there are other things I've missed and I may be wrong on some of the items I've listed. Feel free to correct me where needed.

I don't believe that the Top Lid to the Battery Cover was vented (with holes) until much later.  While it looks like NISSAN OEM Spark Plug wires were used - the later OEM Replacement Parts for a time came with Red Spark Plug Boots - the originals and later OEM Replacements were all black.  May have been mentioned, but as I recall those are the wrong hood bumpers for 01/70

[HS30-H]

On 11/29/2022 at 5:19 AM, zed2 said:

Rear bumper end packing from a later model year.

Please expand. Are you saying wrong for this particular car, or wrong for 1969/70 production date?  

[dutchzcarguy]

18 hours ago, jfa.series1 said:

pics and measurements for the OE wiring cover still on my car.

Ah, that kind of cover.. i was thinking of a kind of plastic cap like a 280zx has.. (a 280zx has even (foot/cabin) lights in it.)  

[26th-Z]

Yea, the hood bumpers are the later style.  The rear bumper end packing is not 'correct' for this car, but a nice touch IMO.  The battery cables, at least the negative cable, is correct and very difficult to find.  I can't see the positive cable.

Funny how the peanut gallery is fussing over a pointy tip antenna.

[HS30-H]

6 minutes ago, 26th-Z said:

The rear bumper end packing is not 'correct' for this car, but a nice touch IMO. 

Here's where I start narrowing my eyes and looking at you a little sideways.

I think - certainly with some of the things being pointed at here - that people sometimes want to be a little too definitive. In late 1969 and early 1970 Nissan Shatai's Hiratsuka plant was not quite the super-efficient sausage machine that some seem to believe. It was - clearly - a little more chaotic than that. 

The rear bumper end packing pieces certainly existed by mid-1969 and were present on some of the very first show and production cars. We might say that Nissan never intended for them to be fitted to North American market variants, but - I think I am correct in saying - they did show up on some early Exports, did they not?  

[zed2]

Is the inspection lid rubber cushion correct?

Keith

[DatsunZGuy]

33 minutes ago, zed2 said:

Is the inspection lid rubber cushion correct?

Keith

Yes, if you compare it to the original 240Z sales brochure.

https://xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/1970-Datsun-240Z.pdf

Edited November 30, 2022 by DatsunZGuy
Added URL

[SpeedRoo]

Great observations, please keep them coming.

The inner tail panel, when did it change over to covers for the taillight access?