So I took my Z out of hibernation yesterday after 4+ months. Started up checked everything, car drove fine (so I thought), stopped at store, went about 200 yards, and lost clutch pedal, almost all the way to the floor. Pulled over and checked master cylinder bowl, it was full, but black (was clean last fall). Turned engine off, went right into gear, started up car took off, headed home (2 miles). Good until dam stop lights, shut engine off 2 more times, till I made it home.

Pulled master cylinder, found it stuck, (original to the car). Ordered a new one (OEM Nabco).

Pulled the slave cylinder out to check and clean, seemed ok. While looking at a parts diagram, it shows a spring behind the piston. I had no such spring in mine.

Did early Z’s not have a spring?

Early cars have an external spring

I pulled this off an early car.

And the piston looked like this. Note, no internal spring:

Here's the early slave with spring tab.

Motorsport Auto - The Z Store - Clutch Slave Cylinder, 70-72 240Z

Thanks much guys.

That certainly explains why there isn’t an internal spring. I kept seeing the later version, and was pretty sure I didn’t loose it.