Rear Control Arm Question

[ZHadMan]

Hello all!

Just got home my new (to me) 73 yesterday! Woo hoo! While ensuring the car secure on the trailer I noticed something odd. It appears that the drivers side control arm was upside down! I am assuming that at some point it needed to be replaced and was either done wrong or a passenger side (right) control arm was substituted in it's place. My question is this: Are the rear control arms assymetrical? Could it be the correct arm, just upside down... or is it a unit from the opposite side? I will be going through the car soon to restore it so replacing, or correcting, will be no problem. Any info would be appreciated here... thanks!

Keith

[Bambikiller240]

100% Normal. They are the same P/N. Just that one is installed upside down. Another example of Nissan's cost-cutting when the Z was put into production.

[ZHadMan]

Originally posted by BambiKiller240

100% Normal. They are the same P/N. Just that one is installed upside down. Another example of Nissan's cost-cutting when the Z was put into production.

Cool... thanks for the info! Makes life a bit easier for me when the time comes to remove and restore the suspension pieces. Cheers!

[Zvoiture]

Yeah...wait til you find all the typewriter parts and modified Zero fighter bits......sorry Alan...

steve77

[ZHadMan]

Originally posted by Zvoiture

Yeah...wait til you find all the typewriter parts and modified Zero fighter bits......sorry Alan...

steve77

! As an aside... I work for Hitachi Automotive Products in Ca, and several of our (older) engineers were excited at my recent aquisition. They extolled Hitachi's role in the Z car. One in particular, however, stopped short about praising the Hitachi SU's on the car originally.

"They were not so great." He later admitted in private... away from our Japanese executives!

Definately not information related to Suspension components, but your post reminded me of the conversation!

[Bambikiller240]

Originally posted by ZHadMan

.......... They extolled Hitachi's role in the Z car. One in particular, however, stopped short about praising the Hitachi SU's on the car originally.

"They were not so great." He later admitted in private... away from our Japanese executives!

Next time you get that Engineer away from the Exec's, you might tell him that around here we refer to those Carbs as "Boat Anchors". He MAY get a kick out of that.

[MikeW]

Originally posted by ZHadMan

One in particular, however, stopped short about praising the Hitachi SU's on the car originally.

"They were not so great." He later admitted in private... away from our Japanese executives!

Lot's of people have specifically complained about the "flat top" Hitachi carbs that were used on '73 models in the US. Others claim to have good experience with them. I wouldn't read too much into the comment.

One thing that's I've always thought was interesting was that the Hitachi AM/FM radio in my '72 actually has an integrated circuit. I suspect that's one of the earlier commercial mass market uses of IC's.

[ZHadMan]

One thing that's I've always thought was interesting was that the Hitachi AM/FM radio in my '72 actually has an integrated circuit. I suspect that's one of the earlier commercial mass market uses of IC's.

They used to repair/remanufacture those radio's here at the CA HAP (Hitachi Automotive Products) plant. Rumor is that there are still some floating around. Hmm... might have to look around a bit!

[Victor Laury]

The further you go back, the more involved Hitachi was in Nissan cars. My 1965 PL320 pickup is almost completely manufactured by Hitachi. The Hitachi sunburst logo is on so many components, they might as well used it for the hood emblem!

[ZHadMan]

This has moved far off topic, but Hitachi still does quite a bit of business with Nissan. Perhaps not as much as in the past, but they still do supply alot of parts to them. Nissan is the Automotive Parts Division's (of Hitachi) largest customer.

[Victor Laury]

73 Rootbeer/butterscotch?

Was this the car on collectorcartraderonline last month? That car looked good!

[ZHadMan]

The car is Rootbeer/Butterscotch, but I'm not sure it's the same car. What was the condition of the car you're referring to?