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I did the Dyna Mat and carpet in my 77". I think you're right about hearing the engine and even though I also have 2.5' exhaust with a magna flow the reasons were that I wanted to be more selective in the noises that I hear. More often than not my stereo is not even turned on but I don't care to hear road pebbles bouncing off the undercarriage. Like mentioned above, mine is not a track car either. As far as weight reduction, like granny knot said, it's all about power to weight ratio. Dyna Mat in the interior will only add about 15 lbs. If I were really serious about the ratio, I would lose 20 or 30 lbs off my butt., like that is going to happen....

That's too funny Greg! I remember when my friends were buying aircraft batteries for $200 or $300 to save weight on their boats. Quit eating a loaf of bread everyday, I said.

From what you've written you should have bought a 240 and saved yourself a lot of time and work. Sell your time capsule 280 before you go too far, make some money and buy a earlier car. http://datsunzgarage.com/engine/

Because it’s not my race car... This is a classic sports car for fun cruising and road trips WITH MY WIFE. .... so unless I plan on enduring a bone rattling torture chamber by myself for 13 hour drives, my car will be more comfortable than light.

NOS Door Chrome Strips, bumper brackets and finished door off with all NOS items..

Who knows? At this point in time, all I know is, he's got an engine with supposedly good compression, rebuilt carbs from ZTherapy and it's never run worth a damn. It should be easy to eliminate the carbs from the running crappy scenario and move on to the next problem. Hopefully the running crappy will be in the past and the fuel and engine overheating issue can be looked at. I can't believe that Panama heat is the sole problem either. There are Z's running in Arizona and other hot areas that have beat the overheating problem. I must confess, I've have had kind of an uneasy feeling that Jalex would be better off with a stock engine due to the driving conditions in Panama. Used engines are still cheap and only take a few hours to install. That said, I'm not ready to tap out yet. We've got a way to go before a different engine is a possibility. Let's get back to the carbs and floats and cross those off the list.

Won't we all be surprised if it was not a SU setting problem after all. SU"s are so simple. With my 240 SU"s and all the British cars I had, if they were just set in the Goldilocks zone it plain ran good.

Most of my driving is highway miles so I have added 60lbs of insulation to eliminate some of the noise. Removing weight is certainly one good way to increase your power to weight ratio, the other good way is to simply add more power, that's what I did.

Seriously? You posted all kinds of pics of the start of this project and you didn't show any parts that you actually blasted??? Seriously? WOOT! I'd be all over that NOHO like a... Well like a guy who likes a good beer! Hoppy and strong, just like me! And I'm bitter too!!

I have been working on the seat. Replated the hardware, sandblasted frame, painted with 2k ceramic black, new webbing and new stainless steel carriage bolts. I have new foam and new seat covers. I have about 10 hrs in just this seat.

Shouldn't throw anything away! Hoarding is an essential characteristic of Datsun ownership!

I have decided to make my own vapor/ hydro blasting cabinet. I have a bunch of Datsun parts (mikuni carbs, intakes, ac, head etc..) that I want cleaned up and shiny. I really really like the look of hydro blasted or vapor blasted aluminum parts. So I live in a tiny town, that's about 1.5-2 hours from a major city, but even that city doesn't have anyone that hydro/ vapor blasts so I am either shipping parts (expensive, and chances for damage) so it's time to make one. The basics of vapor blasting is a glass slurry mix (ratio unknown as of yet) of water and 170-325 Glass Bead (tiny beads) pumped in circulation through a gun that has compressed air attached to push the slurry at high speeds. Which doesn't damage or pit the aluminum, basically from what I read, it almost picks out the dirt out of the surface. It doesn't even affect zinc, rubber etc... I was just going to get a harbor freight cabinet and ruin it, but decided to look around the web first. I figured someone makes a plastic blasting cabinet. Which turns out they do! Simple, light and pretty cheap. I will probably end up using it not very often, so I would rather it not rust out. I ended up getting one off ebay for 175$ shipped! Retail on it is like $350. So I was pretty stoked. I wanted this size to fit a datsun L6 head. The one I bought: 31" version https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sni-40390 Smaller: 22" version https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200136624_200136624 Pump: Next was a slurry pump, I wanted centrifugal so that the slurry wouldn't ruin it. I decided on this one. According to vapor honing videos you want good psi from the slurry pump, this one is 63 psi. I will be going from 1" down to 1/2 or so for the gun, so that psi will be lower. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00TQCSUZK/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Lightening: I wanted to be able to see inside and I would rather not get electrocuted. I found some neat LED's on amazon that are meant for fish tanks. They are 12v that use a small ac adapter and are fully waterproof. I got 2 warm white 12" long ones. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OP3P1AM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1 False Bottom: The blasting cabinet came with super super shitty screen for the false floor. Which is mild steel, so I threw that in the trash. I have a bunch of stainless grating (I own a brewery and we have lots of scrap) that I was going to use. But I was worried about damaging the aluminum on sharp stainless. Then I had an idea! Plastic grating and I actually had some laying around! It's a fiberglass/ plastic grate meant for standing on. I cut it down into two pieces and she fits perfect and are easy to remove. I also have a small stainless basket for smaller parts. It has very small holes so it should keep anything small from going down to the pump. Through Hull: I needed some way to get the slurry out without leaking. I decided on a cheap through hull for a boat. Which fits perfect. The pump is 1" so I decided to run 1" hoses from the cabinet to the pump and back to the cabinet. I went stainless, which is a giant overkill. But whatever. I will also pump a wide screen on the through hull so it doesn't suck anything large into the pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001HC0R6W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Water tight Pass through: I will use liquid tight cord Strain Relief Cord Connectors. You can buy them online or at any homedepot. They have a few sizes. I should be able to use them for the compressed air into the cab, slurry and 12v. So it will be water tight. 120v Foot Switch: Since your hands will be in the machine I decided to use a foot switch for the slurry pump. https://www.amazon.com/Power-Maintained-Latching-Foot-Switch/dp/B004LJ6MYE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1520527436&sr=8-1&keywords=120v+pedal+switch I will hopefully finish it this weekend, I will use marine 5200 on all the through hulls. Should be a fun project! Videos of vapor blasting honing: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2DdHXu6oFqUWZ-rNNR7Bcg Some of the before and after are amazing.

Yep awesome! I decided against the stainless thru Hull. Going all quick connect flo-rite fittings.

Give me a few minutes and I can type up an even better build sheet. Unfortunately, it may not accurately reflect the actual engine. If you go to the California Datsun web site, he still mentions that his engines are done by an engine builder in Riverside, CA - just like on the flyer. There's a warehouse along the 60 Freeway that has advertised rebuilt Japanese engines for many years - it may be the supplier. I think the big thing is the reputation of the seller and California Datsun has a poor one. Include me on the list of those who suspect issues other than the carbs may be contributing to the poor performance. Dennis

This is so cool! I have never seen this done but always hated the stock intercooler notch on the RB26 valve cover. The body guy made an aluminum cover and welded it in place.

This engine looks to be a rather expensive build as that sheet shows. I would be surprised if California Datsun had anything to do with this build. He is better known as fast and dirty rebuilds a cheap as possible. I believe he may have purchased it from someone, maybe on Craigslist and flipped it. And it was likely built some time ago, which is no issue. You see FAR performance (camshaft) has been gone for how long? 30 years? Don Potter died in 2009. He was ill for quite awhile and likely had not done much well before he died. I would think this is a really strong fast motor. I just don"t know what is going on. I do not believe Panama heat has much to do with it.

Someone once told me that the best way to get the weight down in my car was to lose 20 or 30 # off of my fat butt. LOL. And I could stand to do just that. Just sayin'. Cheers, Mike

Maybe thats the reason the seller sold his car to me. He clearly knew that the engine was not rebuit accordingly.

My first clue that everything was accomplished with a high level of precision and perfection was that there are TWO #10 entries on the "Rebuild Process" list. Dennis

There's a couple of problems lurking in the background. The overheating at idle, the mysterious #4 cylinder that loads up the plug before the others, etc. I agree with your opinion of SU's. I'm not convinced that Jalex's were ever properly tuned after installation and with multiple mechanics working on them, I'm assuming that many settings have been altered. However, the engine had good compression a couple of years ago so I'm assuming it still does. Properly tuning the carbs is just eliminating another item off the "Running Crappy" list. It'll be interesting to see how many problems go away.

yup I'm one of those guys .....but these little guys have small batteries as it is however I would consider dropping in a 925T odyssey battery, put one in my 911 and wow what a difference from the previous 47lb battery I took out [emoji50] Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

my kind of guy

Datsun - front engine - exhaust under sests Porsche- rear engine(most) A lot owners go with aftermarket performance exhaust which usually causes more drone. Counter with more insulation . Personal tastes. I love my exhaust except when the drone comes in to play. I drive my car all the time when I’m home, and at 55 year young, I like a little civility for a DD.

It is all personal preference, your car, & your choices. The aftermarket sound deadening material really makes a difference in road noise, especially with the windows up. As far as the carpet, I have never considered the stock or aftermarket carpet exactly plush, especially the early cars loop style.

Maybe you and I should go on a pilgramage to the Meca.

I have a benchtop-size cabinet and have the same opinion. Bigger is better. The makers of my cabinet were clearly focused on their bottom line, because there is not even a centimeter of excess air hose length provided between the siphon tube and the gun. As for there being any visible lighting inside the cabinet, I gave up on that hope long ago. I do all my blasting now by feel. It's impossible to see through the cabinet's hatch window unless I replace the plastic-sheet overlay for every job (no thanks). The puny little fluorescent light provided by the manufacturer doesn't do much to help. All that aside, the blast cabinet is w-a-y more effective than sandpaper or wire wheels when it comes to de-rusting steel parts and getting them ready for primer and paint. Does a nice job on aluminum castings, too, provided you're careful to mask off any machined surfaces.

This week is all about the rear end and who doesn't like a nice rear end.

Rebuilt and replated the original 70-71 Tokico 7/8" master cylinder.

few other things I have been working on.. Some NOS parts..Side markers, Turn signal harness ,Datsun Sill plates and early style scuff plates with vinyl not painted

$100 a corner seams to be a pretty common rate

He has run that same ad for quite a while, (years) since he moved. I doubt he would be interested in a road trip with parts unless you guaranteed him big $ in sales.

Cliff, yep MSA, it was a demo set that were like $450 with free shipping. I had to do a little dremmel work to get those Watanabe caps to fit. Sent from my iPhone using Classic Zcar Club mobile

The coolant that goes through the heater core never goes through the radiator. It comes out of the hot head (at the back), passes through the heater core, and goes back to the water pump inlet without ever passing through the radiator. So the theory is that when you bypass the heater core you allow "too much" heated coolant to go directly back to the water pump inlet without ever passing through the radiator to cool it off. It has been said that this can result in over-heating, hot-spots, or both.

If it's not leaking, I'd leave it alone.

Here are the pedals and floorboard style I will be doing. Also I will be modifying the seats to look like this.

It is all in the details. new rollers and inserts.... No wonder it is going on a 5+ year restoration....

I'm going to put in some König seats in my 240z, they were used in "Original" rally cars! I've seen them in yellow/black and as in my pic red/black. They have also a fearly high back.