Bonzi Lon

To add a little more mystery on the VIN numbers and dates. HLS30-00110 has a production date of 12/69, blue/blue, the earliest blue/blue on Carl's list, engine #2796. The next blue/blue is #302 with 11-69 production date, and engine #2487. (Note: HLS30-00110 is NOT on Carl's list because I have not posted it there, yet.) Bonzi Lon

I had the same problem twice with two fixes. If you replace your positive battery cable, make sure it is RED. I had two black ones and got them crossed once. Smoked the fuseable link but was able to disconnect before wireing damage. That will NEVER happen again. The second one was a loose spade connector on the starter, made all the clickings of a bad battery connection. Bonzi Lon

I don't know, it might look alright. Look at the link, then imagine it on Mitchell's car in his sig. It would have to be scaled down to size or smaller than the Mopar. Maybe one wide and two narrow stripes. The Mopar stripes are not vertical either, that going fast look. Cheapest way to SEE what it could look like, go out and buy different widths of masking tape and tape up different combinations to see what YOU like. Bonzi Lon

Thanks for looking. I'm trying to find the lowest and highest VIN numbers for July 73, to average amount of cars daily, wanting, wishing and hoping mine was built on my 18th birthday. It was purchased as a 21st b-day present to myself and turned into my college car. Yes, I can fit myself and 3 chicks in it just fine, the smallest one folded up in the hatch area. I could never get a 3rd gear scratch at 60 with flat tops, but I can now. My predicition is, you're going to love round tops. Bonzi Lon

Great find. Our cars were built 989 apart. What month does the door tag have on it? Get the round tops, makes a huge difference, I know. The 73 has some one year only parts, bumpers the most obvious. Bonzi Lon

Thursday October 1, 2009, 10pm eastern, 9pm c, 8pm m, 7pm p, on CNBC, the business chanel. Most likely about the man and the impact he had on the business world not to mention the automotive universe. (check local listings) Bonzi Lon

DHunt592: The steering wheel IS NOT wood, but a resin that is painted to look like wood, so good it fools everybody. Search 'steering wheel restoration', several good threads. Bonzi Lon

One of these should be installed in everyone's Z. Right behind the seat, easy access. Hopefully, never have to use it. Bonzi Lon

These should help. The brackets are heavy and mount to 3 capture nuts on the frame rail. Remember, the 73 had rubber inserts that made the bumper stick out further both on the front and the sides, last photo. Bonzi Lon

Banjo fitting: The round fitting on the float bowl lid that the bolt (with a hole in it) goes through. (also used in modern brake fluid applications.) That is where the filters should be. Bruce at Z-Therapy can supply them. They really are the 'last chance' filters for tank trash, you should have a pair. Bonzi Lon

There are little brass filters in the banjo fittings on the fuel bowl tops. Have you taken them out and cleaned? They are the 'last chance' for foriegn matter and often overlooked. Bonzi Lon

Sorry for your loss. If you need any help (moral support), email or call, I'm only a half hour away. Cousin David has a 77 that needs a new home, if parts are needed. Bonzi Lon

I thought the valve cover said 'OMG', at least that is what I said. That is going to be a beast, would like to hear it spooled up. And some pretty 'blue bits' I need for my engine. Bonzi Lon

Someone posted this on zcar.com so you might see some more action for the 280. Bonzi Lon

Engraving over Stamping = Protection from Counterfiting. After looking at both my Z's VIN's under a 10X loupe they appear to have been engraved with a rotary head and small bit. Each character is perfectly spaced and cut into the metal at the same depth, however an unusual font was used. Look closely at the 'H', 'L' and '0' (zero's). The 'H' has a wavy left leg, the whole 'L' is unusal, and the 'zero' has a funny top. "If" each company had 'their own font', copyrighted, registered with the feds, it would be hard to copy. Making a counterfit die for stamping is easier than one for engraving, if your that bent on it. Now look at your block numbers. Under the same loupe, on the CC pad, (L24-L26) these have been 'stamped' using the same font as the VIN, only smaller and fairly straight in line. All 3 blocks have the same font for 'L & 6', hand struck, I don't have a 2 or 4 for compairson of the cowl font. The pad that has the numbers on it are smaller than the CC pad and more of the industry standard, definetly hand struck and not as evenly spaced. I tried to find a VIN on the 68 Roadster for compairson but couldn't find it other than the aluminum plate. Any idea where it could be? Any other Datsun before the Z have this type and style of engraving over stamping? Bonzi Lon

Very interesting that it is engraved not stamped. Engraving would not be hard at all. Having been in the jewelry business for life, we know if it can be held down, we can engrave it, even the insides of rings. A small rotary bit engraver, or diamond point stylis, that would fit over the cowl and clamp down in the proper position. Place the proper font/numbers in the machine. It works off a pentagraph that follows the master type and the rotary head, or diamond point will make the same image on the cowl, but smaller. This is all speculation. Bonzi Lon

My theory on chassis numbers. I think the numbers were put on after quality control checked everything and it was good to go to the paint department. Numbers being assigned and stamped upon leaving Q.C. and off to paint. If the shell was out of quality the 'cookie jar' shell could be inserted without loosing a chassis number or floor speed. The out of quality shell would be taken out/off, repaired or scrapped. Bonzi Lon

Upon further review...that patch is indictive of wear if painted, would really like to see under the headliner, darn OCD. geezer: The blue/blue combo was the least manufactured color of the 240Z, then came the blue/white combo, then blue/black, IIRC. Conformation or correction requested. You might say I have a thing for blue Z's, my 73 is blue/white and HLS30-00110 was purchased as blue/black only to discover later it is blue/blue. Bonzi Lon

I'm sorry but I don't see anything that leads to a blue interior, unless it is by the gas pedal, that appears to be body paint. The passenger door panel has vertical lines in the vinyl, both my 240's do not have the lines. A look behind/between the headliner and upper vinyl would be the only way to see if it really was a blue interior. Bonzi Lon

I also have watched it on TV, what a wonderful road race. The spectators have great views too. The one I saw had an orange 240Z that had engine problems from the start, running 3-6 cylinders but made it at least 3/4 the way before it seized. Looks like a blast for the ones that are out to win it all. Bonzi Lon

The passenger door panel does not look quite right for a 240, missing the chrome strip, vertical stripes in the vinyl. Could this have been a blue/blue car? There are only 4 known blue/blue cars in the first 4000 VIN's. (Zhome list) Bonzi Lon

I've been to 3 major midwest Z events and have yet to see a lime Z. In the 70's our town had two Dr. brothers each had a 240Z, Randy had the orange one, Dan had the lime one. They were refered to as the 'pumpkin' and 'tennis ball'. Bonzi Lon

Go ahead and polish the 2400. Slow down on the refurbishment if you want to beat my 28 year saga. Great looking car and supurb attention to detail. Bonzi Lon

madkaw: I wanted to save money on my paint job by doing the sanding and polishing, however I had never done anything like it before. Painter Ray said it was easy and it was. Nerve wracking at first for fear of sand or burn through. He orderd a kit from his paint supplyer, it is from "Buff and Shine", www.buffandshine.com 800-659-2833. It is a 3 part system, #1 very thick wool pad for first grit polish, #2 foam for second grit polish, and #3 foam is the final polish made exclusive for new paint till the clear cures completly, then wax. You will need a varible speed angle grinder/buffer set low. I don't remember if that company sent the compound or he got it elsewhere. He gave me sheets of 1500 wet paper. The compound was 3000 for the first and 4500 for the second. IIRC. You will see the difference at each step. I did peices of the car for 1 and 2 till done, then the whole car in #3. Step back and look, then reassembly with out scratching or chipping . Painter Ray showed me how to do it in about 15 minutes. Your painter should be able to also. It will take some getting use to but you will get the hang of it. Lighting is very important and using very clean shop towels for wiping down, I used two rolls on mine. If you drop one on the floor, throw it away. If you drop your sandpaper, wash it off completly. It took about 80 hours for me to get the results I wanted, mostly at night where I could get the light just right consistantly. Painter Ray did a 2 foot section of the hood for instruction and told me to match it up. There is some real estate on that hood so that should look its best. You can do it, go for it. Bonzi Lon

To me that little light was the coolest, most ingenious thing under the hood. I remember some the old 50's cars had a light that would turn on automatically when the hood was lifted. When I got my car back from the engine overhaul at the dealership I discovered the entire light had been stolen. Have to get a new one to be cool again. Bonzi Lon