Art@NissanSport

You are right, I have no control over what the clubs charge. My club went from $20.00 for a single membership and $35.00 for a family, to just making it $35.00 for everyone, single or family. I personally don't mind if the club gets a few extra dollars as long as they throw it back to the members in one form or another, ie; refreshments at events, etc.

Bartman, you make the magazine seem like a trip to the dentist, painfull but needed. I to am a member of a local Z club and I get a magazine that I see everyday. I don't look at it as being forced to get something but more like an added incentive to join the club. I would bet a new member looks at that way. How many local car clubs around the country offer a magazine with their club membership. discounts cost clubs nothing so getting something I can hold in my hands doesn't seem all that bad for part of my membership dues. And the fact that the people who pay their dues and never show up for any event are at least getting some kind of return on their money. And I fully understand clubs and trying to get people to show up to anything. Its like pulling teeth. hey, were back to the dentist comment again. =)

Zbane, pm me your full name and mailing address and I will check into it. If I find something went wrong I will mail you out an issue the moment I find out. 240ZMan, we do some shootouts once in a while, and yes the advertisers get mad at us if they don't finish first. They look at it as a contest, we look at it as choices. I should be in the process of comparing some headers for the 240Z. I think there are about five of them. It takes some time to setup since I would do all the changes myself between each dyno. I would probably test one a week in the fall when the tempertures are more consistant. I would also like to use the same muffler and exhaust pipe. The only way to do that is to have a connector piece that would connect to the header and the beginning of the exhaust pipe. That could mean fabricating up to five different connectors. With help from Mark Boudoucies, this should be able to happen. Mark, I will call you to get this rolling. The other thing I need to do is get the 240Z on the road. I'm only a couple of hours away from that. I also plan to continue my tire sizing for the Z. In the winter issue I gave detailed specs on 15" tires. I will finish it up with 14", 16" and 17" tires so that people can figure out exactly what they want and how it will effect their speedometer readings. e_racer1999, its not that Nissan disowns the S30. Its just hard for them to continue to support a car that has been out of production for close to 30 years. Yes they support Z events around the country which is a good thing. And the fact that new owners don't recognize/respect the early Z is because when they walk into a showroom, chances are the salesman of today don't truely understand the History behind the Z. Most of their knowledge starts and ends with the Z32 in terms of history since it was the last Z in production. For Nissan Sport, creating awareness is not only meant for the Z car owner, new or old or soon to be, but for the people who also sell the product.

e_racer1999, how dare you call my 240Z project car a "tidbit". A piece of junk maybe but a tidbit, never. =) Chris, we are always looking for stuff like that. Email us your ideas and we will work it in or talk to me when I'm in Daytona (I'm guessing you will be there). I take everything with a grain of salt. In fact, what were we talking about. =)

Fun_in_my_z, your opinion does count. When I said that you are only 19, I was going by what our demographics are. Most (and remember I said most not all) Z owners under the age of 25 don't have near the interest in a paper magazine because of the internet. Most in that age bracket feel that everything they need can be found on the web. And to some extent that is true. I get a lot of information from this site that the manuals just can't explain nearly as well. In todays computer age, the magazine is more then just about Z's. It's about awareness and getting the general public to see that these cars are still around and that they deserve some respect. Early Z owners want their cars to have more value and to have some form of "classic" status. That can not be compeletely achieved on the internet alone. There is a reason why there are still 100's of magazines on the newsstand racks today. Ask most older Z car owners or for that fact any classic car owner what it is like to have their car published in a national publication that has the potential to be seen and held by thousands of other Z owners. Exposure is everything and that can not always be had from the web. Can we cover S30's heavily in every issue, no because remember there are 4 other generations of Z's that are looking for their 15 minutes of fame. So we have to have a good balance of Z articles for all. And the newer cars are what will keep the magazine alive. Look at BWM, VW, Ford, Chevy, magazines for example. They have the same format. Can my basic little 240Z project car keep the entire Z community on the edge of their seats, no way. Anything that I do to the Z has already been done in one form or another. But if I can get to a handful of people and let them know that the pile of metal sitting in their backyard is worth saving and they won't send it to the scrap yard to be crushed because the wife is tired of looking at it, then I've done my part (little as it may be). Zs-ondabrain, is correct in saying that we have more then enough S30 articles lined up waiting to grace the pages and that on its own could fill an entire magazine for years. But it has already been proven that it just doesn't work. There are not enough Z owners or aftermarket parts companies to support it. Heck, even Nissan wouldn't support. It makes me feel really good when a Z owner writes us just to say how excited they are that their car was in the magazine. Even if it wasn't much larger then a postage stamp. Its also nice when I go to a Z event and people get excited that we are there to cover the event (as well as sell subscriptions). And ask the person that gets his car featured in the magazine and then uses it to help get more money for their car due to the exposure. All of these things help to create more awareness and that is what its all about. Fun_in_my_z, the one thing you did say in your comment/opinion was that we (Nissan Sport) have gone "completely" away from classic Z's and thats just not true. You'd be amazed at how many people will read that and take it as the truth. Now Walters comments were based on fact. One, yes we are quarterly. We have never hidden that. How he didn't know that when he first ordered, I don't know. And a lot of the stuff seen in the magazine can be found just as easily somewhere else if your willing to spend some time searching. Criticism is good. Its what makes us better. All I ever ask is that its based on fact and not perception. Like I said before, this site should be our toughest critic.

I don't, but it does give me a chance to soapbox. I also realized he was 19. Dang I wish I was 19 again. Well maybe not. Our average readership age is around 43. Now thats more in my ballpark. I like the fact that he enjoys my project car article. The Fall issue should be of more interest to this site since I will be referencing it in a sidebar as well as say thanks to some that have helped me out in a behind the scenes kind of way. I adjusted the valves today and tomorrow I check the timing chain. Its almost ready to become a daily driver. Wish I could drive it to Daytona, but thats just too dang far this early in the game. The Carolina Z Club donated a powdercoated valve cover to the project Z and it sure will look nice. The only problem is it might look too nice compared to the rest of the engine compartment. Looks like Montezuma is going to help out as well and send me some stock airhorns that have already been cut up so that I can make the chrome air cleaners work better and help to complement the new valve cover. This way I don't have to hack up my perfectly good stock air cleaner. I love this job, I just hope one day I'll see money to go along with it. I can dream can't I?

I hate to say it but we/I expected a drop from the S30 crowd of about 500 subscribers. It wouldn't have mattered how much early Z coverage we would have had, once the word in the magazine said "all" Nissan and Infiniti products, there was going to be a drop off from the hardcore guys. And thats ok. When we do have major coverage on a 240Z you can always go buy that issue on the newsstand. The way I look at it is there will always be more stuff on earlier Z's in our magazine then all the others combined. Will it satisfy everyone, no, and that's ok since I know that could never happen. I have a hard enough time keeping my family happy. But one thing that has surprised me is that Nissan Sport across the board is getting more kudo's from the Z community (as well as Nissan North America) then when it was Sport Z Magazine and nothing but Z's. It seems that no matter what Z we covered in SZM, it wasn't enough and we got lots of hate mail from it. And the Datsun roadsters, 510's and 240SX's are starting to check us out. Maybe someday in the not so distant future we'll be a monthly rag with 200+ pages and everyone will be happy. But my guess is I will be six feet under (or in my case, sprinkled over the waters of Aruba) when the word "happy" pertains to everyone. I can easily except 2 negatives from all the positives. Heck this site should be our toughest critics. Just keep in touch with this forum and I'm sure people will let you know when there is a must read article in the magazine and that is when the newsstand comes into play. Thanks for letting me know when your magazines arrived and keep the comments coming. Good or bad, its what will help to make us better.

xray, don't scare me like that. For a second I thought that we didn't credit Mark in the magazine. We did, I just checked.

Had all my lights working except the headlights. Checked the grounds and they seemed ok. Searched this link and found the pdf. Worked like a charm and now I don't have to spend hours chasing ghosts. Took me a total of 15 minutes. The only thing I did differently was I flipped up the four tabs instead of unscrewing the box. Didn't think about the screws till after I already had it apart. MikeW, you have a PM.

Since it mails out of Kentucky, it should show up in the east first. Someone in Boston got theirs yesterday.

Hi Arne, my concerns were not rooted in performance but more towards appearence. I was just courious as to how people handled the vent line from the float bowl when not using the stock air cleaner. I have both and I have to admit that the chrome air cleaners will look a lot nicer then my dirty old stock cleaner. I 'm just intrested in finding out if anyone has gone a step further and attached the vent line to the aftermarket cleaners instead of using nothing at all or just letting them hang down. From what I'm told the hose must be attached to achieve proper tuning of the SU's.

So what your telling me John is that the stock airhorns would work well with the K&N air cleaners. Do you know of anyone that has done this before. I was also planning to go to Home Depot and get a fitting to fit on the back of the air cleaner (inside part of the filter) to attach the vent hose to. Just seems like unfinished work if I just let it hang.

A question for you guys. I was posting on zcar.com about tuning SU's. It was mentioned by someone that you must have the vent hose from the bowls connected to the stock air cleaner so that the pressure balance is correct. So I asked what do people do if they have chrome air cleaners. They were not built with any kind of tube to attach the hose. He said they have to attach one. Here is my question. If that is the case has anyone here done that? I don't remember seeing it done before on cars that I have seen with chrome air cleaners. Another questions I have is since the carb needs an airhorn and they are not supplied with the air cleaner, what have you used instead? From what I understand the ones that MSA sells are not the proper diameter. If I'm wrong please let me know. If it is the case has anyone used the airhorns from the stock air cleaner? Seems like it would be a natural fit. Any clearification on this would be greatly appreciated.

Can you guys do me a favor and let me know what day you do get them. It will help me to track travel time from printer to mailbox. Thanks again.

Hey guys, for any of you that have a subscription to the magazine, have you received yours. Just want to know because it seems the mail is really slow and this is the only way I can check on it. Thanks for your reply.

Don't JB weld, use plugs

Can someone explain to me why I/we should feel threatened by the Altima Coupe? It's just another car. It has nothing to do with the Z old or new. If anything its a smaller version of the G35. If you own an older Z (S30) why do you even care what Nissan does. It won't effect your car since they haven't made parts for it in years but still have some that can be had. But if you want them to fail and not be in the car making business, then maybe you should start to worry. Your communist plot idea might switch to junkyards. You'll start blaming them for charging outragous prices for nuts and bolts. "But its only nuts and bolts" - "Ah but they're Nissan/Datsun nuts and bolts" When I'm in Daytona I'll make sure to look over my shoulder often. Want to complain about a car, complain about the new Sentra. Now thats butt ugly IMO. The Geico reference was great. I'm still laughing about it.

Speaking of Transformers, is there any value in a Z31 (white) and a 280ZX (police car) transformers? I saw them hidden in a toy store, one was going for $150.00 and the other for $50.00. Are they worth the money?

Ok, I think its done. Considering all the hours that I've worked on Z's the past 20 years, you think I would have noticed the front calipers reversed (nipple down instead of up). So I switched them, adjusted the rear pass drum and bled the brakes one more time. The pedal no longer goes to the floor and everything seems normal. The true test will be when I test drive the car. Hopefully this weekend. I still have to adjust the carbs. Thanks for all the help and I'll find a way to mention you guys in my next article on the 240Z project car (Fall 2007).

I haven't been able to drive it yet. I did test it once for 1 block and went right back to the house. Brakes sucked, but main reason was carbs are not fine tuned yet and the car ran like crap. Idles great, ran like crap. I'll get to that as soon as I get the brakes figured out. The more I think about it the more I think its the rear drum-pass side. The other three are tight when the peadl is down and the one drum can still be moved with force. I thought I adjusted it, but I guess not enough.

I think the pass side rear brake could use more adjustment. But would that make the pedal soft? If it does, then I know thats the problem. I'll be doing that tomorrow. Yes I did bleed the MC first. The car is up on jackstands on all fours. Easier to bleed the brakes that way. Not in a position to start the car yet to test vacuum, but should be able to right after adjusting the rear brake. Thanks

Ok, I've replaced the wheel cylinders, put good working calipers up front, replaced the master cylinder, put on steel braided brake hoses, bled the car (240Z) three times now. Seems to be a good flow of fluid with no air bubbles, etc., etc., etc. The brake pedal still feels soft. I know the brakes are working because when you hold the pedal down I can't turn the discs or drums. I know it's been a while since I've driven a Z but I don't remember the pedal being that soft. What I'm I missing?

I paid $600 for my project 73 and it has some rust (doglegs are the most problematic), but nothing major. I replaced the entire front clip from the doors forward (due to dented sheetmetal, not rust) for $200.00. Still needs a lot of work but when all is said and done it would have cost me about $1500 to get it up and running and looking decent. That's a total of $2100 spent. $4500 is way to much for a Z with visable rust issues. Somewhere in the $2K range would be more appealing. Someone locally just sold their 71 or 72 for a couple hundred more then what they are asking for the 73 and it is almost in mint condition. Zero rust.

4000 RT, Denver to Rockaway Beach, NY, 1973 240Z, Dead of Winter, snowstorms and all.

I just redid all my hoses. I used a 3/4" multi-purpose hose from NAPA for this: "17238-E4602, $19.81. Large diameter horseshoe shaped hose, less than 2 feet long. Runs from expansion tank to fitting on filler neck. Correct for '70-73. Fits fine. Arne's advice - SOMEWHAT RECOMMENDED, not absolutely required - You could do this one fairly easily with generic, especially if you used a slightly longer hose than normal so that the bend was gentle. But since it's so cheap..." I had them cut me a 1' piece and it formed the exact shape (a natural curve) needed when cut to that size. Total cost: under $7.00. Would probably go one size larger next time. The mult-purpose hose comes in many sizes larger then 5/8".