Graeme Suckling

Hi Chris, the axle retaining nut has a shoulder on the end which has been "staked" to the flat section machined onto the end of the stub axle. This is after the nut has been done up to 240ft/lb! Removal is only possible after the shoulder has been freed from the flats. My method is to use a small cutting disc or grind stone and remove as much of the staked portion of the nut as possible. Then sit the car back on its rear wheels and using a long breaker bar on your socket wrench, undo the nut. The Haynes manual says "..temporarily refit the road wheel and apply the handbrake....this nut is very tight and will require leverage from a socket having an operating arm extension of from two to three feet." BELIEVE IT!:tapemouth Needless to say the nuts are not re-useable and the replacements must have a shoulder on them to re-apply the staking once they are torqued up to 240.

I recently bought a KYOSHO 1:18 Nissan Fairlady 240Z-G in G.P. White. It is a an exact replica of the '73 240Z I'm building up in 1:1 scale. Quality is exceptional and exactness is an 8/10. No radio mast, no hatch strut and no clutch master cylinder for a manual transmission. Check out their web site www.kyosho.co.jp/index.html Engine has heater hoses, spark leads, trouble light and decals on oil filter air cleaner box and brake booster. :classic: The 432Z is next on my wish list

Hi Devin, we have two '73 Z's apart at the moment so heater info is a breeze. Removing the fan & motor may only help if the entire assy. has to be removed from the car. Anyhoo, the flap is operated by cable, as you knew, connected to a lever midway up the front RHS of the heater assy. The lever is pushed down to open the flap. If it is stuck open perhaps the cable end has dis-engaged from the post on the lever. Does the dash control free wheel now?? I think you should be able to locate the lever/cable/clamp from the RHS of the console and determine what has happened. The metal spring clip that retains the outer of the cable to the heater box may have sprung elsewhere and the cable may now be floating. You should be able to close and open the flap manually, by operating the lever, to check for free operation.:classic:

Hi Alfadog, I was at the last National Datsun Rally in Sheparton Victoria (Easter 2001) and there were a couple of topless Z's there. I made some enquiries at that time thinking that would be my next project. The best choice of body is in fact the 260Z 2+2, as it is more balanced in appearance than the shorter coupe body when the roof is removed. As an aside the Coupes are too valuable to chop and the 2+2s are not as collectable so chop away! The chassis is strengthened by attaching two additional rails the full length of the sills and fixing an "X" frame to these rails. The tubing is square & dimension is 50x50x2mm. I think that an XF Falcon boot lid has just the right curve to then fill the area between the rear guards. Then a new "boot" is grafted onto the Falcon part. Mind you all this would have to be Engineered but it can't be that hard to get approved cause both of the Z's I saw were fitted with V8s so body flex would have to be ZIP! If and when we hear whats happening with the next National Rally, reputedly in Towoomba Easter 2003, come along and you should see some in the flesh. :classic:

Hi Driftmunky, the manual transmissions (4 and 5 speed) have a switch screwed into the 'box at the rear by the gearbox xmember on the same side as the speedo drive. The auto trans. has a rotary switch on the trans. speed selector. These switches simply short the harness wires together to light the reverse lamps. The auto trans. switch is adjustable to allow starting in P or N only and Reverse lamps in R only. The switches can be checked by testing for continuity at the transmission with a multi-meter. The harness can be checked by turning on the ignition and shorting the harness wires together. This should light the reverse lamps. The other wires are for the NEUTRAL switch and inhibitor relay. Both types of switches are easily replaced if proven faulty. I don't think wiring in a toggle switch to replace the factory switch is a good idea, and my guess is it is probably illegal.

RossT et al. find attached some pics of my home made rotisserie, based on triangulated 65mm square ms tubing and 510 stub axles for the pivots at each end. It bolts to the rear bumper mounts and auxillary holes at the front of the chassis rails. Front bumper mounting points are too flimsy to use. Balance and rotation are . Email me if you are wanting construction details.

I don't know what vehicle you are having trouble with but if it is fitted with an electric rear window de-mister and the power is left on to the element, this will kill any battery. Some cars will only power the de-mister for a set period of time or switch it off next time the ignition is turned off. Simpler setups just have a rocker or toggle switch which may not even be illuminated to warn you of power on. As mentioned in another post, start pulling fuses to isolate the offending feed. Then start disconnecting wiring loom connectors on the feed to further isolate equipment. Use of a 12V test lamp or Multi-meter would help. With patience, you will narrow it down.

Steve77, my method is fairly simple. For both ends of the motor, I re-insert one of the bell housing bolts into the engine block close to the flywheel ring gear and lock a man size flat blade screwdriver into the ring gear teeth and against the bolt. Just make sure you are on the correct side of the bolt for the task at hand i.e. undoing or doing up. Have an assistant keep the screwdriver engaged while you attack the relevant bolts with a SNUG fitting socket and a breaker bar extension to your socket handle. Since the pivot of the screwdriver is so close to the point you want to stop rotating, the effort required to lock the flywheel is only moderate. Anyhoo, take care when you do the job.:classic:

Horns are probably full of dust/mud/whatever and are hardly worth repairing. Check for horn relay operation first, and power on horn lead. If electricals are ok, ditch the old beepers and fit new ones. In my experience, if the wiper motor actually works, then the wiper shafts may be siezed where they come through the alloy sleeves at the windshield. To verify this, disconnect the mechanical crank at the wiper motor output shaft and try the motor electrically with no mechanical load. If he operates ok then you will need to remove all the wiper mechanism and re-furbish. MAKE SURE YOU NOTE HOW THE LINKAGES ARE ASSEMBLED BEFORE YOU PULL ANYTHING APART!!!!!!! Remove all the Nissan wire clips holding things together. With patience, CRC/WD40 and some gentle force you can press a galled shaft from the alloy bearing. I then replace all the halfbaked circlips Nissan used with "real" external clips, lube all bearing surfaces with Castrol PH grease and reassemble. All is then well. Clutch problem is typical. First check that the pedal actually moves the plunger into the master cylinder. If there is no mechanical movement at the slave actuating rod, my suggestion is new slave, new master, new rubber hose and flush well with new, clean hydraulic fluid. Then bleed as appropriate. These components are not economical to repair - they are throwaway items. Some slaves have the bleed nipple on the LOWEST side of the slave. Not very helpful. If this is your case, just de-mount it from the bell housing, up end to place the bleed nipple at the highest point of the slave, release the bleed nipple and allow the fluid to flow out for a few secs. to burp any air out. Refit the slave and top up the master. DO NOT PUSH THE CLUTCH PEDAL WITH THE SLAVE DE-MOUNTED.

Hi Ivan, I'm doing an RB25DE conversion to a '73 Z which is currently under going a complete re-build - see earlier posting. I would like to see some pics if you have any. My pics have just been approved and are on view under the "Body and Paint" category. New pic is my proposed front brake conversion! Regards, Nissanman.

Hi folks, my name is Graeme Suckling and I'm from Adelaide South Australia. I am 51 years old and my son Ben (26) and I are both well and truly into Datsun/Nissan vehicles. I have owned a 1600 4 door sedan (510 to you folks) since 29/1/71. Bought brand new for $AUD2670. I also own a 1973 240Z which is currently undergoing a bare metal up rebuild. The Z had an L28 fitted so I am replacing the L series & auto for an RB25DE & 5 speed from an R33 Skyline. Colour will be GP White (Fuji white), with a 'G' nose, R32 Skyline tail lights and bumper. The existing tail light panel is trashed from rust so If I have to re-build it I'll update it as well. I have made all my own metal patch panels with the exception of the rear sill doglegs (bought from MSA in USA). To date I have top coated all the under side and engine bay and it is lookin' good! To make things easier the body shell is mounted on a rotisserie. I just roll it round to do whatever and the job is easy(?). I have Digital photos so if anyone is interested, just drop me a message. I have 12 months to be on the road, There is a National Z rally in Toowoomba Queensland Aust. Easter 2003. Of course I'll make it! Regards from "Downunder" G. Suckling (nissanman)