psdenno

The Yen to US Dollar rate at that time was 360 to 1. So 16,000 Yen works out to about $44.45 which seems like a bargain even 40 years ago. Dennis

I agree that it doesn't appear to be the right one for your car. Interesting that the width looks right. How does it look when you slide it to the top of the glass and leave a gap at the bottom? Dennis

Perhaps a forum survey to measure interest would be appropriate. It would be great to have a set engineered for the Z to minimize user improvisation. Mine have been DOA for decades. Dennis

I love deadlines...especially the whooshing noise they make as they go by. I have a 1963 Studebaker Avanti in the garage that I bought in 1975 with intentions of restoring. Still a work in progress after numerous missed deadlines. Anyone have an unfinished car project that they started before '75? Dennis

Power On AchilleZ, live the dream! I don't know how you could set off on a greater adventure for only $400. I think I'd set a deadline, however. Like if it's not on the road by the time you're 30, consider moving on. You can probably part it out and recoup more than your $400 investment. Many of us have taken on a project like the one you propose and wouldn't let anyone talk us out of doing it. That's part of the fun of the old car hobby. Keep us posted on your progress. Dennis

$20K? The unpolluted 28 year old air in the tires could be worth that much, alone. Dennis

Have a couple spare fuel filters on hand. Crud and corruption from the gas tank will rattle loose and clog filters. You'll notice a lack of power as the filter clogs and restricts fuel flow. Dennis

Does your fuel pump deliver a constant flow or deliver only on demand? Seems to me that blocking off the return line makes no sense as the pump will continue to pump and the excess fuel has to go somewhere. Why do you not want the pump to run constantly? Dennis

Did you sign up for an ID card after joining? Just $250. Dennis

Snugly - depends on how the panel holes may have stretched or been reamed. You may have to slightly enlarge some holes with a small round file if too tight a squeeze. But, the price is right - about 10 cents per rivet! They come in a plastic box of 20 and are called POM Rivets. Size 5mm x 15.8mm Dennis

Harbor Freight has them, too. Slightly larger than original, but way less expensive. Ztrain is right, this is riveting! Dennis

Plastic Rivets......similar to those that hold the inner plastic panels in place. Dennis

Hi Paul, Welcome to the group! Nice looking start to a project. Bummer about the right front fender. The dent in the leading edge of the hood should be a little easier to deal with. Dennis

Your mounting system is far more elegant than mine. Unfortunately, there were no mount points on the bottoms of my BMW seats, so I had to attach the angle iron pieces to the mounting points for the BMW rails. Those points were extensions that protruded down from the sides of the seat bases. Dennis

I've updated an older thread on installing earlier BMW seats and added a link to photos of the new seat frame that eliminates the BMW seat rails and uses the stock Z rails. The thread link is here: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=35088 Dennis

While they say you can't bring back the dead, I'm going to try to pump life back into this thread since I've seen a couple other forum members pondering BMW seats in a Z. I've posted pictures of the seat frame I fabricated that enabled me to use stock Z seat rails with BMW seats. No welding required. The frame is made of angle iron and flat stock and bolted together with Grade 8 hardware. Here's a link to pictures: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/album.php?albumid=357 The factory mounting points on the floor risers are still used, but to secure strips of flat stock running front to back. Because the style of the seat differs from the stock Z seat, the seat adjusting rails bolt to the flat stock that stretches across the original riser mount points and extends several inches rearward. This allows the factory rail mounting bolts to mount several inches rearward from their original mount points. Dennis

SEMA just issued the following bulletin on this topic today. See below: Dennis URGENT REGULATORY ALERT (UPDATE) EPA Denies E15 Waiver for Pre-2001 Cars, Permits Use in Newer Cars The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that there is insufficient test data to permit E15 to be used in MY 2000 and older light-duty motor vehicles.* The SEMA Action Network (SAN) has consistently voiced concern that ethanol increases water formation which can then create formic acid and corrode metals, plastics and rubber.* While the SAN is pleased with the decision that older cars should not be fueled with E15, the association is disappointed that the EPA issued an E15 waiver for 2007 and newer vehicles.* The agency is still gathering data for the 2001-2006 vehicles.* The EPA’s ruling responds to a request from the ethanol industry to raise the ethanol content in gasoline from 10 percent (E10) to 15 percent (E15).* Consumers will not see E15 at the pump any time soon.* The EPA must first approve regulations on how gas stations will label their pumps to avoid consumer misfueling.* This will take months.* Furthermore, there is no obligation that gasoline retailers market the fuel.* In fact, some retailers oppose the fuel over concern that they could be held liable if E15 damages a vehicle.* The gas stations and distributors may also need to invest in new storage tanks, hoses and other equipment. The SAN will continue to oppose E15 until there are conclusive scientific findings that demonstrate that it will not harm automobiles of any age as a result of corrosion or other chemical incompatibilities.* SEMA represents thousands of companies that market products for these vehicles and, through its SEMA Action Network, millions of enthusiasts who buy and operate these automobiles.** Questions/comments may be directed to Steve McDonald at stevem@sema.org.

It would probably be of some value to an early Z owner who was trying to make a car "period correct". I had the ARA system dealer installed on my '71 shortly after buying it and it worked well. I now have the newer A/C system with a rotary compressor which doesn't "rob" as much power from the engine. Dennis

Looks like you're in for a bumpy road with this one. How are the other "typical" rust prone areas on the car - rockers, wheel arches, floor pans, rear hatch latch area? Dennis

Welcome to the group! Zed or Zee tends to depend on where your ancestors came from and how well they've embraced the "mother" language over the centuries. I find it interesting that English speaking nations around the world name the last letter of the alphabet differently. anyone know how that came to be? Dennis

I've got my Warranty Book for my '71, but somewhere over the years I seem to have lost the card. In thumbing through the pages, I see that I got my 9,000 mile service at 7,598 on 8/16/72 and never took the car to a Datsun/Nissan dealer since. I'm probably overdue Dennis

Welcome to the group! Looks like a great start to a project. My guess is a '71 or later Z based on vents and steering wheel. What's the date of manufacture stamped on the plate on the driver's door opening? Dennis

Let's look at the definition of "molest" and a few synonyms: –verb (used with object) to bother, interfere with, or annoy. —Synonyms harass, harry, trouble, plague, hector, torment. With that in mind, I would suggest that "unmolested" means that the original look and purpose of the car have not been changed, even though parts have been replaced or repaired. A key word in the definition is "annoy". So if anything about the car annoys the observer, he/she could probably consider it molested. I'll now put my English teaching credential back in a drawer and resume my nap. Dennis

And it's available in a choice of three colors! Can this get any better? Dennis

Looks like the molestation that did take place should be fairly easy to rectify - seats, engine, a few missing pieces. How wide are those racing slicks? Good luck with the adventure! Dennis