gogriz91

This should prove interesting to follow...again. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series-240z-1971-DATSUN-240z-15-334-ORIGINAL-MILES_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6187QQitemZ4613179573QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

I had read previous posts that said the 105 amp alternator provides some improvement to the headlights and before I knew about Dave's harness that was my solution to my weak headlight problem. When I found out about the harness, I jumped on it because it was a quicker solution. I'm still getting the alternator but, in part, because it has an internal voltage regulator which will free up space on my wheel well to properly mount the headlight harness. I hated the idea of having to drive flat out on the old system to get mediocre performance out of the headlights. Thankfully Dave's harness solved that problem.

I knew the Z432's had a mesh grill that was not even an option on a US market Z. Over half of the Z's I've seen in Japan with grills had the mesh but I didn't know that it was an non-original part on the car. That there is a difference is nice to know.

The fluid on the floor is clear with a dark yellow tint to it. When I check the clutch at the reservoir, it looked like it was low, but not as low as the amount of fluid that was on the floor. I wondered if it might be the clutch too but when the car is in what I think is neutral, if I let out on the clutch, the car tries to move forward. I had a Centerforce clutch setup put in the car in '97 but it has less than 2K miles on it since that was done. I'll go inspect the clutch slave cylinder to see if it is leaking and see what I find. My concern in getting another 5-speed is that I don't want to be in this situation again in 6 months because I don't know what the internal condition of the transmission I'm getting is. I may not have a choice as I really don't want to eat $800-$1200 for a rebuilt one if the one I have right now can be repaired for less. Ronnie, I may be PM'ing you later this week to get contact info to get another 5-speed if it all comes down to that. I'll stick with the 5 speed because I want the overdrive, highway mileage and top end are what I'm after.

Not to shoot Dave's business in the foot but if you can't have the harness you might consider the 105 amp alternator. I don't know if 260's and 280's have the same problem power wise that 240's seem to but an alternator that pumps out more juice might make up for what you're dealing with now. I may replug my lights back in to the old system after I get the 105 amp alternator put on the car to see what if any difference there is.

I'm in the process of installing a 105 amp alternator and a Honda blower motor and I fgured the system might actually do a decent job provided there were no leaks. I just didn't want to carry the weight around and put the load on the engine to run it in stop and go traffic.

Ronnie, I may take you up on that. Right now I'm figuring I'll call a local transmission shop and see if they can quote me on a rebuilt 5-speed out of an '81-'83 ZX first and then out of a '77-'78 Z. I'll see what it'll cost to rebuild the one I have because I've had no problems with it up to this point. I may take you up on one of yours just to have a spare in the garage. If the costs are the same, would I be better off getting a 5-speed out of a 280Z or a later one out of a ZX?

Here's one of the control knob.

Drove the car three days ago, no problems. Car has a 5-speed I picked up 3 years ago from Eddie Radatz in Atlanta, don't know what it came out of. I go to take the demon out for a spin today after ripping out the A/C and the tranny won't go into 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th. It will go into 5th, and when in the neutral position, it'll pull as if it's in 2nd or 3rd gear. It will go into what I think is reverse, and the engine will drag as if a load is being put on it, but the car won't move. i look under it and there is a small puddle of what may well be transmission fluid, about a half or 3/4's of a cup. Is the transmission dry? How can I be sure it came out of the tranny? I checked the clutch fluid and it looks okay. What can I expect to pay for a rebuilt transmission? Should I just try to get another 5-speed from the shop it ends up at to be repaired? Any help would be appreciated, my driveway is from hell and I shudder to think what it'll take to get the little demon out of the garage, up the driveway and to a repair shop.

More of the cooling radiator and the footwell how-ya-doin'.

Here are the pictures. The Coke can how-ya-doin' looks to be the same as what Zguy circled on his pic. The a/c unit says "Sankyo" on top of it.

It didn't seem to me like he had enough suspension to keep up with his horsepower in the turns. Novice or not, I was expecting more from a late model vette.

Sorry 'bout that Dave, I read over the money order part in your original post. Got a little over excited there.

Thanks Daffy, I appreciate it.

I'll try to post some pictures of it and the rest of the system tomorrow. I'm removing it mainly because I want to eliminate the weight. I'm going to hang on to the stuff in case I want to put it back in and after one summer in Middle GA, it may go in quicker than I think. The little canister I'm talking about is about the size of a Coke can and has a small round glass "window" on top of it. The how-ya-doin' in the footwell is on the right of the heater blower motor and looks to be at least two large pieces of plastic held together by a row of phillips head screws. Will this thing come out with the rest of the stuff or is it a part of the heating system?

It's next to the trip meter. I'm pulling the stuff out of the car. There are two hoses running through the firewall into ??? in the passenger footwell. Will I have to seal up the places where those hoses mate with the rest of the heating system?

The A/C setup in my Z looks like it was "meant" to be there. There's a metal mount for some little black canister on the wheeelwell between the cooling radiator and the passenger footwell how-ya-doin'. I always thought it was a dealer installed option but it looks like things were put in the engine compartment for the purpose of mounting the A/C hardware.

Dave, has my check shown up yet? I mailed it last Saturday..just curious, not trying to rush the process.

Worked for me and it looked great. That idiot in the Vette must have had an interesting look on his face when you went by him. It was neat to see you eat him up in the turns, but in the straightaway it looked like he was getting on it and accelerating away from you. What kind of mods do you have to your suspension?

Anyone who's stuck it on a post 7-72 240 can chime in now to tell me if they had any problems mounting it or what they modded to get it to fit.

I haven't seen one of these F/S before. Looks like you would need more parts to make it happen. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/JDM-IHI-RHB6-280Z-260Z-240Z-S130-S30-TWIN-TURBO-KIT-NR_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ33742QQitemZ8036970546QQrdZ1

I'll vouch for the build quality, ease of installation and dramatic improvement the headlight harness gave my car. Took me about 15 minutes to put it in and there is literally a night and day difference.

That's the one. When I originally bought it I thought it would fit any 1st gen Z but when I did a search here to see if I could find some pointers for putting the thing on I read a thread that said for post 7-72 there would need to be some "mods" done to get it to fit. It doesn't seem like it fits at all, too wide, but I may just have to use the bodyman's 3rd best friend and a little physics to get it in there.

Got the grill and am in the process of trying to shoehorn it into place. I know some slight "mods" need to be done but am curious what anyone else who's got a grill in a later 240 did to get it in there.

Looked awesome to me. Lap traffic helped a little and considering there's a 30 yr difference in technology, you did good in my book.