Mikes Z car

This mod is reversible leaving no trace. Using silicone rubber sealant I glued a piece of aluminum window screen I spray painted black onto the bottom of the cowl where the holes are to keep leaves and other debris out. The screen helps prevent corrosion from debris trapping moisture in the area where the windshield wiper motor is. Mike Looking at bottom of cowl, screen being glued on:

I have wondered about the reliability of the digital dash. I think those were said to be a plasma digital dash? What kind of technology is plasma? Was that like the plasma TVs they make now? I had a 1985 300ZX that needed a replacement after a year or two. That thing was expensive so I went used. The new one was fine.

Captain Obvious, Thanks for the offer for the parts. They would make it easier if I need to put in new u-joints as the car wouldn't have any downtime for other work. I have no idea what Nissan would want for new ones or if they are NLA, I will check and send you a PM if I want the parts this week. Thanks! That middle rod will hit the left frame rail though if the top part were unbolted (without disassembly hopefully) so it could swing around it might be easy to get out. EuroDat Once I scraped the grease off of the u joint I can see the same lips on the one I have that are on the u joint in your picture. Is the lip a separate part or just the edge that has been peened down to hold the cup? I am having trouble visualizing how they made the u joint, they must have pressed the cups in from the outside so unless the burr is a separate part they must have peened the lip I guess.

Captain Obvious. Thanks for the picture. The bottom steering rod in your picture is like the one I have. It has dawned on me that the similar looking rod three parts up from the bottom of your picture is the middle rod for the steering wheel and that there are three of them in all. I went out and double checked the round coupler next to the master vac on my car for play and noticed there is a u-joint on the side of the round coupler closest to the steering wheel on the lower end of the middle rod. That u-joint has play in it too. I appreciate the picture you posted and the other info I have received but fixing both u-joints may take more time than I want to take on this year as I would like to get the car ready for painting. I may as well fix both u joints at the same time so this fix is going to have to wait for the fix it list for next year. My original priority for this year was to paint the car but if I keep fixing it I won't have time to paint it. Anyone ever decide to just keep the paint they already have? Steering rod near rack:.........Upper steering coupler in engine bay: Mike

EuroDat, That helps a lot thank you! Another possibility that occurs to me from your description that might work would be to spot weld the new cups in 2 or three places? The spot welds could be ground off later if needed to replace the cups again though I have never heard of u joints done that way so it might be a bad idea. Heat on the grease would be a cautionary item. Mike A picture of my steering u joint after wiping off some of the 43 year old grease:

The steering u joint on my car that is on the lower end of the steering column in the engine bay right above the rack itself has some play in it that is noticeable when driving. Is there a replacement (short of buying a whole column) or a way of fixing it? Can it be removed from the steering column or is it pressed on? I have thought of taking it apart if I can and then squishing the u joint part in a vise so it grips the cross arm part more tightly after taking the yoke apart (if that can be done). Below is an old thread on this. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/suspension-steering-s30/25012-new-source-steering-u-joints.html

Changed out the water pump (70 240Z) as the old one was leaking slightly. Used anti seize on new bolts and K&W copper coat gasket compound on both sides of gasket. Broke off long skinny bolt at top of water pump in block taking old pump out (rite of passage?) so didn't put that bolt back in. Read many old posts on dealing with the broken bolt. I think it is sticking out of the block but to be prepared I ordered left hand drill bits to drill out bolt. I screwed up and got titanium drill bits before I read an old post mentioning a better kind, cobalt? I will take the cover off and drill the broken off bolt out later. Happy ending to this. Went for a nice drive with 70 degrees here and sunny. New pump does not leak even with missing bolt. Drove through nice new park they opened up not far from me.

double post, deleted

Here is a poor screen capture of that movie at 1:29, the gentleman is stepping in front of a blue legend:

Arne, ha ha that song is the first thing I thought of when I saw Blue's comment. dbcjmc, can you get by with coveting a Z as long as you don't actually swipe one?

Nissan service manual for L20A and L24 engines Page EE 35 says it is .22 to .24 uF (microfarad) but doesn't mention voltage rating though the website below mentions 600 volts or a little more. Mike a quote: Yes, the value of the cap matters. There are old servaice manuel that show if the value of tha cap is to low the points will transfer metal from one side of the contacts to the other. If the value is to high the transfer of metal from one contact to the other reverses. saw this at: Capacitors in Ignition Systems

Please post pictures and welcome!

Maybe sense voltage where an electric fuel pump cutoff would connect, on the oil pressure sending unit or similar, with a comparator like an op amp connected to a 555 timer? That could control a relay applying power to the Pertronix. I wouldn't trust my own design for something that might make the engine stop.

A million is a good price. I like that the looks of that Toyota. I was driving last weekend where there was one other car following me and someone on the side of the road shouted boy you have an awesome car! I looked around, wasn't sure they meant my car but I share their enthusiasm if that was the case.

Idaho has some Z car parts but there aren't enough Z car owners here to take advantage of that due to our low population density at least I think that is what the story is. Shipping heavy things isn't cheap unfortunately. It takes time to pull parts off of a car.

pakmule87, Here are a couple of threads on that though there may be others: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/body-paint-s30/48591-spraying-all-hollow-parts-against-rust.html http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/body-paint-s30/40048-two-frame-rails-tc-rod-there-floor-between-them.html

I went there once right after I got my Z. I think it is the same place. They also had some 20 early Z's inside that barn in the picture under a roof, some of them had been in wrecks.

Ha ha I hadn't thought of tow chains. The Z in the JY I saw was not a roller or at least the tires were missing. Maybe I needed drag chains. I grabbed the stuff I needed first. I wondered if the dismantler would have sold me the whole thing? I am sure the neighbors would have been delighted with a car missing tires sitting in the street. There is probably some killjoy law against that. Mike

What a pleasure it was to drive my '70 Z around this past weekend. The car is more fun to drive than it was when I got it because the items that were affecting drivability have been fixed such as the master vac needing replacement and carb work. New turn signal relays (reversible mod) make turn signals work every time now. Nice sound from the engine at 4000 RPM, no risk of me floating a valve! Reminds me of when I had my '71 and how much I enjoyed that car. The two most fun cars I have ever owned.

4 out of 4 rats surveyed prefer Z cars...

Hi all, When I replaced the filler hose on my 240Z (MFR 1/70) the new filler hose was about an inch longer than the old. Is that because the new hose was for a 280Z or later model where the filler hose is longer than the one for a 240Z? The new hose is kinked a bit which the pump nozzle runs into when I put gas in the car. Has anyone else run into this? I can fix the kinked filler hose by clamping two flat objects with zip ties onto the left and right sides of the filler hose as when viewed like I am putting gas in the car to squeeze it into an oblong shape but is there a more graceful solution? I don't want to drop the tank to cut an inch off of the filler hose. Any ideas appreciated. Mike Thread where I replaced filler hose: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/open-zcar-discussion/46128-filler-tube-removal-very-early-z-1-1970-molded-lower-flange.html

conedodger, Taz0162, psdenno, Marty Rogan, Thanks for the ideas I will take them to the cars next time I see one. I thought I was resourceful at scrounging parts, some of your ideas I hadn't thought of. There is a 79 280ZX I believe it is in a JY here and I have read they sometimes have the hardened valve seats though I recognize a problem with the head might be the reason the car is in the JY now. Mike

Your mission, should you accept: You are standing in front of a JY right before it opens with tools including an electric or gas angle grinder with a cut off wheel. You are aware that there are several early Z's in the JY, 240s, 260s and 280s. What parts would you grab first (windshield?) because you need them now, they are no longer available or you might need them later either for trading or to give away? Do you grab a head instead of the whole engine because the block isn't subject to failure very often and the head is realtively easy to cart off? I had a similar decision process happen to me. This post will self destruct in 30 seconds. Remember that show mission impossible?

That looks like the car in that Richard Pryor movie where he is blind and his buddy is deaf?

As the ad says, It IS hard to find a car like that in that condition. Last one I saw in that condition was in the JY.