tlorber

I just thought I'd let y'all know that registration is open for this year's Targa California. Here are a couple links: http://www.petrolicious.com/articles/targa-california http://www.nasaproracing.com/event/1583

I know you already bought them, but can you take them back? IMO they are, um.. Not the best looking mirrors for our cars. We have talked about the original mirrors here as well as reproduction "originals" for the passenger's side. My understanding is that a limited run of them are nearly done, and that Motorsport is planning on selling them. You might want to inquire with them whether that is true. If you elect to keep those ones that you bought, start drilling with a small bit and gradually work the size up so that you don't crack the paint.

Grretc, nice find. I'm partial to '73's. I would start with removing all brake cylinders and calipers. Your rear drums are probably seized-you'll need to shoot some lubrancant in there wherever you can and start tapping the drums off from the interior side. Use a wood block for this so that you don't break the drums. I know you want to keep it original, but I would consider removing all smog equipment/egr, clean up the balance tube, and plan on swapping out those carbs for roundtops. The more variables you can remove from the system, the easier the car will be to get running and properly tuned. Make sure all your suspension parts articulate properly and inspect/replace bushings as needed. Good luck on your project.

Here in California I would first check with Department of Motor Vehicles. If the vehicle has not been registered in a long time, it will be out of their system and there will be no back registration fees required. Then it may be a process of holding a lien sale in order to get clear title. There are people that specialize in this-I just spoke with a guy that charges $195 to perform this process. He said it would take 30 days.

As stated above, 225's will FIT on a 7" rim, but they will tend to bow out from it, rather than having a vertical sidewall. This may affect how the tire performs and will affect how it looks. Another thing to keep in mind is that, unless you are putting down significantly more power than stock (which I am not) you may not want as much tread as 225's on the ground. Sometimes it helps to be able to induce a bit of oversteer with the throttle. This becomes more difficult with a low horse motor and a large contact patch. I've been on drives with 911's and 914 6's where guys are running 205's and even 195's and some of these guys drive the absolute s#!t out of their cars without getting sideways.

I periodically shoot the mast with silicone spray while it is extended. Silicone leaves less residue than oil based lubricants=less likely to trap dust and dirt.

If your bosses strip out or break, abs glue and fiberglass fabric are a quick, easy and permanent fix. As far as the screws, from what I remember there are either 3 or 4 different types of screws for the clamshell. I always thought that odd.

Just got back from a 140 mile run. The car ran great. One piece of info I thought I'd pass on; last week I had my front wheels road force balanced. Great results-there is absolutely no wheel shimmy through 100 mph. I did not get above that due to road conditions. I highly recommend this form of balancing and will have it done to my driver as well. Oh yeah, last night (technically before new years) I installed a rocker switch for the antenna mast. I put it in the blank just forward of the ashtray in the center console. It's nice to be able to move the antenna so easily. Happy and healthy new year to all.

Ksechler, if you have not yet put the struts back in, you may want to check the strut inserts for play. I still have a slight clunk, and I believe it is coming from the right rear strut insert. I read a thread somewhere about shimming them, and at some point I'll have to pull it apart in order to do that.

We have a new years day run planned through Angeles Crest. Sorry...

Mike, I thought I'd check to see if you have any emperical data (measured in total dollars of stuff sold or total number of sales) compared to a similar period for the old version, to show whether people are using the classifieds? I rarely use it any more since it takes so long to load and to maneuver around, and when I do go on it only reinforces my frustration, but I'll be the first to admit that I'm a bit old school...from an era when bumpers were chrome, and "blowing a tranny" just meant car trouble.

It is definitely less work to go with the 81-83 tranny, since it will drop right in. I put one into my '73. Yours sounds like it is probably just the baulk rings (synchro rings) that need to be replaced. Parts would be around $150.00 (including bearing and seals) but the labor is a bit intimidating to keep everything in order. Keep in mind that whatever tranny you buy should have the same work done to it before installation-unless you buy one that has been rebuilt. If you plan on really cranking up the horsepower, then you might consider the T5.

Lets keep this list in circulation. http://www.editgrid.com/user/mlwilliams/Z_Car_Registry Granted this is only a fraction but it is a starting point.

http://zzxdatsun.com/catDecals.php

I bought a desulfator called an Infinitum on line. It is intended to remove sulfate crystals that deposit on the lead plates. I have brought back a few batteries that would no longer take a charge. However there have also been some that I could not revive. The sulfating begins when the battery voltage drops below around 12.5. This is why it is important to maintain a charge. The desulfator emits a high frequency pulse that breaks up the crystals and puts them back into solution. It is designed to work either with a charger or when the car is running/charging with the alternator. For me it was worth the $49.00.

Closer inspection of the top picture (next to the windmill) shows it must have been a chilly day. Could have landed the picture in another favorite thread of ours.

Well, hopefully you are done for a while. We haven't had a large one here since 1994, and at every 21 years we've got....zoiks!!! I better get my insurance paid up.

John Voigt owned a Chrysler Le Baron, and that was pretty sought after.

OJ, after all your writeups I find it hard to believe you'd part with that car.

Nice video. Can't believe that one would even turn the key without looking at the oil on a strange car though.

I second the use of SEM. Buying a black set would open up your options immensely. As long as you prep well (I used acetone on mine) the product works very well. The chrome strip IS usually an issue. I used Duplicolor Chrome on mine. It is by no means chrome but it's much better than any other options I tried.

If you want a "classic", you don't have to stray too far-you can always get a roadster. I don't have any great hope of Z's escalating significantly in value but I will offer this: since the cars were sold as budget beaters, I would imagine that there are significantly fewer on the road in proportion to their original numbers, than cars that were harder to get into. So while they were a high volume car, I'd bet that well below half of those made are still around.

My brake booster finally quit on me. So while I was in the process of replacing it, I noticed that the little clip that holds the brake pedal clevis pin in place was missing. This means that the clevis pin could have worked it's way loose at any time-like on a canyon road with a 200 foot drop. Worth the $100.00 just for that knowledge.

I think I'd rather see the rust. It might be time for some clothes that actually fit.

I think I have to go with #4. 5 is somewhat of a restatement of #4. I also like "If it ain't broke, don't break it. If you DO break it, redesign it better."