Mike

Are you getting spark? Take the lead off the distributor cap and lay it on the side (near a metal object). Crank the engine and watch to make sure sparks are jumping from the lead to the metal. Next, remove each spark plug (one at a time) and do the same (check for spark at the plug). Do you have spark? If so, let's move to the next idea.

Not yet...

Ah ok. Ya, I checked into that market. I even created a few products, but, their quality wasn't up to par. The Tshirt I ordered was totally screwed after a single washing. But, the coffee mugs are great. I'm trying to get a storefront going and I also have a line on some great polo shirts with an embroidered logo. I met the guy at the MSA show and he's got great stuff. As soon as I get the shirts done I'm going go ask my sister to model them for pictures. We'll start selling them as soon as all of this is done.... [m]

Millimeters.... j/k... Inches.

Sorry, I don't follow. At that market?

I've got a full color image-ready plotter and I would like to know if there is anyone out there who would pay to have a print of their car. How much would you pay for a decent sized (18x24 or even 24x36) poster of your car?

Tokico Illumina Shocks: ----------------------- Looks like most current owners of Tokico Illumina's keep them set on one position most of the time. It doesn't seem to me that these are the kind of things you'll be adjusting often. Disadvantages: 1- Convenience. Don't expect to switch the suspension on the fly. I don't think you'll be able to say, "Oh, hey... look! There's a corner. Let me adjust my shocks." (faint sound of a car screeching to a halt, a door slamming, and the cussing of some guy trying to adjust his shocks on the side of the 2-lane coast highway) - Probably won't happen. 2- Price. These things are spendy. Average price is $50 more than a "nice" performance shock. They usually run anywhere from $110/ea to $150/ea. Average performance shocks (non-adjustables) will run anywhere from $70 to $90 (or so). 3- Stiffness. Sounds like these shocks are pretty stiff even on their lowest setting. Again, these are my findings and not my facts. I have not purchased shocks yet. 4- Comparisons. It's tough to compare these shocks to other shocks because suspension performance isn't JUST in the shocks. Advantages: 1 - Flexibility. I'll be able to get the performance of at least three different responses (yes, they are 5-way adjustables). Therefore, since one can't go out and buy all the shocks that they want. It might be safest to buy the adjustables and pick a setting. If you buy one shock. You're stuck. 2- Adjustable. They are adjustable. So, if you're going to take a fun ride, pull the car into the garage, and tweak 'em up to full strength. Then go out and have fun! 3- Price. It's a lot cheaper to buy one set instead of 2-3 sets of other shocks that don't quite do it for you. 4- Comparisons. I also have this in my advantage list because IMHO it's a lot safer to buy an adjustable shock and know that you got the best. Your other route is to buy the non-adjustable and HOPE that it's what you want. At least you have a way to "tune" the adjustable shock to what you like. Conclusion: Buy the adjustable if you have the $$. If you want to save money then buy a Tokico non-adjustable. I understand that the non-adjustable Tokico is about midway between soft and hard on the adjustable. Again, this is not from experience. Just hearsay - I've talked to a lot of people about shocks. If you don't have the cash. You'll have to check into a comparison done between different non-adjustable brands. This comparison is to clear up "MY" findings between adjustable and non-adjustable while considering price/performance/and so on. Keep in mind that adjustables might be too firm. They are made for performance. If you want a smooth ride and good performance, look into replacing the bushings and/or springs. -- Mike Gholson

I must say that riding a motorcycle also increases your awareness of how vehicles handle the road as well as the ability of others. I mean, in order to stay alive on a motorcycle, you must be alert and ready to anticipate the actions of others'. I wish more people knew how to do this in a car.

Here's a post about the COLORTUNE equipment available for your Zcar. This was sent to our 240z mailing list. Eric, It would be easy to say, ' whatsa matter U, can't you read English?', BUT we Americans do not speak the King's English and haven't a chance at figuring out some of the British expressions. Don't panic. In a nutshell, the Colortune kit will fit your car. Colortune page from ipdusa.com If you will go to the ipdusa.com hyperlink, you will see a picture of all the parts to the kit. The small spark-plug shaped piece has the same threads as the plug holes on your Z. The six-sided hex pattern on the "spark plug" is 14 mm. The black stovepipe hat looking piece is the "spanner adapter collar" you fit over the top of the Colortune plug and then you may use a standard 13/16 spark plug wrench (spanner) to snug the Colortune down. Don't worry about breaking the plastic, as it is a snug fit with the 13/16 socket AND, more importantly, you don't need to power torque the plugs. Most cars have plug torque values around the 10-18 lb-ft.range. l Forget about the adapter. You will not need it for your Z. If you have a motorcycle, too, ask the IPD boys about the adapters when you call. I don't speak motorcycle, and I don't anything about them. Good luck to you. You will like the Colortune. It is not as precise as an exhaust gas analyzer, but it is also only about one-third the price of a cheap (and I don't mean inexpensive) gas analyzer. Let your Z club members all chip in for an analyzer, or just sweet talk the motor vehicle inspector into letting you adjust the mixture with your Colortune in and his pipe stuck up your exhaust. Then you will know the precise color with the best burn. Bob Sloan Orange Park, FL 1963 Sunbeam Alpine owner The two sites currently have the same price, but IPD may not be raising their price like your site shows come 1 Aug. Do me a favor and mention my name if any of you club members deal with IPD. I have purchased bits from them for over 28 years now! It is a first rate operation.

By Royal Ford, Globe Staff, 7/7/2002 knew they were out there, lurking on Web sites, spreading fact, rumor, hope, and promise - all surrounding the rebirth of a sports car. They are the fans of the Nissan/Datsun Z car, the fabled sports car that first came to these shores in 1970 as the Datsun 240Z, evolved over the years into the Nissan 300ZX, was ''retired'' in 1996, and is now making a much anticipated comeback next month as the 2003 Nissan 350Z. What I didn't know was that when I got the chance to climb into a pre-production 350Z and drive it around for five days, they'd come running (literally) out of the showroom and backshops of a local Nissan dealership when I rolled in; that young tuners in hot foreign cars would follow me into parking lots for a chance to gaze upon the 350Z; or that word of my possession of the car would spread like Internet wildfire through the ranks of Z fans. Never have I received so many e-mails before I have even written about a car. God bless those Z-aniacs! And bless them, Nissan has, with the 350Z, one burbling, stiff, balanced, rear-wheel drive, high-powered, true-to-its-roots sports car. It returns as a two-seat coupe, with a convertible due early next year. Its powerplant is basically the same as found in the Infiniti G35, where it delivers 260 horsepower. It is an aluminum block, 3.5-liter, DOHC powerplant with continuous variable-valve timing and Molybdenum-coated pistons. Good news for Z fans is that, with a tweaked intake system and freer flowing dual exhaust, the 350Z has 287 horsepower and 274 lb.-ft. of torque. It's not the 315 horsepower rumored on some Web sites, but, I assure you, it's plenty to rock you back in your seat and propel the 3,188-pound car from 0 to 60 in less than six seconds. And this is before anybody chips one out or further tunes it. More good news is the pricing: $26,269 to $34,079. Already, before a complete production car has rolled off the assembly line, more than 7,000 people have placed orders for the 350Z (expected sales in the first year: 30,000). And, in more good news for Z-aniacs, there's not much price-gouging going on. If a dealer asks more than the sticker price, shop around. You'll find one who isn't. That's a great thing for such a hot car. Its engine and exhaust deliver a basso burbling note, acceleration is pin-you-in-your-seat quick from the get-go, and at around 3,000 rpms a torque band climbs before your eyes. In third gear at 60 miles per hour, a stomp of the gas pedal will put you right back in your seat. The 350Z comes with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission with manual option. I drove the six-speed briefly and found it superior to the automatic. That's partly because of my bias toward standard transmissions in high-performance cars, but it's also because the manual option on the automatic in my five-day test car would not deliver the downshifts I asked for at higher speeds. The six-speed was a relatively tight gearbox, while the automatic five-speed liked to shift up before redline. The 350Z turned out to be a smooth cruiser on the highway, whipping out to pass, charging swiftly ahead, and sitting brick flat in lane changes. In hard cornering on tortuous back roads it had an assuring neutral feel with only the slightest sense of body roll. There was no understeer, and only with traction control switched off could I induce any sense of powered oversteer. The car felt rail stiff in a good way, transmitting steering feedback and passing on even the slightest imperfections in the pavement in a noticeable, yet not jarring, way. The result was great feel and a sure sense of what the car was up to. It has that stiff crispness that I like in a true sports car and, by positioning motor mounts behind the front axle, Nissan has given the 350Z a 53/47 front-to-rear weight ratio. The suspension underpinning all this is a four-wheel independent, muiltilink system with stabilizer bars front and rear, strut tower bar up front and, in the rear, an integrated strut tower brace. Brakes are 11.5-inch discs with ABS. Limited slip differential and traction control are options. If anything will prove controversial about the 350Z it will be its looks - but that's because everybody's conception of what the new Z should look like is so personal. People who approached me said, correctly, that they saw traces of the Lexus SC 430, the Audi TT, or the Porsche Boxster in the Z's new lines. I like the bulging fenders, the sloped roof, even the vertical, forward-tugging door handles at the rear edges of the doors. I found the flat grille a bit too blunt and would have preferred something with a pronounced scoop to it. Inside, the 350Z is modern, efficient, and clean, with nice retro touches. A large analog speedometer centers a cluster of three gauges (speed, tachometer, temperature/fuel) behind the steering wheel, while three other gauges, in a touch right out of the 240Z, sit atop center dash, angled at the driver. These display speed in digital form, oil pressure, and voltage. I would have put the tachometer over there, beside the speedo, and relegated the voltage gauge to a less prominent spot. The bucket seats are flat, firm, and well-bolstered. Even sitting as low as those seats are positioned, visibility out the front is expansive. Rear views are another matter, as bulky C-pillars (needed for stiffness, I'm sure) block angled views and the rear window reveals itself in the mirror as a narrow slit. You'll need faith in your outside mirrors when driving the Z. Storage space in the front of the cockpit is minimal - small slots in the door panels, no glovebox. Instead, a covered storage area rests behind the passenger seat, and a small, covered slit suitable for documents or a pair of sunglasses is in the lower-rear wall behind the bucket seats. The trunk is huge for a two-seater, though it is bisected by that support strut (nicely topped with a large Z visible through the rear glass). At posted prices (they climb as leather, power seats, traction control, limited slip differential, front and rear spoilers, side-impact protection, and other goodies are added, model by model) the 350Z is an economical, bold challenger to the BMW Z3, Porsche Boxster S, and Honda S2000, and is a good step up for those leaving behind their Mazda Miata, Mitsubishi Eclipse, or Toyota Celica GTS. And yes, Nissan will offer its own line of high-performance add-ons for the tuner set. Nice Touch: The automatic, slight up-and-down movement of the windows when doors are opened and closed. Prevents eardrum-rattling air compression and is usually found on far more expensive cars. Annoyance: The navigation system. Did not include roads I'm used to seeing on navigation sytems. Looking back at the Z While you're awaiting the arrival of the 350Z in dealer showrooms, you might want to take a look back at the roots of the car. Your chance comes July 13 when the Z Car Club of New England holds a judged car show at the National Guard Armory in Manchester, N.H., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Around 200 Zs are expected and admission for spectators is free (you'll have to pay to enter your Z). To get there, take I-293 north through Manchester. Take the Amoskeag Bridge exit, bear right, go straight over the bridge, take a right on Elm Street, and then your first right to the armory. Royal Ford can be reached at ford@globe.com.

Hey Ben, Give us a picture of your new jets as soon as they arrive. I'd like to see a comparison between the two.

No real info on those wheels, sorry. They came on my roadster and had some pretty rusty wire mesh hubcaps. Ugly as hell. I put new wheels on the roadster, so, these things came over to the Z as I run it through the restoration process. Did yours have wire mesh hubcaps over the black areas as well?

Nope, I haven't removed anything... :cheeky:

You'll have to be a little more specific. I've had 2-3 sets of rims on that car over the years. You're not talking about thse are you?

Here's an example of my 280z 2+2 at a decent angle. Bigmac also has a pretty nice 260z 2+2. CLICK HERE to see his ride.

I think that "at certain angles" the 2+2 looks pretty damn good. Although, I favor the design of the 2-seater early Z's, the 2+2 isn't that ugly. I mean, c'mon.... have you seen other cars on the road? It's still a classic Z!! The ZX on the other hand... is just an ugly pig.

Hi Alex, I just now saw your post!! Umm... my rims were manufactured by Boyd. I purchased them at a local Les Schwab tire dealer (a pretty big franchise in the Pacific Northwest region). I don't know much about the rim besides the manufacturer's name. I did manage to find their website, but, I think my wheels are pretty old (not supported or sold anymore). http://www.bcoddingtonwheels.com/main.html

Eric, Check one more thing for me. Did you remember to put the rotor back in the distributor? Been there. I'm skeptical because you are getting absolutely NO kick over at all. Remember to check for the basic necessities. How about starting fluid? If you squirt some of that in the intake, does it try to sputter up? It should. If it doesn't then you have some other problems. Timing is also key here. If the distributor isn't kicking a spark to the cylinder at the right time then it just won't work. This might be difficult to do, but, set all of the spark plugs out of the engine on a table next to your Z. Don't disconnect them, but, try to crank the engine and look for the proper firing order. I don't remember it off the top of my head, but, it might be 1,5,3,6,2,4. Please double-check that. Oh, one more thing, pull the fuel supply hose and crank the engine... does fuel shoot out of the hose? When you're done with this whole thing... you'll realize that it's the SIMPLEST answer. So, don't go out and buy anything new parts yet. PS: I also agree with Alan and think 1.25 turns out might not be enough to get it started. Try to loosen them another turn. It might be too much, but, maybe they aren't working right? Just an idea.

It's to keep him out when the wife gets mad.

Also check all of your electrical connections to make sure you are getting low voltage through the system. I've accidentially disconnected a single wire at my resistor and the whole car wouldn't start. Of course, you did say that you have spark. So, that might not be your troubles. Go back to the basics. 1) Fire (electrical) 2) Air 3) Fuel Does it just continue to spin over or does it try to kick every now and then? If it doesn't kick at all then you are missing one of the 3 key components above. Because if there's fuel in the cylinder, then the spark will ignite something. Put it this way... fuel is getting TO your webbers, but, is it going from the webbers into the engine? Have you ever worked with Webbers before? PS: You'll want to check into getting a heat shield to help reflect the heat away from the bottoms of your webbers. The heat from the headers can get pretty hot and it just rises up and will affect the performance of your carbs.

Zed, what exactly is this kind of racing? Got any picts?

What if they don't wear pants at all?

Rolf, Have you tried Amazon.com?

I'm not sure if it exists or not. I know we have the little street rallies every now and then. But, for some reason I don't think the off road rally races exist over here. Someone (in the original thread I starte) told me about a club in the Pacific Northwest. I'll have to check them out. But, I know nothing about rally racing at this point. Maybe I'll see if I can find a 240z so I can race it.

Here's a message I just received about the event. Z's By the Bay http://zfest.org August 4th Fremont Ca For those of you are ZCar Enthusiasts, we wanted to let you know about an upcoming event in August. One that Zdriver.com along with ClubZ will be hosting. The event will be held August 4 at Ohlone College in Fremont, CA (Northern California). There will be awards, guest speakers (Such as Andy Craig 4 time SCCA National Champion), designated area for a swap meet, and a good possibility of the 350Z being present, and G35Coupe.We are estimating 300+ Cars showing up for this event from stock to highly modified cars it will be one event you will not want to miss! Also for those of you who have never been to the Bay Area to do some site seeing now is a great chance, with places such as The Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz both in San Francisco or take a short trip south to Monterey and Carmel and visit the infamous 17mile drive where the Pebble beach golf course is located, north to visit the wine country of Napa Valley. (So bring the Family) An online registration form has been set up on http://zfest.org so please pre register and make it out to event if you can. This event it open to all Z's 510s and roadsters Lastly, we need your help getting the word out about the show. This will hopefully turn into an Annual event however we cannot do it without the help and support of the Nissan and Datsun community so please spread the word. For those of you making the trip up there is a Howard Johnson right across the street from the show. Rooms are limited so call (510) 656-2366 and book a room before they fill up. We hope to Zya all there! Yuichi Kurosawa and Kyle Jester