Gary in NJ

You just can't begin to imagine how big a project a car with cancer can be. The rebuild will be measured in years, not weeks.

I don't think -00400 warrants a premium price. There isn't any historical significance to it's number, it doesn't have any race/owner pedigree - it's just a run-down Series I. To me, it looks like a $2,500-$3,000 car that will require a minimum of $7,500 to $10,000 to get right (with a lot of work sweet equity). The figure could be significantly more if the interior and under pinning are in the same condition as the exterior. I would assume the worst.

While I find the tone abrasive, the information is quite interesting. I agree, no need to slight other members. I too am guilty of being "US-Centric" and enjoy being reminded that the Z's were a world-wide platform for Nissan.

The 240K Wagon is not my cup of tea. The Cider-Z is just off-the-hook cool.

We're all laughing with you, not at you.

I'd fog it. That will require an extensive cleaning to get the smell out, but you will KNOW that all of the little buggers are dead.

From the perspective of a system designer; you are going from a mechanical system with two failure modes (fan clutch & fan belt), to an electrical system with many failure modes (fan belt, thermoswitch, fan motor, wiring harness, connectors, alternator, regulator, to name a few). I'd keep it simple. The OEM system works well for the vast majority of the cars.

The tire size has nothing to do with the attitude of the car and its ground clearance. We have practically the same tires & rims. Look at the attitude of my car and then yours. Some is amiss with your suspension.

In my opinion, it would be more practicable to increase the output of a single alternator. A dual alternator only really makes sense when redundant operation is necessary, like on an aircraft. The bigger question is "why do you need so much cooling capacity?".

Awesome history Kats. Fun to watch and interesting to see.

I say it's worth $500. I can be there in less then 24 hours to bring it home IMO, new this and replacement that doesn't add to the value of a car much. Overall condition, and the amount of effort to get the car correct, is what I am willing to pay a premium. Some things that you find indispensable or an upgrade, such as the electronic ignition, would detract from the value for me because I like using my dwell meter. I prefer "period correct" modifications. You have a good 240 there. If there are many for sale in your area (200 miles) in that condition, I'd venture to guess it's worth $5,000-ish. If the car is rare or hard to find (like here on the east coast) I think you could get more like $7,500. Tough to really tell from a few pictures. In the end, a 40 year old car is worth what someone is willing to pay.

Dave, do you need about 25 or more people to ask?

It depends. How do you drive your car? As a general rule of thumb, a larger diameter exhaust flows better at high rpm, but at the expense of low rpm torque. A smaller diameter exhaust provides good scavenging at low rpm, but becomes the bottle neck to power at high rpm. For those reasons, there isn't a "best" size. For a street car, somewhere between 2.0 and 2.5 will work well on a stock Z motor. If you like to find opportunities to drive at WOT, get the larger exhaust. If you drive below 4000 rpm, with the occasional trip beyond 4000, get something smaller. How do you drive?

260zinsd, Is your car riding high? Does it have the correct springs installed?

With the lights on, yes. Less current is being used to drive the lights (parasitic loss) , so more current is available for other electrical components.

The paint under the grease looks better then the paint on the car. For $6,500 this car looks like in may be in need of a lot of attention.

I have no problem with wanting to be different. The Z I owned in the early 80's certainly fit that description. I just look at it this way; there are so few of these cars left, I hate to see one turned into something that strays too far from its original form. There is just so much beauty and elegance in the design. To me, its sacrilege.

Fuel leak? Is the return not returning to the tank? Do you smell fuel at any time while driving? Assuming you are not driving at WOT, I really can't think of any conditions that would return 7-1/2 mpg.

Why? What is the point of slamming a Z?

Coated headers would be a nice upgrade. If you do go with the manifold, strip out the air injection tubes at the very least.

As my mom use to say, the only stupid question is the one you DON"T ask. The search function is also very useful for stupid questions Welcome to the forums.

Without pictures, it never happened

I keep coming back to the throttle plate shafts. Did you ever actually check them? Did you change anything on the balance tube? It sure does sound like a vacuum leak to me.

When the engine heats up, grab the hoses. The top should be warmer then the bottom but if the bottom is cold, you have a stuck/frozen thermostat or a clog elsewhere in the system. If you suspect the thermostat, you can take the car for a drive without it to confirm it's not the pump or a clogged radiator. You can also check the accuracy of the thermostat by placing it in cool water and bringing towards a boil. Put a thermometer in the water and take note at what temperature it fully opens.

This must be another one of those areas where the 240 and 280 differ. On the 240, the belt circulates the harmonic balancer, alternator and water pump. Tension is adjusted via the alternator mount. If the 280 uses a separate belt tensionor, that could be the source of the squeal.