5thhorsemann

The eastern seaboard is getting roasted lately, yesterday we hit 103 and I had parked the car in the sun after a spirited highway run. Like 15 min. later I got in started fine and off I went, I didn't make it a half a block when she started to go heavy lean so I ducked into a parking lot where it sputtered and died and I drifted into a shady spot and popped the hood. I got a gallon of water and cooled the carbs (twin su r/t's) fuel pump and hard lines. After a little coaxing I got her to start again and got myself to an air conditioned bar. Today its over 100 again, I did a short run to the gas station and the hardware store and back home. I parked in the sun for only 4 or 5 minutes, started it up and a half a block down the road it sputtered and stalled. I did the water trick and off I went. It seems to be that only when she's parked in the sun will she get hot enough to stall. It seems like opening the hood and splashing water on the fuel delivery components is enough to fix the vaporlock, so I'm not that concerned about it. My question to the desert dwellers is, how did you modify your cars to combat the vapor lock issues on your early carburated 240 Z? I did a search and read a bunch of stuff, but vapor lock is a hard search.

That wont work for my hood damage . Look at how the front of the hood is pushed down and caved in at the forward support. The right is before, the left after.

http://www.ground-control-store.com/products/description.php/II=151/CA=191

Julio, what manufacture and code did you use to paint your 72? I love the look and that is the color and finish I want on my 73, Is that the PPG 2 stage metallic, in 901 silver that I am considering?

So, if you don't mind me asking, what was the price range of the hoods you looked at.

Alright, found a 260 grill at a yard sale today, so I got it and a blinker & headlight switch for $33.00. Back to the shop, took the three long slats off of mine and replaced the three short slats on the new one. That gets rid of the holes in the grill from the bumper mounts. Cleaned it up and painted it silver, made a new tag/ blinker mount, and bolted it up. So this took about an hour (plus drying time) and cost lets say $20 bucks to accomplish, I'm a happy horsemann! Man, look at how bad the hood is pushed down, I'd like to find the SOB that hit her.

Yea, I see the door pin wiring, shown as black. I do not see the buzzer, the transmission switch (which buzzes when in gear if the lap belt is not worn) or the seatbelt switch. All of which are blue or green on my 73.

That explains why I can find neither the buzzer or wires in my FSM DIAGRAMS FOR MY 73.

Do a forum search herein, I seem to recall a thread in the past few months thst addresses that problem.

I'm trying to recall, it's been a while, but I THINK they are associated with the door and seatbelt buzzer. Does the car buzz with key in & door open and/ or seat belt off and car in gear?

year & model?

Start the car and while it is at idle pull the fuse or plug on the pump, when the car dies it will have some line pressure, but not alot. Just crack the fittings slowley, you'll be fine.

If you still have the original flat top carbs on the car, that would be my starting point as well.

The US is a big place...............Define Local.

I think, scratch that, I know you will get a better result with a diff swap to get your car "quicker" with alot less work and money. The gear ratios you list above are just going to move the issues you are having from one gear to another, don't you think?

Saw this posted on ebay this am. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320726637419&viewitem=&sspagename=ADME%3AB%3ASS%3AUS%3A1123

The hood has to come off and I might be able to get it strait(er) with hammer, dolly & spoons. It's the worst place on the hood to fix, hands down. As for the cams, that was my first thought. Went to the managers office and I could look right at the lot monitors. That part of the lot is behind a row of trees, couldn't see the car, or the exit behind it. So thats a no go. I guess I will have to keep my eyes open for another hood, maby one with the vent panels (280).

Get your hands on the 260 and 280 wiring diagrams, take them to a local print shop that can blow them up to blueprint size and make a hybird wiring diagram for your car. It aint easy or fast to do a project like this, and you won't be a wiring knob when you are finished. And you will have a record of what you did so you can fix and modify things later. Good luck.

Well, I only made it one day with the new body work before some Mother f@#ker hit the front of the car in a parking lot and split without leaving a note. I know its only a small dent, but it kinked the leading edge of the hood as well as the structural member below. I was parked all alone in the middle of an almost empty grocery store lot. If I ever find this bastard I will return the favor in kind by denting his (or her) nose. This really pisses me off to no end. Can't have anything without someone screwing it up. BTW, even if I HAD the bumper on the car, this butthole would have hit the hood, looks like his bumper overrode the leading edge of the hood, rite in the center too.

Back in action

I welded the fenders, shugar scoops and cowel together and made sheet metal filler panels which also got welded in. Took about a pint of marglaze, and finished with about a pint of featherite. I didnt do the metal glaze yet, that will come when the car gets stripped and painted this winter. Not a bad days work, if I do say so myself.

There are basically two kinds of Z out there, restorable and unrestorable. His is the later, which makes it a candidate for full blown custom. The roof thing is a reach for me, have to see it live to form a real opinion, but not digging the pics. The flairs are cool but the front end is likewise a bit too much for my taste. Looks like a driftard, fast and furrious street racer in the making. Live long and prosper, you might as well get used to the Klingon jokes.

I bought mine on ebay, I read the guys feedback and looked hard at the posted pics to be sure everything was there linkage wise. As I recall, I paid just under $300 without the air box. They are relitively simple to work on, and as long as they are complete you should have no problems.

The flatties are garbage, I picked up a set of used R/T's off of a 72 and bolted them up on my 73 and it was as if God smiled down on the car and healed all its ills. I will bet you anything that it will fix alot of your troubles. If you cant swing the cash for fresh and beautiful ZT carbs, find a set of used for like $300 and clean em up, you will thank yourself in the end. Ditch the smog gear as well, its useless on a 73.

Made an overlay but couldn't get the fill to apply corectly in the plot wireframe, but it should give you a good idea of what I have in mind,