Patcon

I have also never left the glass in with the regulator out. I usually take the glass out first. Then the window frame

What centers the wheel on a Datsun? The hub bore or the lug nuts? I had always thought the lug nuts centered the wheel. If thats the case the hub or wheel could be relieved so it sits flush. If thats not the case then it gets tougher and the machining needs to be more precise

I would think permanent use is not a good idea

Thats worth a try

Valve seals on #4 have been replaced

I guess part of my suspicion is based on the fact that the #4 plug doesn't foul unless it's idled too long. If there was a ring problem then you would expect to see more of it off idle when the vacuum is higher in the motor. Or smoking on acceleration or deceleration. So if it's not a ring problem and the valve seals have been successfully replaced then I would look at what hasn't been replaced. I believe the only thing that hasn't been touched is the dizzy and the pertronix... It could be cam related but that seems like a stretch. I guess all the lobes could be mic'd to verify but still seems like a long shot Jalex, Did you physically move the shaft around in the dizzy? It needs to be more than a visual inspection.

Is a gear reduction starter available new from Nissan? Looks like the the 280zx starter is 23300-N5903. Looks like it's pretty hard to find. There is a newer part number that looks to be a reman 23300-N5903R Ferg, maybe you could find one in Japan or Europe when you travel or have another pilot look for you

I don't have anything to contribute directly to the question but it does make think about the current attitudes towards repowering or increasing power in these cars. I think many people approach these cars and think they want 4, 5 or 600 horsepower. What they fail to keep in mind is this is an old light beer can of a car. It's not a modern 4 or 5000# car. It will move along nicely with 250hp and really move with 350hp. There's no real need for more than that you'll just break stuff or damage the chassis. Providing you can get it to hook up...

You've done valve seals and touched almost every other external aspect of this engine. If it were mine, I would replace the dizzy, plug wires and coil. If that doesn't fix the issue then it pretty much has to be internal to the engine

Replacing the dizzy and pertronix is easier than building an engine

I worked on the second quarter window some today. This is the remnants of one of the corner seals. The old glass seal was crispy I also got the proper bolts into the axle adapters The stub axle side is 17mm 10.9's and the differential side are 22mm 10.9s. You can see in this picture the difference in length I have the quarter windows most of the way done today.

Yes! So I guess the second picture is probably the more correct where it laps up onto the window frame?

I have a question about the lower quarter windows seals. How do they go on? I can't find any images of them installed.

It would be interesting to see some posts or a thread about restoring the latch mechanism including the rubber bits and how they install Also that link doesn't take me Mark's relevant post but to the first page of his build thread Nevermind, depending on where you select changes where you end up

So yesterday I was home early and Shelley ran me off to the shop to make some progress. So I worked on the drivers axle some more... Here is the end of the axle. Very tapered and no burrs. So I unbolted the top of the strut and layed it down out of the way. I put the adapter plate on and beat on it some to dome the grease cap out some to give me a little more room I put a some grease on the snap ring in the differential and tried to work it around some. The I took the 3# dead blow hammer and I got it to seat. The bolts that go in from the stub axle side just barely fit I got it all in and aligned. I does sort of bind at full droop, but if you lift the hub a couple of inches it has some play in it. I am not sure if the tulip on the inboard end is reversible. At this point I'm moving on. I will double check once the car is down on it's wheels and revisit it if it becomes a problem.

Have you tried asking them directly?

One more

Here is a dwg Datsun LSD brace.dwg

Post #415, pg 35; post #500, pg 42; #541, pg 46, #544, #569

Well done

I will look for it

There is an aluminum after market part that is available to replace that cross member. I tried to find it real quick but I didn't see it. Or you could modify the rear cross member the way I did in my build thread

All of the reproduction bumpers are stainless steel I believe. Group Harrington(?) from the UK might be the exception to that. I have a set of repop stainless bumpers. They're ok but seem to be soft and scratch easily. Hard chrome is much more scratch resistant. On a car built to this level, I would want chrome.

The end of the shaft is very conical. I'm thinking there's some other issue

I did try that. I used a 2" Rolok brilo pad and smoothed the end a little bit and made sure there were no lips. I used grease too. Still no luck... I'm not sure I can get the clip out of the diff. It's pretty far in there. Maybe 4-5"s. I had thought about getting it out and seeing if the axle would go in then, but again, not sure I can get it out.