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So, I have been busy test-fitting various parts on my Z again. To set the alignment of the hood and fenders properly, I had all the hood hardware spacers, dampers and rubbers installed. Next on the to-do list was the rear hatch damper, so I can work on the hatch without having that temporary wood rod as a not-so-safe hatch holder. Wile both dampers I had were still working nicely, the mounting brackets were worn out on both and both had missing or cracked plastic / Teflon spacers. So after I got everything straight and assembled a temporary setup (I still need to find a good set of those plastic spacers). I finally had it all installed. Works perfect. It seems like that little-bit of extra-tension from the damper is required to have the hatch aligned properly with the roofline. I didn't expect the damper itself would already fix the alignment, but I'm happy it does. Now I only need to finalize sanding on the trunk spoiler and bring back the holes for the spoiler emblems. I also need to find a good rear bumper to test fit it. Mine both had a decent hit and are way too wonky to use them for test-fitments. Then, some people were suspicious about that extra sheet metal on my transmission tunnel (I have the updated body version from 1972, but still the early A-transmission, so I suspect they added that sheet metal to cover the hole?). Even though it's the original transmission of this car, it made me want to test fit it, just to be sure it all fits, before i paint the shell. So i had to assemble parts of the transmission first. Mainly the gear selector with the shift rod mechanism. For simplicity, I only used the center section of my FS5C71A five-speed transmission, because that's fine to test fit it. So I added the transmission bracket with the rubber insulator to it. And installed (Bolts only temporary, as usual - please ignore). And here we go. I can shift in all directions without hitting anything. But it's still a bit close to the front. I need to check if I put the directional insulator between the transmission and the mounting bracket in the right direction. And since I had an original center console lying around from my recent center console comparison i put it in there, just for fun's sake. Even though it's all only temporary test-fitting, it's really fun and nice to see all the bits and pieces come together nicely. I have already prepared some next steps on the interior, so stay tuned for another update soon.

Yesterday I got another bunch of NOS parts for my project, straight from the Nissan Stocks: Fuel tank sensor / sender Mounting ring and O-ring, plus the timing cover gasket. Front and rear bumper rubbers, Inspection lid foam rubber pieces and rubber seals Various spark plug wire brackets Hood bumpers, Hood stoppers and inspection lid rubber bumpers Window crank fasteners, Engine tube hose clamps and some heater panel knobs And last but not least, I also got a Swiss 260Z 2+2 brochure, which i for whatever reason didn't have in my collection yet: I also did some actual work on the car again, so stay tuned for another update, soon.

I've collected some parts again recently, so it's time for another update full of random bits and pieces. Reader RIP260Z pointed out that the Pump diaphragm is missing in the American Mikuni rebuilt kits which I got recently, but are included in the Japanese Mikuni rebuild kits. Luckily, I was able to find a guy in Japan who sells all OEM Mikuni / Solex parts individually, and I ordered plenty of parts, that were still available - Including the Pump diaphragms and many wear and tear parts like springs, etc. Speaking of Mikunis, I also found an original Japanese Solex NPHH44 service manual. I had a Copy of it before, but this is an original one, which is very nice to have :-) And on the left side, you can see an original German PHH44 manual. This is a completely different manual for the original Solex PHH44. Those were used on the NSU TT and TTS and the BMW E10, 2002, etc. if I'm not mistaken. The manual is quite useless, as the NPHH44 Mikunis / Solex don't have too much in common with these, but nevertheless it's cool to have a reference to the "original" design of these, with some German explanations. The explanation of the working principle in the German book is really cool, with all those hand-drawn graphics. The biggest part of the various deliveries was this Center console: It's made by VintageDashes in the USA. After he explained how he made it and so on, I decided to give it a try, despite the big price-tag. So far it looks very promising, but i have to check the details. I will compare it with the OEM console and the one from ResurrectedClassics which i also have in stock, soon. I found another Datsun Switzerland pricelist. This time from February 1978. As usual, I scanned them all in high-resolution, and you can download my whole collection here, for free. And then another useless, but cool part. The Eaglemoss-spareparts box. Which belongs to the kit, but sadly was missing in my set. If you want to know more about the eaglemoss 1/18 Fairlady set --> read here, and here. Aside from 2 empty binders (for the magainzes) and the original tool-pouch, my set is pretty much complete, now :-) I already have the next bunch of parts waiting in Japan, a delivery from Nissan directly, and I've worked a bit on the car too and did some research, so you can expect more updates again in a few days. Oh, and I also got a free heavy-duty grinder for my workshop, and cleaned / restored it a bit this week. If this is your kind of thing, then read the full story here.

I'm having a good pace currently and making some small progress almost daily. Currently, I'm test-fitting all the items so that they can go back to the bodyshop for final adjustment and panel-gap correction etc. The first thing I wanted t install were the rear quarter windows, but I quickly realized that some areas needed rework. Some time in the history of this Z, someone bent one of the mounting brackets heavily, so I had to get it straight again... And after spending 2 hours or so fixing various small details, the rear quarter windows finally went in, and fit perfectly: While working on it, i noticed the doors didn't fit properly. The reason? The door locking mechanisms were not installed. So the door was either not closed properly, or pushed too much inside. Before: And after. To get the mechanism in, i had to remove the upper door window frames out again. But that was a quick task. And on the opposite side, the locking counterpart went in. So now the doors can lock secure, are in the correct position for panel gap and body-line adjustments and are also safe for transportation and moving around, without the risk of the doors open by themselves. Next i got a bunch of O-rings and circlips for the rear differential, stub axles, handbrakes, etc. which were recommended to me by @Mymechanics (Great YouTube channel, if you haven't checked it out yet!) The next steps are already in preparation, I got some upgrades for my Workshop and have some more parts on the way, so stay tuned for another update soon

I spent some hours in the Garage again and got some tasks checked off my to-do list. First, I started to test-fit the taillight panels: So I was able to get the installation holes back into the replacement rear panel: Where the plastic rivets go. Luckily, I have a few for reference: It took me a while, but in the end, all worked out. I have to say, after studying a bunch of original, unrestored cars, those Panels are quite poorly aligned from the factory, and with a few adjustments to the rear hatch lock panel, they could have made this much more appealing, but at the end I wanted to have it looking OEM. After that, I installed the taillights too, just to see if it all lines up. Which, luckily, it does. Note that the panels are not properly locked into the brackets here, why it all looks "wobbly": While at it, I decided to also install the hatch locking mechanism, so that the hatch has the correct height. I own a set of NOS locks. But decided for testing the old ones will do. As usual, bolts / nuts are only temporary and might be the wrong ones, so please ignore those. The lower one was a bit tricky. I realized the space in the aftermarket panel is not big enough for the lock to fit through it. After a bit of hammering, though, it fits now. Still needs a bit of adjustment, though, as it seems the punches are not lined up properly with the bracket: While working in that area, I realized that this corner is also not straight. So I got that straight too. (Picture shows "before" state): In the end, I'm quite satisfied with how things fit. It's still all just temporary and needs a bit of adjustment and proper fitting here and there, but for the first mock-up, things at least fit, without discovering major issues: You might have noticed that the "chrome" (I think it's stainless steel?) taillight panel trim is missing. I had them removed before paint strip dipping, because the previous owner painted them black. Luckily, the paint could easily be chipped off with a carpet knife: And then I gave it a bit of polish with my "Metarex" metal polish wool: It still needs a bit of work here and there, but the first results after a few minutes of manual work are promising: Then I had to test-fit the door steps (or whatever you call those) back, as the replacement panels came without the holes to install them: So I had them test-fitted: And then got the holes and screws back in. Note it might look crooked, but that's just the reflection of the protective plastic i left there to avoid scratches on the new panels: I hope I can keep up the current pace. It's really nice to see things coming back together, even if it's only temporary.

Thanks for the input. No, those were not included in the kit and from what I know those are prone to wear and tear, so I guess i have to source them separately. Let's see where I can find them 🙂

I Just came back from the workshop (more on that in the coming days), and realized I never posted about my recent purchases. Firstly, a set of L-series Factory Service Manuals in German language: The Lot also included a German training manual for Nissan OEM Register carbs. Mainly of the A-series and L4 Engines, but also of the L6 of the C230, etc. Not relevant to my project, so I'm going to sell it. The Lot also included the Service bulletin N0. 201 "modification of the 260Z 2+2, One which was missing in my collection of S30 bulletins yet: I also got the last piece of the puzzle to complete my Datsun Special tool wall. The Kent-moore ST-351-00000, for the front axle. I had it before, but the handle was missing, and now i found a complete one: Then I also got a bunch of Mikuni Performance Carburetor gasket rebuilt Kits Z70-1044, which should be the correct ones to rebuild my recently acquired PHH44 S5 Carbs Today I also got the US Market 1972 FSM, which should be the almost correct one for my model. I recently realized I had only a very early 1969 version and then later S30 generations ones, but never one close to my actual build. And then you can never have enough Factory documentation 🙂 The seller also had a bunch of OEM parts, so while buying anyway, I decided to throw in a set of NOS Hood bumpers in the order: I've been busy working on the car myself in the recent days, so expect more updates on the project soon.

I did not only buy plenty of stuff for the project recently, but also spent some time tinkering around on the actual project itself. The first task was to install the S30.World fuel tank together with the recently acquired S30.world fuel tank installation kit. To prevent the shiny tank from scratches, I wrapped everything in plastic. And after finding the right technique to hold up the tank while installing the mounting straps, i finally had it installed. Fitment is just like the original one, and it looks great together with the NISMO / Competition electric fuel pump and bracket: Next on the list was to install the fuel filler neck protection plate in the RH rear fender arch. The fitment of this reproduction item was somehow not right, so I had to bend it a bit, first. After a bit of trial and error and drilling some holes, I'm quite happy with the results (As usual, the used bolts are temporary for mock-up only!): Another test fitment was required for the front under panel / splash guard thing: I have to admit it fits really well. The only problem i discovered is that on the replacement NOS frame rails on the RH side, the threads / holes to install the under panels are missing. Most probably because they came from a later 260Z or something. Overall, I'm happy with the progress and my to-do list gets smaller with every day. Unfortunately, with every bit of work I carry out, I find one or two small problems that need to be corrected. So while my list gets smaller, the body shop list gets bigger. Nothing that can't be fixed, and I think I have a good plan for the next project. Recently, i also bought a collection of original (mostly european) Datsun / Nissan Colour and fabric sample charts. I scanned them all in High-resolution and you can download them all for free, here. they include all random type of Datsun / Nissan cars from the 70ies and 80ies, but also the Z's and ZX's.

In the recent days, I picked up various items again, which I bought recently for my project: The elephant in the room is obviously the all original KM1520-ZC AM / FM Radio. It's a bit rough around the edges. Just perfect for a restoration. In case you don't know. Restoring old audio systems, including Car HIFI, from that era was my profession for many years, so this one will be fun for me to get nostalgic. It's said to be in working condition and complete. Let's see. Then i also got an original June 1972 Datsun Switzerland dealer price list. I had it scanned, and you can download it HERE among many other price-lists from that era. One delivery also included an original NOS 240Z rear drum brake cylinder. I had several from the other side, but this side was somehow always missing. Now I have a complete pair: I also aqcuired a bunch of Japanese "Car graphic" Magazines from the early 70ies, when the Z was new, and those issues include a few nice details of the Fairlady Z and Z432 development. On the right side, you also see a Nismo accessory catalogue and sticker from the 10th anniversary, which I will put next to my 10th anniversary steering wheel and shift knob: And then i got something cool, which is a bunch of photos and two CD's full of Photos from a nice bloke. Some photos will be very cool, and I'll post the story about a certain barn full of S30's from Switzerland in the coming weeks on this blog. If you read the story about Aerotechnik. A Swiss Datsun parts dealer that quickly became one of the countries biggest wholeseller for wheels and exhausts, you might remember this photo. Now i even haven an original of that Schaffhausen-plated (SH) red 300ZX. Read more about that story here I have some more cool deliveries pending, so stay tuned for some nice stories and parts here. and oh, i also had some progress on the Car itself, which i'm going to show you soon! Today I was finally able to close another big gap in my documentation archive. The Nissan L-Drive and R-Drive Parts catalogues: There are various versions of the Parts catalogues, the L-Drive (Publication No. C-0010L) is for the Left-Hand-drive cars and the R-Drive (Publication No. C-0010R) is for RHD cars. Totally, I have no three versions. From what I understand, the dealerships once got the original Binder in the early years and then constantly got updated sheets to add or replace. That's why you can see varying years and models on the back of the binder. The Left one and center one are new, the R-Drive on the right is one I bought from the UK a while ago. I have seen other versions, which are probably even rarer, but for me, this will do. So what is it exactly? Well, it's basically the early print versions of the parts catalogue, which were later also available as Microfiches, in smaller book form, or as digital version on Nissan FAST / E-FAST disks, etc. Today these are all available online. But in my opinion this is still the best readable version due to its size and quality of print, and the most detailed version of them all. The cool thing is that I now have one of the versions with the original seat leather samples on it, which only was in specific versions of the manual, and is something quite cool, if you ask me. So, again another year-long search for something very specific comes to an end, and I'm happy to close that task too. These books will again help me to clarify some details and to do my research on the various topics. Also, the pages are easier to scan to show on different topics here on the website, since the pages can be removed individually from the binder. So sooner or later, all you readers will benefit from this, too :-). Now on to search the even rarer stuff...

I'm not sure if those special springs had any markings on it. Either way, the spring part number for Left and Right is the same (see catalogue pages above) and the fronts are much shorter (171,5mm), so it's in my opinion definitive a rear spring, which is shorter than factory specs, for whatever reason. My guess is that they had set the adjustable suspension for a strong compression (low car position) for a long time, for whatever reason, which caused one to become more compressed. I checked the winding-counts and they're the same. I don't know how these springs have been stored over the last years, but either that, or have race use caused that. But I might be wrong.

Quick update on my previous suspension post: The catalogue says the free length of the rear springs is originally 205,5mm. To figure out if they're originals, I measured the length of both rear springs (the fronts are still installed on the struts). Surprisingly, they have different lengths. One is around the original 205 millimeters. The other one however is more like 109 millimeters. I'm now wondering if this is due to mechanical wear? Or if those probably aren't originals? I know for e.g. on my Honda adjustable suspension that it dropped by 1-2cm's in the first years after installation, even without heavy race use. My guess is that you won't feel any huge difference once those springs are installed and compressed, unless an experienced racer uses it on track, so I'm not sure if I should give it a shot as it is, or if they need replacement? Luckily, I still have plenty of time to figure that one out.

Thank you all for your comments regarding the suspension and the carb restoration. I have some good ideas now how to proceed. Vapor or dry-ice blasting seems to be a good solution. For the moment, they will remain in the box until i completed some other projects. So a few days ago, I got this delivery of a Nissan Factory adjustable Competition / Sports option / NISMO suspension set, and I finally found the time to do the research. First some Details, I got the two sets (front and rear) from two different sellers in JP, and it's a lucky coincidence that they actually fit / belong together. The Part numbers are: Front: 54303-E4622 & 54302-E4622 (Atsugi) Rear: 55303-E4622 & 55302-E4622 (AMPCO) On all four strut housings, each of the two platforms / adjustment rings are adjustable in height, and none is fixed, like they are on some other kits. I assume that those sets were made by both Atsugi and AMPCO, that's why they have two different brands stamped on them, as most factory suspension for the Z was available from both suppliers at the same time. The suspension set is listed in the January 1978 US sports option catalogue as "Gas variable type" and you can also see the Spring length of 171,5mm (front) and 205.5mm (rear). The same set is also listed in both Marc and September 1978 Japanese sports option catalogues. It is also mentioned that those parts are approved for Group 3 / closed circuit racing and are harder than the factory suspension setup and allows you to lower the car. The older race and rally preparation manual still lists the predecessor with the end numbers -E4621. Please note that the springs remained the same -E4621, even with the new -E4622 suspension. As the older -E4621 is also listed in the March 1976 Competition parts catalogue, my guess is that this kit was introduced around in 1976 or 1977. According to Alan Thomas, the term "gas filled" refers to a system where the "open design" dampers are oil-filled but gas-charged to help stop the oil from foaming during heavy race use. Unfortunately, the previous owner opened the rear suspension and now that gas is gone. See here for more details on the open / cartridge strut inserts comparison: https://www.jdmjunkies.ch/wordpress/2017-01-19/240z-the-ultimate-guide-to-factory-suspension-and-options/. According to Alan, there are companies that add a threaded hole to the upper strut section with a valve, so you can add gas again later. But he also mentioned, that the Gas is only really required for heavy race use and it will work without it. Alan was also kind enough to share this photo of the factory gas filling setup / tool. To be honest, i don't really know how it works but it looks nice 🙂 You may have noticed that the front struts came with these additional aluminum spacer disks. According to the above competition manuals (Part no 12), those were used on two-seaters built after 1974 and all four-seater cars, but they were meant to be used on the Rear suspension of the car. It appears that people used them also in the front to gain additional ride height. The competition manual mentions that they are made from aluminum (which mine are) and are 20mm thick. I quickly measured the thickness, and it appears I was lucky to get a free set of probably rare Nissan competition spacers included with my suspension. Remember that mystery adjustable suspension I bought a while ago? I never figured out which car it belongs to. It seems it's not listed in any of the competition / NISMO / Sports option catalogues i found. But now, i finally got to compare them, and it appears that it's definitely not for the 240Z / Fairlady Z. (Left = Mystery, right = 240Z) The length of the strut housing, the length of the thread, the strange upper mounts, and most obviously the brake caliper / brake dust protection shield mounts are completely different. Also, the mystery set got an integrated switch to adjust some settings. Lower = mystery, Upper = 240Z: Since the mystery set is quite incomplete (it only came with one spring, some of the adjustment rings seem not to be original, etc). I think the best I can make out of it is to keep the original adjustment rings from the mystery set as spares for my original set. The smaller, lower adjustment rings have a strange size of 101mm. That shiny one, which seemed to be an aftermarket / homemade item, had a diameter of 100mm, while all original Nissan ones had 101mm. So I'm very happy now to have a complete set, even though from two different manufacturers, but that doesn't really matter, as it's only a small stamp on the strut housing which is different. I will yet have to figure out how I can restore them back to factory, especially the strut inserts might be tricky to find a good solution, but it's definitely doable and definitely worth to bring back this set to former glory. A big hat-tip goes out to Alan for all the Inputs and the nice photos. Your knowledge is of huge value to me, a and I owe you at least a gin-tonic next time we sit at a bar again!

@HS30-H Thanks for your feedback, Alan! I just checked the Numbers on the strut housings, and it seems they are a later version of yours with the last digit being one number higher. Fronts are: 54303-E4622 & 54302-E4622 (Atsugi) Rears are: 55303-E4622 & 55302-E4622 (AMPCO) On all four strut housings, each of the two platforms / adjustment rings are adjustable in height and none is fixed. So i guess i was really lucky to find a complete set of factory adjustable suspension that "belongs together". Even though they are from different manufacturers and i bought them from two different sources 🙂 The guy with the orange ones also sold a front set but the description led me think that it was an aftermarket selfmade adjustable suspension system. The fronts have an additional (Aluminum?) spacer on top, which i have to find out yet if it's a factory option or not My guess is that the these "open design" original strut inserts, which came in a separate box among with loads of other parts, belong to those orange rears. Not sure if they are still usable after somebody opened them and let that Gas, you mentioned, out? My guess is that you still can replace them with some standard japan market spec strut inserts, or are those different in length / rates from the standard struts? As far as I know these "open design" inserts were only ever installed as original factory supplied struts and all Nissan replacement parts were the closed "cartridge type" strut inserts? This is from the installation guide that came with a set of NOS 260Z 2+2 European standard spec cartridge inserts, which I have: Last but not least, the whole delivery came with a box of four additional springs and shock inserts, which i didn't remember buying, so they must have been included in one of the two sets i bought. they don't seem to belong to any of the adjustable kits though. the Dampers are all aftermarket (KYB) and springs seem too long for the adjustable strut inserts, which have much shorter springs. at least at first glance. The colour markings on the springs are also from the previous owner (L + R) and no factory markings. The small tags that you see have some numbers written on it, so i guess they are spring rates. @kats I thought at least you or Alan must also own such a set of microfilms. They are so cool! I still need to scan the other slides. It seems that yours are in better condition than mine. I only checked film 1 so far, and it's not in a plastic bag like the ones you showed. The photos (even in the original dia) have a heavy red-pitch. I hope i can fix that in photoshop, but it will be hard to bring the original colours back nicely. especially since i'm not a specialist 🙂 @RIP260Z Wow, those turned out really nice. I guess you had all the yellow parts cleaned and re-plated? May i ask you how you cleaned the cast housing parts? Any special technicue or fluid? Blasting or Ultrasonic cleaner? I have a set which seems to have been blasted at some point and you can clearly see that it created rough surfaces in some areas. I have a "rattling" machine with some soft abrasives. so that might be an idea to give it a try. The state of yours look pretty similar than mine.

Today I was able to pick up the long-awaited sea-freight shipment from Japan with some parts I bought as long ago as June last year. I almost forgot what I bought back then, so I was excited to see what i got. The shipment originally included parts which were not for myself, so when the shipment was ready to be loaded on the boat, and then these items popped up for a good price, i just bought them blindly to use the opportunity of almost free shipping. This set is what i think an original Nissan factory adjustable suspension. I still have to check the numbers and all the details. But ut looks like it could be an original nissan set. The other (rear suspension) set looks like a reworked original strut. It has some Nissan stamps on it and obviously got repainted at some point, but it was quite cheap and looked close to factory (not like these modern designs), and it came with multiple boxes of what appears to be original Nissan suspension parts, so I added it to my delivery. The third item was a real win. a set of genuine Mikuni JP PHH44 Carbs. The price was very low, because it looks really rough. But if you studied the details thoroughly, you would see the inside is in pretty damn good shape. All the original parts are included, and the plating is still nice on most parts. And it came with an old school heat shield (not sure if original Nissan) plus a set of two modern style heat shields. Both still unused. The price was a real bargain for what you pay for those these days. And it seems to my untrained eye, that all it needs is cleanup and set of fresh gaskets. but we'll see.. Not from Japan but also delivered today was this used DiaFilm scanner which I bought online recently. So I gave it a try to scan those first original Nissan Maintenance training slides, which I bought recently I still need to figure out that colour correction and other stuff, but the first results are promising. and those slides are really, really cool! My goal is to digitalize them all.

Recently, I went Datsun NOS parts hunting again. Well Sort of. I found a bit of a cryptic Ad online about a guy who was trying to sell a complete Lot of old Datsun spare parts inventory from the 70ies and 80ies. After finally getting in touch with the seller, I realized it's quite a bit of a ride for me to get there, so I asked my Man Cagedude (who is always looking for such kind of lot's to buy) to pay a visit, as he lives much closer. Fast-forward a few days and here we are, with a complete bus full of NOS parts in his possession. Naturally, I had to check out the parts and see if there was anything useful for me (Luckily, Z-parts are pre-reserved for me). But yeah, it will take some time until we (he) have checked out all the part numbers and figured out which cars they belong to. Nevertheless, if we are lucky, some parts might be very valuable. Like these (possibly) brass synchro gears: So far the findings were limited, but i didn't go home without anything. He had a Z clutch cylinder waiting for me since a while I also got this Choro-Q toy car as a gift from his last trip to Japan. These usually are installed on top of the BOSS brand coffee cans, so i had to put it back there to the can i have in my workshop. Perfect 🙂 And then there was this early European Service manual with the early 5-speed A-type FS5C71A transmission: Another reason i wanted to visit him is to check out his collection of amazing cars: First, his original Swiss four door Hakosuka C10 Skyline 2000 GT Then his Portugal spec four-door Yonmary C110 Skyline 2400K-GT Then, there is another European spec 2000GT four-door Customer Hakosuka in the workshop. And last but not least his S14 Silvia, which is buing built up from ground, after the original car got completely drowned in the garage during a flood. This is only a small fraction. There were customer cars being converted to partial tube-frame chassis, his RX-7 FC drift machine, and another S14 chassis waiting to be converted to a shop show car in some future. Thanks for the Hospitality, mate and thanks for checking out the parts. I hope to see you soon again!