Walter Moore

The dual points setup was to allow a change in ignition timing after the engine reached temperature or something like that. Only one set of points is in the ignition circuit at any one time. (Must make setting the dwell a real pain...) I suspect that this would actually be a good candidate for an electronic ignition upgrade.

If you can get the battery to a parts store they can test it for you. But that does sound like a dead battery.

Fusible link?

Not to be picky, but isn't that technically a half shaft, not a drive shaft?

Does Alabama require an accurate mileage statement on 30+ year old cars? When I registered my Z here in Indiana they just entered "exempt" at the license branch.

Now that you mention it, I don't remember if the ground bar I used was aluminum, or tin plated copper. Either way it will have a lot less resistance than the bolts that you use to attach it to the firewall. Actually, aluminum is a much better conductor than iron, nickel, or lead, and nearly the same as gold. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistivity The bad part about using aluminum in high current applications is that it has a high coefficient of expansion. This causes it to work non-locking screws loose and leads to arcing problems over time. That isn't a condition you are likely to ever encounter on a ground bar. Still, I wouldn't recommend using aluminum wire for the ground wires themselves because it is too brittle.

If cheap is the primary concern, both Advance Auto and O'Reilly Auto list a master cylinder for a 77 280Z at $35.

I added a NEMA12 box on the right fender to house all of the relays I added for the headlight upgrades (headlights, driving lights, fog lights), electric fan, etc. I have two #4 AWG wires tapped directly to the alternator for power and ground (properly fused). In the box I ended up using a standard aluminum ground bar that I bought at Lowes for the negative common to save a lot of wiring space. If you are convinced that you NEED a ground bar, I would suggest looking to something similar. They only cost about $2-$3 each, and can handle more current than the car is likely to need. Relative to the engine ground, there are two ground wires attached to the engine block. The negative side of the battery connects directly to a mounting bolt on the starter, and there is also a ground wire connected from the body of the alternator to the right side fender. With no more electrical devices than were present on the early Z cars those two are sufficient.

Babalouie, that is one cool post.

Can't top it, but I can match it.

Citroen cars have not been available in the U.S. for decades. We do however have our share of "gutless wonders", typically sold as economy cars.

How often do you use the air conditioner in your daily driver? (Assuming it isn't the Z) If the answer is more than 25% of the year, strongly consider fixing the AC.

I don't know about the 280Z, but the 280ZX distributor does have this characteristic . I pulled the oil pump and repositioned the distributor drive shaft to resolve the alignment issue. Arne: There is nothing intrinsically wrong with running points, so long as the distributor bearings are in good condition. As you state, cars used them for years. The only real down side is increased maintenance. If the car isn't a daily driver, and the points are working for you, why switch? I know nothing about the Pertronix. It wasn't something that I was interested in pursuing. The ZX distributors typically do have too much vacuum advance, at least in the later years, and since the only breaker plate that is still available from Nissan is for the 83, there is a strong risk that a rebuilt earlier distributor may have excessive vacuum advance as well. So your choices with the ZX distributor are: 1. Mechanically limit the vacuum advance to no more than 15-17 degrees (at the crank) 2. Disable the vacuum advance altogether. (See jmortensen's post) Either approach will prevent the spark knock so common with the ZX "upgrade". When using the ZX distributor you should jumper out the ballast resistor, and use the ZX ignition coil as well. I also notice that there are after market ignition modules from some of the generic parts stores for $100 - $150 each. If you are going to carry a spare, why not carry a cheap one? But if your points distributor has good bearings, and the timing is set correctly, the relative improvement from electronic ignition will be difficult to notice.

An electric might help with fuel flow in that case, but if the car runs without it the choice is likely just personal preference. Is the fuel return line still in place? Without a fuel return line the electric pump probably wouldn't help with vapor lock.

The 260Z was a 1974 model in the U.S. 1975 - 1978 models were 280Z's The big differences here were the extra emissions controls on the 73-74 cars, and the introduction of fuel injection in 1975.

The DAD "racing" seats that I bought on Ebay bolted straight in with no modifications. That being said, they aren't the optimum choice for long distance touring. In fact I doubt that they are more comfortable than stock seats. They were just a lot cheaper than rebuilding the OEM seats.

You can buy a starter at almost any auto parts store that will work acceptably. I bought my most recent starter at Advance Auto, but only because the store is 1/4 mile from my house.

Misaligned pulleys eat fan belts quite often, as do high wattage alternators used with the belt for a 40A unit. I am not sure how "excessive" engine torque could cause a fan belt to snap since the load that the belt sees is essentially independent of the torque produced by the motor. Any properly running motor has sufficient power to destroy a fan belt in short order.

I am missing some context here. Is it legal in California to use old license plates on a car? Here the plates themselves change every few years and they will ticket you for using an original plate, even with an updated registration. The classic car guys I run into at car shows have to change plates once they get to the show, and put the "real" plate back on before they can drive it home.

I have never had a problem with synthetic oil in any car, regardless of the mileage, PROVIDED it met with the three requirements in my earlier post.

I run 195/65R 15's with a stock valance and no interference of any kind. I am using ZX-Turbo wheels (15x6 with a +10mm offset) I am not sure about the offset of the Rewinds. That can make a difference.

Oh, and you may end up having to pull the oil pump and re-aligning the distributor drive because the ZX distributor mounts at a slightly different angle than the original points distributors, which makes it difficult to get the desired timing.

Here are some links that apply: (Self promotion I know...) http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34559&highlight=Distributor http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34192&highlight=Distributor Be sure to check the actual vacuum advance of your distributor before driving the car very much.

My opinion is that the BEST oil has three primary characteristics: 1. It is clean 2. It has been in your car's engine less than six months 3. It is the appropriate viscosity for the current outside temperature. (e.g. no 20W50 below 10 deg. C and no 5W30 above 40 deg. C) Secondary characteristics, including ZDDP content are important, but less so that the three listed above.

Check to make sure that your fuse clips are tight. The old glass style fuse clips spread over time, and when you apply a heavy load they arc and overheat. Sometimes, if you are lucky it blows the fuse. If you are unlucky it melts a hole in your fuse block.