MikeW

If the battery really is charged then it sounds like the starter solenoid is sticking.

Are you saying that once you accidentally go past 30k between changes you should never change the fluid again, ever? This doesn't make sense to me ...

While I agree with everyone who's suggested finding an experienced welder to help - you might consider trying to rent the equipment instead of buying it outright. That would cost less and let you get a feel for whether or not welding is for you.

This may be perfectly normal. If the battery needs charging the needle will jump way up when driving and drop back down at idle.

You're putting a crazy amount of work into that project. Perhaps you belong on the "Group W" bench. It's funny how we, me included, like to pick apart these eBay cars. The higher the price the worse we get. It really does look like a nice car although I'd never buy a car like that without seeing it in person.

Very cool. Is there a way to determine how much rust was removed such as using the weight before and after?

As the supply of NOS dashes rapidly dwindles the price is just going to keep going up. I fully expect to see $2000 soon. My concern with these, however, is that they're 30+ year old dashes made of the same inferior materials that caused all of the rest of ours to crack. I'd really hate to drop $2000 on a dash and have it start cracking soon thereafter. A lot has been said about what products should be used to protect the dash. The consensus seems to be to avoid Armor-all type silicon products at all costs although others swear by them. I had my dash restored and am happy with that decision. I know that the modern vinyl used will not be a problem.

The original material for this is a very thin foil that seems like a more modern aluminized mylar. I ended up using 3/8" wide piece of metal tape and polishing it before I applied it. Earlier I tried something more plastic but it wouldn't hold the tight radius required.

I don't think there's a definitive answer to this. It's really going to vary according to the part. I'm specifically thinking of items that are supposed to be replaced like tires, oil filters, windshield wiper blades, batteries, etc. Are you really going to go with a Nissan battery? When it's something that's easily replaced later I don't think it really matters.

There must be something blocking it. The carriage bolts that hold the bottom track to the seat support can only go one place in the track as do the bolts that attach the track to the seat. The holes for all 8 bolts (per seat) are square and the bolts themselves are actually pressed in tight so you might not have even removed them. The holes in the floor support and the seat itself don't provide for any adjustment either. There's only one hole for each bolt. I did notice that my tracks were kind of tight unless I sprayed them with some white lithium grease. That made a huge difference. Also, you'll be able to easily see if the seat can go all the way in each direction as there are clear rectangular slots in the track for the seat adjustment lever mechanism.

http://www.zzxdatsun.com/decals.html

Except for the radio ... I don't know about the early AM-only unit but the AM/FM made by Hitachi has transistors and even has a single integrated circuit.

He actually did get mentioned here in the US during the live television broadcast. Unfortunately it was only because the media was busy interviewing Russell Crowe who was at the race ...

Yes, Wheldon is a Brit. Actually, he was born there but currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida. It should also be noted that Danica was racing in the UK when Bobby Rahal spotted her and immediately signed her up. I can understand the frustration with the media hype. She's quite a novelty and the media likes anything sensational. If nothing else she will bring more fans to racing (of all sorts) which means more corporate sponsorships which means more money for racing.

I've noticed that before. I think it belongs to "Scottie", the blond welder. The reason I say this is that they actually used the car in another episode. It was the show where they wanted to see if a toy car rolling down a hill would be faster than a real car. In order to test the theoretical speed limit of the toy car they actually jacked up the 280Z and held the toy car on top of the rear tire letting it roll along as the tire spun. Scottie was behind the wheel and got it up to 60mph or so.

Was it running properly before replacing the cap? Could it be 180 degrees off? Are you sure you replaced the wires properly?

Are you sure the timing is right? It sounds like you're getting spark but at the wrong time.

You could always do what I did: remove the entire dash from the car, remove the dash pad from the dash and ship it off, and then re-install the dash - minus the pad - back in the car. Also, since the VIN plate is attached to the dash itself and not the pad you may be able to get your spare dash pad restored and then mount it to your current dash. Hopefully the two frames are close enough that the screw holes will all line up. As far as changing the plate goes I can't imagine that anyone would have a problem with that - as long as the VIN does match the car itself.

The oil in the carbs has little to do with the fact that you're having trouble getting the engine running. The oil simply acts as a dampener that affects the rate in which the throttle opens and closes. The weight of oil is not critical. Many people use ATF. I use 20W oil that you can buy in a little blue and white can labeled 3-in-1 oil. http://www.wd40.com/PressRoom/StockImages/gifs_xl/3in1-p_3oz_motoroil.gif As far as getting things running I'd first make sure you're actually getting fuel into the carbs. You might consider spraying some starting fluid into the carbs to get things going. If it runs a little and then knocks off you know you're not getting fuel. If it won't run at all with starting fluid then you're not getting spark. Your best bet is to just search this site for information. Many people have come before you and asked similar questions. The best tool for syncing the carbs is called a Unisyn: http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=60-9965&Category_Code=TE

The alternator output should be about 14 volts. Anything above that risks damaging your battery. It sounds like you need a new voltage regulator.

I've never used one but have you considered one of the do-it-yourself kits? I wouldn't be surprised if the repair shop used the same stuff. http://www.advanceautoparts.com/english/youcan/html/ccr/ccr20021201wc.html#

Yes. The interior light is only operated by the driver and passenger door as well as by pushing on the light itself. Be aware that it's also not a smart system like modern cars where the light times out after a while. If you turn the light on by pushing on it or if you leave the door open overnight you'll run your battery down.

Do you grid flat spots on these bolts to make removal easier? Otherwise you'd have to use vise grips on the threads themselves ...

My understanding is that the #112 yellow was introduced for the 1972 model year - which Patrick's car is - at which point the #919 yellow was dropped.

You may be able to get useful information from previously archived versions of their web page via http://web.archive.org/web/ Here's a direct link: http://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.jskinnovations.com