ninjazombiemaster

I will if I can't find it. I know a fellow with some parts Z's, and he's mentioned having suspension components. Its been a while, but I'm sure his offer still stands. That's my best bet, but if not, I'll get one posted, thanks! Ok, thanks for the tip. I'll also be sure to check the other side and make sure its not about to fail. If I can get a good enough price, I may just do them both while I've got it on the lift.

Ugh. Well, I guess it could be worse. I'll check my local sources and the wrecking yards.

Thanks guys - ton's of good info. I was worried you were gonna say that. Any idea where I can get one? I'll check the local shops first, but I'm having a hard time finding OEM style rods.

I'm not sure. I've never messed with my suspension, but I believe the PO had replaced the front bushings. Its possible he did, and probable you're right.

So my car was making a strange noise when moving slowly, and turning sharply.. Like when pulling out of a parking space, for example. I investigated and found this: Looks like the right-front T/C rod or bushing? I'll have shop time to fix it Monday. Do you think the bushing is just bad, or does the whole thing need to be replaced?

Hey, maybe they'll go up in value some more with pop culture featuring them!

Looks really nice. I like your boxes! I've got 6x9s with a ported box in the back of my Z. My tweeters are built into the dogleg panel/c pillar section. They're really discreet, and look stock. 8 Inch subs are cleanly installed on the interior front fender, between the door and firewall. Only problem is it gets in the way of that little footrest - but if you didn't know better, they look stock too. Right now, my amp is underpowered, so it doesn't sound as good as it could. I'm just working with the Retrosound Model One's internal amp ( 20 watts x 4 RMS/ 40 watts peak x 4 channels). Pretty sad to top off a decent system with that kind of juice. But luckily, my friend is switching up his system and no longer needs his amp, so I should be able to get a (several hundred watts) beefier one in the near future. I agree on you about the subs though - I just want a thump. On a car that old, too much bass might disintegrate it. I can take some pictures if you'd like, in case you're still deciding on the tweets.

Looks pretty good. Better than my bay. Haha. I'll have to look when I get off work! hah Potentially a cool alternative to re-chroming and fixing trim, if its any good.

The impression I got from MSA is that its a new reproduction. So its unlikely that anyone has even had the chance to use that model just yet. It looks high quality to me, though.

My 240 has them. The carpet wasn't attached all the way to the lip, and there's a flap to uncover them. The interior of my boxes are lined in foam. Dunno if that's factory, or a measure the PO took to protect them. I can take a picture later if you want. Great progress, btw!

Looks nice to me. My car is not a show car. I really doubt my fenders could look worse rolled on than with cracking away clear coat. Also, Rustoleum makes spray can Automotive gloss enamel now. Anyone have experience with that? Could be a decent way to finish off a car to reduce the appearance of the brush strokes, and time needed sanding, buffing, etc.

I don't know what did it, but its done. Put in a few more hours effort and, although it could still use some fine tuning its running the best it has all summer. Here's what I did. -Removed the air cleaner assembly, re-re-re-synchronized the air flow on each carb. Lowered the idle to 600. It was real rough. -Checked the venturi of each carb with a clear hose - again. Interestingly, the front carb, which was struggling the most, had a higher level slightly. But they were both acceptable. -Removed the domes of each carb. Cleaned the mouth, piston, needle, etc. The pistons still moved at a different speed. I switched the dampening rods of each carb, and miraculously, they are now fine. -Blew air through the nozzle of each carb, in case maybe their was an obstruction. -Reassembled the carbs. -re-re-re-re-checked my air flow. It was idling at 600 still. Still rough. -Piston-lift tuned each carb until I was reasonably satisfied with the idle and action. -Put everything back together, and took a spirited drive to reward myself with a hamburger. -Rewarded the car with an interior detail. Again, still not running perfect, but much better than any recent point. Some fine tuning the mixture, and I think it'll be perfect.

Oh, I see. I'm sure the plastic has minimal advantages in that it is lighter weight. But looking at the photos of your engine - the metal one looks just right. I'm really excited to see this all come together.

That looks fantastic! I don't think I've heard anyone say the metal one it "better". However, an original restoration with an attention for detail would call for a metal one. I guess it depends on your goal with the car.

I have the DVD, have watched it several times, and have read and reread blues posts. Thanks Bruce. I'll keep working with them longer though. I made some interesting progress last night. From what I can tell, the rear carb is doing alright, but the front carb is running quite lean. -I took off the float, and it did seem like it was wrong. Adjusted it, tested by blowing into it while lifting the float, put it back on, and got fuel pumping out of the air hose at the top of the bowl. -Took it off again, made a *very* minor adjustment, put it back on and had to turn the mixture screw all the way out to get any action from that carb. This went back and forth for some time. I cant find the middle ground with this. So here are my theories: -Maybe its the fuel shutoff nozzle not closing fully enough under typical range of motion, requiring the float to be over adjusted. This would cause too little fuel in the bowl for WOT, and because of the lower fuel level, the mixture would run lean. -Maybe the float is fine, and there is an air leak somewhere effecting the front carburetor. This would create a lean condition that would make me to compensate via the mixture. Dumping more fuel in the engine trying to enrich the engine would cause worse MPG and might explain why I have to run the nut so many turns down. Also, part of the MPG problem appeared to be the gaskets letting fuel leak from the bowl under some conditions. I managed to work around that, and get a good seal. But I'll need to order new gaskets from you later, Bruce. I'm thinking of removing the fuel shutoff nozzle from each bowl lid and switching them. If it is responsible, this would cause the rear carb to begin malfunctioning and the front to begin working. That being said, it seems to work properly when blowing into it and raising the float. I'll also keep adjusting the float and see if I can make any ground there. But after 3 hours of that last night (mostly fiddling with gasket and dropping screws under the car), I'm really thinking thats not the problem. At least not the entire problem. Should all else fail, what would be the cost to have Steve give them a look over? If at all possible I'd like to avoid this, 'cause she's my DD. But I live close enough to work I could make do.

Well, as I remember it was running great. But that was in the dead of a 0 degree winter, so that's relative. However, it really did run incredible the fall before said winter. I would expect it to be running about the same now, but its not. The linkage and carbs themselves should be right. If I move things around, they seem to go where they're supposed to. I did not separate the needle from the piston, so I doubt that could be it. I suppose it could somehow have an air leak. I could only imagine them being in the spacers between the carbs and the engine though, but I got them pretty tight, and the gaskets were still good.

No worries, I know you're just trying to get the relevant info to help. Both the send and feel when it happens. It feels exactly like actually running out of gas in the tank, except it comes back if you let off for a sec. They both fall freely, and seem to do so at the correct speed. I'll try enriching the floats and leaning the nuts if the mix goes to rich. Banjo bolt filters were checked maybe a month ago, but I'll do it again. They always come out clean.. No electric fuel pump, but I'm sure I'd benefit from one. They were done before I purchased the car, but as far as I can see, it was a complete rebuild. Honestly, it ran spectacular until winter. I replaced the plugs at that time, as well as the starter and recharged the battery. While I waited for the starter, I got too curious and pulled off the carbs to clean them, and learn hands on about them. It hasn't ran as good ever since. Its had its highs and lows as I've tweaked it, but its never been the same. Maybe its time I pulled them off again and made sure I didn't goof something up all that time ago.

Power is pretty decent until it stalls from fuel starvation. If I let off the throttle it comes back in a few seconds. Spark plugs are only a few months old, and every time I look, they're good. Fuel filter is a year old, and clear. Valves adjusted in the spring. Points/condenser are 6 months old, and we're set along with the timing perfectly at that time. Its possible the ignition could be part of the problem, but I haven't touched that. I don't want to enrichen it, quite the opposite, but enriching it is the only way I can get it to perform on any level. So I guess, restart my tune. If I can't get it to run well I should direct my attention elsewhere. It could very well be a problem with another system. But correct me if I'm wrong fuel starvation can only be the pump or the bowls if the filters are good. The pistons moving at different speeds can only be engine vacuum or the dashpot oil. Rough idle can be a lot of things.. so I'll give you that, but I have been rather specific in most aspects.

Hey folks. I've always though myself to be pretty familiar with our carbs by now, but recently my car has been running pretty crummy and I think they may be at fault. I mess with them way more than I ought to trying to get it to run its best, but I can never get it. It seems like right now it idles rough at low RPMs, and my MPG seems to be really poor. (I think it is leaking from the float bowl from the poor condition of my gaskets. I have to run the engine with quite a few turns past the standard 2.5 to get it to run off a single carb as the tuning process demands. And although I've set my floats to the 23 mm mark, it seems to run out of gas as if there isn't nearly enough in the float bowl, or as if its using way too much. Also, one of the pistons is harder to lift than another. They both have identical SAE 20 fork oil in them. I inspected the dampening rods, and they both appear to function and look identical. What do you guys think? Obviously new gaskets would be a bright idea - but would no gasket at all be better than one that's not working right? , but should I mess with the floats to allow more volume of fuel in the bowl, and compensate for the difference with the mixture nuts? Suggestions for the dampener? I guess I could put a heavier oil in the other and see if it evens out. But I'll try removing the dome and cleaning the pistons first. I'm just at my wits end with them. Almost to the point of driving it to a carbmaster and letting them deal with it.

Sorry - didnt get a notification you replied. I haven't found out for sure. But the shared theory between myself and the folks at Retrosound is that the internal amplifier has failed - and therefor it is running only on the preamp, which can only make minimal volume.

I'm with Charles. Ztherapy has parts kits that should address the nozzle leak. As for the mouth of the carb - oil can leak from the dampener if it is overflowing. It should stop once it is at the correct level. It is designed to do this in order to burn any extra oil in the dashpot. That being said, I'd bet it's gas, too. Its also normal for their to be gas in the mouth, however, it should be sucked into the engine before it can age like that.

Also, if you youtube "roller paint a car the right way" there's a rather detailed video of a gentleman painting a single panel removed from the car. His results looked better than most factory jobs. It seems like the easiest way to avoid runs is to remove the panels that can be removed, so that they can be laid flat, and so you can get into the edges of the panel easier, as well as handle and sand the piece easier. Not really an option with most parts of our Zs, except the door panels, and some interior bits, etc.

It could easily look better than a worn old job. I don't mind matte paint - In fact, it looks great on some cars. I'd drive the hell out of a matte black Z. But on my red, not so much..

Haha, well seeing as you used the same basic method, I suppose so! A lot of good info. It sounds like most of the folks on the other sites suggest mineral spirits to thin the coat and it should dry overnight. I'd need to buy some sheet metal and practice first before I dare touch my car, though. Other folks said they Rustoleum enamel mix was rather hard and impact resistant, in addition to cheap and easy to repair. Some have also said it can be clear coated, but this makes it harder to repair. For the pictures, it looks good enough buffed and waxed that I don't think I'd bother clearing it. This is how my paint looked a year ago when I bought the car. It was extremely glossy. Most of it still looks this good, but the fenders have most notably suffered.

I'll definitely do it inside where high gloss isn't such a factor. Not until I replace my floorpans, though. At the moment, a lot of the interior is the original color - yellow, with some lime green donor panels. The visible bits were rattlecanned black ages ago, and have faded back to yellow mostly. Not sure if I'd black it out again, or try to paint it red like factory would. I like both looks. Most of my paint looks swell until about a foot away. Then you can see where the red has flaked off in the crevices and is back to the unbelievably resilient factory yellow, some various minor cracks and chips, and less minor is a rock dent and resulting paint chip in the hood, and large areas of fender where the clear coat has come off due to our frigid winter. Its not so bad at this point I'd pain it.. as there is still a part of me that could see the results being worse than its present condition. And also, if I'm going to go through the trouble of sanding it to bare metal, I may as well make full rust repairs and go through a full blown re-restore. It'd be neat to approach it from a budget restoration standpoint. I don't want a show car by any means. Just to see how close to factory condition on the tightest budget possible.. but not until I get a second car.