Carl Beck

Hi JC Nice Z - what brings you to Mountain View? What is the background image in your picture? Plan to stay in the USA or are you going to convert that 240 to Right Hand Drive and take it back with you? Just curious.... At any rate you picked a great area to settle in for older Z's. Drive that Z up to Seattle on the PCH and you'll love it all the more.. Heck, take a few extra days and go on up into B.C..... Welcome aboard... FWIW, Carl B.

I think to more fully understand or appreciate the "Trade Mark" thing - you have to keep in mind that Peter Brock is a "Professional Designer". In a broader sense he is an accomplished and well known Industrial Designer. He has designed cars, hang-gliders, and Graphics Packages among many other things. For example, Mr. Brock created the paint scheme and logos for Shelby America while employed there. Of course we all know that Mr. Shelby had copyright and registered trade marks on everything related to the Shelby Brand Name. The BRE Racing Team's cars were all rolling bill boards for "Peter Brock Designs" and the BRE Corporation, and thus the image of the BRE Cars Graphic Design packages, became Registered Trade Marks of Peter Brock and BRE Inc. They were "award winning" Graphic Design Packages Model Companies are one group that reproduce the BRE Design images, but there are people out there that were selling complete BRE Decal Packages on E-Bay as well, without permission and without paying the royalties due. Like Ron said, if you are doing a replica or tribute car I don't think you would have any problem getting a release from BRE. Matter of fact if the replica was complete and accurate enough to warrant a "release from BRE"... it would in a way be an endorsement of accuracy from them!! On the other hand if you are making money by using a BRE Design, without paying the royalties due any professional designer... you are in effect stealing from them. FWIW, Carl B.

no - Peter built a new V8 powered 510. I think it is pictured elsewhere on this site from the recent Japanese Classic Car Show.. FWIW, Carl B.

Or it is possible that someone thought that the "gray" was simply sun faded plastic, and sprayed it black to make it look new. We'll most likely never know... FWIW, Carl B.

At that price you ought to grab it for a futue project - you could fly out and drive it back... Carl B.

Looking at the Ad. - I'm a little confused. The Ad claims it was built in 69, but titled as a 1970 Z. The Date Of Manufacture stamped on the data tag says 02/70. It might have started production in 69 - but it would seem to have been finished 02/70. The original engine certainly lines up with a production start in 69... wonder what held it up... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi bigoak: I lived in Washington State for four years in the late 60's and early 70's- believe me - it takes no effort at all the get across the border. There are at least 10 back roads that cross the US/Canada boarder on the North East part of Washington - where there are only Boarder Guards stationed part time or not at all. That is also the case above Idaho and Montana. What is really funny, is when you pull up to a boarder station (a little one man hut) that is closed and you can see the trail around the "gate" that has been worn in the ground by so many cars coming and going. Today - if you have a GPS system with you - you might be able to determin if you are in the US or Canada - when your out in the woods hunting/hiking or off-roading on an ATV... for hundreds of miles along the boarder. Friends and family that still live and hunt in the area tell me nothing has changed. Just one reason that the US's entire "Homeland Security" agency is a bad joke. FWIW, Carl B.

Anyone near the car? That could go inspect it with a critical eye and report back to us? FWIW, Carl B.

Somewhat off topic perhaps...but.... Actually, it's hard to think of any car mass produced by a major automotive manufacturer, and sold in the USA since 1956 that doesn't fit that description. Can anyone think of a car that had a totally new body style, on a completely new chassis, powered by a completely new engine and drive train by its manufacturer? Why 1956? I just picked it out of the air - pick any model or calendar year you like. 1960 Corvair perhaps....body √ chassis √ engine √ drive-train √ FWIW, Carl B.

Zak/Sliprenoodle - did you check the VIN to see if the car was stolen in the US? Just wondered why the VIN wasn't posted here, or why it was removed from visible sight on the outside of the car, and why the previous owner didn't have a title.... etc etc. FWIW, Carl B

Hi Julio: Good tip... and always a good reason to keep a spare mustache bar around. I pulled the rear cover off the differential. Soaked the drain and fill plugs with Kroil for a day. Then put the cover in a vise (with wood blocks), applied a little heat from a propane torch to both the inside and outside surfaces around the fill then drain plugs. They broke free pretty easily at that point. Inspected the internals of the rear end, replaced the gasket and cover, then coated the plugs with anti-seize compound. Steel plugs in an aluminum cover always call for anti-seize compound. FWIW, Carl B.

The "estate" is only the transfer agent, carring out the wishes of the original owner. The agent for the estate, will transfer the title from the original owner directly to you. If the original owner put the car in a living trust, and transfered the title to the trust - then the trust is the second owner and you are the third. Title will transfer from the tust to you. FWIW, Carl B.

Given that this car has - Full US Spec. Emissions Controls with Air Pump - Ignition timing of 5 degrees, and single point distributor - Specifications given in US units So far - I would see no reason to think it was anything other than a US Spec. car. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: The bumpers without rubber trim have always been listed in the Parts Catalog. 62650-E4102 ASSY-FRONT BUMPER (With Rubber Hole) 62650-E4103 ASSY-FRONT BUMPER (Less Rubber Hole) From 06/70 As an interesting aside - the rubber stips on the bumpers were required by certain State Laws - Florida was one of them. GM window stickers used to list the additional charge for the "Florida Required Rubber Bumper Trim"... around 74 it was $29.95 AIR. FWIW, Carl B.

Did "Euro" versions get the rubber trim on the bumpers? What we call the "Euro" bumper comes without the rubber trim, nor the holes to mount it. The car in the picture also has no Emblems of any kind.. Interesting as usual - thanks Kats, Carl B.

Thanks David!! I appreciate that... Carl B.

Hi Dan: I appreciate your looking... thanks. Most people do not realize that the quarter panel extends into the roof structure and is sandwiched between the inner and outer roof structural panels for strength. When you cut the old quarter off, at or just below the visible seam - then weld a new quarter back on there - you can wind up with a much weaker uni-body as the result of a poor butt joint weld. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Adrian: I sent you and Mark an e-mail message. So the two of you could connect directly. If you didn't get it - let me know. I did get a response from Mark, and he has reviewed this thread... perhaps sent you an PM. kind regards, Carl

Good for you!! Looks like a good job too. You didn't by chance take pictures of the area where the rear quarter panel, merges under the roof structure, over which the roof panel goes - did you? If so I'd love to have a copy. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Dave: Let's start with the Stock Front Spring. If you look at the Field Service Manual (FSM) you will see that the spring's Free Length is 15.5". ( I don't have a FMS for the 260Z - so I'll have to use figures that are guesstimates for this discussion). Your FSM will also list an "Installed Length" or "Installed height" - it will most likely be something like 8.72". Your FSM will also tell you how much weight is sitting on the spring, when the car is sitting on the ground. That will be something like 685 lbs. Your FSM will also tell you what the "Spring Rate" or "Spring Constant" is. It will tell you how many pounds of weight will compress the spring one inch. As a guess on the 260Z that spring constant will be around 101 lbs/in. (might be 112 lbs/in... but we'll use 101 for now). So if you have 685 lbs... divided by 101 lbs/in - the spring will be compressed 6.78 inches. 15.5 minus 6.78 = 8.72". ( this is just an example of how these numbers are arrived at) Now if you install a spring with a shorter Free Length to begin with - but one with a greater Spring Rate.. that same 685 lbs will not compress it as much per inch. So if you start with a spring that has a free length of 10.75" and you intend it to be 1" shorter than stock when installed.. your installed height would be 7.72" (rather than the stock 8.72"). 10.75" - 7.72 = 3.03" So you would need a spring that would compress only 3.03" with a weight of 685 lbs sitting on it. A spring rate of 226 lbs/in would get you there. (685 lbs divided by 226 lbs/in - Spring Constant = 3.03) Another thing to keep in mind is that a coil spring has a more or less constant rate of compression - once the spring is pre loaded and compressed to 80% of it's free length. So starting with a spring 10.75 in free length - then using it compressed to 7.72" will give you a pretty constant spring rate in use. The fact that the spring is loose with the tires off the ground - isn't a big deal really. What matters is that the spring is held in place with the weight of the car sitting on it. To have the spring shift - you would have to get the entire weight of the car off the spring, at the same time the shock rod is fully extended, and the wheel/tire is off the ground. Unless you are running high speed Pro Rally events and making long high jumps .. you aren't going to have the entire weight of the car off the spring... (if you are running Pro Rally events you have to have travel stops on the suspension to keep it from dropping down to full extension when the tires come off the ground). FWIW, Carl B.

Calipers usually freeze up when the car has been sitting for prolonged periods. Moisture gets into the brake fluid - and corrosion can form around the piston. Then when you step on the brakes, the piston extends, but will not retract. (far greater force is exerted to extend it by the hydraulics) First thing to try - flush the brake lines and caliper out with fresh brake fluid through the Master Cylinder. In effect bleed the brake until you get clean fresh fluid coming out. Drive the car and heat the brake caliper up. As the car is rolling about 40 mph or so - hit the brake pedal several times... Usually the caliper will free up. You can tell if a caliper is hanging up, if the car stops by itself when at a very slow roll. Likewise you can tell if the caliper is free again, because at a slow roll the car will keep rolling. If the above doesn't work... you can take the caliper off. Manually clean off the piston and clean the cylinder. Make sure there is no pitting from corrosion and check the rubber seal. "Usually" that's all it takes. If the piston or cylinder are pitted or scared - replace the caliper assembly. Or if you don't want to screw with it - just get a rebuilt caliper. They aren't an arm and leg... The "problem" you can run into is dealing with the flair nuts on the brake lines. Amazing how many of them are rounded of. Not a bad idea to change the rubber line at that point as well. They are inexpensive and they do crack with age. The other possible cause - is a front wheel bearing that is going out and that has seized up, or that has been over tightened. Put your hands on the tire at the 12:00 and 6:00 o'clock position - try pulling out and pushing in on the top and bottom - and see if there is any flex or movement in the assembly. There should be none.. good luck, Carl B.

Hi Adrian: Mark Belrose has HLS30 7940. It was an SCCA C-Production competition car. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL US http://ZHome.com

Interesting indeed. Have you ever seen so many candidates to vote for? We must have had 10 or 12 here!! I voted for the guy at the bottom of the list.... I thought he deserved to get at least one vote for all his trouble. FWIW, Carl B.

Not with you around Alan. By the way, how many 1969 production year JDM Z's were equipped with an A/T? For that matter how many before the introduction of the L24 there in Oct. 71? Back into your wheel Hamster....

Really.....? Wonder how I missed that fact..... Did you mean that A/T's were available "from day one", in the 240-Z's in Japan? That would put day one around Oct. of 1971 for the JDM 240-Z's, FWIW, Carl B.