Carl Beck

Hi Chris: Oh my! ... I guess that Nissan got their DATSUN logo wrong on the 1970 240-Z Sales Brochures. The key fob I pictured is metal and the Datsun logo is plastic.... It is a very authentic, period correct, after-market key fob and it looks like they used the correct DATSUN logo of the time. As for "authentic DATSUN" key fob's - - - I haven't seen any actually produced by Nissan. As far as I know, all of the key fobs that the local DATSUN Dealers gave away were after-market. The key wallets however could be ordered from Nissan, but most were less expensive when purchased from the local aftermarket suppliers and could be printed with the Dealers name, address and phone numbers. So far, I can't find anything printed, published by Nissan/Datsun that has the red circle in the Nissan/Datsun Logo surrounded by a larger white circle - as shown on the money clip. It would be closer to "correct" if they had left the large white circle off - and just put the smaller red circle with the word DATSUN The NISSAN logo always seems to have the word NISSAN larger than the red circle behind it - whereas that is not always the case with the various DATSUN logos used by, or approved by Nissan/Datsun. Indeed, when printed in black/white the DATSUN logo has the words "Product Of Nissan" used as the surround. FWIW, Carl B.

Black seats!!! - - - no no - - - the car has a white interior - -get the white seat upholstery... The Z looks great....keep at it and in no time all the little bugs will be worked out... then it will be time to drive it to Cleveland. FWIW, Carl B. 72 Metallic Blue 240Z with a WHITE interior

Yes. I posted this picture in another thread recently.. The throw-out bearing sleeve (collar) for the 280Z and ZX 2+2 is shorter than the sleeve for the 280Z/ZX, but longer than the original 240Z sleeve. The input shafts on all the Z / ZX transmissions 70-83 are the same length. As mentioned several times above, by several different people - you have to match the Pressure Plate to the Throw-out bearing sleeve. If you are using the 2+2 flywheel - you have to use the 2+2 Pressure Plate - and therefore the 2+2 Throw-out bearing sleeve. The difference between the Coupe and 2+2 Throw-out bearing sleeve is about 10mm. With 200 flywheel HP - the OEM Nissan Clutch for the 2+2 is plenty strong. FWIW, Carl B.

Just to make sure it is clear: Oshop is a brand name - it can be purchased in quarts or gallons at most Auto Body Paint Suppliers. I believe I've seen it at some of the Auto Parts Suppliers as well. Ospho is a diluted phosphoric acid solution (about 12% as I recall), ready to use right out of the container (you don't want to use straight phosphoric acid!!). Ospho is environmentally friendly - if washed down/diluted with lots of water (phosphate is used as a fertilizer). As Steve and others mentioned - if you apply a phosphoric acid solution to iron oxide, the iron oxide is chemically converted to iron phosphate, which is stable. The US Military has been using phosphoric acid solutions for 60+ years to control rust, and they have done extensive testing of thousands of products. The truth is they haven't found anything more effective at killing rust on metal surfaces. Also as mentioned, it prevents flash rust from forming for a brief period (days to a week or so in humid climates). I've been using Ospho for decades, it can be sprayed, brushed or poured on effected area's - if removed with water within a few minutes - it won't damage painted surfaces surrounding the rusted area. FWIW, Carl B.

A starter for a 240-Z will crank your L28 with no problem. Stock 240-Z starter will crank my L24 with 13:1 compression, and my L28 with 10:1 compression. If yours will not - you have some other problem. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes - it could have been Dealer Installed. AIR - it would have been the same system installed at the Factory - only with a 3 speed fan vs. a 4 speed fan (or was it 4 spd. vs 5spd?)... The Factory Systems used metal piping - and the older (240-Z) ARA/Fridgking units used rubber hoses... The Factory or Factory Type used the original vent/heater controls with no addition knob's added to the side.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Dan: If you search google.com for "Key Wallet" you might see something that is close. The Nissan Dealers actually bought them in bulk and they could be either vinyl or leather. Some Dealers had their business names printed on them/others didn't. Here is one I bought a few years ago on E-Bay, it came with a complete lock-set and four original keys for a 71 Z. Also received one of the early key fob's. FWIW, Carl B.

14 BTDC should be a good point at which to start. On all the dyno runs I've seen a more of less stock L6 will lose HP with total timing much above 34 degrees (on todays "high octane gas 93). You can pull the distributor and take it to a good automotive ignition shop and have them check the timing curve. You always want to do this when you swap in a distributor from another application. Make sure your vacuum advance is working properly and that the distributor shaft is running true. (no bearing wobble etc). You want a timing curve that starts to ramp up around 1500 RPM and has the total advance all in by 3500 RPM. That will get you in the ball park with the S.U.'s. You can go to the junk yard (in some area's) and get a timing pointer off another L6, or you can make your own out of thin sheet aluminum. Then put the engine at TDC and set your pointer to the mark on the crank pulley. To drive every day - I'd put either an electronic distributor in, or replace the points with an electronic pickup. In todays world mechanical points are a PIA. If it's breaking up at 4500 to 5000 RPM you may be running a little lean... (if everything is fine as far as the ignition system goes). When you get to about 4000RPM start pulling the choke in - to richen the mixture. If it runs better you'll have an idea if it's carb's or ignition. Keep an eye on the condition of the spark plugs - pull a couple and check them after a clean run (not after stop and go driving). good luck, Carl

Hi Gus: Thanks for the video's and the update. Saving an original engine with 34K miles is well worth whatever time and money you have put into it. Now put some miles on it - 200 to 400 - to give the rings a chance to polish themselves and the cylinder bores....Fresh oil and filter - and it should be good to go for a couple hundred thousand more miles. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Adam83: You would have to give us more to go on. Did you just rebuild this engine or does it have 120K + miles on it already? For the sake of discussion - I'm going to talk about a stock engine, in an 83 280ZX with 95K miles, that has had good care.. The truth is that there is very little that one can add to that engine, that will increase its performance. If I were spending my money I'd do it in this order: 1. have a good engine shop do a fresh valve job, check the cam/followers to assure they are fine, relieve the valves, port match the intake/exhaust ports to the intake/exhaust manifolds.. do a mild milling on the head to raise the compression slightly...and reinstall. A good Z shop will know how much they can mill the head without going to far. Check the cam timing and made sure it is to spec.(might have to replace the timing chain and gears to get it near perfect). 2 open the stock exhaust pipe at the "Y" - into a 2.25" exhaust system with a turbo muffler at the rear. 3 Super Tune that engine - make sure the ignition system is fully up to spec., that the injectors are clean and delivering the proper amount of fuel, etc etc. Check the distributor function and timing curve. Do the above and that car will run circles around the cars with lots of add no goodies - that do nothing more than waste your time. FWIW, Carl B.

As I recall they were N54's FWIW, Carl B.

humm.... I just checked the link - it said "auction ended" ... reserve not meet... Wonder if someone made him an offer he couldn't refuse, so he ended the auction or what??? BTW - not having the original wheels and tires on the car hurt it from a Collector perspective. Also, it did look in the pictures like someone was under the car cleaning and polishing selected parts... shouldn't have to do that with a 6K mile car... and doing that also hurts it from a Collector perspective. Being a 4spd. rather than the 5spd. also didn't help.. You would have to see it in person to really value it - but all-in-all $18K to $20K would be about right on that one... With the original tires showing 6K of wear, and the undercarriage looking like it should.. $21K to $23K to someone that loves the color and really wants a 77... FWIW... Carl B.

Points Distributor - will most likely have the 240-Z advance curve.. and vacuum advance So 14 to 16 degrees BTDC will make it a little easier to start... however with today's gasoline - you might have to back it back off if you get ping.

What intake set-up and what distributor are you using?

The picture that sblake01 posted, was originally done by Eric Neyerlin I believe - - but it can be misleading as the various throw-out bearing sleeves are labeled with transmission types in that image. The type of transmission has nothing to do with it. All the transmissions have the same length input shafts. The throw-out bearing sleeve lengths, are designed to match the thickness of the various clutch pressure plates. The thickest was the original 240-Z Pressure Plate, with later ones being make thinner. Almost all "replacement" pressure plates that you buy today, are of the thinner type. Note that I said "almost" - some aftermarket manufacturers still sell the original thicker type, but it's rare. So if you need a new clutch assembly - for a 240Z - order both the 280Z Pressure Plate and the 280ZX throw-out bearing sleeve. FWIW, Carl B.

If you didn't remove the throw-out bearing, and throw-out bearing sleeve from your old transmission and either put them on the new transmission, or at least compared the length of the throw-out bearing sleeves to assure that they were "exactly" the same length - - - - then it is possible that the throw-out bearing sleeve on the transmission you installed is the wrong one for your existing clutch assembly. (you have no way of knowing what clutch assembly that transmission was mated with, when in the car it came out of) By all means try making sure your clutch master/slave are functioning properly first - it can't hurt. But - with the clutch slave extending as it should, when you push the pedal down - if you still can't get the clutch to disengage you might have the wrong length throw-out bearing sleeve ... good luck, Carl B.

Hi Elliot: We need more specific information - - what year/type transmission did you replace - and what year/type transmission did you install? What if anything did you use or change related to the clutch pressure plate, the throw-out bearing sleeves between the two transmission? Tell us exactly - in what order - did you do. Sounds like you may have the wrong throw-out bearing sleeve on the tranny you installed... If the clutch was working before you swapped the tranny - it should still be working after. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: Is that "new" as in New Old Stock - I had several of them, and all suffered from the foam rubber pads falling apart. Or is that "new" as in recently produced? I think my player is fine - and if they produced new tapes within the last couple years I'd sure give them a try. The 9999 indicates an after-market, locally sourced part - sold though Nissan USA and its Authorized Dealers. Still a very rare part to find NOS... I'm afraid my 510 no longer has its OEM radio... PO changed it out... FWIW, Carl B.

and for anyone that does have one - for a reasonable fee I'll autograph it for you !! that is just too funny...

The best option is to install the 70-72 S.U.'s.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Kats: Did you find/buy new blank 8-Track Tapes for recording? Or did you rebuild older pre-recorded 8-Track Tapes? thanks, Carl B.

Was an 8 track standard on any of the Japanese models? It looks like it was an Option to be ordered. The people in Japan that ordered the optional 8 Track got it. The people in the US that ordered the optional 8 Track got it. We sold several of them... More usual however was for customers to buy 8 Tracks in the after-market, for lower prices and/or more options like AM/FM Stereo 8 Tracks with higher output power. 29220-E4125 Kit-Radio & Tape Player AM 8TR Stereo 29400-E8725 29240-E4225 Kit-Speaker RH (AM 8TR Stereo) 29240-E4125 Kit-Speaker LH (AM 8TR Stereo) I am sure very few people have them today. It's hard to find 8-Track tapes that will still run. They had a little piece of foam rubber in them - to hold the tape against the read heads - and most foam rubber pads today simply turn to dust, and will no longer run without wrapping themselves around the power drive. (I keep trying however). FWIW, Carl B.

Well Carlos and many other Automotive Executives say that we are going back. Back to the days when a NEW Car has an MSRP of less than $10K, and a new "economy car" has an MSRP of $5K. Automobiles from all major manufactures well be produced in China and India... A couple billion people seeking a job, no EPA, no OSHA, no SSI, and no liability to speak of.... It's a wonderful world today IF you are a capitalist. Of course our idea of what is "affordable" will also change... When that new car is $10K we still won't be able to afford it... we'll all be unemployed.. FWIW, Carl B.