Carl Beck

If that is the actual case - they have a totally screwed up process and they need to fix it. Every car had a scoring sheet - and it should have been simply photocopied and handed to the participants when it was completed by the Judges. The participants should have had their copy at the same time the committee gathering and totalling the scores got their's. FWIW, Carl B.

What you have to watch is the length of the shaft, on the lug nuts for mags. Measure your old one's and replace them with the exact same length if possible. Sometimes it is no longer possible because the industry is now making only two or three standard lengths. In that case you have to get as close as possible, then use extra thick washers or two thin one's - if the lug shaft is too long. Just make sure the lug shaft with the washer installed - does not stick through the thickness of the wheel. FWIW, Carl B.

Not normal for the brackets to not be in line with each other.. so your first picture shows the problem, with the seat bottom on the right. Take that left hand bracket off and look under the vinyl... to see what is going on.. Carl B.

Hi Ron: The first few months of production for the US Spec. 72 240-Z, they were still using the webbing under the seats, and there was no seat belt warning light. There did not have the self retracting seat belts then either. Matter of fact, the first month or so, the body did not have the "pocket" in the floorboards for the self retracting mechanism. They all did have the fully reclining/flip forward seats however. So the change over to the seats with springs, the addition of the seat belt warning lights, the self retracting seat belts - came later. Along with the horizontal rear window defroster lines replacing the verticals in Jan. 72 So 62xxx might be a good number for the change in the seats, as they had to be changed for the seat belt warning system.... I just wondered if the TS was related to the seats or the switches, as you didn't publish the TS info. at first.... No progress on the seats yet - that is one of those situations that you wish you could get your hand on them and figure it out yourself... ;-) regards, Carl B.

That depends upon where you live, and what the Emission Testing your 82 might be subjected to. If you are sure that your Z won't have to pass an Emissions Inspection/Test... you might get away without it.... But make sure you know what the law requires in your State before you do anything. FWIW, Carl B.

Oil pressure in any engine is "relative" to that needed to flood the main bearing surfaces with lubricating oil, and also maintain the necessary clearances between the bearing surfaces and the connecting rods or crankshaft. Oil pressure in an L28 should be 12 to 15 psi per 1000 RPM up to 3000 RPM as I recall. The oil pump has a pressure relief valve that limits oil pressure from the pump to around 45 to 55 psi. So your oil pressure would be "low" if it were in the 25 to 35 psi range at 3000 RPM and it would be "high" if it was in the 55 to 65 psi range at 3000 RPM. It is not uncommon to see oil pressure readings drop to 5psi at idle. Changing to fresh oil and new filter will usually increase the oil pressure readings on your gauge by 10 psi.... old diluted and/or cruddy oil will thin out and lower your oil pressure... As previously mentioned - the sending units and gauges in our Z's are not the most accurate available. So if you have fresh oil and filter, with the proper oil level... and your gauge reads low.. I would first suspect and replace the sending unit , as well as checking the wiring connections. FWIW, Carl B.

No... your Right Hand Bracket, with the adjustment lever - is where it is supposed to be. (at least that is where it is on all my cars). The problem is with the Left Hand Bracket, it seems to be bolted in to the side of the seat back - too far forward, and the top of the bracket is at too steep an upright angle. I wonder if some previous owner, stripped the original captive nuts in the seat back - then just drilled new holes farther forward. Keep trying... good luck, Carl B.

Hi Dave / everyone: Great article and greatly appreciated I'm sure. Nonetheless, I have some questions in my mind... call it curiosity really. First: I do not remember the wipers being any problem at all when the 240-Z's were new. Yes they could have had a faster speed.... but they would run on a dry windshield no problem. On most of the Z's I've worked on - with 30+ years of age and wear - it's not the motor that is slowing down, it is the linkage pivot points that become corroded, the grease that drys out and hardens etc. In which case, you have to take the linkage apart, de-corrode the stub axles/hubs (so to speak), re-lubricate them. In some cases the corrosion has destroyed the metal, and they have to be replaced. I suppose the gear drive mechanism itself suffers from the same causes. By making the Honda Motor swap - - - are you simply using brute force to overcome the real problem of sticky/corroded pivot points in the linkage/wiper drive shafts? Second: Is the 91 Honda "Motor" really that much stronger/more powerful than the original Datsun Motor - - OR - - is the gearing on the drive mechanism the reason for the better performance on the Honda? (ie. gear reduction starters or more modern magnets in the motors themselves). Do you know how many amps each motor draws? Third: If the 91 Honda Motor Assembly uses the same output shaft - - - would it be possible to simply swap only the motor (wondering if the motor has the same input shaft???) .... That is to say take only the electric motor from the Honda and adapt it to the Datsun gear drive and wiring? Like I said - just curious.... FWIW, Carl B.

HI Jon: Received your input 10 Oct. 07, but we need your original engine serial number from the data tag under the hood. thanks, Carl B.

da.... that should be HLS30 62001... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Ron: Is that a "seat bottom change notification" or is that a notice about the switches used? Nonetheless - The Seat Belt Warning buzzer was required for 1972 Production. So the seats with the wire springs went into 240-Z's beginning in Jan. 72. The VIN's started at HLS30 00001... 01/72. A few 12/71 production cars came with the springs in the seats - but no warning light on the fuse box cover... FWIW, Carl B.

There are two sets there... which one are you talking about? Carl B.

Hi Steve: I noticed it because I ran into the same problem. One of the brake lines from the master to the distribution block was totally plugged on the 73 BRE Z ... and I couldn't get it opened up... it was of course listed as NLA from Nissan... So a friend in Atlanta sent me a set he had already had re-Cad plated.... it looked like the set from CT and was of course the wrong one... So he sent me a second set and finally we found the one that would work (like your OEM line).... So it looks like they changed that line sometime before the 73's came out... I'd send the two lines back to CT, and ask them to duplicate your OEM line - and note that is the line for late 72's... That way they would have the model for both.. and customers could just send in a picture of their original lines so they would know which one's to resupply. good to hear your making progress at any rate... FWIW, Carl B.

From your pictures, I can't tell if you have a screw in the top hole of the left hand bracket or not. Nonetheless look at the difference in the mounting position of the two sides. the Right side is mounted correctly on the seat back - the left side is not. You need to rotate the top of the brack, on the Left side toward the rear of the seat, then screw it in place there. If there are no holes in the seat back - on the left side - that line up with the holes on the right side.. you have the wrong seat back.

Hi X-Ray: The tube coming down from the brake master cylinder to the distribution block... the one on the right in the last picture ...... looks completely wrong... What did you do about that? What year Z did CT think that line was for? Thanks, Carl B.

Hi Mauisnow13 I know the B pillar emblems say 240Z - that is not the question. Are the "Z's" solid flat chrome, or are they the "Z's" the style with a raised outline, and the center painted white? See images below - and look at the "Z"... BTW - the "A" pillar is at the windshield - the "B" pillar is at the rear of the door - the "C" pillar would be behind the side quarter window... actually it's the rear quarter panel. thanks, Carl B.

As you can see from the picture below... the 302 Green on the 260Z had far more of a silver hue or under tone, than the 113 Green on the 240Z. FWIW Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater,FL USA http://ZHome.com

Although much belated... I wanted to thank Guus for providing such great coverage of the 2007 EAS.. Although our Z's didn't have quite the spectacular results they had last year, it is nonetheless amazing to see 35+ year old cars still being driven so hard... and providing their owner's with so much FUN. Thanks Guus: Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Greg: "The Z Car List" was terminated, not split up. After 10 years at Texas A&M the Sys.Admin. that supported us had passed away. The old server was on its last legs and the new management couldn't justify buying a new server for a non-University purpose. So we were loosing our free host and connection to the Internet. At the same time, participation on the e-mail based forum had dropped off to next to nothing. Everyone wanted to receive the Posts/Replies... but very few were actually participating in the discussions. As the Z Car Community itself split into Model Specific groups (is a HybridZ a specific model) , each with their own Web Sites and Web Based Discussion forums, there was simply no reason to continue with the e-mail based forum. A lot of growth and change took place during the 20 years the Z Car List was on-line. The Technology Life-Cycle you know..... Your always welcome to come visit any time you are in the area. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mauisnow13 Looking at the picture of the passenger seat in your Z - it looks like you might have the very rare plastic seat guards, along the bottom side/front of the seat. See if those guards are on both sides of both seats - and let us know what you find. Also, can you get a clear picture of the 240-Z emblems on the rear quarter panels of the car... I'm wondering if they are the very early "CHROME Z" or the later style Z that has an outlined edge on the Z with white paint inside the outline. Also would like to know if the 240-Z emblem in still on the rear deck lid, and what type it is. thanks, Carl B.

Hi JonnyRock: If you would, please look on the drivers door jam and let me know what the Date Of Manufacture is for your Z. Also, let me know what the original engine serial number is. Jon in Bellingham, WA has HLS30 01702 and Chet Riley in Mobile, AL has #01694. FWIW, Carl B.

HI Mauisnow: Looks like the wheels alone are worth the purchase price. Look under the hood, and you should see a Data Tag that lists the original engine serial number. The number on that tag should match the number stamped into the engine block, just below the #5/#6 spark plugs. Let me know what the engine serial number is - you may have one of the L24's with the six counter-weighted crankshafts. FWIW, Carl B.

All automobile manufactures release their color codes, along with the information related to the primary colors mixed to achieve it. In this case Nissan's Color Code is 611. PPG - takes the information provided by Nissan, and mixes that color with their paints - they might use the exact same mixture as Nissan, or they may have to alter the formula slightly when using their color products, in order for the final color to come out the same. In this case the 51013 is PPG's code for their color mix. In an ideal world, the paint from Nissan's OEM, and that from PPG should produce the same end result... Other manufacturers would have their own color codes, that represent their mix of colors needed to match that of Nissan's 611. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Greg: I hope you really meant - you were a die hard "Z Car List" guy... that was the e-mail based Z car discussion group that covered all models of the Z Car, and which was accessed through the Z Car Home Page. The Z Car Home Page is still at http://ZHome.com, as is the Internet Z Car Club. When the Z Car Home Page was started in 1984, it too was devoted to all generations of the Z Car... but over the years the Z Car community has split off into model specific groups, and today there are plenty of Web Sites devoted to the individual models.... As such, I may just turn the Z Car Home Page into the "DATSUN 240Z Car Home Page", and offer to contribute any/all other materials to the other Model Specific Web Sites (most of them have more than duplicated the information anyway) ... My main interest has always been the Datsun 240-Z and I may just devote more time to that now. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Dave: Arne has given some pretty good advice. Think about it and let us know a little more specifically what you have in mind - and maybe then we can come up with a list of things to look for, for whatever type of Z, or whatever use you have in mind. FWIW, Carl B.