Carl Beck

Hi Will: In 98 we were still under the impression that Nissan would start with a clean slate design... thus our input. We did see a couple of our ideas show up in the 350-Z. The form of the convertible top cover behind the seats... the concept of offering different levels of trim at different price points (ie the Track Version etc.). Of course once Renault took over - the RB series engines were lost as they shut that plant down in the first wave of cost reductions. While Nissan said that they felt that they would not be able to make the RB meet the stricter emissions requirement... BMW seemed to have little problem keeping their L6 current, and of course GM developed and introduced a completely new 4.2L in-line six for their trucks. I guess the R&D budgets would simply not allow the necessary advanced development necessary at the time... Well maybe next time.... FWIW, Carl

This is what we told Nissan in 98... <a href=http://zhome.com/OurZ/NewZ.htm TARGET=NEW>Our New Z </a> Scrol down and follow links to the following pages. FWIW, Carl B.

It really isn't a good idea to remove, or have a non-working, vacuum advance on a street engine. On a road race engine - intended to spend most of it's time at higher RPM's and geared to do so - low end throttle response is not so much an issue. Not to mention that most of the triple carb. set-ups lack a port for carburetor vacuum anyway. They also run finely tuned timing curves in their distributors... and can live with a lot of initial advance at the crank... they also have accelerator pumps!! A great performing street engine is an entirely different matter. It routinely rev.'s from 750 RPM to 4000 or 5000 RPM. Sometimes that rev range is accomplished slowly... other times you want it accomplished as quickly as possible. The ignition timing advance/retard that your engine needs at various RPM's and throttle positions is a pretty specific number if you want to extract it's top performance potential. Spend a lot of money on "special" spark plug wires, a super hot coil and/or MSD... and all is for NOT - if that fat spark is to early or too late - in the combustion process. I believe it is better to think of the vacuum advance - as being a "timing retard - overridden with a vacuum control signal". This just gives you a broader range over which you can control and adjust the specific timing advance curve that your engine needs in order to preform at it's highest potential at any point in time. From idle to wide open throttle - the L6 responds best with about 20 degrees of additional advance... Without the vacuum advance, your distributor (and thus your engine) has to depend on the centrifugal advance weights to spin up and advance the timing... that is a far slower process, than the vacuum advance would have taken... so you get slower acceleration. (and possible bogs or poor throttle response). The vacuum advance gets it vacuum signal from carburetor vacuum (ported vacuum), when you go to WOT the vacuum signal from the carburetor increases as the engine demands(sucks) more air/fuel through the throttle opening.... to handle this effectively your engine needs more advanced timing until either the centrifugal advance catches up - or the engine RPM (load) levels off... The reason you can't use manifold vacuum to control a vacuum advance on the distributor is because manifold vacuum "drops" suddenly when you go to WOT - where carburetor (ported) vacuum increases. Yes - on a street engine you can simply set the static timing at the crank to a more advance point and to an effect, off-set the lack of the vacuum advance - - - but that is not a good trade-off. because your timing on the rest of the timing curve - over a range of engine RPM's and Loads is no longer as flexible nor nearly as well matched to the needs of the engine. Timing is everything... a street engine with a weak spark and correct timing, will out perform a street engine with a huge fat hot spark delivered to early or too late... That vacuum advance mechanism is a critical control element in the over-all timing curve that a good running street engine needs.. Make sure your's is working correctly. You'll get better initial acceleration, broad range performance and better fuel economy.. FWIW, Carl B.

1972zed Go Pure Stock with your Restoration... and get it done. You'll have a Classic Car and he'll have a hot rod. Then go buy another 240-Z, and drop that Turbo L28 in... properly set up it's and easy 300HP... At that point you'll have a Classic Car and a hot rod.. but he'll still only have a hot rod. Then go buy a nice, fairly well kept 70-72 911 (watch for RUST!!) ...make it an "E" but one that is still all stock. Don't do anything to it, but own it. Drive it once every couple of weeks..(it will make you really appreciate the 240-Z all the more). At that point you'll have a fully restored Classic Car to show, another Classic to own (stock 911) and a hot rod. All of which will have cost you about the same amount of money that he's going to poor into that 911 hot rod.... If you shop very carefully, don't get in an hurry and buy that two owner, all stock, 70-72 911 at the right price - then just hold it for five years, you'll most likely double your money. Buy the right car and DON'T PUT ANY MONEY INTO IT... remember the game here is to Beat the Brother... with car knowledge and strategy... Owning both a stock 240-Z and a stock 911 at the same time, you'll have the creditability to dis the 911 all over the place. Having a 240-Z with 300HP and a good suspension set-up, you'll be able to out run him on the track as well... How Good Can It Get?.... good luck, Carl B.

Are you sure you ran out of gas? Or was the gas gauge showing very low, when your fuel pump happened to go out? Take a can or a plastic mile bottle or whatever - disconnect the fuel line where it comes out of the fuel pump and put it in the bottle... crank the engine and see if you have fuel at that point. If you have an electric pump at the rear - disconnect the fuel line where it comes out of the filter. Just a thought.... Carl B.

Hi Arne/Walter (everyone): California had been the "Import Car Capital" of the US since the mid-50's. It's actually kind of funny today, but the men at the Nissan Head Office in Japan, really expected New York to be the foothold area for the sale of Datsun's in the U.S. (so Katayama was given the Western States) For 1970 Sales in the Eastern Division (26 States + D.C. Area) Florida Lead State in the Division Cars= 5,932 Trucks= 3462 Sales Totals for the Eastern Division Cars =39,804 Trucks= 13,997 (Walter - Indiana Cars = 50 and Trucks = 21) Sales in the Western Division (23 States) California Lead State in the Division Cars = 32,053 Trucks= 19,894 Sales Totals for the Western Division Cars 57,083 Trucks 35,355 Sales Totals for Hawaii Cars 3654 Trucks 964 Total Sales in the US for 1970 Cars = 100,541 Trucks = 50,316 1970 Sales in the US for VW = 569,182 240-Z Production in 1970 = something like 20,000 VW Karman-Ghia Production = something like 39,000 Mustang Production in 1970 = something like 300,000 Camero Production in 1970 = something like 125,000 Corvair Production in 1965 = something like 160,000 FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: Thanks for the input. I was trying to find out if any of the after-market shocks, were significantly longer or shorter in Piston Length, than the OEM Replacement Cartridges. Doesn't look like there is any significant difference.... The OEM Front Shock Piston Length including the treads... is 8 1/4". FWIW, Carl B.

Damn... I hate it when that happens... Hope enough people raise cane and get the ITS group on the track by themselves... So who did win in ITS? Carl B.

From my experience (now 36 years of ownership) - I didn't see the dashes cracking until they were at least 15 years old. I have two 1972 240-Z's with still perfect dashes.. I'm the original owner on one, and the second owner on the other. Both simply have had "reasonable" care. Given the market price and then current market competition - the plastics used in the Z were far superior to most. FWIW Carl B.

Hi Ed: Now that is actually a function of "poor design"....IMHO. Carl B.

Bump.... Come on guys - you mean to tell me that no one has new set of shocks laying around that they haven't gotten installed yet !.. Carl B

With all the metal work that has been done, I'd want to see pictures of the process in progress. He said the quarter panels were replace and done correctly - I'd want to see what he considers a correct job to be... Not a bad looking car from the pictures... but you'd want to closely inspect this car before buying. I don't think he'll meet his reserve with "pre-approved" buyers only... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gang: If you have a new KYB GR2 shock cartridge for the FRONT of your 240-Z (KYB #361002) - that is not yet installed in your car; could you please extend the piston rod to it's fully extended length. Then measure the distance from the top of the cartridge to the tip of piston rod. Likewise the rear #361001 Likewise the Tokico's... Let me know what you find..... thanks, Carl B.

Hi Rick: Just in my personal experience - in general NAPA has both better Counter People, and they offer better quality parts - if you ask for them, or let the counter person know you want them, and rare willing to pay for the higher quality parts that they sell. Usually the NAPA people will have access to the specifications of the parts they sell, and they are usually willing to look them up if your standing there in the store in front of them trying to make a decision. In the last couple of decades... "price" seems to be everything.. indeed the only thing .. for most buyers and NAPA has had to respond to the price competition from the larger chain AutoParts Stores... so in many cases if you don't specify that you are looking for and willing to buy "quality".. the Counter People will grab the lowest price item to quote... In which case you might as well go to AutoZone or PepBoys etc. In many cases the price competition has been great for consumers - in just as many cases it's really been a screw job... as always "buyer beware"... good luck, Carl B.

Hi Moonpup: Thanks for letting us know... While I personally am convinced that Mr. Goertz really had nothing to do with the actual design of the Datsun 240-Z, others still do. One person that my research lead me to, had worked for Mr. Goertz for a couple of years directly and then worked with him on a couple of projects years later. That person told me that the truth would come out when Mr. Goertz was no longer with us. He believed that it was indeed Goertz's hand on the design...that guided/refined it. I'll revisit that person now and see if he can produce the drawings, documents and/or photographs that would prove Mr. Matsuo did in fact see the finished A550X at Yamaha Design, or that he did in fact see the original drawings, sketches etc done by Mr. Goertz - and then carried on from there. In point of fact - I really do not care what the truth is - I simply want to know the truth. So far, years indeed decades of research on this subject and the man himself, leads me to belive that Mr. Goertz claim to the "design" of the Datsun 240-Z may have existed in his minds eye... but in fact, I can find nothing to support his personal perception as in any way linked to reality. I will say that you can not follow the life of Mr. Goertz without developing some level of admiration for him in many regards. In a very real sense, he represented the "Great American Success Story". A Jewish Emigrant from Germany just prior to WW-II he came to America with a somewhat substandard formal education and no real assets other than having a Father that was a German Count. A title he much later inherited, upon the death of his older brother. While the media like to refer to him as a "German Count"... being German myself and the great grandson of German Emigrants.. I say that Mr. Goertz was indeed an "American"... he became an American Citizen, spent his lifes work here and served in the US Army during WW-II. He also openly expressed his love and admiration for America, the freedoms we enjoy and the great opportunities we offer all our citizens. I am personally sad to hear of his passing. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Arvin: Good to see another person that considers the Datsun 240-Z to be their Dream Car. It might be helpful if you could elaborate a bit more about what you have in mind, when you say you want to locate one for future restoration? Perhaps we can then offer advice or steer you to a car that meets your desires/needs. For example - does that mean: A) Your thinking of buying a pretty nice car you can drive today and not be ashamed of, then perhaps in two or three years you want to do a complete and proper "as it left the factory" restoration. OR You plan to find a car that within a few months - you will disassemble and restore - with the intention of enjoying the process of restoration itself OR C) Are you thinking that anything you can afford to buy today - will most likely need to be fully restored at some point in the future as you can afford it. FWIW, Carl B Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

... if you look at the picture sblake01 provided in response #5 - you will see that item #38 slides inside item #39 and is then held in place by the pin #32 and the snap-ring #37. I think kinfish was referring to item #39 as being "the fork"... (not the actual shift forks inside the transmission). Note also that item #38 has a "bushing" - ie item #34. I believe that kinfish was saying that part of the sloppy shifter feel is caused by that #34 bushing wearing.. and not the pin that goes though it. Many people replace that bushing and pin, with a stronger steel bushing and secure the parts with a bolt/nut in place of the pin. There are rubber bushings that hold the shift lever #1 in item #38. There are steel bushings available that replace the original rubber ones here - but it transmits more noise into the passenger cabin. BTW - what "3 bushings" did you already replace? (item numbers in the picture?). FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rick: Sorry - I should have addressed that question about the engine to 240GL... At any rate - I can't give you a specific Brand/Part Number - because I haven't bought a fuel pump and regulator for a triple carb set up for about 30 years now... I am still running the Conelec Fuel Pump I bought back in the 70's... it's never failed... It puts out 7 pounds of pressure and 70GPH - and I have it regulated down to 3 lbs. with a Carter Fuel Pressure Regulator. The Conelec pump was an Aircraft Certified unit and at the time it was known as being one of the most simply built (fewest moving parts) and reliable pumps on the market. What's "best" today - I don't know.... but you'll need about the same spec.'s ( I think that AC actually wound up buying Conelec's patents). Hi 240GL: With the triple carb set up you need a lot of initial timing advance... about 20 degrees. But, you have to modify your mechanical advance so it doesn't start to come on until about 1800 RPM. Total advance seems to work best when limited to 34 degrees and you want that all in by 3500 RPM. Any good automotive electrical shop should be able to set your distributor up and measure/adjust the timing curve on a Sun Distributor Machine...(as long as you know what you want) BTW - for the engine set up you are running - with triple carb.s .. you don't want a primary venture size much larger than 30mm. (most of these set-up's seem to come with 32's or larger.. and they bog badly off the line). I've had Weber 40 DCOE's since the mid 70's - and really never did learn to tune them. But the guy that did finally set them up right for me - certainly knew his stuff... (thus my advice above)... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Bruce (eveyone) The Series I cars were originally painted with an Alkyd Enamel. They were cellulose based (vegetable oil) and required lots of EPA unfriendly solvents to spray. Also not very durable by todays standards they get brittle with age. The Series II cars and forward were switched to an Acrylic Enamel. Only the Silver and Dark Blue were "metallic" colors on the Series I cars - and thus the only one's to receive a clear coat. That was because the metallic particles mixed in the color coat could wind up on, or very near the surface of the enamel paint - that would leave them exposed to the atmosphere and leave a rough surface - so a clear coat was necessary to both seal the metallic particle in, and provide a smooth surface that could be polished etc. (this is no longer a problem with modern Acrylic Urethanes - they can be sprayed in a single stage without the need for a clear coat). If you are using a modern Acrylic Urethane Enamel (single stage-two component type paint).. there is no real "need" to clear coat it. However it can be clear coated to enhance gloss, allow higher degrees of buffing and many clear coats enhance UV protection. An Acrylic Urethane with a clear coat - you might call a "two step" pain job (I suppose). But don't confuse that with a "two stage" paints. With two stage paints a color coat is applied, and it usually sprays out semi-gloss to semi-flat, then the second stage is to spray on a catalyzing top coat - that chemically bonds with the color coat - and leaves a high gloss surface. I used PPG's - Deltron DBU (Deltron Base Urethane) on my 904 White 72 - everything is a trade-off of some type. My painter likes this product, has been using it for decades - it holds up well in the Florida Sun, and in case of an accident, it's a little easier to spot or blend in. My white 72 is my main "driver" in that I drive it to most Z Car Events, and on longer road trips. It isn't a Concours restoration... See: <a href=http://www.ppg.com/cr-refinish/phase1/frmHome.asp TARGET=NEW> PPG's Auto Refinish Page</a> FWIW, Carl B.

What engine are you talking about? What cam, what head work etc etc.. Carl B.

Just make sure she isn't one of the ABC Crew... we don't want to see your friend on T.V. Carl B.

Hi Guys: The man said the fill plug is - horribly STRIPPED. To me that means that he can turn the plug (it's not frozen in place) - but it simply turns in the hole without moving in or out. It's not a matter of getting ahold of the plug, nor turning it to begin with. Since the case is aluminum and plug is steel... it's a good bet the threads are stripped in the case... in which situation, the hole would have to be drilled out and re-tapped to a larger diameter.. Not something easily done in the car. ZTEC - time to start looking for another tranny. If you hear a standard tranny screeching .. changing nor adding oil is not going to make much difference... At any rate - to extract a stripped fill plug, you have to apply an outward force while turning counter-clockwise. Lock a pair of vice-grips on the fill plug, then put a prybar (old screwdriver) between the vice-grips and the tranny case..pry outward with the pry bar while you turn the plug. If your real lucky, once you move the plug outward a couple of turns, it may pick-up some good threads and unscrew the rest of the way.. FWIW, Carl B.

Are you saying that the fuel gauge was fine - but you really couldn't fill the tank more than half full?

The problem with the recovered dashes is that they can't seem to get the correct grain pattern to match the original. I've seen two of them now and thought they were cheaper dash covers. The full dash covers, properly installed look better in my opinion - because they don't stand out with the wrong grain pattern - and you have to look closely to realize they are the covers.. Just my opinion Carl

Hi Bo: I guess it depends on what part of the Country you are in, or how close to a major population center you are - around here (Clearwater, FL) we don't see too many First or Second Generation Z's in the junk yards and a Turbo L28 turns up maybe a couple times a year. If you want a Tubo L28 in this area - you watch the used car ad.s - and you can usually pick up a whole car, with very rusty body for between $850.00 and $1,200.00. So: Engine with all accessories = $650.00 T-5 Trany = $350.00 to $450.00 (depending on the mileage) R200 Rear End = $225.00 C/V half shafts = $125.00 to $150 a pair Then if your lucky - you can sell a few other parts off the 280ZX T and haul it off to the crusher or junk yard. I have a whole, good running 83 280ZX sitting in the back yard, waiting to be disassembled now.. but with all the other projects I have ahead of it... I don't know if I'll ever get to it. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com