Carl Beck

Very interesting. I do not know, or did not know... that one could order a complete body shell for the 66 Datsun Station-wagon through a local Datsun Dealer. Too bad the original paperwork wasn't kept with the body. Nissan Motors USA, did though their Datsun Competition Department supply "white bodies" and "penny cars" for the factory sponsored, or factory supported race teams here in the USA. A "white body" was a bare body shell, sprayed with only a white primer/paint (actually a very thin coat of paint to prevent rust). I have been told by various members of various race teams that the white bodies had no chassis numbers. However I have also been told by one of the people that bought a white body a few years ago that it did have a chassis number... 00017. So who knows?? The "penny cars" were regular production cars supplied to the race teams for use in competition. They were sold by Nissan, to the race team for one penny, so ownership would transfer and with it the liability that could be incurred. Here in the States, roadster bodies, 510 bodies and Z bodies were all supplied as either "white bodies" and/or "penny cars" to the competitors. It was a contract violation, as well as a breach of Federal Law if any of the white bodies or penny cars were re-sold to the general public for road use, or titled for sale. Normally ownership was held on the Manufacture's Statement of Origin (MSO). FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

When the seller states "complete respray, including jam's, hatch, etc."... then shows pictures of the mess left in the engine bay - it should raise a large RED FLAG. The car might be worth $5K at this point... but IMHO it's already been bid up why who knows who - to well above it's value. Private Auctions are an invitation to join in the fraud as far as I'm concerned. In my opinion, no one that knows anything about 240-Z's would give this offering a second look. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Gee... I hate to see a 240-Z taken out like that... I agree with most others .... putting the work, time and money into swapping the 240-Z parts into a 280Z body - simply isn't worth it. The 280Z body is heavier and the L24 will feel pretty weak pulling it around. If you ever did need/or want to resell it - I think you'd have a hard time finding a willing buyer unless you wanted to give it away.... Pass on the 280Z and find a good Series I body.... regards, Carl B.

Hi Arne (everyone): Just a minor point of clarification.. Lets say that the OEM Stock springs are 14 inches free length, and have an installed height of 9 inches. The springs are pre-loaded, ie. partially compressed when installed on the struts (why you need a spring compressor to remove/install them). After being compressed to aprox 80% of their free length - their spring rate is pretty constant - lets just say 82 lbs per inch for the stock front.... It is possible that aftermarket springs had their spring rates adjusted to compensate for the lift provided by gas pressure shocks - but that would mean lower spring rates would be used, which is not normally the case for after-market springs. It is more probable that that after-market springs had their free length/installed height adjusted to compensate for the additional lift of the gas pressure shocks. So we may need to shorten the OEM and Euro Spec. springs when used with gas pressure shocks.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: I purchased a NOS set of the Euro Spec. Stage I springs, then sent them to a spring manufacturer we had worked with on the reproduction of the OEM US Spec. springs for the 240-Z's. The manufacturer reproduced them for us, and with the help of Courtesy Nissan we sat up a Group Buy and had about 40 sets of the Euro Spec. Stage I springs reproduced. A few of the guys that installed them, along with new shocks had reported that their cars were sitting between 1 and 2 inches higher as a result. To assure that the reproduction springs were in fact made to spec. I took them to a local race shop that had the equipment necessary to measure the spring rates of the OEM and reproduction springs. They measured out as near perfect reproductions - exactly the same as the NOS Set of Nissan Springs. While taking to the guys at the race shop - they told me that they also measure the action of the shocks they install.... They said that it was very common to have quality aftermarket Gas Pressure Shocks show rod pressures of 100 lbs or more, and many of the high performance racing type shocks measured out between 200 and 300 lbs!! (these are NASCAR type cars)... The weight at the corners of the typical 240-Z in the neighborhood of 600lbs... the Euro Spec. Springs have a rate of 102lb's front and 112lbs rear as I recall.... so if the rod pressure on the gas pressure shocks is lifting/holding 100 lbs... it's easy to see how your Z is going to sit at least an inch higher... This is not what most of our buyers wanted - so it looks like they will have to cut a inch or so off the springs, if they combine them with newer Gas Pressure shocks. Also interesting to hear that the Illuminas don't have that effect Marty .... perhaps we'll have to recommend them with the Euro Spec. Springs... or the older non-gas pressure type shocks if they can be found. BTW - measured from the garage floor - to the bottom of the rocker panel, at the front and rear jacking points - a stock 240-Z sits about 7 3/4 to 8 inches high (the 73's actually sit a bit higher than the earlier cars do to the headlight height standards and bumper height standards for that year). Bottom of the rocker panel - means just that - NOT to the pinch weld that sticks down farther... FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hope he got something North of $10K for that car...

If they are stock Nissan Cam.'s... 13001-E4126 'A' Camshaft (L24/L28 to 8/81) 13001-P3026 'B' Camshaft (L28ET A/T to 7/82) 13001-N3636 'C' Camshaft (L26) I wouldn't recommend using the "B" cam - for other than a Turbo engine. For stock cam's - the L26 cam has the best profile for street use.. slightly higher lift and duration according to Nissan. I don't know where the "H" came from... FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Chris: Absolutely no disrespect taken... and I'm glad my comments might have encouraged you to share that deeper meaning with us. With Father's Day coming up here in the US, I'm sure we could start a thread about the influence, or lack thereof, that our Fathers had on our car addictions. kind regards, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

I don't know - I think your average Dad likes to throw in some bits of trivia about most subjects.. just to expand on his considerable knowledge of the world .... VBG..... How many of our Dads ever stopped at just answering the question??? ...

Hi Chris (everyone): Years ago - I can't remember how many... Johnny Carson (the late night TV show host) had H. Ross Perot on as a guest. Perot was one of US's first self made Billionaires (long before he attempted to start a third political party and run for president). Carson ask him what the secrete of his success was, to which Perot replied; "it's easy, you just watch what successful people do - and you do that." Carson then ask for an example of what successful people do... to which Perot repled; "They hire the best people and then let them do their jobs; so that's what I do." I believe that the heart of the "Project X" series, if I understand it correctly, is about reviewing what successful people had done in the past, with the hopes that it would help others be successful in the future.. If the book was simply "amusing reading at best".. well then you certainly got your ten or fifteen bucks worth out of it, but you may have missed most of its real value. FWIW Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Guys: I believe that there is great misunderstanding of the series of events that resulted in the current SAE Net HP rating system. It is not a matter of Gross HP vs SAE Net HP. Didn't happen like that.... These are three different rating systems. Gross HP SAE HP SAE Net HP Nissan used SAE HP ratings for our 240-Z's. It's not Gross and it's not Net. The L24's were rated at 150/151 SAE HP, and when measured at the rear wheels the average 240-Z will put down between 112 and 118 HP. Where you see large differences in reported HP - you are usually looking at the difference between California cars and the rest of the US. California had stricter emissions standards than the rest of the US for several years during the 70's and early 80's. (remember that L28's in California got Cat.'s when the rest of the country did not have have them etc.) FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

hi Cuong: I PM'd you... regards, Carl

Sorry Jon - he did not. He said "81-83" 280zxt... the only tranny that fits that bill is the A/T. T-5 was 82/83. {just wanted to see if you were paying attention ... <vbg> regards, Carl

True - in my 72 the passenger side seat doesn't go back as far as the driver side. Carl B.

Hi Jon: "T-5".... who said anything about a T-5? Carl

Hi Alan: I've scanned the "Introduction" pages 02 & 03.. of the English version, so you can compare them to the same pages in the Japanese version, (and everyone else can read them). Just FYI.. Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Garth: Fairlady Z Story - DATSUN SP/SR & Z by: Yutaka Katayama & Yoshikiko Matsuo ISBN 4-89522-244-6 (translation by Brian Long, sold at 2002 ZCCA Convention) If you don't have the translation - e-mail me and I'll loan you my copy in digital form. But you still need the book for the pictures etc. E-mail beck@becksystems.com I have a partial listing of the reference books, magazine articles etc. related to the articles I've written on the Z Car Home Page at: a href=http://zhome.com/History/Truth/BookList.htm TARGET=NEW> http://zhome.com/History/Truth/BookList.htm </a> We also have book reviews and listings in the Library Section of the Z Car Home Page at: <a href=http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/Books/references.html TARGET=NEW> http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/Books/references.html</a> If Alan wants to add the information about the books from Japan we can add them to the list in the Library. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Oops.. thanks Alan.. one of these days I'll learn to copy/past... I corrected the error. I don't know if they are fundamentally different versions - or just published in different languages. I would think that the basic presentation of the story would be the same (yes/no?). A quick and dirty summary of the sections of the English publication is: Prologue - They Called It "Z" (the story starts in America as a young boy see's a 240-Z. Does it start in Japan in the Japanese version and a young boy in Japan?) Chapter 1 - The Z Ensign - (Introduces Katayama, he starts the Tokyo Motor Show, dreams of producing his own Sports Car, runs the Rally in Australia in 58..which angers his management chain - he is cast out to America.... his brother gives him the Z Ensign flag as a going away present) Chapter 2 - The Dream Sports Car - (Introduces Matsuo - he dreams of designing a car - goes to work for Nissan and is somewhat an "out of the box" thinker... who speaks to bluntly about the 411.. then gets to fix it so to speak, comes up with the image change to the SSS... and in 65 is reassigned to the Sports Car Design Studio..meets resistance to his plan "A" etc. ) Chapter 3 - Convergence - (Introduces Hiroo Miyate, Katayama in L.A. and Masataka Usami as Service Engineer in US in 1960; 1965 Matsuo in the studio, Hara introduces Matsuo to Katayama, ) Chapter 4 - Project Z - (with Katayama's selection of Matsuo's plan "A" and Nissan Managements approval - plan "A" moves from concept to full development. Matsuo fights to keep his original concept/styling clean... while engine is specified as six cylinder, and cab height must be raised so American's can fit with comfort... battles between Hisashi Uemura and Matsuo follow... Chapter 5- - Fruition - (starts with American Road Test of Z, problem with front end shakes identified and solved, weak sugar scoop head nacelle identified and corrected, Epilogue - The Z Reborn - (starts with Matsuo Tie Pin, Matsuo leaves Nissan, 25 years later in May of 1995 25th Anniversary of the Z Car Celebrated by US Z Car Clubs..Katayama invited back to the USA to attend. Z Across America Rally takes place.. Z Production stops, 1999 Renault takes over and assigns Carlos Ghosn.. 2002 New Z introduced I know my summary is very brief - but is that basically what the Japanese book contains? It would be interesting if there were significant differences.. FWIW, Carl

Hi Alan: Yes - the English-language version. While the link to Amazon shows the Japanese cover - the description shows the language as English. The ISBN matches the English version I have - not the different ISBN for the Japanese version. ISBN 1-56970-957-2 for the paperback. So if anyone orders the book from Amazon - with the ISBN 1-56970-957-2, the'll get the English version. FWIW, Carl

Hi Gareth: I have read the "Project X - 240-Z" book and there are several factors I really appreciated about it. I'll go so far as to say that personally, it's the best, most accurate and most complete "STORY" written about the creation of the Datsun 240-Z. I'll agree with Chris in that we can question many of the individual facts, specific dates and other minute points... but in the end, in my opinion, the over-all "Story" is as concisely laid out and interesting to read as you will find. If you are new to the Z Car, this should be the first or second book you read. (the other being the story of the Z Car as written by Katayama/Matsuo). If you are an old hand at this subject, have read everything else and done as much research as possible - you'll see lots of the very interesting tid-bits scattered around in many other places - drawn together here in a more comprehensive manor than ever before. I said I appreciated several factors about the Project X- 240-Z book - so I'll list them in brief. 1. It's fun to read (just make sure you start at what we would consider the Rear Cover and as Chris mentioned read Right to Left;-) 2. It's a book about people and business so it puts the story in proper context as far as I am concerned. 3. It gives you a far more complete story about the Z Car than any previous book. From Concept, to Full Development, to Road Testing in the USA... followed up by the 25th Anniversary Celebration of the Z here in the USA 1995. 4. It gives you a good, if too brief insight to the workings, interpersonal relationships and politics of the Corporate Culture. (which many believe really destroyed Nissan Motors Ltd.) 5. It follows the origins of the Z Car from the correct starting point as far as I'm concerned- (Matsuo, Katayama and the Datsun 510) - with no mention of the old school roadsters, nor Mr. Goertz. Hurray!! These guys got it right!! 6. Being a story about people and business, it includes more about, more of, the people involved than any previous book or magazine article; and thus answers a lot of questions that readers of the previous books were left with. It also pulls together in one place many very interesting side notes not discussed in previous books about the Z. If you don't have a copy - I'd encourage you to order a couple copies and save on the shipping costs. Read and keep one for yourself - and give a copy to another fellow Z Car lover. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi Owen: It looks like a 72 Dash. The last list price Nissan had for a new one was in the $800.00 range. I do not know for sure that you can no longer get a new dash from Nissan. They may be NLA... but Motorsports price is silly. There are two issues that will hurt the value of the dash you have. New In The Box - a 72 Dash is well worth $800.00. On e-bay it might even bring a few hundred above that. Packed New In The Box - the dash was also inside a large plastic bag. That plastic bag keep most of the harmful ozone away from the vinyl. Without the OEM box & packing... most likely something closer to $650.00. The second issue is far more important however, the dash would appear from the pictures to have a couple of indentations (dents) in the top vinyl - - That would knock it out of the real Restorer or Collector market all together. It's easily seen and would lose points for show quality cars. If it isn't perfect, no sense to putting it in the car in the first place. That damage makes it a good dash, that someone might live with in a daily driver but for something closer to $350.00 to $450.00. FWIW, Carl B. Carl Beck Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

A Set of NOS Nissan supplied Racing Mirrors - as used on the Black Pearl's just sold on e-bay for $405.00. See Item Number 8065716766 You can find them in used condition at very reasonable prices. On a Black Pearl you really should have the correct mirrors if you want to keep the Stock Look. FWIW, Carl B.

Depends entirely on the specific year... is it a 70/71 dash or 72, or 73 dash? Part Number on the box? Picture of the front of the dash please... Carl B. Clearwater, FL USA http://ZHome.com

Hi BD280Z: Is the Buld Date 05 or 06 of 70?... thanks, Carl

Hi Fred: Jason Cheney, IZCC #399 has HLS30 93993... very close... kind regards, Carl