Carl Beck

But it seems you did not read the description. Keeping in mind that the seller is a Collector, not a hobbyist, nor shade-tree mechanic... and therefore everything listed as done, was done at $75.00 per hour in a professional shop... and done without regard to the time it would take... you could quickly see that thousands and thousands and thousands of dollars were spent on the car to put it in "road ready" condition. The person that sold the car - in Florida - never had it running. Nor did the lady he bought it from... If this Collector gets $29K out of the car - he might get his money back. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Arne: Jim Wolf gathered the following info - and it has been verified by several of the top engine builders that specialize in the L series engines. I'll add it to this thread so if anyone in the future reads it -the information will be constant The heads with casting number E88, found on the late calendar year production Series II {Late 71 Model Year} and Series III {72 Model Year} 240-Z's had the exact same combustion chamber as the E31. 42.4cc's so compression stayed the same. The 72 Model Year E88 has the same combustion chamber shape/design - only it's 44.7cc rather than the 42.4 of the E31. Casting improvements to the exhaust valve seat area, and exhaust port improved the flow of this head, and today you see far fewer with cracks around the exhaust valve seats than is common on the E31's. Yes - the combustion chamber shape/design was changed significantly for the 73 Model Year - this is known as the Emissions Head - as it was designed to meet the strict 73 Emissions standards.. This head has a 47.8cc combustion chamber - You can easily see the difference in combustion chamber design for these and the 74 heads.. Not good for performance... Correct - FWIW, Carl B.

A picture of the combustion chambers would "help" us see what he's got. Big difference between the 72 and 73 Model Year E88's in combustion chamber design. But it really would not supply exact answers. Also a big difference between an E88 with stock valves and one with 280Z valves - as far as the total size of the combustion chamber goes. Installing larger valves and unshrouding them can add 2 to 4 cc's easily. A picture would help us "guess" what was done... We really don't have enough information to know if the problem he has with "ping" is related to the compression ratio - or a screwed up timing curve - or simply the gasoline he has available in his area. He really needs to know very exact and specific information about the engine he has - now that it's apart - is the time to find out. -Measure the cc's of the combustion chambers - take the head to a machine shop and have them do it. -Measure the bore -Pretty safe to believe that it's a stock stroke... Summer or Winter blends of gasoline, some with or without "E85" ratings in Canada can vary by 3 to 5 octane points. Bottom line - I run an L28 with +0.5mm, Euro Spec. Nissan Pistons {plus 2cc dome}, and a 72 E88 head with 280Z valves {unshrouded/reworked chamber}, Nissan Cam Kit, triple Webers and Unilite distributor - - no problem at all with "ping". My compression ratio is right at 10:1. FWIW, Carl B

No - captive nut - actually welded on - is in the center only. Open holes on the ends.. that is why you needed the nuts with the clips to hold them in place for the four holes {two on each end} in the end - where they mate up with the end pieces... FWIW, Carl B

I had a claim with Hagerty - I wrote a Post about it.. a few years ago.. Wonderful experience!!.... First time in 35 or so years of driving 240-Z's that I bent a fender, hood, bumper, front spook, lower finisher... Everything replaced with NOS parts..car repainted.. at the shop I wanted to use...Absolutely No Hassle.. they just sent me the check.. They also do a lot to support the Classic, Collectible and Special Interest Car Hobby... FWIW, Carl B.

Does the part you have - have the same mounting points as this one? Mine seems to have different mounting brackets, than the one used one shown earlier in the thread.. Also note in the last picture - the captive nut in the center mount... This is the correct part for a 72.. as it is identical to the one on both my72's .. original owner and second owner crs... See picture of my Spook's marks for drilling.. that I forgot to put up earlier.... FWIW, Carl

Maybe you missed this: "Car in 100% perfect condition. New Panasport wheels and Michilen tires.(original wheels and covers w/ new tires come with car).1972 carbs New brakes, struts, shocks, all hoses, gas, a/c,and water. New electronic ignition, plugs, quiet free flo exhaust. Car needs absolutely nothing. Ready to show or drive anywhere at 100mph." Doesn't sound like it needs much... FWIW, Carl B.

The first time I heard that story - the 280Z's had been painted Black at the factory, but it was a non-Metallic paint. The Metallic Black Pearl paint to the exterior surfaces was said to have been applied after they arrived in America. DAS was the facility that was supposed to have done it.. Given that DAS at L.A. handled some 83,000 Datsuns in 78 -I guess believing that they painted the exterior of one or two out of a hundred cars - wouldn't be too far fetched. They installed 12,000 AC units in the 79 280ZX's.. On 22 acres it was a huge opperation.. But who knowns... As far as I know, any manufacturer could repaint a car before they sold it to the Dealers. There was no liability associated with paint - no Lemon Laws on the books in 78. None of the transport damage that was repaired had to be disclosed to the end customer... It is interesting that the Black Pearl's had non-metallic paint in the engine bay, as well as inside the car. That is usually one way you can tell if the car has been restored rather than original - the engine compartments in the restored cars are usually sprayed with the metallic paint.. Unless we find one of the Painters, that worked at DAS in 78.. we may never know for sure.. FWIW, Carl B.

Humm..... Very Interesting... the S211's must have been repainted in Japan, did Nissan actually export any of them? According to Long only 20 of them were built. Would the "SP213" also be Right Hand Dive Models? Again according to Long the SPL212's and SPL213's were sold in America. The SP310 being the first Fairlady sold in Japan.. Long seems to indicate that the SP310 was the first Right Hand Drive Fairlady... But speaking of Nissan repainting Fairladys... According to Brian Long: "Bruce Morikubo bought the first of 123 SPL212's destined for America, eventually taking delivery from Speedway Motors in Tucson, AZ, in the middle of Aug. 1960. Being the first car, Datsun offered to paint it free of charge, any color Morikubo wished, so it was finished in Cherry Blossom Pink. Katayama also give the owner honorary life membership in the Sports Car Club of Japan." FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: The rear deck area was so high in Crossfire - that it prevented the seat back from reclining more than just a couple degrees.. If you were willing to crank the nob - the Series I/II seats would lay back. FWIW, Carl B.

If it checks out as having "perfect" paint - and the undercarriage is as clean as it should be - - $19K is a bargain. The problem is that usually when go see the car - with 40.000+ miles - it turns out NOT to be the "perfect" show winner you had in mind... The seller isn't misrepresenting it - its just that we get this mental image of the "perfect" 240-Z that doesn't match up with the car we go look at.. Nonetheless - if you keep in mind that it HAS been used for 40K miles..you most likely can't put a 240-Z in that condition for any less money... Not to mention years of work.. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: Please let me know when you can buy an electric sports car that you can jump into and drive from Seattle to Tampa in 48 hours. At that point you'll be driving a hydrogen fuel cell, supported by all filing stations with a gasoline, diesel and hydrogen pump... circa 2075. I suppose if think of a "sports car" as one you don't want to go much farther than 50 miles at time, or one that can weight over 4,000lbs to carry the batteries... it might work for you. IMHO - The next affordable "sports car" that will shake the world - will be one that weights less than 2000lbs and is powered by a very small displacement turbo diesel. If China cranks up the baking ovens, they could produce a full carbon fiber/aluminum honeycomb Sports/GT that would be a game changer... most likely from VW.. FWIW, Carl B.

Beautifully put - ahmen... I would only add: In addition to exceptional styling and affordable performance the Datsun 240-Z fit the average American like a glove, in both size and utility. A Sports/GT that could eat up thousands and thousands of miles crisscrossing America, while delivering its driver and passenger comfortably refreshed at the end. The additional utility of its cavernous hatch back and its daily driver comfort and reliability put its value to its owners - far in front of any other offerings at the time. Still true today... The beauty of the 240-Z is far more than skin deep. If the Crossfire had the room and comfort that the 240-Z had, my wife and I would have been driving it home... We actually went to the Chrysler Dealer to buy one... Couldn't recline the seat backs more than a couple degrees, it had about half the cargo area of 240-Z, and less shoulder room,overall we felt cramped in it ... damn... We went home very disappointed.... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike/Chris: Here is a picture of the item in HLS30 00016. That is two owner car, and as I recall it has about 70-80K miles. Always garaged and cared for.. We drove it back to Florida from Ohio with the original 1969 Spark Plug Wires still in place.. As you can see, compared to the Black Dash,and Heater Control nobs - the Heater Control Panel is gray. FWIW, Carl B.

Anyone that is restoring a 240-Z to Pure Stock will need the Air Pump if they don't already have one working order. So I sure wouldn't throw it away... Nissan needed to use the Air Injection system to meet the U.S. EPA's Air Quality Standards. So no matter what State one was in - for the Z's to be sold in the U.S. it was part of the engines Emissions Control System. You may be thinking of the Gasoline Vapor Recovery requirement that existing in California in 1970, but which wasn't yet required by U.S. Regulations. Nonetheless that requirement was in the "draft" legislation in D.C. as well, put their by pressure from the environmentalists... So the auto industry knew it was coming. Canada on the other hand, had no legal requirements for either. So several 240-Z's but strangely not all - arrived without one, the other or both.

Hi Arne: hummmm..... When I was at Les's shop around 1999 - he had just begun to reproduce the Spooks.. I bought four of them because I was so happy to get high quality reproductions, rather than having to rebuild mine for the fifth or sixth time. Plus I knew some of the guys around here would want or need one sooner or later, and Les needed to move a few to pay for the initial costs of startup.. Anyway - I still had one on the shelf. I went out and took a look and sure enough the circles that indicate where to drill for the core support are clearly present. I'll see if I can get a clear picture tomorrow with some indirect sunlight. {hard to get clear picture of an all shinny black surface with a flash}. Even in 71, in order to get that first couple of bolts threaded into the captive nuts - one had to push up with one's right hand with a lot of pressure - and start the bolt on its way in with your left hand. Just holding the Spook in place - it is about 0.5" of more below the core support. As it is flexed up and the three bolts are tightened down - it spreads out to the sides a bit as well. Not knowing much about the design of fiberglass structures, I don't know if this pre-stress is intentional or not. I do know that the original held up on my Z without showing any stress cracks etc - at least until I destroyed it on parking stops.. Like I said - that was around 99 - so things might have changed since then.. FWIW, Carl B

Just use fresh and good quality Masking Tape - over the paint where you intend to drill though. Use a sharp center-punch to start and hold the drill bit in the correct place. The BRE Spook bolts to the bottom of the Radiator Core Support - with three bolts that go into the existing captive nuts. Look at the underside of the core support and you should see them... If you look closely at the Spook - it should have three little circles scribed in the fiberglass - where the Spook overlaps the bottom of the radiator core support.. If the body shop sanded and then painted the Spook - you may not be able to find the scribed circles that show you where the bolts should go though... See BRE's mounting instructions... FWIW, Carl B.

If you are not thinking of it already - Coat the inside of the bumper with POR-15 while your at it...These bumpers rust from the inside out.. Mask the edges off, and cover the entire exterior chrome! Shoot the interior of the bumper with some aluminum paint to cover the POR-15, just as the POR-15 gets tacky to the touch.. If there is already some surface rust on the inside of the bumper - just knock it down with some sandpaper and blow it out, then wipe it down with some lacquer thinner.. FWIW, Carl B.

Things just don't work out sometimes... due to a number of conspiring issues.... my trip to Atlanta is NOT going to happen. I'll have to do a better job of planning for next year... FWIW, Carl B.

Looks like the previous owner refreshed it a bit - and changed the color from the original Metallic Brown to White. Nonetheless, looks like a pretty clean Z... Personally, I've always liked the Metallic Brown... if I refreshed it I would have to put it back to its original color. Although I like my White 240-Z very much... BTW - I feel your pain. A couple weeks after I took delivery of my Metallic Blue 72 240-Z, I was sent overseas, and the car had to sit in a hanger at the base.... Couldn't wait to get back home... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Stephen: I think - and who knows for sure what the people at Nissan were thinking at the time - that the logic has to do with the primary focus of the different vehicles. It seems the logic associated with the name of the Black Pearl Edition 280Z - was that it was logical to use the name of the Black Pearl Paint to identify the car, because the paint color was the primary focus of the car. The 78 Black Pearl was a limited edition because it was actually a test market vehicle. Nissan wasn't sure that the American public would buy a black sports car at that point. So they built enough to scatter around America and observe the reaction. They were an immediate sell-out and Dealers requested more - but of course being a Limited Edition, Nissan hadn't actually set up to produce more.. There is a very nice man that worked for Nissan/Bob Sharp racing doing video work during that period. He owns the 1979 280ZX 2+2 that was the first prototype for the "Black Gold 280ZX" advertising/marketing campaign. Because of his association with Nissan/Sharp he was allowed to buy the car directly from Nissan Motors USA, and Bob Sharp put a set of Gold Gotti Wheels on it for him as a gift. The ZX has just under 7K miles now, and can be yours for $20K. I think the logic associated with the ZZZap Z on the other hand, had more to do with the Special Decor Package itself adding some Zap! to the Sunburst Yellow 280Z. There had been many yellow Z's before ... so the color itself was not the primary focus in that case. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Adam: White Vinegar {aka White Distilled Vinegar usually made from corn} - seems to be one of the "miracle" solutions. It is effectively used for potty training puppies, applied to sunburns, cleans corrosion off electrical connections. Used to clean tile floors without leaving a soap scum and removing calcium buildup from coffee makers. Mixed 50/50 with Witch Hazel it's used to treat "swimmers ear" {also used to clean dog's ears when they get a fungal infection}. We know it's used for other yeast infections found in some of our favorite places. As it pertains to the TCP - there is some off-setting effect between the uric acid in the TCP and the acetic acid in the Vinegar - that eliminates the foul odor. FWIW, Carl B.

The absolute worst odor - I've ever had in a car - was TCP {Tom Cat wizz}. This came about while transporting my at the time Girl Friends pet to the Vet. I had him in a trasport box, sitting on the passenger side seat - he got scared and let go - all over the seat, down onto the carpet, into the carpet pad ... After removing and cleaning everything with various soaps - then letting it all air dry... The odor from TCP was still there. Finally another Cat owner - hearing of my situation - suggested the use of White Vinegar as the cleaning agent. I used it, and the odor was GONE!! FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: For the benefit of the elderly living in Sarasota - let me spell this out. Maybe pointing to the visual graphics of the individual letters will will help . S A P Special Appearance Package The SAP was available only on the Black Pearl in 1978. S D P Special Decor Package The SDP came on the Sunburst Yellow 280Z in 1977. So a ZZZap Z is a 1977 Sunburst Yellow 280-Z with the Special Decor Package. BTW Note that it is ZZZap - with 3 Z's. :stupid: The 240-Z was the first Datsun Z and it had Zap The 260-Z was the second Datsun Z and its larger 2600cc engine had more ZZap The 280-Z was the third Datsun Z and its larger 2800cc engine, plus 5spd had even more ZZZap So "wrong" is as usual a case of a befuddled mind, confused details and incorrectly defined terms. You have the address to which the "check" can be sent. I'd rather have you owe it me than cheat me out of it!! Chris, you have to get out of Sarasota!! FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Chris: If you look at the Z Car Home Page, you will see the information sent to the Dealers about the BP and the optional SAP. What the SAP contained is specified in the "Dealer Sheet" - just click on the image to view a large version http://ZHome.com/History/BlackP.htm Below the "Dealer Sheet" - you will also see two different Window Stickers - one shows the Black Pearl Paint - and the additional charge for it. The second shows the additional option and cost of the SAP. When it comes to the ZZZap - we have only limited documentation. The Nissan Ad.'s that we do have say that you will get the 280Z Special Decor Package on a Sunburst Yellow exterior. Jazz-Z. The Special Decor Package contains/consists of: Red, Yellow-Orange and Black multi-color stripes on - Hood, Deck and Roof - Equally striking Side Strips - Racing Mirrors, plus Rear Window Louvers {aka Shade Kit} I do not believe that the Sunburst Yellow in 1977 was an extra cost option - but is likely that the Special Decor Package was... We'd have to gather copies of window stickers to see what was listed as extra cost options on them. FWIW, Carl B.