Carl Beck

A couple of people have contacted me on this since the E-Bay auction ended - so I thought I'd better update the listing. Rick's 260Z has found a new home... thanks to everyone for spreading the word... Carl B.

What is the dollar value of a "low price"? What is the dollar value of "high prices"? Carl B.

Arne: If the top of the hatch lid, lines up correctly with the roof line.... If the sides of the hatch lid line up evenly with the sides of the body.... Then that's about all you can accomplish with hinge adjustments. Once the above was done - Then a Body Man would: 1. Open the hatch, and place a block of wood under the lower right corner of the hatch lid, on the threshold plate. 2. Close the hatch lid down on the block of wood - then place his left hand on the lower left corner of the hatch lid - and push it down an inch or two with medium force. Using a sort of bouncing/rocking force... to spring it back into shape. This would raise the lower right side of the hatch - and maybe lower the left side a bit. Once the line at the bottom of the hatch lid is straight - you might have to adjust your hatch lid latch down a bit. After doing this - make sure that your hatch lid hinges did NOT move. Always very carefully open the hatch lid - while watching the hatch lid/roof interface!! THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT... FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Guys: Received the following from Germany. Looks like the man has a 280Z for sale (although he refers to it as a 240Z. - I thought I'd pass it on here. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - From: "Udo Fritsche" U.Fritsche1@gmx.de To: Carl Beck beck@becksystems.com Subject: Z For Sale Hallo. Entschuldigen Sie bitte ich spreche kein Holländisch. Leider muß ich Umständehalber meinen* Datsun 240Z verkaufen Es sind noch sehr viele Ersatzteile vorhanden.anbei Bilder Informationen Tel 02941/21252 Festpreis 2000• Gruß Udo Fritsche Weißdornallee 1 59557 Lippstadt (Deutschland) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Bob: The short answer to your qestion is - Yes. If that was where your #1 spark plug wire was to begin with - and if that allowed enough movement of the distributor housing to fine tune the ignition advance/retard... Yes that will do. I used 10:30 - and 3:30/4:00 off the top my head at the time -Sorry if that confused you - the factory position is closer to the 9:00 o'clock that Guy used. However, if someone sat the driven gear/distributor drive shaft position up to use 7:00 as the #1 spark plug wire the last time it was done - then that's fine too. FWIW, Carl B.

TOMO - BTDC is Before Top Dead Center... your ignition is set to fire just Before Top Dead Center...

Hi Bill: He said he still has the oil pump installed - the "0" notch on the crank pully will pass the pointer once, then return to "0" again - before the rotor returns to fire the #1 cylinder. Just putting the "0" mark on the pointer is not enough to be certain that eveything is back where he started.. Turning the crank over once as he said he did, then again - SHOULD put him back were he was....but far better to be certain by verifying it with the rotor position. Also -while he'd doing that - it is always good to assure that the pointer is correctly positioned. Put the piston in the #1 cylinder at its top dead center (just before it starts to go down again)... then check the pointer position in relation to the "0" mark on the crank - looking from were you would see it while using a timing light. FWIW, Carl B.

Yes it matters. Your distributor timing will be off. The rotor in the distributor turns once for every two turns of the crank. Put the distributor back in - and look at the position the rotor is pointing to. If it's pointing to around 3:30 - you are one revolution off. If it's pointing to around 10:30 your at/near BTDC. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: Your are IZCC #594 You first registered HS30 00016 16 March 1997 When you first registered it - as I recall, you registered it on the HLS30 register. I replied and ask if it was in fact HS30 00016 - which you then confirmed. I believe it is possible that you are confusing the Web Site, ie. the Z Car Home Page where the "Registers" are maintained, with the e-mail based Z Car Discussion group, ie. the Z Car List. Prior to registering HS30-00016 in March of 1997, In a response to my Annual Up-date to the "Z Car List", on tracking the 69 Production 240-Z's in Nov. of 1995 - you Posted the Following to the Z Car List. = = = = = From: "Lucas, Mike" mike.lucas@fernz.com To: Z Car List z-car@taex001.tamu.edu Date: Thu, Nov 20, 1995 12:55 PM Subject: {z} Re: 240Z Production numbers I am a little confused about the production number of the 240Z. I own a RHD 240Z #00016 yet I have been told by Carl Beck that there is a LHD 240Z #00016 in the U.S.A According to the original Z reference manual (a felloe Z member has) 1974 version. The production of Z were as follows 240Z 2 Seater Model HS30 (A) (U) (Q) Oct 69-May 71 00003-00500 Jan 71-Aug 71 00501-01500 <- (I suspect Jan should read Jun?) Sept 71-Jun 72 01501-14000 July 72-July 73 14001-101537 F.Y.I we also have the following car here in NZ my car is the earliest at HS30-00016='70 (according to NISSAN Japan I mailed their web site for the info) engine L24-006777 HS30-00249='70 engine L24-?????? owner believes it was original an AUTO but who can tell it had a V8 when he got it HS30-00250='70 engine L24-?????? HS30-00251='70 engine L24-?????? HS30-01047='71 engine L24-?????? original Auto model. HS30-01259='71 engine L24-054810 According to the production figures there was only 155,000 and something Z made. Yet I have been lead to believe that according U.S.A records there was 179000 and something. This original parts reference manual (used to obtain the above production numbers) only mentions HS30 (A) (U) (Q) not the HLS30 Can anyone confirm that LHD and RHD Z had different VIN #. Mike Lucas IZCC #594 240Z #00016, '77260Z = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Back in 95 - I responded that at one time we (Eric Sheeler/Stan Beckman/James Irvine et al, that had started the tracking effort to locate 69 production cars) thought that the Right and Left Hand 240Z's did share the same series numbers - but that we had dispelled that, as well as the fact that none of the 240-Z's sold in Australia had been 1969 production cars, as had been widely published there. I don't know who on the Z Car List at the time would have told you your car was a fake - I can't find a Public Post in my archives to that effect. Possible it was sent directly to you - off list. (you didn't happen to keep it did you?). Nonetheless, it would seem from your Post in 1995 that you were surprised to hear that the Right and Left hand 240Z's used individualy series numbers, and were asking the list for verification. The last report we had from you was in 1999 - when you reported selling to to Peter Campbell in Au. FWIW, Carl B.

Kind of make you wish someone in S.America or Mexico was still enjoying it. Sorry to hear of the result. FWIW, Carl B.

It has most likely been shipped to S.America by now, or driven back to Mexico. Unlikely to be resold here in the States, nor to have been used for parts. One theft ring was busted that operated in Central Florida - they were shipping about 200 cars per month to S. America. Several countries there require no title for cars... FWIW, Carl B.

Are you talking about the car in the first picture? Is that first picture supposed to be the car that won the 72,73 etc C-Production championships, that was then ran later by Scott as a 280Z? Are you saying that car in the first picture is in California now? thanks, Carl B.

Hi Brandon: Thanks for Posting the article - I looked Tod's 240-Z over at one of the West Coast Nationals. I must have spent at least half an hour marveling at the quality and detail that went into it. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Mike: Great pictures - thanks for sharing them. Carl B.

That is one that goes under the heading of "If I Hadn't Seen It Myself"... Amazing... who would have believed it... thanks for sharing... Carl B.

Hi Bob: Pay the man - after you take the head back to him with the Torque Spec.'s. Ask him to torque it down as he shows you how it's done. He will most likely put the cam in the support towers, and as he tightens the bolts down, he should be constantly turning the cam by hand.. to feel the resistance if any. He will follow basically the bolt tightening torque sequence that is used to bolt the head down on the block. This is done all the time by professional shops. I believe that Nissan's warnings in the Field Service Manuals, as well as those in the after market manuals (that copied the FSM's) had more to do with Dealer Service Personnel, that had little experience and very little need to ever remove the supports. There is also the possibility of getting them mixed up (not put back in the same location as they were). In the aftermarket "performance" field - the situation was quite different right from the beginning. Milling heads and decking blocks commonly resulted in the need to put shims under the cam towers - to put the cam/crank centerlines back in the proper relationship. So of course they always had to take the cam towers off. The one thing you do not want to do is mix them up by location on the head. I'd say let him do it - so if he screws it up... he's holding the bag not you. Just plead ignorance and fear.. and ask him to do it. It is most likey he has the bolts close to their final torque settings anyway, and he has most likey already assured the cam is freely turning in them. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi David: Sounds like a great project. Lots of people here to help. Were in Florida is your brothers shop? FWIW, Carl B. Clearwater, FL

Hi Steve: Thanks for publishing the full story - that is a huge amount of work for a very small price. I'm sure the owner is tickled pink. A review of your process, will also give others a good idea of what all is involved, or what they can exect to encounter. FWIW, Carl B.

Have someone sit in the car and pull the choke full on - then off - then on. You stand at the engine and see of the action at the carb's matches the action at the choke handle.. It sounds like your chokes may be hanging up... for one thing. Also check that the vacuum slides are freely moving... Pull a couple of plugs - say #1 and #6 and see if you fouled them that last time you moved the car. Cold weather starts in the old Z's require very rich mixtures - starting a car and moving it - where it never reaches full operational temp's - can easily result in fouled plugs.. just some thoughts... FWIW, Carl B.

Why is that ? It would seem, from the pictures that the two drive on ramps are not connected together - wouldn't that leave the entire undercarriage open to work on??? FWIW, Carl B.

Return from where? You could hook up a return from the regulator - in which case the return line needs to be the same size as the feed line. Or you could use the return line from the Carb. Fuel Rail... in which case you would not have a return out of the regulator. A return from the carb.'s helps keep the fuel cooler at the carb.'s. A retun from the regulator seems to be more a matter of reducing stress on a higher pressure fuel pump used where high pressure isn't needed. I'd agree that you should replace the EFI Fuel Pump, with one matched closer to your Carb's. needs. I use the Holly Fuel Pressure Regulator with no return line at the regulator. Part Number HLY-12-804. It regulates pressure between 1 and 4 psi. Satin Finish http://www.holley.com/12-804.asp Not to be confused with the HLY-12-803, which regulates pressure between 4.5 and 9 psi. (the part numbers on these always seem backward to me). FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Gang: Rick Lapp, a friend, IZCC Member #10474 and Suncoast Z Car Club member passed away recently. Jim Frederic and I are helping Rick's widow sell his Z's. Rick had a super nice Silver, 1974 260Z that he had owned since 1975 and equally nice White 94 300ZX A/T with about 87K miles. Rick's Silver 260Z is street stock - with 240-Z bumper swap, upgraded engine performance, S.U.swap, 5spd and NOS OEM 3.9 R200. You can see the full description on E-Bay. This is a super nice 260Z, lovingly cared for that you could buy at a very reasonable price. One that you could feel free to drive across the Country. {anything this Z needed was done, usually ahead of time}. The Buy-It-Now is set at $12,500.00 for a quick sale and I feel that is a bargain in todays dollars. EBay Item number for the 260Z: 280294717288 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38.l1313%26_nkw%3D280294717288%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&item=280294717288&viewitem= EBay Item Number for the 300ZX: 280294703382 I have posted some additional pictures of the 300ZX at: http://ZHome.com/Rick/Rick.htm http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&viewitemdesc=&seller=jim240z3cgt&ebaydesc=1&ru=http%3A%2F%2Fshop.ebay.com%3A80%2F%3F_from%3DR40%26_trksid%3Dm38.l1313%26_nkw%3D280294717288%26_sacat%3DSee-All-Categories%26_fvi%3D1&js=e583%3A1&item=280294703382,280294717288&t=0&s1=2&viewitem=&hr=http%3A%2F%2Fcgi.ebay.com%2Febaymotors%2Fws%2FeBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem These Cars are also For Sale Locally - so if you are interested, or know someone that would give these Z Cars the love and care they have always had in the past - don't hesitate. FWIW, Carl B.

Hi Rob: Great idea - will do - with permission from Skip. Hi Skip: Thanks for digging them out and scanning them - great memories to share. Carl

Hi Coop: Good to see you here. The new car looks great! .. Where have you been between Z's. You wouldn't have an extra LeMans wheel laying around would you? I need one more for the BRE Baja Z. Actually you really should have newer wheels on that car, thoes old mag.'s aren't as trustworthy as they were 36 years ago:finger: I know where you could get rid of themROFL kind regards, Carl B.

Hi Doc: Thanks - that picture was taken by Mr. Brock, and it is a great shot. He did a photo shoot with the car last March at Amelia for Classic Motorsports. Yes, that's the same Peter Brock that designed the 1963 Corvette Sting Ray (originally drawn around 1957 as I recall), and designed the Cobra Daytona Coupe while at Shelby America. He also did design work for Toyota, Triumph, Hino and several others. As mentioned above, he has a Web Site now, on which he and his wife are publishing a lot of historic information from his personal archives. It's a neat site http://BRE2.net Tell us more about Stacey and her Dad's old Morgan... FWIW, Carl B.