Carl Beck

If you used the old one for 45 years - time to treat yourself to a new one. AMAZON or SEARS.. Sears.com FWIW, Carl B.

Who in their right mind would sell that Z for $2500.00? Expect family members to sue you - saying that their relative was out of his mind. That or Phil Spector will show up claiming it was his… looks like a real jewel.. Carl B.

Cheap Junk - comes from the "businesses" that buy it from the factory - and resell it in the retail market. High Quality - comes from the businesses that buy it from the factory - and resell it in the retail market. The truth is that an ever growing number of Americans make their purchase decisions, based not on the quality of the products - but upon the quality of the advertising generating sales. They make their purchasing decisions based on ease of purchase and price. Going to Home Depot is "ease of purchase". You can get everything you need in one location. In decades past you might have to go to the Hardware Store, the Lumber Yard, the Electrical Supply Company, the Plumbing Supply Company etc etc - - just to get one small home improvement project done. Going to Home Depot instead of Lowes - might be a decision between "ease of purchase" or "lower price". So Home Depot and Lowes are always looking for lower priced items, and they are always building stores in the same towns/locations. Bottom Line - it isn't Chinese Junk. As long as price remains the main element in purchasing. China is building their own Space Station. In my opinion the highest quality personal computers, smart phones and portable music players - Apples products are almost all made in china. Yes, up front they seem to cost a bit more - but everything I've bought from them has been very reliable and all the hardware has easily out lived the technical life of its software. Because Apple buys high quality Chinese manufactured products - and resells them in the retail market. Harbor Freight - plays both sides of the game. Much of what they sell is junk, some of what they sell is actually very high quality. For years now Harbor Freight's "US General" tool boxes have offered quality as good or better than other major manufacturers offerings - at half the price. This while old line, well known products were being made cheaper and cheaper - Sears Craftsman brand has all but destroyed itself by buying Chinese Cheap Junk - instead of buying much higher quality Chinese Products. Just like Japan before it - sooner or later - more and more businesses will start to buy high quality products from Chinese Manufacturing Plants - and resell them in the retail market in America. So if your fuel pump or security system are cheap junk - call it like it is - list the name of the company that is selling it. FWIW, Carl B.

Believe it or not - but that difference in R & L front wheels - was very common. Most people didn't notice it - until they went to a larger wheel/tire size.. Some of it could be adjusted out by shifting the lower finisher panels over a bit - but it was still there only to a lessor extent. Also agree - any car like this should be presented with clear pictures of the undercarriage. Although not really a Concours Restoration - it might check out to be a very nice 240Z - - but I'm not seeing anything close to $38K in todays market. With the minor issues - something closer to $20K might not be too bad.. {if the undercarriage holds up to inspection}. FWIW, Carl B.

Looks like a good ZCar for someone.

I've always used lacquer thinner.. Carl B.

I hope he sells them - it will make my set worth that much more… Although the Part number seems to be good - I wonder if there are really many more in Nissan's Stock. Carl B.

Your friend that does the body and paint work - did a really nice job on the floorpans. That's a real good friend to have when you undertake a project like this. Keep the photo's coming … Carl B.

Yes - as original equipment production in 5/71 had metal fans. However, given the reasons for the change to the lighter weight plastic fan's - It is a good idea to replace the metal fan's with the plastic one's for any street driven Z. The plastic fan might cost you a couple points in a Stock Class at a Judged Show…but it reduces the risk of early water pump failure - or damage to the radiator/hood etc if the metal fan breaks away.. FWIW, Carl B.

That also would still allow confusion - and both the Series I and Series II were produced in 1971. FWIW, Carl B.

Also keep in mind that it may not be the cap. I can be the seal between the tank filler neck and the cap. These filler necks get pretty brittle with age and they can crack as well at that interface.. this too can cause fuel spills right under the cap… FWIW, Carl B.

Back to the Original Post - from the pictures provided - that looks like a very solid example - and would most likely be fun to fully restore at this point. It will be interesting to see where the bidding winds up at the end of the auction…$10K would not surprise me. It is getting very hard to find un-molested 240Z's in easily restorable condition. I hope someone we know gets the car and just cleans it up - to see what it really looks like. FWIW, Carl B.

Chris: We avoid using Nissan's terms - because they allow confusion as to the specific's of the exact model being discussed. I'm pretty sure most of the Model Introduction Service Bulletins for the 240Z's have been shown/discussed here. Here is the cover page introducing the "1971 late model" or as we call it the Series II cars. That way we can tell if a 240Z Sold/Titled or advertised for sale used as a 1971 Model - is in fact the first or second model sold/titled as a 1971. FWIW, Carl B.

The fact that Nissan and their Authorized Dealers here in the US sold the same model 240Z as 1970 and 1971 "Model Year" vehicles; then introduced yet another "Late Model Year 1971" vehicle - - - should make the reason clear as to why there is no "Official Nissan" designation that points out the difference. They seem to have made ever effort to hide the differences at the time. While the average buyer didn't have a clue that while they were paying for what they thought was the latest model i.e. 1971 - they were in fact getting the previous years model with no changes, other than to the MSPR. The buyers that actually waited for 240Z's produce in Feb. 1971 actually got what they paid for - a newer model with several improvements. So to avoid the confusion caused by having the same model being sold/titled as 1970 and 1971, then having a second model sold/titled as 1971 - Yes, knowledgable enthusiast apply the more specific terms of Series I and Series II to these vehicles. Metal Fan's were replaced on the 1972 Model Year 240Z's here in the North American Market. FWIW, Carl B.

Julio - what radiator are you running? Has it been pulled, flow tested or re-cored lately? By all means, do a pressure test on the radiator and cap first. Carl B.

Jeff - ZTek has a battery hold down for the OEM Battery. I sent him a copy of your drawing/model - and ask if he had anything like that for the Optima. Must say he makes some very nice pieces.. BLING! Polished Billet 240Z Logo Battery Hold Down 70 78 Datsun S30 | eBay Will let you know.. I like Mike W's set up as well. Thanks for Posting that Mike. Carl B.

See: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/electrical-s30/29889-battery-bracket-red-optima-battery.html#post249206 Carl B.

Red Top in the White 72 - somewhere in this forum, I believe one person posted a diagram that shows how to build a custom top battery bracket for the Red Tops. Interstate - in the Blue 72 Interstate Absorbed Glass Mat's {AGM} two of them in the BRE Z All kept on battery tenders.. Important to note - that all of todays batteries have Posts that are no longer in the exact same position - as batteries from the 70's. The result is that the OEM Battery Hold Downs - now come very very closet to the terminals on the cables. I've had to wrap battery top hold down brackets with electrical tape - to assure that the positive terminals on the battery cables - don't come into contact with the bracket. I bought a Firestone "FOREVER" battery in 1976… Firestone has been replacing it free of charge since then. They were lasting 3 to 4 years, when not kept on modern battery tenders. The last one lasted 7 years when kept on a battery tender. It was replaced by Firestone with an Interstate, which is what they now carry. I say "battery tender" rather than "Battery Tender" because mine were made by Guest.. Battery Maintainer/Charger - charges at 3 amp if necessary. Otherwise it is a microprocessor controlled - Float Charger. It kicks on and charges when battery voltage drops to around 12.2 volts, kicks off when the charge is back up to 12.6. These Float Chargers keep your battery fully charged - and won't overcharge like the older Trickle Chargers could. There is no need to take the battery out of the car. FWIW, Carl B.

Beautiful Job Namerow - - I'll bet you had several enjoyable hours doing that. Had to laugh however - I had to put the "loops" back in cables from a 70- for my 72… Carl B.

Hello AMelbye: Honestly - I think your budget is way to low at this point. $5K to $10K will only get you a 240Z that needs a lot of attention. Most of the items on your list… FWIW, Carl B.

1 3/4" inlet/outlet is pretty close to what the OEM muffler is - so unless there was something inside that second muffler that had collapsed.. or was shutting the exhaust flow off almost completely - - it is very doubtful anything would be harmed at the engine. FWIW, Carl B.

non-factory headlight covers.. in a Datsun Commercial?

I don't believe you do… should be able to run with the stock coil.. Carl

So what do you hope or plan to do with it? Carl B.

DO NOT hook up the Unilte without reducing the voltage feed to it - you can burn it out. This might help.. Mallory UniLite Hook Up<br> for 72 Datsun 240Z the wiring there is for a 72 - and I can't remember if the 73 Tach is exactly the same or not. FWIW, Carl B.