dogma420

my 2 cents I would think twice before removing your bumpers. You are probably young, I had a bumperless car when I was young, and I wouldn't think twice about it now...which is good because it's rather difficult to go back to bumpers once you've tossed everything and shaved it all in. The other thing is, those bumpers are really handy to avoid damage to the rest of the car....accidentally, i've nudged quite a few people, as I *guess* the Z is fun to drive with your foot always on the clutch...anyways, those bumpers have saved me quite a bit of damage, as they do absorb some impacts (mine have always been at crawl speeds like waiting in line at post office, etc)...without the bumpers, I would have very expensive repairs...not to mention if they were shaved off, the added expense of fixing the shaved areas that break pretty easily if it has any bondo in it. The early 260 had pretty small bumpers if I recall....I can see someone with a 74.5 260 or a 280 saying they don't like the bumpers, but I can't really see an early 260z owner complaining...they look pretty good. I would not remove the bumpers...they help ya. Also, removing them is like turning your rig into a rice burner, you are asking the cops to pull you over, without even really asking. It's like a continuous laugh in the direction of the cops! Good luck with your decision.

Thanks for the reply, I appreciate that. Unfortunately, I am out of work right now, and I can't afford any extras. Maybe in like 6 months. :disappoin Thanks though!

I just simply used the what, 19mm wrench, put it on, and then put a long I think 24mm wrench on the end of the 19mm wrench (the closed end of the 24 on the open end of the 19), so it was like 2.5 feet long, and the torque from how long it is broke them loose, with only the spark plugs in causing resistance....I tightened them with a long socket/rachet on the front however....would probably use one of these good ideas for tightening! Have a Z ful good day everyone!

looks like the little bit of the head we can see in the picture is new, would be easier with a picture from the other side of the motor

Be sure to think this through man, I had a buddy with a '71 fairlady in the portland area.....real nice car, and yes, it had that 'wow factor' but it was annoying to drive in the US, just like what was said about passing a big rig etc. The novelty wears off fairly quickly....I think he eventually dumped it and got a rhd...and that's without wasting all the time and money into changing one from rhd to lhd. Going through a drive through without p/w is really annoying w/o a passenger as well!!!! heh Although if you do it, be sure to keep us posted...just wanted you to know what a buddy in Portland Oregon went through with a fairlady.

after looking a bit more, nevermind, i guess they are oem, I just thought they looked a bit different....maybe its cause they have no rust, heh.

Thanks 26th, that's exactly what I'm looking for; not exactly stock (actually looks stronger) and not just 'cut out' of another rig; I'll be ordering one and I'll post pictures on how it looks afterwards. Thanks!!!!! Dawg

you're kidding me, right?

my 2 cents.... The bodies are essentially the same between the US 240 and 280, the 280 I believe has some extra sheet metal to strengthen it a little (underneath).... The bumper assemblies add a lot of weight, the 240 has just metal bars bolted to the body essentially....the 280 has shock absorbers that bolt to the unibody (and hence the unibody is modified vs. 240 here).... the insulation in the cab is dramatically more in the 280 (although I don't have any figures)...I had a 74.5 260z (looks just like a big bumper 280z) and it was much quieter inside than the 240...also drove much heavier feeling. The difference, if you're into motorcycles, is like driving a Honda XR250 vs. a Honda XR650....a nimble bike vs. a big beast (minus the extra power of course!) The fuel injection/ignition components along with the interlock/safety components added a lot of extra wiring...just the wiring harness is probably double the wires, and weighs double at least. Things such as the electric fuel pump, etc. added more weight. If you are looking for a rig that drives smooth, like a caddy (sort of) go with the 280z...if you want something that is untamed, rougher around the edges, and will only go up in value, go with the 240z. I have had both, and the 240z is more fun! Just my 2 cents, good luck. Also, the 240z is easy to get rust started on it, while the 280z less so.

I am sure the guys here can vouch, but its pretty fair to say the air horns built into the stock air filter housing are as good as they get; Nissan designed them well. That is why everyone here, including myself, recommend the stock air filter housing with the K&N filter that fits the stock housing. Take off that little k&n filter on your valve cover and put the hose from there to the air filter housing....it will just recirculate the gases back into the motor, doesn't hurt anything...with that filter there, the engine compartment can get filled with exhaust gasses, which can possibly smell up the cabin.

The LSD assembly sits inside of the diff, you'd have to take off the backing plate, which is a good idea anyways....I took out my diff and put a new gasket with silicone on it to seal up some leaks, looks real good now. If there is just a ring and pinion gear, it's not LSD. If it looks any fancier, it could be LSD. Good luck on the conversion, and keep us informed!

Just wanted to get some opinions.... The front driver's side seat bracket, the piece that the seat bolts to, and its welded to the chassis, is rusty and has been compromised. I was wondering if anyone knew if someone made replacements for the bracket, and/or if anyone has just welded a piece of sheet metal over it to reinforce it, or ??? I have access to a buddy who can weld for me, but I don't have access to him removing a bracket off of a donar car. Thanks for any replies in advance!

possible structural problems related to the unibody not being 100% perfect? That could be an issue, esp with the old datsuns.

on stock brakes for the 70-78 Z's, there are NO proportioning valves at all....Nissan designed the brakes so that the discs were proportioned perfectly with the drums, so without a valve, they are proportioned correctly.

I just did the 5 speed conversion. I used a 78 5 speed, 75-78 clutch, fork, throw out bearing, and slave cylinder. I would recommend just converting everything over, so you don't have to do the manual adjustment thing ever again.

i used bailing wire on mine years ago just like the zip tie, its true, works like a charm and mine never did come off, until i replaced the steering wheel!

its pretty easy. have 2 wrenches, I think it was a 10 mm and a 9mm or something like that...also a thicker than normal headed standard screw driver. when a clutch is new, and properly adjusted, the nuts for adjustment are at the closest they are going to be to the slave body; the farther from the slave body the adjusting nuts are (and hence the clutch fork position) the older the clutch is (and the more it has been adjusted). Essentially, when you first feel the clutch STARTING to slip, you can loosen the lock nut, hold the adjusting nut with a wrench, and using the screwdriver on the shaft, maybe try 1 full turn, or maybe 2. A clutch in good shape isn't going to need much adjustment to eliminate the slip. Then I always just go drive it and test it, to see if this adjustment is perfect. As a side note, I just put a 78 5 speed in my 72 240z, and from 75 on, the slave cylinder is self adjusting, the shaft has no adjustment, and there is a spring inside the slave that automatically adjusts the clutch...doesn't work with a 4 speed tranny/clutch (pre 75).... Later!

Max, The panasports can be found at http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=PFW They typically have 225/50/16s on them, as you see in the picture. They are popular, because they look like wheels from the 70s and they also have the correct offset without spacers. Avoid spacers if you can help it...most wheels that require them look like a front wheel drive wheel, and those just don't look right on a Z. A set of panasports from Motorsport auto are $1000.

Has anyone done anything to improve the dome light at all for a Z? My 72 (and the other 2 240z's I've owned) even when the light is new and the plastic cleaned, have not had enough light to do squat with (other than say hey, its not pitch black!) Also, any stories on doing the door switches (renovating them) so the dome turns on when you open a door? Take care guys,

My 72 240z is a red 110 white interior....basically it is like yours, everything in the interior is being replaced....here's what I might recommend, what prices are.... White--these are the only white items--seat vinyl, diamond material on tunnel/rear struts, door panels, and the 6 plastic pieces in the rear area. Everything else is black, (and is for all colors) this includes the dash. What I would recommend (at least this is what I'm doing) 1. Buy white stock seat covers from MSA ($200) 2. Bleach the diamond material (if you still have it) and reuse it 3. buy black door skins / plastic ---if you don't, you are going to waste at least $500-700 just on door skins and plastic panels. 4. skip getting the tailight piece and buy a 6x9 speaker enclosure from MSA ($150) 5. have the black plastic and door skins redone in white vinyl or leather from an experienced auto upholstery shop, or tackle it yourself. This will look better, and will also be better insulated. In another 20 years, the panels won't be brittle and falling apart. The white panels tend to fall apart from what I have heard, and this is exactly what happened to mine...the interior was, was pretty perfect 5 years ago, then I started to touch the panels, and they fell apart like a totino's cardboard pizza left in the oven for 5 hours. heh. Don't know if this will help, but once my interior is done, I will post pictures! PS. I am doing a white leather shifter boot, I think this will look real nice with the white interior....car is nicknamed 'cream sicle' (orange on the outside white on the inside)

Couple of tips if you are pulling out the tranny with only floor jacks holding the car up.... 1. don't use ramps on the rear tires, as you need to rotate the drive shaft to take it off (learned this one) 2. if floor isn't super smooth, put your floor jack (that will hold up the tranny) on a piece of plywood or something smooth...that way, you'll be able to just roll the tranny back 5 or 6 inches, and then roll back forward. First time I did this tranny / clutch swap, it took 2 days....second time (cause I didn't mate the correct years of parts) took only 2 to 3 hours...that's with beer breaks. I have learned the hard way that the slave cylinders on the hydraulic clutch on the S30s like to have fresh fluid one a year or the slightest amount of water in the fluid will rust the piston shut on the slave, which is probably what happened in this case. Everyone have a Grateful day! --Dog

thanks for the responses guys....yes, I have a 78 release bearing and collar and fork. Everything other than the flywheel is 78 (and the rest of the car).... anyways, by adjusting the nut on the m/c that attached to the pedal, I was able to get enough actuation of the clutch, and I'm driving now. Thanks. The issue was that I was used to the adjustable slave on my 72 and when the clutch felt like it needed to be adjusted, there isn't any adjustment at the 78 slave. Since the pressure plate is so much narrower on the 78 than the 72 this adjustment was apparently very small, like 1/2 inch. Thanks, Dog

Hey all fellow grateful zed heads, I just put a 78 tranny / 78 slave / 78 clutch pressure plate/disc in my 72....it doesn't have enough travel to engage the clutch..... no adjustment on a 78 slave....so do I adjust at the 72 master cylinder lever that attaches to the pedal? that is all I can think of....the only adjustment available....I have a 78 master cyclinder, but it looks identical to the 72 master clutch cylinder....I'm thinking that the lever connected to the clutch pedal needs the little nut undone and adjusted to full length....I'm only getting about 1.5 in of travel at the slave....fully bled. Help! --Dog

hey can you pull it out of the swimming pool before you take the pictures? heh, looks like its underwater or something. That one definitely takes the splind'd halfshafts (or converters)....I'll stick with my R180 unless I get a 427 installed.....

Just finished installing the rear S.T. sway bar and new suspension brackets. Pretty straight forward installation....I had a leaking r180 backing plate leak, so I took out the mustache bar and backing plate and cleaned up everything...some tips: 1. prop up BODY on jackstands so the A arms can move freely....when you have everything installed, except for the sway bar ends that go through the arms, switch to propping up by the TIRES...the sway bar ends won't mate up until the suspension is compressed quite a bit more than than when fully extended...i just used a 3 ton jack to prop up and slip red ramps under each tire. Man, the difference is incredible....I just put a 77 280z 5 speed / new 78 clutch/master and slave cylinder/ resurface flywheel and put both sway bars on my 72 240z ....this car so tight on turns and the 5 speed is much better shifting action than the 72 4 speed....definitely recommend these upgrades to every z owner. No lean ! --Dog