Racer X

When browsing the site I encounter many broken and dead links.

Don't leave out John Paul sr and John Paul jr.

Nice to see you're makeing headway Ryan. It can be challenging dealing with bonehead "repairs" by other people, and undoing poorly executed work trying. Is that a Monaro next to your Z? Oh, and best wishes for the soon to be addition to your familial unit!

Where I work the engineering guys rapid prototype 3D printed plastic tools all the time. The material isn’t brittle, is quite strong, and endures in a manufacturing environment. The plastic is machinable, can be drilled and tapped. 3D printers have become pretty affordable too, so much so that the average Joe can afford one, and print whatever they like. The only limitation is their imagination. My only complaint is the 3D printed parts have that look, the lines of each pass by the print head giving items that 3D printed look.

Thank you for the comprehensive and informative reply. I have been collecting license plates for about 50 years, and have learned quite a bit about the details, but just now learned something new, so it is appreciated that you took the time to compose such a great reply. I recently reregistered my 72 240Z, using the original license plate as “year of manufacture”. It is now permanently registered, although use is limited to test drives after maintenance or repairs, parades, travel to and from shows, or for pleasure.

What is a Q plate?

Spent the last week after work harvesting parts from a 77 280 I picked up from a neighbor about 15 years ago. The clutch and brake pedals for converting my 72 240 to manual, the seats to rebuild and reupholster, maybe for the 240, and all the usable interior, possibly for another 280 I have intentions of building up.

Did someone forget to start a "What I Did To My Z Today" for 2020? *Edit* Never mind. Didn't see it way down below all the pinned threads. Carry on, nothing to see here.

I know. But I need to get the 77 stripped down and then move it back outside, and free up the lift.

Been too busy to take pictures, but I've been working on the 72, sort of. Determining what I need to replace before driving it, then sourcing everything. Still need to decide on what hoses it needs (all of them), and work a weekend of overtime to pay for that and a new set of tires. The seat foam is 48 years old and needs replaced, but I could drive the car some before spending time and money there. Prettymuch got everything else. I need to make a fixture to hold the engine and transmission, with a radiator and exhaust so the condition of the 'temporary' L28 with SU carbs and a 5 speed can be determined. This week I harvested some parts from a 77 280Z I have. About 15 years ago I bought a set of Panasport wheels from my neighbor, and they came with this car. It ran, but the local "Z" shop had been working on it, and the short rubber hoses from the fuel pipe to the injectors leaked badly. I had offered to fix it for him, but his experience with that "Z" shop soured him to having the car, he just wanted it gone. It has sat out behind the shop ever since I bought it and drove it there. So far I have the clutch and brake pedals, and may use the tach too, as my 72 has a distributor from a 280, and my tach doesn't work now. Next up, the alternator. I also pulled the plastic trim panels, as they are in decent condition, and I may need them for one of the other 280Zs I have. The car has lots of other good stuff, but is a rustbucket. I will try and get some pictures up this weekend, including the pictures of the underside of the 72 for @Captain Obvious

Thanks Ryan!

Looks fantastic. What paint was used? Acrylic enamel, like original? More modern base coat clear coat?

I feel the need to comment on your process. It appears that you are going to do a complete restoration of the body and paint. But. The car isn't completely stripped of everything. The glass needs to be removed. The fenders need to come off. The wiring harnesses, brake and fuel lines gotta come off. Anything that can be removed must be, to protect it from damage by the stripper and sanding. And when you start cutting out rusty metal to weld in new, you won't want anything in the way that will be ruined by cherry red slag balls flying from the welding splatter. You mentioned the tube nuts on the hydraulic and fuel lines were damaged, so you just bent the lines aside. Get a double flaring tool, tubing cutter and new nuts, and repair them. In the meantime, remove all the tubing from the car so it doesn't get damaged. If any of the lines need related, they can be used as a pattern to build new ones. Good luck on your restoration. Racer

Do they make left hand drive version?

I like everything but the e-brake boot. That should be made with some nice leather, along with a matching shifter boot. The car looks sweet too, especially the floor. Makes me want a frosty mug of root beer.

Soon.

It has the same shifting mechanism of every 240 four speed and 280 five speed I have, but it is the only transmission I have with a companion flange, rather than an open spline.

Is that the 900cc three cylinder two stroke bike?

So one of the engine options I have. L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr L28 With SU Carbs And 5 Speed by Racer, on Flickr It is an L28, N47 head, and (I was told but don't know for sure) a Datsun Comp 5 speed. A guy gave it to me, and said it had been in a 240Z. Supposedly it has an aftermarket cam, and whatever else was done to hop it up, but without opening it up I have no idea. He also claimed the transmission was some special Datsun Comp unit, again, I cannot establish that to be true or not. I haven't seen any examples in any of the online resources for Datsun transmissions of the era. It did come with a custom built driveshaft to mate it with a Datsun differential, in a Z, and it is a 5 speed gearbox. I'm going to rework the cart it is sitting on, and hook up a radiator and exhaust, and see if I can get it fired up to asses its condition. If it is usable I'll likely drop it in the brown Z until I can budget the time to rebuild the original L24.

Thanks Pilgrim. And yes, it is interesting how these cars have appreciated in value. I named this car, my race car, and another 240 I have, as well as my 1972 Camaro and 1948 Ford 8N when applying for a mortgage 16 years ago, and again 14 years ago when I applied for a construction loan to build my house. I believe at the time I placed a value of around $14,000 for the Z's and the Camaro, and $8,000 for the tractor.

I bought this car for Mrs. Racer 1.0 back in 1992 for $2,000. When we divorced she said she didn't want it, and demanded I pay her for it. I pointed out the car was bought with money out of my pocket, and the title was in my name, and I would not be giving her anything for the car, and that was that. I drove the car off and on until 1998, parking it because the oil consumption was excessive, and at the time I was trying to defend a championship in my race Z. So the car sat in the back corner of the shop, collecting dust. Fast forward to this past August. I'm at work, and my manager calls me, says I have to go home. Contact tracing had resulting in me being identified as being at risk to Covid19. Not wanting to waste a two week paid "vacation", I decided to clean up the shop a bit and see how the old Z was doing. I charged the battery overnight, and the car reluctantly came to life, 22 year old gas and all. Being all original, and numbers matching, I won't be making any changes that cannot be returned to the as new configuration. But in the interim I plan to replace the tired engine with one of the many others I have lying about, and rebuild the original as time and money allow. The car as I bought it in 1992 (alongside my race car): Double Datsuns by Racer, on Flickr Brown Z Red Z by Racer, on Flickr And after sitting in the corner of the shop after 22 years, dust, dirt, overspray (I painted a tractor and even though I had a makeshift spray booth, overspray went everywhere) and spider poop. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr Not easy to see through 22 years of dirt. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr I washed it. Notice the red haze of overspray. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr After the first pass around with rubbing compound and a buffer. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr And after about 20 passes around the car. I put some Panasport wheels on it that were on a 280Z parts car I had out back. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr And finally a coat of Zymol wax. Sunlight On The Z by Racer, on Flickr Sunlight On The Z by Racer, on Flickr Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr Now for some mechanical work. I am going to change the car over to a manual tranny. These cars should never have had automatics. I also have new carpet, weatherstripping, and interior plastic panels to change out. Stay tuned. Racer

Looks like you have plenty to do Ryan. The rust will clearly be a challenge, but it isn't an impossible task. The rust on the firewall and roof will be the biggest challenge, as there isn't replacement panels available. Fabricating the needed parts will challenge your creative abilities for sure. I see you are taking a methodical approach, and planning things well. Your videos are nicely done too. For photos, you can create a Flickr account, upload you r images there, then post them anywhere using the hotlink feature. Free Flickr accounts are limited to 1,000 photos, the unlimited "Pro" account is around $60 US (cheap). A great way to host and share your pictures. I think it is awesome that there are younger guys like you taking an interest in the first gen Z car. You will ensure these cars will be around for many years to come. Looking forward to following your progress! Cheers, Racer

The Frost Fighter website says to us a razor blade, and that it will leave a shadow of the old lines. I would think using some cerium oxide and a felt glass buffing pad on a buffer should clean up any residual grid material, and leave a nicely polished glass surface. I've used the cerium oxide and felt buffer pad to clean light scratches from windshield wipers, and the scratches left on side windows from rolling up and down while rubbing against a dirty outer squeegee rubber.

For sure I've wanted to hook up with one of the club cruises, but I always seem to check in on it a day late. Like the cars and coffee at The Shop the other day. Once I get this car safe to drive again I'll be looking a bit more closely at the meet ups. Oh, and I don't do Faceplant, and I see the club website isn't current, so I'll have to rely on someone else to make it known elsewhere, like this forum maybe.

So after a bit of a hiatus from here I have an update. Mid August I was sent home from work for two weeks due to contact tracing, paid of course, but still, quarantine sucks, especially when the weather is nice. So I cleaned up my shop a bit, aired up the tires and charged the battery on my '72 and it fired right up. It has been sitting in the corner of the shop for 22 years. I bought this car for Mrs. Racer 1.0 back in 1992 (I said earlier 1995, but I found the bill of sale, and it was 1992), and when we divorced she didn't want it. I drove it until 1998, and parked it. So here it is with 22 years of dust, dirt, red overspray and spider poop. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr It is a '72, built 11/71, numbers matching, original everything, except tires and brakes, 77,000 miles. I've since washed it, went around it about 20 times with a buffer and rubbing compound, and then made an assessment. It will be getting some maintenance and repair items, and who knows what else. 1972 Datsun 240Z by Racer, on Flickr Sunlight On The Z by Racer, on Flickr I think I need to start a build thread. Oh, and I counted my Z farm. Six 240Z's Six 280Z's One 260Z One 280Z 2+2 Not all have potential, but I do have plans for two of the 240Z's, and at least one of the 280Z's.