Av8ferg

Great advice Bruce on the start plan. Thank you for that. So the coil and distributor wiring was the game today. Can’t finish because I have to go to Memphis to hop in the simulator for recurrent training. Take a look at this pic. I labeled the wires using Blues ZX distributor conversion link. I’ve crossed referenced it with Wal280z wiring diagram. I have a few wires I can’t ID that we’re in the same bundle near the coil but not connected the the resistor block. See below pic. I have three black, one yellow and one white with black wires. I’m betting 2 or all the blacks are grounds. The wiring diagram only shows 2. The other wires I’m clueless. Also here was the wires before taking them off The resistor block. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Ok

This seems like a price I can live with. $169 for a set of JDM ORM tail Lights http://www.2040-parts.com/datsun-fairlady-z-240z-260z-280z-tail-lights-lamps-jdm-oem-i460937/ Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have all those shields but didn’t install them because I have a ceramic coated header. Hoping that negates the need for the shields . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Cliff, I cleaned the rad out completely when it was out of the car and soaked it inside with Simple Green and flushed it with the hose until it ran clear. I do need to flush the heater core and will do that today to this weekend . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So close for the start with a few items to sort out. Still waiting on these hoses from MSA...ordered on 13 Oct. called last week and they said they’d send them the next day? Hmm? Today is got the following completed. 1. Throttle linkage all squared away and working nicely. Thanks Captain Obvious and Yarb for the assist. 2. Water line to temp block below the Thermotime Switch and air line connected there to the TB. 3. Put new brass bushings in the gear shifter and got all the boots and covers on. Questions: 1. Decided to test the coil before hooking it up.. The FSM I believe says secondary resistance should be 8-12k ohms. I have two coils here. One reads 15.5 and the other 12.8. This is testing from the center post to the neg or pos terminal. I’m thinking I might need a new coil? Thoughts? FYI I’m going to be removing the ballast block and using the matchbox ignition on my ZX dizzy. 2. Wiring: My distributor advance dashpot has a male spade connection. Looked in the 77 wire diagram and didn’t see that. See below pic. Any ideas? If I had these coolant and heater hoses, I’d be attempting a start. BTW, all these hose connection are a PITA! Anyone see any problems, other than the valve cover hose connect. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay...Cliff you’re right if I spent that much on taillights I’d be sleeping in the garage. My whole car cost less that 3000 Euros when I bought it. I guess I can be happy with my US spec red tail lights. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, we recently had some guests over the house maybe 6-8 weeks ago and it was like the 3rd time someone made very positive comments about the Z. I think she finally gets it, she doesn’t love it but she realizes it’s a unique car. So with that said she hasn’t made a single comment about the car or the money I spend on it. As long as I bring home the bacon, clean up my messes she’s been letting me do my thing. So we’ve made progress, plus I’m acting like a politician....just tell her what she wants to hear (like “ l’ll sell it someday when it’s fixed up”) and then blow it off, (I’m never selling it)! [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Chas, I’ll read that tonight over a cold beer. So I decided to mock up the Xenon Valance on the car with clamps hoping it will take the original form and stop looking twisted . I’ll let it sit like this for a few days and see how it looks . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So what would a set of Euro (280z) 260z tail lights cost me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Jeff, I had a similar idea, but less thought out. I thought of glueing in strips of aluminum along the inside edges on the valance to stiffen it up. Your idea is probably better. The Skillard splitter seems to really tighten it all up but then you have a 2” strip sticking out the bottom. Some may not like this look. Here are some pics of that splitter and how it ties in. You can adjust how much the splitter stick out too.

They are different cars. Top one has the Xenon valance, that pic is off Skillard’ website. The second is a stock OEM valance with a 240z bumper and BRE lower lip.

Thanks Jim and I agree, but we’re living in a different world. It was hard to find anyone to do this kind work anyway. Paint/Body places where I live have little interest in doing any work except insurance work. I went to 4 places all said no thanks. How can I argue with her 6 hrs estimate? Remember the days when people appreciated your business? I can’t get people to come and work on anything around my house and when someone finally shows up they do below crap work, take 3x as long and leave a mess behind for me to clean up. Cliff, I get it now. I thought you were talking about the entire valance including the sides which I felt was impossible. Thanks for the clarification.

Jim, thanks here are a couple pics of mine.

Cliff, I didn’t know that was possible, I’d love to see some pics . I know you can put on the Skillard lower splitter and it apparently really stiffens up the Xenon Valance, see first pic. The problem with the BRE lower lip is it hangs very low and is too big, anyone know of a smaller lower lip? See other two pics. I’d rip this off the first drive.

So with some disappointment I’ve changed gears. I’ve let the xenon sit in the sun a week now. It’s almost 100% but this thing is so flimsy I can’t imagine it being a great solution. I dropped off my 3 stock lower valance pieces off for minor repair and paint. Actually only left two because the passenger side has a big dent and she said it was 6 hrs of labor to remove a palm sized dent. Not worth it. I’m currently shopping on eBay for a passenger side valance. If anyone has one for sale, please let me know. I’m going to try the stock valance with a maybe a. BRE carbon lower lip I think. I’m not sure if this is the look I want but I’ve run out of ideas. I want to keep the 280z turn markers too. If I hate this stock lower valance then I might try my Xenon in the future. Thanks Chas for letting us now about the clearance issues. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Those canon plugs were a PITA. the A-10 has one plug that we t to the ADI in the cockpit this ADI also rotated for heading so it rolled in the case like a ball free floating...that instrument had about 60 wires on one plug. Mix one up and the instrument went cuckoo, ask me how I know. At least I had the best tools in the world, I went from Snap-On then to Harbor Freight now. Thanks for the compliment but I won’t feel good until it actually runs Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dutchzcarguy, maybe try FedEx next time, I am a bit biased I must say. I’ve been flying the European cargo for about 4-5 months now so If it late or something gets damaged you can blame me and my bad landings Cliff was talking about. [emoji23]. We expanded our operations over there and since we bought TNT we’re got a lot more market share. DHL is still the big player in Europe right now . I prefer the euro tail lights and will be in the market for a set once I get this car rolling on its own power and transition from mechanical work to appearance stuff. I’ll be looking for a set in a months. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Chas, thank you for the compliment. I wanted to get my wiring squared away because I’ve read on this forum how many issues are tied to bad electrical connections. Part of my motivation is just wanting to get it right and not be stuck on the road somewhere. I don’t think I’ve told anyone on this forum that before my career as a military pilot I was an avionics mechanic for the US Air Force. I used to work on A-10s. The schooling was about 18 months where I learned about electrical theory, radios, navigation and modern avionics systems. I built many cables during that 4 year period working on A-10’s. I will say Captain Obvious is far far ahead of me in this area, he’d have been my boss. I was just a pion in my unit so I wasn’t doing serious repairs the new and junior guys like me did the wizz ant work like building cables and replacing cockpit instruments. The senior guys replaced and repaired cards, benched check boxes with o-scopes and did the diagnostics. So, I snipped all the connections on my harness in the engine bay and soldered on new ones. I then put heat shrink covers on each weld followed buy a larger shrink wrap to cover both wires. I then wrapped the cable in a wire loom, to help protect from heat and chafing. Here is a link to the loom. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FW672R7/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 For the smaller wires I used a different wire cover material. You this on new cars and something I picked up at the local auto parts store. It’s an accordion looking plastic sleeve. I terminated all the covers ends with a small zip tie. Cliff, thanks….without all the help on this forum I would have probably lost motivation due to frustration and sold the car at this point without all the help on this forum. I haven’t met most of you but I still consider you guy friends and hope to continue the relationship. It’s not just cars, but this type community is healthy and continues to make me a better person because it allows me to get other perspectives and viewpoints, I hope I’ve provided the same. Captain Obvious and I have spoken on this topic. I absolutely will pay if forward. My knowledge is still on the apprentice level but willing to help when I can. Bruce, thanks for the clear explanations on my latest questions. Looks like I need to pull my AFM back off to get the spring on. Yarb…thanks as well for the help.

Okay thanks. I don’t see a bolt on the bottom on my TB even looked at my other one that I’m a box. I’ll take a pic of the bottom and post it shortly. Got it on the vac advance. So the “T” one side to Carbon Canister, one to Vacuum Adv and where does third part of “T” go? I need to buy new lines. Mine are super brittle Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Need a little help. I’m almost to a point where I can start the engine, but still waiting on a heater hose and radiator hoses. Hoping they arrive today. I need help deciphering the vacuum lines first. The FSM hasn’t been helpful and I’m trying to figure out where things go. 1. There are 2 vacuum lines coming off the throttle body. One on either side. I think... one goes to the distributor vacuum advance and one to the EGR. Guessing the one on the side closest to the distributor goes to the advance dash pot. I have removed the EGR so I guess I just plug up the other hole? 2. There are three line to carbon canister. One goes to my intake (mine actually has a label on it). The middle one says “purge”. Where does that go. Other like comes from fuel line. 3. The Throttle body return spring. Mine was removed but I found it in a box, it has a arm and a spring (see pic). Does anyone have a pic of how this attaches and where the other part of spring connects? All the Wiring around the coil still needs sorting but I won’t attack that today. I have a ZX distributor so I’m working through reading Blues write up on that but I still extra wires over there. Expect questions on this at a later date. BTW, found some really nice battery post connectors with rubber covers that make easy to add the extra wires . See pic below. I pulled the Neg cover off for the pic. The extra wires are for the battery maintainer Got the terminal connects on Amazon...of course. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So this car isn’t technically for sale but the owner said he’d take $400. It’s has a complete L28 and manual transmission. Most of the parts are still there. I saved it from its demise just by chance. I haven’t been to this yard in 4 months and he’s got all sorts of old cars. Had three 280s, a 240 and a 2+2. He’s was crushing the 280s and keeping the 240 and 2+2. I just happened to walk up to this one when the auto grim reaper approached. I told him “don’t crush this car”. He had already smashed a decent 78’. He said go talk to the owner. Owner didn’t care either way. I think I convinced him to keep it. Here’s the video I took. If I arrived 5 mins later this puppy was going to be tuned in to Tuna Cans and paper clips. I did mange to grab some parts. ECU, fan shroud, cold start injector, condenser, a quartz clock some other odds and ends. $30 total Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Chas, thanks for the information, sounds like it might not be worth it to try the 240z valance. I put the Xenon out in the sun all day and it did unroll but it still looks really sloppy. I just can imagine it looking good. I’m going to see if Xenon will taking it back but I predict they won’t. I will probably go back to getting a stock valance and putting a lip on it. I need the passenger side piece and the center one. My drivers side is good. If anyone has these let me know. Chas too bad you gave it to an unappreciative person. Can’t let people like that change you though. It’s on them not you. So I had acquired another lower grill at a junk yard and did a mock up with it today. There are two lower grills on the bottom section in this pic. I wanted to see how it lined up. Will cut the shorter one out as it sit further back and then powder coat like the other one to match. It should take up lots of that gap with my 250z bumper . Also spent the day on the EFI. AFM, throttle body and put all new harness connections. Slowly she’s coming together. Awaiting cooliing parts to move forward.

Chas, you did a nice job. I’m undecided on my way forward. I may go back to the 280z stock valance and put a lower lip on it and add two more crossbars on my lower grill to fill the void. I’d rather get the 240z valance without the turn signals and add the lower lip, but can’t find one yet. Here’s a stock 280z valance with a lower lip. This lip is too big for me but a smaller one might look good. Chas if you want to sell your stock 280z valance pieces let me know . Mine is pretty trashed . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Okay, I’ll try that today. Hopefully you’re right. Xenon never answered the phone or returned my call yesterday. Maybe they’re closed Monday’s. I’d like to know where your can buy the Euro/Aussie from valance. It’s essentially the same out the US 240z except the turn signal lights are blanked out. I guess Europe had iss with the low turn light placement because all the ones I’ve seen have the light mounted on the bumper. 280z stock turn lights with the euro 240/260z front valance and a lower lip looks pretty darn good to me. If anyone know where you can buy those let me now. I have little confidence this xenon will work out. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m need to work on my landings [emoji23] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk