26th-Z

Gotta love those 280s, eh Mike? I thought; "geeze. If you can't figure out how to get the radiator out..." But yea, now that I think about it, the 280 is a total pain in the arse. Just start working your way through it and keep track of your nuts, bolts and screws. Don't just throw them in a pile and figure it out later. Be prepared for the coolant in the engine when you pull the bottom hose. Dousche! I usually pay around $150 to have mine reconditioned with a new core.

No real clear answer to your question. It all depends....I have two different parts books and the CD. The CD is most like the parts book I have that is a print of the micro-fische. There is a lot of information in those books and for me, restoring two old cars, it is all quite helpful. The diagrams are very informative, showing how the car is correctly assembled. Even nut and bolt sizes are shown. The books also help me keep track of the different part iterations and help me determine accuracy for my restoration. You would be surprised what is still available from Nissan. Knowing the part number is crucial. Or for that matter, what the last know retail price was of the part when it was available. (That is good for making parts deals and knowing when you are getting screwed) Then, there is the guru aspect of holding such information. I can't tell you how many discussions I have been in with a certain part in question. What went on what cars stuff. But that's me and what I get out of this sport. If you are going to work on your own car, restore it, or rice it, a parts reference is required. Same goes for a Service manual. Frankly, the seriouser you are about your Z, the more reference info you'll have. But the best reason is, The Club Sells Them! Buy one. You'll be glad you did.

Hi Kats, Yes, I remember the North America Test cars. One had automatic transmission. I was surprised to hear 2nd-Z had one. She must be very serious royalty! All my best to Harigae san. Chris

That is so cool! How much fun did you have? Ha! That is so cool!

Automatic transmission? Brian Long says the automatic transmission wasn't introduced to the S30 until October 1970. I don't know if this would be stamped into the VIN, but if it is an S30S, Long says it wasn't introduced until March of 1971. Wadaya say about that!?!?!! Kats, if you get to see the car and take photos, please show me the welds like these. These differ from later cars. They have a distinct weld nipple in the very center. Compare these welds to a '71 or '72 and you will notice the difference.

Another newbie to the VIN code conversation, Alan! Bemmerguy, We seem to be able to only speculate on what was actually car #1 as all the serial numbers for the various model designations began with -00001. What would have been built at the time would be various models of the S30 chassis intended for various sales markets. The S30 and the S30S designations were for Fairlady Zs in the Japanese market with the standard engine being the L20. The H signifies fitment of the L24 engine (and much later the L28E engine). L signifies left-hand drive. The PS30 was the FairladyZ 432 with the S20 engine. The PS30SB was the FairladyZ 432-R. For example, here is what I have been told by two separate excellent sources as HS30-00026, a right-hand drive L24 engined Datsun 240Z. Same serial number, different car. I liken to imagine that this is Her Majesty's sister the racing warrior.

I think you are correct, jmark. However, there appears to be several different kinds of series I air cleaners. Upon further research, I have my original, a later series I version with an additional fuel line breather hose, and what appears to be an air cleaner for an S20 engine - early. But speaking of distributors.... Here is a picture of my special distributor. A tool made for pumping oil through an engine on the stand. The body has been carved away so that a drill motor can be attached to the shaft and drive the oil pump. Not exactly stock.

Yes. That picture shows the metal hanger a little boogered up, but the idea is there. The plastic washer goes behind the pedal clip. The metal hanger has a captive nut on one side and thus becomes a bolted "squeeze" connection. This picture makes it look like is was pried open with a screwdriver. Texas, that auction was completely crazy. As I recall, the BIN was $350 or something. But the fuse box was new. That counts for something, I suppose. Still, I have been finding used long-tail fuse boxes for $35. Not $350.

Ok, damn-it. You win. That's worse.

This is the most comprehensive article on the subject of hand throttles I know of. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10229&highlight=hand+throttle This is where you owe me a beer for not searching the archives, ezzzzzz. Yes Texasz! Remember that collection? I watched all of the items someone "found" in their dad's garage. All way overpriced and all went unsold - no bids. But back to the original question. Read the thread I linked and ask away about making one. Its a simple mechanical device. The knob is going to be the most difficult.

Maybe you guys aren't keeping track of prices, but a hand throttle set-up complete and brand new has been going in the $400 and up range for well over a year. The last three I have seen were the square knobs and the cheapest of the lot went for $350 used. Brand new ones have been as high as $500. I tried to get one out of a junk yard a couple of months ago and thought the $100 price was a steal. Remember that thread?

Those are the short versions. I have a couple and $20 is a good price for a blank like that. I have seen them go as high as $40.

I'll post more pictures and I'll try to get some shots of the tank set-up with the chemical names. I certainly won't use a BAD epoxy primer, you guys! Here's the wacky plan. Tell me what you think. It's not "original", but everyone I tell seems to smile and think it will work just fine. The body shell is completely void of anything but metal. The sound insulation is gone. The seam seal caulking is gone. Everything except the plastic coating on the wiring harness tabs that are welded to the body. All the seams are wide open, rust free, and everything is exposed. Even though there is still a lot of body preparation to go, sealing the car up from bare metal is essential. I have about a ten day time frame. So we're going to put the car up on stands with a big sheet of visqueen on the floor. I'm going to mix a thin batch of primer and pour it into a Home Depot pump-up garden sprayer. You know, the ones with the log plastic wands and spray nozzle? I'm going to spray down the inside of the shell; not caring about any mess I make or how sloppy the spray runs down the inside of the channels until the car is literally dripping from the seams. You just shove the wand up in there, hit the trigger and slowly pull the wand out. In all fairness, 26th-Z lasted 35 years with no protection inside the shell. But that's why I chose this method to get rid of the rust. Its gone - inside and out.

Here is an old picture of my early key and lock parts. This was when I cleaned the locks for 26th-Z. Notice the key at the bottom right has a longer stem than the two next to it. The point at the end is sharp. I have seen this key in early Z ignitions. My key is the short version like the single key in the middle. The three blank keys are aftermarket blanks - not Nissan.

Hi Kats! I thought we talked about this a long time ago. Here is ignition and keys for 26th-Z. I want another ignition like this for 27th-Z.

I let priorities get in the way again. I bought some expensive car parts instead.

I checked out the tanks, Dave. Sodium hydrochlorate, I'm thinking. And Sodium Cyanide. And Sodium something else. There was a dangerous chemicals tag on the tank and I don't exactly remember. I was surprised. I'm told the dried finish is "like a baking powder". Its not thick enough to look white. Just a few streaks. The tank uses huge copper plates and the rectifier is the size of a large welding machine. The conductors are about 1". I'll ask more when I go to get the car next week. I had all the welding done and they are dipping it one last time to get it clean.

So whom ended up with the magazines?

That Countach belonged to a freind of mine at the time. He actually finished a real Cannonball Baker Sea to Shining Sea Memorial Trophy Dash the year that Rick Cline and Jack May set the record at 35 hours 53 minutes. He drove a Lotus Esprit which suffered an engine fire in Arizona. Terry met a guy in LA named Detlof Claudius who was putting Buick small block aluminum V8s in the Esprit. He left the car out there and I flew out several months later to drive the car home. True story. I remember picking up a newspaper in Texas to see that the Skyway Bridge had collapsed. Terry is in the movie standing around at the pre-race driver's meeting. The Cannonball Run movie is somewhat documentary. With liberal Hollywood interpretation, many of the events in the movie actually occured. Actors were substituted to protect the guilty! Brock Yates wrote a book about the Cannonball. It was quite the event and full of controversy at the time. The first "Cannonball" was Yates and Dan Gurney in a Kirk White Ferrari 365GTB. As I recall, there was a Camero with gas tanks filling the back seat with the strategy of driving straight through on one tank of gas. The ambulance actually happened. The car in the swimming pool actually happened. In the opening scenes, Burt Reynolds drives up to John Paul's shop in Georgia. I contend "Cannonball Run" is part of motor racing history. If you like the movie, get Yate's book.

I'm blaming the whole thing on Carl Beck. Honest. He told me to do it ! ! ! I like the response "It fits me like my favorite clothes". Right on. One restores any car because they like it and they like to work on cars. As simple as that. I like to work on cars. Her Majesty fell into my lap many years ago and I like her. She's interesting, easy to work on, and a unique example of a famous car. I'm very proud of her. Princess 27th fell into my lap on eBay last year. The electrons must have been in alignment and my monitor directed me to a unique opportunity in Delaware. I just followed the fates. I don't know...you do one car...you do two cars...la-de-da. Matt, please extend my greetings to your dad for doing what he is with you. You will treasure these moments. Enjoy the ride. A couple of other comments: the stock L24 is not slow. Everyone knows that. The 240Z is a Japanese import sports car, not American. At the time, it competed in the American sports car market with cars from Jaguar, Porsche, Triumph, Fiat and Opel. Someone said something about crashing one and fixing up another. You may not survive the crash. S30 body shells are NOT safe by today's standards. Keep that in mind when you are out hot rodding around. Furthermore, crashing is a violation of rule # 1 and immediately puts you in the poor driver category and subjects you to public ridicule! :knockedou Hanging out with you freaks has actually been a fun part of my restoration experience. When I started, I didn't realize how big a deal this is and how many people are restoring Zs. This Z thing has been fun. 26th is scheduled to return home next week. All the welding work is done and she is getting her final de-rust dip this week. A huge hurdle is passed and I'm well on my way to $35,000. She's going to look much better.

We have sports car rental places here in Sarasota. I could go down the street and rent a Ferrari by the hour. There is a place renting Harleys by the hour. Good idea, but I think I should exert some prudence and play one of my "cheapskate" cards. I did sign up for the historic Watkins Glen track tour. Perhaps I'll go down to the Nissan dealer in Syracuse and ask for a test drive.

Do any of you guys up there in NY know where I can rent a 350Z for the week? I would like to do the track day.

Terry, Most rotisseries are built to hold a car much heavier than a Z. We have discussed this several times. Do a rotisserie search. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5039&highlight=rotisserie I can lift the front end easily. The back is a little hard to find a place to grab and lift, but I would say two guys - perhaps three - can easily lift an S30 shell.

Three point seat belts with shoulder straps were standard on all models from day one. The early early belts had black buckles and the top was a lift release like ariline buckles. The later series one belt buckles were push button release with a Z logo in the middle. The chrome hardware for the two varieties differs in shape and size as well. In both cases, the shoulder strap clips on to the lap belt as Mike indicated. Can't seem to find a picture of the early belts. Here are the later style non-retracting belts.