Dadsun

My only play car I've had before this Z was a 2006 BMW 330ci convertible. Man, that thing was fun to drive. It was just impractical for that phase of family life. ...So then somehow I decided to get a 240z. 🙂

On the Datsun grey discussion, so the front grill should be the same grey as the hubcaps and rear plate? Mine has been painted black, just like the rear plate.

@jfa.series1, your suggestion to shorten that rod helped a lot. Thanks! See pic of new angle. I also swapped back to my original "pirate's hook" assembly since the one I recently acquired was at a more dramatic angle. Also put a little white lithium grease in some spots.

Wow, great post. Meeting him in person would have been an honor. I still have the flat tops in a box. Maybe a restoration for another day. Did your rebuild them yourself?

Is that Eye-Gor? Give him a sedagive...!

I bought a couple of cans of this a few months back for the purpose. Anyone used it?

I've been on the notifications for BAT for a while. Finally scratched the itch with my first 240z about a year ago. I bought it via Facebook marketplace from the original owner in Lafayette, Louisiana, about 1.5 hours from me. Still have the original title and receipts. It's a 1973 with build date of 10/72. So it apparently had the worst of the flat top carb iterations. 79K miles. He drove it maybe 3-4K the last 20 years. It is white with red interior, although the white is no longer stock Kilimanjaro white. It's a pearl white with a red hood stripe. I am finally driving it now that I've swapped out for rebuilt round tops, MSA performance exhaust system, coated header, new radiator lines, reupholstered seats and vinyl throughout, all new plastic interior panels, restored door panels, restored gas tank and cleaned fuel lines, new struts and progressive springs, etc. Also put the original radio back in it and hooked into power antenna. What's left is to restore back end tail light trim and paint Datsun grey (instead of current black), put in electronic ignition, and put original rims and hubcaps on. At that point I'll be tempted to see what it's go for on BAT. It'd just be lacking the stock paint color Some pics.

No, it stays open. Revs up high immediately. Not good.

Shorten here?

Oct 1972

Need some insight... So, the header and new exhaust are in. No leaks as far as I can detect! Sounds pretty good although I still have some carb tuning to get back to. But, I have an issue with the accelerator/throttle linkage. It is tight and requires me to push down fairly hard to get it moving. Which results in a big rev and jerking. I think it's that the two springs connected to the heat shield are too tight. See yellow arrow on pic. Any suggestions? And how do the carbs stay in idle if there is no heat shield and springs? Also, that connecting rod between the carbs linkage and the top idle screw seems at a less than optimal angle when trying to generate movement downward on the linkage. It'd be better if it were longer, but then the idle would be very high unless I made adjustments elsewhere. Any help appreciated.

Ok, I'm back. Got the MSA header, then had Jet-Hot coat it, and also have the MSA performance exhaust system to tie it into. The thing I'm most giddy about today is successfully getting off all of the old mount studs. Spent time here and there over the last few weeks with PB Blaster, hammer taps, and good old vice grips. So, I'm ready to reassemble. My previous efforts here have used the bolts at the intake manifold, not all studs. Any tricks to assembling? I'm thinking I should start only with the studs shown to get the header and bottom of intake manifold in place and a little snug before adding the top studs. Edit: ok, I learned the hard way... Set all the studs then get after it. Looks like a good seal across the header. Will crank tomorrow.

That one on eBay shown as coming from Top End is the MSDSinc.com product (aka Marty mentioned earlier in this thread). Go to Marty's site instead if you want that one. You'll save $60-70 buying directly from him. He has a good reputation on here. I wound up going MSA's product over his but only because they have the exhaust-to-tail connection ready to go. Marty's part number related to that eBay item is HO-241, I think.

I exchanged emails with Marty (MSDS). His header flange he's been making forever has a 0.5" thickness, which is less than my intake manifold thickness I'm measuring (which is about 0.6"). So, now I'm wondering if I have an unusually thick intake manifold flange? What's the standard? Maybe mine is standard and MSDS is not thick enough... but Marty has been making it a long time. :dunno: I'm thinking MSA is the way to go.

Yes, Embee is the hold up. They've apparently had a batch of MSA's 2020 header orders held hostage for a while, so MSA is telling people they are in wait and see mode. I told MSA to consider Jet-Hot. They've done it a long, long time and are fast turnaround. Took them about 5-6 business days to get mine coated and back out the door. So, that's why I'm thinking just ordering the uncoated from MSA and then sending them off. Just tough to wait around another month or so with a car that is otherwise ready to roll. Problem is Embee is a drive across town for MSA and Jet-Hot is a shipment to Oklahoma. Looks like those Pacesetters are sold by ZCarDepot, Summit, and Holley, among others.

My pic was from eBay. Can't find the listing at the moment, but yes, it's the same pic as the ZCarDepot link. As for eBay, the only decent listings there seem to be the ones from California Datsun. But, apparently he has a bad rep here. Is it bad product or bad customer service? Wow! Beauitful. High end for sure. I spent some time yesterday trying to grind down the lips around the ports, and further inspecting. Even ground down, the two ports on the ends have eroded flange at the top of the ports... to the point where they will not seal properly no matter how much I tighten them. Time to scrap them. So, reading through the other responses and clicking some links, looks like I need to avoid ZStory for now. And Summit has only one option listed and it has the strange round/square port combo in the pics. https://www.summitracing.com/parts/psm-72c1037/make/nissan/model/240z/year/1973 My best options right now seem to be: 1. Order MSA 6-to-1 uncoated and pay to have them coated. -- probably at least $530 out the door 2. Order from MSDS guy. Will follow up with him for details on what they have. The website doesn't tell me much.

Good to know! There is also Whitehead Performance in Canada, which shows the identical picture to MSA's. But they never answer the phone or email, apparently.

California Datsun has coated headers available. Anyone ever used them? https://www.californiadatsun.com/shop/exhaust-system/

Was thinking about this yesterday, so I got out the header and put a straight edge on the face across the six ports just under all of the raised lips. Even if I grind it down, the two on both ends are a little back from the straight line of the middle 4. It is slight, and they'd probably bend since they are the farthest points on the entire mount, but not sure if it'll work. At this point, it may be worth trying. Aside: I did get in the MSA hardware kit that has the fat rings. I don't have to weld thickness; I actually need to grind out the brazed mess my friend did to get back down to the raised platform edges that meet with the intake manifold thickness. But, I'll double-check that the thicknesses match. I'll look into grinding down those lips... not a lot to lose at this point. Thanks.

So, with MSA now telling me they are on back-order indefinitely for ceramic coated headers, I'm a bit stuck. Anyone have other avenues they'd recommend? I could buy the uncoated for $300 then pay about $240 to get them coated, but that is just too painful on the wallet. I've been looking through eBay, but don't trust a lot of what I see. Does this (see pic) make sense as a "square port style?": Also, the MSA website description of their headers say: "The thick exhaust flange is flat machined to promote a consistent seal. It also prevents warping and eliminates the need for spacer height modifications." Does this mean it will not have the raise lip around the square ports as my current one has? (see pic#2)

Ok, thanks. Didn't know about the 10% discount! Man, I could have saved a lot this past year. What are your thoughts on this gasket instead of the Nissan OEM one? https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic19a/10-2525 It apparently comes with the performance headers purchase. MSA link says: Just called MSA.... backordered. And they don't know when they'll get them. The coating vendor has them backed up.

@siteunseen, are these the parts you bought? (FYI, I have the original 240z S30 2.4 liter engine) Header: https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic19d/15-6012CH Exhaust: https://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic19d/15-6309 Gasket: this is the exact gasket I just bought last month... I may just leave it on and salvage it. https://zcardepot.com/products/manifold-gasket-intake-exhaust-oem-240z-260z-70-74?_pos=3&_sid=ee7b757b0&_ss=r

Well, Racer mentioned it and now that it's off the car, the header does have some significant issues on the flatness from one end to the other. In particular the front most exhaust flange is pretty much worn away. I could have my friend braze another lip around it and then try to grind appropriately, but I don't think I'll get it within tolerance that way. Or could have a competent machinist, but that'd probably be a lot more hassle and maybe even higher cost than just buying a new header. Ugh. Wish I would have known what to check before paying to have it ceramic coated. I think one of you highly recommended a 6-to-1 header upgrade? Btw, someone said it looks like the header has been leaking for a while. No, that's just how much carbon has built up in the engine. I've had the header back on a month and probably have <1 hour of run time, almost all of it in my garage while I was tuning the carbs.

Ok,.so the intake and exhaust manifolds are off now. Vote on which way the gasket should be mounted. As shown on car (pic 1) or the opposite (shown in wrapper in pic 2)? Btw, this OEM gasket from zcardepot isn't holding up well. See peeling at top of intake flange location.

I've been happy with my Castrol High Mileage 10W-40 blend so far. Seems to have helped recondition some minor seal leaks. Come at me, Bros.