zspert

Banzai Motorworks has reproduced the 12/74-7/77 + battery cable fuse link. It's listed in the on line catalog under Latest & Greatest.

I also have diagrams I made of the fuse link arrangement from earlier original low mile, unmodified , original owner 280s. I'll post them on Mon as I'm away from the shop for the weekend.

Here's the truth from the trenches.

Banzai Motorworks has reproduced both

The first 280s and the last 260s were both built simultaneously during the last 3 months of 1974. This makes a 12/74 260 2+2 automatic the rarest, and one might argue the least desirable, of the first generation, 1970-1978, Z cars!

Hi Joseph, Like you Banzai Motorworks catalogs fuse link info which we have gathered from one owner, original, unmodified, low mileage 280s which come through the shop with a bit of regularity. Therefore, I can say with confidence that the thick red links, surely manufactured by Yazaki, are original. Also, I've been buying those links from my local Nissan dealer for more than 30 years. Original colors are Red, Green and Black. I feel comfortable with the super-sessions, such as thick Red to thin Brown, through the years, never had a problem.

Banzai Motorworks, www.zzxdatsun.com, has reproduced the luggage stoppers to a high standard. Every stock 240 gold medallion car for the past several years has one.

Banzai Motorworks sells factory links and factory covers individually and for cheaper, check it out @ www.zzxdatsun.com

Those are stock US spec springs

I have used plastic media exclusively for many years. It is as light as a feather so can be easily removed from nooks and crannies using compressed air. Soda, when the residue isn't completely removed, can cause issues and is denser than plastic making the bits a problem to remove from the recesses. Sand, nothing but problems, don't go there.

The fat red links are ancient history. Nissan has superseded them to a kind of brown.

I undercoated very many 240s, 510s, 1200s and trucks during my dealer days. Paid .3 hrs labor per car.

I don't understand why you want to go to all the trouble when there is a source for very nice correct reproduction braided hoses at JDM. Also, given the nature of the Z car hobby, tiny almost orphan, companies that stick their necks out like JDM and Banzai deserve the support of the hobby. Important to remember, Nissan didn't discontinue parts out of meanness. They did and do it because nobody buys them. Look what happened so very recently to factory wiper blades. Just one man's opinion.

There are two techniques used for industrial plating, rack plating and barrel plating. Barrel plating is used for small parts. The parts are dumped through the hatch of a plastic barrel, the hatch is shut and the barrel is sent down the plating line. Think nuts, bolts, washers, windshield washer nozzles, hood latch parts etc. Rack plating is as the name implies, the parts are secured to a rack by fine wire or hooks. Rack plating is used for parts like the plate between the engine and transmission, long brake, clutch and fuel lines (more about these long lines later) water pump pulley, etc. Be careful, the plater may want to put some of the larger parts in the barrel so have your preferences decided ahead of time. Sometimes rack plating may leave a dark spot where the wire or hook touches the part. The more conscientious platers will work with you to minimize or eliminate the chance of the dark spot, plan ahead. Here's how I deal with the long lines. I first use Brakleen to remove any oil or grease. Then I use single O steel wool to remove any rust, paint, etc followed by the same texture steel wool to polish the lines. I have yet to find a plater with tanks large enough to plate these long lines so I carefully bend them around a 55 gallon drum making the overall length small enough for the plating tanks. Because I want to be very selective about reusing replated 50 year old lines through which flow critical fluids under pressure I always take another step. I bend and flare a complete set of new brake, clutch and fuel lines which I have plated at the same time as the original lines. I buy a length of line from my NAPA store in each of the sizes required and NAPA fittings which happen to come with the correct 10mm flats and are already plated in yellow zinc. Yes, a lot of work but when all the lines have been replated I can choose the best, and safest, of the litter. Damn, he sure goes through a lot of work but hey, I've been doing this long enough that making a new set isn't a big deal and I know I can have confidence in the finished product. Prep work for everything else - I start with brakleen - a product that doesn't leave a residue - then glass bead blasting to remove paint, rust, etc followed by many hours of tumbling in a rock tumbler filled with my small parts and crushed corn cobs. The end product will have a lightly polished finish. An excellent start to the zinc plating process. Yes, Jfa.series1, your use of wire to keep the small stuff together is an excellent idea, a must for SU carb parts. For the past 3 loads I've been using a shop just south of Philadelphia. Every time I drop off a load they ask me about the environment the parts will live in. I'm impressed by that as I had NEVER been asked that before. However, I've gotten good reports about Sav-On from more than one source. If I ever have issues with the Phila folks I'll give Sav-In a go. The Royal Pain In The arse work I've outlined is what separates a quality restoration one can be proud of from everything else. Good Hunting (plating)!

Yes, industrial platers!!! Have dealt with this breed for more than 35 years and no matter who you're dealing with the story never changes. First it's important to understand the difference between industrial platers and chrome platers. I've never found a shop that does both. They , chrome platers, at least those with any kind of good reputation, know that they must produce a first class product without excuses. I have never had to reject a chrome job. You're right, I've paid the price one has to pay for peace of mind but consider it the price of admission. On the other hand industrial platers will almost always lose a few of your smaller parts/fasteners, do a less, sometimes a lot less, than concourse job on 10-15% of your parts and then shrug their shoulders while sticking their hand out for payment. No, this is not just one shop, THEY ALL DO THIS! I've run out of time this evening but I'll try to get back tomorrow with what you can, no must, do to reduce your chance of heart break. Cheers

You have a partially or mostly completely plugged pick up tube filter in your fuel tank. See my comments about this condition elsewhere on this site.

Very soon Banzai Motorworks will be offering 280 EFI charts in large 18 x 24 format. They will be laminated and make excellent Man Cave decorations. Stay tuned to their site at www.zzxdatsun.com. In the meantime they offer the same size laminated 240 wiring schematics for $13.50 plus shipping

Incorrect for 77/78 280. Beware of Z Car Depot's indicated applications as they are often wrong.

After finding out that 240 and late 280 wiper blades are NLA from Nissan I decided to go on a bit of an adventure checking out what's available on the aftermarket. At least something that might be period looking. On top is a new Nissan factory 77/78 280 black pin drive type blade, B8891-N3500. Below that is an excellent substitute from NAPA, 60-018-8 for about $12.00 each. I like these because they look good and the pin drive is solidly mounted to the superstructure and not part of a universal mounting kit. At the bottom are a set of NLA Datsun refills B8891-45090. The last set Nissan had. At the top of the second picture is a set of Datsun factory blades that I liberated from a 240 with only 9k miles. On the superstructure is printed "under license from TRICO". Below that is a set of NAPA /TRICO Classic blades (6-1833). Although they are sold by NAPA and TRICO for about the same money, $9.00 each, and are almost identical, they are manufactured in China. The mounting arm is part of a kit and made from gray plastic. The design of the metal superstructure is nothing like the factory blades but the color is pretty close. Below that is a set of ANCO Vintage Specialty Blades, ANC-20-18. I had a hell of a time locating a set as those dealers indicated on the ANCO site as being near me didn't have a clue. I finally ordered from Summit for more than $25.00 each. Upon opening the packaging I discovered that THEY ARE THE SAME MADE IN CHINA BLADE AS SOLD BY NAPA and TRICO! Only difference-the superstructure is more shiny. At the bottom are a set of NAPA/TRICO refills and yes, they do indeed fit original Datsun factory blades. However, the stiffening piece is black. The NAPA part # is 6-1844 and are/were about $7.00 for a set. Given the relationship between NAPA and TRICO I'm confident that they are the same TRICO 44-180 mentioned by siteunseen. Cheers

The refills are also NLA. I bought the last set from Nissan 2 weeks ago. The container was very dirty and it came from the Master Depot which always means that it is the last of a breed. However, Grannyknot may be right. There may be a refill - does the aftermarket still offer refills? that will work and fit. Be careful as an ill fitting refill could end up scratching windshield!! OUCH!

Yes, even Banzai no longer has them. It's important to remember that Nissan doesn't discontinue an item out of meanness. If an item doesn't sell - those are too expensive, I can get a set of blades from Advanced Auto Parts for half of what Nissan charges - then why should Nissan reorder 10,000 from their supplier? Pure supply and demand.

The reproduction hook and bracket are powder coated the correct satin black

I've done a lot of research on the subject of these 240 tie down hooks and this is what I've found. The hook on the left in the first picture is a Banzai Motorworks, www.zzxdatsun.com, reproduction right front and right rear tie down hook, they are the same. The item on the right is a Banzai Motorworks reproduction of the left front tie down bracket. For the 70-mid/late 72 the left rear is a mirror image of the right rear hook. The rear hooks should be mounted so that the open sections face inboard. The second picture shows the left rear hook for the mid to late 72s and 73s. It is huge compared to the earlier left rear hook. They were used to secure the cars on the ship. I could not find a factory service bulletin about removing these hooks during the PDI (pre delivery inspection) from 240s. However. I did find 2 bulletins about removal of the rear hooks from 74.5 (Nissan nomenclature) 260s & 75 280s. The 2 bulletins are TS 73-78 & TS 75-053 . The first bulletin wants them removed to prevent their use for towing and the second bulletin is much more forceful stating that under no circumstances should dealers allow the mentioned models to leave their shops before the rear hooks have been removed. I did find one, and only one, bulletin that called such a part a towing hook. It is bulletin TS 73-56 but if references the L-620 truck.

Actually, in the case of a 240 the oil pan and right motor mount bracket should be satin black. I have them powder coated.,