Kerrigan

The two road lights hanging below the front bumper are 1) a Carello driving beam (clear lens) and a Carello Fog Beam (the yellow lens). Italian driving lights; it had two Carello 6" driving spots on it when purchased by us 30 years ago. They long ago self-destructed so we got two NOS Carellos to replace. Both turn signal lens on the car are the original JDM amber lens.

Ours took 1st in Class at the Portland Roadster Show. It's currently valued somewhere around $20K, before the win. It has been appraised at the show and we'll know in a couple of days. I've probably $15k in the car, including the $6,750 paid 30 years ago ... and $6K in the paint. If it went to Barrett-Jackson auction .... sky is the limit. If you would like some info on these cars we have a pretty good idea about ours having done a lot of research. For instance, it is an "Z-L" model, the rally version offered for JDM ... about 2660 made in 1971 ... and what makes it an "L"? That's the interesting part ...

All the rub-rub-rub paid off Sunday when she took Best of Class in Conservative Sports at the 52nd Annual Portland Roadster Show! Thank you all for the helpful advice in getting her ready to show. Kerrigan

Thank you very much for the nice complement Gary; Kyrian and I worked our eyes out on that baby getting her ready to share with you-all. Hopefully we can all get out on some good runs this summer with the Zs :-) Again, thank you! Kerrigan and Kyrian

The big payoff for us was having the car entered in the Portland Roadster Show and having people stop by commenting "really sharp car!". Well, ... the girls said "what a cute little car!!" :-) All the work was worth it.

Got it! Thank you!!

I got new handles, but they didn't come with gaskets. Darn!

What is a good company to go with for insurance for a collector Z car, which is driven occasionally less than 3k miles a year? I'm in Portland Oregon. Thank you!

The bodywork and repaint on this 1971 FairladyZ-L just completed cost $6k. The job is "okay", not #1 show winner quality, but for a summer driver people say it is good. Comp work would be about $10,000. Another $2k in badges, parts, etc., etc. Altogether, with the cost of the car, we have over 30 years about $22,000 invested. Barrett-Jackson Auction thinks it would bring about $34k in their auction for a collector, as it is "close". Mind you, no engine, tranny, or pumpkin work was involved. 76k miles on the car and the mechanicals have a long way to go. I've spent a month, 1-2 hours a day, hand-cutting the final clearcoat to remove swirls. Last car I'm "refreshing" ... :-) Bottom line: would I do it to this car again? In a New York Minute. Am I gonna sell the car? My widow can sell it ....

Do the exterior door handle pulls on 1971 240Z cars supposed to have a gasket between the handle and the door?

I've an S30, L-model (rally car, 5-speed, R180 pumpkin) and there is no way it will top 130mph, let alone 155mph ... It was so light at 105 mph the steering wheel could be jiggled side-to-side with no effect on the direction of the car ... scary ... they just want to get lighter the more air the jams underneath at those speeds. IMHO ...

Okay! On the right trail now. Didn't set the "notify me" flag ... dumma ...

I'm sorry, I missed the replies to the right thread. The email didn't get to me that there had been a reply. Got the info now and will do the tests. Thanks!!!

After sitting with a full tank of gas for 6 months, the gas gauge quit working. The needle is dead at the total bottom. Is there an easy way to test the tank unit in the car, or the gauge in the car, to help determine which one is bad? Where does the gas gauge get the electricity to operate; from the tank or a feed under the dash? Thanks!

Problem solved! It was a combination of the short screw being in the wrong hole, and the inside and outside door handle rods being too tight. They need slack for the lock to work. Thank you eveyone for your help. Now if I can just fix the gas gauge .... :-)

I've the doorcards off and can't see what is blocking the movement of the locking plate. I'm going to try the "short screw" approach and see if a screw is blocking both sides. The key tries to move the linkage but it won't. Locks work fine out of the car. Does the top frame and the window have to come out to remove the entire device, rods and all?

The bodyshop didn't put something back together right in the doors when they did the total repaint. The door locks won't lock. With the doors closed. They never did lock when open ... But they both worked fine with I gave the car over to the body shop. They said "sorry! can't remember how it went ..." The locks are on the right sides (L and R) with the weephole and the spring in the lock facing down. I've the interior door panels off and the locks now out. Pushing down on the rods it appears to me something is preventing the "slider" for lack of a better term, from moving up and down. The plate the rods attach to, which sits on the back of the inside of the doorframe, right by the latching mechanism. I've tried everything I can think of. Is there some screw or rivet or something wierd that is blocking the plate from sliding down to lock, and up to unlock? What am I missing here?? Both sides have the identical problem. I feel sooooooo dumb not being able to see the fix!!!! Help!

YOU GOT IT GOOD!! Same work here in Portland Oregon just cost $6,000 ... and another $2k in my own parts ... for the same stuff ... geeeeeze.

How can I test the fuel tank sending unit to determine if the gauge is broken or if it is the tank unit? I see a black and a green/white wire at the tank, along with the disconnected leads for the electrical fuel pump, which this car does not appear to have. Is there some way to test it with the wires AT the tank unit? Looks like the unit is on the side of the tank ... at least something is ... I don't see any leads going to the top of the tank, so I assume the tank unit is that "thing" I'm look at where the wires connect on the front side of the tank. It's a 1971 FairladyZ, which is the JDM version of the 240Z. Thank you very much for your advice!

My fuel gauge stopped working after the car sat for a month with a full tank of fuel. I need to test to find out if the tank sending unit is bad or the gauge itself. I can't make heads or tails out of the testing procedure offered in "that" UK printed manual. Does someone know how I can test the tank unit easily? Thank you! Kerrigan

Yes it is; hand cutting the clearcoat currently, taking foreva. Never used a power buffer so I didn't want to burn the clearcoat. Hoping to get it ready in time for Portland Roadster Show ... many things to dink. Up on stands so I'm trying to get the wheels back on to take some pics to send with the application.

Thank you THANK YOU!!! Hopefully I can get this fixed; darn bodyshop. They sure know how to take them apart, but put them back together correctly? Not a chance.

The body shop installed new gaskets and the rear hatch now sits a little two high. Can't take it back to THAT shop, so is there an easy way to adjust it myself? Describe step-by-step? Thank you very much!

Does anyone have a photo of how the lock mechanism sits in the assembly? The bodyshop disassembled the handles, locks, to paint and they don't work now. Won't lock. Need to see a pic so I can compare. Thank you!!!

Located some replacement lugnuts for the Minilite Mags on the FairladyZ. What a search! Tire America is ordering a set. Take a week before I know if they will truely work. Lugnuts for these Minilites are made of unobtainium I think ....