waynekarnes

Wayne - Amen! I am copying that reply and I'm going to send it to people from now on... HEAVY praise from the person i consider to be one, if not the most knowledgeable Z person i have the pleasure to associate with. thank you !!! I'll only add that IMHO the PT is the spiritual successor to the 240-Z. WHAT??? agreed ! right car at the right time in the right place. landed with a splash that inspired a love of cars again. what the public was hungry for. inspired ford to restyle the mustang, gm's pending reintroduction of the camaro, chrysler to build the challenger, nissan to climb on the history of the 240z and toss the 350 into the ring. without the pt and the new vw bug, none of those cars would be here. back on point, the 280z is a fine car. thing is, is just inches away from being a 240z. a person that isn't happy in a 240z is not gonna be any happier in a 280z. this is why i'd recommend the 280zx over the 280z. has creature comforts not offered in the 240z or the 280z. as Carl suggests, the 510 may be a better choice for a guy moving from a pt as it is has a back seat, and a trunk. the 1600 cc engine is almost bullet proof. has fully independent rear suspension. the 5 and dime website offers plenty of support. they are fun to drive and offer more every day use than the 240z. my son wanted one, we looked at a few. oddly enough, here in the bay area ( san jose, frisco ) the 510's go for more than the 240z cars do. possibly because they are more user friendly. can haul more stuff, including friends and family in em and they blend in with traffic. for my son, to buy him a 510 as nice as the '95 2 door civic, i would have to had spent another 1500 dollars and it would not be anywhere as reliable as the "bolt the hood shut" honda. no matter what you decide, try and find one that is as close to stock as possible. the wiring harness has not been chopped up, idiots have not added their personal touches using bailing wire and adapted parts from a honda or a volvo to keep the hood closed. you will spend a small fortune correcting these "custom" touches. oh the 510's are worse than the 240z when it comes to the doors staying closed. a whole lot worse !!! fortunately the latches for rear doors on the 4 door are the same as the front or the 2 doors, you can swap em. you know Carl, you just put a bug up my backside to get a 510. AND i know 99% of the evils a 510 comes with !!! why do you do these things to me ???

the 240z is basically a tin can on wheels compared to your pt cruiser. no power steering, rides and steers like an old truck. noisy on the highway, rattles on the street. you will find that until you drop the tail lights replace the seals, replace the lift gate seals ( on the lift itself and the body ) replace the seals around the side marker lights, that everytime you drive with the windows down, exhaust gas is gonna come in the cabin. the hoses for the charcoal cansister and gas fume recover system are most likely gonna need to be replaced. you will get wiffs of raw gas and wonder where it's coming from. as a pt cruiser driver, you are unfamilar with a choke and carbs along with a low voltage ignition system. on a cold morning, you can not hop in a 240z turn the key and expect to jump on it to get into traffic. it needs to be warmed up a bit, the choke set. the wipers and heater do not work as well as your pt cruiser. if you drive for any distance with the high beams on, most likely a fuse is gonna blow. there are often wiring issues under the dash and melted fuse boxes. for what ever reason the nissan engineers ( datsun ) decided to cheap out and ran all the car's electrics through the amp meter. they used a rivetted fuse holder. resistance at the fuse box causes the wiring to over heat. being as they were trying to keep the car light and cheap, little attention was paid to rust proofing. they also used a flap as a seal over the front of the area of the doors where they close under the fenders. when that flap dries out, water runs into the cabin. that water causes the floors to rust out. drain holes plug on the bottoms of the front fenders, they rust out below the 240z script. water and dirt get into the rocker panels below the doors, the rocker panels rust. some how water gets into the dog leg area of rear fenders directly behind the doors. rust there as well. where the lift gate meets the flat panel of the body where the latch is located, that flat panel rusts. datsun/nissan had a tray with a drain hose that went under the battery. most back yard mechanics tossed that tray and set the battery directly on the shelf. acid from battery ate holes in the shelf as well as the firewall below it ( sometimes even melted the wiring harness running on the frame rails ) speaking of frame rails, they are another place to look for rust. california cars are not exempt from these rust problems. they just take longer to show up here. brakes on the 240z are no where as good as the brakes on your pt cruiser. brakes on my 86 nissan pick up are better than the brakes on the 240z. headlights dim when you turn the heater fan on. if previous owners were door slammers , you may find the doors pop open as the metal latches on the body need to be replaced as well as the white plastic guides that line the doors up to the latches. car will wander if the bushings on the rack and pinion steering system are worn or loose. the wipers and blinkers won't work if the contacts in the switch stalks are worn out. most of the ignition locks are worn out and just about any 2 sided key will turn the lock, or the lock won't turn at all and the anti theft bolt won't move to release the steering. rear brake wheel cylinders are getting harder and harder to get and if someone hosed up the install, the rear brake shoes will drag on the drums. some times locking up the rear brakes. the heater valve is in a poor location, if the coolant isn't every couple years, acid builds up and eats through the valve, causing coolant to leak into the cabin. oh back to door slammers, the guide and the window regulator may get knocked off the rack and the plastic roller inside the door that braces the window may get bent or broken. door glass rolls up or down crooked or is difficult to roll up or down. in the front, below the windshield is a cowl cover plate with slotted vents. the factory had customer complaints of rattles. the fix was to put a cushion between the body and the cowl cover. another bad idea. cushions tend to stay wet, rust forms and bubbles up from the back side to the top under the paint. when fools don't change the coolant, crap tends to collect in the adapter for the lower radiator hose at the block. this limits the flow of coolant through the radiator. lots of over heating issues can be attributed to this. this often leads to seepage between the head gasket between the block and head near the number 6 cylinder. if things get worse, a blown head gasket, same location. other factors also contribute to blown head gaskets. most often is carbs set too lean combined with a heavy footed driver using low grade gas. what do you think ? sounds as if i don't care for the 240z ??? far from being correct. i have owned 5 of em. currently have two 1972 240z cars in my driveway, one is the famous "Bambi Killer". i love the 240z. i have busted my knuckles, shredded skin, cracked my head, burned myself working on 240z cars. my 19 yr old son has caught the bug from me. if i were to sell my 240z cars, i know i would buy another one. once they get under your skin, is just the way it is. but, i am no fool. i know what i am getting. know the ugly side hidden in the beauty of the 240z. you say you know nothing about cars. i want you to know what you are getting into if you buy a 240z. i don't want you biting off more than you can chew if you buy a lesser 240z. a cheap 240z is not a cheap 240z. it will need lots of repairs. i have tried to point out the most obvious problems. if you have limited skills and no money, the cheap 240z will break your heart. because no matter how much of a beater your 240z may be, you will fall in love with it. you will forgive it faults and dump tons of money into it to prove it. f you are looking for a car that is gonna leave a smile on your face everytime you drive it or just back it out the driveway and park it on the street, the 240z is the ticket for that . in the los angeles area, figure on spending around 5 grand for a decent driver. find a club member in your area that for the cost of a combo meal at jack in the box that will be willing to go with you to check out a 240z that you are interested in. don't get sucked in by shiny paint. shiny paint hides a lot of evil. remember every 240z is at least 35 yrs old. it will need maintenance. things that haven't been replaced by previous owners are on the edge of needing to be replaced. the little tang on the exterior door handle is just waiting to break off at the worst time and the door won't open. do you have a friend that is good with a wrench ?? a place to work on the z ? if you don't and don't have 5 grand for a decent 240z, i might be thinking of the 280zx, it is not the thrill a 240z will give you, but it is a more modern car. more what you'd be used to driving the pt crusier. and still has the basic lines of the 240z. you will spend less for a nicer 280zx than you will for a 240z. they all suck for gas mileage. especially a 280zx with an automatic. expect around 16 to 17 around town in 240z with 4 speed. around 22 to 24 at constant 65 mph. back in 81, my 79 280zx GS with 5 spd got 13 to 17 around town, 28 on the freeway. swap a 5 speed into the 240z and expect around the same mpg city and 24 to 26 or so on the freeway. i am in san jose, still see lots of 240z's used as daily drivers. i see on avg 3 to 4 a day being driven in commuter traffic. i am sure is the same in fullerton. check local craigslist, get a trusted car friend to go check it out with you ( or a club member ). take the list of faults i wrote above with you. tell you what, if you have at least the 5 grand. buy a 240z, drive it for the summer, see if you like it, if not your cup of tea ... has no power windows, no airconditioning, thin seats, suspension is tuned for the car guys of the early 70's late 60's. if it didn't add to performance it had no place on a car guy's car. federal safety standards and tightening emission standards began to tame the 240z. to increase sells datsun/nissan started building to non car guys. building for the gold chain wearing disco dancing crowd. progression, the 280z, the 280zx and the flattened 300zx. in 1990 they got it right again with the car guys by revamping the 300zx. although they look like a cross between a fiero and a saturn, get behind the wheel and you will know what i mean about it being a car guy's car. that said, none of the other z series cars have the heart and soul of a 240z. the 240z is the only true datsun/nissan z car. for your own soul, maybe buy a 240z, buy a nice one. drive it for the summer. if you find you miss all the good stuff that goes with a modern car and like the lines of the 240z, then sell the 240 and buy a 280zx. it still sort of looks like a 240z and is a modern car with creature comforts. again, don't buy a 240z beater fixer upper or one in need of small repairs ( no such thing ), it will break your heart. this may not be the advice you were looking for. but is as honest as i can be with you. my son's 1st daily driver was a 1990 300zx. he wanted a 240z. he wasn't ready for a 240z. right now he's in a '95 honda civic. he could not afford the gas for the 300zx and needed a back seat. he doesn't turn his own wrenches ( has the talent but not his thing ). unless i get in a financial bind, he will end up with The Bambi Killer. but right now, is not the right car for him. occasionally he drives the Bambi Killer and he smiles from ear to ear everytime. as much as he loves that car, he understands as a daily driver, he's better off in the civic. these are things you need to consider. no one can make up your mind for you. your money, spend it anyway you want. the 240z is a machine. an old machine. remember this and go in with eyes open, see all the faults, search for them and the don't let your emotions lead you into buying a junker just because it is a 240z. wayne

if you are running wide tires and car is gonna rub the tires you will need to cut the inners and possibly the fenders. but, for most people the factory ZG flares are decorative. just mount em and enjoy the look. you want a particular look for your car go for it. later if you want to return to the plain jane cookie cutter look, remove the flares, weld the holes, little body work and there you are. again, it's your car. enjoy it.

unless your engine is coked up with carbon, you can run the lower octane fuel. the 73 was designed to run on the lower octane unleaded. i want to say the 71 and up are all designed to run on the lower octane unleaded. now, i like the castrol 20/50. though with the newer oils for older engines i am looking into that. lot's of talk and articles in hot rod, popular hot rodding, ect. about how the newer oils have less zinc and such, thus less protection for lifters and bearings in the older engines. they are recommending royal purple or using oils with a diesel rating. have more protectants.

unless your engine is coked up with carbon, you can run the lower octane fuel. the 73 was designed to run on the lower octane unleaded. i want to say the 71 and up are all designed to run on the lower octane unleaded. now, i like the castrol 20/50. though with the newer oils for older engines i am looking into that. lot's of talk and articles in hot rod, popular hot rodding, ect. about how the newer oils have less zinc and such, thus less protection for lifters and bearings in the older engines. they are recommending royal purple or using oils with a diesel rating. have more protectants.

damn impressive ! made me drool ! same color i had wanted to paint my scarab before the body shop went belly up and i was lucky to get my z back. interior is a perfect update. gives me some ideas. how much work were you able to do yourself and what did you have to farm out. i am guessing, like most of us, you did what you could and reluctantly paid or traded for the rest. knowing what you did yourself, might encourage me to at least give it a try myself before paying someone. again DAMN !!!!

i have done that. however i had stock metal wheels at the time. with arse end in the air, drums off, i slid the wheels and tire back in place. when it bottomed on the flange i took a flash light, looked up in there and turned the wheel, checking for clearance. nothing was touching the brake shoes, wheels cleared the backing plates. ran the lug nuts tight, jacked car up, removed jack stands, lowered the arse end. tightened the lug nuts just a hair. tied a string around the brake pedal to the steering wheel to remind myself NOT to press the brake pedal. will hyper extend the rear brake cylinders. may cause em to leak. i have also done this with the konig wheels and the cap style lug nuts. moved wheel from side to side, didn't move. figured was okay. as was suggested, car ain't going anywhere, doesn't have to be torqued down. as others have said, grab some fender washers and stack em. with the konig rewinds i didn't need em.

http://www.stoptech.com/tech_info/wheel_fitment.shtml

from another website : basic test. To check the booster, pump the brake pedal with the engine off until you’ve bled off all the vacuum from the unit (the pedal will feel firmer and you won’t hear any sounds from the booster). Then hold the pedal down and start the engine. You should feel the pedal depress slightly as engine vacuum enters the booster and pulls on the diaphragm. If there’s no change, the vacuum hose to the booster may be loose or blocked. If the vacuum hose is okay, the problem is in the booster and the booster needs to be replaced. If your brake booster has failed, your brakes will still work but will require increased pedal effort. The pedal will feel much harder and will take a lot more pressure to stop the vehicle. Driving with a bad booster can be dangerous because the vehicle may not be able to stop as quickly or in as short a distance. So don’t delay. Have the problem diagnosed and repaired as soon as possible.

the 240z was built to bring car guys that couldn't afford a porsche or corvette into the datsun dealership. the sizzle had steak. car guys got a bargain, a true GT, that would out run a porsche. properly equipped from the factory,comfortable bucket seats, 4 speed with leather shifter boot, big tach, 160 mph speedo, full array of gauges all tilted at the driver. am/fm stereo with power antenna. full front and rear independent suspension. disc brakes on the front. large drums on the rear. inline 6, with exotic dual carbs. fit and finish to rival cars costing 3 times as much. the XKE comes to mind. remember this was 1969/1970, japanese cars were still being smirked at. the 240z shook loose of the japanese car stigma. it only took a year or so for the 240z to be accepted by the european sports car drivers . a true sports car without the european price. the 240z broke new ground. the 350z is meant to appeal to one that would nomally buy an eclipse or ford focus but had enough money to step up to a more expensive cookie cutter look alike car. the 350z accomplishes this quite well. as stated earlier, the 240Z was intended to appeal to the vette and porsche driver. the 240Z accomplished this very, very well. i think this is the major difference between the 350z and the 240z. 240z = Grand Touring Car ! 350z = sports tuned people mover ! wayne