SteveJ

It sounds like Showcars' owner has the ethics of a Washington DC politician.

Jessi, The ultimate judge of whether or not it's worth it is you. Here are things to consider: 1. How much are you willing to spend? 2. Do you have a place to keep/work on your car where it can sit for a long period of time? 3. Do you have the will to see through a project that might take several years? Remember that restoring a car is ONLY a labor of love. You probably cannot recoup the money spent, but if you love the car/effort, that is what is important. If you want good advice from here on what needs to be done, take LOTS of pictures of the car, especially underneath the car. Post the pictures here, and let us know. There are some wonderfully knowledgeable people here. If you choose to undertake this, do your research. Read the various Z car forums. Good reading materials include Wick Humble's How to Restore Your Z Car and Bill Reagan's guide (I can't find a link to that right now.). If you put the effort into finding the answer yourself, people here will bend over backwards to help you fill in the blanks. Good luck in your decision

Search for showcars at http://www.zcar.com. Not many people seem to like that company.

Did you change your fuel filter? Is there any chance you have rust in your gas tank?

Well, The Mitty is only a few months away, April 29-May 1. The featured marque this year will be Mazda. It's a nice follow-up to the focus on BRE. The Georgia Z Club will be there on Saturday and Sunday. I'll be around the whole weekend myself. Road Atlanta is a wonderful venue. With The Mitty, you can stroll over the whole complex, including the paddock area. If you're a car nut, you owe it to yourself to make a trip. On the downside, SVRA and HSR are not working together as they had in the past, so we won't get to see any S30s going around the track in competition.

This is the page he's talking about: http://www.blackdragonauto.com/icatalog/zr/full.aspx?Page=16 I think the attached picture shows things better for what he's trying to describe. Tommy, I'm trying to remember what the inside of the door looks like. It's been a while since I was digging into it. I think the plastic piece clamps to the rod. If the plastic piece is not near the top of the rod, try putting it back into place. If the plastic piece is broken, I'm not sure if/where you could get a replacement without buying a new handle. Anyone else is free to jump in to clarify or correct anything I wrote.

Thanks. That gives me an idea of what to look for. I do have a batch of black POM rivets that I will try when I put the big LEDs in my 73.

Rockauto can give you very good pricing as long as you're careful about S & H charges.

Start here. That will give you a break down on the parts.

I know the S30 FSMs have a good troubleshooting guide for the rear ends. The S130 FSM might have one, too. If you need a copy, go to http://www.xenons130.com. Also, make sure all of the bolts are still on and tight. They can back off. Bolts are also a lot less expensive than half shafts.

Jumping the car to start it is more like a dying or dead battery. A bad battery CAN read 12 volts with the car off. If the battery voltage drops dramatically when putting the key in the ON position or trying to start the car, that is a good indication of a bad battery.

Okay, share. Was there a brand, Leonard?

Ron, can you post the measurements here just in case I need them? Thanks!

It should lift straight up. Look at the pictures in this post. That's how the bottom of the distributor should look.

Listen to Sarah. Spend some time and a little money to diagnose the problem rather than throw parts at the problem. It's a lot cheaper to do the former. Also, check out Blue's tech tips. You'll find a copy of the Fuel Injection Bible. I've heard it's a must have for 280Z owners.

Jeff, I'm expecting a ZX distributor delivered some time next week. If you don't have an answer before then, I'll compare what I bought to yours.

*Sigh* Don't remind me of that. I have some equipment that I have to work on in various parts of Ontario province. I'm just hoping it holds off until late spring.

Have you looked at the FSM for info? Find it at http://www.xenons130.com

I haven't dug that far into my cars. Could they be regular POM rivets?

Dave, if we took that view on other things, most of us wouldn't own Z cars.

Yes, at -70F it will instantly damage skin.

In all honesty, yes, you are making it difficult. I took a few seconds to look at my fuse box with a measuring tape. From that and the link I put in my second response, I can select the correct type fuse. Try it.

I am planning on replacing that seal soon myself. I was planning "under" to prevent it from being pulled loose.

A common place for a wire to short to ground would be where it passes through a hole in the sheet metal. If the grommet is missing, the wires can rub against the metal. It's interesting that it didn't take out the fuse if it was shorting.

1. Conventional wisdom is to replace the alternator and regulator as a pair. 2. Don't use the voltage gauge as anything more than an approximation unless you get it calibrated. 3. Don't forget to check your fusible links, too.