SteveJ

Please do not take my comment as criticism of your prices. It's more of a lament of my lack of money to buy nice reproductions. I want to support your efforts. Meanwhile, I'll keep playing the lottery.

I love what you're coming up with. I just wish I could afford the prices.

On the other hand, while the VW van is iconic, the Chrysler minivans all but killed the station wagon as a product. They also drove the market and form factor. GM & Ford tried more of a truck version at first with their efforts. Both paled in sales comparison (and to most in performance & functionality). Toyota tried the mid engine approach for a while, but it didn't really make much of a mark in the marketplace. Today, all of the significant choices for minivans copy Chrysler's two box form factor. I think that's what sets it apart.

Am I mistaken, or is the 240Z in the picture the Franklin Mint Z (as in die cast model)? It just doesn't quite look right for a real car to me.

I had a chance to do some research after I got home, and that research says Arne is right about the blue & yellow not reflecting.

I seem to recall from something I read 20 or 30 years ago in the LA Times Auto section that it was possibly the numbers on the plates that reflected. The police would look for a lack of reflection as possible evidence of altered plates. If my memory is right, then the article advised against touching up the license plates. Of course, you could go by the adage, "It's not illegal if you don't get caught."

Oops, I just read the FAQ on Tag Dr. They don't do reflectorized paint. I think California Blue is reflectorized, isn't it?

This website may be of interest to you. Of course, it's not DIY.

Did you try contacting Courtesy Nissan? They keep a lot of parts around that nobody else does.

Pat, did you try to test the relay out of the car? You would do this by putting 12 volts across the coil to see if the contact closes. Also, what is the voltage at the terminals for the coil. If it is too low, the coil won't have enough pull to close the contact. However, it might be enough to sustain closure of the contact if you push the contact closed. A short would not likely harm the relay, unless the short is inside the coil. If you need more help, send me a PM with your phone number. Steve

Those are more likely. They both come up at Courtesy Nissan Parts. Neither are expensive, and Courtesy is usually reasonable on S&H charges.

Are you sure that is the correct part number? Courtesy Nissan and Nissanparts4u.com list that number as a gasket.

Just a minor alteration: "It looked sad, dirty and out of tune, so I think the poor little thing needs to come live with us." There, I think that makes it complete.

First, don't put higher rated fuses in just because you blew a fuse. You're feeding a fault. Second, check your bulb sockets for corrosion. Third carefully examine the wires in the steering column. You could be missing the insulation from one or more wires, or you could have a wire loose. For tracking down a short, disconnect the battery. Use an ohmmeter to look for low resistance between the positive side of the circuit and ground. The positive side of the circuit is between the positive terminal and the load. (In this case, all of the loads are lights.) It would help to take the bulbs out, too, so you're not reading continuity through the filament.

Dave, I know what you mean. I saw an ad for an 83 Turbo near me. I showed the wife. She said I'd have to get rid of one of the other Z cars first. I just couldn't do that. There's no way of getting another past her because she thought I'd sell the 73 after I got the 74. I WAS planning on doing that, but I changed my plans. Now she's on to me.

Thanks for the pictures, E. They help a lot.

I would appreciate that, E. I tried the grinding method and wasn't satisfied with the results. I just paid for a new set of strikers and would love to see if your fix would improve the door latching.

E, do you have any pictures of the part that is commonly missing?

So are you looking for honest critiques/feedback?

My guess is that the lock/latch is not rotating enough after coming in contact with the striker. This is frequently evident by the door wiggling, yet not coming open. Unless the lock rotates fully, you cannot operate the push button locks. This can be verified by manually roating the lock with the door open. You will need to rotate it 90 degrees if I recall correctly. You can tell by doing it slowly and listening for two clicks. At that point, you should be able to lock the door. Be sure to unlock the door and lift the door handle to rotate the lock into the open position before attempting to close the door. If the manual technique works, the issue is with the alignment and/or wear of the striker on the door. Some people have resolved the wear issue by grinding a small amount of material away from the striker, allowing the lock to rotate fully. I believe there is a thread here that links to a Hybridz thread describing how to do this. Steve

Well, I took the plunge and ordered a set. I'll let everybody know how well they work for me.

FYI, common wisdom (for whatever that's worth) usually says to replace the regulator & alternator as a pair. I didn't do that in my 73 when the regulator went south, but apparently a lot of people see the two die as a set.

I would go with Jim's advice. To me, it's the prudent path.

Did you happen to see this thread? I'm trying to get the effort going for the Georgia Z Club, and I've been in touch with the club coordinator with Grassroots Motorsports Magazine.

That's just an excuse. Kennels are not that expensive, and if secured properly, they can keep kids contained for hours on end (Please for safety's sake remember to fill the water bowl.). It's only about an hour and a half each way to Road Atlanta, and it's probably the last year for the historic races to be held in conjunction with the Mitty. Add to that the presence of BRE & BRE replicas, and there are NO acceptable reasons to live in Georgia, own a classic Z car, and miss the Mitty.