Go240Zags

I had a friend with an old Datsun pickup in Seattle who was always getting it stolen. The first time the truck was missing for six months before he got it back. The second time it was gone something like nine months. It was always found in pretty good shape, but obviously was not high on the Seattle police's priorities because it was obvious the thieves used it like they owned it. These old trucks, like our Zs are far too easily stolen, especially when one Datsun key can fit many Datsun doors and ignitions.

Beautiful car, great price, was tempted to make an offer as I am back in the market and it was just what I was looking for. Made some recent eBay sales and almost had your asking price -- but shipping to Wash. state would be a drawback. Glad you were able to work things out -- don't know what I'd do if I lost my job, I've been 17 years with the same company. Owners keep changing but I never do. Good luck and thanks for thinking of us.

Hello from Wash. State, which forest fire you working on (over)? Glad to hear you got to take your Z for a run. Wish I was anywhere near that stage. Gary D.

I looked at the car, my guess is someone replaced the earlier engine with the 1973 version, or for some reason just replaced the carbs with later "boat anchors." . Hard to tell, but it looks like a later dash as well as the console. Someone may be mixing and matching whatever parts were available. If it is a true 1970 Series I, then it is too old to be one of the transition cars between the Series I and II models. And that VIN number would make it a 1971, yes?

Amazing what a difference a few days can make: 1971 240Z---build date 12/70---vin#HLS30(17821)

During my sad attempts to become the next great trumpet player while in junior high the brass section used Brasso to shine up their instruments. It was sold in both the local grocery stores (in a town of 1500) -- and still is. It's a common household product that people have been using for years. But, if it was only available at Wal-Mart (Wally World, Megalo Mart) I'd learn to live without.

All right, should have asked this question here before I bid. Recently won two new carb springs -- the ones that hook onto the heat shield. Couldn't resist the picture of the shiney cad plating so I bid. The seller assured me they were the right ones for my application before I bid. The springs arrived yesterday, but look much shorter than my old crummy not so shiney ones. My question is -- how long should these springs be for the 1970/71 4 screw roundtop carbs. My old ones might not be right, but they seem like they would be from the fit. Any help I can get on the original length of these springs would be much appreciated.

Thank you all for your replies. I am thinking of getting some flat top pistons for the Turbo motor as I think the block is in good shape. I will sell the fuel injection and related turbo stuff, as well as the Borg-Warner 5 speed to help pay for the engine rebuild. And anything else worth salvaging off a beat body 280ZX 2+2 with poor interior. For my 12/70 240Z I will use my SUs which have Z Therapy rebuild kits, SM needles and N36 (260Z) intakes. I want simple power and it shouldn't take a whole lot of horsepower to get my lightweight Series 1 240Z moving. I am not sure about the P90A (hydrolic lifter head) and how reliable they are, but will try it out with a little milling if it is in good shape. Anyone know the proper part number for the pistons that came in the NA 280ZX. Again, thank you for the replies -- right now I am going for simple and may go the Turbo route in the future.

Dave, I want to put it in my 71 Series I 240Z. I was just going to find a 81-83 280ZX NA motor when I came across the 2+2 280ZX for $200 (the whole car). I'm not a ZX fan, especially a 2+2 with red velour seats. I just figured I could either A) Find a used turbocharger and swap in the motor to my 240Z; trade for a NA 280ZX with the F54 block or C) Swap the dished pistons for flat-top pistons and trade heads and sell the turbo stuff. My fault, I've been going back and forth on this for over a year now and haven't made up my mind. As I said, not looking for a monster motor or drag racer. Just want something with plenty of streetable power and kinda torquey. I'm also cheap and haven't got tons of cash to invests. Turbo sounds nice, but kind of complicated for my skill level. This is just something I need to make up my own mind about I guess. Thanks for your response though.

OK, I have an '83 turbo motor with the dished pistons and no turbo. Since it is an f54 block and probably needs rebuilt am I better just swapping for a NA L28 F54 or getting flat top pistons for the engine I have? If I do get new pistons, what would the parts numbers be? Would using the KA24E pistons from a 240SX or the pistons from a 720 truck be a better and less expensive idea? Since I don't have the diesel crank and am not trying to build a monster high octane motor are these other pistons a poor choice? Just want some extra power, kind of a sleeper thing. I know that's a lot of questions, but I have someone here in Wash. State who wants to trade me a NA L28 F54 engine with dist., etc. for my ugly bodied 1983 2+2 280ZX turbo (sans turbo). I'm having second thoughts, especially after he's made me wait like 8 months before closing the deal and the fact that a cleaned-up Borg Warner 5 speed sold on eBay for over $900 the other day. That's the same tranny this car has got. Decisions, decisions. If I parted out the ZX I should be able to get some cash for the P90A head, B-W Tranny, fuel injection, turbo stuff, etc. and maybe have enough money to do a rebuild on the F54 and install flat top pistons and use one of the early E88 heads and the SUs I already have. I did do a search for some info on flat top pistons, using flat top and flattop for search words, and although the topic has been discussed I couldn't find much on parts numbers and prices. Just looking for some advice. PS Admin. if I've posted this in the wrong section feel free to move it.

You might sell the cover on here or eBay, because many people with the early cars are looking for them. Let the new owner fix the elbow and you could go with the Nissan OHC cover that the '72s came with. Or keep it because it is unique. I have one because my car has a 12/70 build date, but even if I replace the (non-matching) L24 with an L28 I think I'll keep the 2400 cover anyway.

Here's a post on the JDM market cars and how their parking lamps worked on the Series I cars there. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12021&highlight=parking+lights I will be putting amber bulbs in my Aussie clear lenses and maybe work on rigging up some sort of independeltly activated second bulb for the Japanese look and to fill the hole in my choke plate. Or maybe not. The ability to turn on the parking light on one side of the car isn't that important. I just thought the clear lenses looked unique here in the States. The extra hole in the choke plate would make a good spot for a driving light or fog light switch, of course there's always the indent above the hazard lights which I guess was designed for the fog light switch (as the wiring is already included in the harness). Could probably just use a second hazard toggle to turn on the fog lights.

Deer Park is near Spokane, but as far as I know there are no local clubs there, but he could try some of the other links you submitted, maybe they know of a club that is close and could help him. I'm in Eastern Washington too, (4 miles from Canadian Border) but am about equadistant from clubs in the western and southern part of the state, as well as those in British Columbia. If there is a closer club I wouldn't mind finding it. Gary

Gav, Were there two different colored (coloured) bulbs, one clear, one amber, or was the lens itelf two different colors? In U.S. we only have socket for one bulb built into the housing, but from other threads it seems that we just didn't get the parking lights that light on one side of car.

Will, et al, Don't know if you guys have been following this auction. These are supposed to be JDM repro headlight covers. They look nice, and the price has been climbing stealily. Might be worth a look for some ideas on your project Will.\ Gary http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7961632663&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT

Clear Euro Signal Lights: Put in an early bid on these, because they were brand new and starting bid was only a buck. I had some used ones, but new would be nice. Now I don't feel so bad that I paid nearly $60 (shipping included) for two of these used straight from Austrailia. Lenses + housings, rather than just the lenses. They were kind of rough, but they polished up nearly perfect. I'll be happy with what I have and save my money for something else unique. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=4535139342&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEDW%3AIT

Now, now, I didn't say anything about Miss Jackson.

Don't like the stitching either. It is too busy, and yes the Speedo/Tacko section does come off as something Madonna would wear. Kind of got a dominatrix thing going on :bandit:. A real, whip me, beat me, make me right bad checks to MSA sorta thing. Plain leather, in a less obvious design, might come off okay, especially to hide a pesky crack or two. Gary

I've got parts and Sports Z issues in the living room, carbs on my desk near the dining room, open FSM on the dining room table, other parts on my kitchen table (needless to say I usually eat sitting in the living room, no room on any of my tables). Of course we just came thru winter and I've been too lazy to stoke the woodstove in the garage. Also I'm a divorced/bachelor and don't have a wife to complain about any of this. My garage is big, but full of spares and a variety of other stuff and will never be mistaken for the ultimate garage. However, if it does the job.... If I don't clean up the house soon my marital status will probably remain the same. Right now that doesn't sound so bad. More time to work on the Z. (Unless of course I can find a girlfriend/wife with welding and body work skills).

Maybe I'm wrong, but I think he also bought a console, but it was the wrong year for the Series I. Maybe he has two cars in his garage. Also waiting for your version of the covers.

Thank you for the pictures. Yes, I was worried about the flat look myself, but may end up going that way. I'll check and see if my wrecker-find has a good firewall section to cut out. I went to where my friend had the hulk of my stripped '72 parts car stored and it looks like the firewall there isn't much better. I did retrieve the fender splash guards (another whatever they're called, couldn't find it in the FSM). They go behind the fender and are bolted on to the body with three bolts, have a rubber piece on the bottom. I believe these are to keep water, mud etc. from splashing up between fender and door. These were much nicer than the ones on my '71 car. Gary D.

I'm thinking about making the three hour drive again soon, and will see if I can get this guy to cut both quarters off in back, maybe the roof section too. I have to go back for the windshield and tire well anyway. I wish I was better at doing this kind of thing. The outer wheel wells (lips, whatever they're called) are kind of rusty, but the rest of the quarters looks OK. I should just pay the $125 and tow it back, but what a PITA. I'll get the quarter window, but I actually have four spares I think. Not quite sure what you mean about the cowl area, maybe if mine is okay I could grab it for you. I have the the actual adjuster circles and caps for the seats(again, whatever they are), but not the rest of the mechanism. I have spares of these as well, just wasn't sure the guy would want me taking the seats all apart without buying the whole seats. One of them isn't too bad, while driver's side has a cushion that looks like an elephant sat on it. I wish the ashtray lid was better, but a large corner was broken off with the hinge. I admit I broke the passenger side toobox when I was trying to get it off. I really wanted a second hinge for the set I have. And yes, I kick myself for not grabbing whatever part of the wiring harness might have been left, especially that part that goes to the headlights. It might be gone tho, I was trying to strip as much off before dark as I could, knowing I had a three hour drive home ahead of me. I just took my fenders off at home broke two out of every three bolts (PB Blaster and all). I noticed that one headlight was missing the connectors and had been spliced so I could use the driver's side connectors to get it back in shape before I buy one of those fancy relay thingamabobs being sold out of Marysville (members name escapes me at the moment).

No Bambi, I found the car in Quincy, Washington, out in the middle of farmland/desert). It is about 3 hours south of Oroville, Washington. Quincy has a distinct odor of french fries because one of the largest frozen fry plants in the U.S. is there. From Quincy you can drive about an hour or so and visit beautiful Hanford, Wash. birthplace of the nuclear material for the bombs dropped on Japan. As I'm sure you know there is also an Oroville, California, much larger than my hometown. We were also a pretty famous gold town in our state. Around the turn of the century (the other one) we were known as Oro, but the Post Office in their less than infinate wisdom thought it would get mixed up with Oso, Washington (wherever that is) so it was changed to Oroville.