richard1

Thank you again for your reply. My car doesn't go to shows so I am sure it is not an accident from somebody that could have hurt this delicate hinge system. The hood opens for regular maintenance and that's all in my own garage by myself. I am bugged by this problem because I have the car since 2000, completely original, fully stock and not a single body panel has never been out of adjustment. I am still back at the tension rod that could be the only problem I can find but I cannot figure how they bring back the front of the hood in a very tight shut without any play. The right side is free of any play at all but the left side where the problem is has this full play in excess of 1/4" just at the headlamp bucket. I checked the left hinge for excessive wear and it seems correct compared to the right one. Have you some clue how to check these tension rods to figure if they are weak and must me replaced? Are they still available somewhere? I really cannot figure anything else than a bad tension rod. Thank you for your comments. Richard

Thank you for the links. The only thing that make sense to me in my case would be the tension rods because nothing has been done to the car and the hinges and adjustments have never been touched. How could I ckeck if it is one of the tension rod that would give too much pressure on the hinge? Again, I push back the left front side close to the headlamp bucket but it pups back. The right side is perfect. Thanks Richard

I need some help on the above subject. My car is concours and never been restored. Last week I saw that the left front part of the hood is about 1/4" above the headlight housing. When I look at the hinges, nothing is different than before and everything fits fine all the way through the cowl. I try to figure what is going wrong and I really cannot find nothing at the exeption of one. When I push on the hood close to the headlamp it goes down with this play of about 1/4". The right side is very thight with no play at all. Is somebody ca suggest me what to look at to fix the problem? Can it be one of the tension rods? Richard

Looking for the chrome covers that go over the screws.

the plastic caps must be mint

Some time ago, my clock was rebuilt with a quartz unit. Since, the 10A fuse blow out every week. Any clue? Richard

I rebuilt sometimes ago my fan clutch as per tech tip on this site with silicone oil. The O ring was good and I put gasket sealer before reassembling both halves. I noticed today that I have oily spots on the underhood as before the repair. The fan blades also have black oily deposits and the clutch too. It seems that I have no choice but to buy a new fan clutch. Any comments or suggestions

Thanks to "to many z's" for the tips for running cooler. I installed today a 160 thermostat and I see a big difference. Instead of the middle of the gauge, the needle stay now at the first third of the gauge in the traffic at idle. Also I feel a notable change about the A/C. It is colder. I also put insulation on all A/C hoses that haven't had any.

My 240z being a concours original,I don't want to make any modification that can alter its condition. The improvements I have done is a four row radiator,a new fan clutch,timing has always been 0 degree and the newly installed original fan shroud. I have a 180 thermostat. Is the difference would be noticeable with a 160?

Summer is coming in las vegas where the temperature will go up to 115. I have no over heating problem but I want to have the engine to run cooler because I have A/C all the time. I installed this winter an original fan shroud which is supposed to help running cooler in traffic at idle. Is someone has other tips I can try to improve better idling in hot climate? Also, is someone has ever experienced isolating the gas lines to solve percolating problems? When it is very hot and after many stops and start again, the engine is harder to start and idle roughtly for some minutes. I suspect the gas is evaporating to fast in the carbs and and it idles better after when some cooler gas come in the carbs. Finally, what is the thermostat degree recommended for hot climates

OK guys, After a long search, I finally found a lot of six hubcaps two weeks ago. They are in close to mint condition with no dents or rust. I need only one and I have at least four for sale. Email me if you need some.

My advice.............Forget it. Have the car shipped by open trailer. It will be cheaper and safer. No matter how the car looks or what you have been told, you never know and you can be in serious trouble.

I am looking for a mint hubcap. I don't care about the plastic medalion and the paint but it must be without dents and no rust.

Have you a hubcap in mint condition?

Thanks Mark. Now my question has an answer.

With respect to your expertise: Yes, the seams are visible and not filled with bondo as you suggest. Futhermore, spotwelding spots can be noticeable on some body panels. None of these fatory production flaws can be detected on a photo. They can be observed under very close examination. About A/C suppliers for 72 Z, could you be more explicitabout your sources. There is no reference to A/C unit operation in the owners manual and nothing about it in the original parts catalog I have,so I believe you could be right about the units having been installed at dealeships.

It looks clearly as welding joints and not cracks in the paint.

I bought my 72 z from the original owner in Tennesse in 2002 with 32k on the odometer. He told me that he bought it as an investment and tought about the collector's value to come.He ordered it fully equipped which means A/T and A/C. He made the decision to sell it to give a deposit for the new 350z. I bought the car unseen and only on the base of a detailed picture set. When the car arrived it looked as a real time capsule in every way and worth every penny of the stiff price paid for. Every braided hoses were still in the engine compartment, the paint job was still immaculate by 1972 standards and furthermore to the originality, the welding marks of the quarter panels to the top were visible. This very short description of this perfect original brings me to wonder how somebody who restore an early z can find proper documentation and photograhic evidence of how a factory condition must be. To my knowledge, there is no books that gives detailed pictures of what is a perfect original. Wick Humble book, How to restore your Datsun z, has black and white pictures that are not oriented to detail authenticity but to how to fix rust problems common to his project. The concours checklist is only a reference to tell the owner what to look for to avoid point loss at judging. It doesn't give information to what is correct about details,finish and presentation. So the question is does exist a book exclusively dedicated to the perfect detailing of an early Z restoration?

It is not everybody that can be the owner of a low miles complete original never molested,never altered,accurate down to the production marks and paint of32 years. I have been lucky to acquire such a car three years ago. I am fairly new to this board and I am curious to know what kind of references exist for somebody who want to restore a 240z the closest to the condition it left the factory.

I have just removed my clock four days ago because the quartz replacement was not working properly. The first time i removed it, I went as described in the shop manual by removing the heater control panel and center console which I consider a lot of work and time consuming.This time, I followed the suggestion of a fellow member and I removed the inner glove box compartment. The access to the clock is far better being just aside from the glove box. The entire process took less than ten minutes and the clock was in my hands.

The easiest way to remove the clock and the fastest is by removing the glovebox.

Can it be refilled with refregerant 127 or only freon 134?

Sometime ago I have had my original clock rebuilt with a quartz unit. It work fine for some months. It has stopped working and sometimes it works for a day or so. What can I do to check it and fix the problem?

I am looking for ONE DENT FREE hubcap. I don't care about the paint and the center logo. I have damaged one of the originals.

Is somebody can tell me if the optional fan shroud on the 72 z was metal or plastic and if there is numbers stamped somewhere. I bought sometimes ago a used shroud that is supposed to fit this model and is all metal. Also, I am looking for a splash pan. Was it an option too or a standard item? Any help appreciated. Richard