stevemasum

Hey Gary, I've owned and worked with a lot of the original 240Z Bridgestones and your picture of the tread pattern doesn't look like the RD-150's. I know that some of the original tires were 175-SR14 but most were 175-HR14's. Of the ones that were 175-SR14, I thought were Toyos. Do you have a date code on the tires? Do you have a date code on the rims? Thanks. Steve M.

Hi Chris, I think the very early cars came with the vinyl covered metal sholder strap hooks attached to the side of the seats. Sometime around 2/70 Nissan switched to plastic hooks, still attacked to the side of the seats. Then it must have been 8/70 that they went to the plastic hooks attached to the interior B pillar. Steve M.

Mike, I think the earlier seats came with a rubber type webbing that the foam seat core would rest on. Later with the 1972's (73's?) the rubber type webbing was replaced with springs so that the seat belt warning sensor would function properly. Another difference that Chris W. is probably aware of is that the very early seats came with a plastic shield that partially covered the front, lower, outward corner of both seats. Not too many of these exist any more. Katz has some pretty good pictures of these plastic shields. Steve M.

I've been to several locksmith shops in my years and have never seen original Datsun key blanks sold. They've always been aftermarket blanks. Even as far back as the 1970's when I had Zcar keys made in locksmith shops (not the parking lot kiosks or the local hardware store) they were made from aftermarket blanks. I'm not sure why a locksmith would carry OEM blanks when the customer would not expect or appreciate the added costs. If a customer wanted OEM they would go purchase the blank from a dealer. In fact that's exactly what I did on several occasions. I do agree with you on the ignition and door lock plugs. You just have to be sure that your worn out key will still work with the new lock plugs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7941737775&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT According to this Ebay auction, car #889 had the heated rear window. It also had a very rare switch. All the other switches I've seen were of the illuminated type. Steve

Enrique, It's been awhile since I've used Mono-Kote on an R/C airplane (must be about 25 years). I remember having to apply heat to the Mono-Kote to get it to stick to a surface. And when it did stick to a surface it would shrink. I'm thinking it might be hard to control the application of the Mono-Kote on the thin door panel strip. You might end up with air bubbles and a melted door strip. Steve

I believe there are actually at least three different types of throttle/choke plates for the 70 - 71 Z's. The first two that DJACEY(UK) mentioned with the long and short slots for the throttle lever, and a third type with the "ON" lettering missing from below the rear window defogger symbol and the "ON ON" lettering missing from below the parking light symbols. I'm sure that the third type is the very earliest type because I have one on my Z with a build date of 11/69. This is also consistent with my observation that through the years Nissan transitioned away from symbols to using words to label switches and levers. To partially answer DJACEY(UK)'s question, the long slots came first.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2497611638&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT Does this piece go between the interior plastic tailight panel and the tailights? Is this a ZX part maybe?

I'm 5'7" also but I don't have these problems. Victor, have you installed the round plastic seat spacers that Nissan supplied to raise your seats? Is your bottom foam webbing (or springs if you have a latter 240Z) in good shape? Both of these conditons could cause the "Kilroy" syndrome.

My entire heater control and radio face plates are a grey molded plastic. I don't see any hint of black paint. Anyone else have the same panels?

Great job on your ashtray restoration. My ashtray is the gray plastic (?) also. It looks as though Nissan had just put these ashtrays on a flat surface with the lid on and shot black paint on the top and sides. The inside lip where the lid rests is half black and half gray plastic due to the quick paint job. Like yours my inside is still the natural gray color. Unlike yours the underside of mine is still the natural gray color. Stevemasum

Hi Kats, For all seat mounted seat belt holders: The very early seat belt holders were made of metal, covered with a rubber material. On my car the rubber has worn away and fallen off one of holders. The other holder still has the rubber intact. The later seat belt holders, which includes yours, are made of plastic. Stevemasum

I've got 11/69, HLS30-00238, and that red dot knob is the same one on my car. A quick call to the original owner (I'm the second owner) confirms that the mirror was not switched out. The score: Original - 2 Not Original - 2 Maybe - 1

Hey guys! I just think the seller may have missed entering one of the VIN numbers. I can't think of any real benefit to try to pass a 1972 for a 1971 car. And the car looks consistent for a mid to late year 1971 series II. Besides what was already mentioned, there are a few extra things that I've noticed that contradict the Ebay description. The seat backs look reupholstered and look slightly different than the seat bottoms. The shift knob isn't original. I can't see the radio very clearly but it looks aftermarket. The car is missing the little black inserts for the interior door latch. Even though the painter was very generous in spraying the bolts, caps and latches, the car looks pretty good in the pictures.