240ZX

Saw the shows Dave........outstanding!!! I mean, does Alan DeCadenet have the coolest job ever???

Steve, what Jeff said (chamfer the leading edge of the pads) works....I do it to all my vehicles with disc brakes. I have also used the orange stuff you mentioned and it does not harden. It stay pretty much like it is when you apply it. Use a thin coat though! The stuff act as a dampening compound....midigates pad vibrations (no squeal). Also, I've heard that if you soak your pads in wine overnight they will not squeal.....just kidding!!! How's the race car doing Steve?

If I had my choice of just one car for a cool toy, it would most definitely be the V12 powered Jaguar XK-13!!! Unfortunetly there is only one in existance.....bummer! Oh, the sound of a V12............ Stephen, a buddy of mine had a Hemi Cuda back in high school. I can remember one of the rides he gave me one night getting on the freeway....the damn think pulled so hard you were literally glued back in the seat. Remember Lion's Drag strip? In stock form with the open stock cast headers and a set of slicks, the Cuda was turning 12.40 et's...those were the days. Wait a minute...come to think of it I'm having more fun now in my Z than I ever did in any other car I've owned!!! I quess that's one of the reasons we have they babies.

Hey Vicky, this last weekend, while I was putting fuel in my Z for a fun run, I hear this beautiful deep lumpy sound approaching. I turn to see this super clean and well done Shelby GT500 Mustang pulling into fuel up. As he came up the drive you could see a beautiful set of chrome headers curving down under the car and the car was painted in a red I have never seen. He had the original style GT500 wheels with some serious looking tires. It was absolutely in perfect condition. I was drooling. WOW!!!

Well of course they are Vicky, we all own one right? In my book the only other car I lust after is a 427 Cobra.........but my 240Z definitely fulfills my desire for road fun and at a lot less impact on my pocket book!!!

I would think that if push came to shove, one could just rivet in a section of standard piano hinge and be done with it. It may not be original but it would for sure be more durable and outlast the original plastic hinges!

Carl, regarding the U-joint bearing replacement. What I found was....you can locate the bearing numbers in the bearing manufacture's parts cataloge but they are classified as "PROPRIETARY" and can only be purchased by Nissan. At least that was the experience I went through. I eventually found a good steering column assembly out of a 260Z in a pic-a-parts yard. Works great with no play.

I don't think so Allan....I'm not the greedy type. I'd like to recieve what it's worth however! Mostly, I would be happiest knowing it went to someone that really needs it to make their Z a little closer to original. So, based on the description I provided earlier, what's a fair price guys/gals?

All I can say is.....I spent too much, but then again I haven't spent enough!!! I think if I calculated in the cost of labor (my labor) and added it to the price of the parts ($18K) I would likely have a seizure. Down the road a piece, I can see another $4k to $5k for paint and weather seals plus some freshening up inside the door panels (window mechanisms). At that point in time the Z would truely be completed. Of course then (with new paint) I would become a worry wort until the first nick in the paint occurs. My current paint job is 21 years old and looks damn good, all things considered. One guy at the MSA show told me I had a 3 foot paint job....."Looks perfect from 3 feet away". He was also surprised it was 21 years old! My toy has been garaged, when not driving it of coures, since I purchased the car in 1983.

For anyone who may be interested.....I checked out my choke plate last night and it is is in really good shape. It has the two slots, one for the choke and the other was not used but covered with a stick-on textured black material, and two locations for switches...one for the rear window defrost and the other for driving lights. The latter two have graphics engraved to show which switch is which. The only imperfections on the plate are...the stick-on material in the slots is gone and there is a tiny ding at the driving light switch hole. Other than that, it is in perfect condition. There are no switches assemblies in the plate. Anyone interested please speak up!

PrOxLaMuS, Don't mean to poop your bubble, but those seats are not leather (read product description...simulated leather). They do look pretty nice though! Would look good in a Z.

Total on all my receipts came to around $18K and we're not completely done....ouch! I look back now and it was $$$ well spent, for sure!!! Would I do it again? Obviously yes, but with what I know now, about these very cool cars, the price tag would likely be even higher!

How about some basic stuff like a TUNE UP!!!! Nobody is going to be able to tell you what is wrong with your Z by what you have described. We have no crystal ball to look into.....you gotta start with the basics and then and only then can you start the process of elimination (troubleshooting). Do you have a repair manual? There is no magic when it comes to engines and their various sub systems. Heck, it could be something simple....like bad fuel???? Hope you take this as constructive critizism. Good luck!

Shoot! I have an original choke plate assembly I took out of my 1970 240Z. (I replaced it with one I designed and machined) The original is not cracked or broken. The black texture (OEM stick-on) is a little curled at the edges, but complete. It would need the snap in switches however. I'll double check it's condition tonight and let you all know. I won't be able to post a pic, but you can ask Victor Laury about my integratity (Victor has purchased stuff from me in the past).

Some food for thought, regarding the copper crush washers for the banjo fittings....or any copper sealing washer. If new ones cannot be had, string the old washers on a length of SS safety wire, using a torch of some sort....heat the copper washers until they just turn red, then quickly toss them into a container of water. This exercise will bring the old washers back to the annealed state and ready for use once again. The thing is with the old washers is that each time you use them (when they are tightened up) they become harder and harder (work hardening), unless you anneal them.

I quess your right Bill, as you are the only one responding to the post. If you have the time to look into it, you should take a look at the car......awesome and it should have be a 350Z.