EScanlon

Unfortunately, without cutting sheet metal, there isn't an easy way of accessing the captive nuts that hold the latch to the body. The only way that I have heard of fixing a stripped nut there is to drill and tap to the next larger size bolt. FWIW Enrique

I'm an ex-bodyman and I have seen what the pans from Zedd Findings look like as well as helped install a set. I'm stating that because I have a lot of experience in not only duplicating hard or impossible to get pieces of sheet metal as well as just using skinss and fenders from both the dealer and / or aftermarket sources. IMO, you would spend a lot of time and money in cobbling something together that won't look as well as what you're getting from Charlie. The end result of doing it with Charlie's pieces is that the replacement will look very close to original, but be stronger. He has taken the time to drill the drain holes as well as bend the reinforcement oval indentations in the floor pan. The sides have been bent up at the right angles as well as having the proper length to fully replace the whole pan from the front to the back. Now, you can try to just patch, and if that's all you need, then yes you can just cut a couple sections of flat stock and weld / braze them in. But, if you're talking doing the WHOLE floor pan, by the time you get the metal, cut and bend it to shape, I think your savings will be very little. Then again, if you're very skilled at cutting and bending metal you would do it in an afternoon. However, then you wouldn't have posted this question. As far as the structural strength, metal that has been bent in a brake or press is far stronger than metal that has been hammered or bent in small sections. Anyhow, that's my 2¢ Enrique Scanlon

No problem Marc. Now just do yourself a huge favor. IGNORE the itch that's going to creep into you and drive you batty about trying to do any type of repairs. DO NOT TOUCH THE CAR! If you do, the insurance company will undoubtedly use that as a reason to reduce the pay out. As far as your custody hearing: The same basic principle applies. Know what the rules and regulations are, then make sure you abide by them and / or point out how you conform to their requirements better than your ex. Unfortunately, the child custody laws are strongly weighted towards females, so you need to prove that you're BETTER than she is. There's more to it than just this, but hopefully you've retained a good lawyer who will advise you. Enrique

But your sentence implies that they were NOT, and something you said/did has caused them to change their approach. That's the whole reason for being so aggressive. No, it doesn't make it harder to prove. The difference is that on private property there aren't any traffic laws that may have been violated, nor to be upheld. That's the main reason the police don't get involved in writing police reports on private property accidents. Otherwise you would need a police report for every broken window. The most interesting thing you mention is that she doesn't deny hitting your car. THAT'S the most important thing. That's what this thing is all about. She hit YOU. That she's trying to blame you is irrelevant. Unless she can prove that you were driving recklessly and/or at excessive speed, she's liable for having backed into you. Now, that they are being cooperative now is probably a good indication that they will pay out. But don't back off yet. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. If you appear to be easily mollified, then I can guarantee that afterwards you'll be screaming how you got shafted. Don't back down. It is that aggressive stand that will cause them to paper you with dollars in order to get you to go away. Ever see a little dog tell a big dog to get the hell out of it's yard? That's what you need to act like. If you let them think that they've "gotten to you", they'll revert to their initial strategy and just brush you off. There are hundreds of stories of people who tried to conduct their business with the insurance company in a "reasonable" manner, only to be shafted afterwards. I know you may feel that this is too aggressive, and it is. The whole point of being adamant and belligerent about the damages is so they don't try to "reason" you into accepting less for the damage because: it's an old car, it's not worth the amount you are claiming, the damage isn't as serious, there were no injuries, no one is really "at fault". Do you get my drift? You CAN act in a reasonable manner. Just let them know that you are a dormant volcano about to blow up, unless they pay proper homage. Enrique

Maria: If the car was tryly professionally converted, then they undoubtedly reinforced the bottom of the car. If they had failed to do that they would be liable should the car fail in that manner. Take the car to a mechanic and a body shop. The mechanic will evaluate the vehicle for brakes, engine, tranny and suspension, and the body shop can ensure that the frame reinforcements underneath the car are adequate and still sound. That will ease your mind. Good luck, and post some pictures. Enrique Scanlon

2MZ: That is probably one of the most succinct statements about our capitalistic Supply and Demand system. Then again, that's the basic kernel of it. Enrique

Marc: Of course the Insurance company is going to play the stall game with you. Stop playing nice guy. You've contacted them, they've brushed you off, send them a certified letter with return receipt. That letter should state the time(s) that you have tried to contact them along with a copy of a couple of estimates (get the two most expensive) and let them know that you will proceed to file in Small Claims Court by a SPECIFIC DATE if you do not receive a SATISFACTORY settlement. Note the wording, it is what is satisfactory to YOU not them. Give them at least 5 business days to respond and that's the day that you will file. In Small Claims Court you file an amount as part of your paper work. Be sure to include the amount for the HIGHEST estimate, and a suitable amount for YOUR time, and the amount of the filing fee. Don't get original and request "pain and suffering" or other BS, be strictly up-front about it. You could if you had an appraisal before the car got hit, get it appraised again and add to the suit for the amount of depreciation due to the damage. Of course the amount is going to be close to double the original estimate, but you're going to have your paperrwork ready. Pay to have a Sheriff's Deputy serve the woman, that ALWAYS gives them a jolt. Then when they contact you and try to bluster you off, you just keep to your guns and wait till they finally offer a check that WILL cover the damage. Now don't get greedy and try to hold out for more, that's why you padded the original amount on the suit, so that the amount they finally offer will be satisfactory to you AND to them will appear as a win. Remember, you HAVE to negotiate from a position of power. If you act apologetic, and are asking them to help you out....forget it. You've literally lost before you started. Remember, YOU are the injured party. The law states that THEY must make reparations. That's it, don't go wishy-washy on us or we'll have to beat you with a stick. Now go get one for the Z...... Enrique

MikeW: You've probably already read the thread(s) that discuss the various substitutes / replacements for the tar paper that was on the floor. If so, then no need to read further. If not, definitely do a search for them and read them. In a nutshell, remember that the main reason for the tar paper was not thermal insulation, but the propensity for flat sheet metal to resonate. That resonation tends to duplicate and even magnify noises that will drive you crazy. Since Datsun originally placed this onto the bare sheet metal, and time has a tendency to cause the adhesive to fail, moisture will creep in and rust develops. That is why they're so vilified by all Z owners. The trick to using them properly is to make sure that the metal is properly protected. If you've ever pulled a decal or other sticker off of painted metal, then you know that the base paint stays generally unblemished. So with that in mind, in order to QUIET down the cabin, definitely do put either tar paper, brown bread or some other form of vibration damper onto the floors. Just make sure that it is NOT a porous insulation, like shredded fiber or pressed fibreglass. FWIW Enrique Scanlon

Mike: S H U D D E R :sick: :mad: EGADS man, don't EVEN think that I may be a lawyer. I agree that the lawyers and their self-serving laws and nonsense have tied this country up into impossible situations. If lawyers were to be liable for some of their shenanigans, I can almost guarantee that some sort of order would quickly be re-established. Without going into a long discussion of it, just think, the lawyer gets paid whether or not they win the case. And if they win, they usually get a share of the pie. They have a win-win situation. They would gladly sue God, if they could find out where to serve the lawsuit. If anyone here IS a member of that profession, I offer no apologies. If you choose to take offense, then it must be because you agree with me to some degree, and are offended because I'm citing what has become obvious to the rest of the country. Mike, knowledge of the system is necessary in order to avoid the pitfalls that have been woven into it. Whether a law is valid or not is not a subject that can be discussed in simplistic terms. What is valid in one situation is entirely inappropriate in another. The trick is to know when and where to fight them. Sometimes it isn't worth it to fight it, and best to aquiesce and make sure that you are in compliance whether you agree with it or not. Remember, Al Capone was eventually convicted of TAX EVASION and not all the bootleg whisky, extortion or murders he committed or had a hand in. If you'll remember the eleventh commandment: THOU SHALT NOT GET CAUGHT and then remember that if you know the rules you know how to work WITH and AROUND them. But enough of that. If folks wish to discuss the legal system we should take it to another forum. Enrique Scanlon

When I redid my interior, I scrubbed that piece with some soap and water, then scuffed it with a scotch pad and shot Rustoleum Satin Black on it. It looks great. Don't recall the texture you describe, will have to check on that. Texture can be a matter of painting technique or paint. The texture you seek is what defines it. There are wrinkle paints, which give a look and texture similar to shattered safety glass. Then there is the spackle effect. That one is created by doing a heavy MIST and allowing to tack dry before additional coats are applied. Hope this helps. Enrique

I know that parts can sometimes be obtained cheaply, but for a solid smack on either of the front corners, I feel you guys are being EXTREMELY optimistic. At a real rough guess on what GOOD parts are going for, let alone EXCELLENT parts, I feel $700 will barely cover it. A 72 240Z, one PO, <100k miles was more than likely babied and taken good care of. That tells me that even if the paint is faded, and I'm sure it did since Datsun paints are notorious for it, the metal and chrome is bound to be in good shape. So now you guys propose to find all those parts in equal condition for less than $700? Rots-a-Ruck! A bumper in Good condition, with only a bit of rust on the backside, needing polishing would probably go for $150 on e-Bay. True, not a good source as some parts there are exorbitantly overpriced. However, as a benchmark that would apply in Texas as well as the Northwest or the Northeast, it at least gives a basis of comparison. Now I don't wish to get into a big discussion on how people have found outrageous deals and therefore that proves that parts are available cheaper than... (insert your area here). The BODYSHOP told her that they could get the parts for that amount. I'll bet that those prices are marked up, and probably aftermarket sheet metal replacement as well as other aftermarket parts. If all OEM, I want to know the name of the bodyshop and I'll go get parts there. Think about what you've seen parts going for: Bumpers....easily $100 and needing work. NEW? $400 - $450 Bumper Guards ... $25 with rust. NEW? $80 Bumper Rubber...$25 used and rare in good condition, new $40 Fenders...needing work...$50 needing less $75 NEW? $160 Headlight scoop used $35 NEW $60 Hood used and probably with other dents $100 new $350 Lower Side Valance used $35 new $150 Headlight Acorn, Trim Ring, gasket used $25 NEW NLA Side Marker Lamp used $5 NEW $45 That's $400 in used parts needing a LOT of work and patience, something a bodyshop isn't going to willingly tackle. New parts are closer to $1250 and all they would need is prep and paint. So, before you get disheartened, let's look at something else. First off, don't accept that brush off about how much they'll pay. If the amount is NOT satisfactory, then remember these words..."We'll settle this in court." Then you sue the DRIVER and her insurance company. Not the insurance company. The driver is the first person to be mentioned and the one against whom the court would levy against. The insurance company will undoubtedly step in to represent their client, but stand firm. Next, did you contact your current insurance agent about purchasing the car? If you did, and you (hopefully) took pictures of the car on the day you received it, then you more than likely took shots that show the condition of the car. The contact with the insurance agent and the pictures can be shown to be indicative of your INTENTION to get it insured. Sometimes your insurance carrier will automatically cover you on a vehicle purchased like this. Granted, you SHOULD have had insurance first but...... Another thing, have the prior owner state that they "loaned" the car to you to "test". This involves their being quiet about having been paid for the car, (I didn't say that!) and then stepping in with you and the prior owner AGAINST the woman who hit you in court. The prior owner's insurance is NOT going to be out anything. You'll get paid for everything by the SUV driver. Again, all you have to remember, is "We'll settle this in court." It can take a long time, but, now here's the clincher, you can sue her in small claims court in the meantime. Those courts usually move things right along, and your trial will come up quickly. Since the insurance company does NOT want to go to court, they'll work FAST. The reasoning is simple, in small claims court, you don't need to go to the fancy schmancy techniques in big court. All you need to prove is that someone's actions cost you money. The real clincher is that with a win in small claims court, you can then turn around and sue the insurance company AGAIN. Why? Because they're the insurer of record for the vehicle that hit you. Now you would be suing the insurer of the VEHICLE and not the woman. Now with a prior win in small claims court, getting a bunch more may be unreasonable, but not necessarily impossible. Now, as with all Barracks Lawyering, remember, I am not a lawyer. I'm simply another car owner how has worked in a body shop, heard a dozen dozen stories from folks and fellow Air Force members and was also involved in a few myself. So CHECK WITH A LAWYER! The $75 or so you spend on a simple consultation could mean no out of pocket repairs on the car. Hope this helps. Enrique Scanlon

The drilling holes suggestion was entirely tongue in cheek. I wouldn't expect you to do that unless you were really intent on destroying your interior. If it's only a 1/4 or 1/2 inch, then it may NOT be a broken spring, but rather just a worn mechanism. Whether the shaft of the crank spline has now become worn, or the teeth on the scissor gear have become worn. Combine that with the probability that your "fuzzy" gasketing inside the channel has become worn and you have a good situation for the windows to slip that much. You might be able to check e-Bay and find crank arms. I've seen them offered from time to time. The other is to check with other members here, someone may have an extra pair. Good Luck Enrique Scanlon

That means that your window crank handles in the car are going round and round. A very cheap "jury-rig" would be to stick one of those pencil erasers in block form that's been cut to size to fit in there snuggly. That way the rubber would keep the handle from twisting around and still not damage your door panels. Now if you really want to go cheap, drill a bunch of holes in the door panels, and stick a peg in there to stop the crank handle from going round. Granted, it won't be cheap later when you have to replace the door panels. Now, you might be able to go to the boneyard and find a pair of springs for another Z, in which case that's the way I'd do it. 2¢ Enrique

Sounds as though your crank mechanisms have broken springs. Unfortunately, I am not aware of where, or if, replacement springs are available. The Crank mechanism has a spiral spring that attaches to the main spline. The spring acts to counter-balance the weight of the window pane in whatever position you leave them in. The only other possibility would be that the gear the scissor arms are connected to has begun to have some play which would allow the scissor arms to skip a few teeth and "fall" down until they get caught again. If your windows slide down smoothly, then it's the spring. If they clunk down in stages it's a bad gear or bad gear alignment. Enrique Scanlon

Your OTHER car needs a new transmission starter interlock switch. 2¢ Enrique

Remove the steering column shroud, and then remove the screws holding the lock assembly to the steering column. If the lock has been removed previously, then more than likely they used regular screws and you'll be able to remove them with a plain old screwdriver. If the lock has never been removed, then you will have to drill out or notch the breakaway screws so that you can unscrew them. If you use an EZ out or another broken bolt type remover, the screws should screw right out. Once you're released the locking mechanism, just simply slide the lock tumbler out of the steering column and you'll be able to turn the steering wheel freely. At this point you could also remove the ignition switch from behind the lock and actuate it with a screwdriver and start the car. 2¢ Enrique Scanlon

The first picture posted (lift up handle on the buckle) are seat belts that are identical to hose in use on the Roadster 2000 and the 1600. I can't recall if they were in use on the very early Z's, but it would stand to reason that Datsun would have used them on the Z as well. The second picture with the Z logo on a silver background and the black housing are what my car has. I'm pretty sure that is what most Z's have. The shoulder harness clips onto the back of the buckle by aligning the buckle and the shoulder harness buckle and then rotating 90°. If these are the ones you go for, take care to ensure that the concave washer under the attachment rivet is in good condition as this is what keeps the shoulder harness from slippng off the belt. The retractable belts came later, with the first edition only having retractable lap belts. Retractable shoulder harnesses didn't come till later. If your car does NOT have the cup welded to the floor pan, at the rear where the pan tilts up to meet the tool compartment area, then you will not be able to install the retractable type properly. The shoulder harness mounts to a nut welded to the body right by the hatch opening. The plastic interior pieces fit over the nut then the shoulder harness can be bolted on. When you install, make sure that there is a hard nylon washer (about 1/4"-3/8" thick) glued to the opening on the plastic trim. This allows you to clamp down on the shoulder harness without cracking the interior trim. The retractable style of shoulder harness, if memory serves, mounted to the top of the rear strut columns. Hope this helps. Enrique Scanlon

Lee: If you look at the faceplate with the radio you posted, you'll note that the sides angle outwards from bottom to top. The 240's had it angled very slightly INWARDS from bottom to top. Even if you were to turn your faceplate upside down, it would still be too wide and have too steep an angle to fit in the Heater Control Panel. Additionally, the early 240 radios when they finally added FM, only had TWO buttons to switch to FM, not three as your picture shows, and they were on the right hand side of the set of five. The additional clues that point to your picture being of a later model Z, or another car, is that there are no screw holes in the lower edge corners, and there is additional silver trim on your faceplate. The earlier radio faceplates needed the screws to lock onto the HCP and had very little decoration (only the names of the knobs and the antenna directions on the switch above, and the antenna directions on the toggle knob on the up and down on the side.) Hope this helps. Enrique Scanlon

The very first radio was an AM only radio and had the antenna switch to the right of the tuning knob. (Can't imagine that the knobs would be reversed on RHD cars.) As far as I know, when the radios changed to AM/FM then the switch was moved to be ABOVE the tuning knob. I'm not exactly sure when the switch to AM/FM happened, so if anyone can help.... Enrique Scanlon

Darn! You mean I could have CHARGED you? muttter mutter dumb-guy :stupid: dumb-guy :stupid: mutter mutter Thanks for the kind words. Speaking for myself, and I presume all the other posters who take the time, it's nice to know that the advice we post is indeed HELPFUL! It helps in knowing that what we diagnose, based on (sometimes) poor and seemingly unconnected data is in fact correct. Additionally, it gives us that warm fuzzy feeling knowing that there's a Z out there that is going to last that little bit longer thanks to our input. So to all of you who have benefited from something I or anyone of the other posters has put out there, post a reply to the effect of how it did or did not solve the problem. That way, as other Z owners peruse the archives, they will know that you had the same problem and that it got fixed by what was posted. Then, if they feel they need more info, they can contact you or the person who responded. Admit it, we like talking about our cars. Talking about the cars sometimes involves "Oh yeah! I had that problem too and here's how I fixed it." Sharing that type of info can spawn some of the most interesting discussions yet. So, let's also hear it from the responders. What would you like people to say, do, describe, with regards to their cars, problems etc. Again, thanks Gema. I'm glad that you've avoided and resolved problems. Enrique Scanlon

MariaZ: I'll presume that you've removed the panels from the car. Although a PITA, it makes it tons easier than having to mask around them. As far as preparation, personally, the first thing I do is scrub them well with a brush and some grease cutting soap. (Dawn works wonders!) You'll note that some of the paint will peel right off if it wasn't applied properly. If so, keep scrubbing and you should be able to remove the bulk of the paint. If not, no worries, as you're going to prep all the way.. Then using a GREY scuff pad, (NOT the Maroon) scuff the piece everywhere. The scuff pads I am referring to are available at most automotive paint stores and look like the Green Scotch pads for scrubbing pots and pans. The Grey is a lighter, less aggressive scrubber than the Maroon. Then I wash and scrub again. This is to ensure that any finger oils etc. are removed. Allow to air dry, or force dry with an air nozzle. If you get it, apply the Plastic Prep Spray according to it's instructions. Then follow up with the paint color you've chosen. SEM paints as stated are essentially a flexible paint / dye that bonds exceptionately well to plastics, vinyl and nylon. I've heard of people changing the color of their carpets with it. Myself, I've painted interior vinyl panels with it, in order to match / change interior colors. You can usually find them at most automotive stores. Hope that answers your question. Mr. Camo: What do you mean the wood on the steering wheel is fake? It's made from the Plasticuus Mimicus tree found only in Japan. Enrique Scanlon

Thanks for the comments. If they save you some headaches and time then I will have been paid with interest. As far as relatives, the Scanlon and Scanlan names go back to Ireland (and some say Scotland) many years ago. The two clans purportedly were related or come from the same ancestry. Don't know the specifics as to where and when they emigrated to the new world, so they may be "long-lost" relatives, i.e. 75th cousins 23 times removed (is there such a thing?). Enrique Scanlon

A friend of mine claims to have fixed that by using a short segment of rubber hose. Don't recall if he used 1/4 or 3/8 hose. You're right Maria, it's basically a sound deadener. Enrique

Removing the cowl is real straight forward. First remove the wiper arms. Once you've removed the nut holding them to the pivots, use gentle persuasion on the arms to get them off. If they're real tight, a thin wrench below the pivot mount and again GENTLE persuasion will alllow you to get them off without problems. Biggest thing to be aware of is that you are real close to the paint and you don't want to mar it. Remove the 5 screws on the front lip of the cowl that gets hidden by the hood. Then gently lift the front edge. You only need to lift it enough to clear the side access doors and the hood gasket. Then pull towards the front of the car. You'll note that this allows the placement tangs on the back of the cowl to come out of their holders just beneath the windshield and also allow the wiper pivots to clear the holes in the cowl. You'll then see the wiper motor in the center. There are 4 bolts holding it in place, two at the top and two down inside the cowl. You can try to remove the nut holding the wiper linkages to the motor, but I've found it can be easier to just remove the pivot arms and linkages all attached to the motor in one move. Once you've removed the nuts holding the motor bracket, and either the pivot arms or the linkage from the motor, don't forget to disconnect the electrical connection. Then force the rubber plug for the wiper motor INTO the cowl. You should be able to remove them easily. If you try to remove with the linkages on the motor, I've found that if you first move everything to the driver's side of the car (this is constant regardless of RHD or LHD) you should be able to move the passenger wiper arm out of the cowl cavity. Then just bring the rest of the motor / linkage out. Be careful on disassembling the wiper motor. The back of the gear case has a contact point that determines the PARK point. If you move this without making a reference mark you'll find that your wipers park themselves in odd locations. You CAN disassemble the motor, clean it and lube it, but be EXTREMELY careful as it is very easy to screw something up. If you are opening it up because the wipers are slow, you might have more effect on the speed of the wipers if you disassemble the Pivot Arms and lube them instead of opening the motor. That's it for now, hope it helped. Enrique Scanlon

Usually, when you remove the door and / or hinges you want to scribe the location of the hinge plates on both the body and the door. This makes it easier to replace them. When the occasion arises where you have no prior markings to work with you need to check a few things. In the case of the Z, the mounting locations of the hinges on the pillar and the door are fortunately flat and on the same plane. This makes it MUCH easier to replace them without markings. Mount the hinges to either the door or the pillar and adjust them so that they are roughly in line. Then get a piece of flat stock, or a level and make sure that the unmounted sides are then also on the same plane as each other. Make adjustments to one hinge or the other until the flat stock is perfectly flat on the mounting faces of both hinges. Then either mount the doors to the hinges or the hinges to the pillar. You'll still need to adjust the door to the opening but you'll know that the hinges are not binding against each other. Usually the biggest cause of hinges not being aligned with each other is due to the use of shims, warped panels (whether due to repair or a bent body) or because someone FORCED the hinge into that location. Just for the record, when the hinges are NOT on the same plane, then you determine the "center" of the adjusting limits and place both hinges as close to that location as possible. From what you mention, the bottom being further out, I would suspect either a shim or two behind the bottom hinge on the pillar or a bad adjustment on the door itself. Remember shim hinges on the pillar affect the door's location with reference to the skin of the door and the fenders. Shims on te door side affect front to back (and when used unevenly diagonal) placement of the door within the door opening. Hope this helps. Enrique Scanlon