EScanlon

The ring around both types of hazard switches has a pair of holes in it for the use of a spanner wrench. A spanner wrench has the typical "U" shape of a wrench, but has a pair of pins on the side of the wrench. Those pins fit into the holes on the wring. Your most common use of this type of tool is to remove grinder wheels from the spindle shaft on a grinder. If you don't have a spanner wrench of this size, see if you can find a pair of bent-nose needle tip pliers. Insert the tips into the holes and unscrew the ring just like a regular screw (Lefty-Loosey; Righty-Tighty). I've tried doing this with an e-clip plier, but found that the throat of the plier is not big enough to accept the shaft / handle of the switch and that the pins are somewhat fragile for this type of application. Hope this helps.

I would add the following to that list: A pair of pantyhose. You'd be surprised how strong they are when wrapped around a pair of pulleys to replace a broken fan-belt. Additionally, it only takes a minute or two to put on and will at least operate the water pump until you can get off the road and repair the belt properly. They can also be used as rope, as a filter and as a primitive elastic spring. Ensure that your basic tools include a pair of pliers and a knife. Bring along at least one can of Fix-A-Flat. Although blow-outs do occur, the majority of flat tires are due to nails or debris. The can of Fix-A-Flat will at least get you to the next exit. Before you take off, do a good inspection, but don't go crazy replacing spark plugs, hoses etc. Do the minimum required, such as change the oil and filter, fuel filter, and get the air filter at least blown out if not replaced. If possible have the tires checked by a tire shop. Tread depth, condition, balancing are important on ANY trip of any length. If you can, remove the wheels and at least get an idea of how the brake shoes are. I'm sure this group will think of a bunch more. Enrique

Thank you David! I believe that is the main reason that Chris offered up this post, to discuss and define, amongst us Z-Car owners and lovers those terms that have been mis-understood, vague and open to personal interpretation. To address the unfortunate incident on a first person basis. I have done business with Troy and through an error of MINE, I bought a few emblems that were the wrong year for my car. I was not aware of subtle differences between the Script "Datsun" on the hatch. Could his ad have been clearer? Yes. But then again, I should have done my homework. When I contacted Troy, he not only swapped the emblem out, but he basically let me have it for shipping costs and the small difference between what I paid for at auction and what he would have BEGUN his listing for and not for what it COULD HAVE been. Troy is a human being like the rest of us, and he's also learning much of this "electronic market-place" the same way we are. Trial and error. Heck, I know business TODAY that still don't use computers to effect business, and others that use word-processing programs to write up invoices and orders. So, in that respect I try to cut people as much slack as I can. In any transaction I do my darndest to answer any questions I may have that in my opinion would affect the value of that item. Have I gotten burnt? Yup. Enough times that I've gotten my wife mad at me for .... not asking enough questions. My bad, no argument. David, I apologize to you for having made such a big deal. It was not my intent to direct any comment at you personally, but rather to those actions that even I am guillty of. And, being human and older, I was hoping to make it obvious to those members that had not yet been burnt by that type of transaction that they had to look out for themselves. Wiliams: No apology is necessary as I did not take offense. To address the basic question in your post about the content of an ad and what I might construe, let me put it this way: I NEVER assume that the description given is EXACTLY as the item is. That is something that I've learned in my 25+ years of being in sales. Product literature points out the good points, and subtly obfuscates or omits the bad. Sales people play on your emotions and eagerness to buy. Too many times I've been told what I want to hear, but not what they intend to do. Thankfully, I've taken enough knocks that I attempt to get things in writing. You'd be surprised how many times I've had salespeople do a quick shuffle and tap toe to get out of what they had been saying before. The turning point for me came about when I stopped trying to get the better end of a deal and just ensured that I got everything I was promised. Like I said before, I trust BUT I verify. To the rest of the membership that may read this: I encourage us all to now contribute in order to return this post to it's original intent. There are many terms that we take for granted and presume / assume that they mean the same thing to all. This discussion highlights this problem amongst our community like a bold yellow highlighter. So, in hopes that we can again attempt at defining "original", I would like to offer a different term that would better describe what most people want original to mean; NON-MODIFIED. By inverse relation, a MODIFIED vehicle would be such that changes had been effected to it that rendered it different than the way it was delivered by the factory. This would include changes due to ABNORMAL repairs, such as replacing the transmission, engine, or other items. Items such as oil, gas, wiper blades, spark-plugs and tires would not be considered modifications as those items are required for regular periodic maintenance required to keep a vehicle running. Granted, the Concours folks would differ. But I think we can agree that the terminology for a Concours vehicle is not that that would be applied to a car that is driven and enjoyed. I am not saying that Concours folks do not drive and enjoy their cars, but rather that where a Concours user would fret and worry over the brand of spark plug used, an owner of a driver would not. To add to this discussion, and to differ from Modified above, I also offer the term: CUSTOMIZED. Customization, in my opinion means that the vehicle has had changes effected to it that noticeably change the non-modified appearance of the car as delivered by the dealer. Whether that customization is to improve performance or functionality is not the issue, but rather that the vehicle has been changed. In my case, I have a 73 Heater Control Panel...in a 71. I made that change because the original HCP is not illuminated where the 73 is. Swapping out the square top carbs in favor of the round tops. Some might call this a modification, and here's where we enter the realm of discussion...... Enrique Scanlon

My favorite product was Clear Guard by Turtle Wax. Sadly, it has been discontinued. It worked too well and would last forever. Boss Gloss is EXCELLENT, and in my opinion second only to Clear Guard, which by default makes it number one. After that the Meguiar's family are superb. I use those on the outside of the car almost exclusively. About the only thing I use Armor All, Son-of-a-Gun, and the new Extreme brand of liquid vinyl products....is the tires. That's because I know I CAN and WILL be replacing them eventually. To me, from personal experience, the use of silicone oil is like shooting up heroin. Looks good for a bit, but you pay for it forever after. I've heard of the use of baby oil, or mineral oil. To me both those products have the bad tendency to attract and capture dust since they never dry. The smell is also something I can do without, in the case of baby oil. I have no idea on the UV blocker question, but it seems to me that what would work on your skin wouldn't necessarily work on plastic. 2¢ Enrique

Years ago when I lived in Iowa and Michigan and I did my own Anti-Freeze changing, you could buy a solution to flush out your cooling system. I don't recall the brand or the name, but it came in a miniature version of the anti-freeze jug. The instructions were to pull out some water / antifreeze from the radiator (about 16 oz.) and fill with the contents of the bottle. Then you ran the engine up to operating temperature and about 10-15 minutes after. Afterwards you would just drain the system, refill with plain water, run for a few more minutes and drain again. I don't believe you were required to drain before you added the flush liquid. Then you would add your new anti-freeze / water mix. The product claimed to eliminate hard water deposits as well as buildup of any corrosion within the system. It did advise that it COULD open up holes in gasketing that had been sealed by the prior deposit / scale. It did not specify that you had to remove any of the parts you are mentioning. I've long since relegated that type of activity to my mechanic, so I cannot say whether or not you can still find it in an auto supply store. Hope this helps. Enrique

Stephen you are absolutely right. Each person must base their decisions on their own criteria. My main point in ranting was to point out the biased and one-sided viewpoint of that whole mess. If Troy were to post his side, it may well be such that the whole matter becomes trivial. Wills: I purposely avoided answering your questions because in my opinion all it would do would be to fan the flames. I will ignore the implied slur regarding my person, with regards to the description of any item I may sell on e-bay, based on your assumption as to what I might or might not conclude. For the record, my e-bay id is basically the same as my log-on here. I will assure you that any item I would put on e-bay would be an item that you would be upset if you were to miss out on the bidding based on your prejudice. You might consider posting YOUR e-bay ID and allow all the vendors that frequent this site to know you by. That way, they may opt to not let you bid, to eliminate a potentially bad transaction. Then again, that may be reason enough for you to hide behind your anonimity. What I construe an advertising phrase to mean and what someone else chooses to understand is what makes lawyers happy. My choice to ask further questions or not is based on the simple premise of Caveat Emptor. Once I've gotten to know a seller, I may trust, but I would still verify. I don't expect anyone to effect their business with MY interests in mind. 26th Z / Chris: I am sorry to have participated in railroading your post away from what you intended. I agree, I also would like to see an intelligent discussion as to what constitues originality. That term and "Classic" are items that this thread did point out are not only subjective, but perhaps undefineable without a lengthy discussion. Unfortunately, you can't please everyone. 2¢ Enrique

Funny, you can't edit a prior post to add a picture, but you can edit a post with a picture and change / delete the picture that is attached. The picture attached shows both the Hazard and the Fog Lamp Switches. Both are the Paddle Style. By the way, if anyone can identify item #45, please do so. I don't have a picture of the Pull Style Hazard Switch. Maybe someone else can post one. Enrique

The NON-illuminated hazard switch is a simple paddle style switch. That is, you flip the lever/paddle UP to actuate it, or DOWN to shut it off. The Illuminated one, on the other hand, is a round rubber knob with a green lens in it. To operate it, you either pull it OUT to turn it on, or push it IN to shut it off. In neither case do you TURN the paddle or knob. That you are able to do so tells me that the switch is definitely kaput. I'll see if I can find some pictures of what they look like. Enrique

John makes a good point. For $4200 you should get a car in fairly decent condition. The definition of that will vary amongst buyers, sellers and aficionados. Your best bet is to have the car inspected by a third party and / or use escrow payment (i.e. inspect before accept) on delivery. 2¢ Enrique

Guus: I'm the International Sales Manager for my company. As a result, I have sent hundreds of packages overseas, with the ensuing myriad of problems. If the SENDER did not annotate disposition instructions on the waybill, in the possibility of non-delivery, then it is implicit in the contract signed at the time that the package was entrusted to the carrier, to be left up to the discretion of the carrier. Disposition instructions typically involve returning the package at sender's expense, notify and re-address at sender's expense, or dispose and destroy. This is what Marriott should have filled out. If you were a guest at their hotel, and you had forgotten something, then they would either charge you for the shipment of the item OR assume the cost. If they assumed the cost, then they are also assuming the liability for that item. When they shipped it, they contracted for transport and delivery and by the shipper's regulations, would have had to provide an address AND a point of contact telephone number. If the address was wrong, then the telephone number would have been contacted to correct the error. If both the address and phone number were in error, then the package would be disposed of per the disposition instructions. Normally however, the shipper will contact the sender and try to rectify the address. In terms of liability, if the shipper performed the above in accordance with the required instructions, then the only recourse is to address it via the insurance company. Now, if Marriott failed to provide the correc information on the initial shipment, then it is THEIR insurance that must pay for the item. I've had many a package get "lost" and disposed of. So, what I'm relating to you is based on prior experience and not because I am a lawyer, which I am not. Did Marriott send you a copy of the waybill? If so, did you follow up with it? If they did not, why not? Hope this helps. Enrique

WHOA! While I admire the intent of holding off until a 240 is available, let me address a few things. The 240 prices have been steadily going up due to their perceived collectability, lack of availability, and resurgence of popularity due to the 350Z. This has made them rarer yet and more expensive. No one has noted that in the U.S. the 260 is actually RARER than the 240. Added to that, their perceived weight / power ratio with regards to racing or speed, has made them somewhat of a "black sheep". The body style is similar enough that without checking title or emblems (if they're correct), or a good knowledge of the model differences, you wouldn't necessarily know the difference. If you want a Z NOW the 260 would NOT be a bad choice. Change out some of the undesireable items such as the square top carbs and goose up the engine and you'd have a vehicle that you would be very pleased with. Additionally, if you keep all the original pieces, you would have a car that by simple attrition would evaluate. Possibly evaluating more, in the long run, than the 240 would. 2¢ Enrique

Are you checking voltage to ground? That is, the red multimeter wire to one of the wires to the light and the black lead to the car's chassis. If so, then with one wire you SHOULD read a voltage and with the other you won't. The side marker lamps use a wire to the harness to complete the circuit and NOT the mounting screws to the fender. The side marker lights both front and rear operate with the parking lamps but NOT the turn signals. If they are, then it's a modification by the PO. Although I can see their value when you actually have the turn signal on, but during normal operation they would be off. I don't know if your state does or does not have a requirement on side-marker lights. I do know that they must reflect in all 50 states. Now for the kicker. If you are having trouble with the Hazard Light Switch, then STOP! Before you go "fixing" anything more. You've uncovered that you do have some form of short. But since the turn signal wiring goes through the flasher as well, and you've already determined an intermittent voltage, I would bet that half your problem is that the Haz. Switch is blooey. Take it out of the dash. If it is the illuminated switch with a green lens, push in on the knob, turn 90° and pull out. Then remove the chrome ring at the base. You should then be able to reach behind the dash and disconnect TWO wire connectors, and remove the switch. The non-illuiminated switch just needs the ring removed, the rest is the same. This is important to fix first since the two wires connected to the Turn Signal flasher BOTH go through the Hazard Switch. If you have a short in the Hazard Switch you can affect not only the turn signals but the brake lamp as well. The Hazard switch disconnects BOTH the Turn Signal Flasher and the Stop Light Switch when actuated. When actuated it also connects both front and rear turn signal lights TOGETHER (hence the stop light disconnect and it's positional logic to allow the right brake lamp to illuminate when the left turn signal is actuated). If your Toggle Style Hazard Switch is loose and doesn't positively click up/down, then you more than likely have a broken pivot point which is causing the short internally. If it is a Pull Type, then it may have either a cold solder joint or a broken internal contact tray. Check the switch out and replace / repair it. Once you do that, then you can check the rest of the circuit properly. Enrique

DON'T USE ARMOR ALL! Guaranteed death to your dash! 2¢ Enrique

That you are getting a negative volt reading on the LF tells me that the leads have been reversed or that you connected your tester backwards. With a light bulb, which is essentially what you are checking, the negative voltage is not a factor to be worried about. If you were checking a Relay, a flasher, or some other polarity sensitive item then it would be an item. That you are getting an intermittent signal, tells me that you are somehow connected to one of the flasher units. Polarity then does become an issue. You don't mention if the bulb itself flashes when it's on. You need to check that. If the side marker bulb is flashing with either the hazard switch on or the turn signal, then it is wired into the wrong circuit. The Z has both a Hazard Flasher and a Turn Signal Flasher, so don't assume that they are the same. Once you've checked the operation of the bulbs with each flasher you can proceed from there. Hope this helps. Enrique

Yikes! That's a mighty tall order there pilgrim! There are a BUNCH of variables to consider when sanding a car for re-paint. Read some of my other posts in the Body / Paint forum and you'll get an idea of what to consider. In brief, from what you describe, I would opt for a Dual Action (D/A) Sander with 220 grit. But...... it depends. As far as the weatherstripping, if you are doing a complete repaint, then by all means remove the weatherstripping. If you're only doing panel work, then mask it off. But then again, that my: 2¢ Enrique

I'm going to jump into this with two hob-nailed boots in hopes of quashing this flagrant libeling of a good source of high quality and rare parts. This is what I responded to the original posting on the mail list. ======================= There's an old saying that says: I won't guarantee a horse has all four legs on it. If the buyer is interested he'll check for himself. If I adhere to that logic as a SELLER: I'm not being dishonest, but I'm not going to minimize MY chances of a sale to maximize the buyers! As a BUYER: If I don't check it myself, either I get it checked, or ASSUME that it means what I think it means. HAH! I know you believe you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure if you realize that what you heard is not what I meant. All of this belly-aching is simply BUYER'S REMORSE! What's worse, is that he's proletizing AGAINST someone's reputation simply based on his disatisfaction. Whose fault is it that he assumed the best? The car was NOT advertised as HAVING BEEN restored, but rather that it was a RESTORATION PROJECT! That changes things in my opinion. A restored vehicle is one that is putatively DONE. A restoration project is a CAN OF WORMS just waiting for you to open it up. A restored vehicle I would expect to be one that I could literally drive into the showroom of a closed room and only remove the dust that settled on it in transit. A restoration project is first going to get a bath, and then a thorough inspection. Do I expect to be able to drive off in my RESTORED vehicle? YES! I'm bringing a trailer for the project. The seller listed the vehicle as having been inspected. Great, did the buyer ask for a copy of the inspection report BEFORE bidding? If not, in my opinion, TOUGH BEANS. The auction page shows a lot of activity at first, then stabilizes then a flurry of activity the last two days. Sounds like a hurried buy by someone. Whom we don't know because the bidder's ids are being protected. In some movies we see people at an auction, and through inadvertent movement or expression find one poor guy the proud owner of a million dollar vase. Those situations are funny because of the accidental manner in which the guy gets stuck with the bum purchase. We sympathize with the buyer because thru no fault of his own he's stuck with it. Then there are those movies when a bidder rushes into the auction room and energetically and adamantly insists on bidding at the last possible moment, outbidding prior bids and winning the auction. Then upon receipt of the merchandise, it turns out not to be what the buyer expected. Those situations are funny because we laugh at individuals who cause misfortune to fall on themselves. But we do NOT sympathize with the buyer, he's stuck with the purchase because of his own impetuousness. To further exacerbate the situation, the buyer then maligns the seller in a public forum with the intent of defaming the seller. Why? Because he failed to check if the horse had all four legs. All of this reminds me of the movie "The Crying Game". You've got a choice, accept it and keep it or reject and move on. If this seems harsh and derogatory, it isn't meant to be. It's just a sad fact of life. There is no reason why the seller should conduct the sale with YOUR best interests in mind, that's your job. You're trying to get a good deal, so is he. TANSTAAFL!!! There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch 2¢ Enrique ======================== Then we start quibbling over the "definition" of terms in the hopes of further assasination of someone's reputation based on only ONE side of the story. The ad stated quite explicitly: Here's the URL: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2451605436 Or read below: =========== 1971 Datsun 240Z Near Excellent Condition Very Very Clean You are bidding on a all Original 1971 Datsun 240Z. She is in very nice condition, never wrecked no rust, straight body except for a few parking lot dings. She was going to be my next show car project but I’ve been soo busy I can’t even keep up with my other projects. On a scale from 1 – 10 she would be rated a strong 8 – 8.5 Firm. Excellent running condition, very nice paint. This will and can be a jump in and drive everyday 240Z or with a very small investment she can be turned into that show Zcar that brings home the awards. Note: This 1971 (8/71) Datsun 240Z is also listed on my web site for sale, Seller reserves the right to end this auction at anytime. Special Notes New Dash, New Rear Deck Emblems, New wiper blade assemblies, New rear hatch support strut, Seats and Interior are in Excellent Condition, Door Panels are in Excellent Condition, No radio, Headlights are not working, Needs shift lever bushings, Needs a speedo cable. Bonus Items Added To Auction New Carpet Kit and 16pc Weather Stripping Kit. I will add those items to the close of this auction. Please call (XXX) XXX-XXXX (edit) if you need more information trust me this is a true find, so don’t pass her by We are willing to trailer her free for the first 20 miles there will be a 2.50 per mile charge after the first 20 miles (Only within California) Please keep in mind this is a legal and binding contract only serious collectors need to participate in bidding ============= The starting bid was $2,000 but the ending price was $5,500. If you look at the bidding history you'll see that the bulk of the higher dollars happened in the last couple of days. That tells me someone was motivated to buy. But enough of this, the buyer has already stated that although he was not pleased with the results, he still got a car that is considered a rarity. Additionally, it is in a condition that he isn't disatisfied. His intent to get a reduction of the sale price is natural, although HOW he approached it may have had a bigger bearing on the outcome than the request. But that is strictly conjecture on my part. As far as I see it, the rest of you guys are just trying to railroad someone's reputation and hoping to incite a Lynch Mob mentality whereby everybody would refuse to do business with the seller. The statement: Hmm, how's that work? Nothing can be changed EXCEPT....... And who decides what is an acceptable replacement? OEM parts only? Guess what, can't change the spark plugs. What about OEM and Year Specific? Good luck finding a non-illuminated rear window defrost switch, or a set of tail-light surrounds in the ORIGINAL matchbox striker finish Metallic Gray. (I'll bet that 80% of the cars had their tail-light surrounds painted within a year of new simply because when you waxed your car you could NEVER get the spots off the surround.) What about the Original Wiper Blade Holders that some of us have seen selling for as high as $150? Heck, most owners in the 70's went for the AAMCO quick blade refill which included the blade holder, there went your originality. So what is, in fact, the TRUE definition of All Original? Simply put, it is that condition the car was in when it rolled off the assembly line. By the time you fill up the tank for the FIRST time, it's no longer ALL ORIGINAL. Lastly, has anyone considered that the seller may in fact have been told by the person who sold it to him that it was "all original"? It may be that Troy was as surprised as the buyer to discover the engine didn't match. The basic fact is this, the car was listed as a RESTORATION PROJECT, at that point he hasn't put in any of the work he is capable of. When he states that the car "will and can be " either a daily or a show car he further denotes that the car needs work. Bottom line, enough on this thread. Enrique