EScanlon

I don't know that you can get good sound dampening on metal without some form of adhesive to bond the material to it. If you go to a non-adhered material, the only item you have is very heavy jute or fiberglass insulation batts. I sold suspended ceilings some years back, and in that industry two items with regards to sound are mentioned. NRC=Noise Reduction Coefficient and STC=Sound Transmission Coefficient NRC refers to the ability of the material to absorb sound and not reflect it back into the room. STC refers to the sound dampening ability and it's transmission through the material. In cars, the NRC is usually addressed by your upholstery, and other interior "soft" parts. A cloth interior with cloth accouterments will be significantly quieter than one with vinyl and plastic. The Z typically has the latter. STC is the noise dampening material that gets sprayed on the inside, underside of the sheet metal to diminish and hopefully elimininate the "tin can" effect of sheet metal. This is why they added the tar mat and other sprayed on substances to the metal, as well as road debris protection in the case of the undercarriage. If you choose to avoid the "stuck on" kind, you'll have to resort to extra thick or dense material to absorb the sound from the sheet metal. As a final question, why would you need to have access to the floor pan? If there's rust there, take care of it now and do it well enough that you don't have to go back. Otherwise, I fail to see why you would need to revisit it down the road. FWIW E

The blue wire you have at the starter is a fusible link, not just a plain wire. The White/Red wire at your fuse box is actually two wires. One comes from the Alternator and it is the "feed" from there. The other is the connection for the Ammeter. If the battery was connected backwards, the White and the White/Red wires would be the primary wires to melt down. Lastly, that item in your last picture is an Accessory Relay. HTH E

Darbji: While the 280 differs somewhat from the 240, there are substantially enough similarities between the two that reading Wick Humble's book "How to restore your Datsun Z Car" will give you the best insight as to what/how and in what order to proceed. The book does reference the 240, 260 and 280 models so it should be adequate. There are also a couple of other books on rebuilding and modifying the OHC engine. Hope this helps Enrique

You ARE missing a piece... the thick foam that cushions the vent area to the duct work. Don't forget that the vent piece also has foam directly behind the vent "tube" bar to seal it top and bottom. You CAN refashion that foam from closed cell foam tape in the proper thickness, or built up, and it will do the job. The original OEM foam was notorious for disintegrating. You'd only notice it as "bits of DUST" blowing out of the center vent. In just a few miles of air flow, it would disappear. If you need pictures, let me know. But as Mike B mentioned, the duct tube just slips onto the heeater housing, and the center vent pushes up against it. The foam just seals it and the metal tangs are to guide it into place. You'll want to put your Heater/Vent lever mechanism in place first though. FWIW E

I've worked on a few of these. From what you describe; easy roll down, but difficult if impossible roll UP; it might be the spring in the regulator that has fallen off or is broken. To check this, you'll have to R&R the door guts, that is: Remove Door panel and handles Remove Glass (no need to remove the outer door frame - the stainless one) Remove the regulator. You'll need to adjust it with the crank handle so you can remove it from the door itself. The spring IS under tension at all times, even when the window is in the full UP position. In the DOWN position is when it is at it's full tension. If the spring has just fallen off the tang that holds it, crank the regulator to it's full UP position (you might want to examine it's working without the window to ascertain this), then you won't have to rotate the spring too much to engage it again. If the tang has broken, you might be able to fashion something by welding or riveting, but be aware that it DOES take a lot of tension. If the spring is broken, you just replace it. They're not sided, so a passenger's door one will work in the driver's door. FWIW E

Also check that little ground wire from the point plate to the distributor body that is on the INSIDE of the cap. If that wire is broken, and it is a very thin wire, it will not allow proper grounding of the points and you won't get spark either. As Rick mentioned on the other thread, check the condenser also. Enrique

Just from the pics it looks as though it would be ok. Since you're running points, have you checked that they DO open and close, and that the ground wire inside the distributor is ok. Also check that the connection to the distributor (negative coil wire) is making good contact. I'll have to ponder this, and maybe others can chip in as well. E

The spare looks like the "stock" Steel wheel for the 240's. The other two are mags, Beandip (Gary's) car has those. Don't recall manufacturer's name nor "name" of the rim. He might know or Arne. FWIW E

I'd almost bet that you'll find some rust under that tar mat in the spare tire bin. As far as replacing it, I did. After I had painted the POR everywhere. While POR is good for rust-protection and encapsulation, it doesn't do much as far as sound attenuation, which is what the tar mat is mostly for. 2¢ E

You can get POR in Black, Silver or "Clear" (which ends up being kind of milky white, unless exposed to UV rays, in which it turns kind of greenish). Before you begin wire brushing, remove the tar mat. Otherwise you will NOT be removing or addressing all the rust that's hidden underneath that tar. Voice of Experience here. Trust me, in that area, it can be like an iceberg... 2/3 hidden. Once you remove the tar mat, then either wire brushing, or Scotch pad disk clean up will clean it up enough to proceed. Since you're planning on using the POR, do all 3 steps as they instruct: Marine Clean, Metal Prep and lastly the POR. While Marine Clean may be "just" a degreaser do NOT use it without gloves. You will leach out every last bit of oil in your fingertips and you will find your skin cracking and feeling as if you "numbed" it. Again, VOE here. The Metal Prep is a phosphoric acid with some other ingredients added in. This is probably the most critical for proper adhesion to bare metal, and rusted metal. If you're painting POR over painted surfaces, be sure to scuff them up well, or you'll find that the POR WILL act like a decal on the painted surface. It won't peel up off the metal, but it WILL peel off the paint. VOE. When you paint the POR, don't just use a dust mask. Use a paint respirator, the ones with the carbon canister filters. When they recommend that you have plenty of air movement, the're not just suggesting. This isn't just a hint, it's a huge WARNING. Have I said VOE before? HTH E

I hope you got the LOCK and not just the SWITCH. If it's the Steering Wheel Lock that's causing the problem, a new electrical switch won't do anything for you. 2¢ E

Presuming that the engine does turn over, I won't mention wiring to the starter. The coil has a Black wire that connects directly to the distributor from it's Negative post. On it's Positive post, is a Black with a White Stripe (Black/White) wire that connects directly to the Tachometer. That is the "loop" wire that the Tach uses to sense the spark. The "return" leg of that Black/White wire is now Green/White and it leads back to the Ignition Switch, except there is a "T" connection that connects to the Ballast Resistor that's typically right below the Coil. (Don't forget about this T connection). The other side of the Ballast Resistor has a Black/White wire connected to it. This "second" Black/White wire causes problems in that being right by the Coil AND the Resistor, it's not unusual for people to connect the wrong one to the coil. This Black/White wire connects to the Ignition Switch but on a contact that gets power through the switch ONLY when the key is in the RUN position. Mix the B/W wires up and you won't be getting spark when you're trying to start, and since it won't start, you won't notice that you DO have power to the coil when the key is in the Run position. Only by a quick "quirk" of having the engine still turning over when you release the key might you get lucky to catch everything just right to have the engine "start" and then run. To identify the right B/W wire to connect to the coil, do a continuity check between the Green/White wire that connects to the Ballast Resistor and one by one the Black/White wires, with the Ignition Switch in the OFF position. The B/W wire that completes the circuit is the one that goes to the Positive terminal on the Coil. The other B/W wire goes to the Ballast Resistor and the G/W wire goes on the other end of the Ballast Resistor. That corrects the ignition wiring to what it's supposed to be. To check that you are getting juice to the coil: With the Ignition Switch in the Run position, you should be able to detect 12v between the G/W and the B/W wires connected at the Ballast Resistor. That is, connect your meter in place of the BR, or check the B/W wire to ground. Alternatively, with the key in the Start position, check the G/W wire to ground and you should also read 12v. The 2 wires that are encased in a black insulating sheath, are more than likely the "Key-In" buzzer switch wires. If they go to the side of the Ignition LOCK, then that's what they are. Hope this helps Enrique

Steve, don't get me wrong. I know it isn't easy, so I was being a bit facetious. Looks like you've received a couple of good suggestions. Mine was to contact your local area mechanics that work on those vehicles and let them know you're interested. Not necessarily fast, but sometimes you get a cream-puff that way. E

Good suggestion John. Steve, if it were easy it would be called FINDING and not SEARCHING. Or as the joke goes, it's Fishing not Catching! But aside from doing the logging through miles of confetti.... John's is what I use. Other than having the local mechanic know you and know you're looking. E

Check the ground wire between the combination switch halves. Without it, the switch won't finish the ground for the circuit, although your having any lights at all would lead me to believe it's ok. So, you might check that you have a working switch. That is, that it makes contact to ground in either position. As a last item, check that you have voltages at both connections with respect to ground and you should be ok. Hope this helps Enrique

Yes, the distance shouldn't matter. E

That's exactly what it is. It's a FLASHER. For your year it usually gets mounted on the dash support behind either the steering column or the center part of the dash. The Hazard Flasher usually ends up by the passenger kick panel. Hope this helps Enrique

Mikewags: Unless you've modified the front end of your car so that it isn't the one in your avatar, then you have a single bulb housing with dual filaments. Whether it is the Sealed Beam unit or an H4 Bulb housing depends on whether someone has upgraded it's lamps to use the more modern bulb. But in either case it is ONE bulb with two filaments. Could it be that both low beams are out? Yes. To check that, disconnect the individual lights at the front of the car. You'll find their connections at the center valance of the car, just inboard of the fender support. They'll probably be within a few inches of the horn respective of side. After disconnecting, you should be able to check for both voltages (harness connection) and continuity (lamp connector) to both filaments. That will tell you where to continue checking. FWIW E

Bil (240Zen); you might contact Dave and see what he says. Check that you have both fuses R & L in the fuse box, and you've checked them for continuity (and not IN the fuse box)? If so, another item to check is the Black wire that connects both switches (T/S and Light/Wiper halves) together. FWIW E

That isn't the rocker panel, the rocker panel is what is BELOW the piece you removed and underneath that aluminum trim piece on the outside with DATSUN embossed on it. The piece you have removed that pinches the carpet to the rocker panel is called a Scuff Plate. These are typically metal with a vinyl covering. The Vinyl will have the same embossing as the rest of the interior. Not sure if Black Dragon or MSA will have them, but it's worth checking. FWIW E

Or offer to wash his car..... Excellent gift! E

Check the common ground (Black) wire between the Combination Switches (on the steering column, RH is Lights/Wiper; LH is Turn Signal). You don't mention that your wiper or horns are having trouble, so this may be a bit of a red-herring, but that's one place to begin. E

Next step is to check the wiring at the Turn Signal Switch. Make sure you don't have a bad solder connection or wire. The Turn Signal switch receives power via the White wire and then connects to the Green/Black and the White/Black wires for the Right signal and the Green/Red and White/Red for the Left signal. Another item is the both Green wires at the Hazard Switch, that's the feed through for the turn signal flasher. When the Haz. Switch is in the ON position, the Green wire gets interrupted (no turn signals, nor Stop for that matter), so you want to make sure that it has continuity to it's connector when in the OFF position. Give those a check E

Carlos; The Turn Signal Switch is part of the combination switch. The Turn Signal Stalk, the lever you push up or down, pivots on the housing that clamps to the steering column. The switch you're looking for is on the opposite side of the pivot as the turn signal lever. Here's a picture: http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23453&d=1211819365 The switch on the right hand side of the picture is the turn signal switch, the white portion with the Red/Yellow wire is the High/Low Beam switch. That loose black wire coming from both the left and right halves (meaning not part of the bundled wires) gets connected to each other. That's the common ground between the switches. Here's another that may help; http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=23426&d=1211688387 Saludos Enrique

Did you check the TURN SIGNAL Flasher? These cars have two flasher relays. One for the hazards and one for the turn signals. 2¢ E