EScanlon

Harbor Freight has the dollies on sale, just received the e-mail this morning. Here's the URL for the dollies, they're selling for $39.99 If you don't have a Harbor Freight near you, you CAN order from the website, and as far as I know the price will be honored. If you need, let me know and I'll forward you the e-mail notice I got. http://www.harborfreightusa.com/displayitem_retail.taf?Itemnumber=32052

The bumperettes, overriders, lumps on the bumper or whatever you want to call them, what condition are they in? Mine have unfortunately serious pitting on the chrome and although I've bought new rubber for them, the pitting is in need of work / replacement. Thanks in advance: Enrique Scanlon

That "rust" looking tinge on the rear tail light surrounds may be PRIMER! I've seen many of these surrounds with the primer showing through because of the nature of the original paint. Remember the ORIGINAL paint on the tail light surround was a very different finish from what we are used to in the US. Wick Humble describes it as "Silver-Gray 'match scratcher' finish which retains contaminants, especially paste wax.", i.e. like the side of a matchbox where you strike the match. The finish is impossible to clean properly, and typically if people got wax on it it would show. Trying to clean it, no doubt people have used strong pads that in turn "sandpapered" the finish off, thus thinning the paint. Eventually you would "sand" down to the primer which for these pieces was Reddish Brown. That is what I think you are seeing "bleed" through the black finish. Wick also gives his formula for the "best" match to the original finish: 1 pint DDL Ditzler Duracryl 2862 Argent 200 units DX265 300 units DX264 Then thin 100-150% and spray on "dry", using air pressure on the "high" side and keeping the paint swirled to avoid uneven spray. Whether you restore the finish to the original or do like most people and get either Semi-Gloss or Satin Black is up to you. But before you go stripping, check and I'll bet that it is primer that's bleeding through. 2¢

It is hard to evaluate something based on someone else's pocketbook and budget especially when the common denominators may be so far out of alignment with each other. For $8k I would expect the car to literally be COMPLETELY restored and in #1 condition. Then again, I am referring to US dollars and not Australian dollars. The rules of thumb on restoring or buying apply regardless of currency. Buy the BEST condition car you can afford, this will minimize the amount of money you spend on fixing it up to "perfect" condition. If you've already gotten into the other one, you're not going to get half of what you would like out of it, but it might be a good way to cut your loses. However, if you've already stripped it, and have examined it everywhere and have the time and money with which to do the metal replacement well, then go for it. You will at least have the assurance that the car has been correctly rebuilt. As to whether or not it is cheaper.......??? 2¢

If you can find an early Clymer's manual, specifically the one with the blue cover (It's actually a picture, but it is mostly sky behind it.), this one will cover to 74 if I recall right. This is one of the best aftermarket manuals in my opinion. Like the FSM it has a lot of detailed drawings. Like the FSM it also gives specific how to instructions. Unlike the FSM it doesn't have some of the more specific procedures but it generally does have everything in the FSM. Careful about the RED cover Clymer's. Although the engine and GENERAL car information is there, there is no electrical section or body working section. i.e. no wiring and no interior or exterior part removal. In my opinion, this one is about in between the Haynes and Chilton's. Haynes, in my opinion is a very generalized and boiled down version of the FSM. Chilton's? I have it, rarely use it, keep it only in case of wanting a 3rd reference. The few times that I've used it, it might have as well have said, Part Broke? Fix it. Just my 2¢

Obviously there will be some differences between the years, however, the biggest differences will be along safety and emission and other changes that had to be made to the car as time went on. For example, the 70 & 71 do not have retractable lap belts, yet the 72 does. The pocket on the floor pan for the retractable lap belt is just not there on a 70/71. The Choke "ON" light indicator, the Fasten Seat Belts and associated seat sensors. The later years also had variable wipers. These are items that will really throw you off if you are looking at a schematic and FSM's are year specific. i.e. no other schematics in there. I won't comment on the engine portion as I don't work on the engine (body, electrical and paint are my strengths).

BRIEFLY AND SUCCINCTLY: Don't go tearing it up and replacing everything just because it's old. Many times all they need is a little TLC and a little lubrication to get them up. Then address any problems that come up and check the whole system out. I would do all SAFETY items first. i.e. tires, brakes, steering, lights. Then get into the engine. Reasoning is that you KNOW you can fix the engine, the other items are what you need to go CHECK how the car runs. In the interior, carefully lift all the carpeting and examine the floorboards. Hold off on removing door panels and plastic panels. Check later if floor shows some problems. 2¢

I've obtained seals, and emblems from both of these guys: Contact: Andy Russell @ 480-980-6512 That's his cell number and he does his business there. He's also known as the DatsunDude on e-Bay. His e-mail is z@datsundude.com I promote him due to the price and availability of the items. He does have NEW OLD STOCK and NEW original parts. He also can obtain some excellent after market replacement parts which in some cases are BETTER than the original, sometimes from the same guys that did the Datsun Restore project. Contact: Too Intense Restoration amodem04@aol.com Troy is very much aware that the parts he has are difficult to find in the condition he has them in. If you want RARE and hard to find parts in NEW condition, Troy has it. However, his prices do reflect it. If money is not critical, but authentic NEW then he is the one to go to. The emblems for the back are actually 2. There is a difference between the early year "Datsun" in Script emblem and later years. Look at the 't' in Datsun, and determine if the crossbar to the T is rounded or squared off. The squared off one is getting harder to find. The 240Z is the same. Weatherstripping: Be careful, some folks have posted disatisfaction with the ones from Victoria British, although the price is very attractive. Motorsport also has them, but some people have said that they've also had problems. (Having to adjust the door to close properly after the new seal.) Hope this helps.

Replacement Dashes in good condition are rare. When you do find one, even from a bone yard, you are talking some serious dollars. New and in the box? Even higher dollars. Most people opt for the Dash Cap. This is a layer of ABS plastic or the like that will fit on top of your dash like a second skin. Cost? About 80-100 depending on who you get it from.

Basic Supply and Demand facts. There are a LOT of people that want these lights, there aren't that many lights to go around, let alone NEW and in the box. If you want them you'll have to put up the money, too rich for you, then don't bid. That's why the old expression: "If you have to ask how much, you can't afford it." In Sales: The value of an item is the price that that item will bring when offered for sale. And the final item, think of it this way: The 240Z sold for about $3700 back in the early 70's. Nowdays, a 240Z in EXCELLENT condition may fetch as much as $15,000 while an Average condition car will fetch about $5000. (prices are not necessarily exact)

There is some difference between the 71 and 73, but you can take your dash apart and transplant the whole thing. If you already have it out of the car, then just follow the items and you can replace them. It's not hard.

= DITTO = DITTO = DITTO = DITTO = DITTO = For me, the KEY thing in that ad: 100% Rust Free I would check under the passenger compartment at the floor pans both sides. Look for the obvious rust through, but also check to see if new undercoating is there. If too new, is it protecting a repair, or hiding a cheap repair. Check under the floor mats and ASK about what was done. Check the back part of the front fenders, look at the rear fenders, check the hatch edges. LOOK AT THE ROCKER PANELS. If all those are good, you have a good base to work from. But the BIGGEST red flag is: restoration project, needs cosmetics That means: NEEDS WORK!! If you are conning yourself into believing you HAVE the time, then it won't get done. It takes hours of looking for some of the parts, let alone removing the bad, repairing what needs to be repaired (and trust me there will be) and then replacing with new. Needs cosmetics: no emblems / needs trim pieces / dash is cracked / seat upholstery / carpeting / plastic panels are shot It may be that not all or any of what I've mentioned will be there. The less the better. Just trying to give you a short list to check, and believe me as long as this post is, there are hundreds of posts about these problems. If you've been hanging around for a while, then you know. Lastly, if you are leaving the house WITH THE INTENT TO BUY, then you have lost and may find yourself in trouble. Don't kid yourself about how much money (and I mean BIG MONEY) you can throw at these cars. It is 10000% better to wait for a better car than to try to fix one up if you are on a tight budget. Henry Ford was once heard to mention that he would gladly give every American a free car, as long as they bought the replacement parts ONLY from him. Think about that, then toss in a healthy 30 year age to the parts you are trying to find and you get a good idea how HARD & expensive it can be to find them in good condition. Look at this car as if you were going to adopt it. You want a good kid and not a budding Jeffrey Dahmer. 2¢

I would be MORE concerned about the wiring's ability to carry the current than about the fuse. The Z has a notoriously ~weak~ electrical system, the wires are KNOWN to overheat due to minor resistances in parts of the system. After all that's why everybody has input into this problem you posted. But shunting BOTH headlights into ONE set of wires? I don't think that's a good idea. Now if both headlights are shunted up by the switch, or fuse box, then probably you're ok. I've heard too many stories about people melting their wiring harnesses due to overloads in the system to ignore this. Just my 2¢

Did you intentionally re-wire your headlights together? Normal wiring on the Z has them independent of one another. That's why everyone is referring to independent grounds and independent fuses. But since you mention that they are wired together, I would say that you definitely have a connection problem at the headlight lamp itself. I'm still in doubt over that "connection".

KMack has pointed out the perfect starting points. I would also add an oil change to this. Before you get into a valve adjust, run the engine for a while. It may be premature to get into it to adjust stuff. As far as the spark plug wires, buy those first, then I would address the dist. cap / rotor / points, and finally the spark plugs. Just my preference, but surely someone else may have a better reason. My reason is simple, the wires usually cannot be fixed, so replacement is the only option. The cap can be cleaned up, contact areas cleaned up and filed smooth, rotor and points as well, although that takes some care, but the spark plugs can usually be cleaned up, re-gapped and made to work a bit longer. So save your money and replace those items that NEED replacement first, and then get into the other stuff. 2¢

As Paul Harvey says. That makes a HUGE difference. I've used both the "Aircraft Stripper" in the light blue can with the airplane on it and Jasco Paint Stripper. Can't really say one is better than the other, other than the Jasco seemed to "dry" quicker and required a second coat on some really overpainted panels. Based on cost, the Jasco is usually available in any Paint store, home or car, and it is MUCH cheaper than the Aircraft Stripper. However, the Aircraft Stripper WILL work down to the metal and stay active longer. It is a bit more expensive but in the long run will pay for its cost in the speed and depth of it's action. Sorry for the "short" response, but you would be surprised how many times that exact question has been asked by people who have very little knowledge of what they are getting into. I speak for the majority (I think) when I say that the last thing we want to do is give Good advice that due to the lack of a knowledge base is applied wrong and then we find out that the job went all bad. If you are using Epoxy primer, you can usually paint within a short time period WITHOUT having to sand. If however, you plan on leaving the individual panels in primer until you are ready to do the final job you will have to sand it so the paint will adhere properly. Be aware of one thing, don't wait for weeks as the metal beneath WILL rust. Epoxy primer and other primers are not sealers and will allow the moisture to get to the metal. In fact if you can give it a quick light coat of PAINT on top of the primer, and then wet sand it off when you are ready to paint, you will be money ahead. Hope this gave you the answer you were looking for, sorry if at first it sounded as a brush off. And you are absolutely right, the advice about reading a book and then going to paint was not what I meant. What I meant is go read a book and see just how big a job you are talking about. Having worked on cars for years you know what I mean. How many times have you heard of someone buying a car and wanting to blueprint their engine, thinking that it will be cheap, quick and give them tons of power?

Hey Rick, no offense intended, I hope none taken. What I meant is that for most people who have not examined what it takes to get to the headlights on the 240/260/280, it is a very rude surprise to discover what they have to do. For the benefit of others, the headlight lamp comes out of the car from INSIDE the wheel well. Typically the screws (yes screws) have had the benefit of years of road grime, salt, splash hitting their heads and it is a major MAJOR Pain you know where to get the screws out. Then you have to contend with brittle wiring casings and rubber plugs and gaskets just to get the headlamp out. Most of the time, in my experience, the problem with a DIM headlight is corrosion at the Headlamp Wiring Connection either where it hooks up to the wiring harness OR at the fuse box OR at the light switch OR at the grounding point. So Rick, trust me, I did not mean to say your advice was off base, just that changing out the headlamps is more than just a couple screws, swap and replace. Again, my apologies if it came out harsher than I intended.

All good suggestions so far, but no one has noted that you should do the good old clean out the contacts on the fuse box before you tighten the clamps. Simply twirl a piece of fine grain sand paper inside the clamp for the fuse to get rid of any corrosion that may be causing problems. Check your wiring the same way, probably have a corroded plug someplace and that's what 's causing the problem. As far as swapping the lights right to left and vice versa, if you haven't done it it is easy to recommend, if you HAVE done it, and you don't tell these guys what's involved, you're a sadist. (Sorry Rick, but you know what a b*tch it is to get to the headlight bulb and replace it, and to do it 3 times in succession........) I would FIRST check the fuses, connections and wiring BEFORE I just willy nilly decided to swap the locations of my headlights JUST to check if one is not working properly. 2¢

When I see posts such as this one, I ask myself, if the person really knows enough to address everything behind their question. Stripping a car to the metal is ONE way of getting a good paint job, but it is not necessarily the BEST way. Most people have no concept of the time, money, effort, and consequences (yes consequences) of stripping a car down to the bare metal. Are you absolutely positively 100% sure that you know what you will find beneath the layer(s) of paint you will remove? Any prior repairs? What about repaints and minor primer filler (red cap)? Know anything about replacing seam sealer? How do you plan on neutralizing the stripper? How are you going to re-galvanize or protect the metal? Know anything about self-etching primers, epoxy primers, high-fill primers, sandable sealers, and non-sanding sealers? Are you changing the color of the car? Will you then be painting the engine compartment, door jambs, beneath the carpet? This may be way more than what you wanted, and it isn't meant to be a flame or a slam, it's meant more as a big red flag to those that have been contemplating this as a "quick fix", which it is NOT. But the nature and scope of your question leads me to believe that you're not that familiar with the territory. If you are looking for a quick answer, then I'll suggest you first go to the Public Library and look up a few books on painting cars. THEN, dig in. 2¢

Know what you mean. In warm weather the thinner evaporates almost as fast as Gatorade goes down. I know that it is a big chore, but the advantage of removing all that glue is that when you apply the new glue and then apply the headliner you won't have any lumps. Good Luck

Maybe you misunderstood what I meant by dampen, I meant get the rag ...moist, but NOT dripping with thinner. The reason for the eye protection is that you may knock off a bit of the glue either before or after you hit it with the rag with thinner and in either case it doesn't belong in your eye. Now the thinner will also evaporate, but you can continue wetting, wiping, and little by little you'll get it done.

You might try good old lacquer thinner on a rag. Dampen the rag and wipe the larger clumps. Note that this WILL dissolve the glue, and if you work quickly you will get it off, if you work slowly, all you will succeed in doing is moving it from one spot to the next. You might also try either mineral spirits, or 3M Adhesive Remover. Mineral spirits may take a lot of elbow grease and the 3M stuff might be not only spendy but also hard to find. If all else fails, Acetone. This evaporates REAL fast, and you will have to work very very quickly, but it will also remove the glue. NOTE: USE EYE PROTECTION AND A BREATHING MASK. The fumes from these can literally light you up. Good Luck

As far as buying an off the shelf replacement antenna, you need to know that the majority of antennas out there may not be wired according to the car's wiring design. The original antenna used the ground AND two wires to operate it. The antennas I've found at the parts stores typically use two wires INDEPENDENT of the ground, i.e. they do not require grounding. The original Z antenna reversed direction depending on which of the two wires was "live" with the other "wire" being the ground. Newer antennas invert the polarity to the pair of wires to reverse the operation. The problem is apparent ONLY if you use the original antenna switch or the car's wiring. If you've changed the radio, or are planning on rewiring the antenna circuitry, then by all means, go find one at the car parts store, it is much cheaper than trying to repair or replace the original. 2¢

Hey Rick: This may be totally a moot point, but check the microfiche if you have it, if not check for when the change was in the brake system. I seem to recall a conversation regarding the change from one year to the next where the brake master cylinder went from servicing the front half of the brake system with the REAR half of the cylinder to servicing it from the FRONT half. This may be the situation you are looking at. I'll have to do some research, but I'm pretty sure that it was right in the 71-73 era. 2¢

In the KISS principle method: Have you checked to make sure that the unit is plugged into the wire harness?