EScanlon

Mohammed: When you get back, would you post more pictures of that front end Valance? That's not something I've seen and it does look nice! Also, are those Headlight Washer Nozzles, right at the front of the Headlight Bezel? Enrique

The OEM switch is a Single Pole - Double Throw. One wire, two possible connection points. Additionally, it is a Momentay SPDT, which basically means that it spring centers itself to the Center Off position. The circuit changes I noted above were to be able to make a FULLY Automatic Antenna work with the OEM wiring. This has been referred to as "fooling" the antenna. However, there is a mistake in there and I apologize for not having found it sooner. Once I went back to re-examine the wiring of the antenna we "fooled", I realized that the OEM Switch will NOT do this job. You MUST use a DPDT. Ideally, a Momentary Center Off is best. The changes due to the correct Switch wiring are as follows: UP (Top 2 connections) = Blue/Red Blue/White - 2 wires going TO Antenna Center OFF (Mid 2) = Blue shunted to Blue - Same Power wire from Dash to BOTH center connections BOTTOM (Low 2) = Blue/Red wire shunt from Top Left. Nothing on Right At the Antenna, the Blue/Red is used for the Continuous 12v + connection (usually RED), and the Blue/White is used for the Power-ON sensor connection (usually BLUE). The Antenna is further connected to ground via either it's case or a separate wire. In operation, when the switch is in the UP position, 12V+ is fed to BOTH the antenna's RED and BLUE wire, connecting it as if the radio had been turned on...the internal relay will allow the antenna to raise as long as you hold the switch in positon. When you release, all power is disconnected and the antenna is frozen in position. When you slide the switch to the DOWN position, now only the RED wire receives power, and the BLUE does not, which mimics the power situation when a radio equipped to use a Full Auto Antenna is powered off, this causes the internal relay of the antenna to power the motor to bring the antenna down. Again, it retracts as long as you keep the switch in the down position, freezing when you release. Typically, the antenna spool will also have limit contacts that will disconnect the power in either the UP or DOWN circuitry at it's most extreme points of travel. This means that if you were unable to get a MOMENTARY Center Off DPDT switch, the antenna SHOULD disconnect at the extreme TOP and BOTTOM of travel. But having goofed once, I'll admit that I've not tested this part out. I've been lucky to find DPDT Center OFF switches. FWIW E

This differs from what I have in the 3 - 71, 72 and 73 Z's I have, that's why I'm asking. I don't have that plastic piece you mention. Is this a latter type than the early Z's? The Z's I have access to show that the base is what holds the sun-visor end rod, and it has the square hole for the mirror clip to snap into. No plastic piece. Since the mirror can't be affixed to the roof without the base, and the base has the sun-visor holds, I was wondering why he needed separate pieces. E

The reason I ask, is that the base of the mirror is the same base that accepts the ends on the sun-visors. The mirror itself snaps into the hole for it's clip. This is the safety break-away feature. I'll see if I can find a pic. E

One of the main problems with Seam Sealer is that if there is any moisture caught between the metal, then you'll have corked it in place....and you'll get rust. POR has a product call POR Patch, which is basically thickened POR and comes out of a tube. You could use this first and then paint POR over it, or you could do the POR paint first then the Patch (that's what I did). In either case, the POR is in contact with the metal and will absorb/react with the moisture in the seam. You can still use Seam Sealer afterwards or even undercoating. There's been some talk about Zero Rust, but I'm not familiar with it. Maybe someone could toss in their experience with it. After all, the Preservation part of the club encourages that we find the BEST method of rust-prevention. So, anyone out there want to chime in on Zero Rust? Enrique

Structural - but repairable. As Will said, I wouldn't be putting any more miles on it. My next destination with the car would be a body-shop with frame straightening capabilities or simply a good Frame Shop. And be ready to fight the wheel and don't drive very fast....better and safer yet, have it towed. Any attempts YOU make to repair it, might actually make it worse for the guys at the frame shop...believe me on this. While it may seem that just a simple tweak here and there and .... and you'll find out that it will get worse and worse. The current bent and stressed condition of the metal is all a result of the main impact...anything you add/remove now is a SECONDARY impact. That changes what can be done on frame work. Your impact now, may be a simple grip and pull.....on a frame machine. There they virtually tie your car down on all four corners, take measurements and pull/push the car back into proper shape....for the frame of the vehicle. It might not be cheap, but it will be CORRECT. But if you start adding to the problem, by hammering etc., you may change the pull characteristic such that it won't be a simple grip and pull, and must be done in a body shop, or done in stages....all meaning more $.....and that the car may never be correct again. It will be OK, but not correct, simply because of over-eager "fixing" by well-intentioned individuals who got in over their head. This is one of those cases. That's MY 2¢ E

What is your inside Rear View Mirror mounted to? E

Kats: All of us try to hide purchases from our wives....otherwise we'd be commiting suicide and Hara Kiri would at least be honorable. The problem is that they eventually DO find out and WHEN they do the expressions on their face are usually very funny. When you spelled A N G R Y with an "L", it became ANGLY which refers to something that has a lot of ANGLES. Enigma was probably referring to his ex-wife's look when he would get caught spending money and she looked at him at an odd angle....as if he wasn't altogether straight with her.....or maybe cause Enigma can be a little out of whack too? (J/K) E

Check for the following wiring at the coil or connected to the resistor right below: Two Black/White wires One Green/White wire. The Green/W wire is not connected properly as well as one of the B/W ones. Once you've found all three wires, I'm betting that both B/W wires are connected to the same terminal on the coil (and for FYI, it should be the positive terminal). If that is the case, start the car, and disconnect one of the B/W wires. The car should stop, if not re-connect and disconnect the other. The B/W wire that causes the car to shut down should be connected to either the G/W wire or to the resistor located by the coil (if you have points). If you don't have points and are using the electronic dizzy upgrade, then just connect to the G/W. This should correct that wiring and get the tach working...as long as the tach isn't faulty also. Enrique

Galaxy, if you can get a picture of the VIN Stamp on the firewall. That is important to put the question of a Series II body in December 70 to rest.

Although distorted, I think that what you may have heard is that Plexiglass Protecting Headlight Covers were very much recommended to protect those $400+ each headlight housings that used the first generation of H4 bulbs. My 89 Acura Legend has some of those $380 per headlight lights, and they're nothing fancy.....just the shape and the fact that they use the H4 bulbs. Push those up into the $400 + each category and suddenly a rock chip in the glass would require a new headlight housing, because the H4 bulbs couldn't take the moisture and or blowing air on them. My wife's 92 Subaru Wagon is the same way. Even the dealers sold the plexiglass formed protectors...as an accesory to protect the headlight. Pretty soon, it more than likely morphed into what you heard. As far as the OEM covers....NLA, which is why the interest in reproductions. Personally, I like the way it finishes the car, and adds to the aerodynamic look. Whether it adds the mileage, or... I hadn't considered that as I was interested in the over all look. However, I've noticed an interesting by-product benefit...I don't have to clean my headlights from the bugs and debris on the road...especially in the rainy PACNW. E

Christian: Get started on fixing the car, there's ton's of information we've posted here on CZC and a quick search through the archives will give you more than you can read in one or two nights. If the first search doesn't yield results, try using just one or two key words, and you'll quickly see the list expand. Stay tuned and we'll be posting our activities as they get started next spring. Right now, with winter just beginning there will be few opportunities to meet until spring. But, come spring, there's the Canby meet at the Canby Fairgrounds, also the PIR - Beaches Cruise In on Wednesday evenings (probably not something you'll drive up for, as it's just a Wed. evening cruise), Blue Lake car show in the later summer, and these are just off the top of my head. Then the cruises. Hopefully Mike will have his Jedi vehicle done by then.... Stay tuned; E

JimmyZ is spot on. Except for the convertible part. The 350Z convertible is nice, it's just not a Z. E

I've used both, and it just depends on how much time I need to devote to it. Haven't really found a huge difference between one and the other except for the speed of the set. You can also accelerate the speed of the standard with a hair dryer or a small heat gun. One note of caution regarding the application of heat, it WILL make the JBW runny as if it were warm honey...but it will also set much faster. I would say that the biggest factor in using one over the other is how long will it take you to cover the repair area, properly lay out the reinforcement cloth and also saturate it, without having the JBW set. This is the same consideration that I use when mixing Epoxies for the R/C boats. Longer Set times = more time to work with before it is too late and it starts to set hard. The longer set time also allows you to warm it up and therefore get it to flow out and eliminate spikes or spatula marks. When I'm holding a piece of molding clay to a piece and I don't want to wait forever for it to set, then the Kwik Set and a bit of heat is indicated. Actually, Beandip is the one that discovered this stuff, and his first suggestion was to use it in place of the POR Mesh material. At first glance and comparison, you'd be hard pressed to discern the difference....except for the color. The Anti-Silt is a darker shade than the POR Mesh, but since color is not a characteristic that affects it's performance it isn't a relevant difference. Other than that, it really does remnd me of Fiberglass Strand Mat, but only a very thin sheet of it. I only tried using it because I didn't have anything else handy...and it worked very well. I've used Silt Sock for the drain tubing I've interred in the back yard. I'm on a hill, and proper drainage is a key in any landscaping project here especially since the soil is primarily clay. The material that I've used on my tubing is drastically different from the material that Gary (Beandip) brought by, so I can only call it a silt block becaue that's what he referred to it as. When I stop by the hardware store later, I'll look into it and advise. Yikes...do you have the time? Vinyl in ANY of it's forms, hard, soft, flexible, etc. is a real slippery substance to properly glue / repair / patch or work with. While some people will claim success with one repair compound, the same won't work with another example that "should have been the same". And vice versa. I'm not trying to make it difficult, or try to hide something, but this is something that will vary even amongst upholsterers. Where one guy will swear by one, the other will ridicule it. This is because of the dissimilarity between the vinyls themselves. So, with that said, I use primarily two different types of repair glue. One is an excellent harder vinyl repair glue, the other is a better softer vinyl repair glue....amongst the "soft" vinyls. In the "Hard" vinyl category...I use one... Household GOOP, this also works well with some plastics...but it MUST have a good grip. The two products are: 1) VYNA BOND - Vinyl Repair Patch. Mfg by: PDI Inc.Circle Pines, MN 55014 Ph 612-785-2156 2) VLP - VINYL / LEATHER Repair. Mfg by: Performix, a div of Plasti Dip International, Blaine MN 55449 Ph 800-969-5432 Both do a superb job of gluing vinyl and even leather. But I would recommend you play with them so YOU get used to them rather than just slap it on and go. The best tips that I can give you is to use the LEAST amount of glue possible, while not starving it for proper adhesion, and make sure the surface of the bond area is as clean and debris free as possible. Lastly make sure that you've relieved whatever pressure might pull the vinyl apart for the amount of time it takes the vinyl repair to set thoroughly. There's tons more I could write and believe me when I say that there will be half a dozen other opinions. So, let's let them chime in. E

If it didn't take so much JBW to saturate the Fiberglass cloth / strand mat, it would be ideal. But that's the main problem. Fiberglass whether in cloth or mat, requires that it be thorougly satureated...as in NO air pockets....in order to achieve it's best strength. Otherwise the strands WILL shift, and will break...they ARE glass. They function very much like re-bar in concrete...they strengthen, but aren't the main source of strength for the slab. By the time you mix enough JBW and squish it into the fiberglass....it's damn near SET...not a good way to start. Now the screen suggestion is very good and I have used that and it does work very nicely. Biggest problem with that, is that you absolutely MUST gouge the plastic to give it a good grip onto the back, and you must use enough JBW to thoroughly coat the screen. Another real good source of thin fiberglass...is the cloth from the POR folks that they use to bond with their paint for minor surface repair. I've even used some of the fabric used to limit silt seepage into lawn drains...it's a very close match to a single layer fiberglass mat. The main key with any of these repairs is that the backing material needs to be STIFF enough to truly reinforce the plastic as well as bond it together. By saturating cheesecloth, nylon screen (even metal), or silt sock material, you give the JB Weld / Fiberglass Resin / POR / paint the strength to resist cracking from flexing which in turn strengthens the plastic. Additionally, the JB acts as a glue to limit the continuation of the crack. You still have to be careful as far as the thickness of the repair, but if you're careful, you can even rebuild missing pieces of plastic. I used this technique (JB with a bit of silt screen) to re-build the reclining seat covers for my car. The tangs where the screws go through were missing entirely, but I had one piece with ONE tang. I copied that one tang with mold making material and then applied it to the missing tangs. Formed my reinforcement mesh, and the part to go on the main body, mixed the JB Weld, and here I am 5 years later with it still on the car. I also repaired a corner of one of the plastic pieces and even matched the grain so you can't see it if I don't point it out to you. (The pieces have been painted to blend.) Once you've repaired the piece, it is an excellent idea to THEN use the Dynamat, Brown Bread...etc, on the back...for sound abatement and not to rein-force the panel. E

One thing to be real careful of though, you've not REPAIRED the panel, you just used a different type of duct tape, but don't be fooled, it is in fact, just DUCT TAPE. Not trying to jump on you, but once the plastic has lost that strength it has from the way it was molded, and you have a crack....in my experience in plastics (+15 years) that crack is just going to continue to grow and grow...until you mend it. The tape on the back, may prolong the need to replace it, but if there is ANY type of vibration, and you've not glued the edges to each other, they'll chafe. Chafing will result in the plastic literally sanding itself more. You need to at least put some sort of glue in that crack. It is difficult to find a glue that works, that's the main reason for this post being such a lively re-ocurring topic, as technologies change and grow, but the tape idea won't cut it. Also don't forget that the foil backed sound deadening panels require a minimum thickness to work properly. As a result, you'll need to ensure that you don't inadvertenly put some on the back of the plastic at a point that it will be actually causing stress on the rivet holes by pressing up against the steel supports. It CAN be done, and done well it is an excellent idea...but it isn't a fix all for broken / cracked plastic. Just my 2¢ E

Those are the ones that I *finally* found. Excellent work Webdawg! FYI: The first two are the disassembly process, pages one and two. The next two are the re-assembly process, again pages one and two. And, for the record, those pictures are from an article written by the Late Carl Stahlnecker, may he rest in peace, who could document articles beautifully. His articles and Dave's Gas Tank POR Renew are classics! FWIW E

If you haven't done the Cowl Drain piping that I suggest, you might be able to find all the pieces inside one of the fenders. There is little room for parts to wiggle their way out, and if you haven't removed the fenders and cleaned that area out, it might need doing anyhow. Unfortunately, the only parts I have are dedicated to projects currently in work and as such aren't spares. For the large washer, you might be able to substitute a fender washer though. I'm tryijng to find a picture of the disasembled linkage to help you, but no luck yet. Maybe someone else has it available faster. E

In brief: The 350Z is to the 240Z as the "K" cars are to the Barracuda. E

While you remember NOW, after having had a lengthy discussion as to what it might be, in a few months or even a few years, it might not be the same. I'd suggest as Jim said, tie them up neatly, apply a label to remind you down the road (it also helps when you're trying to USE the wire later) and put them away. If anyone sees them, it's because they're inside and personal with your car. But just to give you an idea as to what you might use them for: Alarm System - whether the pin for the hood, or the siren; power leads for an up-to-date stereo that requires an un-switched power supply for the radio/clock settings; relay connections for ...high power fog-lamps, or air-horn, or passing light relay. Wire is wire (within limits), and as long as you don't exceed the wire's rating/capacity and it is NOT hooked up to extreneous circuitry, it's wire. Sometimes the hardest part about adding on aftermarket accessories is the routing of the wires. 2¢ E

Actually the way you tested it IS the way to check a resistor. You put your meter on the Ohm setting (Greek Letter Omega Ω), put a lead on each end and you measure the resistance of the resistor. A Zero resistance would be an ideal piece of wire, but even straight wire will show SOME resistance (depending on the sensitivity of your meter). An infinite resistance would be a blown resistor. You could also check for continuity. If there is no tone (presuming that's how your meter confirms continuity), then you have NO continuity and therefore an open circuit or a blown resistor. With the electronic ignition, AFAIK you do NOT need the resistor. The ONLY purpose of the resistor is to reduce the voltage to the distributor from 12v (nominal) to 6v and therefore reduce the wear and tear due to pitting on the breaker points. No points, therefore no need to reduce the voltage. So, simply connect the two wires that went to each end of the resistor to each other, tape the connection to avoid a stray spark or short circuit and you're off and running. As far as pre-warning...sometimes, usually none and what you get can vary depending on how it's failing, if it isn't an instantaneous failure. Glad we solved it, now send the switch back to MSA, thank them for their willingness to receive it and especially for paying for the shipping. It isn't often that you see companies accept a mistake and do right by the customer, and when you DO see it, it makes you glad to do business with them. Enrique

Or the return leg of the coil wiring is what came off. Have you checked the wiring at the Resistor by the coil? The problem you mention is identical to what happens when the resistor is disconnected. You're actually engaging the starter, but at a point that it isn't making enough of a connection to allow the solenoid and hence the starter to kick in. Have you done any work recently on the Tach? How about the coil/ distributor / resistor wiring? When the key is in the RUN position, can you turn on the Heater Blower, the Radio, the Turn Signals? Any one of these will help ID where ithe circuitry failed and IF it is in fact, the Ignition Switch. Enrique

As Namor said, ABS is a type of Styrene plastic (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene if memory serves). It is quite strong and is easily molded or extruded into various shapes. As far as mounting the louvers, it all depends on the mounting method used. Some use clips that slide under the hatch seal rubber and then with the use of some D'Zus fasteners (sp?) they are then screwed into the brackets. Mine do that but also are double taped onto the glass to provide a double foot for the bracket. It takes 6 fasteners for mine. Not sure on the others. The side louvers have tangs that stick out the side and you slide those into the quarter panel window seal. These can be tricky to insert, and as a result, I don't remove and replace these as often as I would like to. I have a set of aluminum ones in the back awaiting repairs and possible re-mounting onto one of the other Z's in work, but in my experience different manufacturers addressed the fit to the rear window differently. Some had pretty rigid sub-frame members keeping the louvers in shape, others relied on the louver to keep the shape, and yet others had an external frame to which the louvers mounted. As a result, I've seen all sorts of variations on the concept, which is one reason why I chose the ABS type. The other reason being that it didn't mount to the hatch metal via screws or latches or any form of metal hole. I'd be interested in finding out where you found a source for the rear window ABS louver as I have a couple of other cars in work. E

Hopefully Sal makes a note on the Nissan application list they keep. But that aside, what exactly happened to the original ignition switch. When you say failed....it shattered? Shorted out and melted? Exploded? I guess what I'm driving at, is what happened? Is there any possibility that the item may be repaired? You'd be surprised how many times people toss items that could in fact be repaired, but aren't, simply because it takes more than a bit of doing. As these cars age, there are going to be more and MORE parts that are simply going to become not only NLA, but not even non-functional examples will be available. If they can be repaired, or cross-cannibalized in order to make one good one out of 2, 3 or more, then it might be worth exploring. I know I'm not alone in trying to identify these items, and hopefully find either work-arounds, replacements, repairs or re-manuacturered pieces to satisfy these items. E

2¢ According to the Zhome production changes sheet, the car in the picture would qualify as the FIRST of the Series II body changes (http://zhome.com/History/DesignChanges.htm) as it is 3700 VIN numbers below the supposed FIRST Series II listed there (Vin HLS30 021001). Since it is in NM, that means the general climate will have been milder and more forgiving than if it were in the PAC-NW and definitely the AT-NE or the Rust Belt. If you ARE looking for a restoration project, $995 may not be a bad price for a relatively low VIN Series II. FWIW E