2ManyZs

.030-.035 is pretty much the standard plug gap. With the electronic ignition you should probably go to .035, even a little more than that if you've done any upgrades to the ignition like a hotter coil etc....

That's an R-180 not an R-200. Best thing is, the 180 is quite a bit lighter..... It looks like it is going to need the 280 output shafts as well, not the regular bolt in 240 shafts. Looks like it might have been out of a 200SX like the one that I have. But if that is an LSD that's even better.......

The ones you saw on Ebay were possibly the earlier version of the floor pans. They only had one or two bends if I remember correctly and they didn't fit nearly as well as the kits that ZF supplies now. They were basically just a flat sheet of steel and they required a lot of "fitting" for the one or two sets I've seen installed. MSA still sells them, and the price is about half of the good set. Part number of the Premium kit is 30-7317 for 70-8/74 cars and the price is listed in their old catalog as 309.95 The "basic" kit is 30-7313 for 70-8/74 and that price is 169.95, so as you can see, there's a big difference in price and for good reason too.

Actually, there isn't a year specified on mine. I found that the wiring diagram is for a late S30 and some of the pics inside show things such as an early console along with the later ones and even the automatic consoles. Oh well, it'll help with the 72's I've got, just not the 71 on all the wiring.... The part number on the cover of this one is P/N 99999-20025 if that helps any, I think this must be a revision of the earlier Supplement Chassis Manual. What is the part number of the earlier version you have?

When I first read that after it was forwarded to me, I thought you were going to end the story differently. I kinda figured it would have been one of those "tourists" who had never seen a gator and had stopped in the middle of the Interstate to take a pic, and that was what caused the traffic jam....:stupid: Gator that big would have done a hurtin on most any kind of vehicle.... The thing I hated the most about traveling in Florida was hitting one of those "armored"dillos in a tractor trailer, those little buggers would yank the wheel out of your hands. Can almost imagine what hitting one of them would be like in a car.:tapemouth

Or worn bushings on the shaft that is causing the air gap to change. When you push against the side of the distrubutor body you may be bringing the shaft back into the alignment that is required for the proper air gap of the reluctor to stator clearance. If the air gap changes, you will have a missfire just like if you had a loose set of points, the larger or smaller the gap, the less electricity is conducted, causing a missfire or no fire at all at the plugs. Seems like a possible cause at least ....

You'd want to use 20 guage steel at least, and that is not easy to make long bends in without a bending brake. It would be a lot easier and less time consuming to buy them from Motorsport Auto, their Premium kit is supplied by ZeddFindings. The floor pans would be a bit stronger as they are stamped and have the factory ribs in them. If you take a completely flat sheet of steel, it won't be as strong as one that has been bead rolled, or stamped. Your total money saved by doing them yourself is probably going to be about half, but the time involved is what is going to be at least double what you would have to invest if you just bought them. A sheet of 20 gauge large enough to do the job is gonna cost you a little more than you think.

I put one in the 71 before I tore it apart and it sounded pretty good with the radio that was in the car. I used a set of 6x9 Infinity speakers I've had since the mid 80's.... I never got around to putting my good stereo (80 watt x4 channel) in it so I can't vouch for the sound quality, but with the cheap one in there it's acceptable, although not quite what I know that system of mine is capable of. I did find that the speaker panel is a tight fit, and had a tough time getting one of the screws in. They used a long screw to mount it into the tabs that hold the plastic panel by using a clip on "nut" and it was a little difficult to line up properly due to how tight it was against the rear bulkhead and side panels. I would also use some kind of sound deadener in back of the speakers in between them and the taillights. If you are good with wood, you should be able to make one very similar yourself and save a bunch of money, but when you're like me and can't saw a board straight with a table saw...... :cross-eye

For those of you who are tired of trying to read the wiring diagrams in the FSM's and other so called "service manuals" there is a great solution. Keep a watch on Ebay for an S30 supplement chassis manual. These are the service manuals given to the Nissan techs, it's just a thin little book, but it has the best wiring diagram I've ever seen. It is in a fold out in the back of the manual, and it is poster sized, 16x19 inches. Even Mr. Magoo could read it. It has also got some nice wiring diagrams of the dash and engine harness with easy to read schematics as to which color wire is in each of the connectors in the harness. There is also a good diagram of the complete heater assembly and ducting under the dash. It's a great find if you can luck into one, I've seen quite a few on Ebay in the past couple years and never bid, so, just for the heck of it put in a bid on one last week and won it for under 15 bucks.:classic:

I got it to open earlier today, and without a yeehoo user ID either, but it isn't working now....:cross-eye

If you open the bleeder on the slave cylinder it will bleed by gravity. What you want to do, is close the bleeder on the slave enough that it won't bleed by gravity, but will bleed if you depress the clutch pedal. The little bit of back pressure you create will often times force the air out of the MC that otherwise would stay there if you do it by gravity. That's the way I've always done it and it seems to work.

Could be that it has air trapped in the MC, you shouldn't have to use the pedal adjustment at all when you just change the MC and SC. Unless it was way out of adjustment to begin with.

Sorry, but the diameter of the strut cartridge for late 260-280 is larger by a good bit, so they won't physically fit inside the 240 tube, and they are also longer. No good at all.

I've done business with MSA exclusively until the past few years, and yes, when they were starting out their customer service was much friendlier as they didn't have nearly as many customers. Back in the early 90's, I could call them up to order something and the person who answered the phone would many times recognize my voice and ask me which one of the cars I was buying for this time... If MidwestZ can't get it, that's the only reason I can think of to go elsewhere at this time, and then I'd go with MSA before any of the rest.

Largest selection is right here... http://www.zcarparts.com/store/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=BSC

I would suggest some strenghtening in the rockers, floor pans, under floor frame rails, a cross brace in between the rear shock towers at the very least. Also, a roll bar wouldn't be a bad idea either, just in case and it could be used to further strenghten the chassis. The ZX probably has a bit stronger uni-body than the 240's, so it does have one thing in its favor.

Almost makes me want to sell mine at a 150% profit.... NOT! I guess it's just like the "euro" taillights that everyone thought I was crazy to pay in excess of 500 for the pair, now the cheapest price in the country is almost exactly what I paid for mine, and the highest price is 50% above that..... Live and learn (to stock up on some things):devious:

From what I found in Wick Humble's book the chrome trim can be pried off the top of the door with a flat blade screwdriver (carefully) and the weatherstrip is stapled to the trim. You can either re-staple, glued, or rivet it (I'm just guessing on rivets).

Hmm, 600 is a bit outragious, and only someone who absolutely has to have them is gonna pay that.

Why bother with Courtesy when we've got MidwestZ as a sponsor, can get darn near anything Courtesy can, probably has access to parts that Courtesy can't get, has lower prices to begin with and gives us a discount on top of that? 20 years playing with Z's, and I've yet to need their services...too many better choices out there if you ask me.:pirate: :bandit:

Marty, most of the mesh style wheels that I've seen usually have a pop-in plastic center cap, is that what you are looking for? I've got a set of the ARE mesh wheels in the shop that have never been used as far as I know, and I know I've got at least 2 center caps, I might have to dig for the other two, but I'm not sure if they will fit. I did a quick measurement and it looks like 2 3/4-ish across the tabs that hold it inside the wheel. I'm not sure what your 3 1/8 measurement is... I'll take a pic after the darn camera charges up a bit and post one after dinner so you can at least see one.

You're gonna have to get one of those sunshields that you can put your name on in reverse so people will recognize you when you come up behind them.:devious:

I think on the 280's it's bolted to the bottom of the intake manifold. You just have to feel around for them.....

The intake and exhaust share some of the same mounting studs and some of them are a PITA to get to. The best way is to find some wobble extensions and both shallow and deep well sockets along with a couple wrenches and take your time, you can get to them all, it just takes a little patience. Some of them, it's best to use two short wobble extensions together to get the correct angle to get the socket on the mounting nut. By wobble extensions I don't mean the sockets with the universal joints. Go to the nearest Sears and ask them for a wobble extension and they should have what you need. They come in handy and are a good addition to anyone's toolbox. The hardest part of taking the intake and exhaust off a 280 is unhooking all the wiring and the fuel lines IMO. Be careful not to lose any of the wire retainer clips on the wiring harness plugs, and don't try to force the plugs apart as they tend to get a little brittle in their old age. Once all the wiring is out of the way, you can usually see most all of the mounting nuts on the intake/exhaust. Just be sure when you put it back together to put the cone shaped spacers back on the shared studs so that the intake/exhaust are torqued alike.

Even if you bought the parts used on your own, it's gonna cost close to 300 or so by the time you get a fender, headlight bucket and all the other little parts to fix it. If the insurance company would write the check to you, you might be able to fix it and put the extra money towards a re-paint, but most insurance companies quit doing that many years ago. Your best bet might be finding a body shop that will work with you, and you supply the parts and use whatever the difference between what the insurance company pays and what you pay for parts and he might be able to do a fairly decent job of blending the new paint into the door so it doesn't look out of place till you get the money for a total re-paint. In other words, if the insurance will pay 700 for parts only, and you can supply them for 300, he could apply the 400 leftover (plus whatever they allow for paint) towards painting a little more of the car to blend the paint into what is one the car now.