Arne

If you still can't tell for certain (ZTherapy's pictures can be small and not totally clear), post a picture here and we'll help ID them. Or, pull off the airbox cover. Roundtops have round throats, flattops have rectangular throats.

I like the emblems, and think they are an important part of the car. Can't understand why someone wouldn't want their car to wear its emblems proudly. They say, "Yes folks, I am a Datsun 240Z." Let's face it, many young people today don't recognize the cars, and don't know what they are. The emblems are necessary.IMHO.

Here's the text and pictures for posterity. This auction comprises of : the VIN number plate on the dash behind the windscreen the plate behind the drivers' door the chassis number on the baulk-head and the (clear) title from the state of Carolina. That's it ! These items may be used as YOU see fit ! ww.datsun-france.com

Check this one out. This guy (in France) is trying to sell HLS30-04944. Not the whole car, but the VIN itself! http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Cars-Trucks___1970-240Z_W0QQitemZ230288627140QQddnZCarsQ20Q26Q20TrucksQQddiZ2282QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item230288627140&_trkparms=39%3A1|65%3A1|240%3A1318&_trksid=p4506.c0.m245

I can't believe I'm going to say this, as I have a pet peeve about 240Zs with no emblems. But on that BRE spoiler with no flat mounting surface, I'd leave them off.

Steve, neither you or I own a 'typical' 240Z. So looked at from our perspective, the perception may be different.On the other hand, how much more would a sub-500 car in condition equal to your car be worth? More than $24k, I'd bet. Go back to the other thread that started this. We're talking about a fairly beat looking car that will need extensive restoration. Because it is a '69-built car, the $5k+ price is considered to be reasonable. That same car as a mid-70-built car (VIN in the 6-9xxx range) might go for half of that. As a late '71 or '72, it's a $500 car out west, maybe $1500-2000 in the rest of the country. Consider all the buyers' guides over the past years (even decades) proclaiming 240Zs to be great buys. "Buy yours now before the price skyrockets!" Hasn't happened yet, not for the 'normal' cars. Sure, some of the collector cars change hands for big bucks, but that hasn't spilled over to the really nice #3 cars. And I don't think it will, as long as it's 'common knowledge' that the low-VIN cars are the ones with value.

Bingo. The 240Z for the US market was a mass produced car. Very mass produced. There were no 'Z-28' or 'Boss 302' equivalents. They were all the same. Sure, the earliest cars had different (often pre-production) parts, but those parts were just unusual, and sometimes just a stopgap, not 'special'.But collectors want 'special'. The early cars with odd parts are all they can find on 240Zs here in the US, so those are pronounced 'rare' and 'collectible'. Once so identified, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. A few people determine that the low-VIN are THE collectible 240Zs, and pay more than normal people would pay. Others see that and jump on the band wagon. Soon, the first boatload isn't enough, the 'collectible' tag spreads to the '1969-built' cars, and then spills over to the 'clear-glass' cars (#14xx or so). The collector wannabe's can't (or won't) pay the big prices for a 69-built car, so they focus on the rest of the Series 1 cars, driving those prices up above a similar Series 2 or '72 car. No offense to those of you who are into this, but to me it just looks like a fetish for the low-VIN cars. If I was a serious collector (and I'm not), I'd be after the cars with true history. Like Carl's rally car, for example. There's a true 'collectible'. Worse, people continue to wonder and complain about the low prices on 'normal' 240Zs. Well, I figure part of that is because the impression given by the Z community in general and especially the low-VIN fetishists is that only the low-VIN are worth big money. In other words, the obsession with low-VIN is holding down the prices on otherwise nice 240Zs. My opinion only. Probably means nothing.

I moved the larger discussion on values into a separate thread, leaving this thread for the discussion of this particular car. The larger values thread is here.

I split this discussion out of the one on the particular car, guys and gals. It's grown far larger than that one car.

Much as I love inline sixes, I've been thinking about the possibility of using a BMW V8 in a Z. The sweet little aluminum 3.0 liter V8s (out of an E34 530i) can be picked up pretty cheap. Might take some fab work, just like the big six would take. But cool, none-the-less. Not going to happen anytime soon if it's up to me, but I can still think about it.

So the short version, you need the ECU, fuel pump and ignition. Everything else should work.

Here's a NOS Clifford dual system as shown in the picture Ron loaded. Still has the cardboard tubes on the chrome tips. I thought about buying it just because, but decided I didn't want it for my car. http://medford.craigslist.org/pts/828621130.html

I missed that part. There's no room for exhaust on the right side of a 240Z, either. So I'm going to assume that to be true for ALL S30s.

Yes, MSA sells the rest of the system, but there have been complaints on how it fits. As I said, search the site for 'twice pipes' to get first hand experiences. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/PEC09/15-6030 As for the header terminology, MSA is wrong. That's a pet peeve of mine, that dates from my early motorcycling days. There are 6 primaries, exiting into 2 collectors. That's a 6-into-2 header, and it also comes with a Y-pipe to mate to a single exhaust. You could also call it a pair of 3-into-1 headers, but since they share a single head flange that's not really accurate either.

Search the forums for 'twice pipes'. MSA sells 'em. Clifford used to make 'em too. To do it all the way, you need a 6-into-2 header, or custom work on the dual downpipe.

How many of you would say that your Z is 'done' or 'complete'? I'm not talking about normal maintenance items, or little stuff, but is the car essentially the way you want it? I'm curious. You always hear of people who say, "my project will never be done, there's always more to do." And that's certainly OK. But for the most part, my car is pretty much the way I want it now, and I can't see doing a lot more to it - I just want to drive it, and maintain it. Anyone else consider their car to be mostly 'complete' as is?

Me too. The area Datsun and Z clubs here in Oregon had a big presence in the big Portland hot rod show last year, and the 510s, roadsters and Zs (including Mike's yellow beast) were VERY well received by the hot-rod/muscle crowd.In fact, my conversations with other car people is exactly backwards from your claim, Tomo. Most car people I know have plenty of respect for the innovative, fun and value-laden Japanese cars from the late '60s and early '70s (Zs, 510s, Celicas, etc.). They also acknowledge the value and competence of the more modern Japanese offerings. But with a few exceptions the Japanese cars from the '80s are generally considered to be unimaginative and nothing special.

In my experience, 'surface rust' = serious cancer on these cars. There's no such thing as 'ONLY surface rust' on an early 240Z....

1.) Yes, to replace the gasket (whenever either manifold is removed), both intake and exhaust needs to come off. 2.) If the header you have is already coated, why replace it? Any competent exhaust shop will be able to neck down to a smaller diameter pipe. No need to replace the header for that.

Yeah, although since I don't have a hoist the pictures aren't as helpful as they might be. They are in this thread: http://classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31644

I have the Classic Datsun version, it is very nicely made, and is hand-laid cloth (not chopped fibers sprayed in the mold) that is heavier-duty than any other spook replica that I have looked at in person. But I will admit that I have not yet seen MSA's current product in person, so I don't know for certain.

I spent $5000 just to PAINT my '71, with NO rust repair, and nothing but minor door dings to remove. The car you are looking at reminds me of my first 240Z, which was also yellow. Mine was perhaps a bit rustier than this one, but unless you can do the body and paint-work yourself, you can expect to spend at LEAST $7500 on the body and paint.It's my opinion these days that some of the worst buys in 240Zs are the $1500 cars. They are better cars than the $500 cars, just enough better to make you believe that they won't break the bank to fix them up. But that's not truly the case, they still cost a pile of cash to bring them back. As a project, I'd try to save up to buy a much nicer $4000-6000 car at least. Done carefully, that extra money up front will be saved at least twice during the project.

Bear in mind that the 240Z is a 30+ year old sports car with a short wheelbase. It's not going to ride like a modern sport sedan, no matter what springs and struts you put in it. In general, you can expect the stock springs to ride the best. If you can find a set, the Nissan Euro Stage 1 springs ride nicely as well. Either of these spring sets work very nicely with KYBs. I had KYBs in with the stock springs for a while, and now have them with the Euro springs. Either of these spring choices will need to be cut down to maintain stock ride height when using any gas-charged strut inserts, regardless of brand. And the only non-gas inserts that I am aware of these days are Koni, which are more expensive and will probably ride firmer than the KYBs even on their softest setting. I have cut my euro springs down by 2 coils in back, and 1 3/4 coils in front to maintain a close-to-stock ride height. Stock springs would probably need one coil per spring removed for use with gas struts.

Since the stock Z springs are linear rate (not progressive), if they haven't sagged significantly, they are fine. Excessive movement while driving is the struts, not the springs. In other words, if the spring rate has diminished enough to effect it while driving, the ride height will have dropped measurably.

I'm not so sure. Very hard to tell from the small pictures. But all the tires that we can see sure appear to be original Bridgestones. Worn, yes, but still original. And note the lack of carbon and blow-by on the airbox base plate. The smog pump is intact, and still has a nice blue pulley. Maybe 2000 miles was a typo. Maybe 20,000 miles and then stored outdoors for years?