Arne

Bad timing Nathan. I just shipped off a nearly new one a couple of days ago. You can try asking your dealer to do a dealer inventory search for part #36543-N3000, but they may all be gone.

Looks like a decent starting point. And boy would I love to find a supplier for that windshield tint!

Me personally? I prefer to make changes one at a time. That way if something doesn't work, you know what it is. I'd wait until you have the car running again before adding another variable to the mix.

Classic Datsun is CDM. Nice looking cut, not available in loop pile. Otherwise very nice, and may be what I end up with.The next two look similar to A1Auto, even to the description of the type of loop, and the availability of the heavier 'mass backing'. Since none of these three outfits claim to make them in-house, I wonder if they all use the same base supplier. No idea, but I strongly doubt that either of those would address the issues we've discussed here. The last (www.datsunstore.com) is Z Specialties, as mentioned in my last post. Attached is a picture they sent of their kit.

A complication is that there appears to have been a change in the loop pile as well. Go back and look at the pictures Mike B posted. The earliest cars had a loop pile that was very obvious as loop. Later cars (including mine) have a denser loop that almost appears (at first glance) to be cut pile. And who knows when that change was made.As for me, I'm rather disappointed in the selection. The two problems that stand out for me are the lack of the cut and bound notches at the rear of the deck carpet for the straps, and the lack of bound slots in the front pieces for the retainers near the seats. I could put up with a difference in style of loop, and other small differences if these two major items were addressed. The thing is, if we look back in time, it certainly appears as though the kits that MSA and TIR sold in the past were far more accurate. The pictures on TIR's website and in MSA'a catalog show a more detailed template was used. Note things like the slot for the accelerator stop, instead of a missing corner. Apparently that supplier went out of business. Both MSA and TIR had to find another supplier, quite probably the same one. In fact, judging from Dave's description early in this thread, it wouldn't surprise me a bit to find that both MSA and TIR get their kits from A1Auto Carpet. Eiji says his kits are from a different supplier, but the template used appears to be the same. (Carpet may be better quality, I don't know.) I've also been in contact with Z Specialties, and it appears their kit is similar to these others, if not the same. That seems to sum it up so far. I'm discouraged, but still looking.

Bear in mind that the only 240Zs that came with red interiors were '72s in silver and white, and '73s in white. That's it.

No, the window is completely different size.

Best I could determine was that the 2400 cover was phased out around 10/70 for manual transmission cars. To the best anyone can determine, no automatics came with the 2400 cover.

Earliest build date I've seen for automatics is 9/70. The parts CD tends to confirm that, as the automatic specific parts are all listed as starting in 9/70 as well. That said, when you plug #7969 in the Z Register, it sure looks like it would most likely have been 8/70. Which would make it a real early automatic. When you see it, if it still has the original engine, I'd be curious to note whether it has a "OHC 2400" cam cover or not. I'm betting not...

I can confirm that the faded and worn carpet in my 7/71 cat is the same as the pictures Mike provided from the 3/71 car.

Looking for a particular model of aftermarket head unit can be like a needle in a haystack. When I started watching for a vintage-styled stereo for my car, I was open to several brands. Even so, it took me several months of watching craigslist ads from up and down the West Coast before I found what I wanted. But I do think that craigslist will probably be your best bet.

All late 260Z and 280Z are different. Don't do that one.

I've heard it too, along with the the "poor man's Jaguar". No particular significance, other than the fact that the 240Z was easily compared to much more expensive sports cars here in the USA.

Looks identical to mine (7/71), although mine may be slightly less faded.

My late production '71 (7/71) also just has holes for the screws at the front of the straps, not cut-outs. But there are also rectangular notches in the rear edge of the carpet for the straps at the rear. I notice that most pictures of replacement carpet do not have those notches.

Aha!! So the reason that none of us with earlier cars had the vaunted carpet clips was that Datsun didn't supply them until much later! Considering the history of my car, I thought it odd that all four of mine should be MIA.

Just to clarify here -- we ARE all talking about the pair of rectangular notches in the rear-most edge of the carpet where the luggage straps attach, are we not?

I don't know about the less area thing, my lawn area is so small that I don't even own a power mower any more, just an old fashioned push mower. Takes me less than 20 minutes. Beer does stay colder for you, though...

Sunny and 66º F yesterday. I washed the red Z, and pulled the E31 head off the yellow Z so I can take it to a swap meet in a couple weeks. Mowed the lawn, too...

Pictures load fine for me. While I will admit that neither the faux-fiber nor the gauge faces are to my taste, it certainly looks like you did a decent job. Nice fit on the dash cover. Hey! That's a Series 1 steering wheel on a 260Z! That's a different look.

I'll try to remember to do in a few days. Remind me if I forget, Mike. But also remember that my red car is a late Series 2, and so mine won't look like the carpet on #237. Very true. You'd think that one of these shops would demand the right stuff. But we apparently haven't seen it yet. Good question. I'm not particularly after concours, but I DO want as close as I can get to original. Yup. He recommended I talk to Datsun SPirit, IIRC. I'm game...Haven't tried Charlie.

No, it sounds to me as if your number 6 plug is fouling badly. When you pull the plug wire while the engine is running, you make the spark jump from the wire to the plug, which in effect makes the spark hotter. Running with the plug wire partway off is an old shade-tree mechanic trick to reduce plug fouling from way back. So I think your problem is either carburation (way rich on the rear carb), or more likely (since it is only the number 6 plug that fouls) collapsed or sticky oil rings in number 6.

Well, the carpet in my car is still original. Very faded and worn, but original. So when Danny mentioned above about the thinness of the TIR carpet I had to laugh. Because trust me, the original was not what I would call high quality in any way. I would also describe the original as, um, ok...I guess. I will admit that I'm not thrilled about the idea of the backing being glued on. I may have to try the kit from Datsun Spirit just to see what the differences are.

Fibber! It's only been a touch less than 10 months... http://classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=217037&postcount=12