Arne

Especially with high-wattage bulbs. You need to get that current out of the 35 year-old wiring. It was only designed to carry about 50 watts worth of current when it was new. You need one of Dave's headlight relay harnesses in the worst way. Do it quick, before you melt the combo switch, fusebox, or both.

Yeah, I'm well aware of that. I'll probably do that eventually. Just still a ways down the priority list right now.

I'm not convinced that the fusebox itself is the root cause, considering how suddenly the problem cropped up. I suspect a short somewhere between the brake light switch and the brake lights. It can be a pain to track these down, as the brake light circuit is routed through both the hazard and turn signal switches on it's way to the rear.

My yellow car had an aftermarket electric fan on it when I bought it. Plenty of room. The plastic fans for later 240Z was a slightly smaller diameter than the 260/280Z fan, and used the same fan clutch. I have the 260/280Z fan on the yellow car now. Clearance is about the same as the original metal fan on the red car. This leads me to also believe that the car in question either has the fan on backwards, or has the ZX fan.

A '71 should have probably come with the metal fan blades. If yours aren't metal, they probably aren't original. I've got a pair of '71s, one with the original metal fan and one with a fan and clutch from a later 260Z. In both cases I have at least an inch and half clearance between the fan and radiator. If the clearance between the pulley and the radiator isn't enough for an electric fan, and the body shell hasn't been damaged, perhaps the car has had the radiator replaced with a much thicker one at some time in the past.

Actually, I've found that the best buy in factory-type may be from MSA or Black Dragon. Most kits include the disk, pressure plate and release bearing, and I was quoted prices for name-brand kits starting at around $250. MSA sells those three parts individually, for a total of around $150. Black Dragon sells a kit for $140, but I don't know who makes it.

Different float heights to match different needle jets, I suspect.

Seems to me that that was normal for some years of roundtops, '72 three-screw I believe. But don't hold me to that.

It's difficult to tell from that picture. Originally, the battery post nearest the center of the car was the negative post. (Many cars have had that reversed by now.) The negative post should have two wires - a very heavy wire that is bolted to one of the starter mounting bolts, and a smaller wire that bolts to the firewall. The positive post should have only one heavy wire from the factory, which connects to the starter solenoid. The wire bundle that goes through the firewall near the hood latch is the wiring for the wiper motor. The odd wire near the battery? Who knows. It's not factory. Maybe for an aftermarket stereo?? The owner's manual did not have a wiring diagram in it. I've attached a picture of my late '71 (7/71 build date) for comparison.

I have read that the front end lift problem was reduced with the change in rake that the 260Z got. But still there. I know that my stock '71 is quite bad at freeway speeds, especially in cross-winds. My spook was shipped two days ago...

Absolutely, to each their own. Trust me, over the 17 years I worked in tires and wheels, I sold a passel of those things. Obviously lots of people do like the look. And I've got no problem with that.

Marty is correct. I have one of each type.

The problem is that there are innumerable differences. Yes, the '73s have extra wires for the wipers that earlier cars lack. Early cars and late cars have considerably different wiring to the tach and ignition (3-wire vs. 4-wire tachs). The dash harnesses are quite different for long and short pigtail fuseboxes. There are many differences in switches. Size and shape of connectors vary from month to month. The list goes on and on, and the variations change at irregular intervals, not breaking at model years. As I recall, the engine harnesses went as follows: All up to 1/70 1/70 - 8/70 9/70 - 12/70 1/71 - 12/71 1/72 - 8/72 8/72 - 8/73 Some of these change points I can understand. Like the 12/70 cut off for Series 1 cars. But why change at 12/71, three or four months into the '72 model year production?

Been there, did the research, and didn't even get a t-shirt.I looked into the various variations a lot when I was hunting for replacement harnesses. There are - in fact - 12 different variations of engine room harnesses for North American 240Zs alone. Six for manual transmission cars, two for early Canadian automatics, two for early US automatics and two for all of the later North American automatics.

The adjusting knobs on the nozzles are for fine-tuning only. The main adjustment is the fuel level in the float bowls. Sounds to me as if your floats are not adjusted properly. Floats are adjusted too high.

It's all a personal thing. I've always thought they looked cheap and rather tacky, personally. Even when I sold them. They're one of those non-functional add-ons that have no redeeming social value, in my opinion.

If you find a source for them, better buy extras. Because when I used to sell those things in the '80s customers were always losing them. Real common problem. Back in the day, the makers of those things wouldn't do anything about them doing that either, their line was that they were for display only, and not designed nor legal for road use.

I think Mike was trying to tell you that your request should have been posted as a "Parts Wanted" ad in the Classifieds, and not in the general forums.

So, for the gathering place on Sunday the 16th, I've selected the parking lot of the Les Schwab Tire Store on Harlow Rd. in Springfield. Here are directions: Take Exit 195A off I-5. This should head you East on Beltline Rd. (Watch out, lots of road, ramp and bridge construction at this exit.) The first real intersection on Beltline Rd. will be Gateway Blvd. Turn right (South) on Gateway. (Side note, three gas stations at this intersection, Arco and 76 to the left, and Chevron half a block to the right. The Chevron will be easiest to access for the direction you are going. Remember that there aren't many stations between Springfield and Sisters, and none at all for the last 40 miles or so.) Proceed South on Gateway through 6 traffic lights or so, until you reach a major intersection with Harlow Rd. Turn left on Harlow. The Les Schwab on Harlow is about half a mile (at most) down the road and on the left side. I'm going to try to get there right at 9:30 or so.

Maybe it's time to update this.The yellow car still runs and drives, but now has a much better running L24 (in place of the worn out L28 it came to me with). Mechanically it's pretty solid. Still not at all pretty, though. The red car (which I hadn't bought at the time of the first post) is a very solid, presentable, mostly original survivor. It doesn't need much, and I am compromising it's low-mileage status weekly.

Different years connect differently. What year are you asking about?

Here is an open invitation to Z owners within driving range of the Eugene, OR area for a day cruiZe through the historic McKenZie pass. No club memberships needed, just bring your Z. Date - Sunday, Sept. 16 (not the 23rd as previously posted) Proposed itinerary: 9:30 - 10:00 - Meet at a convenient location TBA in Springfield. Gas up (gas stations are scarce where we're going). 10:00 - Proceed East on OR Hwy 126 through a bit of farmland, and then follow the McKenzie River upstream. 11:00 - Stretch break at Jennie B. Harris Park, just East of McKenzie Bridge. Restrooms and a short walk to the river. 11:20 (or so) - Continue East on Hwy 126 to the junction with Historic Hwy 242 (about 5 miles). Turn onto 242, continue on this narrow, serpentine, but well paved road through the trees and into the lava beds. 12:00 (approx.) - Stop at the summit, visit the Dee Wright Observatory. No, not for stars and galaxies, this observatory (also known as "Lava House") was built entirely from lava rock by the CCC in the '30s. Restrooms and great views of the surrounding Cascade peaks (if it's not too hazy or cloudy, September is generally pretty good). 12:30ish - Continue East on 242 to Sisters. Eat lunch. Totally no host, everyone is on their own for lunches. You can picnic at a very nice city park on the East end of town, or at a nice campground on our way into Sisters. Or there are several cafes, restaurants and fast food to choose from, but picnicking is recommended, due to the time it might take to get served in Sisters. 2:00 - Head West on OR Hwy 20. Continue until the junction with 126, take 126 West. 2:45 - Stop at either Koosah or Sahalie Falls, or possibly Clear Lake, where the McKenzie River springs full grown from a spring-fed lake. The falls in particular are great. Sahalie does not even require a hike. (Restrooms at all of those three sites.) 3:15-3:30 - Return to homes. For some, continue back down 126 to Springfield. Others could do the same, especially if any want to chat over pizza or such before driving the last leg home. Or those of you from the North could backtrack slightly to Hwy 20 or Hwy 22 and head back towards I-5 and Portland. (Hwy 20 is a great sports car road, although maybe not the fastest route.) Comments?? Times are just approximate, especially as the day progresses.

Important!! The date has changed!! Due to some scheduling conflicts, the date of this cruise has changed to September 16, 2007.

Odd. The factory mount I got last May is the same as your old one. The new one looks like it will fit, and might actually be more durable with the larger bonded area on the one side.

Seems like a whole lot of cash for 300HP. Especially since you'd have to custom fab everything to get it into a Z. Call it $8000US just to start. On the other hand, for $5000US you can buy a complete, brand new aluminum Chevy small block. Well over 400HP, probably lighter than an L-series (at least no heavier) and lots of people know how to make those fit. http://www.crateenginedepot.com/store/LS-364440-Crate-Engine-17802134-P1655C53.aspx Lots cheaper if you can live with a cast iron block.