Arne

Makes sense. However, I noticed no increase in NVH at all when I installed mine. But the improvement in driveline lash compared to the 6 month-old mount alone was amazing. Remember that most of us aren't using the R/T mount to replace the factory insulator, but to replace the strap which is one of the causes of insulator failure. Oh, I get it. That's why my car is mostly stock and period-correct. But I can't pass up a mod that can't be seen w/o getting the car on a lift, and that made such a huge improvement in the car's drivability.

Plenty of late-model VW diesels from Canada on the TDI forums. They seem to deal with Winter just fine.

Probably more, a lot more. We get already 50 MPG in our Golf, and that's a 2.0 liter turbo-diesel in a 3000 lb. car. The Mini D in Europe has a 1.6 liter turbo-diesel on a 2500-2600 lb. car, gets 60+. So what you are asking for (and I would have happily have bought instead of the Golf) should get 80, I should think.

It won't be, not for long. After seeing the price that one pulled, they will all come out of the cupboards and closets for a while, and the excess supply will bring the price down. This happened with D hubcaps last time a set pulled $1200 - there were so many available for a while that the price for really nice sets dropped to around $500.

Agreed. Although no car is totally immune to poor engineering. Let's face it, the rear diff mounting design on our S30s is a bit of a joke. And that, to me as a car enthusiast, is the whole point. No car is perfect, but if we can have fun with it in one way or another, it's a good hobby.

Sigh.... This whole thread has been yet another example of the general tunnel-vision, arrogance and negativism of a sizable minority of the Z-car community. It is SO easy to find something bad to say about everything. Even the way we pick apart other Zs. Darned few people seem to be willing to look for the good in other cars. Almost makes me want to sell my car and buy a 911. At least with that group the arrogance is expected. Back on topic - perhaps the Fiats weren't/aren't as durable as other cars when they are abused at the hands of the typical US drivers. But we aren't talking about a typical abused car or typical US driver here, we're talking about a low-mileage, well cared for example, which would continue to be cared for by an enthusiast while being used as an occasional weekend picnic car. I see no reason at all why this car shouldn't continue to provide driving enjoyment under these circumstances. There is more to the automotive world than Zs/Datsuns/Japanese/etc./...

Maybe because the second generation MR-2s are ugly?? They may be a vastly superior car, but they are too ugly for me to own. While the Fiat isn't a classic beauty, it's a bunch better than the 90+ MR-2.

Hold the phone just a touch. Like many things in the S30 world, the carpet choice is not that cut and dried. Some '71 models in the US did come from the factory with cut pile carpets. I know, as my car was one of them. I still have the original (worn and faded) carpets safely stored away. My best guess is that as Nissan ramped up the production lat in '71 they had to augment there normal carpet supplier to keep up. My car is 7/71 build, so others in that range could also have come with cut pile as well.

I can certainly appreciate the desire to keep it stock, but since the R-T mount is 100% reversible, I saw no reason not to install one in mine. The improvement in the driveline lash (and therefore around town drivability) was great, and well worth it. I kept my stock strap, and could revert to stock in under an hour.

Don't forget, I was there when they were new as well. Your single experience does not a statistical universe make. As with many cars, I suspect a whole lot of reliability is how they were taken care of.

An X1/9 is the cover story on the latest issue of Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car. They may be less prone to pre-judge than others. Worth a look.

A friend and co-worker bought one new in '76. They were still 1300cc carb'd then. Handled like a go-kart. Not very fast, though. He spent a pile of money on that motor, trying to turn it into a four-cylinder Ferrari. By the time he was done (head work, pistons, big valves, cam, exhaust and dual 2-bbl Webers), it was a snarly sounding mini-beast. Much quicker than stock, but still not really fast. After the motor was de-bugged, given regular maintenance it was reasonably reliable. He drove it daily that way for several years. His ex got the car in the divorce, I don't think it survived a year in her hands. She didn't understand its needs. Given his experience, I'd say that with good maintenance, and left fairly stock, an X1/9 could be a fun toy. I think the only consistent trouble area I can recall was wheel bearings. The early cars were pretty hard on them. Don't know if the later cars were the same.

No. None of the S30 body parts are similar enough to fit. None. Period. For one thing, I believe the S130 body is significantly wider.

Well, to be fair, I've heard fewer droning complaints on the Premium flanged system than the earlier non-flanged. Mine didn't really have a "drone", but it did have a resonance period at 3000 RPM where it was darned loud. Similar issue, I'm sure.I also suspect that had I used a bigger Magnaflow similar in size and shape to the supplied Dynomax, that the system may have been quieter. The small dual outlet muffler is not a quiet one. On the bright side, yes, it looks good, sounds good and fits good. It did cost way too much. Trying to adapt an off-the-shelf system is fraught with extra expense. I like the rear muffler and tips, but if I were to do it over I'd do that myself and then hand it to the muffler shop to build the rest.

Just picked the car up from the shop. The additional muffler in the middle was definitely the right thing to do. It might be a good idea with the Dynomax muffler supplied, but is pretty much essential with the small dual outlet Magnaflow. The additional glass pack is 22" long. Quieted the car to a reasonable level for a sports car, nice sound but not too quiet or too loud. Took the harsh edge off the sound as the engine passes through 3000 RPM. The exhaust still has a much deeper tone than it did with the old 1 3/4" exhaust. Anyway, I'm done. I would not do it this way again, but it's all good now. After all, it's only money.

Other than the drone or resonance of the same system with the Dynomax, the noise level isn't normally bad with this system. But the Magnaflow I used is rather small with dual outlets, so not a lot of muffling going on there. I suspect that is the main cause.The car is at a local muffler shop as I type this, having an aluminized glass pack added. Due to the tight clearance, the center pipe is going to be re-routed down the center of the tunnel to ensure no rattles or interference. I'll report back after I pick it up later today.

Great pictures! BT,DT.

Vintage Appliance brand "Fine Wires" in 14x6 (Real wire wheels) Stock early hubcaps (aka "D" hubcaps) Vintage Appliance brand "Wire Mags" in 14x6

Not a fan. But it's your car, so if you like it, enjoy!

I'm not surprised, as if this theory is correct, it is the door that is non-original, not the hinge. Try measuring where the lower hinge mounting holes are on the door, and compare to the other side (assuming it is OK).

That is what has been reported by a few people, but it has not been seen often enough that I would call it a "confirmed" issue. I'd call it a working theory, at this point. That is one of the reasons that it is only a working theory, and not confirmed. I can say that there was a documented difference in the hinges through 12/70 and later, although the later 240Z hinges are supposed to be able to replace the early ones. My guess is that—if there is an alignment issue—it is between Series 1 and later hinges. You might PM a7dz (or search his posts here) on hinges. I know he ran into this issue on his Series 1 car. He tried to use a later pair of hinges and ran into this exact alignment issue. I sent him the lower hinge from my Series 1 parts car and that fixed it.

I used Clarisworks databases for years, until the software would no longer run on modern hardware. Then I exported it all into Excel, and that's what I use today.

The outer seal is essentially just a rain gutter, in my opinion. Mine is not glued down well, I need to re-do it at some point. Will probably want to remove the hatch for access. Been so worked up over my new exhaust that the weatherstrp isn't even close to the top of my list.

Heres a way to tell about the hinges. I think the upper hinges are all the same. But the lower hinge is the one with the door stop on it. The early hinges only have one intermediate step (between closed and full open), but the later hinges have two intermediate steps. So if your hinge has one step, it's probably wrong. If it has two, it should be correct and you problem is elsewhere.

You may want to just add it to your signature, then it's always there.