Arne

Hey you Pacific NW guys - the more I look at this, the more I think that car is Kurt George's old car. Everything in the description and picture is correct for that car. Kurt was trying to sell it a few years back for $11k, IIRC. I wonder what makes it worth 3 times that now.

Normal. The two are the same part number, one is flipped over.

I tried one of those, and I really wanted to like it for the versatility it brings. But I found it too big and heavy on the small light-weight D40 body. It felt awkward and unbalanced to me. If I use a neck strap the camera hung lens-down with the 18-200, but normally with either of my current lenses. While I agree that the 18-200 should be an almost ideal everyday lens, it didn't work for my purposes.

I have intentionally tried to keep my equipment to a minimum, so I don't have too much stuff to pack around. That was also why I picked the D40, it is about as small a DSLR as you can get. I keep the 18-55 on the body most of the time, and for many trips that is all I take with me. I've got the 55-200 if I think I'll want a longer lens, an SB-400 speedlight for indoor shots (built-in flash is too wimpy and doesn't bounce), and a full size tripod that I rarely use.

Judging strictly by the bumpers and overriders, the car on CL is a '73 as advertised, and the R&T tire test car is a '72 or earlier. I think the magazine lead times back in those days was more like 3 months. That tire test was probably done in the Spring of '72. Way too early for a '73 to have made it to the states, be "prepared" and do the testing.

That's the beauty of digital - it doesn't cost anything to shoot LOTS. And if you shoot enough, some of them will turn out...As it turns out, I just realized that the first shot I attached above (the picture of Cape Kiwanda) was actually one that I took before I got my D40. It was taken with a Sony DSC V3, a fairly high end (at that time) point and shoot. Good PnS digitals can take nice shots, as long as the subject is willing to hold still for you. But if your subject is moving, you probably want a DSLR.

And situations like this are why I went from point-n-shoot digital to DSLR. PnS was just not quick or responsive enough after years of 35mm SLR play.

I use an old D40 w/18-55 kit lens that I bought used off CL a few years ago, and added a 55-200VR last year. I shoot whatever appeals to me at the time. I have fun with it, and don't worry too much about how artistic I get.

Note - 195/70-14 are the correct height, but are generally considered to wide for a 4.5" wheel by the tire makers and their engineers. The later S30s that came with 195/70 also came with 14x5 rims to match, and the S130s (ZX's) used 14x5.5 with that size as well. For the 14x4.5 I'd recommend 185/75-14 instead. Still about the stock diameter, but a better match for the narrow rim.

Sounds like one of the shift fork detent balls is stuck, or has a missing/broken tension spring.

Back when I was doing my MG, (early '90s), they were quite common in the Brit-car world. But even back then, they were a "love 'em or hate 'em" thing. Lots of people swore they were awesome, but numerous people blamed them for failures up to and including engine fires from overflowing float bowls. I honestly can't remember if I had Grose jets in the MG or not. In an odd coincidence, I did just replace the float needles and seat in the Datsun carbs just last week.

Forecasts are turning wet. I took mine out last Sunday with another local couple in their '77. Had lunch in Oakridge and then drove the Aufderheide scenic route back to 126 and home. A great drive.

225's are awfully wide for a 6" wheel. I'd recommend either 205/60 or 205/55 instead.

Short of deleting the Boobs thread, apparently not. Mike moved it a couple of years ago into the "Members Only" section in an attempt to get past content filters, but that didn't help.

When I bought my car in 2006, it still had all of its original hoses on it. On mine, the smog hoses were (and still are) rubber dipped, cloth-wrapped hoses. The fuel hoses were normal-looking rubber. All other hoses (including the manifold pre-heater hoses) were braid-covered. Here's a shot of the engine compartment as it was when I bought it.

Depends on the year - My 240Z code starts with 'M', as I recall. Later cars have other letters.

If you have access to the wafers, the ignition lock can be a DIY job, but not so the doors or hatch. I did my own ignition lock wafers. If fact, I did a pair of them, keying a spare lock from one of my parts cars to match my car as well. I used a Datsun lock service kit I borrowed from another member here. If you don't have access to such a kit, let the locksmith handle it.

I replaced the wafers in my ignition lock, and had a pair of keys cut from the code from the inside of the glovebox door. (Yes, my handwritten paper sticker is still there.) Works like new. I then (once I knew for certain that it was all good) had a final key cut on a repro factory-style blank (as seen in my avatar and below). Also note that while I do have several keys on the same chain as the daily driver key, for my Z I have a special keychain that carries nothing other than the Datsun key. If the sticker in the glovebox is missing, I seem to recall hearing that the code can often be found on the door locks. They would have to be removed from the car to see them, I suspect. I did not remember to look for this on mine when I had them removed for painting.

I moved this question out of the "What I did today" thread into the proper forum.

Replaced the float needle valves and seats this evening. Last week I drove the car to work one day, and part way there I noticed the idle was rough and slow. On the way home it popped and burbled badly on deceleration. I pulled the airbox cover off when I got home and found raw fuel inside near the rear carb - obviously from the overflow. Got a hold of Bruce at ZTherapy the next morning and ordered a new pair of valve/seat assemblies, float cover gaskets, banjo filters and banjo bolt washers. It all arrived late today. I checked the height of the new assemblies with sealing washer using my micrometer to compare to the originals, and they were within 0.2mm. This told me that the float levels would be essentially unchanged, so I just put them in and fired it up. Runs just like it always had prior to the rear carb's problem. All is good in the Z world again.

Am I missing something here? I thought that all the '72-78 manual shift levers (both 4 & 5 speeds) were the same. Should be easy to find.

The spindle pins are a non-wearing item. They should not need replacement unless damaged by other part failures in the LCA, rust or improper removal.

I'm pretty certain I still have one spare set - both bolts (connector and wing) including the outer sealing washers. Send me a PM.

The hose definitely does need to be fuel/oil rated. I've seen heater hose practically dissolve in this application. The last one I bought was from Nissan, but I've since heard they are NLA. The factory hose had/has some sort of bottle-brush looking strainer inside it, but I really doubt that is necessary. I've been told that NAPA stores often have a decent selection of bulk oil-rated hose in various sizes.

Try Eurostile Bold Condensed.