Arne

Nothing I can cite for certain right now, Phillip. Just stuff I remember reading here and there over the years. May well have been aimed at top-end power, in fact. It may be significant that the old Clifford system was that way, as well as the Trust in Japan. Many BMWs (about the only inline sixes left) and their tuners still do separate pipes all the way back to this day.

I had sent a message off asking if a date had been set a few days back. Haven't got a reply yet. I was trying to decide if I could swing the time off to make it down this year. Since I bought a road-worthy Z a few years ago I've had a conflict of one sort or another each year. Had high hopes that maybe it would work out this year. It will be disappointing to lose this gathering, if it doesn't happen. Because for many of us on the left coast, ZCON is just too darn far away to consider.

Not so far, but that is a concern. I've been running this way since last August. I've suspected something along this line, but haven't been able to pin anything down yet. Will do more testing at some point, as I'd really like to get the original coil off the car.

I've played with several coil selections with my Pertronix, both 1.5 and 3.0Ω coils with and w/o resistor. No tach issues in any config for me. FWIW, I've not been able to get any combination to run correctly with the Pertronix on my car except a 1.5Ω coil w/o resistor. Not what anyone recommends, I know. But using either a 1.5Ω w/resistor or a 3.0Ω Pertronix coil causes the engine to stop revving past a certain point, generally from 3500-4000 on up, depending on the combination in use. I am currently using the stock Nissan 1.5Ω.

I think I'll rename this thread to something that notes that off-the-car exhaust is needed. I can think of several people who might have stock exhaust parts sitting in storage. But Peter, are we certain that the exhaust alone will be good enough for Dan to work from? As was noted above, I'm looking for a period style exhaust for my car. Period sound would be great too, but not as critical. The stainless is not essential for me here in Oregon, aluminized pipes last a real long time here, but stainless is fine if the rest of the system is what I want. My fear is that I'm not going to be able to hold out long enough on the exhaust to wait for this. I know that these types of things don't always come together as quickly as we expect. And the 30+ year old mild steel system on my car now is on its last legs.

The '70 240Z didn't have it, so that's why the '70 owner's manual didn't mention it. The sticker on the air box says to flip it for conditions below 15° C (59° F).

Interesting! How much were they?

No, you'd need two different headers as the flange shape differs between them. One for square port, one for round port. Development costs might be considerable on the headers, due to this requirement for two different parts, and the low sales volume that would likely result.

No, the opener on my car only works when backing off at higher RPM. I found it annoying, and readjusted it so that it looks like it is working but never actually opens the throttle, and I have no stalling problems at all.

You will spend a lot more money buying parts for the 390 and custom fabricating mounts and such for an unusual swap than you will in buying a basic Chevy SB and the already proven and engineered parts to install it. Your "free" 390 will be a lot more expensive in the end.

Not MT90 in a diff, or I hope not. MT90 is a GL4, but diffs need GL5. Probably Redline Synthetic 75-90 Gear Oil. MT90 is for transmissions.

I was involved (with Peter) in some of the early discussions, and can add a few things for clarification. A couple of reasons. The main one is that they no longer have the jigs from 30-odd years ago. Quite some time ago they started focusing their business on a few specific makes, and Datsun/Nissan wasn't one of them. So eventually all the old jigs (pre-CNC days) were discarded to regain room.Additionally, as best anyone can remember, their original systems were for 240Z only, but were not really correct for them due to having horizontal tips and having to hang the muffler very low under the valance. The new plan is for systems for both 240Z and 280Z, and different tip choices as appropriate. Might not be as bad as you first think, Ron. Knowing that MSA covers all North American S30s (more or less) with two part numbers, I think that really nice systems with very broad coverage could be built with minimal differences. For example:Center pipe - Start with this one, and design it to connect to the outlet of the catalyst on cat-equipped 280Z. From there just go straight back and end near the rear crossmember. Probably offer two versions - with resonator (cars w/o cat) and without (cat-equipped cars). Downpipes - Two parts cover most non-cat-equipped cars. One for the '70-72 stock manifolds, and one for the '74-78 manifolds. (The '73s have EGR piped into the downpipe, difficult to make. Even MSA doesn't cover those.) Both parts terminate with an outlet having the same size, type and location as the catalyst outlet on the cat-equipped cars. Probably no downpipes for those cat-equipped cars as exhaust upstream of the converter is subject to CARB approval in California. More headaches than it's worth. Rear "S" pipe - Simple, and only one part needed, as long as the connection to the center pipe allows some height adjustment at the muffler end. A simple slip-fit joint would do. Mufflers/tips - Since the tips would need to be welded on to the muffler, current ideas are that three muffler/tip assemblies would be offered. A single tip muffler, a dual tip (vertical) muffler and a dual tip (horizontal) muffler. The two dual tip units could use the same shell, just different tips. The hangers here would need to accommodate different muffler locations - it would need to hang lower on big bumper cars than on small bumper cars (where the tips can tuck well up into the valance cutout). If headers were to be offered (uncertain when I was involved), you'd need two parts there as well, for the different port shapes. But the collectors would be designed to exit as the downpipes, the same as the catalyst outlet. Minimal parts required, and minor differences between the versions. People who already have other headers would just buy the cat-back and fab the front connection locally as always. I'm very interested in this project, and wish the distance between myself and Stebro was less - I'd love to assist.

I'm not sure what you are saying on this. Did all of the clutch parts come from the same donor as the transmission? I'm wondering if when you say the flywheel sits too close to the engine, what you are really saying is that the clutch doesn't disengage fully when pushing the pedal. Which makes me wonder if you have a classic pressure plate/release bearing collar mis-match.

DOT 4 will mix with DOT 3 just fine. DOT 4 has a bit higher boiling point, but tends to absorb water quicker. That's why European cars (which typically use DOT 4) have a lot more recommended fluid changes and flushes. DOT 5 is NOT at all compatible with either of the glycol-based fluids (DOT 4 & 5). To change to DOT 5 you will need to flush all the lines with alcohol and then blow through with air. Most experts also recommend that all rubber parts be changed when changing to DOT 5, including all hoses and the hydraulic cylinders, or at least the rubber seals inside. Additionally, DOT 5 is more compressible than the others and so tends to deliver softer pedal feel and a bit more travel.

L28s all came with electronic ignition, no points. If you still have points, you still have the 240Z distributor.

Production will begin next week. Estimated to ship to me around 2/5/10.

It's probably worth mentioning here that - like many of these wheel styles back in those days - this style was made by more than one company. Same with Libres, turbines, slots, etc. As evidence, we've seen this style with different lip shapes, and both screw-on and push-in caps. So the fact that yours have no casting marks in the back while Goose's actually say 'P/S' tells me that yours are P/S clones. FWIW...

Not at all unusual for US-made mags in the early '70s. Some big name companies would cast their name in the back (American Racing, Shelby, US Mag, etc.), but the smaller companies almost never did. And there were no requirements for size, specs or any of those kind of markings in the USA back then.

Ron, I understand your thinking - I see a car like that and think, "It needs to be saved, and I can save it!" Problem is that if I try to "save" too many cars, I never get any totally done. So (with a little help from my wife) I have learned to limit myself to one at a time. Frustrating, at times. But rewarding too, as then I have a fighting chance to finish one and drive it!

Number 1 on the distributor cap is generally the closest to the radiator.

Final order and logo mix has been confirmed. All units are pre-sold, no additional units will be available. Final count: 240-Z - 38 280-Z - 4 DATSUN - 18

Nice find. That's the kind of car I should have held out for when I bought my first one. Yes, that spare is the original.

It sure seems we went through this a while back for a different owner in Scandinavia somewhere, but I can't seem to find the thread yet. Eventually, we came up with a scanned document of some sort that satisfied his needs for registration. I'll keep trying to find it when I have a little time.

Planning on it, unless it does the torrential downpour thing. Showers won't stop us...

It's been a while since I ordered from MSA, but it seems to me that the discount didn't show until after checkout. Not easy to see ahead of time, as I recall.