SteveInOakland

Thanks for the help. I wasn't clear enough -- meant another part of the diagram. Take a look at circled area in new photo? Thanks, Steve.

In photo attached, what is that symbol just to the left of "ISO", before the ground? Any chance there's antenna control involved? (This is a Datsun radio.) thanks, Steve

There must be an aftermarket sway bar that's right??? You can get an aftermarket sway bar for anything. Steve.

Bumpers of the late 260 are identical to those of the 1975 and 1976 280. So if the above info. is correct, you have an early. Steve.

Believe he said white. Engine compartment painted black when car was done. Steve.

Must have been removed when the car was painted, which I think was about 1972. The "Datsun"s on lower front fenders also missing, and the one on hatch -- see one more photo here. Steve.

I haven't seen the car in person and don't want to make any representations about it or any car I've not seen. The owner does have extensive photographs available, including closeups of the low areas and underbody, that give some idea as to whether there's just superficial exterior rust, or otherwise. My main area of concern in these cars is the rocker panels and the dogleg behind them. If a car doesn't seem to be rusting from the inside out there, or under the battery or in the floor pans, I'd give it a pretty clean bill of health. No rust under the hatch would also be nice. The circular edge of the rear fenders above the wheels, where the inside and outside metal are welded, doesn't go until after the dogleg/rocker panels area IME. Steve.

Here is one more.

OK, done. --Steve

I hope no one is bothered by this plug -- but I ran into a pretty terrific-seeming car during my 5 months or so of looking and thought someone might be interested. At the last minute I found something locally, so never made the trip to Laramie to see this, but I still have some regrets. I liked the owner during phone calls and e-mails, and thought others might too. I have no commercial interest in the matter. http://www.hemmings.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/classifieds.cardetail/id/2294036/xfa_returnpage/classifieds.global-make-Datsun-model-240Z/ It's a fairly early 1971, #18997, and nearly all original. Has 99,000 miles, Mike has owned it for all but the first 6 months or so of its life -- he bought it when he was a Datsun dealership mechanic. According to Mike it has always been garaged, not driven in winters at least over the last 15-20 years; and the climate, high desert, is dry, hence the only rust, per Mike, is minor surface stuff. I got the impression Mike was not only a good mechanic, but a really good driver. He says it still has the original clutch. His contact info is in the Hemmings ad. He has lots of photos; I also have them and could send if there's any trouble reaching him. If anyone wants and it is kosher, I could do a thumbnail for this forum; I'm not sure :stupid: what's appropriate and not. Steve.

Thanks, Arne, then I will pass. If anyone cares, there's a guy in Sunnyvale, Calif., selling a set of these for $100 on Craigslist. Steve.

My '73 is a standard transmission, built 1/73, and I believe the booster is the same size Gary is talking about -- see my photo. Outside diameter is about 8.5". The "unit number," in case not legible at this res., is 223-0 and then 1100 is stamped after that. Let me know if you need me to measure anything else or if you need a higher-res photo -- I think your life will be easier if you get the same size that came on the car. Steve.

About what vintage would you say? Thanks, Steve

Great job, Piper, thanks. So we learn that although an E88 head with big 'E' same size as the 8s may be a '73, emissions-oriented head -- it may not. Steve.

So on your E88 -- what's the 'E88' lettering like? Is the 'E' skinny or is it full width like the two 8s? thanks, Steve

PS -- On the E88 lettering question, there's a photo on this Zhome page: http://zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/E31andE88Heads.htm showing the chamber side of a 1973-type head vs. the 1972-type. If anybody's got an E88 head loose, it would be interesting to see if any with the 1972-type chamber side have the later casting mark. (Royce?)

Quote: "I have two different E88 heads, the early E88 head and a later one (at least this is what i've been told). The casting marks are different between the two and makes identification abit easier. The early head has a skinny E and a uniform 88 casting mark where as the later head is uniform through out the three characters (same size and thickness)." The uniform lettering of E and 88 on the later E88 heads -- was that used only on the emissions-oriented 1973 heads? I suspect it began earlier, but does anybody know? If a known 1972 head were found to have that lettering, that would tell us. (Uniform versus the skinny E.) thanks, Steve

Thanks for the thoughts -- keep 'em coming! The height thing does worry me with the RX7 seats -- I'm tall, also I like being low in the car, part of the feel of it. Is it for sure the first-generation RX7 seats that were low? Fun, I'll keep your hub caps question in mind. No bondo in the rockers. Course as you say, they could be commencing to rust from inside. But no sign of it as yet. Steve

Have had a lot of help from this terrific board over the last 4 months or so. Now I've got a car. It becomes my second 240, the first being a 1972 (orange) that was with me till late in 1978. There was also a '76 280, mine 1981-88. This new one -- it's a '73, and there are some more photos in my new member gallery. Unsurprisingly a '73 wasn't my first choice, but this was the best car that I found, and I do think it was a find. I'm the third owner, the second having been a good guy who acquired it to settle a debt with a friend, had it five years, worked on it, virtually never drove it. He rebuilt the engine, put in round-tops, did lots of other good stuff, and as you will see, did not touch the body or interior. It has 136,000 miles on it and the engine is original. The car was originally bought in San Jose, driven home the 25 or so miles to Pleasanton, then went to the second fellow, 10 miles away in Livermore, and has now come the 40 or so miles to Oakland. (It came on a truck. It's driveable but hasn't been registered in 5 years.) The car has lots of surface rust, but none of it is organic. There is no peeling or bubbling on the rocker panels or doglegs. All of which makes it unique among the non-restored cars that I looked at. It has spent its life in garages and carports in a fairly dry climate. I'll be continuing to have a lot of questions -- thanks for recent answers on dealer part-stock. I remember Daland, down in Millbrae. Any opinions on the following? I've got to do something with these seats, and I'm not in love with the original "beige" (off-white) upholstery. Would prefer to stay with the original seats, possibly using black or blue; the two colors the earlier blue-exterior 240s came in. OTOH I'm pretty tempted by some RX7 seats, first generation, that I can get for about 20% of what it'll cost me to re-do what I have (driver's side needs the stuffing too). Have seen a lot posts about RX7 seats but not sure any are about the first generation. The good news about these is that they do look like something from a long time ago; so not entirely out of place. Anybody done it? Got an opinion on looks? See second photo, here. And sorry for being longwinded. Steve.