Mike B

Sounds like the seats in a series one to me. You should have felt right at home :classic: -Mike

I was looking at some extra 240Z fuel rails I have and noticed that there appear to be three versions. Pictures and descriptions of each are shown below with differences highlighted in bold. 1. (closest to camera) 1969 to early 1970? My 1969 production cars have this version. The bracket on the square post at the back end (right side of pictures) wraps around two sides of the post. The second post from the back is only about 4" away. The two fuel line sections between the back posts are straight. The metal tab that separates the two fuel lines at the front of the fuel rail is mounted on the outside. 2. (middle) later 1970? The bracket on the square post at the back end (right side of pictures) is only mounted to one side of the post. The second post from the back is only about 4" away. The two fuel line sections between the back posts are straight. The metal tab that separates the two fuel lines at the front of the fuel rail is mounted on the inside. 3. (furthest from camera) 1971 to 1973? My 5/72 car has this version. The bracket on the square post at the back end (right side of pictures) is only mounted to one side of the post. The second post from the back is about 8.5" away. The two fuel line sections between the back posts are straight, then angle up and then straighten out again. The metal tab that separates the two fuel lines at the front of the fuel rail is mounted on the inside. Maybe others can help narrow down the date ranges and add any other variations, if there are any.

Exactly what I was thinking. Also remember that there was a waiting list for the Miata for the first year or so after it was introduced. Resale values were very high the first several years. Highly touted by the motoring press as a great bang for the buck value. Sound familiar? I agree with Will though that an affordable electric sports car could be the next game changer if they can ever make one affordable enough. -Mike

Looking at a hard copy of the parts manual it shows 08124-03010 is the right (old) number. I would just get the Nissan bolts, rather than trying to find a substitute. -Mike

Chris, Yes, I said your old thread was about grey ashtrays, but you also mentioned that the radio face plate is made of similar grey plastic in post #6 http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=56342&postcount=6 and Steve Matsumoto (who owned #238 at the time) noted the heater control panel and radio faceplate in #238 were also grey http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=67807&postcount=7. Both of the heater control panels I posted pictures of were used, so I don't attribute the color difference to fading. There are too many documented original early cars with grey HCPs, map lights, and radio surrounds for the color difference to be due to fading. Also, the map light and radio surrounds are the same color grey on the back because they are made of grey plastic, not due to fading. Check with Jim F and Carl on this. Here is a picture from Kats' site that shows the grey panels as one of the unique 1969 production items http://www.geocities.jp/datsunz240zsports/1969heaterpanel.jpg. -Mike

If by "dual choke levers" you mean a choke and a hand throttle, that must have been added by a prior owner. In the US, only the earliest cars had them installed by the factory and all of them were supposed to be removed at the port or by the dealer before being sold. A few of them may have slipped through without being removed. Two of my 1969 production cars had evidence that they were installed at some point (plastic grommet still on the top of the throttle pedal) but there is no way the factory would have still been installing them on a 9/71 car to be sold in the US. -Mike

Is this it? http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=ja&u=http://www.rsstart.com/&ei=VSH_Sc-ROpi8swOXqIXWAQ&sa=X&oi=translate&resnum=1&ct=result&prev=/search%3Fq%3DRS-Start%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS326%26sa%3DG It guess it won't link directly to the correct page, but go to "Fairlady Z S30 Parts", then Fair Lady S30, S31FRP Parts" It looks like it is 26,250 yen. -Mike

That sounds right, especially since your father is the original owner. The earliest cars did not have any stickers on the air cleaner. None of my 1969 production cars have them. I am not sure when stickers were first added. Kats (another member of this site) has a 3/70 and it looks like his has two stickers on it, but I am not sure if he added those or if they are original. The picture below is Kats' engine bay (picture from his website http://www.geocities.jp/datsunz903/) -Mike

Chris, Sorry, but that is not correct. The plastic map light surround, the radio faceplate and the ashtray were made of molded grey plastic. Only the top of the ashtray was lightly spray painted black. Here is a thread you started from a couple of years ago that discusses the grey ashtrays and some of the other grey items http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9374. Also, see the attached picture of the original interior from HLS30-00032. The heater control panel was chromed first, and then painted grey instead of black. The "AIR, TEMP, and DEF" lettering molded into the early heater control panel is also larger, and the lettering on the three control position stickers (OFF-VENT-HEAT, OFF-HEAT, and DEF-ROOM) is white instead of silver. See the side by side comparison pics I attached below of a damaged early version vs a later version. -Mike

It seems reasonable that engine #2776 would have been in a car with a VIN in the 300's (most likely higher 300's), although there was a lot of variance, especially with the early cars. Take a look at the Z car register information on Zhome.com. HLS30-00387 has engine #2746. I had HLS30-00331 and it had engine #2585. I kept the engine from that car, but I doubt I will ever use it. -Mike

Why do we need three threads on this with the exact same information? http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=34308 http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=34307

Alan, I believe those phrases that Carl used came from the 280-ZZZap ad that Chris attached in post #18 (the first attachment). -Mike

Chris, Take a look at this eBay auction. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series-280Z-1977-Datsun-280Z_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6187QQihZ020QQitemZ300311832325QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW I assume this would be the 411 paint code, since it is a 1977, and I don't see any other yellow paint codes on the Zhome site for 1977. If that is the case, then it would be an example of the 411 paint code being available without the ZZZap package. It also looks to be a very nice low mileage example if anyone is looking for a clean 280Z. -Mike

That one was from the 2007 Vancouver show. Do you recall seeing a similar car at Canby last year? The one I passed returning from the Canby show looked pretty well done externally, similar to this one. -Mike

It seems like there are several BRE 510 "clones", "tribute cars", whatever you want to call them in the area. I always see one or two at every show I go to. Last year driving back from Canby I caught up to one on I-5 near Tacoma that looked like it was also headed back from the show. May have been the same car. Here are a couple of pics of cars from the Vancouver BC Nissan show the past two years. I don't know enough about what a real BRE 510 should look like to know how well executed they are (except the exterior paint). -Mike

You should also check underneath the cowl panel to see if there is anything in there. I had a parts car once that had been stored in a barn for several years. The entire cowl area was a huge nest and it went all the way down into the air blower motor. I couldn't get rid of that car fast enough. -Mike

Take a look at this thread. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34058

Randy, If you don't mind me asking what is your reserve? I think the market overall is pretty soft right now. I am considering selling my 1972 before too long, but I'm not too optimistic that is would bring a decent price in the current market, so I may wind up just storing it for a while. I agree the floors are the biggest draw back to your car, so it may make sense to have them fixed first. You may also want to clean up the engine bay some to get the most money for the car. It looks like there are some worn braided and aftermarket hoses. -Mike

Randy, I've been watching your car too. Another thing that seemed a little troublesome are the welded patches in the engine bay. The one under the data plate looks rough and like the data plate was left in when the welding was done and may have damaged it. What was the reason for the patching? -Mike

No dream Carl. Broken74 started two threads on the same subject. Here is the other thread with Jim's reply. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=34250 -Mike

Thanks for the comments guys. Jeff - yeah, I really like the blue interior too, but when I found #32 it was too good to pass up. I like the classic look of the black interior too though, and it is much easier to find parts. -Mike

Wavemux, I believe Skip.h was just trying to confirm which vehicles they were used on so he could put that in his eBay ad. They are for sale in this eBay auction now http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=380120379831&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT&viewitem=. -Mike

I swapped the dash with the windshield in the car and I don't recall the windshield being a problem. I think it would probably be easier to install the windshield without the dash though, because you have easier access to pull the seal across the flange (which is done from inside the car). -Mike

Thanks Steve. Yes, I think 903 blue is my favorite Z color. I actually have three 1969 production cars now, but I want to get down to just 2 Z's at some point. I am hoping to get #210 up and running again before too long. -Mike