240znz

Righto, my turn to chime in, it's been a while! In order of importance 1. Cell phone (yes, fully charged. You can buy those emergency throw away battery packs for most phones now, so you can feel a bit safer just in case your car battery is completely flat. Maybe you should buy a second battery changer for your phone and keep it your zed). 2. Road side breakdown cover. 3. Fan belt. 4. Spare set of points (or at least a nail file so you can resurface the old one) 5. Self amalgamating tape (for sealing those hose leaks) 6. Duct tape (for what 4 can't fix) 7. A few ring spanners typical zed sizes. Basic socket set. 8. Pliers (needle nose preferred) 9. Small vice grips To me a breakdown kit should include everything you would need for you "at your skill level" to be able to get the car going again. If you are going on a drive where cell phone coverage is nil and you are very concerned about safety, getting home that day, or whatever, then make sure that you have another car with you and a tow rope. Better than that just make sure that your car is in a condition worthy of such a trip. Over and out!

My guess is that will have a low vin somewhere between 500 and 1500. There is a similar car (HS30-00634) in NZ with the hand trottle. I always thought that they were only put in the series 1 but it appears that the RHD export and JDM HS30's got them in the first releases of the series 2.

Gidday Alan, Well mate, what can anyone say but (in a Monty Python tone) " You lucky, lucky bastard" Go you good thing.

Those are horrid pics of you car. You must have been a little irate when you saw that amount of rust monster. This is one of the first things any new owner should do. Just having a look for piece of mind. Good idea to renew the white foam sections that stops the cowl from vibrating when doing high speeds. It sucks up water and won't dry. I removed mine to find rust munching away. I found that the 90 degree hose that connects the cowl drain to the outside was split underneath. That explains why I had water inside the car when I first washed it. It was also responcible for the rust in the firewall, floors and lower rocker section. A poor design that part of the zed. The water dripped onto the firewall insulation and got trapped, happily housing the rust monster.

HS30-00352 has no rear defroster and a black plastic plug on the centre console. There is no wiring loom to the would be switch nor to the location where the wires would meet the defroster nor any slots in the overhead plastic thingy. Car will be garaged all its life, so no need for the defroster now. Worst case is that I'll leave the car idling with the hand throttle and the heater pouring out to defrost the thing. Just gotta love that hand throttle.

I am looking to either rebuild my master brake cylinder on my series 1. But after scouting and finding out that rebuild kits are not available, what are the issues facing me if I just put the later 240z verison in there. One came with the car and is NOS. Yes I will have to redirect the lines as the are swapped about (front is rear and vice versa) and install new lines from the master to the pressure switch of course to get around the LHD vs RHD issue. Are there any physical differences I need to know about that could effect connection with the booster or anything else I may have missed? Thanks guys.

Well there is one small problem with that importing business idea. There are are only 4 series 1 240z in New Zealand that are known about. Of those, I know that one (mine) has not got the D caps. Remember that Nissan only released 497 series 1 240z's of them in RHD into the global market place. Am I correct in assuming that only the very early models has the D caps? Subsequent models has the Z caps didn't they. So not much of a pool to pick from guys. Best bet is for one of you to call every Nissan dealer in the states and ask if they have any "out the back" so to speak. But I don't like your chances at all. But I concur, it is great to see that they fetch good money. Yes they will only increase in price the longer you keep a hold of them.

The series 1 240Z (RHD) I have has the FS5C71A 5 speed box that you US guys never got. It is great but is currently in the shop getting 5th gear welded up and then re-ground as it was popping out of 5th under power. Hard to get bits for these old boxes now. I prefer a manual in a car that I want to have a bit of fun in and an auto for a family car as I am getting lazy as I get older.

OMFG!!!!! You guys pay massive US$ for these caps. A mint set here in New Zealand were sold for about US$150 about 8 months ago. Yep, good advice is to list them now with a reserve that your very happy with. That's my 3.2752 cents worth (that's 2 cents US$)

I bet he was hitting 80 when he slammed the handbrake on to slide sideways just before those pearl coated gates. See ya Carl.........

I used MSA for a shed load of parts for my resto project. I waited 4 months....yes....four months to even get a reply to my emails. That was frustrating. I finally got hold of Sal. He worked through everything, gave me a discount and the parts shipped. They managed to send me two right hand rockers and arm rests. They sent new ones out as soon as I pointed out the mistake, backed by digital photgraphs. No questions, no quibble. I live in New Zealand too. So I would use them again for sure and will be soon.

I'll churp in here also....its been a while. I have thought about installing a roll over bar in my zed as I want to have a bit of safety on the occasional local track days. I'm not racing against anyone, just trial speed events against the clock. I contacted the track administrators and asked them what I need to do. They were very helpful and pointed me in the right direction with regard to local cage fabricators. They guys they recommended are also car club members that race, so they know what I need and are not in the business of ripping people off. So a very nice experience all round really. So, don't rush into getting a cage made to only find out that it doesn't meet the local track rules. You'll have to rip it out and start again. Contact your local track admin and ask them. They will more then likely be very helpful as they want more members joining in and having SAFE fun. Good luck!

You are correct. The early first gen zeds came with the E31 head. However, many have been swapped out to the larger valve sized E88's to aid performance. And as you know, swapping the head is a heap easier than changing out a engine. Sounds like a bitza car that may not even be worth it for parts. However, we always need to remember that it will be only worth what someone is willing to pay for it.

As-salaam alaykum Sharbel, I used to live in Dubai some 6 years ago. I've got mates out there still their pictures of the developments in the past few years are beyond belief. No wonder we pay so much for fuel these days eh. Good luck with finding anyone Dubai or any neighbouring emirates with first gen zeds. Don't hold your breath finding a ZX either, but some maybe around. Cars like our rust out very qucikly out there in the heat and salt. Happy hunting.

Correct there. I have HS30-00352 and going by engine numbers of other simliar VIN's, it appears to be a 12/70 build. It was imported to NZ from Aussie in 74. I have no Aussie compliance details on it at all. I wonder where the figures in that site came from? Also HS30-00060 would have a Nissan 2400 OHC rocker cover. So like mine, I suspect that somewhere during its life, someone has changed out the cover.

Great stuff guys. I pulled my 5 speed out of my 12/70 build 240z last night. It is a A box and my guess is it has standard ratios. There aren't any markings on it so how do I know what it is?

I pulled my 5 speed last night. The arrow is facing forward.

Well, I guess it has all been covered. If you don't have coloured tape or labels, just use a permanent marker and write letters on both male and female connectors. Take heaps of digital photos. Make sure you take your time and label everything really well. Be carefull with the 30 year old thing. There will be little areas where it will be weak. Take special care when taking the centre heater panel out. Very brittle and prone to breaking. It is heavier than you think. I'm not 100% sure I'm correct in saying that the factory probably put the dash's in without the windscreen in place. So it will be harder to get back in. I took mine out as I'm doing a full restore, if the seal is look dodgy, then why not do the same! Do a search on here. I think Enrique did a write up on the dash removal process. It may have been Mbrandy....can't remember. Have a search for it.

As I am in the throws of rebuilding my car, what are your thougths about fitting a rollover cage behind the seats. Has anyone done this? I'm thinking that I may want to remove it when I'm not on the track, so idea about quick removal would be good. I don't want a full cage as I will only be taking it out in speed and trial events. No car to car racing as I am paranoid about smashing it to bits. Maybe a rollover hoop that has braces back to the rear strut towers?

Well well well. The car is on its way to New Zealand as I type. I was with the new owner over the past weekend. He has many toys. It will live with: a fully restored imaculate 71 240z; a Fairlady 240zg; another 240z in bits; a 260z 2+2 parts car; a 2000 Roadster ex USA race car (in the last throws of a complete rebuild) and a ex works 240RS from Ireland. Serious go fast bits in his garage as well. I do hope he read these posts before he brought it. No, I'm not asking him! Who would? Crikey!

Rick O'Shea in New Zealand. I deal with him most days in business and he is a nice guy but hates his name but not enough to change it. Go figure what his parents were thinking!!!!

What a shame guys! Poor old (or young...see you got me all defensive now) NY Z will probably not post any images now as he's possibly now concerned about a law suit if he fails to get the right angle. If we all could stop and haul back a little, we might just remind ourselves that we should be here to learn and share our knowledge that we have gained in working on our chosen zeds in the hope that the poor unsuspecting bastards that buy the things find this forum and use it to better their chances of maintaining the love for them that we all obviously share. To that end, is there a need to flame at all on this site? Of course not. I'm not a net nanny nor a partypooper but for crying out loud, please stop the crap. Thanks again for again sharing your library with us Alan. Please continue to do so.

Marty, My brother has just started his Series 1 Landrover after 12 years sitting out in the garden. The local Landrover club advised him to pour diesel down the bores instead of oil. It seems to have worked or the tolerances in those old things are massive.

What is the engine number? Does it have triple Mukuni 44PHH carbs on it? What about the gearbox, is it a dogleg model? It is unlikely that it would be a works engine though. Maybe just a souped up L24 in there.