bobc

Here's the surprise answer that I'm don't think you're expecting...NEITHER is a good choice. From your profile, it appears you live in Riverside, CA, so your son will be driving on California Highways with all the other crazy drivers out here. No offense intended, but 16 year old boys are also at the top of the chart with insurance companies for being in accidents and/or causing them as well. So, the likelihood of him being in an accident is pretty high. Neither car has much protection. The body metal is about as thick as two chewing gum wrappers put together, no airbags, crummy seatbelts (in earlier 240'z), no crush zones, hard metal or plastic pieces everywhere to collide with on impact, no abs, well I could go on, but you get the picture. Either can easily be overdriven by a 16 year old. They aren't fast, but without modifications, they aren't that stable during high speeds, either straight or in corners. If you are dead set on a Z, I suggest you look at a 300ZX 90-96. These are a bit pricier, but your son will have a lot more protection, and they are a much more stable platform at speed. Because of their center of gravity, they are hard to overdrive. If he loses it, then he worked hard to get there. This was my daughters first car, that she kept for 11 years. The car was great, with no major service needed up until she sold it with over 150K on the odometer. She was involved in two minor accidents while she owned it and neither needed anything more than some minor body work. I know this isn't what you wanted to hear and it's romantic to think of your son following in your footsteps, but between romantic and safety, I'd pick safety for my child any day. Now, if all the above didn't discourage you, between what you've described, pick the 280Z. I would stay way away from anything that hasn't run since 1988. Seals will be shot from the lack of use and you'll constantly be replacing something to stop leaks or has rusted out (brake cylinders). Also, imho, the few upgrades between 1972 and 1977 make the 280 a slightly safer choice. As this is going to be your son's daily driver, I'd carefully consider anything that's 35 years old. Both are pretty reliable vehicles, but they are 35 years old. They require tuning much more frequently than a newer Z and more periodic maintenance (sealed bearings, lubrication of the chassis, etc.) To all those that read this, I'm not trashing either car. I like all Z's and I'm a long time Z-nut. I'm just sharing an opinion.

This is a pain in the butt job, but it's really not that difficult, especially if no A/C is involved. By the time you pressure test everything, you could probably just go ahead and pull everything out and replace the core. Or, you can have the core tested at any radiator shop. The entire unit comes out on the passenger side. I haven't read all the how to's but take out the center console in the dash so you can get to everything to get the unit out. That's not hard either. Don't know your age or your flexibility, but hope you're pretty flexible! This job takes more flexibility than muscle...and a lot of advil! Good luck and let us know how it's going. Best, Bob

Baby's got new Boots! Got the new rack boots on yesterday. Process wasn't hard and no damage to the ball joints. In fact after I got the nuts off, they just fell out of the knuckle. Counted the number of turns to get the tie rods off on both sides, replaced the boots, put the tie rods back on same number of turns, replaced the ball joints in the knuckles, secured the nuts and back in business! I would be able to do it a lot faster a second time. Just took my time and enjoyed tinkering.

All easy fixes. Some hoses are still available from Nissan. You can order them all through MSA. and if you want the original braided style (expensive) you can get them through esprist.

BRE 240Z PM'd me. I told him it wasn't mine and sent him towards mally002 as well. I'm pretty sure it is his, but I'm sure he sold it as well.

Yes, I checked the catalog and when you look up 1970 it either doesn't show or says call. I looked at the rockauto.com catalog and it lists the same part number for a 1970 as a 1972. That can't be right. The knuckle on a 1970 is smaller and must be honed out if it's going to fit a later ball joint. Thanks for the replies.

I need to replace the rubber boots on both sides of my steering rack. From what I've researched so far, it appears that I need to separate the tie rods from the steering knuckles and then unscrew the tie rod from the rack. The problem is how to separate the tie rod from the the knuckle arm without damaging the ball joint. As I understand it, if I damage the ball joint, these are NLA and I've then got to replace the knuckles with a later version. I did some research in old posts, and it appears I may can find the early version ball joints, but before I ordered them, I thought I would seek advice from the board to see if anyone has any suggestions on the best way to do this without damaging the ball joints. Thanks for any help! Best Bob

The news of Fred's passing has really saddened my heart. He was one of the great ones. He lead an incredible life beyond what he did with Datsun's, but of course that's what most of us will remember him for. He was always doing for others and I don't think I ever saw him when he wasn't positive. I think every year for the last five years at the ZCCIV car show, someone would say this would probably be Fred's last year at the show and then he'd show up again the next year after detailing one of his cars in the morning! Well, he may not be at this year's show physically, but we know he'll be there in spirit. I told Joe Hastie this morning that Fred's probably speeding around somewhere in heaven in a gleaming white Z. If given the choice, I'm such Fred would pick the Z car over a set of wings. Please keep Betty and Fred's family in your prayers. He is gone from this earth, but will live in my heart and mind forever. God Bless you Fred.

So, there is at least one reason to live in California!!! No smog (for now) on older cars... Nice engine compartment there, Rich. Are you ready to do the plating on my underhood parts?

Rob, 1973 had both an air pump and an EGR Valve. The EGR on the 73 is bigger than on the earlier models. I checked my manuals and they clearly show both in the diagrams and in the text copy. BUT, I have a question for you. Why do you have to have your car smog checked. It's clearly old enough that in California that it is Smog exempt. Is this something local, because it'snot a State requirement that I'm aware of.

Mike, I think it's going to depend on how picky the person is at DMV. I looked into this once for a car that hadn't been registered in California since 1996. The person I spoke with said as long as it wasn't touching the ground then past reg fees didn't apply. So, I said if I brought a picture of the car up on 4 blocks would that be proof and he said, yep, that would do it. You did say it hasn't touched the ground in 15 years, right????

Be careful tightening those nuts, especially when they are hot. You can break a stud off in the manifold and then you've got a whole new set of problems to take care of! Best, Bob

Thanks Mike, never seen that info before and I've never seen another BRG with black interior either, but glad to know it is factory. It shouldn't be too hard to get Paint to match. I believe most Paint dealers can still find the formula to make it and if not, they can scan a good section of the paint and match it that way too. Mine has been repainted, except under the hood and you can't tell a difference in the paint color at all. There will be some gloss difference, because at least here in So. Cal. no paint shop shoots single stage paint. It's all base and clear coat, so the gloss is a little different. Original Z's did not have two stage paint applications. Bob

Bill, I can't believe I haven't seen this thread before. Nice car, but I am partial to BRG! Interesting that yours has a black interior. Mine does too. The original owner swears it came that way from the factory and I've been told that it wouldn't have been unusual if Datsun ran out of a part from the tan interior, to keep the cars going out the door they would substitute black. Keep up the great work, it's worth it. I rarely see BRG cars at shows. The color always draws a lot of attention, including people that will swear that Datsun never made a Z in the color!

Randy, I've used a paintless dent guy in the past that was unbelievable. He's been doing it for many years and didn't have a lot of good to say about dentmasters and other franchise businesses. He said they have at most a couple of years experience and receive only a couple of weeks training. (FYI, that's what he said, I'm not downing the franchise guys so don't flame me!) If you're interested, I'll see if I can find his contact info. He took a softball size dent out of my daughters 300zx that was right on the fender line. When he was done, you couldn't see it or feel it. Also several smaller door dings down the side. This guy was a pro. I also liked his attitude. He said he really enjoyed fixing the dents other guys said can't be taken out! Let me know. Sorry to hear about the dent! Best, Bob

Mike and all. I wish I knew more. I just saw the notice that it was closing in the last ZCCIV newsletter I received. I know Fred's health has presented some challenges for him and that he and Betty were shouldering a big part of the expensed related to the museum. It's a shame that it had to close, but hopefully it will come back again. The San Diego Car Museum had expressed interest in working with the DHM in the past, so you never know. Fred is pretty amazing, so nothing he does surprises me!

Joe, you didn't say if you drained the radiator before taking off the manifold. If you did, it's even more unlikely that the antifreeze got into the number four cylinder when you removed the carb/intake set up. If you didn't there may have been enough pressure just from the weight/height of the water in the radiator to push water out of the manifold cooling pipes (either end) when you removed the hoses. Did you notice a lot of water coming out when you removed the manifold cooling hoses? Did you already have the hoses off before you loosened the manifold? I tend to agree with Nissanman that if you didn't have any other symptoms, I'd put it back together and perform a leak down test. Best, Bob

Rich, you just had to drag me into this didn't you? Yes, it's a good car. For the record, the current owner bought it from a very nice older gentleman for $14K after he made him stand out in the sun for a couple of hours. By the time the gentleman's daughter got there, the deal was done. Both Carl and I told them to ask $20K and not sell it for less than $18K. I'm sure the current owner won't like me posting what he paid for it, but..... And, you're right, I like your car more! Best, Bob

Been there, sort of done that. Actually, I had a manifold stud break off. Did the same thing with the ez-"not" out. And you found out the same thing, i.e., the metal on the easy out can't be drilled into. If the welding a bolt method doesn't work, then I'm afraid you're headed to a good machine shop. Here's the how to on the weld-on-a-larger-nut method: "Place a close-fitting washer over the top of the bolt to protect surrounding material. Take a nut that is larger than the actual thread of the broken bolt, and weld it to the broken bolt. Weld in short bursts until the weld fills the nut. This will heat the bolt but not the surrounding material. Using a 6011 welding rod in a stick welder has been reported to work well. Let the welded nut cool completely without using any water or spray. The bolt will contract and break the grip of the rust. Some more info on welding on nuts. A tig welder is the welder of choice. It is critical to put some penetration oil like Kroil (and not WD-40) on as it cools just low enough for the oil to not just boil off. This will draw oil into the hole. This is the only time I have seen penetrating oil actually penetrate a stuck bolt." There is also another way that they apply an electric charge to the bolt and actually dissolve it. It's a form of welding as I recall. A good engine shop should know what this is. As to can you do without it, no, wouldn't even try it. Bob

Jimmy, it's a pretty straightforward process. Hopefully A/C is empty or you'll need to have it vacuumed out first before you remove evaporator unit. It comes out first. Please don't just vent the r-12 into the air! Bad for the environment. Seems like I also took glove box out so I had more room to operate. Heater box comes out on the passenger side. I also took out the center control panel to get the radio and heater controls out of the way. Just makes it easier. Of course, you'll want to drain out the antifreeze before you disconnect the hoses from the heater core. While straightforward, it does take some time and some acrobatics on your part to get everything out. While you have it out, probably a good time to lube the control cables, replace the control valve (cheap insurance) and consider replacing the heater box hoses. PM me if you have questions.

MSA has both turbo and non-turbo versions. If you're rebuilding stock, non-turbo should be fine. Yes, you should replace them. Very cheap insurance!

Rich, It sure is! Be careful. I recommend wearing a mask when around it. Your engine fan is blowing air right over it when you have the hood open. You don't want to be breathing those particles. Bob

Your post is a little confusing. When you say loading and unloading the suspension, do you mean going over bumps or accelerating and decelerating? Groans and squeaks are usually suspension parts rubbing against each other and are not necessarily sensitive to speed. More sensitive to movement. Grinding noises that change (get louder, higher pitched, go away and come back) are more associated with bearings, i.e., universal joints, wheel bearings, etc. If you just push down and let go on the right rear of the car does it make the same sound? You might check in the top of the right shock tower to make sure the nut that secures the top of the shock is on tight. I had this problem once and it took me a while to locate it. You might also WD-40 around where the spring rests in the strut and at the top as well and see if this makes any difference. Sounds like you've done everything else I would normally recommend checking. Good luck. Best, Bob

There is a gasket from the factory, but apparently it is not necessary because the replacement doesn't come with one and it is not available separately. I called a couple of local shops when I rebuilt mine and they both told me it is not necessary.

I had the same experience with my first Z many years ago. I had the timing chain replaced by a "great" mechanic that worked at a gas station. The next time I went to change the oil, splinters of wood came poring out with the oil until a big piece practically plugged the drain hole! That was some fun because being a poor college student, that was my daily ride...oh those were the days! Best, Bob