halz

...And they're planning a z-day in Perth on 31st August at Wireless Hill http://www.wazcars.com/news/news_item.asp?NewsID=4

Hi Toecutter, I only know one member of the W.A. register - hopefully I'll get to meet more of them as time goes by. Melbourne is the home town of the NDSOC (Nissan Datsun Sports Owners Club). Their website is currently being reinvented: www.ndsoc.com.au They have a monthy newsletter, discount offers, drive days etc etc. Check them out!

Calling all Perth Z- owners... There is an informal group called W.A.Z-cars in Perth. They have 10-plus core members and up to 30 enthusiasts who are interested in 240 and 260Zs. They also have a new website (www.wazcars.com) which is a bit thin on content at the moment. Looks like their collective heart is in the right place, though. I spoke to one of the members on the weekend and he mentioned that they're trying to arrange a Z-day in August somewhere near Perth (hooray!). Check it out. If we can get all get together in one place it would be a great turnout...as well as providing a much bigger target for me in my hunt for a Z! Hayden.

True, there is a nice 2+2 there. Its metallic green and looks to be in good condition... howver my eyes glazed over when I saw it was a 4 seater. The price is $12,999 - about $6G overpriced in my opinion.

You might have to join a queue! Try: www.autotrader.com.au www.tradingpost.com.au www.ozdat.org These sites regularly have 240 and 260Zs. If you settle on a 260, you should find one relatively quickly.

No one has answered my question(!) Advancing or retarding the camshaft would not change the duration or overlap (to respond to Gav240Z) but merely alter the open/close angles. So, Brett240, what do you mean? Is it that aftermarket camshafts have a fraction or advance/retard built in when compared to standard ones?

Brett, Can you explsin what you mean by: I understand lift and duration... but timing... Hayden.

lubbadubbabubbdubba...! (just shaking my head to clear the strange sense of Deja Vu the last few posts have invoked!) Congratulations and thanks to Kats for digging up some hard-won facts - its all grist for the mill. I also have to side with Alan... D=Domestic=FairladyZ=RHD. From Kats' numbers, the first D and E cars were produced TOGETHER. Now, if only we could find out which one was in front on the production line..!

Zspeed, Call Vigil insurance (13140) - they deal in insurance for Classic cars. I spoke to them about 2 years ago to get rough values for 240 and 260Zs. At that time they suggested the following for 260Zs in Australia: Poor cond: $1800 Average cond: $5400 Councours cond: $9500 Time changes everything and these figures will have moved too. If you have Vigil's estimates plus pictures of your car you may be able to convince your assessor that $4000 is short of the mark... Good luck - you are in "blood from a stone" territory now! Hayden.

But you've already got one! Wait your turn!

Sorry... has to be an original manual too!

OK replies follw: 1. Freight is cheaper going West to East than vice versa. Eg, shipping a car from Sydney to Perth would osy arounf $900-$1100. From Perth to Sydney around $600-$800. Why? Lots of empty trucks going from West to East I assume. 2. The guy with the $7500 car lives in Oakford. He was trying hard to talk up his non-original car... but as many of you know, swapped engines, different paint colour and velour interiors do not wash with me..! 3. I have not looked at either car.

The manual car has a 260 engine, reupholstered (non-orig) interior and other nasties. The auto is, well, an auto... Interestingly, one of these guys seems to have a lot of parts for Zs - something for future reference... As for snapping, did that ages ago - got past it, now just in the dribbling incoherent phase..!:cheeky:

Go to www.quokka.com.au and search under the auto/marine section for Datsuns. There are 2 240s, an Auto for $AU3500 and a Manual for $AU7500.

So its a mystery... I wonder if these wheels were actually available during 1973... ie when the last of the 240Zs were being produced?

Yep, those are the ones. I recently heard that these were 'competition' wheels fitted to late model 240s and 260s. As mentioned, none of the early '70s photos I've seen show a 260z with these wheels... which is not conclusive proof either..

Every period magazine article I have seen shows pictures of 240 and 260Zs with the factory wheel caps in place. None of my period pictures show the factory allow '4 spoke' wheels that I always attributed to 260Zs. So... were these wheels from a later model car? Were they an option on late 240s and 260s? Are they really 'standard' on any car? (Sorry, I can't find a pic. You all know the wheels I mean: 4 spoke, bright alloy with black insert, Z in the centre cap.... Any ideas?

I notice that your ex-260Z was for sale... Had anyone come by to have a look before it was knocked off? Did you give your address to any buyers who failed to show up? ...Just trying to think of some way of tracking down the thieves. Are the Police on the case?

Wow, you should try putting in 12 new sparkplugs to see if its a V12!

what do you mean "were" ugly - they still are! SAABs are for masochists..people who appreciate good engineering but must have an ugly car!

Putting aside the fact that both Honda and Mazda are in the game of producing 'whitegoods', both of these manufacturers get my vote. Why? Honda. Started out making motorcycles so understood high performance and precision better and sooner than other Japanese manufacturers. They were the first (I'm pretty sure) to introduce variable valve timing (V-TEC) engines to the masses with their NS-X, a technology which is only more recently being adopted by other manufacturers Mazda. Always an innovator. The only manufacturer to take rotary engine technology seriously and spend the time and $$ getting it into mainstream production. Also one of the first to bring production supercharging to mass produced cars with the Miller-cycle Eunos 800. After shaking off recent Ford-inspired design doldrums they are again producing interesting cars, eg RX-8. Special mentions: Subaru (turbo AWD boxer engines), BMW ( generally performanced focused but should shoot the designer responsible for all of the Z3s and the latest 7 series). Worst of the bunch: Toyota - proving that good Japanese design is usually accidental, their cars either look good and perform poorly or vice versa. Mercedes Benz - trying hard to make ordinary cars look like fat, heavy barges. ...sigh, I'll shut up now...

Hi Lachlan, I'm Glad/Sad that you sold your Z. I hope you held out for a good price. As for Watanabes... I can't remember the colour of the K. If its white, get Gold wheels, if its silver, get Black wheels. Its just a personal thing - I don't think that gold wheels would look good on a silver car. and black wheels on a white car makes it look too ratty and unfinished. Just my 2 bobs worth, Hayden

Ask the guy for the engine number. If it follows Nissan nomenclature then a 3.0l straight six should be L30****...? By the way, what sort of car is it? (Promise I won't tell anyone!)

Leave the K alone Alfa... I know what you're thinking!

Cuong, Will this actually be a road car? Or just for the track? The only reason I ask is that it has a roll cage and apparently only a single seat..?