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Just getting going on my 260Z rocket bunny build. Starting with a really clean 74' 260 that I picked up in Atlanta. Supposedly sat in a barn for 32 years, and it looked like it probably did. I'm installing a rocket bunny kit and doing a custom airlift performance air bag suspension. I'm documenting the build as I go, you can check it out here if you are interested.

Excellent on getting the turn signals working! Now on to your headlights. Here is a basic troubleshoots guide I put together for someone else, I believe you have done much of this but take a moment to review it to see if anything in it helps. Here’s a sorta step by step process for checking. 1) Start by checking the Engine bay main fusible links connections. The one closest to the fender (outer) and the front (away from the firewall) is the one that provides power to the headlight switch. These often get tarnished or corroded at the Blade connectors. Once these are cleaned and you’ve verified power on each side of the connection then move to the column. 2) Check the large White/red wire at the column; this is power from the main fusible links. This is where power enters your switch. When the switch is turned on, power exits the switch to the fuse box by way of the large Red wire with the bullet connection. At the fuse box the power is split into 2 circuits, one for each headlight. 3) Check for power at the two headlight fuses and ensure the fuses to the fuse-box connections are clean and good. 4) Since both headlights are affected, it’s not likely that these two separate power-circuits to the headlight bulbs are the issue. 5) The headlights share two common ground circuits, one for Low beam & one for High beam. Since both high & low beams are affected it is not likely these individual ground circuits from headlights back to the Turn Signal switch (High/Low selector). 6) There is a wire at the column that connects the Turn signal switch (High/Low selector) to the Headlight combo switch. Check that connection; this is where the ground circuit routes to the Head Light switch, which then continues out the large Black wire with the Blade connector to ground. There is no factory relay in the headlight circuit. There are aftermarket kits or people modify to add a relay. If yours has this mod. then the wiring and relay for this could be a suspect as well.

Don't lie @cgsheen, you just find it as hilarious as I do watching Jeff perform the same job 3 times. 😂

NOT rattle cans. Because of some extenuating circumstances (I bought a house) I was recently forced to ramp up some parts of my project in order to get the car movable to the new location. Part of the dilemma was having an assembled LS6 on an engine stand without a great way to move it. So, I decided to finish up the engine bay (didn't want to paint with motor installed) so I could install the motor/trans for ease of transport. I had done quite a bit of research on engine bay paints and auto paints in general and kept coming back to the Rusto jobs for a few reasons: Ease of touch ups: this car is going to be a driver, which means turning wrenches and wear and tear so there are bound to be scuff/ scratches. Cost: ties into the above but it was also going to be $150 just in materials for the engine bay using the same paint I had planned on doing on the body. Durability: When done properly, I keep reading that the proper Rusto mix can be as hard as tractor paint (read: tough as nails). Current conditions: It's cold here. Full winter mode which doesn't play well will most automotive pants (typically need 60*+). It was 55* in the garage when I sprayed the bay (with the help of a space heater) and hasn't been above 45 degrees in the past week and a half. So, I elected to use the 8:4:1 method. 8 Parts paint (Rustoleum Satin Black), 4 parts reducer(Duplicolor BG906), 1 part hardener (Omni MH202). Hardener was the most expensive part by far ($40/pint) but I've got a bunch left over so that's a plus. Applied with a good old HF HPLV $14.95 spray gun @ 40psi at the gun First pictures are after the second coat was applied and still wet. After about an hour: It look a solid 30-45 minutes to flash in between coats (again, cold). After 24 hours it wasn't fingernail hard but a week later it's just as hard as the factory paint on my Tahoe. I have enough left to do the interior, but I'm not sure if I'll do the exterior in it (wouldn't be black. Maybe the dark gray). Anyway, we'll see how it holds up trying to get the motor in and I'l report back.

280zx has a completely different body. Why would it?

Just to update: WHP advised me to try to torque the other stub axle per FSM specs and see if it would fail as well. And it did. Except I realized that my wrench only goes up to 150 lbs/ft so the initial failure was also at less torque than I thought. Anyway, this one didn't fail as spectacularly: I torqued to 150, then tried the hub resistance in 1/4 turn increments. On the 3rd or 4th try, the resistance fell of significantly and I thought the threads had stripped. Nope, it just split about half way into the nut so it was still partially threaded. They are supposed to be making a new batch and shipping me some.

No its just a step up for the barb you should be fine.

Oh yeah thanks for the reminder. I do have the original seats, if anyone wanted them. But the new seats are cooler

This is our second Z. We had an early 260Z which we sold in Sept. It was an numbers matching original L26 and 4 speed

A little background info: car was stock when I bought it from NC, with 80k on engine frame rails replaced undercoating redone floor pans replaced tub scraped, repainted, dynamat l28e replaced with rb20det rb20det with new intake manifold, exhaust manifold (soon to be replaced turbo, injectors, coils) custom exhaust I'm in the process of putting the engine back together and then it is getting dropped back in. Then will put in some coil overs, even though bags would be INSANE on this car. Then tires, wheels, some small other changes, as well as putting in a nice interior. I'm hoping this car will be up and running for Spring time!! I can't wait to rip my baby around(:

Procedure is in the FSM Useful information Download a Factory Service Manual (FSM). http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/48825-factory-manuals-some/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-1208329 Download electrical schematics for your car. PDFs are easier to read than those found in books. Some are in color. Buy the book How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car by Wick Humble. It will save you hours of searching for "how to" info. Focus on searching Hybridz as 99% of questions have already been addressed. Start bookmarking Z car parts suppliers - there are many! Remember these are 40 year old cars and will need restoration to be safe and drivable. Join ClassicZCars.com website and search there as well. Become well informed about modifications before asking questions. People will be more inclined to answer informed questions. Search the forums. Useful Links: https://www.datsun-240z-upgrades.net/ Recommend the headlight relay harness http://zhome.com/ https://www.zcar.com/ http://www.classiczc...com/index.html/ http://www.zcarparts.com/ http://www.arizonazcar.com/ http://www.jagsthatrun.com/index.html

Bawfuls Toyota booster swap should be considered for a sticky.

I found some interesting parameters in the Tunerstudio software about launch control and flat shifting which got me thinking and consequently the megasquirt case hasn’t stayed assembled for long! I’ve build a protective circuit on the prototyping area to ground a 5v signal from JS11 leg of the CPU. This will be used to trigger launch control and flat shifting functions. I don’t know how this will function with the SU carbs as the MS1 is only controlling ignition. I suspect backfiring will ensue! I’ll have to build a clutch switch if launch control passes testing. I want the car to be about function not form. If the launch control doesn’t prove useful, I’ll bin it. Oh and the wiring loom of less than ten wires is also complete……

For those that have been around a while may recognize me. Here is my last build related thread but most of the car is also documented in other threads on here: This one shows the custom LS engine mount Since the crash last year I have build an LS RX8 and am moving across the country soon so the Z parts unfortunately need to go. I have basically 10 years collection of Z stuff. As parts keep getting harder to find it would take a long time to piece all this together and fabricate all the custom pieces. At this point I dont have the time, energy, or patience to piece part out everything so am looking to see if anyone wants a LS race swap starter kit and all the spares I've accumulated over the years. There's a bunch of misc stuff I'm sure I have forgotten about but it includes every piece of Z stuff I own and used to campaign this car for a over a decade. 240Z front LCA w/ monoball installed Complete custom front/rear race brake package Custom pedal box converted to Tilton dual masters w/bias adjuster including cable 240SX rear brakes w/ fresh rotors and hawk pads Outlaw (also fits Wilwood) 4-piston calipers on front plus spare seals and hawk pads Fresh front rotors (single one day TT on them), two-piece higher end Wilwoods rings Fresh stainless lines (one race since replaced) Custom 3" front brake cooling hose backing plates Complete stock brake sytem in good shape (no booster) Rebuilt calipers/wheel cylinders Rotors in almost new shape Hawk front pads, performance rear shoes Aluminum drums with good friction surface but beat up fins Fresh master cylinder and old master cyl Stainless lines Custom rear 240Z LCA converted to a-arm w/ toe link (right side needs inspected/repaired) Custom sectioned/reinforced 280Z strut housings (right side need inspected or replaced) 5 Koni1437-Race strut inserts, all used but usable 240Z Koni gland nuts 280Z Koni gland nuts Custom gland nut tightening tool, allows tightening on car Old Tokico adjustable struts (chump/lemon worthy?) EMI bolt-in camber plates Coilover sleeves for both 240 and 280 strut tubes (two sets) Z appropriate mostly Hyperco springs - pair of 225, 250, 300, 375, 425, 500 Custom mustache bar to LCA braces "Ron Tyler" style custom front diff mount R200 Mustache bar 3.9 diff, good condition, needs cleaned and assembled 300ZX clutch style LSD not in housing, good condition 3.7 diff, rebuilt several years ago with all new bearings, w/ OBX that's now dead and stopped LSDing 3.54 diff, all new bearings w/ custom OS Giken with one season on it Inner stub axles, at least one set T56 to R200 custom Driveshaft Shop aluminum driveshaft (dented so I would replace the tube) Custom front crossmember turned into k-member w/ LS mounts & matching motor plates Stock steering rack Stock steering arms drilled for 5/8 rod end, matching custom tie rod arms w/ bump steer adjustment Short steering arms, unmodified 3/4" 'bumpsteer spacers' Stock T/C rod w/ Gman ball and socket pivot bushing Custom adjustable T/C rod w/ rod ends (one tube bent but is off the shelf coleman threaded tube) Sanderson LS swap 1.75" headers, ceramic coated Tilton clutch master cylinder and modified yoke to fit stock pedal box T56 throwout bearing quick disconnect line Complete long block L24, running when parked .... probably 25 years ago Rota Grid 17x8.5 gold rims Unknown 15" gold rims (came with car) w/ low mile but REALLY old dunlaps 15x10 diamond steel race rims black w/ used 275 R7 Hoosiers, tread usable for a track day Pair of NIB ZG flairs but not sure front or rear 240Z door glass and working mechanisms Great condition wiper motor 280Z stub axles w/ companion flanges 240Z stub axles w/ companion flanges Set of NIB front wheel bearings plus other random bearing and seals Front wheel bearing adjustable spacers (allows the nut to be tightened against a sleeve instead of relying on bearing preload) Several stock companion flanges Pair 280Z front hubs and pair of 240Z hubs 280ZXT CV axles w/ custom 240Z companion flanges (need boots replaced) 280ZXT CV axles w/ custom 280Z companion flanges (need boots replaced) 3 Stock half-shafts (I ran these without issue more than anything else) Misc diff rebuild shims, flanges, random spare bearing, etc Mono to Datsun steering wheel adapter Custom bracket that mounts panaramic race rearview mirror to stock location 280Z hood vents Inspection lids Good condition 240 dash, no cracks BUT has corners notched around the cage Stock front swaybar w/ custom end links (what I used) ST front and rear swaybars Front and rear set of adjustable inner control arm bushings Left taillight Lightened hood hinges Stock 240Z radiator Pair of stock 280Z rear LCA Pair of stock 240Z front LCA 160 mph speedo Urethane airdam with turn signals and custom dive planes Asking $4,500 for EVERYTHING. Wont ship and located in Decatur (central) Illinois 62521. PM me if serious and I can take and send additional pics.

Just went through the (many) pages of your build, looks great! Thanks for the insight.

Mike @ Whitehead got back to me this morning ( Sunday- that's pretty solid customer service) and said they had a batch of 27 spline axles that had been annealed incorrectly and were all recalled. Mine was the first reported 39 spline failure but he sent them the pictures I took to see if it is a similar defect. If so, they'll probably replace them. I keep this updated.