beermanpete

Perhaps rather than simply making the bracket thicker and/or wider side rails could be incorporated to stiffen it without adding a lot of extra weight?

Herbie Fully Loaded has a Z in the demolation derby scene.

We have a Holley fuel pump mounted the same way in our '73. It works fine.

There should be a calibration factor printed on the face plate near the edge. You can only see it when the meter is apart.

I interpret that to 18 degrees of the entire dial. The speedometer is supposed to read 60 MPH when the cable is turning at 1200 RPM. If you have an electric drill and a spare speedo cable, use the drill to run speedo. Wrap the chuck with a light colored tape. Use a marking pen to make 6 evenly spaced marks on the tape. This will make a crude tachometer. At 1200 RPM the ac lighting in your shop will create lines that seem to be stationary. Remember the speed control on your old record player?

What you want to do is possible and commonly done. The pitfall is the factory wiring is designed for the 40 amp alternator and can be overheated by the 70 amp alternator in a worst-case condition. For example, if you leave the headlights on too long while parked and need to jump start the car and then drive an hour to get home. The alternator will work hard charging the battery and won't care about the 40 amp wiring. It it want to charge at 60 amps, it will. You should consider upgrading the critical wires along with the alternator upgrade.

Perhaps the transmission got into two gears at once? Can you rotate the propellor shaft (drive shaft) by hand?

Don't reuse the gasket, they are not designed to be used twice. Leave it alone for now. If it fails replace it and install as directed above.

The alternator should ground to the engine block through the mounting hardware but it certainly helps to have a dedicated ground wire.

What year is your car? In your opening posy you said you have a 260 engine but were not clear about the car. If the coil positive lead goes to the tach you have the so-called 4-wire tach that triggers from the current in the positve coil wire. With this system, if the tach is disconnected the ingition will not get any power and therefore the engine will not run. Test the voltage at the positive terminal of the coil with the key on. There should be +12 volts (battery voltage). If you have an electronic ignition the voltage may not stay on for long without the engine running so have a freind crank the engine while you take the reading. If you get nothing, trace circuit back one component or joint at a time until you find voltage. The last section without voltage is the problem area. If you have a 260Z, and the ignition system is still original, the ingition module is in the passenger footwell under the dash. Check the connection to the module. Make sure the pins are clean and shiny, and fit tightly.

F = Field Winding, controls output current and voltage N = Neutral, i.e. center tap of stator A = Anode, positive output termial, +12 VDC E = Earth, negative output terminal, ground

It sounds rich. Also, as you said, the carbs need ot readjusted after the valve adjustment. Follow the 72 factory service manual's procedure for adjusting the carbs. Set idle speed, idle fuel/air mixture, carb sync, and so on. You may as well check the plugs and adjust the dwell and timing while your at it. Basicaly give it a complete tune up.

It sounds like you have multiple problems. First, check the carb for fuel leaks down the manifold. You should not see any fuel discharge while cranking (except for the accelorator pump momentarily when you open the throttle. The float level may too high, bad float valve, etc. Hollys have, or had, a bad habit of blowing the power valve on backfire that can cause problems. Check that too. Second, get it to crank reliabley. Not start, just crank. Take out the plugs, disable the ignition and crank the thing to blow any fuel out of the cylinders.Once you know it cranks reliably, if it stops mid-crank you will know it from the ignition trying to fire at the wrong time and can concentrate your efforts there. Third, diagnose any ignition problems. Firing order, timing, primary wiring, and so on. Be methodical and check each system one by one. You will waste a lot of time jumping around playing whack-a-mole otherwise.

Yes, the engine will run with gas in the oil but not for long if it packs a bearing due to lack of lubrication. It is likely a cylinder had enough fuel in it from your fuel leak that it hydraulic locked. You should pulls plugs and pump out any fuel that might still be in the cylinders. Be sure to disable the ignition fisrt to prevent a fire.

All the cars I have ever worked on, including the Z, use ported vacuum for the spark advance servo. I have heard mention of the odd car here and there that use manifold vacuum but I have never seen one.

I use a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee with decent results. FWIW, this year was the last hurra for the inline-6. Our trailer and race car weight in at 4K. It pulls ok but I have to go down to 2nd gear on anything that looks like a hill.

I have had good luck with Raybestos ST-43 pads in the stock front calipers. They work at temperatures that melt the Porterfiled R-4 pads. I bought them from Porterfield but I suppose they are available elsewhere as well.

"Bring it on!!" Indeed! Go get 'em Tiger.

I have used these with good results: For the return springs: http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/MST102B/BRAKE-SPRING-PLIERS/ For the shoe hold down springs: http://www.matcotools.com/catalog/product/BC1314/BRAKE-SPRING-TOOL/

The factory service manual has the pin out for the regulator connector. It is in the engine electrical section. You can get the manual here: http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html If you are going to use the external regulator you will need to use all the pins on the alternator.

Only if the parts are worn out of damaged. Check the bearings for roughness and play, just like any bearing. Clean and grease or replace as needed.

Could be a vacuum leak.

You can get a copy of the factory service manual (FSM) here: http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

Cool!

Let's eat Grandma.