240zip

here's a picture showing a GT45 turbo on a RB engine. Too big ... you decide! http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/107028-r-i-p-s-rb30-gt45-street-engine-ready-testing.html

that's a rather clean under carriage on your 260Z. I'm going to assume at some point your suspension pieces were painted.

People do all sorts of things on eBay. For example, they sell little items, but then they use it as a platform to market their company website or other services. I've seen car dealers simply have the same car on eBay and for sale in the local classifieds and simply withdraw the ad if it sells locally. I've seen people put high reserves on items just to test the market, but you need to be prepared to sell if someone does meet your offer. Same thing is done on Craigslist where people just continue to list the same stuff at inflated prices. But if you're not interested in selling, why be concerned with the cars worth. I've always said your car is worth what someone is willing to pay. If you're not willing to sell ... well then it's 'priceless' I've pondered the 'worth' of my current 240Z project. I know what it would cost to reproduce. From your car pictures it seems we have the same tastes ... two 240Zs and of course the Z4 as the daily driver.

The sunroof is a huge negative for some. Also, it's impossible to set a price without dozens of detailed pictures. A welded R200 makes the car a poor daily drive and mostly suitable for the track, but R200s are easy to source. I'd say between $3,750 and $5,000 depending on your local market. If the car had an EMS like MS or SDS, then towards the higher end, but yours doesn't. Seems to be missing the rear bumper. I've seen similar cars go for $3,500. You can ask anything you want on Craigslist or use eBay with a reserve so there's no risk involved.

Has anyone used vacuum deposition plating to re-plate their plastics strips on their 240Z (or other year) tail lights?

does yours have that series 1 console too?

Series 1 Seats - note the knob instead of a lever ...

Thanks for your pictures. It seems I have a series 1 console. I'm missing the ash tray cover. The console has this fake wood-tone that may not be OEM. Also the radio appears 'period' but not OEM. I know cassette was not available OEM for a 1971 240Z, but it seems to fit well in the dash. My assumption is that series 1 consoles had the space for the idle adjustment, but only the choke was present in the car for a 1971 model.

thanks, I'll post a picture.

Anyone have a picture of a series 1 240Z console. I picked one up and it's missing the ash tray cover. Not sure if it's something that could be fabricated or if such things are available - like was it something unique to the 240Z or did other cars use the same part.

My 1971 and 1972 240Z have a lever for making the seat recline. I picked an earlier series 1 240Z and it had a round knob to recline. The seat 'looks' original, but I assume it's not. Is it a 1973 or 260Z seat? I was told series 1 seats don't recline.

First let me say these are incredible and the price is nice. Does this use the shallow mount 5.25" speakers? http://www.amazon.com/Cadence-Acoustics-FXC5Ki-5-25-Inch-Component/dp/B003PJ6TRG/ref=sr_1_22?ie=UTF8&qid=1288880277&sr=8-22 The FXC5Ki has a mounting depth of 2.15-in http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Reference-5032cf-Performance-Loudspeaker/dp/B002BZE36E/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1288880327&sr=8-5 The Alpine's mounting depth is 2.25" http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-TS-G1343R-5-25-Inch-2-Way-Speakers/dp/B002KOGQEI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1288880458&sr=8-9 The Pioneer is mounting depth is only 1-13/16" It seems you could lower the profile of the kick panels. If you went with 2.25" then it would still accommodate a number of options. I'm not sure if your vacuum forming set-up accommodates such changes.

In my opinion, the only proper way to deal with rust is to grind or blast the area (sand, slag, glass bead, or other media), cut away the damaged metal, and then repair with metal. I always prep (inside and out) with a good epoxy-based etching metal primer.

I powdercoated mine, has lasted years. An interesting option is a crinkle-black or crinkle-red (looks like OEM Ferrari). I used a chrome-like metallic gray. You can see it in the attached pictures. It typically costs around $75 to $100 to have it done or get a used oven and a HF kit and you can do it yourself.

I've been trying, without luck, to find the correct mix for the rear valance / front grill. It's some sort of dark gray matte (satin) with small metallic flake. I know this has been discussed, but I couldn't find specifics on what to tell the paint shop in terms of code / mix / additives. I don't want the stuff in a can. I know people have used a SEM product.

I wasn't sure how good the Filter King was with respect to pressure regulation. It mentioned that it removes pressure fluctuations in the brochure, but it wasn't clear how you adjusted the pressure.

Some close-ups of the work done in the engine bay and the throttle linkage. I had a vintage fuel filter (Filter King) and we fabricated some simple things (for the spring and the trottle linkage). I selected the Filter King because I saw some vintage racing shots which showed the same filter. Also the bracket for the MSD is custom. Running the MSD 6AL and the Pertronix. Not sure if we'll keep that pressure regulator, will likely get a Holley or Aeromotive and think about another location for it.

would you mind posting pictures of the motor mount you mentioned?

well z-ya, standard blocks did have the dished pistons, but I used flat-tops .5mm over with the E31 ... I have a 2.8L with flat-top pistons bored .5mm over and an E31 head yielding 10.32:1 compression. Stock cam was removed, and a 260 duration. .450†lift on both intake and exhaust was installed. I have 6 into 2 into 1 headers flowing into a 2.5†exhaust with a free flow resonator and Dynoflow muffler. My base elevation is 5000' (Denver). I have a Pertronix ignitition with MSD 6a. The settings on the carbs are ... 42 DCOE 32 3.5 135 F15 155 55F2 45 200 were the baseline settings. We swapped elivery valves to 175 instead of the 200s. We'll refine it further with the dyno. I hope I can get by on pump gas. It's fun running race gas, but at nearly $6/gal, it gets expensive. Of course my European friends will say, "$6/gal ... so what's the big deal?". I'd like to wean it down to a mix of perhaps 1/3 race, and 2/3 91 octane (the best we can get in Colorado).

we'll see what happens at the dyno ... my 'hope' is for 180HP at the wheels. I think it will come in around 170HP. It should still make for a fun car to drive. I did a complete suspension rebuild and even swapped over to a R180 LSD from an STi. It has the five speed transmission. The goal was a fun weekend driver that will also see some limited track time.

Did a complete rebuild (engine, transmission, and triple webers). The engine is a 1981 block with an E31 head, 6 into 2 MSA headers, and Weber 42DCOEs rebuilt by Rex Chalmers. Brian Blake did the head and installed a moderate street cam. Intakes were ported, polished, and matched to the DCOEs. I was concerned about the compression, so I put some 108 race gas into the tank. Rex did an amazing job with DCOE's ... I'll post the baseline parameters (they're very close to the baseline for the 3500GT which these came from). the audio is terrible. it always seems when people film their DCOE's it sounds like a sewing machine going mad, the valve noise is not nearly that loud in reality. we go to the dyno in about a week.

It's hard to tell the difference between chrome covered plastic and light weight pot metal covered in chrome. I guess mine could be either. I'd have to get one I'm sure if metal (e.g. broken where I can see the interior) and test it against what I have in terms of heft.

I purchased a set of OEM (they're in Nissan boxes) emblems: Datsun (side fender x2), Datsun (rear hatch), and 240Z (rear hatch) emblems. I thought these were chrome over pot metal on my car, but closer examination of the new OEM ones shows they're plastic. At least they seem to be plastic (not as cold to the touch as metal and lighter in weight). When did they go from metal to plastic? Were only the early 1970 / 71 cars equiped with metal emblems? Were all the emblems once offered as metal or only certain pieces?

Considering the amount of time and effort devoted to this last project, I wanted to show it. It's not a huge deal (in terms of the recognition). I've just been a huge fan of Nostalgic Hero and other JDM magazines. My goal was to create a car that was the equal of any I'd seen in there - hence the powdercoating of the suspension, media blasting and then cadnimum plating of the bolts, and other attention to detail. At the same time I left it looking stock.

I've seen the OEM ones going for $800 to $900 on eBay. I called and found Nissan still has these in stock, but due to the exchange rate between US and Canada, it's now around $400+shipping for the pair. There's one on eBay now (LH) that will run around $350 shipped, so the Nissan price ($400 CAN) for a pair doesn't seem that bad. I've been told that the vinyl grain on these OEM door panels is slightly different from the ones original to the car. I suspect if I get a pair it won't be something I notice. Has anyone else got one of these Canadian imports?