Zetsaz

If you happen to read my build thread I mention a very poor experience with Autozone testing my alternator on an older Maxima that was my daily, caused me a lot of grief until I bought a high quality multimeter and tested things myself only to find out the alternator was definitely bad. Wasted a lot of time chasing other potential problems and had to have the car pushed across a bridge by an officer and later had to be towed when I thought I had fixed things. Needless to say I wouldn't recommend getting anything electrical tested at Autozone. I've trusted NAPA more lately.

Bottom end of the hatch strut, if you're facing the passenger side, the rear of the bracket is bolted on. You'll need a wrench since a socket of pretty much any kind is too long and will probably hit the panel. Pretty easy to remove once you have that off. Also make sure you've removed the interior taillight panel.

If they're all working properly, but get dim, more than likely it's your voltage regulator or alternator going bad. Or just as likely it's not strong enough to keep up with everything at once. Alternators are rated by max amps, at idle they're noticeably lower. Look into doing a later model ZX, or turbo ZX, alternator swap. Or look into using a GM unit. The ZX ones only require a couple wires to be spliced and they give you the security of a more modern, internally regulated, unit as opposed to the units your 75 and my 76 use. The voltage regulators had a tendency to fail prematurely anyway, so it's a great upgrade, especially if you plan on running any sort of more modern audio or upgraded headlights in the future. http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/alternatorswap/index.html

I had almost decided to just go without a truck for a while, and figure out a different way to move all the junk i need to scrap or clean up in the yard. Toyotas were too expensive and Nissans were generally beaten up. Then I found this excellent hardbody that had been owned by an older man since '93 when it was almost new. Has a near complete service history, aside from some oil changes he did himself (which are dated on tape in the engine bay), receipts for a re-manufactured engine about 30k miles ago, and a rebuilt transmission about 60k miles ago. It's not the V6, but it was hard to pass up such a well cared for truck. Picked it up and brought it home for the same price I was paying on the 620 Keeping it in the Nissan family for now I guess. Black was purely coincidence haha.

This video has been motivating me lately... https://www.facebook.com/KMSengineperformance/videos/1313278088715680/

I bought a few nice seals and new door handles from them when they closed at a steal. Wish I'd bought new bumpers and early taillights too considering how cheap they were going. I had already bought tons of replacement panels from them in the past. Kind of sad to see them go. I've kept all my old parts brochures from them. Kind of fun to see the cars they always featured in the back.

If you're interested in a unique I6 swap, maybe look into the Mercedes M104? I don't know, there's a lot out there. There's at least one person I know of who finished a mercedes turbo diesel swap into his Z.

Yeah, I've been looking into the D21 a bit too. Fortunately they're cheaper, and from what I've read that, VG30 would be a better option to the 3.0 equivalent from toyota

The 5.3 v8 vortec is as cheap and has more support,

More voice of reason, thanks Dave! My brother was mentioning some of the same things. Started leaning away from it last night mostly after thinking through what finding parts would be like. I'm thinking I'll probably wait a few months and pony up a bit extra for an older but well maintained Toyota. The right xtra cab 4x4 and I could be feeling like Marty McFly haha.

No big updates on the car currently since I'm away from it. But, for a while now, I've been looking for a small truck to carry extra things in, whether it's needing to take a couch home (I have wooden outdoor couches in my living room because I haven't had time/a truck to bring home comfortable indoor couches... granted they fit in with the fireplace and all hardwood floor) or just to be able to get rid of green waste around the house. I was looking at a lot of 22RE engine Toyota 4x4 trucks, but they're always pricey even at over 200k miles, so I started looking at older 620 trucks. After all, I don't need much, just something I can carry stuff in, plus a 620 was the first car I learned to drive in. Last night I made a $2k offer on 307 chevy swapped 620, and it's likely I'll be picking it up this weekend. Can any of you more knowledgeable people maybe point out areas of concern based on the pictures? I drove it a bit last night and it drives well and brakes hard. It doesn't look pretty, definitely a rat rod, but it would work well for what I need. Opinions?

You may have to take the interior door panel off with the door shut it's really that jammed or broken.

Got the correct ignition all wired up. For those curious, the extra wires are just for the door open buzzer, I was able to swap them out... mostly, if only to have them wired to make my mild ocd subside. Was able to drive around quite a bit and even take the car up to about 50 on some nearby backroads! Super fun even with the old suspension and questionable body panel fastening haha. I very quickly found out.... my alternator isn't working! Good news is, my voltmeter is definitely accurate. I'm currently debating between a 70amp ZX Turbo alternator, to get rid of the external regulator. Atlantic Z has a great write-up on the very easy process: http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/alternatorswap/index.html OR going with a GM CS alternator. Haven't really decided, or even looked into whether or not one is overkill. Down the road I'll want higher output lights and a nicer audio system without such a steep drop in voltage. I have plenty of time to mull over it fortunately http://czot.org/forum/showthread.php?2040-Datsun-Z-Alternator-Upgrade-to-GM-CS130-Alternator

Same thing still happening to me for summit racing

Good to know for me too. I've been reading more about the 1UZ and considering it as a swap down the road. Not as much aftermarket or power as the LS engines, but definitely more unique and cheaper considering everyone and their mother is swapping the LS engines.

Any updates on this build?

Been putting in some work just to fit the new passenger fender now that I'm home. Required a bit of pushing and bending and some grinding on some non visible spots to get it to sit right. Still need to take a Dremel to the lower fender openings to be able to fit into the now not-quite-aligned openings in the new rocker panels. I got a K&N filter and aluminum tubing so I wouldn't be pushing dust through the engine every time I tested something. It's satisfying! Got patch plates for the rusted frame rail spots in the wheel wells as well as delete plates for the holes from the old bumpers. Also got the ignition switch but it's not QUITE the same and I'm wondering if I should return for a different one, or if this is just how they come now. Was looking through the FSM and I'm not sure what the two wires on mine lead to. I'll add more pics once I'm back home with an actual computer and after I've done just a little bit more welding.

Sounds like you spun a connecting rod bearing? Possible oil starvation during the laps? Did you ever hear any light clicking noise or tapping noise prior to this? If it's not a knock, that's what's most likely, especially if it's matching engine acceleration, unless I'm missing something. If I'm right, the tapping is coming from the connecting rods (any 1 or more that spun a bearing) tapping back and forth on the crank. I would drop your oil pan and check for any metal, either in chunks or shavings, that would have come off the bearings.

Hmmm, yeah. I've been reading more and more on the NA-T forums and there's a lot of debate about it. After some more reading last night I'm leaning towards saying the GE isn't as much of a savings as some people assume. Part of people's biggest assumptions in the calculations is the wiring harness, which doesn't need as much work if they go NA-T since a lot of them are just in SC300's or IS300's... We don't really have the option. Regardless, I'm pretty close in Mount Vernon and should head down there sometime and check out your work! PM me anytime you'd like an extra hand, I usually have loads of free time on weekends and wouldn't mind learning a bit more from someone more experienced either way. Would at least keep me entertained since I don't have much to work on with my own project being stored in Utah until it's moving comfortably.

Nice progress! I've been leaning towards a 2JZ myself. Wouldn't be for another year or two, but your thread always gives me ideas and signs of what to be careful for. User on the forums, Bean, had a huge post on GE vs GTE and it made me lean towards doing the NA, or NA-T like you're going. Huge cut in price compared to the GTE for people like us with more modest power goals.

Maybe not immediately, but I've been interested in buying some Grid Classics

True if you happen to have the rubber piece. I chose to fab my own that fed straight into the camaro neck.

That'd be awesome. Yeah, I'm definitely sticking closer to stock stuff at least for now. would rather invest my money in finishing rust stuff/brakes/suspension. I really just want to focus on something that would be a fun, reliable, street car.

The master cylinder and some pads/shoes I'll probably just buy new, but I'd definitely be interested in the toyota calipers, the air dam, and the grille. I think there are some small mods needed to fit the 240 grill onto the 280, which I don't mind but sadly there's no grill on the series 1 I bought... Also I'm still at least curious about the engine setup in your car. I know I should be worried about that until later, but I've been fascinated by the high revving 2.6. Being a technology fan I've been leaning towards megasquirt instead of carbs though.

I got my F-body tank on ebay complete with charcoal canister, filler neck, and racetronix fuel pump. I will say that I spent a lot of time hoping I could find a stock tank and metal for the wheel well without spending all the money I had at the time as a college student. I ended up going with the camaro tank because the previous owner had already cut the spare wheel well out, and I figured the tank and pump would future proof me for any swap I might go with down the road. There are definitely benefits to the tank, but unless you're prepared to modify your sending unit/buy a new programmable fuel gauge and deal with that, as well as fabricating custom mounts for the tank AND (this is the one most people don't think about) fabricating a filler neck, I'd say go with a stock tank repair and some kind of modern in tank sump like Richard suggested. Granted there are probably easier was to make a filler neck than what I did, I really wanted it going to the stock location and wanted it to look as original and subtle as possible.