jhm

Looks like a really nice old 240. You are already WAY ahead where most of us usually are when starting with a newly-acquired Z. Have fun with it, and welcome to HybridZ.

Congrats on your find and good luck with the resto-build. Looking forward to seeing the progress!

Current flows to the wiper motor through the wiper relay on the relay panel in the passenger footwell. Relay could be bad, but I would test it before replacing. The wiper motor could also be bad. Try applying 12v directly to the motor to test. The wiper mechanism may also be frozen, which would prevent the wipers from working, but they can be cleaned up and lubed pretty easily. Yes, the switch for the rear defroster is typically located in the center console, under the radio.

Were you able to download all the FSM docs you needed? The wiper wiring runs from the combo switch, through the dash harness, to the wiper relay in the passenger footwell....it should not have any connections in the area of the radio. There is a plug on the firewall inside the engine compartment which can become loose and/or corroded, causing the wipers to fail. Hope this helps.

SJ, that's a bummer....sorry to hear that it didn't work for you. I went back and checked my flasher unit, and I'm pretty sure it's the same one you bought from Amazon. It's been working fine for almost a year now. Weird. The good news is that these are obviously becoming more popular, cheaper, and more readily available. Maybe check one out like Miles is running. Sorry again the unit from Amazon didn't work for you.

Happy to help. WRT the unidentified cut wires, I would try testing them for continuity between the cut ends and the same-colored pin connectors at the big junction block in the passenger footwell. Once you've found the correct wire/pin location on the junction block, you can use the FSM data to nail down the what the cut wire was for. Sounds tedious, but really shouldn't take long once you get going.

Yeah, those "complete vehicle" schematics have their uses sometimes; but they can also be a nightmare. Here's the only 240 body electrical FSM I have; it's for a '73. May help you at least partially. That 3-pronged female plug may be for power antenna (see page 4 on the attached). Have you checked http://www.xenonzcar.com/s30/fsm.html? This is the best source for Z car electrical schematics online that I know of. Download EVERYTHING you might ever need....the website comes and goes over time; and you never know when it might disappear completely. Good luck with it. BE Body Electrical.pdf

I must say it really is impressive to see your level of commitment, patience and attention to detail on this restoration -- very impressed with your metal work and fab skills. Kudos for bringing this old girl back to life!!

Seattlejester, which electronic flashers were you using, just out of curiosity? I have not observed the specific issues you were experiencing, so I'm wondering if the choice of flasher was causing the problem.

If no one else chimes in, I'll take s look at my documentation tomorrow. My recollection is that blues wires in the dash are often associated with the heating and cooling systems. Those leads on the steering column appear to be factory original, so the FSM should show you exactly what they're connected to.

SCCA and NASA are two of the main sanctioning bodies in the U.S.; but there can often be local clubs and organizations that run their own events outside of these two. Consider running some HPDE, as well as autox. SCCAForums and NASAForums are good sources of event info across the country, as is MotorsportsReg.com. If you are more interested in maximizing your car's performance (with the lowest times) than placing within a particular class, you may find that XP is most suited to your goals. It permits just about any and all modifications, for all intents and purposes. The penalty you pay is a stiffer PAX rating.

Admins, we have a spammer....username "davidhenry".

Congrats...looks very nice. You probably already know this, but the problem most people encounter when restoring an old dash is that new cracks continue to pop up after the restoration....and obviously best way to avoid this is a good sealer treatment and avoid UV whenever possible. May even want to consider using one of those carpet-type dash mats to protect it.

Great write-up, socorob...thx very much. To answer your question regarding 240 racks; yes, they will fit later years, but you'll need different bushings. The 240 steering rack bushings are narrower than the 280's. I'm assuming you want the earlier rack for the different steering ratio?

Sounds like the video was shot in the shop, no? (I.e. Car on a lift, and no load on he drivetrain.) Ard you sure you got a good diff? Those noises on the video sound a lot like a differential with internal issues. What differential is it, and is it open or LSD?

Gotcha. Can certainly understand wanting a full original dash vs a dash cover. Can't say that I've seen one melted and bubbled up like yours did....I'm a cheap bastard and have had half-caps on all my Z's, and they've always lasted pretty well. But they've always been garaged, and obviously not subject to constant UV damage.

Just curious....are you opposed to using a dash cover? They're available in half- and full-size, and usually look pretty decent if installed correctly. Definitely a lot less work than what you're going through trying to restore your old dash. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/CTGY/classic08d04

The piece you need is called the differential carrier side retainer. Do you have the FSM? If not, you can download them free for all years S30 at: http://www.xenonzcar.com/s30/reference.html

Yes, the single bolt in the middle is the correct method for removing and installing that style half-shaft. Sorry you found that out after damaging the first one. Later years have a "side axle" that clips into the diff; and uses 4 bolts to bolt to the half-shaft....similar to where your half-shaft bolts to the stub axles (at the bottom of your rear struts). I don't' know the name of the facing plate that got damaged, but it's definitely not the pinion flange. That's on the nose of your differential and it bolts to the driveshaft. Just post a pic of the damaged plate in parts wanted and someone will have it....there's plenty of open R180s floating around. (I just gave one away last month). Good luck with it.

Clive- I believe one of our members here has quite a bit of experience in importing vehicles to the US. He may also be involved in vehicle export. Member name is "PLATA". Also, if you're on Facebook, there is a gentleman on the "Datsun 240Z Classifieds" page that appears to be very active in the vehicle import/export business. His name is is Robert Jackson. One of these gents should be able to help you, if you're still looking for information. Good luck with it. Cheers

Here's another thread: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/123215-aurduino-powered-tach/. FYI. You usually can get better Search results if you use Google vs the website's search engine. Just include "HybridZ" in your Google search command.

Speedhut. Scroll down to May 8, 2015 to see this member's method for installing: http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/121732-cx-racing-kit-ly6-tr6060-build/?page=2&tab=comments#comment-1143496.

From your video and written description of the noise, it's rhythmic, and only on the backside of the throttle....is that correct? Loose or worn half-shafts or driveshaft could cause noise like that. Check all your u-joints and nuts/bolts for looseness. Also check your differential mounting points. If you can feel it in the floorboards, that would seem to indicate driveshaft vs half-shafts, but not definitively. Possibly wheel bearings also, but usually not during straight-line driving, and I don't think one would normally feel the movement in the floorboards. Good luck with it.

Good on ya'. A lot of folks will measure their voltage at the battery, but that doesn't necessarily mean your starter and/or distributor is getting that full voltage. The electrical systems on these old cars suck. Never miss an opportunity to clean your connections and grounds, and replace the old wiring with new, thicker-gauge wire.

Welcome to HybridZ and congrats on your find. If the car truly has minimal rust, $8K is a pretty good price....especially in the midwest. If your block is from a truck engine, that's actually a good thing....many of those '70's-era SBC truck engines were fitted with 4-bolt mains. Pretty indestructible for most applications. The Pantera hatch is pretty rare these days, and quite desirable in some circles. If you decide you don't want to keep it, you could certainly sell it for a pretty penny. The PU bushings will help immensely. In addition to the mustache bar bushings going bad, the bushings on the inner mounts of your rear lower control arms are often disintegrated, which gives similar symptoms to what you're experiencing. If you ordered an entire bushing kit, please take note that it is recommended you NOT use PU bushings on the front tension control rods. The OEM rubber bushings are intended to flex in the frame mount, and PU bushings can overstress the mount and cause fractures/breaks in the metal and/or welds. Don't waste a single opportunity to clean your electrical connections and grounds. The S30's had some sketchy engineering on their electrical systems, and 45 years of sitting around hasn't improved the situation. There are kits available to integrate modern relays into your parking lights and headlights, or you can design your own mod....either way, it's a big improvement on the factory design. Good luck with it and don't hesitate to ask questions. This is probably the best forum on the website for high-performance Z cars.