jhm

mbell- See recent thread on this exact subject...may have the info (or at least some of it) that you're looking for. jhm http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=156826

Thanks for the kind words, Sean. Sorry to hear about your front end damage....that's a real drag. Hope you're able to get her back in shape soon! Is that a plug from a block heater I see peeking out of your front grill? We (fortunately) don't have to worry about such things down here in Virginia...just bugs, heat, and humidity (oh yeah...and hurricanes!)

I believe the correct answer is "it depends". It depends on whether you have a 260 or a 280. If it's a 260, it depends on whether it's an early '74 or a late '74. It depends on what kind of mounting hardware you're using to install the 240 bumpers. It depends on whether the bumpers you're installing are compatible with the current body contours of your car. It depends on whether you want a "stock" look, or a "custom" look, on your front end. Not trying to be a smart-aleck....it all just boils down to your particular project, and your particular goals for it. Do some searching in the "Body Kits and Paint" forum to see what other members have done with their front ends. Lots of good ideas to plagiarize! Good luck and happy motoring.

Here's JTR's page on Datsun Z cars -- STRONGLY recommend you buy their conversion manual if you don't already have one. http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Datsun_Order.html You can also get some good tech data on all their headers from Sanderson's webpage. http://www.sandersonheaders.com/ "Nullbound" was recently selling some nice Hooker block hugger headers at a great price here on HybridZ -- they may still be available.

I second the recommendation on block huggers. They should fit fine on both JTR-type and Scarab-type V8 installations. If you're looking to economize, eBay has a bunch of decent block hugger headers -- I bought these and am really happy with both the quality of construction and the customer service. http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/SBC-Chevy-Ceramic-Coated-Block-Hugger-Headers-305-350_W0QQitemZ220500631394QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item3356dc9f62 I think most people would agree that ceramic coating is well worth the few extra $$. Regarding shipping, most major shippers (like UPS, FedEx, and DHL) have international distribution....so you shouldn't have to rely on the local mail system. Good luck and be sure to post your results after the conversion is finished!

Don't know if you're planning to rewire your engine compartment; but when I rewired mine, I yanked out a ton of crap under the hood....all the relays, voltage regulator (unnecessary w/ a GM 1-wire alternator), emergency switch, etc. I also replaced the fusible links with heavy-duty circuit breakers. If you want to remove your shunt, do a search in the "Ignition and Electrical " sub-forum. Good luck and happy motoring!

Larry- Happy to help. Kind of weird about your horn relay. When I was reading your description of the relay, I was thinking to myself "That sounds like a horn relay"; but the location was throwing me off. I believe that the factory mounted all horn relays (actually ALL driver's compartment relays) on the passenger side of the S30's. There's a relay mounting panel that like the ones in the 2 attachments. Maybe a PO moved yours, or maybe some of the early 240's had their horn relays on the driver's side? In either case, there shouldn't be any stray wires, like the one going to your courtesy light. That DEFINITELY sounds like a PO "modification". Glad you were able to sort it out. Happy motoring! John

Marc- Nothing fancy. Medium-gauge sheet metal cut and welded to flush in the channels; followed by body filler to smooth it all out. Hope this helps. jhm

If you do a Google search, you'll be amazed at the number of tests and studies that have been performed on engine oils and filters...here's just a couple: http://people.msoe.edu/~yoderw/oilfilterstudy/oilfilterstudy.html http://minimopar.knizefamily.net/oilfilters/index.html I've been using Purolator PureOne filters on all my vehicles for several years with good results.

Hey Grumpy- A number of factors played into my decision of which pan to get....clearance (both ground and side), price, capacity of the stock pump, etc. My motor's in a very mild state of tune, and rarely sees high revs, so hopefully the 5-qt pan will suffice. Thx for all the great info you've provided. jhm

Not familiar with that particular relay; but if it's factory, it should be in the 240 service manual. See atch link for free FSMs for all S30s. http://www.xenons30.com/reference.html

This may help... http://www.chevy-camaro.com/chevy-camaro-engine-codes.asp

Well, I took Grumpy's advice to heart and (finally) replaced my stock dented, leaky oil pan with a shiny new zinc-plated pan from Midwest Motorsports. I bought the 5-quart "stock-appearing pan": http://www.midwestmotorsportsinc.com/order_part.php?item=1050&line=MWM I also needed a new oil pickup because the stock Chevy pickup interferes with the new pan's baffling. I bought one of Midwest's claimer pickups: http://www.midwestmotorsportsinc.com/order_part.php?item=15136&line=MWM I also wanted to try one of the snazzy one-piece silicone gaskets that everyone's been raving about, so I ordered this one from Summit: http://www.summitracing.com/parts/FEL-OS34510T/ Everything went in relatively easily (knock on wood)....only had to remove the steering rack and lift the engine a couple inches to get enough clearance to remove the old pan and install the new. One word of caution....if you're using the "thick" (vs "thin") gasket and torque leveler plates on the pan, the stock pan bolts won't be long enough. 1" bolts were too long, but 3/4" bolts worked perfectly. Also, see Grumpy's instructions on checking clearance between your oil pickup and the bottom of the pan. The results are well worth the effort and the (minimal) expense. Larger capacity, a spiffy-looking zinc pan, and nary a drop of leaked oil!

Hadn't seen datsunzgarage before....another excellent site....thx for the tip!

Mike- If you haven't already done so, check out Atlantic Z's website. They have a good number of articles on upgrading just about every aspect of the old S30's. http://www.atlanticz.ca/index.php/tech-tips.html Good luck with your build and happy motoring. jhm

One other thought.... If you decide to keep the front bumper off, you may want to consider "flushing-in" the wells on the fender/valance. Results in a much cleaner-looking front end.

280znoob- Getting back to your original question....if you decide to remove the bumpers, do it right and remove them correctly. It will result in a better-looking final product, AND you will have retained all the hardware intact (in case you want to sell, or re-install on the car at a future date). See my thread on removing the rear bumper....it's really only a few hours work, and well worth the final result. http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?p=1068505#post1068505 Good luck with it and happy motoring. jhm

SysAds- Is there any resolution (or explanation) of the "fatal error" phenomena? I've been getting the error all morning (when trying to conduct a search). Thx in advance for any info you can provide. jhm

This may help.... http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=153191

Possibly air in the system? If so, that would definitely give you "mushy" brakes. Have you recently bled all four corners? If not, give it a try and see if the situation improves.

Believe it or not, but I've usually been able to find this kind of stuff at the local Pep Boys, Autozones, and Advance Auto Parts stores. One of them will usually have the right piece-part (or something similar enough) that I'm looking for at the time.

citjet- The new light fit the plastic panel almost exactly. The metal panel underneath, however, had to be massaged a little. Nothing serious....just a little reshaping to allow for the swivel motion of the light fixture. Also, did you notice that these lights are available in both single and double configurations? One of the double lights might be the thing to meet your needs -- two independent swiveling light heads on a single mounting base. jhm

Brett- Are you familiar with Spectre Performance's website? They have a decent amount of engineering and technical data on each of their products (ducting, air plenums, filters, etc). Check out their tech forums and application guide for airflow data. The data on their 4" ducting should help answer your question (even if you use a product other than Spectre's). Hope this helps. John

Caleb- I had some minor body and paint work done on my 4Runner a couple years ago. After talking to a few shops, I decided to go with "Tim's Custom Painting and Collision Repair". The results were great....they did awesome work, and they finished the work in only a couple days. The price was maybe a little higher than market average, but certainly not unreasonable and well worth it considering the quality of their work. Tim's is at: 280 Production Drive (off of Rt 17, just south of Victory Blvd) Tabb VA 757-595-5058 Stan's was one of the shops I talked to before going to Tim's. The guys there certainly seemed knowledgeable, but I don't have any firsthand experience with them. Good luck and keep us posted. Good info for future reference! John

Just a thought....when you disassembled the parking brake, did you loosen the main adjusting linkage under the car (inside the driveshaft tunnel?) If so, it probably just needs to be retightened to its original position. It's a U-shaped yoke that connects the single linkage from your e-brake handle to the two linkages going to your drum brakes. Hope this helps.