bjhines

My judgement on this is that the pure green light of the LED does not suit this gauge's markings. 1. The needle is not well enough lit in comparison to the markings. I would prefer the needle to be brighter than the markings. 2. I am happy with the intensity of the LED light. I would not use the guages at full-168G bulb brightness. You can read by them at night. I have an idea to fix this issue by using another LED to accent the needle paint. There are "blacklight" ultraviolet emmitting LEDs in a variety of sizes. I think a very small UV LED would really make the flourescent orange needle POP.

I am lightening the loads on my original 240Z harness. LED lighting is a small part of that load reduction. I have purchased a variety of automotive and individual component LED lights. I will add more pictures as I can. The original Z gauges are green so most of what I am testing is green. I am using a 25A-13.8V regulated power supply to simulate the alternator's output. -------------------------------------------------------------- Autometer gauge lights: The first comparison is related to the Autometer gauges and the 168G bulbs and color gels/covers they come with. The 168G bulbs get HOT. That is another issue I am trying to avoid. I purchased a set of 168 style LED replacement bulbs in a relatively low output version in GREEN. Here they are against a piece of white cardboard. The incandecent bulb shows a whiteish glare through the gel cover. The LED bulb is not quite as bright but it casts a pure green light over almost as wide an area without the white glare. Here is a picture of the Autometer Tachometer in the Z housing. The LED is top-right in the gauge and the 168G bulb is lower-left. The 168G bulb is slightly brighter and brings out the yellow parts of the gauge markings better than the pure green LED. This is the tach lit with both 168G bulbs: This is the tach lit with both LED bulbs: The orange needle and the yellow markings are all green and poorly lit in comparison. The white gauge markings are nearly as well lit as with the bulbs. ...

LOL!!! That is a good one. I am waiting for Murphy to hit me up for some lovin. I am getting my new 240Z track car close to completion and I fully expect to find some really stupid mistake that forces me to completely change some aspect of my modificaitons. Your $1300 booboo is still an improvement.

A while ago, I found some pics on the interweb that showed a nice, clean, factory-like installation of the Autometer Pro Comp Tachometer in an S-30 dashboard. If anyone knows who did this first please post a link to give them credit. I gave it a shot and honestly, I was prepared to buy a new tach if I screwed this one up. I didn't screw it up. This turned out to be an easy, kitchen table kind of mod. Don't fear cutting into your brand new tachometer. It took me longer to remove the damn warning sticker and the glue residue than it did to install the damn tahcometer. Here is the completed install. You might think this would take all kinds of careful dissassembly and involve magnifying glasses and a micrometer. No way... It only takes some side cutting pliers, a flat blade screwdriver and a pair of good kitchen scissors. The silver ring around the Autometer tach is thin aluminum that has been crimped around a lip on the plastic tach housing. It holds the glass in place and is really easy to bend. You need to bend it. Be careful not to flex the plastic tach housing too much. You might warp the thin, aluminum gauge-face. Use a small flatheaded screwdriver to gently pry the crimped trim ring. Once you get a little lip up you can use the small, side-cutting pliers to work your way around prying it out to loosen the trim ring from the plastic tach housing. Toss the ring and the glass in the trash. Next you must remove the lip around the plastic tach housing. Break out the kitchen scissors. Trim straight and true here. You need to make the outside of the plastic tach housing flush and "lip-less". It is best NOT TO GRIND or sand here. The little bits will show up later, keep them to a minimum. The next step is the highly involved preparation of the original Datsun 240Z tachometer housing. This is a killer. Step one: Remove the 4 small phillips head screws that hold the original tachometer housing in the gauge-pod. Toss the metal tach housing in the trash. Keep the gauge pod and its plastic interior parts. Step two: Clean the bug-parts out of the old gauge-pod and wash the clear plastic lense. Dont rub the old flat black paint, just dust it off with a clean paint brush. Step three: Insert the lipless-wonder gauge you made earlier. It is a tight fit but it is PERFECT. It will slip in all the way to the original clearanced position. JUST LIKE the original gauge fit. Use some good duct tape to hold it in place. It won't move without tape. The fit is quite tight. I used Gorilla-Tape to be sure. Done. ...

Yes... That is glue coated heatshrink for underground high voltage splices. It really holds onto the snakeskin. The lugs take a lot of effort to make. But they are worth it considering the cost of having a large assortment on hand. The wires are a many step process. 1. I use cable cutters with curved shears to make neat cuts without deforming the wire. 2. I very carefully strip the jacket without nicking the copper wires. 3. The ends are fit using a vice and forcing the wire deep into the lug. 4. I crimp the lugs around the wire 5. I solder using the 200W iron. I only work the hole-end of the lug. 6. I clean the flux residue off the ends and run them on the wire brush wheel. 7. I apply a high quality polyolefin heatshrink tubing. 8. I slip on the snakeskin and trim to fit. 9. I use glue coated heavywall heatshrink to bind the snakeskin.

I invested in Weller Irons. I can pick them up locally and parts are readily available. They range from 5W to 25W. The big iron is for stained glass work and is old as hell(judging by the braided wire jacket). It may be 200W, I dunno, I got it at a tool/yard sale. I use the Panavice brand vices and clamps. I also have a "HandyHands" mini vice with alligator clip arms. I Dont use torches at all. I do have a "Dragon" mini torch, but it is out of fuel and never comes out of the box anyway. I tend to make my own lugs to suit the various-sized, heavy-guage terminals. A large guage wire mostly prepped for soldering. I crimp the ends with large aircraft cable crimpers. Completed termination, there are many steps to this kind of work. ...

Neato.. I didn't realize there was a crystallization issue with the soldered connections. It makes sense. I have seen a great many soldered connections fail under strain. This is much less likely to occur with crimped connections. I think the key is to properly encase and support soldered connections.

Yes... Only one type locally available in many sizes. I have ordered the metal-bodied versions before, and I have seen the specialty pin configurations in the catalog. As I recall, I had to order the various pins individually. The connectors I use come bagged with everything I need to assemble them. I have a couple of different crimpers and pin removal tools. But that also becomes a problem. More pin sizes requires more tools I segregate the high current wires from the rest of the bundle. It never presents a problem using the locally available connectors. Most of the wires I bundle are 16g or smaller.

I too use low voltage connectors for a living. I solder most of the connections I use.. but there are times where solder can hurt you. Solder is important for low voltage signal paths(~1mV)... But it is not required for reliable operation of higher voltage connections(>5V). Solder is a superior conductor as long as it is used correctly. Solder issues include: Burning the insulation on the wires. This hardens the ends and can result in premature failure under strain. Excess flux can wick into the wires. This also hardens the wire, weakening it. Excess solder can wick into the wires also leading to early failure under strain. Excess solder can foul pins and sockets on connectors, making it impossible to properly connect them. Improper flux can cause corrosion of the wires over time. Stay away from the plumbing hardware supplies. Soldering wires that are being used with binding posts and/or clamping type connectors(Phoenix connectors) is not reccommended. These connectors need flexible(multistrand) wires to properly bind them. Single strand(or tinned ends) will not work in these connectors. Where you do use crimp type connections they must be sealed from moisture. But this really applies to most any connector even if the pins and sockets are soldered, the connection between them can still be fouled. There are several types of common connectors. I can't get into them all, But most require special crimping tools and pin removal tools. Weatherpack: I have some issues with the GM Weatherpack connectors. The very idea that GM can make useful electrical components is beyond me. GM makes consistantly unreliable electrical components. Who ever thought that GM weather-pack connectors were worth using on ANYTHING except electrical-gremlin prone GM vehicles. but seriously... The connector bodies allow a lot of dislocation of the pins and sockets in the housing. They can jam and get deformed VERY easily. The material the pins and sockets are made of is very thin. The pins can easily be deformed. The sockets are not stiff enough to provide a positive connection to the pin. Besides, the pins would just crush down if the sockets had any more grip on them. This one is screwed up from the SPAL PWM fan controller I just purchased. The middle pin has been crushed at the SPAL factory. Keep in mind that they sell pins to use up to 10gauge wire. I'll be damned if that little sheet foil pin is good for high current. On to the GOOD stuff. I prefer the AMP connectors. They are all ROUND connectors. They have durable pins and sockets made from heavier guage brass. The connector bodies fit the pins and sockets well so there is little chance of jammed pins. The pins fit tightly into the sockets, ensuring a good connection. These connectors also have sealed versions. They are expensive. They do require a special crimping tool unless you are soldering the pins and sockets. I used solder for all of mine. They will accept wires up to 14G, so they are not suitable for high current applications. Keep in mind that their pins and sockets a FAR superior to the GM Weatherpack connectors. Yet they do not allow room for more than 14guage wire. Go figure....

That is typical damage. It often happens during off-road excursions, running down deer, dogs, armadillos...... and idiot mechanics. It is not a car killer because the floors and their "frame rails" are not the only chassis supporting structures. In fact the floors do very little for chassis support at all. Too bad for the fellas who's cars were needlessly junked due to poorly thought out local laws.

I rednecked it. I have a nice tubing notcher, ~$200 IIRC. I also have a nice selection of quality hole saws and arbors. I found that testing out the fit on scrap pieces of tubing is the way to go. Get creative with strings and laser pointers to make sure the little scrap piece is pointing at the junction on the opposite end. This will allow you to get the right fit without screwing up your actual tubing pieces. It is relatively easy to get the tubing notcher set up to copy an existing notch. The plan is.. get it right with a short piece of scrap and then use the scrap to properly set up your notcher.(keep in mind that you will often already have the notcher set up once you get the scrap to fit). I also have another suggestion. Never cut things(or notch them) to the exact length required. I always sneak up on the correct fit. That allows you to get a perfect fit every time. Try to cut a little oversized. Then you can hand grind the exact fit or you can quickly chuck it back into the notcher to shave a little more off. Mark your tubing... I use a variety of paint markers to put down good visible marks. Then I use a scribe(in the paint) to accurately mark the cut line. Make alignemt marks for all dimensions including rotation. I use typical woodworking type angle finders. I also have an angle finding level. I often use strings and wire. I also used some small square stock cut to various lengths. Laser pointers on magnets helped in a few spots.

Hmm... I don't have a 1970 to look at... If it is like the 1972-73 models then there are several front ground points. 1. one on the lower radiator support 2. at least one on the passenger side frame rail 3. I seem to recall one on the driver's side as well, near the coil. 4. There is also a firewall ground point and at least one behind the fuse panel. There are also a lot of ground splices in the harness. They get cruddy in the front clip area and will cause headlight issues. The corner maker light housings are notorious for grounding to the body through the attachment screws. Check these and make sure they are insulated from ground.

I'm sorry for getting too political. I am just frustrated with the situation. Economy aside, The SBC is a marvelously small package for a whole lot of displacement. I am building a JTR/SBC Hybrid 240Z. I looked at the other options... Cost for performance in a package that balances My 240Z nearly perfectly is hard to beat.

We have to keep in mind that the more advanced valve-trains and the greater HP/ci also add up to more efficient engines. The foriegn manufacturers have been producing affordable, advanced designs for decades. They are ahead of the efficiency curve by miles over American post WW2 technology. It is true that the new Corvettes manage impressive HP numbers and definitely turn heads with performance. But the OHV design just keeps throwing more cubic inches at the problems caused by lack of sophistication. The gas shortages in the 1970s should have been the wake up call in Detroit(It was for everyone else). Yet nearly 4 decades later they still haven't gotten the memo. Do they really think that 7liters, or 8 liters, or 12 liters displacement is going to keep up with the rest of the world's designs...???? Forget it. They have their heads stuck in the sand and will continue to do so until the day they finally close up shop. It is sad to think that people of the future will see that the defining innovations made by Detroit were accomplished generations ago. They just coasted on the work of their forefathers until the day they ceased to exist.

Whoaaaa... It is neat to see the brand names that we all know today featured so prominently in a magazine four decades old. One thing that relly does bother me is that none of this engineering has ever been produced for the engines these guys were tinkering with(the same engines we all like to play with today). For God's sake, The new Corvettes still have only the most basic implementations of these old school ideas. It seems to me that if we have a member here that can create a dual overhead cam head for the L-series Datsun engines... ...with none of the foundry and developement tools that the major US car makers have to work with... ... What the 4uck have the people in Detroit been doing all these years. They have obviously NOT designed any engines since the 1950s. Ohh.. I see.. They have been hiding under their half century old drafting tables while the rest of the world moved on without them. Simply disgusting....

It is a nice car inside and out. I especially like the leather on the dash and wheel houses. I think I would have used black on black for the interior, but the work is impressive from what I can see. I can't help but notice the lack of aircleaners, The open element breather on the valve cover The lack of a PCV system The dead headed/ one sided fuel system The lack of any type of heat-shielding Brake booster fed by a single intake runner To name a few that will cause drivability and maintenance problems for the buyer. If you just drive it on and off the trailer then fine... great car...

That is great man. Those things really light it up!!! Seriously... does the camera make it look better than it really is?...

I got in Ford's ♥♥♥♥ about that myself and I recieved a response from Ford directly. """ Dear John, Thank you for taking the time to write to us. As you are probably already aware, the calendar issue was a misunderstanding and it has been resolved. Ford did not notify the Black Mustang Club to stop production on its 2008 calendar. Ford does not intend to alienate any enthusiast clubs and that's why we moved quickly to clear the air. For more details, please visit the Black Mustang Club official website: http://www.bmcforums.com/showthread.php?t=42820 Ford's official response has been posted on many websites and a copy can be found at: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=27542 We appreciate our loyal customers and Mustang enthusiasts such as the Black Mustang Club members. Sincerely, Iris Camille Customer Relationship Center Ford Motor Company"""

I put it on the rack today... It needed an alignment for street use. The PO tracked the car a few times. It handles well so much as I can test it out on highway ramps. It handles very flat. It does not push or oversteer unexpectedly. I can rotate the rear with the throttle in a controlled manner. It also handles bumpes and whoopies well under hard cornering. He put a few offset bushings in key places and swapped a few parts around to get the car into track worthy alignment. It has a set of Dinan springs and Bilstein shocks. They are certainly stiffies, but not too low to the ground. The Koseis are non-staggered wheels, with cupped and worn tires. The PO did a few things that are not quick and easy to change back to stock. I have found a short list of suspension and chassis parts that need replacement. The car needs new lower control arms in front.(to replace ball-joints) It needs a few of the more difficult to change rear bushings. The left rear wheel bearing needs replacement. It could use engine, tranny, and subframe mount bushings. I need to put the upper strut mounts back on the correct sides of the chassis.(they were swapped to increase caster and camber) I don't like the feel of the clutch pedal. (it is not smooth through it's travel) The shifter probably needs new bearings/bushings. or maybe they are normally notchy and loose... I dunno. Other than those things the car is well kept, Nothing is hurting drivability. They are just the initial to-do list.

I got a chuckle out of this^^^^ I was driving a 1999 Chevy Z71. The red one beside the Z. I got tired of the mileage and bought a Ford E-250 Van for work/towing. Then I bought a 1997 BMW M3 sedan... A rare one... for my daily driver. Damn, the M3 is a blast to drive.

The BMW has put a little dent into the V-8 240Z budget, but it is not stopping progress. I recently sold my (daily driver/work truck/tow vehicle) Chevy pickup for $10,000 and bought a Ford E-250 cargo van to use as my work/tow vehicle. I was in the market for a Honda Accord or similar daily driver to reduce fuel costs and make parking a little easier. I managed to convince my wife that I needed something "fun" to drive. When I came home with the BMW... I told my wife, "It gets twice the MPG than the truck and it's fun to drive"... She rolled her eyes...

I picked up another track car this weekend. I just couldn't resist when I found a BMW M3 SEDAN(4 doors) that was going for a decent price. It is in great shape mechanically and visually. Ohh what fun it is to drive.... and it has a kick ass stereo and heated seats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcRyNPzqP1A The look on that man's face while he blips the throttle says volumes.

Everything I have read about bolts and their strength ratings would cause me to reconsider modifying a bolt in any way... other than to shorten it, drill it's head for retaining wires, or ball-milling the hex head. The threads on high strength bolts are "rolled" onto the blank bolt shafts while they are hot and malleable. They use two large grooved plates to clamp the bolt blank, then the plates slide against one another to "roll the blank while the grooves in the plates create the threads. Then the bolts are heat treated to the required hardness and plated. This process creates threads with a strong grain pattern at the root of the threads. Rolled threads are far superior to cut threads in many ways.

You can't really hold someone responsible unless you catch them in the act. Paint samples won't cut it in court. If you do catch them and they drive off, then it is hit and run and a felony. Look at their liscense plate and call the police. They will never touch another car as long as they live.