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Finishing Touches on my 1973 240Z


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Here's my 1973 240Z. Its only missing a couple minor things. Its only got 20k original miles and its real clean all around. No rust, even under the car. 

 

Specs:

 

Race cam - 4,000 RPM to 8,500 RPM powerband
5 speed transmission
L24 engine
Electronic ignition
16 inch Centerline Corona wheels
R180 rear differential
Coilovers
Anti-roll bars
Corbeau seats
Four barrel Holley carb
Intake manifold for the carb
Long tube headers, 6-1
Flowmaster exhaust
Mishimoto radiator
Stant radiator cap

Interior fully redone

Blacked out taillights

 

To do list:

Fuel gauge stuck on empty.

Tachometer doesn't work.

Reapply glue to the hatch weatherstripping.

Repaint some sections of the underbody black to protect from rust.

Oil change.

Rear disc conversion.

Coolant flush.

Strut tower bar install.

Four point harness install.

Six point cage install.

Short throw shifter install or replace shift boot.

 

Done:

Love my car.

Ignition kill switch.

Fix burnt out parking light/wiper/blinker connector.

 

 

Short video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mU3s043_Yow

 

Photos:

 

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2cbCv_zps17e9d752.jpg

 

2cbDl_zps91c12b34.jpg

Edited by Onion
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Thanks.  :icon10:

 

Update: I just installed the shifter from my 2000 Mustang GT that was wrecked when someone t-boned me. Its not the classiest piece for a 240Z, but the chrome matches the rest of my car pretty well and the memory of my beloved Mustang lives on, so I think I'll be keeping it. Also, being a pistol grip, it shifts so much nicer than the regular shift knob I had on it before. Here's a photo.

 

2C1tV.jpg

 

Edit: Here's another set of photos taken today, after installing the shifter.

 

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IMG_20130415_121108_zpsffd29555.jpg

Edited by Onion
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Quality and the brand. Eithre way you shouldn't be attaching a harness to the strut tower bar. It would be safer to use the strut tower bolts as attachment points. I'm sure there is a thread on it somewhere.

 

And you're right, the one I saw on CL was very similar in color, and had some wierd ass spider wheels that looked almost the same.

Edited by BluDestiny
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Quality and the brand. Eithre way you shouldn't be attaching a harness to the strut tower bar. It would be safer to use the strut tower bolts as attachment points. I'm sure there is a thread on it somewhere.

 

And you're right, the one I saw on CL was very similar in color, and had some wierd ass spider wheels that looked almost the same.

 

Really? I thought the strut tower itself wasn't very good because its not directly behind the driver. I know the strut tower and the strut tower bar aren't the best choices, but its only a temporary thing until my roll cage is done. I'll keep looking, but I haven't seen that thread yet (I've already done a lot of googling on this). 

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I'd love to come up to AMS, but my car's in Miami and I'm in Jacksonville. I'd be willing to do the trip, but that's my last week of class and I've got finals. :( I'll see if I can make it all the way up to North Carolina for ZDayZ, it looks like a fun meet. 

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Bouncing speedo is normal as far as I know, mine is inaccurate until I get to about 10-15mph, anything below that and it just pulsates.

 

As far as the harness, I would wait until the roll bar/cage is done to install it. Technically speaking a 4 point without an antisubmarine system of some sort (antisubmarine belt/break away strap) is going to be unsafe in a big accident, more so than the stock 3 point. It took me a bit of time to get that through my head.

 

Car looks and sounds great!

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Gogriz, I'm surprised they even had a Datsun at a Nissan dealer. What did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

 

Seattle, unfortunately, I don't have a stock seatbelt and I really don't want to shell out the cash for a stock belt that I'll only be using for a couple weeks. I'm not going to be driving it much, I'd just like some sort of restraint system to avoid getting a ticket, and because its probably better than nothing. 

 

My speedo bounces a lot until I hit 30-35 mph, where it still bounces a little but not as much. 

 

Thanks.  :icon10:

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I wired up a switch to the electric ignition as a safety feature. Now I can just flip the switch (its hidden) and the car doesn't turn over if I try to start it. Also gave myself a nice little buzz when I tried starting the car with the switch in my hand lol. 

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Well things went a bit south today. I gave the car a couple revs with the new switch installed, and I had smoke coming out of the steering column. I guess that the ignition puts out too much juice for the wiring to handle. I put everything back to stock and I'll crack the steering column open tomorrow to see if any of the wires are toast. If they are, I'll patch in some new stuff. Kind of a fail day today. 

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Thanks PLATA. :D Not many Z's around, full stop. :P

 

Update!

 

Popped the Z on jack stands only to find that the black undercoating is starting to chip, peel, and fall apart. This is going to be a project for another time, but I'm going to scrape all of it of the underbody of the car and then spray it flat black again. 

 

Next order of business... I gave her the berries again, but without the ignition kill switch that I had wired. It smoked again. :( I popped the steering column cover off and found out that a connector had melted and burnt. I'm not sure what its called, and what the two bad cables are, let alone how to fix it... Maybe some of you more talented electrical guys on here can help me? I disconnected it and tried to start the car just to see if I had to push it back into the garage or not, and it did start. However, the headlights don't turn on, the dash lights don't turn on, and the blinkers don't work. Here's what the connector and the damage look like. 

 

2J97R.jpg

 

2J98H.jpg

 

2J99l.jpg

Edited by Onion
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I ordered a new 9 pin connector set with the spade connectors included. Whenever that gets there I'll rewire that part of the car and see if it still works. Also bought DeOxit D100 to get all the gunk off my connectors.

 

In the meantime, more small things.

 

Zip-tied the rad overflow tube to the radiator so it doesn't flop around.

 

2KtTL.jpg

 

Put the ignition kill switch back now that I know it didn't cause the problem with the burnt out connector. Hot glued the cables to the strut tower bolts so they don't move around. 

 

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The 30 amp switch.

 

2KtZY.jpg

 

Also topped off the oil, checked the coolant which needs replacing, and let the car run a while to charge the battery up. Need a new shifter boot as its not sealing properly. 

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Gogriz, I'm surprised they even had a Datsun at a Nissan dealer. What did you pay for it if you don't mind me asking?

 

Seattle, unfortunately, I don't have a stock seatbelt and I really don't want to shell out the cash for a stock belt that I'll only be using for a couple weeks. I'm not going to be driving it much, I'd just like some sort of restraint system to avoid getting a ticket, and because its probably better than nothing. 

 

My speedo bounces a lot until I hit 30-35 mph, where it still bounces a little but not as much. 

 

Thanks.  :icon10:

 

Sorry that took awhile, I paid $3300 for it in 1986 which is to say, I overpaid for it.  it had Zenith carbs which means someone hated themselves more than they hated the flattops because the Zeniths were no improvement.  the dealership was off of Wells road or Kingsley, can't remember which but they had the 260 and two 280 2+2s.  If I had it all to do over again I would have looked harder for a 240 but hindsight is always 20/20.  I lived off of Cherry St in Riverside a couple of blocks from Lee high school and they finished the Landing when I was there.  Jax is a nice town, the beach, the river, alot of fun. 

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Riverside sounds pretty nice, but I've never been around there before. Usually I tend to stick around the UNF area. 

 

And that makes more sense that you bought it in 1986, I couldn't imagine finding an S30 at a dealership today. 

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