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240z and 260z transmission tunnel the same?


Bob_H

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I tried to search, no luck.

 I have a 72 240z with some portion of the trans tunnel cut away.  

 I found a 74 260z in the pick and pull - does anyone know if the transmission tunnels are the same?  I just need to cut a big section out so I can graft it into mine.  The 260 will be going to the crusher - so all the better to get it now!  

 I know the center console is different, but the rest looks almost identical to me?  

Thanks!

Bobby

 

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You could be dealing with 3 different "tunnels".

1. early 240z has a trans mount where the bolts secure to the tunnel vertically.  I think this is series 1, 2, & 3 (up to 72).

2. Later 240z 73 has the 280z trans mount.  This is series 4.

3. Sometime in 74 the 260 started being built with the 280 chassis, which I believe has the bulge in the tunnel to accommodate the cat. 

 

There is a thread in the S30 section or s30 FAQ's documenting the differences in each chassis.  Search for it.

 

 

Edited my reference to S29's in the last line to S30's.  Scratching my head how I did that one. 

Edited by rejracer
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Thanks for the reply- I'm familiar with the trans mount differences and that part is intact and I guess I wasn't clear in my description. The part I'm interested in is the area above- from just behind the fuse box mount to just behind the shifter hole. I'll see if I can put a picture of the cut out area. Bottom line, this car had a side mount shifter,(think old chevy/ford transmissions with the levers/ linkages on the side)- that area was cut and new metal fab'd in. I cut the new stuff out and now want it back stock so I can put the console/etc back on. Key is, a 240z console, not a 260 or 280z console which is wider up front.

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You could be dealing with 3 different "tunnels".

1. early 240z has a trans mount where the bolts secure to the tunnel vertically.  I think this is series 1, 2, & 3 (up to 72).

2. Later 240z 73 has the 280z trans mount.  This is series 4.

3. Sometime in 74 the 260 started being built with the 280 chassis, which I believe has the bulge in the tunnel to accommodate the cat. 

 

There is a thread in the S30 section or s29 FAQ's documenting the differences in each chassis.  Search for it.

The way this is addressed in JDM is these are all referred to as "S30 Series" vehicles, and each of the permutations is identified by a production date and equipment specification.

It works great from the US Standpoint as we have our production date stamped in a tag in the door jamb so we know what we have.

 

I'll address the new-to-me 'Series 4' Designation (never heard that designation before) as it's the only one that crosses to the Japanese RPC notes (running production changes) and note that the S30 Series underwent a production change in 6/74 to accommodate the catalyst.

 

Prior to that, the 6/73 to 6/74 used basically the same general tunnel save that the  9/73's started using different attachment points for the dash and eliminated the fusebox mounting tabs (and console tabs) for the 260Z Style dash and console.

 

The Early Cars (sometime in 72, I forget the date/chassis number, it's all in Nissan Records by Effective Date and Chassis number) stopped with the early forward 'A Box' transmission tunnel hole.

 

It would REALLY be helpful to know WHERE the tunnel is cut away to know if you are dealing with simply a shifter hole placement issue....or if you have to even DEAL with the trans mounts at all. 

 

Cutting down about 2" from the top of the tunnel front to back can easily turn one tunnel into another without ever changing the trans mounts. Allowing a 260 or 280 to turn into a 240, and vice-versa!

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Tony - thanks.  The picture of what is cut away is above your post.  Prod date, 4/74.  

 So the mount screwed in just forward of the cut is wider/not there for the 260z consoles and won't affect it.  I still have the fuse box mount attached, so that should be good as well.  

 It appears the 260z,(early, no Cat), that is in the pick-n-pull will work great. 

Just what I needed - thanks!

Edited by Bob_H
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Yeah, 4/74 will be the same as a 73. That should give you the sheetmetal you need to get a stock shifter placement back in the car. Give yourself PLENTY of extra metal, and you could actually "slide" the 74 component around a little bit to give you a nice factory hole right where you need it, that might not be exactly where the factory intended.

 

You should be golden with those donor parts!

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I'm quite sure the series 4 designation is my own fabrication, as is series 5 and 6.  (late 260 and 280z respectively). 

 

My apologies to anyone  searching for series 4 information.  I should not post such rubbish without clarification of it being a figment of my imagination.  I'm not being sarcastic, as I know how frustrating it is to search using the wrong terminology. 

 

Changes i'm aware of in 73 are new trans mounts, different brake booster mounts, electrical system, & heater controls.  I am aware of these because over the years i've learned the hard way by dragging home "240z" parts from the junkyard for my 72, and finding they are not quite what I wanted.  If I had Tony's knowledge of Z's back in the 90's, I would have made far fewer trips to the junkyard. 

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