my '73 240z from CO

[darrel]

I bought this car for $500, it sat for 14 yrs and didn't run. 84k miles and had the flat top carbs.

 

I refreshed a 2.8 out of a '75 280z and put in a late 5 spd close ratio trans, lsd with finned cover, I modified the rear cross member for the finned cover, tokico illumina suspension package, RT front diff mount, 16" reiken wheels, Dave Irwin HLH and PLH upgades, MSA fuse block. Choke lever bracket from article in Nissan Sport Magazine.

 

 

lsd brace

 

 

when i got it.

 

Choke lever bracket

 

with powder coated '81 zxt wheels

[JAKE719]

Thats a pretty awesome car, good deal!

[Jeepercole]

Looks good! Whats next?

[darrel]

I drove it to the nat'l z convention when it was held in long beach in '04.

 

Other things I have for it. f54 engine from 82 non turbo got for free. maxima diesel crank, just need to decide which engine block to put it in. Torsion rear end.

 

Now I need to figure out why when the headlights are on low beam, the passenger side is on low but the driver side is on high. When on high beam, the pass side is on high and the driver side is on low. Both lights are in correctly, lettering facing right side up, buckets are in correctly, the aiming screws are where they should be.

[darrel]

figured out why the headlights were messed up and is fixed.

 

The wires in the HLH were switched, after swapping them to the correct position in the connector I have cooperating headlights. Now I should be able to take full advantage of the Dave Irwin HLH.

 

There aren't any better upgrades to 240z's than Dave's HLH and PLH.

[darrel]

Took the radiator to get rodded and sealed. Thought I would get some pointers in case I wanted to do the heater core myself. $125 to rod the rad out, will be about $36 to get the heater core done.

 

melting old solder to get top tank off.

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rodding rad out.

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/dlh2460/media/240z/roddingrad_zps54da64da.mp4.html

 

flushing rad after rodding

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/dlh2460/media/240z/flushoutafterrodding_zpse4ff682f.mp4.html

 

Preparing top of core for tank and solder.

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/dlh2460/media/240z/cleanupbeforesolder_zpsf1e058c1.mp4.html

 

new solder

http://s30.photobucket.com/user/dlh2460/media/240z/moresoldertoptank_zps16bb0e6d.mp4.html

[darrel]

Helping someone with their z today. Side of right hand below the pinky.

[darrel]

I put the radiator in today that I had rodded out. Before I filled it up I changed the hoses around a bit. I don't have water going through the intake or the heater core.

 

I always ran hot, never over heated, just hot. I don't know how hot but the temp on the gauge was in the upper 3/4 of the gauge. I know I didn't run the hoses correctly the first time. I ran a hose from the fitting at the lower radiator hose over and across the front of the engine to the T-stat housing. The hose that ran from the lower rad hose fitting, i ran to the fitting on the back of the head.

 

I plugged the fitting at the back of the head and the T-stat housing. The fitting at the lower rad hose, I put a plug at the end of a short piece of hose at each location.

 

My temp gauge decided to get temperamental on me over the winter so it only works when it wants to. I do have a IR temp gun. Once the thermostat opened up, the lower rad hose measured around 70F, the top rad hose ran about 150-160. Along the head on the spark plug side it read 145. 

 

The top of the rad was reading around 150.

 

I was surprised how cool the lower rad hose was. Just by idling the rad was working well.

[I'm BLUE]

Nice 240z darrel !

Contrary to many , I like the over-rider bumper bars.

Shaved looks just as good.

The decals at the lower edge of the doors/fenders/quarters look great and make the car tasteful.

 

Are you currently running 3/4 up the temperature gauge or you were running that before the radiator being repaired ?

Those darn temp sender connectors are always bad on my s30's before replacing them.

[darrel]

Nice 240z darrel !

Contrary to many , I like the over-rider bumper bars.

Shaved looks just as good.

The decals at the lower edge of the doors/fenders/quarters look great and make the car tasteful.

 

Are you currently running 3/4 up the temperature gauge or you were running that before the radiator being repaired ?

Those darn temp sender connectors are always bad on my s30's before replacing them.

When the gauge was working that was with two other radiators I had. The first one, the fan went through and took out a few tubes. The second rad started to leak, but still had good flow. Went to long beach and back in '04 on that one. The rad I just had rodded out came out of a 55k '72 240z. It was leaking. It needed rodded out, but it wasn't as bad as they usually are when someone uses stop leak.

 

I will check into the connector. I did scrape the connector on the sensor to see if it was corrosion. I will touch to ground and see if it's the gauge or connector that is faulty.

 

I will drive it more later this week to see how the "new" rad is working out and keep an eye on any possible leaks.

 

I have other bumpers, some for early, some for '73's. I can see the over rider bars protecting somewhat in a minor fender bender. 

 

I love the stickers that are on it. There are some stickers made now that reproduces the exact stencil. The other stickers look unfinished with too big of spaces. There is a thread on classiczcars comparing them.

[darrel]

Insurance.

 

I used to carry American Collectors Ins. This year I decided to go with Hagerty. One of the reasons for change was the roadside assistance. AC only had the minimum coverage so I used aaa. Hagerty has a great plan, 125 mile free tow in any of my vehicles, unlimited times, and it is not a reimbursement plan. They have a network of towing companies much like aaa, but cost a lot less than aaa.

 

For the year on the 240 it is $227 total with the roadside assistance. Agreed value at $5k

 

Classic Insurance is not for daily drivers and car must be garaged. 

[Yakuza]

wow very nice looking Z...

[darrel]

Friend has a couple of used windshields, free. Both of us are curious about installing the glass.

 

1st attempt at installing windshield in the 240 today.

 

winshield-1 me and friend-0.

 

Tomorrow will be attempt #2. I'm pretty sure what I did wrong, hopefully #2 will be more successful.

 

 Only one left, I don't want it to be 3 times the charm. But then if it gets to that point, I will leave it to the professionals.

[darrel]

Ok, the first one was practice.

 

Was just thinking about pulling it out to start over then *crack*. It gave me time last night to look for more vids about putting in the glass with rubber gasket. Found a vw vid on youtube that explained it a lot better. The first glass, I set the bottom lip over the pinch weld. Doing it that way it didn't let the window go far enough onto the weld and settle. Leaving too much at the top to settle in.

 

 

This is the vid I found on youtube.

 

 

They explained it a lot better than other vids. It show you place the windshield and gasket in the opening, keeping the gasket on top of the pinch weld and center it. And to make sure the windshield and gasket sit flush on the pich weld in the opening. Other youtube vids I found didn't explain it in such detail. It made the second time install so much easier. I think we had it installed in 30 mins, 45 tops. 

[darrel]

installed this today.

[I'm BLUE]

Good job on the windshield install !

Something I have never done.. although I've cut quite a few out myself lolz.

I maybe referring back to you for guidance.. when the time comes for my windshield seal to be done !

 

I do like the heim's joints on your alternator bracket.

They are always cool in my book :cool:

 

How's your "new" radiator turning out for you ?

[darrel]

The radiator is doing fine so far. 

 

The alternator bracket I bought at msa. You could probably make one from parts at a well stocked hardware store. We have a local hardware store in Boulder called McGuckins. I may look into getting the parts to make one for the 620. It won't be as pretty as the one from msa, but I'm just looking for something utilitarian.

 

The youtube vid for the vw install helped tremendously on the second windshield. I wish I would have seen that vid first, it explained it much better. There is one thing I could have done better to make the gasket cover the opening better. I will have to try it if I install another windshield. The first windshield was a real nice one, nissan with no chips and had a shade at the top.

[I'm BLUE]

That's good to know as I have a radiator I need to have boiled/rodded/sealed that's been sitting a bit in my shelf.

There is no doubt It ^^^ is blocked as well lol.

 

It is a nice looking bracket though !

Yeah I was thinking the same about going down to my local "Parkrose Hardware/Ace Hardware" store (Ace bought them out) and looking for some Heims type joints again. I've had better luck with cost and selection just ordering the joints off the internet though ( big difference un-fortunately ... as I'd rather suppost local economy.. )

 

I'll make sure to watch that youtube vid !!!

Love the shade at the top on those types of windshields !

[darrel]

Today I decided to check the float level in the su's. The last time I checked was 10 yrs ago when I rebuilt them using the ztherapy kit.

 

Here's the plugs, they all looked pretty much the same.

 

 When I last adjusted the floats, I blew through the fuel hose and moved the float until I couldn't blow through it. Then I checked the measurement, approx 9/16". I set the mixture nuts at 2 turns down. I never could adjust it like it says in various books. Turning the adjustment nuts didn't seem to make a difference. 

 

Using a clear plastic hose, I hooked up at the bottom of the float bowl, not the drain plug. I pulled the plugs, used a remote starter and disconnected the starter wire on the starter solenoid. I had a jar to catch the gas that I emptied from the float bowl after each adjustment.

 

I marked the float bowl what the level should be according to the manual. 23mm from inside the top of the lid. Before I took off the lid I checked the level with the clear hose. With the plugs out the starter spun much faster allowing the pump to fill the float bowl fairly quickly. My initial adjustment was about 26-27mm which was too low. Using this method I was able to adjust the float level to within 1mm of spec. 

 

Tomorrow I will see about adjusting the carbs. Right now when pushing the pin up on the front carb it will die, when pushing the pin up on the rear carb slows idle but does not die.

 

Time for some reading.

[darrel]

For the first time since dealing with my su's I have been able to set the mixture and there be a change. Only on the front carb, I may have a hole in the float in the rear carb.

 

While measurements using the lid of the float bowl and the float, there is no substitute for the actual float level using a sight glass. It may take a little while taking the lid off and on and adjusting the arm, but is totally worth it.

[I'm BLUE]

For the first time since dealing with my su's I have been able to set the mixture and there be a change. Only on the front carb, I may have a hole in the float in the rear carb.

 

While measurements using the lid of the float bowl and the float, there is no substitute for the actual float level using a sight glass. It may take a little while taking the lid off and on and adjusting the arm, but is totally worth it.

 

Best feeling in the world.. ^^^  :thumbup:

 

strongly agree.. there really is no-substitute..

[darrel]

Now that I have the float levels set using a sight glass, I can move the mixture knobs and get a difference in idle in at least on the front carb. After setting the floats, both carbs are set at 2 turns down. The front carb now is out 3 full turns, both carbs have the same idle change.

 

2 turns on the front carb and the car would die, I brought out the knob until I detected a change in idle and it didn't die. 

 

Here are the plugs, the black one came from the front carb, the light colored one came from the back carb.

 

Now that I am this close I can fine tune it by spark plug color. I still can't tell by idle change where I am at with the mixture.

 

 

 

I think the one that most resembles my light colored plug is in the fourth row, 5th or 6th over.

[I'm BLUE]

How goes the fight ?

 

What did you end up painting the rear struts/differential brace with and would you do it all over again ? (the tone is quite pleasant)

They look nice...

I need to lay some paint down as I'm switching parts out on mine. (not sure if I'll do just a simple chasis paint or what's available locally.. I'll look online).

[darrel]

The grey is powder coated. I had a full set of of suspension and got it powder coated. When I did the illumina suspension, I also did poly bushings. Ron tyler mount for the diff came later. If I mess with the suspension again, I will be going with coil overs. Better selection of spring rates.

 

tuning still goes on, now that I got a little bit more info to fine tune it better.

[I'm BLUE]

The grey is powder coated. I had a full set of of suspension and got it powder coated. When I did the illumina suspension, I also did poly bushings. Ron tyler mount for the diff came later. If I mess with the suspension again, I will be going with coil overs. Better selection of spring rates.

 

tuning still goes on, now that I got a little bit more info to fine tune it better.

 

ahhh... My left eye doesn't discriminate on vision quality lol. (That and I've never done/had anything powder-coated)

That shade of gray looks good !

I was thinking last night what color I would "like" that would also not look offensive in respects to tastes and styling on the car.

When I logged in this morning and looked at your z ... that helped narrow some ideas down :thumbup: (textured)

 

I here you ! Coil-overs are pretty nice in an all-around regard.

I decided I just may install my ground-control coilover stuff onto the blue if most repair/modification goals are met this summer.

 

pffff compared to the rest of the modifications you've done to your z ... tuning will be a cake walk for you... :ninja: