1973 Datsun 240Z -budget build or something

You are aware of the concept of distributor "phasing"

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

EDIT...better video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWMlNwGW0tM

I think I may try this cut a hole trick on a spare distributor cap:

http://www.msdignition.com/uploadedFiles/MSDIgnitioncom/Support/frm28392_tech_bulletin_rotor_phasing.pdf

Brakes and breakthroughs! The issue all along was crap wires from the coil and inside the distributor. New choke cables, clutch fan and big brakes and this thing is ready to rock and roll. Eddie Radatz did the wiring work when I just couldn't figure out the intermittent electrical stuff. Big time Atlanta Z car legend and does great work.

This car has officially gone over 100 miles in the last 26 years. Just a short list of battery tiedowns, bleed brakes again and more shakedown miles then put the front bumper back on and make it look not as terrible.

Video!: Revving it up

Nice! Long overdue update!

Sweet!

Watching and wanting.

Where did you get that sticker?

I want one.

Dusterbd13 wrote: Where did you get that sticker? I want one.

Assuming you are talking about the Lime Rock one, Got it at a booth at the Mitty one of those years.

Just read through this whole thread. That is one awesome Z you have. Love seeing these get taken care of.

Thanks 2k4kcsq for the front valence and emblems a long time ago. I put on the rest of the junkyard front end and as suspected, it looks brand new. Ha!

excellent! glad those parts are getting used again. I promise they sat in my parts cabinet way longer than it took you to install them. glad to see this project still moving forward. some people get overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to make an S30 worth driving every day so they end up selling it after a year or so. I can attest the car will pay you back 10 fold with joy and good times once the work is done. s30 z cars are for those who truly love to drive. they make you forget where your going or how long till you get there. when I am in mine the passage of time goes unnoticed, all I wanna do is row another gear!

Love the car. Glad you're still at it.

The 240 is running amazing! Ive taken it on multiple 20 mile trips and one 65 mile trip and hasn't missed a beat.

Curveball:

I'm moving to Anchorage AK from Atlanta GA so this is going to my mom's house in storage. Battery tender on, engine fogged, Stabil in the full tank. It'll stay there until I get back OR if we love it and plan on staying at least 5 years, I'm shipping it up there and putting studs on it for ice racing. So here is where the Datsun story leaves off for now but it doesnt leave off in pieces or for sale. She runs and runs well and is safely stored.

Sweet! Have fun in AK...I bet you'll want to stay. Good luck!

After a long trip back Georgia from Alaska, replacing a few hoses, and crossing every finger I had, the Z made it to Road Atlanta for the Mitty after sitting 15 months.

More to come but for now it's party time.

Got back home today and I think I'll add a little more to the trip for my records.

After checking on the car 14 months in storage, to my surprise everything looked pretty good with a few exceptions. I parked the car with a full tank of treated fuel, put the battery on a tender and fogged the motor.

Pull the choke up and the car revved to life on the first crank. No fuel coming out of the bowl breathers but I noticed a couple drips under the rear by the tank.

The temporary fix that became semi-permanent rubber vacuum cap used to block off a vent on the fuel tank got eroded by the gas. The tank has several other vent hoses already hooked up and suffers no ill effects from this capped so I decided to make shift another quick fix but slightly more permanent.

Ethanol resistant fuel line and a bolt. While i'm in there, i let the tank drain a little and change the fuel filter. After sitting so long, more of the rusty sediment came out.

I bleed the brakes and drive it around the neighborhood. Once it's up to temp, at idle everything is looking great. Oil pressure, water temp, even the AM radio is sounding great.

That brings us to the Mitty. The car ran great and best of all, I got to hang out with all my Georgia buddies in their old cars. Mostly old Datsuns and a 1st gen Bronco. (Including the family I got the car from originally) We grilled out and camped and had a fantastic time watching the races.

I was super proud everything came together in the plan. Including my buddy finishing his multi year refresh of his 510. Everything was done by him in the garage. SK carbs on a KA24E and a 5 speed.

Back to the garage with ethanol free fuel, treated, fogged...hibernating for another year or two. So, after a successful outing last weekend, I'm planning the next trip back. Maybe a road trip to the beach? Autocross? Who knows, I'm just happy I actually got to use the car to do car stuff with my buddies almost 3 years after I picked up the car.

I noticed in one of your pictures, you have the coil mounted horizontally. I learned the hard way most coils should actually be mounted vertically, they are oil filled and the oil cools the coil. MSD makes a silver high vibration coil that can be mounted in any position. I had a coil fail at a race and later read the info on the MSD web site for coils.

I really need to get my 73 running. Seeing all the fun you had at the Mitty makes me feel like im missing out!

TED_fiestaHP wrote: I noticed in one of your pictures, you have the coil mounted horizontally. I learned the hard way most coils should actually be mounted vertically, they are oil filled and the oil cools the coil. MSD makes a silver high vibration coil that can be mounted in any position. I had a coil fail at a race and later read the info on the MSD web site for coils.

That's interesting. I'm pretty sure every factory Datsun coil is mounted like that. I'll keep that in mind if I ever have issues with mine.

And yeah Fitz, another 240 on the road is always a good thing. That motor is just so smooth. My Land Cruiser's 2F also has that low end torque and smoothness but redlines at like 4k. The Datsun just keeps pulling to almost double that. It's amazing how quick a car can feel when you've been driving a truck for so long in between outings.

Making a list of things the car needs: 1. Actually fix the leaky connection under the brake master cylinder. Brakes work well enough but it loses pedal pressure. 2. Add a more legit battery tie down than bungee straps. 3. Add a header and fix the broken exhaust manifold studs (again). My smog 73 exhaust manifold has had the smog ports pinched and welded but since its got to come off to fix the studs, its not going back on. 4. Change the oil. My experiment of running NOS 43 year old Quaker State 10w40 for 4 years will come to a close and I'll get the oil analyzed to see how it held up. I'm tempted to pay somebody to do it in GA since i'm out of state so that it is ready to rock and roll the next time I'm in town. Compared to where this car was when I first got it, this list is pretty short and the fun stuff. Out of all my "Nice" cars that were done, finished, expensive etc.... this one has given my the best car memories with car buddies and I just smile the biggest anytime I get to play with it. https://www.youtube.com/embed/9z2VfUTmT1I

Z cars are very fun, my 260z is still my favorite of all the cars I've owned (had it for 18 years).

Easy to work on, awesome lines, and too fun to drive!

Youve done a great job so far! It's cool to see you enjoying it!!

I went back to Atlanta last week to visit some family and I got to catch up on a little Z time. Excuse the pics, this is basically a photo dump for my records. I really like having this thread since I get such little time with the car, I can refer back to it.

Rolled her out after 18 months and she fired right up.

Video of the idle:

After some laps around the neighborhood, I knew I wanted to tackle my brake leak issue. I thought it was the pipe not threaded in to the master cylinder well from years back.

I actually had a pinhole leak on the pipe. A trip to the parts store and $18 bucks later including tools, we have a new pipe that is in business.

I'm so thankful to finally have good brakes in this thing. I just never had the time to mess with it from when I got it going and when I moved to Alaska almost 3 years ago.

So, now it runs and stops. Let's go hose the spider webs off of it.

Dust off the interior:

Mrs. CW taking a trip to the record store:

All of my gauges are reading healthy stats:

While I'm cleaning, POR15ing, painting underneath, I fIashback to 2013 before the tank went in:

Then now. So much better. Fluid film spray on top to keep the rust away:

To refresh some memories, I am also running oil in the crankcase from 1973 as a sort of curiosity/experiment of mine.

10w40 Quaker State from an old oil stash I had. Dated 1973, same as the car. This run was 4.5 years and 1811 miles. Changed it and sent a sample to Blackstone to see how it performed. Likely really high fuel due to the carb issues 70% of the interval until the got right this last year. It runs absolutely fine on the stuff and it was free from my uncle when he moved. I'll update the thread with the UOA once I get the results back. SCIENCE!

The stash:

From the original 2013 first oil change:

What did I change it with? Valvoline, also in a box dated 1973. I don't care if there are newer better oils. This is fun for me and I'm still in my budget mindset ive been in almost 5 years later.

Updated engine shot:

Wait , what? I came from Alaska to visit and I brought the snow? Like 10 inches north of the city where I was. Impressive for down here. March of 1993 was the only time I remember more in 1 event.

Trees errrrwhere.

Tents up, Christmas party with my buds still on. Deep frying a turkey.

The car is put up, fogged, fresh fluids and ready hopefully for me to hop in it in April and cruise to the Mitty where Datsun is the featured marque again. The time with this car and my Atlanta buddies is short but sweet and I am still loving every bit of it.

Save those oil cans! People do collect those, and finding mint, non rusted ones like that will make you a lot of friends.

Gaunt596 said:

Save those oil cans! People do collect those, and finding mint, non rusted ones like that will make you a lot of friends.

You would think that but when I have listed some for sale in packs of 6 to not waste my time with just one and two cans at a time, people just complained. I have sold probably 30-40 not in that stash pictured and it's decent when people buy multiples but mostly it was time wasters and broke people. (I want 1 can for $5 shipped). Whatever. I just decided I'm keeping it and using in old stuff.

crankwalk said:

Gaunt596 said:

Save those oil cans! People do collect those, and finding mint, non rusted ones like that will make you a lot of friends.

 

 

You would think that but when I have listed some for sale in packs of 6 to not waste my time with just one and two cans at a time, people just complained. I have sold probably 30-40 not in that stash pictured and it's decent when people buy multiples but mostly it was time wasters and broke people. (I want 1 can for $5 shipped). Whatever. I just decided I'm keeping it and using in old stuff.

Oh, I mean the empty cans, no point in giving away good oil