So you got an early Z......
Welcome to the Z Club! You now have a reliable sports car that is easy to work on, fun to drive and beautiful to behold!!!
As a new Z owner, the most important information to know is that there are lots of resources available on the internet for free.
If you take advantage, these will help you keep out of trouble and do things right the first time.
Internet support
Online Forums
Why rebuild the wheel? These forums contain posts by thousands of z
owners who are doing or have done what ever you happen to be doing to your Zcar.
This is the best resource for getting instant help and tips from real people.
Their support, wisdom and experience will make every job easy. Typically to
access a forum, you go to the web site and sign up. You are then free to post
your questions. A key point to remember is that 99% of the people on the forums
are as enthusiastic about a Zcar as you. They are friendly and keen to help you
out.
examples:: zcar.com hybridz.org
zdriver.com
!
An often unused resource on any forum is the search feature. It allows you to
see if others have already asked the same question you are about to ask. Usually
for every question you have, there are more that a hundred related items that
are found in a search. These often contain the answer you need.
example: here
is a search of zcar.com's 240z-280zx forum for "best spark plugs"
Parts Suppliers
Obtaining parts for an older Zcar is not very difficult. There are between
10 and 100 suppliers of new or refurbished Zcar parts on line. Some are even
Nissan/Datsun dealers. Most of these parts are "stock" but there are
still lots of aftermarket upgrades available. As well, there are even more
used Zcar parts dealers on line. Some online sellers mail catalogues that have
valuable drawings as well as parts and prices. These catalogues are useful to
see if parts from different years will fit on your car... simply matching the
same part number is all you need to do.
example: victoriabritish
motorsportauto danny's
zfindings
Finally, classified ads such as those associated
with Zcar web sites or Ebay can be sources for new and used parts. (Usually Ebay
prices are too high so shop around before bidding).
examples:
Zcar ebay
hybridz.org
Zcar Documentation
There is very little copyrighted Zcar documentation on line. However you can
easily buy Zcar books on line via typical sources such as Amazon.com,
Amazon.co.uk, Amazon.ca... etc. The standard books people purchase are service
manuals by Haynes, Chilton or Clymer. These offer good basic information to help
you work on your Zcar but they are not always able to provide enough detail for
all models or areas. A highly recommended book is the Factory Service Manual (FSM)
for your model year. It is published by Nissan and covers every nut and bolt of
your vehicle. Usually you can pick them up on Ebay.com. Some Nissan dealers also
supply the manual on CD.
examples:
Amazon Ebay
FSM
FSM-CD
In addition, there are hundreds of books on rebuilding and modifying your Zcar. Searching "Datsun", "Zcar", "240z", "260z", "280z" on Amazon will find them.
Microfiche
Scanned Nissan microfiche is available on line. It is a great resource for
seeing exploded drawings of parts. It also includes change history, and more
importantly, part numbers. If your local Nissan dealer is like mine, chances
are, they won't be keen on taking out the microfiche machine. Having these
numbers in advance makes it easy.
example:
carfiche.com
Z car web pages
There are thousands of Zcar owners all over the world who have Zcar pages.
These are great resources... especially for getting ideas for paint schemes. To
find these pages, simply go to a search engine such as Google.com, Altavista.com,
etc and search the web for "Zcar" or "Datsun" or
"240z" or "260z" or "280z". You can also go to a
Zcar forum such as zcar.com and checkout their links page.
example:
google
search for
Zcar
Zcar ring
A Zcar ring exists. It is simply a large group of Zcar web pages that are
hyperlinked to each other. A control panel on the home page of each site
lets you navigate through the ring. It lets you browse but stick with only the
Zcar sites that are registered with the ring.
example:
Zcar ring
Z magazine
There is no online Zcar magazine but there is a home page for a printed
magazine called Sport Z Magazine. Some issues have snippets posted.
example:
sportzmagazine.com
Z Car Clubs
Almost every area has a Zcar club and these clubs usually have a web site.
If you do not have one in your area then it is time to start one! Most
major Zcar Clubs around the world are formally associated with each other via
the Zcar Club Association. You can search their web site to find a club near you.
example:
zcca.org
General Information
Turbo Information
Renovating a Z
By now you must be overwhelmed to learn you have so many resources at your
disposal. But probably, your are like I was; sitting there at the computer with
a new Zcar in your driveway that you want to spruce up and don't know
where to start. Here is a quick over view of the systems followed by some
standard items to check:
|
engine
|
electrical
|
ignition
|
cooling
|
|
suspension
|
drive train
|
steering
|
body
|
|
fuel
|
brakes
|
misc
|
Usually it is best to get your Zcar up to scratch first before even thinking about performance enhancements. It is best to evaluate your Zcar then prioritize your path towards improvement based on safety, ease of doing and cost. For instance, if your engine is leaking fuel, or your brakes don't work then these should be priorites. Below is a list of common first tasks in no particular order. Doing the ones you deem fit will certainly make your Zcar safer, more reliable, and more fun. You can easily farm these tasks out to most garages but it will cost you money and deprive you of gaining important knowledge. As well, if you do these tasks yourself, you will be more familiar with your car and itimately become one with it. My personal opinion is that many mechanics don't have a lot of experience with older Zcars so giving them your car to work on can be a gamble. If you do it yourself, you can be certain more care and thought is taken. As well, it is easier to live with your own mistakes than with the mistakes of others... especially when you paid them!
Metric Your Zcar is constructed with metric sized nuts and bolt (and hoses, and screws, and clamps... etc). Thus, it makes sense to invest in metric tools AND take extra care when buying items like nuts and bolts and hoses to ensure proper fit. Incorrect tools or components will result in things like: stripped threads, leaking gas or manifold hoses, broken bolts, unfinished jobs, etc.
Typical tools required
Diagnostic tools
It is recommended that you keep a journal and record your work and test data. This will allow you to easily bench mark performance and back track if needed. Digital photographs are also great. Especially before taking parts off.
Tune the car (sorry this is EFI related only, as I have no carb experience)
Improve Performance
Once you get the car to a known state of reliability and stock performance ,
then you can start tweaking it:
(btw at this point you will be very familiar with the car and be capable of
making good decisions on what you want to do with it)
If you are looking for tons of power, you may
think about dropping a Turbo ZX motor in. This job is pretty much plug and play.
Others have dropped Chevy small block 350's or even LT1's.
If you want handling performance, look at upgrading the sway bars, getting
better shocks and springs and replacing all the rubber with polyurethane
bushings (they come in cool colours too). Check http://www.shox.com for prices.
Sway bars, bushings, springs and strut inserts will cost ~ $1200. Many also
install coil overs.
Certain year Toyota 4X4 brake four piston
callipers are direct bolt on replacements for early Zcar 2 piston callipers.
This is an economical upgrade to do.
If you want looks then look at body panels. MSA sell a variety.
For improving the drive train, you can upgrade clutch. It is important to note
that you can swap transmissions and rear differentials between most Zcars.
The different gear ratios can help in performance (higher gears for more fuel
efficient cruising or lower gears for seat of the pants acceleration).
My experiences: