From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Newsgroups: rec.autos
Subject: Re: 240Z restoral (was: Datsun 240Z/260Z)
Date: 19 Aug 92 05:29:18 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

earlyd@ee.byu.edu (David Early) writes:

>I am taller than your average human being, but not NBA material. 
>At 6'5", am I going to be too big for this car??  Also, I may have to
>settle for a later model year and may have to go up to a 
>76,77,78 280Z (The models made before the major body style
>changes).  I think we'll skip the 260 era (I'v heard they were
>not so good).  This car will be used mostly for around town driving.

I'm 6'7", 300 lbs, once an all-star basketball player and football
contender.  I can sit bolt upright in the seat of my 75 280 and
stretch my legs out fully.  'Nuff said :-)

IMHO, the 75 was the all round best Z-car.  First year of fuel
injection, first year for factory A/C that kinda, sorta works
(discounting the  74.5 260s which were really 280s with the
brain-dead 260 motor.) Better rustproofing, better instruments,
rubber padded wheel (remember I said driver, not looker) instead
of the wooden one of the earlier years, GOOD seatbelts, a 500
hp-capable drivetrane and a few other things I forget about.  It
weighs more than the 240/260 class but has the reserve power to
make up for it. It feels heavier than the 240 and is a bit more
clumsy in the parking lot but much more stable for those 150+
mph jaunts to the store (with a few engine mods, of course.) 
Beyond 75 or 76, the move was harshly toward boulevard cruiser
and away from sports car.  

>You mentioned the dash.  Here in Utah, the older cars almost
>always have a cracked dash.  Exactly how bad is the cost?
>I will do all the work, but if the dash costs $400, maybe I'll keep looking
>until I find the good dash.

Nissan has a policy of running new production on parts for which there is
a demand.  The Z dash is one of those parts.  Unfortunately the tooling
costs are spread across a small number of parts.  That makes the dash,
for example, cost $500-$700.  You really don't need to replace the dash
unless you're going for concours correct restoration.  Plastic full dash
boots are available that are invisible to all but the most determined 
eye.  I have such a critter on my dash and no one has yet noticed it 
until I pointed it out to him.   The boot costs $50-90 and is easy to 
install.

I noticed you're not on the Z-car mailing list.  You should be.
I run it so I know :-)  Subscribe to z-car-request@dixie.com.
Put your address in either the subject line or the body.
You'll receive back more than you'll ever want to know about Z-cars
as your introductory package.  One of the resources listed is the 
Z Club of Texas.  One of the members, Bill Reagan, has perfectly 
restored a 70 Z at a cost of some $14,000 and has written a >100 page paper 
on the topic.   This has appeared in pieces in the club newsletter.  Bill
was selling laser-printed copies at the recent Nation Z-car Convention last
month for $5.  I'm seeking permission to reprint the book to the 
Z-car list.  He goes into great detail on how to permanently rustproof
a car.  His restoration was correct even to the extent of having those
yellow zinc chromate plated doo-dads under the hood replated.

I am also organizing the Internet Z-car Club.  membership is
free.   The reason you'll want to join is many dealers and
Z-specific vendors give club members discounts and you get free
catalogs.  sometimes as much as  25% off.  to join, send your
name, address and phone number to z-club@dixie.com.  Indicate in
the message whether you'd like your phone number given to
vendors  I negotiate discounts and free catalogs with. 

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine (TM) |
Marietta, Ga                         |Interested in high tech and computers? 
jgd@dixie.com                        |Write me about PE Magazine
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
Newsgroups: rec.autos,rec.autos.driving