1973 Fairlady Z - refurb and fix

[Faster Behr]

Cars really coming on quickly, if you get stuck for an alternator Bristol auto electrical sell a 60A.
View attachment 50820

Hey thanks. I did see that model alternator but via Autodoc; I’ve used them before but they deliver so slow. Rock will probably work out around the same cost for an AC Delco reman. If I had know I could have got it more locally then I would have.

 

[Faster Behr]

Just a few little jobs today. I thought I’d get an easy win and fit the badges that I’d ordered in.

The main emblems for the wings and hatch all came as genuine parts with the same part number. Sadly the hatch emblem doesn’t align with one of the predrilled dowel locations in the hatch so some adjustment is required. This was to be expected. I’m assuming the tailgate emblem would have had a different part number originally and hence would have been slightly different in some way?

Interestingly I did find the original holes in the wings. I could just make out the sinking in the filler beneath the paint. I cleared these and the emblems aligned on their dowels.

The hatch originally had a Nissan emblem. My hatch had the holes for these also. I ordered this from Japan supposedly for an S30. Whether it is technically correct is another matter.

The bonnet Z emblem also came from Japan and I was assured it was the correct thicker variant for the S30. Sadly it wasn’t however it does actually fit relatively well. It’ll do for now.

Some photos:

 

[Mr Tenno]

Looking smart

 

[Robotsan]

Yeah looks amazing. The paint looks really tidy in all your photos - is that just luck? Or was it just the roof that was really fubarred before? I know it's not the original colour but it looks great.

 

[Faster Behr]

Yeah looks amazing. The paint looks really tidy in all your photos - is that just luck? Or was it just the roof that was really fubarred before? I know it's not the original colour but it looks great.

I think it’s just luck

 

[Faster Behr]

More happy news today.

So the alternator got held up by Fedex so I had to pinch the new one from my son's 280Z that we fitted at the back end of the winter. No one tell him.

I was going to be lazy and buy the conversion plug to go from the standalone voltage regulator over to a new more modern internally regulated alternator, but eventually resolved to DIMFS. I got hold of a 1N5062 diode for the princely sum of 75p and followed this very useful thread. This was all just basic wiring. It turns out that my old voltage regulator had received the same treatment as the rest of the wiring on this car. So nice that it wasn't left on the back of the bus when it came to bodgery:



This is all for the bin so it’s nothing to worry about. I have been across almost every single wire on this car now. All is well.

Huw kindly shared his 123+ distributor curve as I didn’t have a lot of confidence in the one that I had entered. I loaded that in and fired up. The 123+ seems to be very accurate judging by my timing light. Best of all I now have a firm 13.9 volts at the battery at idle.

Next job, new reverse light switch and rebuild the speedo drive with new seals.

 

[uk66fastback]

Looks great - I wouldn’t mind a look at Huw’s curve if you have the details please (titter ye not)

 

[Rob Gaskin]

I think your electrical issues and the botches you have found are quite common on these cars. I've had four S30s and there were issues on 3 of them.

 

[Faster Behr]

Looks great - I wouldn’t mind a look at Huw’s curve if you have the details please (titter ye not)

Here you go, courtesy of Huw

 

[richiep]

The bonnet emblem and the Nissan emblem are both S130 versions, not the correct S30 ones. The S30 Nissan emblem tends to be rare and go for extreme money when they do pop up in decent condition. Which makes the fact I grabbed a near perfect one for a tenner a few weeks back in the UK all the more pleasing! (thanks Moggy )

The correct bonnet emblems can be bought in reproduction form quite easily these days. Not cheap, but worth grabbing for correctness. I have one on my Fairlady Z and one for my JDM-styled 240Z project. I had a factory original one on my Fairlady Z but it wasn't the best condition and a re-chrome job I had done on it eventually started flaking, so the brand new repro replaced it.

Nissan Fairlady Z Hood Emblem 1969-1978

Product Information: Part number: #31-JE205 Make/model: JDM Fairlady Z cars 1969-'78 Descriptions: Hood emblem for JDM Fairlady Z cars 1969-1978. It fits all Datsun 240Z 260Z 280Z cars It comes with clips for 2 pins on back. Plastic with triple chrome finish Limited reproduction from Japan We...

jdm-car-parts.com

If you haven't checked out the store linked above, it is worth doing so. He sells a lot of JDM correct parts and detail pieces that help fill the gaps left when JDM cars have been bastardized over their lifetimes.

 

[Ian Patmore]

jdm-car-parts, for some of their parts, they are just off Yahoo Japan and then marked up....e.g. there was a repro csp311 workshop manual, photocopied sold by jdm-car-parts for about $50-60, when the same item was about £7 I brought from Yahoo.... so you could well find the part yourself in Japan at a cheaper price.... I often see the emblem above listed there.

The was or is come headlight covers listed, and the images are straight off Yahoo, so I suspect the items came from there too, rather than the US if you brought them.

He has some good stuff (esp NOS), but I view the site for those who can't be bothered to do the work to find elsewhere (esp. the repro parts).

 

[Faster Behr]

I never thought I’d this excited by a length of tubing

 

[Faster Behr]

The bonnet emblem and the Nissan emblem are both S130 versions, not the correct S30 ones. The S30 Nissan emblem tends to be rare and go for extreme money when they do pop up in decent condition. Which makes the fact I grabbed a near perfect one for a tenner a few weeks back in the UK all the more pleasing! (thanks Moggy )

The correct bonnet emblems can be bought in reproduction form quite easily these days. Not cheap, but worth grabbing for correctness. I have one on my Fairlady Z and one for my JDM-styled 240Z project. I had a factory original one on my Fairlady Z but it wasn't the best condition and a re-chrome job I had done on it eventually started flaking, so the brand new repro replaced it.

Nissan Fairlady Z Hood Emblem 1969-1978

Product Information: Part number: #31-JE205 Make/model: JDM Fairlady Z cars 1969-'78 Descriptions: Hood emblem for JDM Fairlady Z cars 1969-1978. It fits all Datsun 240Z 260Z 280Z cars It comes with clips for 2 pins on back. Plastic with triple chrome finish Limited reproduction from Japan We...

jdm-car-parts.com

If you haven't checked out the store linked above, it is worth doing so. He sells a lot of JDM correct parts and detail pieces that help fill the gaps left when JDM cars have been bastardized over their lifetimes.

jdm-car-parts, for some of their parts, they are just off Yahoo Japan and then marked up....e.g. there was a repro csp311 workshop manual, photocopied sold by jdm-car-parts for about $50-60, when the same item was about £7 I brought from Yahoo.... so you could well find the part yourself in Japan at a cheaper price.... I often see the emblem above listed there.

The was or is come headlight covers listed, and the images are straight off Yahoo, so I suspect the items came from there too, rather than the US if you brought them.

He has some good stuff (esp NOS), but I view the site for those who can't be bothered to do the work to find elsewhere (esp. the repro parts).

This all really useful info, thanks both.

 

[Faster Behr]

I think your electrical issues and the botches you have found are quite common on these cars. I've had four S30s and there were issues on 3 of them.

I think this is typical when cars get older and slip down the price bracket or “fall into the wrong hands” as my old mate would say. It’s only when they seem to gain value and notoriety that they get the attention they deserve.

 

[richiep]

Ian makes a good point above - JDM Car Parts is convenient, but you will find some things cheaper if you put in the time hunting Yahoo Auctions Japan (using a proxy bidder like fromjapan.com, buyee, bidjdm, etc.). I posted it as it offers benefits as a one-stop-shop and saves time seeing what can be got hold of.
Some of the larger stuff he won't ship outside the continental USA anyway. I've got around that in the past by having things sent to family in Massachusetts and then bringing it in the luggage home after a visit!

 

[Robotsan]

Ian makes a good point above - JDM Car Parts is convenient, but you will find some things cheaper if you put in the time hunting Yahoo Auctions Japan (using a proxy bidder like fromjapan.com, buyee, bidjdm, etc.). I posted it as it offers benefits as a one-stop-shop and saves time seeing what can be got hold of.
Some of the larger stuff he won't ship outside the continental USA anyway. I've got around that in the past by having things sent to family in Massachusetts and then bringing it in the luggage home after a visit!

Didn't know about these proxy sites. Bad news for my bank account again.

I assume a bonnet emblem that's £16 is a crappy reproduction rather than a genuine Nissan part as claimed by this seller?: https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/en/auction/yahoo/input/h1052548353/lgk-yauc_search

 

[jonbills]

Didn't know about these proxy sites. Bad news for my bank account again.

I assume a bonnet emblem that's £16 is a crappy reproduction rather than a genuine Nissan part as claimed by this seller?: https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/en/auction/yahoo/input/h1052548353/lgk-yauc_search

That looks like a genuine S130 bonnet emblem to me.

 

[richiep]

Didn't know about these proxy sites. Bad news for my bank account again.

I assume a bonnet emblem that's £16 is a crappy reproduction rather than a genuine Nissan part as claimed by this seller?: https://www.fromjapan.co.jp/en/auction/yahoo/input/h1052548353/lgk-yauc_search

It’s an S130 emblem. The S130 emblems are flat backed with adhesive tape. The S30 ones are much thicker and hollow and have two mounting prongs with clips on them. The S130 emblems are cheap and plentiful; the correct S30 repros have only been available for a few years and are £120ish. Original S30 ones in good nick- several £££.

 

[SacCyclone]

It’s an S130 emblem. The S130 emblems are flat backed with adhesive tape. The S30 ones are much thicker and hollow and have two mounting prongs with clips on them. The S130 emblems are cheap and plentiful; the correct S30 repros have only been available for a few years and are £120ish. Original S30 ones in good nick- several £££.

Hi Richie, do you know how you could find out the shipping for such an item?????
Does the proxy bidder assist with shipping or ship quotes??

 

[Robotsan]

It’s an S130 emblem. The S130 emblems are flat backed with adhesive tape. The S30 ones are much thicker and hollow and have two mounting prongs with clips on them. The S130 emblems are cheap and plentiful; the correct S30 repros have only been available for a few years and are £120ish. Original S30 ones in good nick- several £££.

Wowsers. That's serious wedges. Has anyone tried painting / restoring their old ones themselves?