Window regulators

[Robotsan]

Does anyone know if the window regulators stayed the same from 1970 - 76? I know they were made beefier for the 77-78, but I don't know if the 75-76 280z used the same ones as the 240z.

Zcardepot sell new ones, which they list as for 1970-1973. No mention of 260z or 280z.

But Torqen sell the same ones (obviously) but their listing says for 240z, 260z and 280z and for 1970-1973 in the title - which is obviously contradictory. I spoke to Torqen's very helpful customer services and they looked into it using their internal schematics systems and said that the part they sell should fit 1970-1978 cars, according to Nissan. But that seems unlikely to me? They gave me part number 80701-N3001.

@Albrecht this seems like something you might know?

 

[MCBladeRun]

T3 sell these:

Window Regulators for the 240z

Build Something Awesome!

technotoytuning.com

They also mentioned that they "May fit 74-76 S30's but we have not tested yet. 77-78 models use a different regulator".

 

[Robotsan]

T3 sell these:

Window Regulators for the 240z

Build Something Awesome!

technotoytuning.com

They also mentioned that they "May fit 74-76 S30's but we have not tested yet. 77-78 models use a different regulator".

Yep I noticed that and emailed them. They said "We still only have them to fit the 240Z model years and 240Z style 260Z production months".

So that suggests to me there's at least 3 regulator designs..

1. 240z & early 260z
2. late 260z and possibly early 280z (75-76)
3. late 280z (77-78)

 

[Robotsan]

This guy on classiczcars says the same ones fit 70-76.. https://forums.hybridz.org/topic/80...nterchangeable/?do=findComment&comment=764962

But then the guy after him says there's 3 types, like I said above. Argh.

This thread appears to confirm the theory of 3 types too: https://www.classiczcars.com/forums/topic/61261-window-regulator/

So looks like my only option is to repair my existing ones, as the only ones being sold new are likely to only fit 240 and early 260.

 

[MCBladeRun]

Yes, but at least you know you're not in that; 260z of early / late and you definitely can say it's 280z style?

 

[Robotsan]

Yes, but at least you know you're not in that; 260z of early / late and you definitely can say it's 280z style?

Sorry I don't quite follow that!

I think I know its option 2 - later 260/early 280z (so 1974-76). Which doesn't help a great deal as nowhere seems to sell new ones of those.

 

[johnymd]

late 260z would be '76 -'78. From memory of building cars from various years (240/260/280z), I believe the major door change is the point when you refer to Early and late S30. I think this would be '76.

 

[MCBladeRun]

Parts manual only has up to '73 on there. I think.

Sorry I don't quite follow that!

I think I know its option 2 - later 260/early 280z (so 1974-76). Which doesn't help a great deal as nowhere seems to sell new ones of those.

Sorry I thought your car was a 280z? All our cars had this, rolling upgrades so, depending on when it was manufactured, you could have a whole array of different parts is what I was getting at

 

[Robotsan]

late 260z would be '76 -'78

Ah, I guess I'm talking in US terms. As they stopped the 260 badge in 74 and made the 280z instead from 75 onwards.

 

[Robotsan]

Parts manual only has up to '73 on there. I think.


Sorry I thought your car was a 280z? All our cars had this, rolling upgrades so, depending on when it was manufactured, you could have a whole array of different parts is what I was getting at

Yep it is, built in '75. And yes you're exactly right - it certainly does have a mixture of parts. It seems to be basically the same as a 260z aside from the engine (and probably other bits). But body wise, doors wise, and most things I come across, it seems to be the same.

Either way, if there's only new regulators available for the 70-73, I'm buggered no matter what car I have if it wasn't built by 73.

 

[johnymd]

I have quit a few window regulators that I've accumulated over the years. I have recently been through them looking for ones for the orange '71 I'm building. The majority are the same but I think I have a couple that are different. Post a picture and I'll check what I've got.

 

[Robotsan]

I have quit a few window regulators that I've accumulated over the years. I have recently been through them looking for ones for the orange '71 I'm building. The majority are the same but I think I have a couple that are different. Post a picture and I'll check what I've got.

Thanks John!

 

[Albrecht]

@Albrecht this seems like something you might know?

I tend to avoid getting too involved with late model S30-series cars as they became incrementally more and more complex and difficult to keep track of. Here Be Dragons, indeed.

What I will say is that it can confuse matters when people stick to moveable feast terms like '260Z' and '280Z' when trying to track specs, detail and content changes. Far better to refer to exact model variant (market is very important) and production date, where known. Body parts like these window winders were common across several contemporary market variants, so you stand a better chance of successful interchangeability if you get closer in production date of the part in question. I think the biggest change in window winders for the 2-seaters corresponded with the introduction of electric windows in the higher-end Japanese market variants, for which Nissan re-designed the manual winders to be compatible.

If you look at your window winder mechanism closely you will see some letters and numbers stamped into one of the arms. I can see '5 11 8 LH' on the photo you posted above, which I think indicates a part production date and QC of 8th November 1975 (if I've got my month/day sequence right) and - obviously - fitment on the LH side of the vehicle. That should help you to track down a replacement that will work.

But looking at your photos above, where is the spring? Looks to me as though you are simply missing the spring unit? Don't you just need a new spring?

 

[Robotsan]

I tend to avoid getting too involved with late model S30-series cars as they became incrementally more and more complex and difficult to keep track of. Here Be Dragons, indeed.

What I will say is that it can confuse matters when people stick to moveable feast terms like '260Z' and '280Z' when trying to track specs, detail and content changes. Far better to refer to exact model variant (market is very important) and production date, where known. Body parts like these window winders were common across several contemporary market variants, so you stand a better chance of successful interchangeability if you get closer in production date of the part in question. I think the biggest change in window winders for the 2-seaters corresponded with the introduction of electric windows in the higher-end Japanese market variants, for which Nissan re-designed the manual winders to be compatible.

If you look at your window winder mechanism closely you will see some letters and numbers stamped into one of the arms. I can see '5 11 8 LH' on the photo you posted above, which I think indicates a part production date and QC of 8th November 1975 (if I've got my month/day sequence right) and - obviously - fitment on the LH side of the vehicle. That should help you to track down a replacement that will work.

But looking at your photos above, where is the spring? Looks to me as though you are simply missing the spring unit? Don't you just need a new spring?

Thanks Alan! Yes that matches the build date of the car.

And yes, quite right to focus on the production dates and stamps. That will definitely help if I have to try and find some replacement used ones.

But not as useful when trying to figure out if new reproduction parts will fit, as the retailers go by the badges unfortunately. And even contradict themselves as I mention in my first post!

The spring is missing as I removed it. The plan is to disassemble these and have everything newly zinc plated (bar the aluminium crank gear). So rivets will be removed and then re-done later. Time will tell if this is a bad idea or not! Hence me looking for new repros, in case that's a cost effective option instead of all this work.