Ab's Uncut Emerald - '74 260Z

[AndBir]

Also put back the door cards, rear lining, seats, seat belts etc. etc.

Still need new front and rear carpets and to put back new center console plus heaps more "little" things.

[AndBir]

[AndBir]

Made up a replacement part for the rusted out section that separates the indicator and parking light areas of/on the lens cover

[AndBir]

Back on the job again determined to get it running.

Connected all the radiator / heater hoses and filled with coolant.

Removed spark plugs / power from coil and turned the engine over to confirm there was oil pressure - all good. 

Connected up the fuel lines (to filter,pump and carbs) and spent quite some time getting fuel from the tank through to the carbs. Decided to use the old fuel rail with a closed loop fuel supply to the Webers. This also allows the fuel return line to remain active.

Replaced spark plug and power to the coil.

Test started engine and it fired up but only remained running while the key was in "Start" position but not when returned to "Run". Determined that I had not bridged the black - green wires that previously went to the old ballast resistor (now removed). Good news the tacho seems to work OK with the new high energy Bosch electronic distributor.

Once this was all done the engine started and ran nicely (https://www.dropbox.com/s/e2iyeq4fni4os17/IMG_7376.MOV?dl=0) however there is a small leak of coolant from the temp sensor below the thermostat. I am not keen to tighten it up much more as previously I saw a cracked thermostat housing probably from overtightening the temp sensor - any suggestions as to fix this leak??

Installed the Xenon front air dam and bolted on the front indicators and bumper bar.

Edited September 21, 2019 by AndBir
added video link

[MaygZ]

To fix the leak:  take it out and use Teflon tape on the thread when you put it back in.

[AndBir]

4 hours ago, MaygZ said:

To fix the leak:  take it out and use Teflon tape on the thread when you put it back in.

Thanks, I will give that a go. I thought about using the tape on the tapered flange of the sensor that mates up with the thermostat housing however using it on the thread sounds better.

[AndBir]

On its way for the 4 hour round trip to get an exhaust system fitted.......

[AndBir]

Exhaust fitted, 2 1/4" pipe

4" resonator

4" x 9" rear muffler

[AndBir]

No idea how accurate it was however, I used a dB app on my table to "measure" the exhaust sound level at idle (1m @45 deg) and it showed ~80dB.

[AndBir]

Back to the farm to work on the Zed.

Put in the internal sound deadener to replace the factory sisal and rubber under the carpet and installed the Kia door seal as the internal rear hatch seal (with about 3cms to spare).

After a couple of test drives I tried out the internal heater and yes the inevitable happened there was a leak of coolant and it appeared the heater stop cock was leaking so I had to then remove just about everything for under the dash to extract the unit and do the required repairs.

The offending item.

 

After syncing the carbs and adjusting the idle speed and mix screws out for another drive to check on other roadworthy requirements. Found  a nice 370Z  on the way.

So almost ready for the pre rego roadworthy, just need to get the windscreen wipers to reliably operate along with the internal blower/fan that only operates randomly and then see what works best for the PCV requirements for it to be a closed circuit (ie not just a filter on the rocker cover ;-( )

[AndBir]

Covid delayed update :

1) Gave all the rotating parts on the windscreen wiper mechanism a good clean and reassembled - the weather kindly gave me the opportunity to test them out today on the drive down to Melbourne with the first hour in light drizzle that was just right for the intermittent setting...Yay.

2) Re-tuned the Webers, this time following the info I had printed out and they are much happier as previously the idle mixture was too lean.

3) Vic roadworthy docs specifically references an EGR requirement if originally fitted so, as much as it pained me I had to do the mod shown below to ensure this did not trip up getting it registered.

 

 

4) As mentioned in my wanted post, the reverse light switch had issues but thankfully Les Collins was able to source the correct one virtually overnight - big thanks to Les :-)

5) All things going to plan the windscreen should be replaced tomorrow, not 100% needed as the Vic roadworthy requirements seem quite generous but being a country driven car and an old windscreen, it has been "sandblasted" over time and has thousands of tiny chips from the roadside gravel/sand thrown up by trucks/cars etc.

6) Turns out the intermittent internal blower fan issue was due to a loose fuse connection. Unfortunately I started testing from the fan backwards so took a while longer (and center console removal) than it should have.

7) As the fuel gauge system also uses the blower fan fuse the fuel gauge came back to a more accurate reading (ie it could actually show a full tank) However it is still wildly inaccurate and drops to show 1/2 full after only 100kms of placid highway driving. Les Collins mentions this is a common issue with the 260Z when a replacement/new in tank gauge is used as these are for the 240Z.

 

[AndBir]

New windscreen fitted - using a new Precision seal I had. As recommended by a member on this forum I used Greg from Ace Autoglass who is in Croydon (Melb eastern suburb).

Greg did a fantastic job and I would recommend him.

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by AndBir
added details

[AndBir]

Added a "novelty" sticker that I picked up a while ago :

 

[240ZBUILTBYME]

Nice work Andy! I actually find the faded paint/ ratty look quite endearing! So did it pass?

Ryan

[240ZBUILTBYME]

On 2/4/2021 at 8:56 AM, AndBir said:

Added a "novelty" sticker that I picked up a while ago :

 

Love the sticker! 

[AndBir]

17 hours ago, 240ZBUILTBYME said:

So did it pass?

Yep, passed the roadworthy (just a brake light bulb needed replacing [as well as the reversing light switch]) and after only just missing the VicRoads closing time on Friday the car now has its club rego - Yay!!

Strange how you can drive a car with no number plates (but with a permit) for 3 days and cover more than 500kms and be seen by multiple police cars and not get pulled over!

[AndBir]

Decided the "kangaroo damage" to the LH guard was not in my skill set to repair properly and the as new aftermarket one had an indicator cut out which would have to be deleted anyway, so took the original off the car and dropped it at C.A.R. to be repaired properly after which I can look at getting the car's paint stripped and repainted.

 

[AndBir]

Had a spare indicator stalk assembly with a dodgy switch so "upgraded" it to a SPDT toggle switch. Seems to work OK but requires a bracket to be made up and the switch position to be exactly centered with a semi flexible sleeve put over the 2.5mm wide toggle to remove the slop when inserted into the 5mm hole of plastic slider attached to the stalk.

 

[AndBir]

Also replaced my fuel tank vent hose - what a saga removing the RH & rear inside trim but at least now there is no fuel leak from the hose (near the tank end) when I try to fill up the tank. This enabled me to see what fuel usage was with the triple webers/L28 - was only a 70km drive to and up through the Dandenong Ranges (The Basin-Sassafras-Belgrave-Monbulk-Olinda-Montrose) but came in at around 12litres/100km. Too short a drive to probably be that definitive but it also helped me decide I need the original shock absorbers refurbed/replaced as the condition of non urban roads in Victoria is terrible.

 

 

[240ZBUILTBYME]

Not painting yourself anymore? 

how far back are you going to strip it? 

if I remember correctly you’re  sticking with the emerald?

Edited May 23, 2022 by 240ZBUILTBYME

[AndBir]

Yep, I'm still planning to strip the exterior back to metal and respray it the emerald green metallic.

[C.A.R.]

7.45hrs later:









And with a coat of Phosphoric Acid: