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The Brown Hornet - as NEW 1971 240Z - SOLD


acf321

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Isn't there a tool you insert into the pipe and turn with a teacher that expands inside the pipe to push out dents?

 

I can't recall the name but it is specially designed to help fix crushed pipes.

 

I'm sure there is Gav, but it's a moot point now anyway.

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So after Glen finished with the electrical repairs, I called Alan & had a long conversation about that car & what HE wanted from it.

 

First step was the timing chain idler as Alan found it to be very loud.

After checking it was found to be FAR to tight & slackening it off quietened it down - but it's still a noisy unit.

 

Next the camshaft timing was re-adjust correctly & the advance curve was checked - something not right here!

It was only getting 22deg of full advance, so the 280ZX dizzy was pulled down & the mag ring fell apart on the bench :(

Also the 'bob weight's were wrong, so some filing of the holes was required. We managed to rebuild it with some better condition 2nd hand parts & bolted it back in (Sadly I didn't get any pictures of any of this).

Success! 28deg full advance!

A replacement dizzy from Performance Ignition was suggested, but Alan didn't want to go down that path.

 

Next was the apparent rough running & serious carburetor backfiring at idle.

The carburetor backfiring is a large cause for concern as it can set the air-cleaners alight...!

 

With the mounting nuts being over-tightened, the O-Rings would have been distorted & creating very small vacuum leaks (not helping with the rough idle), so the carburetors we're removed to replace the O-Rings & check over the carburetors themselves.

 

Then this was noticed:

 

11150732_949943245038210_283202078442577251_n.jpg?oh=6bd427cd061984f1ce456e6e05fed29f&oe=55D2B0AC&__gda__=1439605130_fd510613909b77fa43c6778c17259565

 

Check these little baby's out! 32mm chokes!

The poor engine would only be getting enough air to make about 220hp...

With a motor built to this standard it's bit of a shame it won't get it's full potential, but as Alan isn't a street racer it was thought better to leave them in & he can enjoy some economy.

 

A few more issues were found, a sunken float, carburetor balance was way out between all 3, incorrect idle settings, wrong main jets - list went on...

Lots & lots of road tuning later with the o2 sensor up it's pipe and the Hornet was running clean, crisp & fast! (well 'fast' for a little L24).

 

Next I moved onto the interior.

Alan asked If I could replace a few broken/damaged parts and so I obliged.

I placed an order to the US & a few weeks later I got a nice parcel...

 

First up was the glove box liner need replacing as it was well & truly past its prime:

 

11146565_949943291704872_6257687599299819455_n.jpg?oh=609346bcbbaaca90646f064cdb188d4f&oe=55DC95D6

 

As you can see it's only held together with masking tape, hope & happy thoughts!

 

11164715_949943288371539_4288900901874944366_n.jpg?oh=3f74fba895af85bb5a141f1defef825e&oe=55CA93D4&__gda__=1439351602_daa9447f0deac696a087621aabb9c855

 

New Vs Old:

11200620_949943548371513_6605806819159204126_n.jpg?oh=6b4dbb2131dc2f5fd5f6a588a3e4db73&oe=55DCE576&__gda__=1439695912_da3b164fc975879155bd73f5764a2fd3

 

Unfortunately the photo I took of the new liner installed has gone missing, so you'll just have to use your imagination :)

 

Next were the door locks & the ignition barrel/lock assembly.

Alan complained that the DS door was difficult to unlock & that the PS lock didn't work at all!

He said it was a bit odd as he was told the doors had new locks fitted. I popped the door cards off, had a look & then called Alan informing him that it most certainly DID NOT have new locks fitted!

 

Also the ignition barrel/lock assembly gave him a scare when he turned the key after a break from driving it back from Sydney, it refused to start despite it having a new key. Then the key got jammed!

 

This is what the PS door lock looked like:

21090_949943461704855_2932326297394676914_n.jpg?oh=d32ce92607197f1a4c5faa8680413182&oe=55E27D12

 

The  cam on the inside end of the lock has completely worn away, thereby not actually activating the cam lever & unlocking the door!

So I jumped on the net & ordered new door locks & ignition barrel assembly.

 

11161344_949943465038188_1319860814964250896_n.jpg?oh=a2c4e5fa315456f3925e3a81a8af071d&oe=55CA4A91

 

New PS lock fitted:

11160665_949943475038187_8270951069454039373_n.jpg?oh=a95599d6062468121faeb7133ed3f432&oe=55D7B907&__gda__=1441026016_7b2c9427735e1a89d132e8bc77e3f711

 

On the DS I was greeted with a broken lever & a bodged repair!

11193234_949943468371521_5491445081262051422_n.jpg?oh=b14cb17cb8a58f1ba0820a3ded858208&oe=55CE29F4&__gda__=1439848690_56db3f946bdc263b195e0c8f70a6b6ae

 

And new DS lock fitted:

11169826_949943511704850_2086997393046653763_n.jpg?oh=b9179b705f8362c327f967f85d03cf76&oe=55C7BF8D&__gda__=1439752220_835fcea7c4d548fe7155d59539287cca

 

The cost for the new Door & Ignition lock assembly's?

$120.00.

It really does baffle me that after such an expensive restoration such minor items have been overlooked...

 

Oh & the interior light was broken as well, so I ordered & fitted a new one:

11138532_949943228371545_5642247605502311977_n.jpg?oh=7970ba0ecb3691e7dbe02acb4f53a6c0&oe=55E10701

 

10409196_949943401704861_6989898650960895744_n.jpg?oh=06df24f21c47418057eb0655509364db&oe=55DE6D38&__gda__=1439328614_d79e747e86bb620783062c0a5e77a2df

 

There was more work performed on the Hornet, but the above are the main items that were attended to.

Alan picked the car up a week or so ago & is very pleased with the results - although maybe not at the final bill...

 

I'm hoping Alan & his wife get many useful years out of the Hornet and I may even coax them & the Hornet along to the Zed club BBQ at the end of the year.

 

And remember guys - its all about that last 5% ;)

 

-Locky.

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And remember guys - its all about that last 5% ;)

 

-Locky.

 

The last 5%, when you can see the finish line and it is oh so very easy to rush and take the odd shortcut just to be back on the road.

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WOW.... first time i've been on here since the Hornet went ..

 

Perhaps I should make some comments.

 

The extractors were damaged by Nat when he installed them, and I was properly pee'd when it happened, however it was only months after they were installed that i noticed it as the car was at his workshop for 5 + years. The bills from Nat were mounting and with a new baby in the family, forensic accountant as a wife, and a repair bill ALREADY that could have bought me a something to the tune of a very nearly new M3 (yes .. you know what that is), I was over it. In the end, what I paid Nat, and what I owed him, were rather different numbers too. This build had a $20,000 budget from the start ...

 

I should suggest here that Nat installed the carbs and the manifold and extractors, and that James Flett at MIA had nothing whatsoever to do with this part of the car. James' work was and remains first class, but as I said, at the end (after more than five years ... and an M3) the gloss was gone. Remember, I only travelled about 900 miles in this car, and aside from building the engine, James only tuned it once for me and did nothing in terms of the engine once it was installed. James installed the Mk63's for me however.

 

To be fair, when Alan bought the car, he said to me; "Adam I don't know anything at all about cars, i'm buying this car because we like Z's and my wife LOVES the colour YELLOW". Absolute truth there!! He made a time to come to our house and I spent nigh on a day explaining to him where the oil went in, what 'triple carburettor' means, what is an 'extractor', and what does 'four piston caliper' mean. I told Alan, "Alan you are buying a fairly specialised car here, that no doubt you will want to modify to your own liking, you will need a very good pair of hands in Melbourne, and you must NEVER take this car to the local BP Servo for any form of repair or tune". I then gave Alan Locky's number and suggested that if you have ANY problem at all, Locky will either fix it, get you the parts, or advise you where to have it fixed - which as we can see has occurred (and for which I am grateful).

 

Last week Alan called me and said that he's spent a decent amount on the car, but that it was absolutely perfect. He said he intends to keep it for as long as he may, and that despite the few change's he's made, he is happy.

 

With regard to the Kameari Idler gear, that was my idea from the start and I explained what it was to Alan. We spent quite some time on the subject of 'that blue thing', albeit to his credit he then told me that he 'had no idea what it does, or how it works'. The door rubbers were a mystery to me when I heard of the problem - I used Precision Rubber that I bought from the US, and as for the crappy G/Box liner, that was rightfully in the 5% of things I would have done in time, as well as a stereo and a few other bibs and bobs. I explained to Alan right at the outset that the car was not 100% right, as I did to two other chaps that came and looked at it. Like all these things, they're personal and there is a lot of different choices to make.

 

From my standpoint, I'm very happy and I know Alan is too. I'm glad you've all enjoyed reading the thread too. Suffice to say folks, I miss the M3 (woops I meant to say 1971 Datsun), however you should see all the work going on at my house !!!!! The DA was just approved last week, with one one part I know will make you all GREEN ... a new Garage, 6m wide at front, 12m long, and 9M wide at the rear ... yep, that's a five car garage... coming soon

 

Now all I need is a toy to put inside it.

 

To be continued .........

 

 

 

 

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Hey Adam...You explained things well, but I don't think you needed to anyway. Sounds like the seller and buyer had a mutual understanding. When I came to see you and did not to put an offer down, it was because after looking at the hornet for less than a minute, I saw the things which did not fit my purchase criteria. You ware very open about what the car was about. The owner will enjoy this toy I'm sure.

 

PS. Got the 964. Pick-up Thursday :)

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i don't think you needed to explain a thing..... you buy an old car you expect to run into a few issues..........whatever price you pay. It annoys me a car like this went to someone that seemingly has no appreciation or hint of knowledge of cars in general let alone one like this.....money doesnt by passion it tends to buy posers....... perhaps he should have stuck to his vw touareg.... a nice toorak tourer for an old lad.........

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Alan's only other car is an automatic 370Z! Before that, he owned a 260Z 2+2, for 26 years that he drove daily and put more than 500,000klms on. He's a Z guy, but literally (by his own admission) 'knows nothing at all about cars'.

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  • 3 months later...

George and a few others have been asking me what my new project is .... 

 

For the life of me I can't see how to attach a photo...

 

Perhaps I should leave some clues; 

 

Two doors, Targa roof, made in extremely limited numbers, won it's division at LeMans, finished 1/2/3 at Nordschliefe, mid-mounted engine... 

 

Fiendishly fast, and dare I say, much quicker than the Brown Hornet... I think....

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For the life of me I can't see how to attach a photo...

 

click on quick reply or quote as normal, look to the right side and to the bottom when new text box opens, click on "more" options and up it comes in advance mode

Edited by Linton
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click on quick reply or quote as normal, look to the right side and to the bottom when new text box opens, click on "more" options and up it comes in advance mode

 

 

ok .. here it is .. in Silver

 

3.2C 914/6 GT.

 

i know it's not a 240Z... been there done that.

 

and this is what i'll make it look like soon.. in yellow

post-100868-0-75416700-1440584719_thumb.jpg

post-100868-0-86912400-1440584761_thumb.jpg

post-100868-0-48562300-1440584811_thumb.jpg

Edited by acf321
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and this is what i'll make it look like soon.. in yellow

Hi Adam

 

OK, I'll ask the obvious question - What does it look like now ?

Edited by PB260Z
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