Mike260LW

A bit of a late entry into this discussion, but I'm a bit of a fan of the early74 260Z, having owned three of them now. Interesting commentary on seat trim. One of them, 0000851 had black and white hounds tooth inserts. Probably reupholstered, but maybe not. All have sported the smaller diameter struts and lower rear strut towers. The doors are also unique in terms of window mechanisms and door cards. This a real problem if you are looking for replacements. I haven't seen this configuration in a 260z with a VIN much over 0001000. Australia did seem to receive a large chunk of these. Agree with Sirpent comments re anti pollution requirements of the U.S. Market but I think the real issue was the 5 mph impact bumper legislation the U.S. Brought in in 1973. Is this what dictated the change to the later (late 74 onwards) heavier shell with beefier chassis rail extensions under the floor and bigger taller struts to cope with extra weight of heavy bumpers and absorbers. I've often wondered whether the lighter cars were packed off to none US markets to get rid of them while they transitioned into the heftier US spec shells which were later rolled out to all markets.

Hi and welcome locklock. Looks like you have a very early 260Z? A two seater?

Sorry I missed you Richard at MP on Sunday. I had a "character building" weekend which wasn't helped by torrential rain on Friday with the resultant bog in the marquee pits. I went up to do my Observed Licence Test in the regularity. Clutch master cylinder failed putting the car on the trailer so had to replace (not an easy one man job) and bleed clutch and brakes in the mud. Went out in practice and qualifying on road tyres - wrong choice. Had a good first run on flogged out race tyres battling with a couple of Porsches then motor went off-song for the second round. Securing bolt for carby choke fell out allowing choke to rattle around and block jets. Normally safety wired but had work done on Carbies and not replaced. Didn't feel like pulling airbox and carbies off in the mud. CAMS officials very accommodating, said they'd seen enough and signed off paper work. Packed up and went home to dry off! Stan Adler was doing 1:28s, for what it is worth.

I just had one done the other week from a mob in Coopers plains for about that kind of money. No one has asked theremm if it is a standard or worked engine. More horsepower, more heat, simple physics. More heat you will require a bigger radiator I.e upgrade from a two row core to a three row core if you want to stay with the stock look. They can even squeeze a four row core between top and bottom tanks.

Agree with Jason 100% - better brakes are the real need. Things like triples would be nice but guys are making good horsepower on twin Hitachi. Alan, you are on the money here. The S30 would be a far more competitive Sb car than Sc. The reality is if you want to win in Sc you wouldn't start with a Zed! It seems to me the European Historic Motorsport scene is a little more enlightened when it comes to period modifications, particularly in respect to safety. And that is the issue; the L26 is now producing double the horespower thanks to modern metallurgy, lubricants and 40 years of development. My own questioning of the powers that be around "what about better brakes?" was responded to with a "you'll just have to drive it within the capabilities of the car" answer. Thanks, I'll try to remember that!

I have a vested interest in these deliberations as, as some of you know, I am currently building an Sc car, however there are consistent mis-directions and redirection by contributors who are not fully conversant with the governing rules and ethos of this class of racing. This is not a criticism, just an observation. I thought it would be beneficial to all participating in this thread, and particularly those not directly involved in the category or those from overseas familiar with different regulations, to go back to some first principles. I have taken the liberty to edit out the non-pertinent waffle and also to underline some of the salient points. Hope this helps us with our goal of identifying eligible parts for Group Sc - S30s. From the Confederation of Australian Motorsport Manual: “Groups S are designed to provide a forum for competitors to race production sports cars from the ’50s and ’60s (sometimes known as “Classic Sports Cars”), in a form similar to period club racing. Limited modifications as detailed in the regulations and defined in the Specification Sheet are allowed to these vehicles. Where performance-improving modifications are made, these should be of a period nature and not out of character with the vehicle or group period. To this extent, the modifications permitted are not intended to radically alter the individual vehicle’s character or appearance and will be of an improved performance road car nature, as opposed to making the vehicle totally dedicated to outright competition”. Pertinent extracts from the Group S Competitors’ Club web page: “While the CAMS Manual of Motor Sport details the general compliance requirements for Group S, much regarding its history and development has been lost. As a result, many misunderstandings about Group S have developed which confuse not only new entrants but also current competitors”. (Historically) “Production sports car racing participants were largely owner-drivers who drove their road registered sports car to the track, removed items such as windscreens, bumper bars, and anything that could be easily unbolted, and replaced the road wheels with a set of wheels fitted with treaded racing tyres. At meet’s end, road wheels were refitted, windscreens and bumpers replaced and the cars driven home”….. “The need to keep the cars in compliance with road registration requirements and to minimise cost ensured that modifications were limited, and largely confined to engine and suspension tuning”. “Eligible marques for Group S have been decided by the Historic Commission on the basis of production runs and production specifications. FIA homologation is not a relevant factor and plays no part in the rules for Group S – a common misunderstanding.” “There is also no nexus between Group S and Group N – another common misunderstanding. Each category is unique and has evolved in a different way to meet the needs of differing motor sport communities”. “A further misunderstanding is that the compliance requirements of both Group S and Group N are similar. They are not because the starting points, concepts and culture of each historic motor sport group are different. Group N racing is meant to reflect the popular Appendix J racing of the period and its rules are based on the period rules. There were no equivalent Australia wide sports car rules of the period”.

G'day and welcome. Yes, I too know that car well. Used to live just around the corner from where I live in Brisbane. A far more developed car now though, I believe. I am currently building a 260Z Sc car, so will be pleased to compare notes along the way.

Good friend and fellow ZCCQ club member turned up yesterday with a "bitsa" gearbox out of wrecked 2+2 but had the required 280ZX extension housing with reverse lockout. I can also use the bell housing as the one I have is painted Ford Blue. Old mate that I bought the car in bits off had this restoration concept which was don't repair or recondition anything, just paint it! Oh, and pull it all to bits, pack parts randomly into plastic bags and boxes, then throw away a box or two. Thanks Lochy and Jason for the offers though.

Sent you a PM. Cheers.

After a late 280ZX gearbox rear housing (71B) with a reverse gear lock-out mechanism. Hoping someone has a junker 'box they are happy to part out. Will buy a whole 'box if it's the only option available. Preferably in Brisbane too so I can pick-up. Don't want much, do I?!

This is a great thread with excellent points of view…..so I'm going wade into the fray, twirling my pearl handled Colt .45s! Let me state from the outset; personally, I am not a fan of stanced, slammed and flare guarded Zeds with extreme offset rims fitted with perilously stretched tyres. Nor do I salivate over hair dryer enhanced RB donks or L series bent eights shoehorned into Frankensteined hybrids. Not my wet dream. I hear the howls of protestation as I write this. And I say unto you, each to their own. One man's meat is another man's poison. Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This is what we uphold in our free and democratic society. However, personally I think Yoshihiko Matsuo san and the design team at Nissan did a pretty damn good styling job on the S30; a real classic. And to be a classic car the styling must be able to transcend time, that is, it still looks as good today as it did “in the day”. A classic must also be above fashion that instantly traps it as passé. I wonder whether chopped guards, plastic arches and slammed suspension will be to Zeds what flared pants, body shirts and platform shoes were to the seventies? This is the crux of my concern. Whilst the ZG flares are attractive today, will they be the desired look in say ten years time? They may enhance the value today but be extremely detrimental to the value in the future. The problem is all those butchered guards (cut-outs turfed in the waste skip) to accommodate wide rims and flares will be significantly expensive to revert in the future. It is probably fare to say most people on this forum are into Zeds (Zees for our American bros) as part of a life long fetish rather than a short-term investment. So whilst I don't applaud some people's interpretation of S30 styling, I neither deride nor sneer at it either. I simply commend you for your expression of individuality but gently caution against being drawn into the pitfall of "fashionable".

Yes Jason, it's for the Sc. I know the ones you mean and this is not one of those type, it's the lower "dealer option" looking one.

Welcome, you bought a pretty tidy early 260Z. I hd the opportunity to have a brief look over the car late last year when Curtis brought the car on a ZCCQ run. I hope It gives you great enjoyment. I like your idea of tasteful, period correct and reversible mods. Good luck and happy motoring. Mike

Anybody had any experience fitting an Alfa Motorsport rear ducktail spoiler. Previous spoilers I have fitted have had brackets glassed in to screw the spoiler to hatch with. This has none. Clueless.

I reckon I will be a starter too!

Hi pauly_adams, it's not the common ol' garden variety E88 that came on the L26 that I'm chasing. It's an E88 efi head that came on a Skyline MR30 hatcback (1982 I think). It has fuel injector notches on the intake ports (like an N42/P90) and very small combustion chamber, small valves and ports. The engine compensated the small CC with deep dished Pistons. It's for a Group Sc competition engine. The small CC aids very high compression required to make HP with small displacement. Technically and legally you are not supposed to add metal to heads. Only allowed to remove, hence my "head-hunt".

Cracker, good idea to contact the seller. I doubt he will want to decommission a running car to accommodate my needs but it's worth a try. Bonkers, I didn't even know the O5L existed. I don't know anything about them. What did it come off? I will fire off an email to the engine builder. Agno, I'm building up a an early '74 260, so it will be carbureted not fuel injected. My interest in the E88 EFI head is the combustion chamber shape.

Thanks cracker, that's the one! I'm a bit disinclined to buy a whole car, ship it to Brizvegas from the Apple isle for $100 cylinder head. The benefit of the E88 EFI head is its small combustion chamber. This is for a Group Sc engine. It will be very high compression. The rules don't actually allow you to add metal, only remove. I thought I found one here in Brisbane thanks to a lead from dat2kman. Dragged a mate out on Saturday morning when it was about 36 deg C and 99% humidity to an MR30 in paddock in knee high snake infested grass. Got stuck into head removal and fortunately my mate checked the head casting number, before we got too far, to find it was an N47! The E88 EFI head only comes in the hatchback not the sedan. Thanks again for thinking of us.

Thanks for looking.

Thanks Lightmaster240z for the heads up. I have PM'd Lochy.

The MR 30 Hatchback is not the prettiest of cars, is it Richard? Jason, any lead on these elusive heads would help. Ta.

Thanks Phillay - it has the E88 casting designation, but has a very small combustion chamber. The ready reckoner is the injector notch in the top of the intake port (like the N42 & P90). Cracker, my understanding is they come in an early, fuel injected, skyline.

I know these are rare as rocking horse poop, but I'm after one for a race engine. Bare casting or fully assembled, I care not. Just thought someone may have one lurking in their workshop. Thanks.

I reckon restoring an old car is a bit like an archaeological dig, you sort of work down through the layers of paint, then when you hit metal, you discover all the appalling panel repairs the owners/insurers paid huge money for. The sins of the past that bog can hide!

Bump