Hello everyone...'71 240Z in Christchurch

New to the site? Say hello here!
Post Reply
User avatar
toycollector10
Posts: 94
Location: Christchurch

Hello everyone...'71 240Z in Christchurch

Post by toycollector10 » Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:13 am

Finally got me a nice car but comes with a few issues that I hope I can get sorted with some help from you guys. I'm keen to get in contact with Canterbury owners of vintage Zed's. I need help with identifying the type of gearbox I have, gearbox problems and the like and am also looking for advice on who can work on my car without being gouged or getting a bad job and/or bad service. I'm currently sourcing parts from the USA and eBay.

My car's original plate number was FV4555 which is pretty close to another member's car on this forum. Interesting stuff. The car spent a lot of time in Auckland before going to Blenheim for a long time then coming to me two years ago.

First up, can someone recommend a mechanic or workshop in Christchurch to replace a rear crankshaft seal and replace clutch parts. And also investigate a grumbling gearbox when the car is idling in neutral?

I'm 57 years old and am interested in and own classic pre 1980's Japanese motorcycles. I used to have a very tidy Mitsubishi Galant Fastback from 1973 and have a general interest in early Japanese cars. I also collect tin toys and have two toy poodles :oops: Married with two adult children.

Cheers, Mark
Attachments
222216_1893725135711_1019034632_2053324_6041148_n.jpg
222216_1893725135711_1019034632_2053324_6041148_n.jpg (126.29 KiB) Viewed 9206 times
222681_1893725015708_1019034632_2053323_3908805_n.jpg
222681_1893725015708_1019034632_2053323_3908805_n.jpg (108.57 KiB) Viewed 9206 times
224021_1893724615698_1019034632_2053321_188763_n.jpg
224021_1893724615698_1019034632_2053321_188763_n.jpg (94.34 KiB) Viewed 9206 times

BRONZEE
Z Club Member
Posts: 7200
Location: Auckland

Post by BRONZEE » Wed Sep 21, 2011 7:46 am

Welcome to the forum. 8) We have quite a number of club members in the Christchurch region. 8)
Next - Z Club events:
= Check out events page here or our Z Club NZ Facebook page.

User avatar
us2
Z Club Member
Posts: 1876
Location: Weymouth by the sea.Auckland.Don't dream it ,be there

Post by us2 » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:09 am

Hi Mark.Welcome to the forum.
Nice looking car. If the gearbox is making a grumbling noise at idle, it might be the input shaft /spigot bearing is worn. This is actually a bronze bushing.
Does the noise diminish when the clutch is pressed?
This bearing can be replaced easily when the gearbox is removed to replace the rear crank seal.
Don't know any mechanics down your way, but there are others from CHCH on the forum with early Zeds who should be able to help find someone
in your area.
Have you thought of doing it yourself. Some say the gearbox can be removed and replaced easily, and I have done so twice. Replacing it is not much fun unless you have the correct jack to support the weight. Benchpressing while lying on concrete not great. If I have to do it again, I will improvise a saddle to fit my floor jack to hold the gearbox.
I used to ride 80s Japanese bikes as well . Had a bad spill on a 1100 Suzuki so thought it time to give that up, and bought a Ford, 'cough' :oops:
a 73GXL 3000 Capri>Ugh. Not a patch on the 240. Thankfully someone stole it. :lol:
My wife of 46 years, shows Bichon Frise' dogs. We have a 16 week old girl puppy and two boys.
Our Zed is a 72 .

This Forum is worth looking at and an excellent source of info. This is some.!! Just enter your subject in the search area at the top of page.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/show ... +main+seal
http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/show ... +main+seal
http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/show ... +main+seal
http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/show ... ox+removal

Cheers
Brian.
!972 240z
Retirement is great. Growing old sucks.

User avatar
Andy
Site Admin
Posts: 2020
Location: Auckland

Post by Andy » Wed Sep 21, 2011 1:56 pm

Welcome to the forum. The rear crank seal is a regular failure but can be related to the rear main bearing which has a tendency to flog out before the rest of the crank mains. Its a 6 cylinder thing. So replacing the seal may be only a short term repair.

User avatar
djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Wed Sep 21, 2011 8:31 pm

I think I may have seen you driving this the other day, I'm trying to remember where. It might have been down Moorhouse Ave?
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

User avatar
ZMAD
Posts: 657
Location: Tauranga

Post by ZMAD » Wed Sep 21, 2011 9:48 pm

Hi Mark, I've seen this car before (maybe internet) and it looks great. My local gearbox shop quoted $595 to rebuild box. Will get it done as mine makes a hell of a noise sometimes. That Mitsi sounds awsum, any photos. The only model Mitsi I ever liked. Have fun.
All Nissans are racecars.

User avatar
toycollector10
Posts: 94
Location: Christchurch

Post by toycollector10 » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:11 pm

Thanks for your input guys. The links us2 supplied have given me are valuable and something to go on. No thanks to Andy, "replacing the seal may be only a short term repair" :-) But I've taken it on board, it all adds to the knowledge of the car. ZMAD, yes the car was advertised on TradeMe about three times before I had it assessed by the AA in blenheim and then unfortunately got into a pissing contest in the last minutes of the auction with a guy from Darfield. I asked the AA assessor, "would you buy it?" and he said it was a good car so that was enough for me. I think if you Google 240Z 1971 Image Search it will show as I have images of it in my Picassa folder or maybe Photobucket, I can't remember but they are both public access.

Does anyone know about the exact same model car that was in Autotrader magazine in 2003? In Invercargill, and a one owner vehicle with 68,000 miles on the clock and asking only $14,000. I couldn't afford it at the time but vowed I would never let another one get away on me! I paid $20,000 for my car and have spent a few more grand on her already. But it's not about the money, it's about passion, really. My daily driver is a 1997 Mitsubishi Galant shit-box worth about $800 on a good day. Who cares?
Attachments
My 1973 Galant, should never have let her go but I had limited room in my garage and needed to house the Zed.
My 1973 Galant, should never have let her go but I had limited room in my garage and needed to house the Zed.
Galant_046.jpg (121.02 KiB) Viewed 9138 times
Awarded "Best in Show" at the Classic Japanese Motorcycle Show 2010 in Christchurch.
Awarded "Best in Show" at the Classic Japanese Motorcycle Show 2010 in Christchurch.
kawaz1.jpg (210.67 KiB) Viewed 9138 times

User avatar
nzeder
Site Admin
Posts: 1503
Location: Auckland
Contact:

Post by nzeder » Wed Sep 21, 2011 11:42 pm

Nice zed, like the bike and my first car was a 16l - good little cars. But a zed is better ;)

Welcome.

User avatar
240znz
Posts: 254
Location: Christchurch

Post by 240znz » Thu Sep 22, 2011 3:17 am

Gidday Mark,

Give St. Martins garage a call on 332 6138.

Cheers

James
Last edited by 240znz on Mon Sep 26, 2011 9:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Zed NOT Zee

12/70 HS30-00352
1973 240Z rust car

User avatar
bernjean
Z Club Member
Posts: 1709

Post by bernjean » Thu Sep 22, 2011 6:54 pm

Hey nice z good to see still some nice cars around cherish it.
Bernie Kant
Club President

User avatar
toycollector10
Posts: 94
Location: Christchurch

Post by toycollector10 » Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:13 pm

Thanks to James I got on the blower to Daryn and chewed the fat. It's all on now, shocks and springs, clutch, all suspension and steering bushes etc. I'm pleased to find someone able and experienced to do the work although the car will be going through the shop on full mechanics rates. All I have to do is source as many parts as I can and then deliver the car to him. I'm no mechanic, and I wouldn't ask you guys to do what I do for a living so please don't pay me out. In my case I'v'e learned that sometimes it's just better to hand the problem over to someone who know what they are doing. Thanks for all the positive comments and I hope to meet up with you Christchurch guys sometime, maybe we could put in a showing on the annual Datsun club run to Akaroa which I think is in October.

User avatar
djz
Posts: 849
Location: Christchurch

Post by djz » Thu Sep 22, 2011 7:16 pm

I'll be there, probably not in my Z though. I'll try and bring a couple of my Z owning mates along too.
Nissan 280ZX 2 seater RB26 powered.

User avatar
netrover
Posts: 390
Location: Christchurch

Post by netrover » Sat Sep 24, 2011 2:34 pm

Welcome to the forum Mark. Nice to see another Christchurch Zed owner.

And what a great looking car you have.

It would be good to catch up with you at meet some time.
35th Anniversary Ultra Yellow 350Z

User avatar
asyado
Posts: 275
Location: Carterton, Wairarapa

Post by asyado » Sat Sep 24, 2011 6:09 pm

Hi Mark,
welcome to the Zed forum and congrats on buying an early Zed. Just a thought on the gearbox noise, the other most common gremlin is a main support bearing in the gearshaft train that is near collapse but this would be noticeable through all gears whether idle or driving. The grumbling is the signs of the caseharding having gone on either the inner or outer race of the bearing or the ball bearings them selves or combination of all three.
Easy no cost things which can be checked are any outwards signs of oil leakage from the gearbox, if so where?, front or rear? then check oil level with of course the car level.
As Brian mentioned, the spigot bush could also be the cause if it has flogged out and it then lets the clutch input shaft flop around with nothing to support it.
The clutch fork bearing may also be the cause, it takes a fair hammering in its duty and usually they are pre greased but if they get alot of heat the grease can seep out leaving the bearing to go dry and in idle/neutral if the bearing to pressure plate clearance isn't set right, you can hear the clutch fork bearing rattling against the fingers of the clutch pressure plate.
Lastly the only other thing which I've found in my days of mechanicing that made a noise once it let go was the preload springs in the clutch pressure plate had lost their tension and were floating and making a rattling sound.
These springs in the pressure plate load up as the clutch pedal is released and the metal face of the pressure plate is forced back into contact with the clutch plate which is sandwiched between the pressure plate and flywheel.
The springs load up to stop the clutch biting in a sudden contact which would be noticeable to drivers.
A full clutch pack is recommended if removing the gearbox, you get spigot bush, clutch and pressure plates and clutch fork bearing.
If one component is gone, then expect the rest to follow soon and so save coin now and do the lot, rather than having to remove the gearbox again a little later down the track.
Insanity is only one gear change away!!!

User avatar
toycollector10
Posts: 94
Location: Christchurch

Post by toycollector10 » Sat Sep 24, 2011 7:48 pm

Hi asyado, thanks for your input.

I've just received a box from zspares in the USA containing :

clutch fork pilot tool
clutch fork
clutch dust boot
urethane trans mount bushings
crankshaft seals x 2 side and one main rear

I wasn't able to source the correct fork lever pivot ball so unless someone on the forum can help me out with a supplier I'll just have to use the old one or get another one made up. The differ between A, B and 5 speed boxes apparently.

I'll have to source the clutch kit locally, it shouldn't be a problem. I've also just had a quote from the USA to supply about $600 USD worth of other under-body parts excluding shipping and I'm finalising that that tomorrow. Old style comfortable rubber suspension bushes etc.

I have a quote from George Stock and Coy Ltd to supply KYB inserts for the rear at $164 each. I can live with that

The springs though are a bit of an issue for me. They are quoting King springs at $235 a pair. Excluding shipping ex USA and excluding GST. Also, 8 to 12 weeks delivery.

Can you or anyone else recommend springs off the shelf here in Christchurch. I'm after a comfortable, standard height if I can get it without lowering.

The King springs are shorter than standard but thicker with fewer turns and will work but the cost and delay isn't good.

Does anyone know about gearboxes. Our early NZ cars came with 5 speed boxes. The USA cars were 4 speed up until 1977. Are the 1977 5-speed boxes they same as our 1960-1971 boxes? Even the Zspares guys don't know.

As I said in a previous post the gearbox rumbles away with the car sitting still and running in neutral but when I put my foot all the way down and release the clutch the rumbling stops. I've been led to believe that is an easy fix when the gearbox/clutch housing is off the engine.

Cheers

Post Reply