--- My Blue 240z ---

[BLUE]

This be my 1973 BLUE ! 240z...



She's not going to be a "project datto" worthy car since I won't be doing much do it along the way other than keeping her fresh and running as well as improving her a bit along the way with subtle items. No flashy @#@% allowed... lol. (welding a bit as well where need be !)

I've been driving this puppy around and enjoying it while replacing little things a step at a time along the way to take a bite out of the "big" picture.

She has a strong original setup L24 + 4spd + R180 3.36 currently , and hums right along on the highway like no ones business ! []

---------PLANS ,GOAL(S) , and FOCUS: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Finish up some metal work

*Repair and freshen up interior pieces that need it.

*Pattern out and cut carpet for entire interior (old stuff is good just not matching !)

*To keep body exterior as original as I can stand...

*To keep interior as original as I can.. with some exceptions to possible improvements.

* (Bonus) --- I have possible plans to "freshen and polish up the drive-train hopefully in the near future ( all this depends on how my other projects pan out for me though and where the parts are used in the end [;)] ).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hopefully I'll be making updates along the way for others to enjoy [:)]

Thanks for reading !

DTP

[DRIVEN]

This thread deserves more pics. Love the color. Original paint?

[RedBanner]

Keep it coming pops!! Love your whole stable!

[BLUE]

This thread deserves more pics. Love the color. Original paint?

It does indeed deserve more pics. Maybe I'll update tonight.
Thanks.. I like the color myself
I don't believe it's original paint.

Keep it coming pops!! Love your whole stable!

Thanks son !
Will try to be better about updates

[BLUE]

I'm still waiting on the machinist to return my case back to me as of present. ( a bit over-due on the timeframe I was told , but I understand how things go that way as well.)
Will transfer/update progress in a bit from my other build threads.
Slowly starting to and planning on using flickr from photobucket... so things maybe a slow transition.

For now a couple new parts that arrived in the mail today
*Wood style shifter knob.
*Short-Throw shifter assembly.


M phone pics transfer 3005 by 71240z, on Flickr
...

M phone pics transfer 3008 by 71240z, on Flickr


M phone pics transfer 2969 by 71240z, on Flickr


M phone pics transfer 2978 by 71240z, on Flickr


M phone pics transfer 3001 by 71240z, on Flickr

I also completely forgot I had this B&M shifter knob from years ago... doh ! ( I like this one... very comfortable ... yet both knobs are comfy ).

M phone pics transfer 2985 by 71240z, on Flickr
...

M phone pics transfer 2986 by 71240z, on Flickr
...

M phone pics transfer 2987 by 71240z, on Flickr

^^^ Feels just like a baseball in your hands ... just so natural !
Sure it's worn in a bit , but that is how all of them should feel.

Thanks for reading and hopefully I get ma butt in gear for more pics update

BLUE

[RedBanner]

I really like the wood shift knob! Straight up classy

[BLUE]

I really like the wood shift knob! Straight up classy

Thanks son .. me to !

[BLUE]

Lame update --- Finally have an ETA on machined front trans case coming back to me.
It should be ready for me between the 19th and 22nd.
Until then the show must go on and focus on more small stuff.

Broken passengers side rear wheel stud


7913 progress update pics 158 by 71240z, on Flickr

Drum appears to be good shape.


7913 progress update pics 159 by 71240z, on Flickr


7913 progress update pics 160 by 71240z, on Flickr

Plenty of clearance to remove and replace each stud without having to pull the hub itself.


7913 progress update pics 163 by 71240z, on Flickr


7913 progress update pics 164 by 71240z, on Flickr

(rears are longer than the fronts).


7913 progress update pics 165 by 71240z, on Flickr

Doing a quick rough measure to verify length.


7913 progress update pics 166 by 71240z, on Flickr


7913 progress update pics 168 by 71240z, on Flickr

Pounded out all (4) and zipped them back in. Found a bad wheel cylinder while I was there (sticky).

Dismantled brakes


7913 progress update pics 211 by 71240z, on Flickr

[BLUE]

Pulled off and inspected the drivers side as well. Wheel cylinder ended up being good and re-freshable.

7913 progress update pics 176 by 71240z, on Flickr

Passengers wheel cylinder (left) ... a donor 71' passengers wheelcylinder (right)
Both are stamped "Tokico" on the bodies and I remember just a couple years ago they use to be give or take $90 a pop even from Rockauto.
Cheapos can be had for $45 locally now.
The bore was good in the donor , but had a stuck adjuster. The bore was bad in the original ,but had a good adjuster.
so... made 1 out of 2 successfully.

7913 progress update pics 227 by 71240z, on Flickr
71' is a (1) year only wheel cylinder (2-year only if you count 70's being a 240z model) wheel cylinder.
It has a different brake line hookup location and brake hard-line itself versus the 72-73 donor wheel cylinder I used as a donor (just switch hard-lines).

7913 progress update pics 228 by 71240z, on Flickr
Each cylinder was re-built (refreshed) with one of these Bendix wheel cylinder kits. I checked for any leaks after and there were none.

7913 progress update pics 230 by 71240z, on Flickr


7913 progress update pics 193 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 194 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 195 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 196 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 197 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 198 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 200 by 71240z, on Flickr
Rebuilt wheel cylinder (drivers)

7913 progress update pics 206 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 208 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 209 by 71240z, on Flickr
Difference in 71 versus 72-73 hardline angles

7913 progress update pics 232 by 71240z, on Flickr
Passengers Cylinder on ready to go , and adjuster lubed up with anti-seize as well as the (8) shoe friction points.
Just needed to add the shoe retainer pins/springs and it was done (at this point)

7913 progress update pics 234 by 71240z, on Flickr

7913 progress update pics 236 by 71240z, on Flickr

Donor 71 assembly

7913 progress update pics 212 by 71240z, on Flickr

[RedBanner]

Sweet, doing work pop, its allways great to have back breaks too!

[BLUE]

Sweet, doing work pop, its allways great to have back breaks too!

yup yup thanks son ! ^^^ Banner knows what's up ...

[RedBanner]

More than id like to admit lol

[MicroMachinery]

Blue's Z's in the house! Gettin' sh*t did..

[BLUE]

hahahah banner ... me too ...

Thanks Micro !!! I sorta gettin shat done

^^^ haha thanks Kirden [:)]

---- Front Caliper Rebuild day ----- ( aka bad mood day ... [:lol:] )

Decided to refresh the ol front calipers today since I felt they might be a bit sticky (no brake grab just gunked).

Brakes worked fine before I got to them .. no leaks or anything [;)] (preventative maintenance [] )

As you all know ... brake calipers can work ... it's just a question of "how well" they work [:D] ...

Grabbed donor calipers from a spare set of struts.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 001 by 71240z, on Flickr

Fluid (wet) is from pulling them off nothing more...


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 002 by 71240z, on Flickr

Next just grabbed my 12-ton press ... and a 200sx clutch/brake pedal assembly ... used the press to hold it so I can work while standing temporarily ... screwed in the 10mm brake fitting from the 200sx clutch master (brake line) to the s30 front caliper ... plan was/is to hydraulically push out the pistons EVENLY (yes there are (2) pistons total per caliper if you are unaware [:)] ). I was lazy in this practice as I should just bolt this to my bench ... but I wanted to be out in the sun (sort of).


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 003 by 71240z, on Flickr

All I do next is just fill the master with DOT-3 brake fluid... and pump the clutch pedal with my hand ... [:lol:]


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 004 by 71240z, on Flickr

10mm brake line fitting into s30 front caliper.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 005 by 71240z, on Flickr

This picture is showing (2) wrenches used to bottom out one piston ... while the other has a chance to push out of the bore.

The goal is to pop them out EVENLY , so I don't have to fight them to come out ... so little by little ... this is a game of patience.

Yes I realize these are cheap to just buy re-manufactured , but I enjoy doing things myself sometimes regardless []

(Note: IF you plan to do this ... use something softer then wrenches ... I was in a bad-mood today [:D] ... the wrenches didn't leave a mark though for the record. )


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 006 by 71240z, on Flickr

Once you feel both pistons are about as far as they'll go ... pop one out ... and remove it ... then remove the other as carefully as you can (there's a couple ways of doing this).


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 007 by 71240z, on Flickr

Once the (2) piston was removed ,... it was a mess (duh right ? [:lol:] )


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 011 by 71240z, on Flickr

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 012 by 71240z, on Flickr

Pistons (2) didn't look to bad ( they are dirty in the pic ). Sealing surface was smooth nearly 90% or so on both.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 013 by 71240z, on Flickr

(still posting).

[BLUE]

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 014 by 71240z, on Flickr

Little bit of rust and crap on the external surface of this one , but totally usable.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 015 by 71240z, on Flickr

The reason you do not see a piston seal on this caliper piston ... is because the seal actually stays in the caliper bore (machined groove).


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 016 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 017 by 71240z, on Flickr

Getting the second caliper ready.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 018 by 71240z, on Flickr

Second caliper to have pistons (2) popped out.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 020 by 71240z, on Flickr

Pumping clutch pedal (clutch master) to expand one piston outwards.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 021 by 71240z, on Flickr

Again using wrenches (or a wedge of somekind) to block both pistons from falling out thus losing my hydraulic pressure advantage of getting these babys out EVENLY.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 022 by 71240z, on Flickr

You can see the dust seals popped off in the this pic. They are held on by a little tension retainer spring steel spring.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 023 by 71240z, on Flickr

Dust shield and retainer spring.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 024 by 71240z, on Flickr

(more pics coming)

[BLUE]

This is about as far as these pistons will come out before losing their hydraulic seal ... at this point you get to pump the pedal and (1) piston will pop out ... then YOU get to figure out how to get the other one out without harming it.

(NOTE: These particular pistons had quite a bit of gum and a little rust (none of these parts will be perfect ya know ?)


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 025 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 026 by 71240z, on Flickr

Popped out this piston and pulled the sucker out.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 028 by 71240z, on Flickr

Quite a bit of gum on this one really.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 029 by 71240z, on Flickr

Caliper piston bore ... need a light cleanup , but not anywhere near as bad as this picture makes it out to be [:lol:] [;)]

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 030 by 71240z, on Flickr

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 031 by 71240z, on Flickr

This bore is towards the inner side of the wheel ... you can tell by the hole in the center that leads from the brake-line straight in [;)]


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 032 by 71240z, on Flickr

Both pistons popped out.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 033 by 71240z, on Flickr

This side of the caliper piston bore looked dang good ! You can see the piston seal inside there (black ring) [:)]


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 035 by 71240z, on Flickr

I used some 600-grit sand-paper to clean up and slight imperfections or where I felt (not much if at all ... )

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 037 by 71240z, on Flickr

Pulled out the caliper piston seal straight from the bore using a pick ! (carefully...)

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 038 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 039 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 040 by 71240z, on Flickr

Carefully ... cleaned the piston seal groove ... and installed a new piston seal.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 041 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 043 by 71240z, on Flickr

Cleaned up the piston ,,, stuck the dust boot on (can be done anytime really...) ... lubed it up to get ready for install.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 042 by 71240z, on Flickr

I then just pushed the piston in the bore by hand (carefully ... and square).

Then compressed each piston in.

Next... I stuck the caliper in the press as a 3rd hand (just to hold it lightly) and slipped on the dust-boots + retaining rings (kinda tricky .. [:lol:] )

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 044 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 046 by 71240z, on Flickr

The Japanese retaining ring had more tension the the American made rings.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 045 by 71240z, on Flickr

(more pics coming)

[BLUE]

retaining ring on.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 050 by 71240z, on Flickr
Don't forget to blow threw ... and clean the bleeder valve(s) as well as there seating areas (lots of crap in them).

It's a really good idea to clean ALL hydraulic passages if you are feeling safe to do so.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 049 by 71240z, on Flickr

Both spare calipers are rebuilt and waiting install.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 051 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 053 by 71240z, on Flickr

Purty.


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 052 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 054 by 71240z, on Flickr

Current old passengers caliper mounted.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 055 by 71240z, on Flickr

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 056 by 71240z, on Flickr

Rebuilt one in my hand --- versus --- old mounted

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 058 by 71240z, on Flickr

Pulled the brake pads + hardware.

Zipped off the 10mm brake hydraulic line.

Pictured is un-bolting (2) 17mm caliper bracket mounting bolts. (currently upper bolt)

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 059 by 71240z, on Flickr

Bottom 17mm mounting bolt (hydraulic hard line was tightened up shortly after this).

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 061 by 71240z, on Flickr

(more pics coming).

[BLUE]

Mounted Rebuilt caliper.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 062 by 71240z, on Flickr

Brake pads and hardware is all in and lubed up ready to go !

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 063 by 71240z, on Flickr

Drivers side caliper UN-mounted , and beside rebuilt caliper.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 064 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 065 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 066 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 067 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 068 by 71240z, on Flickr


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 069 by 71240z, on Flickr

rebuilt drivers side caliper installed.

Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 070 by 71240z, on Flickr

Ceramic brake pads + hardware is installed and lubed up ready to go !


Blue Z-car front caliper brake rebuild 071413 072 by 71240z, on Flickr

That was that ! Bled it and put the wheels on ... then vroom vroooom !

The braking is MUCH smoother and even then it was before the rebuild (didn't pull or anything before... I just suspected some gumming in calipers [:)] )

With the Brake Pad combination and calipers + wheel cylinder rebuilt ... I quite like it and am satisfied !!

I do enjoy doing things myself where I can/have time to ... as it opens the realm of other possibility's or adds to my idea of what can/can't be fixed or used on cars [:)]

Thanks for reading ...

BLUE

[RedBanner]

Great job pops. Best way Keep this awsome car safe!

[BLUE]

Great job pops. Best way Keep this awsome car safe!

1,000's Thank-u's son

It is nice to know that the car has a sharp crisp stop (perfect) to it if need be ... like all other non-women drivers ... I try not to FRY my brakes ... did you hear me FRY !?



(lame).