moments – Page 2 – the DAILY DATSUN

October 3, 2013October 3, 2013

Smog saga…

Sigh – “if it ain’t one thing, it’s another…”

Heard that before? We’ll let’s take this journey of the Smog Saga story together.

Last post was about having to get the Datsun 280z smogged because it’s a 1977 (and in CA, cars 1975 and prior are smog exempt!). Lo and behold the San Jose’s Smog Tech Test Only station was finally open. I was hoping Zac, the last technician who helped me out, would’ve been there, but I guess he’s gone. So, Nguyen (first name) help me out and put the Z on the machine.

Vvrrroom… vrroom.. [small chat].. i’m nervously looking at the digital gauge nearly falling out of the green passing zone. He pokes / prods.. gets under the car.

“You don’t have a legal cat”, he says.

Doh. Seriously. So i guess i know what a bagel and oj got me last time.

He mentions that CA gov passed a law recently about catalytic converters needing a special number. I quickly clamor, “But but mine’s a ’77 and they probably didn’t have numbers back then. I swear it’s all original!”. Nope, no go. Not only that, I failed out of CO spec on the actual smog test. Not by much, but still beyond the max % allowed:

CO% levels
15mph – MAX: 1.36; AVE: 0.17; MEAS: 2.03
25mph – MAX: 1.16; AVE: 0.15; MEAS: 2.66

*AVE = Average Emissions for Passing Vehicles

So as you can see, I’m just out of the range of passing 😦 Some google searching shows this is related to a few things, but probably due to running too rich (too much fuel in the mix). After a post on ClassicZCars.com forums, rcb280z pm’d me and we had a good chat about bringing those CO% levels down. His suggestion was to also check out the spark plugs for excess carbon (ah!). He swears by NGK, and lo-and-behold, most Z drivers do!

Time to get that 280z catalytic converter changed, new spark plugs, 87 gas, and head over to Smog Tech!

oh yeah.. if it ain’t one thing..it’s:

a broken alternator bracket (that’s why my car’s been squeaking!) and…

cracked EGR tube! oy…

i need a beer.

July 27, 2013July 27, 2013

Made it.. To SF

Car made it up to SF – one of the longer drives I’ve taken with it. One of the best views is cresting the 6th Street exit off highway 280. Wonderful view of the city…

I was driving so, not the best pic, but u get the idea

June 10, 2013

Zpotted: Daily Datsun

Hahaha I’ve been zpotted – thnx Dana!

Earlier yesterday, while picking up bacon at the corner mexican market, the owner mentioned he used to have a Datsun Z. “Man, I used to have one, ran real good. I regret selling it – my friend kept asking me to sell to him, and once I did, I asked myself ‘why did I just do that?’..”

Later that day we stopped by an open house, and as we were leaving the selling realtor remarked, “hey you want the house just put the car in as part of the deal”.

I think it’s summertime.

June 3, 2013

Record breaking day…

Record breaking day…for compliments!

Today was the 280Z’s day, as we got 3 street comments on it’s dashing good looks.

“Such a beautiful Z man.. what what is that? a 280? bet it’s a 280, huh? yeah it’s got great paint on it too..yeah that’s nice” – mustache-man-on-ape-hanger-bicycle. sigh, only in san jose, right? :]

Heading home, I rolled by a guy in a Corvair… guess who it was?! Mel from Mel’s Vairmart (he worked on our ’63 Corvair). We exchanged a few words at subsequent lights – him liking my ’77, and me commenting on his ’66. Then I mentioned we had a ’63. He looked at me with a “i thought i’d seen you before” smile, “hey then i’m probably sure i know you..”. “Are you Mel!? Yeah yeah you met my brother!” He seems like a character. He rolled behind me, and sent that white top down on the brown – sweet.

IMG_4764[1]

On the leg through downtown, I stopped at light next to a dude in a van; elbow hanging out. His stare was melting through his shades, slowly eyeing the front corner panel and making his way to back. I ducked down so i could see him from the passenger side window, and let out a protective, ‘hey’. Like a ‘hey, get your dirty eyes off’ kinda ‘hey’. “Nice car.” *shutter* I swear that light couldn’t turn green fast enough. I thought for sure any minute he was gonna chloroform the Z, and throw’em in the back of his Westfalia.

May 25, 2013

Stopped on San Tomas…

Yep, I got stopped on San Tomas… by an enthusiastic guy rolling in his silver Izuzu Trooper. He was yelling out something, but my window was up – blast manual windows. After getting it open at a stop light, we had a side to side car chat about Z’s. He remarked what a great 280z car I had and that he’s the owner of a ’71 240 Z for which he’s done all the drive train work on. Cheers to another Z kept on the streets, and out of the scrapper! :]

May 19, 2013May 18, 2013

Turning 350z Heads

Hahaha quick post – just the other night I pulled up at stop light to make a left, and the 350z to my right (going straight) was checking out the car (hand over chin)… light turns green, and he’s still there eyeballin’. Not till another car zooms by does he realize that he’s been distracted by an old school Datsun Z.

December 31, 2012December 31, 2012

Happy New Year from Daily Datsun!

Well it’s another year of motoring in the rear view and a new set of twisty, winding roads on the horizon!

It’s been a great 1st year for the 280z and certainly a memorable one for DailyDatsun.com. Since getting the 280z in late 2011, I’ve managed to restore and renew this car into a daily driver. We’ve replaced the rubber weather stripping, side molding, attended Datsloco, installed new carpets and seats, and even got married in it on top of all that! It’s also been a historic year for Datsun, marking 40 years of the Nissan Z!

Looking toward 2013, there isn’t too much more I need to do: bumpers (!), fuel pump change. Though, there certainly things I WANT to do with the car: shocks / lowering kit, bushings. I’ll certainly have my hands full with Datsun activities like rides and events as well. Additionally, my brother, dad and i recently picked up a beautiful 1963 Corvair Monza 900 (remember that post?), so some of my car fixing time will be devoted to that.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the help of a few friends and family along the way. A sincere thanks to my Mom & Dad, Kris, Dana, Kathryn, Jake, Erik, Jerry and Kennie for all of their help. A special thanks to my wife, Thanh, for her love and support… and allowing me to keep the car :]

With that, i’ll leave you with a nice video from MotoMan about the 40th Anniversary of the Z.

Cheers & Happy New Years!
DailyDatsun

November 25, 2012

Hot Models

The holiday season is upon us, and it’s got me a bit nostalgic. Everyone remembers being a kid. And nearly every boy has had a toy car of some sort. Maybe they were a Revell scale model kit, slot cars, Hot Wheels or Micromachines – we were lucky to have experienced all four.

Certainly, if you haven’t got the garage (or the cash) for all those dreams cars, chances are they’ll fit on the shelf. And what if those dream cars aren’t in your favorite livery or paint scheme? Check out this sweet build for a BRE Datsun Hot Wheels:

Post like these reminds me of of the larger 1:32 scale slot cars my dad used to have. He and my uncle would pull them apart, paint them, race them, pull them apart again, re-wind the coils, race’m some more.

Of course we grew up racing with the smaller slot cars…and whata know, they make a 1:24 AND 1:32 slot car Z’s!

Silver Line - 240z rally slot cars — 1:24 scale

Sources: JNC, Slot Car Today, Slot Car Illustrated

October 8, 2012

What can you fit in your Z?

Dear DailyDatsun,
Can an 8-foot tripod projector screen fit in a Datsun 280z? – puzzled, Mr. Didn’t-quite-plan-ahead

Why, yes. Actually, you can fit TWO 8-foot projector screens.

Long story short, I needed those projector screens for a friend’s wedding, and this was the car to do it in. The take away from this? If ever I need 8ft long pieces of 2″x4″ wood, i know how to fit it in. After 15mins of puzzle solving, here’s how you do it:
1) Remove the lower dash valence on the passenger side. This is necessary to get long piece down in the back. An additional 3″ in front that goes up, means 3″ in back that goes down.
2) Remove the luggage bar. Gain an 1″ to work with.
3) Finally, remove the rear hatch inner panel. This was a brilliant move because now you can fit the full length w/ the few inches that goes into the frame of the hatch! haha

or just pick up a Datsun truck.

September 1, 2012

Milestone: 88,000 miles

The Datsun 280z just hit 88,000 miles.

I was prepping for this at 79,900 which seemed only a day ago, but somehow the next time I glanced down at the odometer… well, see for yourself. :]

I was coming back from my brother’s on the other side of downtown, and there it stood, ready to click right over. Normally, it would make sense to note the 50k or the often celebrated 100k mile mark. But it’s something about the ’88’ that deserves a post [albeit it’s been nearly a month since the last!].

1) 88,000 IS a lot of miles for any car over 35 years old – horray! he’s made it w/o falling apart!

2) 8’s are lucky in the Chinese culture, so having two of them? yep, double it

3) 88..mph! do i need to explain? (Back to the Future) But even more so, it’s probably the fastest i’d ever taken the 280z… and probably the fastest it’ll ever go (for now!).

Here’s to another 88,000 more miles. Cheers!