OK, I admit it. I did try to get away. Tried MG Midget, Boxster, Mazda MX-5. My other half spotted an MG Maestro Turbo on Ebay but I didn't get my act together to look. And just now someone's put a Bentley Mulsanne Turbo in the local rag for £3k. However, Zed cold turkey just didn't work.

 

Picked up Z#4 today from PowerZed (hi Jimmer) after timing belt, a/c condenser, plugs, fluids and a bunch of other stuff.

 

Homeward bound.

 

To prove I took the top down on the ferry :)

 

The fleet. How many Zeds is too many? Well, 2, actually - so let me point out the silver 1999 is still for sale :)

 

Oh well,, top down on an island should be fun :D

It was nice meeting you Mike and what a nice example that vert is,A good find indeed i would say :punk:

Nice one Mike - great to see you're still Zedding - and what a superb example of a 'vert that is mate....:thumbup:

 

Good luck with the new toy; and just the thing for motoring around The Island:cool:

Well there's a thing - spotted by Gaz300 in 2016 https://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?185991-Factory-fresh-Vert

 

I'm just getting used to a few foibles in the convertible. There's a couple of buttons behind the driver's seat for releasing the hood. The top one seems to unlatch the cover so you can lift it to stow the hood. The bottom one triggers a grinding noise from somewhere (presumably some gubbins also to do with the hood). What should it do?

 

As Sudesh did, I noticed the thing that looks like a rear window heater switch on rh pod - clearly it's not that :)

 

I found the US brochure posted by ianl (thanks) also in that thread. They used the right colour haha. (Chrome wheels? there's a thought...)

 

If there is any other convertible-specific info out there, would be interested to see it.

Edited August 20, 20196 yr by Gio

Very nice Mike and health to enjoy.(as they say over here) Good to see it pop up again :thumbup1:

Congratulations Mike! New Z looks great! I trust the wheels are going to be changed.

 

I have driven a few convertibles across the US, one TT (converted) and two NAs. The hood mechanism can be a little bit problematic when the guide wheels either pop off or misalign from the runners. Once you get the knack of things they’re generally ok to operate although completely mechanical save for the lock releases which are solenoid operated.

 

IanL has had his convertible the longest on here so believe so he’s probably the best person interrogate regarding operation of the hood and associated areas.

Edited August 20, 20196 yr by Funkysi

I like the colour but I have to admit my first thought was where can I get a set of OEMs! I'll live with them for a while and see what comes up. I thought I'd seen in a brochure somewhere that charcoal/grey was an option for OEM which should look quite nice. But then jimmer mentioned chrome finish and lo and behold, isn't that what's in the US brochure as posted by ianl? Hmmm.

 

The OEM wheels were with the car in the auction advert (where the person I bought it from bought it) but when I asked her, she said she didn't have them.

Have you seen this link for the convertible Mike. (scroll down when you open it)

 

 

 

bt (1).pdf

If there is any other convertible-specific info out there, would be interested to see it.

 

Relevant pages from the Owner's manual:

 

1993 OM Nissan 300ZX p63-71 Convertible hood.pdf

I noticed the thing that looks like a rear window heater switch on rh pod

 

Did a bit of digging for you Mike, the mirror heater button should look like this(?) and the US FSM circuit diagram

showing the wiring for the heated mirrors is attached below (note the © and (D) differences between convertibles

and the rest of the models).

 

el-69.pdf

 

Mike, I have a set (actually 2 sets) of oem wheels. The JDM wheels are in good shape but would definitely need new tyres. You’re welcome to them FOC as I got them very cheap and what I had intended to do with them has been put on hold for now.

Thanks for those links, AndrewG & Gaz_300. Yes, that's the button at the top and when I got in this morning, had a look and thought "that looks like a mirror being heated up" :)

 

Had a play with the hood buttons. The top one releases the cover (lid) from the body. The bottom one releases the hood itself from the cover {lid). So release the hood, lift it up forwards, then release the cover and hinge it backward so you can stow the hood beneath it. Both the solenoid mechanisms are in the cover. The top button/ cover release works fine. The bottom button/hood release also works (releases the hood) but makes a god awful graunching noise from the middle of the lid. Sounds like a worm drive mechanism skipping. I suppose I'd better get behind the trim and have a look..

 

I also found there is a built-in wind deflector ( I was wondering if it was an option or accessory but no, pull the loop and there it pops up!) and also a manual cover release so the heath robinson bodge with cable to do the same job and will be removed.

 

It's still a Zed but has its own collection of little foibles slightly different to the coupe. What fun.

Yes, chromed wheels were a cost options for US Z32s. A set of stock TT wheels would look wonderful, even better if you're able to get a chromed set imported (getting very difficult now).

A set of stock TT wheels would look wonderful.

So wait a sec - after 20 years on the straight and narrow sticking religiously to stock and OEM, being laughed at by the wheelerati, I finally get a Z with some young person's wheels on them and now I have to change back to OEM? Aaargh :surrender: :D

Edited August 20, 20196 yr by Gio

Damned if you do and damned if you dont lol.

 

 

Dont you already own a set of OEM wheels with new tyres fitted last year?

I know you wouldn’t change them to a nicer aftermarket set so the best alternative is a set of TT wheels. ;)

 

I’ve always liked Euro OEM TT wheels with the wider rears and I’d rather fit those over sets of questionable styles and qualities of aftermarket wheels. :)

Edited August 20, 20196 yr by Funkysi

So wait a sec - after 20 years on the straight and narrow sticking religiously to stock and OEM, being laughed at by the wheelerati, I finally get a Z with some young person's wheels on them and now I have to change back to OEM? Aaargh :surrender: :D

 

Just think, with a bit of work the car could look as good as the day it was made...

 

Dont you already own a set of OEM wheels with new tyres fitted last year?

Yes but I think the silver one needs them.

 

I know you wouldn’t changed them to a nicer aftermarket set so the best alternative is a set of TT wheels. ;)

 

I’ve always liked OEM TT wheels with the wider rears and I’d rather fit those over sets of questionable styles and qualities of aftermarket wheels. :)

Haha. Fair point. When you say TT, I think in Japan, the TTs had 7.5" rather then the 8.5" everywhere else. But I did go through the wider wheel thing on my first Zed, found the 8.5" rims made no difference to tyre width and just made new tyre fitment more expensive/limited choice. So it's 7.5s all round for me.

 

Just think, with a bit of work the car could look as good as the day it was made...

Good point, sensei, that's a philosophy with which I can agree.

2 serious questions:

1. Despite the excellent info from AndrewG and Gaz_300, and a wade through the manual, I can't find any reference to the solenoid mechanisms in the storage lid that are controlled by the buttons - whether that's how to maintain / adjust the mechanism or how to remove the trim to get at them. If anyone knows different, a link would be great, thanks.
   
2. Any suggestion for a convertible-friendly alarm. It's already got immobiliser and other stuff but I would like to be able to arm something without closing the roof. Remote unlock of doors and boot would be handy as well (I'm not just lazy, also avoids inadvertent key scratches). Fitter on or within easy reach of IoW would help as well
   

Thank you kindly.

Good choice of car there :)

 

I nearly bought a brown one when i got mine

 

Did you see mine at Jimmer's whilst you were there?

 

The boot is also solenoid released, and there is an interlock so you cant open the boot if the roof cover is open, and cant release the roof if the boot is open

 

I seem to remember a row of solenoids behind the trim at the back of the boot, not sure if the roof ones are there too

 

In case you havnt worked it out, the boot release switch in the centre arm rest cubby hole needs both the lock next to it in the on position and the ignition key turned in order to work

 

Ive managed to smash the wind deflector lever off by not being carefull putting the roof away

Good choice of car there :)

 

I nearly bought a brown one when i got mine

 

Did you see mine at Jimmer's whilst you were there?

 

The boot is also solenoid released, and there is an interlock so you cant open the boot if the roof cover is open, and cant release the roof if the boot is open

 

I seem to remember a row of solenoids behind the trim at the back of the boot, not sure if the roof ones are there too

 

In case you havnt worked it out, the boot release switch in the centre arm rest cubby hole needs both the lock next to it in the on position and the ignition key turned in order to work

 

Ive managed to smash the wind deflector lever off by not being carefull putting the roof away

I couldn't believe it when I turned up at Simply Japanese and saw you had a manual convertible as well! I'd only just agreed with my seller :) Jimmer told me that yours was in. Unfortunate but glad you're sorted now.

 

Jimmer pointed out about the boot release - I thought it was bust d'oh.

 

There are a number of solenoids in the roof cover - a set for the roof cover and a set for the roof - but I haven't worked out how to get at them to see what's graunching (I know it's the bottom button / roof release). A job for the weekend.

 

Great fun, these convertibles.

Well there's a thing - spotted by Gaz300 in 2016 https://www.300zx.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?185991-Factory-fresh-Vert…………………....

 

I knew I'd seen that car before.... So I'm even more pleased that such a fine 'vert has found a good home...:thumbup:

 

Nice to see you got a decent slot on the ferry too, Mike!! I always dread being squashed in, with Johnny-three-brats in his people carrier parked next to me; and the thought his rancid brood will fling their doors open onto my car... Fortunately I have always been lucky on the Lymington crossing - and ended up a long way away from such eventualities...:wink: