My Swiss 1972 S30 240Z rebuild project

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Today i prepared the first and major load of parts from the axles and suspension stuff for getting sandblasted and powdercoated (RAL 9005, satin black, before you ask :D)

 

Means i cleanded all those parts from old dirt and dust and removed all the screws and sorted them to be sure i'll get them back into right place.. (they need a clean too, i know..):

 

After everything was done, i loaded all into boxes and brought it to a local industrial paintshop which was the only shop near me who was able to Sandblast AND powdercoat. but they seemed to be nice people :)

 

Should be able to pick up the stuff in about a week, they said.

Also when studying the problems on my rear end i figured out the hole for the rear numberplate lighting (See last post) was just closed by a little piece of tape and some bondo, just had to push it out - no need for drilling :)

[JDMjunkies.ch]

So, i've ordered almost all the parts for the suspension rebuild now.

What's next? Should be time to start with the body.. i found a great bodyshop now which has

some experience with Z-restaurations, but think i need to save some more money first..

Decided to start with the body on my own therefore :)

1) Rear end with different taillight panels welded in from the outside:

 

And from the inside (where you still can see the originale big hole :D)

 

cutted out the center pieces, using my dremel-tool:

 

after, view from the inside:

There's still plenty to cut, but because i don't have any new taillights i decided to wait before i cut out more, so i have something to compare for right fitment.

 

2) Thought i would be able to also get the "new" fender mirrors refurbished, so i started with a disassembly...

Before:

 

Upper-end disassembled:

 

Lower end disassembled:

 

Quite rusty inside.. will definitly get a sandblast and a powdercoat in black satin too.. :)

 

Broke that mirror class that was fine on the other one (but needed a replacement anyway..)

 

And here we have all disassembled. Will try to get em refurbished, and have to figure out how they're

mounted to the fenders, and where i can get those rubber bits and plastic parts from. probably i'll buy

one of those cheap replica kits from japan and use the parts i need. :)

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Today i went to a few specialists and ordered some cu stom parts for my z. like mirror glass and small springs for refurbishing the mirrors, etc.

But the fun part was opening a little package from energysuspensionparts.com today that contained the complete Energy suspension Master bushing set + swaybar bushings + Rear transmission mount crossmember bushings. So every damn bushing on this car will get an polyurethane replacement soon :D

If the weather is ok, ill try to fix some electrical problems on my daily EJ9 tomorrow, make a photoshooting with my RHD EK9 and probably take a clooser look at the weird floorpans in the Zed :D and maybe i can pick up the parts from the powdercoating-company too :)

[Dirk Diggler]

You're a beast man. It's nice to see someone do a restore the right way rather than half assing it.

[JDMjunkies.ch]

thanks mate - i try my best to get it done right and have a long lasting car :)

[dennis]

Nice progress

[JDMjunkies.ch]

@ Dennis - thanks. due to new job and my home get's some new paint it probably will slow down a bit until january :(

 

Hell yeah, today seems to be christmas for my old Fairlady :)

This is what it looks when you've been picking up parts a complete afternoon:

 

So first we got some anti-seize (or copper-lube as we call it here..)

 

then i got some custom-cutted mirror glass for the mirrors. They're not bent like the originals, but they where so cheap i thought i buy them and look for some bent ones another day.. fit perfectly :)

 

Then i had to pick up a package at the postal office which contained a set of brand new Tokico HP blue dampers (yay). and i'm happy new nut's are included :)

 

And now the most important stuff: All the parts back from the sandblasting, de-greasing and powdercoating (RAL9005, Satin black)

[BRYAN503]

WOWZA, so the big question is when do you start putting all the parts back on the car?

[JDMjunkies.ch]

i try to get some assemblies back together next few days. So i don't have too much single pieces lying around :D

but sadly i have a lot of non-car related things going on next few weeks..

I'll install those pieces to the car as soon as the chassis is fixed, so far i'll keep all the parts safly stored :cool:

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Since i started at a new workplace this week i've been busy getting into my new job there, so the Z was a bit on it's own. anyway, decided i've to get some stuff done today:

1) got this Motor Klassik Magazine from René - thanks a lot mate!! :) (Edition 5/2011)

 

2) Always thought something's wrong with my floorpans. they don't look genuine and well, it felt like there was something "hollow" so i decided to invastigate a bit and cut a little piece out to see what's underneath:

Seems like i have three layers of floorpans with the genuine one really rusty inbetween two newer layers of sheet metal (with are quite rusty inside too...) need to cut 'em out and go back to one original style pan...

 

3) removed the transmission crossmember from the transmission:

 

And than removed the transmission rubber insulator...

 

... which was quite fucked up.

 

and at the and disassembled the two pieces from the crossmember, which also will get a sandblast and powdercoat :)

 

Also a little package from some well known japanese Z-car specialist is on the way here :D

[Skib]

need to cut 'em out and go back to one original style pan...

 

 

if you need to find an OEM style replacement pan hit up Zedd Findings

 

http://datsunzparts.com/NewParts/summary.htm

 

[JDMjunkies.ch]

thanks for the link, mate, i've seen the same kit here before:

http://www.zcarsource.com/floor-pan-replacement-kit-with-frame-rails-70-8-74-coupe-new_8_53101_55690.html

 

But it's described to not be an exact copy of the OEM pans. hoever i think i'll take those, look good.

 

one question - hope anyone can help me:

I s the genuine floor pan only one layer of metal + the Rail? That's what i think, but need some confirmation to be sure :D

thanks guys

[jalen]

I believe so

[JDMjunkies.ch]

After i mentioned in earlier post that something's wrong with the floorpans (which seemed to be custom made) i investigated a bit more today:

1) i figured out that only new custom made floorpans have been welded on top of the original floorpans (and same on the outside..) so the original rotten floorpans have just been "sandwiched" between two new layers of metal..

Welds:

 

so i cut the old ugly (that dude wasn't a good welder...) welds with the dremel tool:

 

And hammered a bit:

 

And thats what i found underneath:

original floorpans, but totally rusted. the "new" floorpans totally rusted on the inside as well.. (at least i found some original structure here :D)

 

a bit more removed:

 

Jupp... some ugly rusty holes in the front foot space:

 

Car will definitly get a set of OEM replica floorpans, frame rails, etc.. wonder why anyone does stuff like this cheap rust-hiding job..???! well have a bit more to do, this is a really time-consuming job. but it's worth it and fun to get it back to original shape :D

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Got some new parts from japan again :)

1) Some http://www.kyoei-ind.co.jp/sangyo/ (Japan, of course..) extended wheel studs:

12mm x 1,25 threads, 10mm Extended. 30mm "knurl". The red one in the picture is a genuine one, for comparison:

 

2) Got some nice adjustable tension rods from http://www.rockyauto.co.jp/ Japan + a nice rocky auto towel for decorating my garage :) (they also have a racing version without bushings, but those seemed a bit too hardcore...)

 

and here compared to the old genuine tension rods:

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Continued with those fake-floorpans today and removed the small seamwelds on the door-side.

 

Finally got that damn thing out :D

 

Some more holes:

 

Well - looked a bit better after i vacuumed it :D

 

Started on the codriver side with the same procedure:

 

Oh and also started a little test, to see if some acetone can remove old paint from screws if i let it soak over night :D

[dennis]

It amazes me what some previous owners do to their cars instead of just fixing it the right way.

[JDMjunkies.ch]

yeah it's pretty crazy.. but must have been done back in a time when there wasn't internet, so cheap replica floorpans weren't avialeble.. but still a very ugly done job here.. well somehow it makes it even more worth to get it back to a pretty OEM look and condition :P

[Rustbucket]

Previous owners of my '72 had done the exact same thing - just boggled my mind as to how they thought that would ever be a good idea. Build is looking good, though!

[BRYAN503]

let them soak in some DOT 3 and should melt the paint right off of them.

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Previous owners of my '72 had done the exact same thing - just boggled my mind as to how they thought that would ever be a good idea. Build is looking good, though!

 

thanks mate.. wondering the same thing.. this just can't be a good idea :)

 

let them soak in some DOT 3 and should melt the paint right off of them.

Yeah - heard about that before. sadly i don't have any brake fluid here. but if it doesn't work with the acetone i will head to the carshop and buy some brake fluid :)

[JDMjunkies.ch]

the story contiunes... today i worked on the codrivers-side fake-floorpan:

 

And that's how it ended up. a bit less rust than the drivers side...

 

But definitly needs a replacement:

 

than i decided to investigate a bit on what seemed to be another extra-metal layer on the outside.. you see that horizonatal line? this is where another extra metal layer is welded on the outside and surrounds the whole floor area on both sides... it was hidden behind that massive layer of bondo...

I decided to leave it as the whole floorpan area well be cut anyway and it maybe gives the car a bit extra strength until it's in the bodyshop ;)

 

then i tried to get the paint of the test screw after it soaked about 60h in that acetone. but im not happy with the result. will either buy paint stripper or some brake-fluid to get the job done:

 

And of course had to install the rocky auto towel :)

 

Also got in touch with a guy who has some parts for my project - more on that within the next few weeks :)

[JDMjunkies.ch]

here we go ==> Celebrating one year datsun project :D

 

about one year ago i bought this beautiful sleeping fairlady:

 

And a year later? that's how she looks now:

 

Completely stripped bodywork, interieur, suspension, engine, wiring, ... every damn nut!

 

 

And i got a lot of new, used and refurbished parts ready for re-assembly:

 

 

So what are my plans for 2012?

- i definitly plan to buy some key-parts soon that will let me continue work at a few points.

- i will need to save a LOT money for the body- & paint-shop and hopefully get the car there.

- i plan to buy a lot of replacement bodypanels so the bodyshop can start directly and don't need to create or source parts..

- also i plan to get some more suspension parts and exterior parts (Mirrors, etc..) prepared and refurbished so they're ready for getting reinstalled.

 

at this point i can't do too much anymore until the chassis is ready, so progress may slow down a bit on the work, but i try to save every penny, so i have a completely restored and repainted, rustfree and aligned chassis end of the year 2012 so i can hopefully get it assamled through 2013 :D well we all know plans change from time to time... :)

[JDMjunkies.ch]

"Same procedure every year, James" :) Yeah. It seems like december is the most busy time of the year here. All this gift-shopping, pre-christmas-stuff, end-of-the-year-meetings and Business-dinners. This and the fact my appartement-mate is moving out and i have to get a lot of stuff done as well as i just started at a new job 4 weeks ago keeps me a bit off the project right now, but i try my best to keep it going. I think there will be more updates again soon :D

Today i got at least a bottle of DOT3 brake fluid, but not for the brakes, but for removing old paint from all the screws and stuff.

Also a lot of rare and cool genuine datsun parts are waiting for me to pick them up.

[JDMjunkies.ch]

Felt a bit sorry for the lack of updates during the last few weeks. So i decided to at least get all done i could do right now:

Drop the scews in a bowl full of DOT3 brake fluid. we'll see tomorrow if paint is gone :)