'72 Shakotan Z RB20DET

[Rustbucket]

So, big things have happened in the past week. Almost moved out of the shop entirely, just have a motor sitting there and a couple odds and ends. Most importantly, my shit heap is finally a shit heap in the comfort of my own home!

 

 

It's not a huge garage, but once I get all the shelving and garbage out of there it should do the trick perfectly! It'll be totally empty, safe for my cabinet and the car.

 

 

I bought a shelter for out back of my garage to house my motor set while it's out of the car, my bottles, welder, and anything that'll take up floor space in the garage itself.

 

 

[Rustbucket]

All of my valuables are stored inside, courtesy of a spare bedroom, haha!

 

 

Here's a couple shots of it outside for good measure.

 

 

[72240z]

Just fyi clear coat is porous and will not stop the metal from rusting. Rust spots will appear and eventually the clear will flake and peel, even using an adhesion promoter, just a matter of time.

 

There are a few products that can be used, I remember reading about one that wiped on but I dont remember what it was. Old school method is to rub diesel in periodically.

 

Also those I believe are stock 240z tow hooks.

[Rustbucket]

Just fyi clear coat is porous and will not stop the metal from rusting. Rust spots will appear and eventually the clear will flake and peel, even using an adhesion promoter, just a matter of time.

 

There are a few products that can be used, I remember reading about one that wiped on but I dont remember what it was. Old school method is to rub diesel in periodically.

 

Also those I believe are stock 240z tow hooks.

 

Diesel oil, or diesel itself? Onto the clear, or with no clear and bare metal? the510keeper's coupe appears to be holding up pretty well with clear over bare metal. I keep meaning to ask him about the method to clearing over bare metal.

 

This body is about as useful as a bullet in my head, anyways. I've mentioned it before, but eventually everything is gonna get swapped over to a race car prepped California shell. (Once again for street use only, haha!)

[72240z]

Same thing, diesel fuel is a fuel oil. People used to rub it into the bare metal once in a while to keep it from rusting. He may have used something special but I think it was just poly clear. Eastwood makes something called diamond clear thats supposed to be for bare metal but on the hamm I have seen people still get rust through with it.

 

I have seen his thread but that cars not even on the road yet is it? From what I saw all he had done was spray some panels. Lots of people have tried different clears including me, the results are always the same. Rust/oxidation. If you are willing to wax it religiously you may get a few months if daily driving out of it.

 

If your just going to rock it rugged until you swap I would just use diesel. Clearing it and watching it go to shit sucks especially since you have to strip everything to fix it. where as with oil you hit it with a DA and rub more oil in lol.

 

Just fruit for thought

[spudly13]

Ive never tried the diesel thing but that might be the way to go if you just wanna swap over eventually anyway. ive cleared a couple panels on my car and like 72240z said it just starts to rust under the clear. mine lasted meybe a month before i started noticing it.

 

People always tell me theres ways to prep the metal, certain acids and clears that will keep it from rusting and have the bare metal look, although they never go into detail. ill see if i can figure out more about it

[BEERDAMAGE]

There is a metal prepping product called oso. I use it often. It gets into the metal and neutralizes and stops rust. You don't even have to sand. just paint it on the Metal. The side effect of this chemical is that it turns the metal black with white streaking. BUT it stops the rust. The second thing I do is work intensive. I have MASTER FORTUMAL Metal gloss, and M.S. Sealer. Polishe first and then seal. When I have used ALL three of these chemicals together my metal doesn't rust for more than a year. Sold the Car I did this on, It had no rust for the year after the application. . The Metal polish shines it up, and the Sealer gets into the micro holes blocking air & water. My Two cents on that

[Rustbucket]

It's good to hear this stuff. I've never had to dick around with painting a car, so most of this is greek to me. It's tough trying to decide how much effort to put in to a shell that will eventually see a garbage can. Experimenting on it is fun, though, without having to be terribly concerned about the consequences.

[Ben280]

Man! I just realized how quiet this thread has been lately, been almost a month without an update! Have you been able to start any of the final assembly, or are you still messing around with how to finish off the body?

 

Happy holidays fellow Ratsunner!

[dat280z]

I read all 30 pages, what an awesome build! keep them oics coming :)

[Rustbucket]

Man! I just realized how quiet this thread has been lately, been almost a month without an update! Have you been able to start any of the final assembly, or are you still messing around with how to finish off the body?

 

Happy holidays fellow Ratsunner!

 

Same to you, padre! To be completely honest, I haven't done much at all - been really burnt on the car lately, and haven't cared to do anything worth mentioning. The winter has me a little bummed out, and seeing the car in it's current state is easily one of the most discouraging sights to witness as I enter my garage.

 

I hate to sound like I'm feeling sorry for myself, but I just can't help but think I'm in over my head. I'm trying to take some time off from it, and just stick to fooling around with the new Honda until working on the Datsun can be enjoyable again. I went round to my mom's place before she left for England, and she had an early Christmas present for me that I'm trying to play up as motivation;

 

 

 

I read all 30 pages, what an awesome build! keep them oics coming :)

 

Cheers, man. I'll try and keep it updated when progress resumes.

[72240z]

Its easy to feel in too deep when going balls out with a project. I learned that lesson with the all at once ground up resto/mod on my 72. 

With my 73 I am going in stages and its going way smoother. If all else fails just get the car on the rd again even if its not how you wanted it to be. Then slowly get it there over time. 
Being able to actually enjoy the labor you put in on projects a step at a time keeps moral up way more then coming into your garage to see a shell on jack stands with tons of expensive parts you cant do anything but look at. 

All you can do it keep on keepin on because quitting just leaves you deeper in the hole. 
 

[510 OC]

You can do it Rustbucket!! Badass build by the way.  :thumbup:

[BEERDAMAGE]

NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER! NEVER QUIT!   I've always enjoyed the journey as much as the destination.  I had to stop my z car project due to a recent house fire and my truck motor dying!  It only has 498k miles on it.   So, The Truck Engine gets replaced, ( bought a new crate engine) and the house rebuilt.  In about 8 months I can get back to it again.  I can do it so CAN YOU!  Besides, you have more talent in your pinky than I have in my whole body.  

[Ben280]

Those plates RULE!!!!! And I hear you, take your time and keep it fun! So sense in building it against your will haha. You'll come back around to it and it will be AWESOME!!! Have fun with the Honda, post a photo for us?

[Rustbucket]

Its easy to feel in too deep when going balls out with a project. I learned that lesson with the all at once ground up resto/mod on my 72. 

 

With my 73 I am going in stages and its going way smoother. If all else fails just get the car on the rd again even if its not how you wanted it to be. Then slowly get it there over time. 

Being able to actually enjoy the labor you put in on projects a step at a time keeps moral up way more then coming into your garage to see a shell on jack stands with tons of expensive parts you cant do anything but look at. 

 

All you can do it keep on keepin on because quitting just leaves you deeper in the hole. 

 

 

 

You can do it Rustbucket!! Badass build by the way.  :thumbup:

 

 

NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER SURRENDER! NEVER QUIT!   I've always enjoyed the journey as much as the destination.  I had to stop my z car project due to a recent house fire and my truck motor dying!  It only has 498k miles on it.   So, The Truck Engine gets replaced, ( bought a new crate engine) and the house rebuilt.  In about 8 months I can get back to it again.  I can do it so CAN YOU!  Besides, you have more talent in your pinky than I have in my whole body.  

 

Thanks very much, guys. I think the break from it will serve me well in the long run!

 

Those plates RULE!!!!! And I hear you, take your time and keep it fun! So sense in building it against your will haha. You'll come back around to it and it will be AWESOME!!! Have fun with the Honda, post a photo for us?

 

Right? I was beyond stoked when my mom handed those over. I'll post up a photo of the Honda come spring time. Right now it's just a stack of parts piling up.

[Dirttrack510]

Just an fyi... Don't store your welder in that tempoary shelter, it'll get rust in it from moisture in the air. I almost ruined mine, by storing it in a cars back seat for a few months and I gaurentee it was less damp than that shelter. Just trying to help, awesome build though.

[Rustbucket]

Just an fyi... Don't store your welder in that tempoary shelter, it'll get rust in it from moisture in the air. I almost ruined mine, by storing it in a cars back seat for a few months and I gaurentee it was less damp than that shelter. Just trying to help, awesome build though.

 

Thanks for the kind words! Thankfully, the welder only sat in the shelter for a maybe a week. It was one of the first things I brought in to the garage when I had space.

[Janksun]

Dude, your s10 was sick! Too bad you rid of it... I would've paid money for it :D

[Jay23]

Men your project is very sick ! I like the way you do the shit, Whats coilover did you use ? S13 Megan racing with weld on kit ? I just bought my kit from mckinney they offered the kit combined, I hope you use the same because your ride is very low and i wish mine will be low as this !! Thanks men good job !

[JPE16]

Oliver, I find with my car it was too daunting to think of doing the whole project, so it sat. If you break each component down into mini-projects with a to-do list it helps big time! Each time you check something off the list it feels better and better and motivates you to do more. 

 

I divided it up into chassis/suspension, drivetrain, interior, body work, and then sub categories for each with a list of things to do. That way you can work away, and if you're ever caught with "nothing to do" (lets face it, there's never NOTHING to do with these sorts of projects) you just look at your list and find something you have all the parts to finish.

 

Just my .02c. I feel it would be a shame to let such an awesome build languish after you've put so much time, blood, and cash into it. Plus the fact that the car has come from a rotted mess of drama to be one of the most viewed builds on this site with so many people wanting to see it done, and so many wicked times to be had in it this summer. 

[Rustbucket]

Dude, your s10 was sick! Too bad you rid of it... I would've paid money for it :D

 

Haha, if you would have seen it in person you definitely would not have. But, thank-you!

 

Men your project is very sick ! I like the way you do the shit, Whats coilover did you use ? S13 Megan racing with weld on kit ? I just bought my kit from mckinney they offered the kit combined, I hope you use the same because your ride is very low and i wish mine will be low as this !! Thanks men good job !

 

Thanks very much, dude. I used S13 Megan's with a kit I found over on the Hybrid Z forum a year or two ago. Definitely cut the perches down if you're trying to get low. I sectioned my threaded perches a substantial amount to get the car as low as it is on S13 stuff.

 

Oliver, I find with my car it was too daunting to think of doing the whole project, so it sat. If you break each component down into mini-projects with a to-do list it helps big time! Each time you check something off the list it feels better and better and motivates you to do more. 

 

I divided it up into chassis/suspension, drivetrain, interior, body work, and then sub categories for each with a list of things to do. That way you can work away, and if you're ever caught with "nothing to do" (lets face it, there's never NOTHING to do with these sorts of projects) you just look at your list and find something you have all the parts to finish.

 

Just my .02c. I feel it would be a shame to let such an awesome build languish after you've put so much time, blood, and cash into it. Plus the fact that the car has come from a rotted mess of drama to be one of the most viewed builds on this site with so many people wanting to see it done, and so many wicked times to be had in it this summer. 

 

I finally found myself back in the garage last night welding up some crush cans for Ben's Rover and I think it may have been the spark I needed to dig back in to the Z. I really need to put my mind to it and hunker down. I think once the Honda is sitting pretty I'll be that much more psyched to get the Datsun out in the driveway beside it.

 

That being said - I hate bumping this thread without picture updates. Here's a promise for some content later this evening!

[Rustbucket]

As promised, I put in some god damned work this evening. Been in quite the routine after work this week 'cause I finally sprung for some rollers. Evenings consist of cardio, followed by car work - so far it's working out great! Also been making some headway with the Honda, which is always splendid.

 

The exercise I speak of;

 

 

And, tires and short-shifter for the CR-Z! :)

 

 

Started the night by welding up the 4.11 R180 I picked up, and then sealed it up. Just have to pick up some gear oil tomorrow! This shit is burnout approved.

 

[Rustbucket]

Mocked up the mount on the bench.

 

 

 

Shit don't fit!

 

 

Now that shit fits!

 

 

That's all for this evening, but it was a surprising amount of work to get it that far. Will finish up the install tomorrow, likely - or maybe Sunday.

[ArchetypeDatsun]

Nice bikes, I don't have nothing special but I used to have an old school Peugeot.