1978 Datsun 260Z - Restoration
Discussion
Hey Guys!
I've had this car about a year now, and although I've not done much too it I thought I'd let some of you guys know what was going on with it if any of you are interested in the old Zcars!
Following a vast amount of cocking around before getting this car, (See here: http://zclub.net/forum/new-website/21877-hey-guys-...) I finally managed to get it home and have started to do some work to it.
Its a 1978 260Z 2 seater. Its pretty solid body wise. The rear arches are starting to go and there is a hole in the drivers floor pan that has been badly patched. The inner wings are pretty sound though, as is most of the engine bay bar the rad support panel and bonnet support panel.
Anyways, here are some photos!
Just after picking it up!
Safely back at my garage
Starting the stripdown!
After removing the panels I started to strip the interior:
And start taking the loom out of both the engine bay and the interior. This was scary stuff for me! Everything is labelled using white elec tape and a perm marker ready to be installed again once the shell has been worked....
Engine bay with the loom stripped. The car was originally white, but someone has very badly painted it red in the past! I think it will go back to white when I come around to getting it painted....
I've had this car about a year now, and although I've not done much too it I thought I'd let some of you guys know what was going on with it if any of you are interested in the old Zcars!
Following a vast amount of cocking around before getting this car, (See here: http://zclub.net/forum/new-website/21877-hey-guys-...) I finally managed to get it home and have started to do some work to it.
Its a 1978 260Z 2 seater. Its pretty solid body wise. The rear arches are starting to go and there is a hole in the drivers floor pan that has been badly patched. The inner wings are pretty sound though, as is most of the engine bay bar the rad support panel and bonnet support panel.
Anyways, here are some photos!
Just after picking it up!
Safely back at my garage
Starting the stripdown!
After removing the panels I started to strip the interior:
And start taking the loom out of both the engine bay and the interior. This was scary stuff for me! Everything is labelled using white elec tape and a perm marker ready to be installed again once the shell has been worked....
Engine bay with the loom stripped. The car was originally white, but someone has very badly painted it red in the past! I think it will go back to white when I come around to getting it painted....
I've taken off the front subframe and suspension, hubs and arms plus the rear arms and diff mounts along with the R200 diff. Its basically ready for shot blasting now, bar a few little things like the brake pipes and a few brackets. I need to take the doorcards off and access weather or not the doors can be saved from the rot at the bottom or weather I will need to source replacements.
Here are some more photos - the OS wing is just hanging there for storage. I'm running out of parts space!!! Note the breaking S2000 in the background!:
I certainly have my work cut out and I'm praying not tooo much is going to fall off when the car is shot blast....
Here are some more photos - the OS wing is just hanging there for storage. I'm running out of parts space!!! Note the breaking S2000 in the background!:
I certainly have my work cut out and I'm praying not tooo much is going to fall off when the car is shot blast....
You are a brave man indeed! Congratulations.
I have had three Zeds over the years. First was a lovely 2.8 litre engined, SU carb'd 240. Then moved onto an almost Concours 260Z on Webers. Finally the cherry on the cake, a TVR Chimaera engined 240Z, why I ever sold that I have no idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxcUQQbPP0
I have posted on the Zclub forum a fair bit in the past but focussed on my De Tomaso Pnatera at the moment. Not to say I wouldn't buy the right Zed when one comes about.
If I can ever give you any steer on where to buy parts, or who is the person to talk to, then do give me a shout by PM. My first Z came from Geoff Gale (Auto Active) who has sadly retired. My second came from Duncan at Z Farm, they are still going, there is a photo of my car on their website http://www.thezfarm.co.uk/. The final monster Zed came from a Zclub member 900SS.
The Zclub forum is an excellent resource and they are really lovely people. Parts are very scarce in the UK (MJP is probably the best - Mike Feney - http://www.mjpauto.com/aboutus.html) so a good way is to either buy a good condition US parts car or get friendly with some of the amazing companies in the US who have everything and more for these cars.
So many engine options (Naturally aspirated RB26 a la Rocky Auto would be my choice), Dave Jarman is the best guy to go to in the UK if you want a fiesty straight Six although Janspeed still have the knowhow as well.
Anyway, best of luck,
Tom
TCH911
I have had three Zeds over the years. First was a lovely 2.8 litre engined, SU carb'd 240. Then moved onto an almost Concours 260Z on Webers. Finally the cherry on the cake, a TVR Chimaera engined 240Z, why I ever sold that I have no idea: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IxcUQQbPP0
I have posted on the Zclub forum a fair bit in the past but focussed on my De Tomaso Pnatera at the moment. Not to say I wouldn't buy the right Zed when one comes about.
If I can ever give you any steer on where to buy parts, or who is the person to talk to, then do give me a shout by PM. My first Z came from Geoff Gale (Auto Active) who has sadly retired. My second came from Duncan at Z Farm, they are still going, there is a photo of my car on their website http://www.thezfarm.co.uk/. The final monster Zed came from a Zclub member 900SS.
The Zclub forum is an excellent resource and they are really lovely people. Parts are very scarce in the UK (MJP is probably the best - Mike Feney - http://www.mjpauto.com/aboutus.html) so a good way is to either buy a good condition US parts car or get friendly with some of the amazing companies in the US who have everything and more for these cars.
So many engine options (Naturally aspirated RB26 a la Rocky Auto would be my choice), Dave Jarman is the best guy to go to in the UK if you want a fiesty straight Six although Janspeed still have the knowhow as well.
Anyway, best of luck,
Tom
TCH911
On the way to Hockley Motorsport in Powys for plastic blasting.
Returned:
Hey guys, Thanks for all the comments!
I got the car back from Hockly Motorsport a few days ago, all blasted and now in bare metal with a thin coat of plastic (from the plastic media used to blast it).
Its not toooo bad. Or at least there are no nasty suprises apart from those I already knew about. Its still a LOT of work to do and quotes to have it welded elsewhere are around the £5k mark!
Anyway, here are some photos:
After picking it up, this is what it looks like!
I have been quoted varying amounts to do the welding on the shell and had settled on a local welder who runs a company called Zackham Engineering. Unfortunately, after booking it in and waiting for 5 months for it to go in, it now turns out he is unable to take the work on through no real fault of his own. This is very annoying though as the car has been sitting in bare metal, albeit protected by the plastic coating from the blasting in my garage this whole time.
I will be visiting another restorer later this week and providing I am happy with their work, I will be taking it in on Friday.
Anyways, heres how the shell sits.
And finally back at home safe in the garage!
Returned:
Hey guys, Thanks for all the comments!
I got the car back from Hockly Motorsport a few days ago, all blasted and now in bare metal with a thin coat of plastic (from the plastic media used to blast it).
Its not toooo bad. Or at least there are no nasty suprises apart from those I already knew about. Its still a LOT of work to do and quotes to have it welded elsewhere are around the £5k mark!
Anyway, here are some photos:
After picking it up, this is what it looks like!
I have been quoted varying amounts to do the welding on the shell and had settled on a local welder who runs a company called Zackham Engineering. Unfortunately, after booking it in and waiting for 5 months for it to go in, it now turns out he is unable to take the work on through no real fault of his own. This is very annoying though as the car has been sitting in bare metal, albeit protected by the plastic coating from the blasting in my garage this whole time.
I will be visiting another restorer later this week and providing I am happy with their work, I will be taking it in on Friday.
Anyways, heres how the shell sits.
And finally back at home safe in the garage!
pjfamilyguy1 said:
agree that's a BIG project, but keep the pictures/updates coming, personally I love reading about such projects.
silly question but after the blasting, it looks like there is rust on the surface, shouldn't this all of have been blasted away ?
More photos coming! silly question but after the blasting, it looks like there is rust on the surface, shouldn't this all of have been blasted away ?
Yea, the car had been sitting for about 4 months when that photo was taken unfortunately. Long story short I was messed about a little by the welder I had chosen and the car sat for about 5 months in bare metal. Luckily, it was originally blast using plastic beads which do leave a very thin coat of plastic on the metal so its only VERY surface the rust that has come back. The beads are also a VERY gentle blast media which is what I wanted as this will clearly show where rust is rather than removing it. Once the repairs are done to the rusty areas it will be re-blast with a harsher medium and etch primed straight away.
Anyways, the company now doing the welding for me are NJ Restorations in Camarthen! They are currently removing the butchered roof skin and welding a new one on.
They will be posting photos of the work they do up on their site which is here: http://www.njrestorations.co.uk/current-projects/d...
I will keep you guys up to date!
pjfamilyguy1 said:
agree that's a BIG project, but keep the pictures/updates coming, personally I love reading about such projects.
silly question but after the blasting, it looks like there is rust on the surface, shouldn't this all of have been blasted away ?
More photos coming! silly question but after the blasting, it looks like there is rust on the surface, shouldn't this all of have been blasted away ?
Yea, the car had been sitting for about 4 months when that photo was taken unfortunately. Long story short I was messed about a little by the welder I had chosen and the car sat for about 5 months in bare metal. Luckily, it was originally blast using plastic beads which do leave a very thin coat of plastic on the metal so its only VERY surface the rust that has come back. The beads are also a VERY gentle blast media which is what I wanted as this will clearly show where rust is rather than removing it. Once the repairs are done to the rusty areas it will be re-blast with a harsher medium and etch primed straight away.
Anyways, the company now doing the welding for me are NJ Restorations in Camarthen! They are currently removing the butchered roof skin and welding a new one on.
They will be posting photos of the work they do up on their site which is here: http://www.njrestorations.co.uk/current-projects/d...
I will keep you guys up to date!
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