1978 Datsun 260Z - Restoration

1978 Datsun 260Z - Restoration

Author
Discussion

BenWRXSEi

2,343 posts

133 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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Following with interest. I was parked up next to the Z club at the NEC Classic a couple of years back and there was a lovely, newly-restored 260 there. I seem to remember spending much of the weekend casually wandering round the corner to have a look smile

neutral 3

6,356 posts

169 months

Saturday 28th February 2015
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Had 3 of these...my first circa 1986, bought from a pal for £500 quid, was a fantastic and very scarce Silver 1973 260Z 2 seater VPK 426M ( where Are you now ??? ) which was my everyday driver. I cut the springs down, fitted new Monroe inserts, 7 inch Wolfies and a GDS exhaust system.
I foolishly sold ( due to pressure from my future / now ex thank god wife ) to a guy from Horsham, in Sussex in 1987 ) He sent me a photo and had had it re painted Red the fool.
I saw this car in 1995 in Barkingside, it went past me, I swung my 5 Turbo around, but lost him in the traffic. The first shipment of 260Z 2 seaters here was only around 150 odd 73-74 making them a very rare car.

My next one in 1986 was another 2 seater a second batch Red car S reg and absolutely rotten, the steel and build quality on the second batch to be imported was awful !! I sold this to Samurai Kevin Irons I think was running the firm then.

My last was a tottaly original white 240Z, RJD ???M, that I stumbled accros in Loot ( good old Loot ) in 1994. I paid £100 for it with a huge pile of spares. However divorce meant I lost my storage and I foolishly sold it to a " let's call him a long term player" in Zs in Kent.....I can still see the smarmy f.....rs face now...aparently he broke it for spares...


adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Friday 4th September 2015
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A few updates guys.

NJ have been working on the shell on and off for the past few months now and they are making some progress bow

They have repaired and fabricated a few sections of rust around the windscreen under the dash, floorpan, the front strut area and front wheel well.

Drivers Floorpan



Attempted to keep the patterning standard on the fabricated pan.






Under the dashboard area. This all needed to be jigged up with the steering column as it was around the column mounts.








Front crossmember repairs:




Bonnet mount and front of air tubes fabbed up and on:







New outer front suspension turret skin:




The front of the outer sill was cut off as it was rusted to reveal this behind:





This is currently being repaired!

Front sill repair done:



Various repairs in the front wheel wells:









All in all its coming on well. Rear arch repair panels have arrived from MJP and look substantially better than the rear valance I received. I think I have decided to keep the car standard without the wide arches on it so these will be going on in the next week or so. In the mean time the guys have started the front air tubes as these are pretty deeply pitted with rust.

Always interesting going up to NJ though purely to see the other cars that Nick and the guys are working on!











Cant wait to get it on the road now! Colour suggestions needed! I want it a standard Datsun colour but not white or red! I am really liking the Lime Green but I see Terry has painted his that colour!





The welding is nearly finished now and it will soon be blast a second time to remove the last of the rust and then etch primed.
















adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
Neutral was this Mike from MJP whom you sold the white one too?

Sounds like you are an expert on them! Its crazy how the value of them has changed so much in the last few years! You could pick them up for 100s not too long ago and now there are some for sale for nearer £25,000!


neutral 3 said:
Had 3 of these...my first circa 1986, bought from a pal for £500 quid, was a fantastic and very scarce Silver 1973 260Z 2 seater VPK 426M ( where Are you now ??? ) which was my everyday driver. I cut the springs down, fitted new Monroe inserts, 7 inch Wolfies and a GDS exhaust system.
I foolishly sold ( due to pressure from my future / now ex thank god wife ) to a guy from Horsham, in Sussex in 1987 ) He sent me a photo and had had it re painted Red the fool.
I saw this car in 1995 in Barkingside, it went past me, I swung my 5 Turbo around, but lost him in the traffic. The first shipment of 260Z 2 seaters here was only around 150 odd 73-74 making them a very rare car.

My next one in 1986 was another 2 seater a second batch Red car S reg and absolutely rotten, the steel and build quality on the second batch to be imported was awful !! I sold this to Samurai Kevin Irons I think was running the firm then.

My last was a tottaly original white 240Z, RJD ???M, that I stumbled accros in Loot ( good old Loot ) in 1994. I paid £100 for it with a huge pile of spares. However divorce meant I lost my storage and I foolishly sold it to a " let's call him a long term player" in Zs in Kent.....I can still see the smarmy f.....rs face now...aparently he broke it for spares...

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
Also back at the start of the summer, I bought myself a 350Z Roadster! I'm a true Z car fan now!


Alias218

1,485 posts

161 months

Friday 4th September 2015
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Absolutely love threads like this. That looks like a gruelling amount of work to undertake. She looks a lot better for it though! I too have a 350Z and wonder what it may be like if you lob a VQ35 into your Datsun... Just a thought! Keep up the great work.

Also, with regard to colour choice, are you keeping it strictly period? Some of the newer Nissan colours are rather nice. I see a Nissan Note where I work with this lovely Burgundy Red paint. I don't know the name of the colour, but it looks fantastic.

abarber

1,686 posts

240 months

Friday 4th September 2015
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Enjoyed the read, thanks for posting!

Lovely cars. Keep it stock with a lightly breathed on lump. Fantastic!

Escort3500

11,829 posts

144 months

Friday 4th September 2015
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Really enjoyed reading this, and hats off for taking on such a challenging project and sticking with it. Looking forward to the updates. Tried to get my dad to get one of these in the seventies, but he kept on buying 3-litre Capris instead rolleyes

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Friday 4th September 2015
quotequote all
OP, hats off to you for embarking on such a major project - can't wait to see the end result! Sure it will be fantastic given the extent of work so far done!thumbup

Escort3500 said:
Really enjoyed reading this, and hats off for taking on such a challenging project and sticking with it. Looking forward to the updates. Tried to get my dad to get one of these in the seventies, but he kept on buying 3-litre Capris instead rolleyes
Escort3500, at least your dad had the right idea! Similarities are 6 cylinder engine, RWD and both rust while you watch! Datsun Zs were a little too early for me but I had 2 Capri 2.8is in the 80s. Couldn't afford either now so have a different old Z (Z4 Coupe)!laugh

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Tuesday 29th September 2015
quotequote all
Cheers guys!

The car will indeed be staying largely stock looking with a slightly uprated engine. Im on the hunt for a set of Genuine Watanabes.

Im looking at this for my inspiration. Its a guy I speak to sometimes on Instagrams car and its perfect IMO.... even leaning towards painting mine this colour! I think I know the colour you mean Alias and I do quite like that too.



Its starting to get expensive now! Just received a new full weather seal kit and new inner arches. The welding is NEARLY done! I should have a few more photos soon!

In the mean time I picked up a 350Z hardtop for a bit of track day fun!





The Mrs is a big fan!





Edited by adz9 on Tuesday 29th September 12:16


Edited by adz9 on Tuesday 29th September 12:17


Edited by adz9 on Tuesday 29th September 12:24

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Well the orange 350Z is now for sale to fund the rest of the 260Z project unfortunately!

Car is now fully welded and in for paint prep!

Still not decided on a bloody colour! I have about a week left until they are ready! I'm thinking a pale 240Z yellow at the moment....
















adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Monday 25th January 2016
quotequote all
Bit of a flashback to summer!


DannyScene

6,596 posts

154 months

Monday 25th January 2016
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Green Leaf Metallic for me or Dark Purple Metallic

both original US spec colours I think

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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So I chose a colour..... and a nice man who took lots of money off me put it on the car.

Really happy with how its come out!











Also bought some goodies to go in/on it.





Also a Safety Devices half cage which is being made!

Its coming along, but also becoming very expensive!!

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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Scuba_steve

573 posts

179 months

Thursday 23rd June 2016
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Wow! After the first photo to now, what a transformation! Well done, can't wait to see the next evolution smile

Samjeev

725 posts

120 months

Friday 24th June 2016
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Looks like its really coming along, not long now!
Have you decided on wheels? and apologies if you mention this before but are there any plans for engine? going to keep the standard straight 6 or any kind of swap?

Have always loved the idea of owning an 240/260/280z with an RB26 smile

adz9

Original Poster:

136 posts

190 months

Friday 1st July 2016
quotequote all
Samjeev said:
Looks like its really coming along, not long now!
Have you decided on wheels? and apologies if you mention this before but are there any plans for engine? going to keep the standard straight 6 or any kind of swap?

Have always loved the idea of owning an 240/260/280z with an RB26 smile
Cheers guys!

I have, I want genuine Watanabes and Im determined to get some and not run replicas!

Engine wise I want to keep it straight six so I have the original L26 with a lumpy cam and some big carbs to go in. I might look at going L28 in the future.

Ive picked up a second shell which is much rougher than mine was when I first got it so Im looking at maybe engine swapping that one!

bomma220

14,452 posts

124 months

Friday 1st July 2016
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Sorry chaps, have only just picked up on this thread...

Fantastic restoration job going on there, well done!

My brother bought an orange 240Z with BBS split rims in 1973 when he was serving with the RAF in Cyprus. He bought it back to England and for some reason everyone was 'all over it'...?

Not sure if it was just a nice car or if it was some kind of limited edition?

Not sure if I'll ever know, the car's long gone & sadly he passed away in 2008.

Happy Days beer

jonesof63

947 posts

136 months

Friday 1st July 2016
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Fabulous ! I have fond memories of a family friend having a white 240z when I was a young lad. This will no doubt be superb when it's finished. Bookmarked.