Home Built Z 'full Video Build'

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Hey guys. Well I know it has been a while, but I have reached a stopping point on my 911 and it is time to start my Z build.

 

This week I first needed to replace the front wheel bearings on the 911 so I could put wheels on it and move it out of the way. I then got into doing a stocktake on my Z to see what it needed, and start formulating a plan for the build.

 

Here is the episode.

 

 

Edited September 15, 2017 by HomeBuiltByJeff

[Rickers]

Finally

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Now I have started to get things rolling, I will need plenty of advice.

 

To start with I need to source some flares, front lip and rear wing. Where is a good place to get these from?

 

I am looking at keeping my L28 which has a 90a head. I read something about it being more difficult to change cams in that head? 

My rough thinking is that as long as the engine is internally in reasonable condition, I will leave it, just put on some nice extractors, exhaust, cam and triple webers or something along those lines. If you guys can point out flaws in my plan let me know.

[CBR Jeff]

Jeff

 

It looks to me from the video that quite a bit of work has already been done to the car. It looks like the floors (drivers side at least) has been changed. The rear slam panel is not original and the battery tray looks to have been removed and re fitted. The passengers side strut tower also appears to have been either removed and replaced or has been seam welded. Lots of things you don't need to do!

It does look solid.

 

Jeff

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Jeff

 

It looks to me from the video that quite a bit of work has already been done to the car. It looks like the floors (drivers side at least) has been changed. The rear slam panel is not original and the battery tray looks to have been removed and re fitted. The passengers side strut tower also appears to have been either removed and replaced or has been seam welded. Lots of things you don't need to do!

It does look solid.

 

Jeff

 

That is the sort of info I am looking for. I am a Z car newbie and I have no idea. I was looking at all of the wrinkled metal on the floor between the rear strut towers and I thought it must have been in a big rear hit. I looked at some more pics and saw that it was normal. Very weird, but normal?

 

Someone obviously put a lot of work into the car, so I can just get stuck into making it look good, and work the way it should.

[CBR Jeff]

Haha. Yep the wrinkles on the back floor are like fingerprints. They all have them but are all slightly different. I also love the factory hammer marks on the A pillars under the guards just in front of the door hinges.

 

Jeff

[Andrew_L26]

 

Now I have started to get things rolling, I will need plenty of advice.

 

To start with I need to source some flares, front lip and rear wing. Where is a good place to get these from?

 

I am looking at keeping my L28 which has a 90a head. I read something about it being more difficult to change cams in that head? 

My rough thinking is that as long as the engine is internally in reasonable condition, I will leave it, just put on some nice extractors, exhaust, cam and triple webers or something along those lines. If you guys can point out flaws in my plan let me know.

Sounds pretty standard really! I haven't heard anything about the P90A cams being harder to change than the P90 cams, the only real difference being that some P90a heads had hydraulic lifters. I'd just get the engine up and running before you start to strip the car back anymore so that you know it runs etc. Might be nice to do a refresh on it if you take it out too (rear main seal, oil pan gasket, water pump (and gasket), thermostat, housing and gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gasket. 

 

Looks like the car has had a fair bit of repair work in the past, looks relatively good but it may be a good idea to inspect the areas mentioned by CBR Jeff. 

 

As for the flares, and rear wing you may be best off putting up a "Wanted" advert on here, I've been able to source stacks of parts through this forum as well as gumtree. Life is much easier when people know you are looking for those parts so post up an advert here and on gumtree! 

 

I have a front lip that may suit the style you're going for, let me know if you're interested!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

 

 

Sounds pretty standard really! I haven't heard anything about the P90A cams being harder to change than the P90 cams, the only real difference being that some P90a heads had hydraulic lifters. I'd just get the engine up and running before you start to strip the car back anymore so that you know it runs etc. Might be nice to do a refresh on it if you take it out too (rear main seal, oil pan gasket, water pump (and gasket), thermostat, housing and gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gasket. 

 

Thanks Andrew. I do plan on pulling out the engine, and I am hoping that it just needs a freshen up, which is definitely the plan. Hopefully I will pull it out this week and see where I stand with it. 

 

Thanks for the offer of the front lip, but that is not really the style I am after. I will post up a 'Wanted' ad and see where that gets me.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

This week I get into stripping the many many layers and years of paint and bog off of the Z. It is a very slow messy job, but it has to be done.

[Brabham]

Good work Jeff. I noticed that the second nose cone has had an additional plate welded on where it rests on the car, it might be worth trying to fix the rusty one by cutting out the rust. Pretty much all zed bonnets have had a hit in the nose so you might want to fix the one you have. I have found that a crumpet wheel like you had on the grinder is best for stripping paint and bog, lots of dust but more pleasant than paint stripper and doesn't leave disc marks in the metal like the flap discs. Getting the panels blasted is the easiest option, which you might want to do after you repair the main rust areas, get them to epoxy prime the panels.

 

Cheers

[KatoKid]

Welcome to the joys of 45 year old Japanese iron and the fortunes of multiple ownership!

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Good work Jeff. I noticed that the second nose cone has had an additional plate welded on where it rests on the car, it might be worth trying to fix the rusty one by cutting out the rust. Pretty much all zed bonnets have had a hit in the nose so you might want to fix the one you have. I have found that a crumpet wheel like you had on the grinder is best for stripping paint and bog, lots of dust but more pleasant than paint stripper and doesn't leave disc marks in the metal like the flap discs. Getting the panels blasted is the easiest option, which you might want to do after you repair the main rust areas, get them to epoxy prime the panels.

 

Cheers

 

I was getting ahead of myself saying I was going to get rid of the bonnet. I am with you, I can save it and that is what I will do. A bit of patience and some panel beating and it will be good I am sure.

[gav240z]

Good work Jeff. I noticed that the second nose cone has had an additional plate welded on where it rests on the car, it might be worth trying to fix the rusty one by cutting out the rust. Pretty much all zed bonnets have had a hit in the nose so you might want to fix the one you have. I have found that a crumpet wheel like you had on the grinder is best for stripping paint and bog, lots of dust but more pleasant than paint stripper and doesn't leave disc marks in the metal like the flap discs. Getting the panels blasted is the easiest option, which you might want to do after you repair the main rust areas, get them to epoxy prime the panels.

 

Cheers

 

I agree with Alex on the flap disc (don't use it!!!!!!) you will create low spots on the panel, which will require filler. This is because it's an aggressive disc that will thin out the metal. I learnt this the hard way also. If you're going to use it to strip a section keep it perpendicular or flat to the panel (don't come at it from angles). Only use it to strip thick layers of bog (and glad you were wearing a mask!). The crumpet wheel is far less aggressive to the metal and much safer.

 

I think the big problem you had with the stripper is it's not aggressive enough. You should try aircraft stripper instead, I've found regular paint stripper too weak but aircraft stripper is much more aggressive and suitable for automotive paint etc.. It won't remove bog though! Blasting is good (glass beads) but it leaves the metal a little furry - which is totally fine for a layer of primer.

 

Not sure if you've seen my bonnet repair thread?

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/12272-separating-bonnet-skin-and-frame/

Don't use ZIP CUTTERS if you plan to undo spot welds... instead use the smaller spot weld cutter drill bit possible.

 

But repairing the bonnet could take a while, the rear is more of a concern than the front end ding to me. The front could be pulled out with an easy beat, but you may not have access to 1?

 

http://www.easybeat.com.au/

 

Alliteratively you could tack weld on small washers etc.. to use a slide hammer to pull it back out.

 

Welcome to the joys of 45 year old Japanese iron and the fortunes of multiple ownership!

 

Fortunes? More like tortures

 

I was getting ahead of myself saying I was going to get rid of the bonnet. I am with you, I can save it and that is what I will do. A bit of patience and some panel beating and it will be good I am sure.

 

I would actually scrap the headlight scoops, they are fubar mate. Yes you could invest hours "fixing" them, but the result will never be as good as just sourcing a better set to begin with. (Welding up the split will not be easy given the angles etc..) You can still get them cheap, try eBay US even. They are so common between 240z/260z/280z that they are not that hard to get and therefore cheap.

 

A hood/bonnet is much harder, but there is reproductions available now, I'm just not sure how well they fit. I may order 1 at some point if nobody else takes the plunge before me. But non OEM stuff will always need more "tweaking".

 

Unfortunately as stated above most bonnets have had a hard life. I tried to source a better second hand 1 here only to find everything was in worse shape than what I started with on the Gold car. Layers of bog... layers upon layers. 1 bonnet I found was literally twice as heavy as a regular bonnet it was that full of bog haha!

 

PS: I know how it feels to look this dusty...

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

I agree with Alex on the flap disc (don't use it!!!!!!) you will create low spots on the panel, which will require filler. This is because it's an aggressive disc that will thin out the metal. I learnt this the hard way also. If you're going to use it to strip a section keep it perpendicular or flat to the panel (don't come at it from angles). Only use it to strip thick layers of bog (and glad you were wearing a mask!). The crumpet wheel is far less aggressive to the metal and much safer.

 

I think the big problem you had with the stripper is it's not aggressive enough. You should try aircraft stripper instead, I've found regular paint stripper too weak but aircraft stripper is much more aggressive and suitable for automotive paint etc.. It won't remove bog though! Blasting is good (glass beads) but it leaves the metal a little furry - which is totally fine for a layer of primer.

 

Not sure if you've seen my bonnet repair thread?

http://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/12272-separating-bonnet-skin-and-frame/

Don't use ZIP CUTTERS if you plan to undo spot welds... instead use the smaller spot weld cutter drill bit possible.

 

But repairing the bonnet could take a while, the rear is more of a concern than the front end ding to me. The front could be pulled out with an easy beat, but you may not have access to 1?

 

http://www.easybeat.com.au/

 

Alliteratively you could tack weld on small washers etc.. to use a slide hammer to pull it back out.

 

 

Fortunes? More like tortures

 

 

I would actually scrap the headlight scoops, they are fubar mate. Yes you could invest hours "fixing" them, but the result will never be as good as just sourcing a better set to begin with. (Welding up the split will not be easy given the angles etc..) You can still get them cheap, try eBay US even. They are so common between 240z/260z/280z that they are not that hard to get and therefore cheap.

 

A hood/bonnet is much harder, but there is reproductions available now, I'm just not sure how well they fit. I may order 1 at some point if nobody else takes the plunge before me. But non OEM stuff will always need more "tweaking".

 

Unfortunately as stated above most bonnets have had a hard life. I tried to source a better second hand 1 here only to find everything was in worse shape than what I started with on the Gold car. Layers of bog... layers upon layers. 1 bonnet I found was literally twice as heavy as a regular bonnet it was that full of bog haha!

 

PS: I know how it feels to look this dusty...

Screen Shot 2017-09-23 at 11.40.20 AM.png

 

I am completely with you, that the back of the bonnet is harder to repair than the front. I have already done some similar repairs on the bottom of the doors on the 911. My plan with the bonnet is to cut out a long strip of the damaged area and weld a new bit in. 

 

The hard bit is shrinking the metal. There are already a couple of places on the bonnet that 'pop' in and out. I saw you used a 'slapper' I think I will look into that. It looks like the kind of thing I am looking for. 

 

As for the headlight bucket, I think it shouldn't be too hard from here. I am not that worried about welding up the split. It is a bit of work, but I don't think it will be too bad. Working on those folds is much easier than welding in strips on flat panels, and dealing with all of the warping that comes with it.

Edited September 23, 2017 by HomeBuiltByJeff

[gav240z]

I am completely with you, that the back of the bonnet is harder to repair than the front. I have already done some similar repairs on the bottom of the doors on the 911. My plan with the bonnet is to cut out a long strip of the damaged area and weld a new bit in. 

 

The hard bit is shrinking the metal. There are already a couple of places on the bonnet that 'pop' in and out. I saw you used a 'slapper' I think I will look into that. It looks like the kind of thing I am looking for. 

 

As for the headlight bucket, I think it shouldn't be too hard from here. I am not that worried about welding up the split. It is a bit of work, but I don't think it will be too bad. Working on those folds is much easier than welding in strips on flat panels, and dealing with all of the warping that comes with it.

 

A slapper is really more useful for raising low spots, for removing the oil caning effect heat shrinking is the way to go. It's not really easy to explain here, but essentially you look for the high spots on the panel and heat them up with an oxy torch (or similar) until you see a little cherry red spot, the you place a dolly under the panel on the rear side (but not butted up against the panel) just a mm or 2 away (for some give) and you hit around the hight spot a few times (in a sort of circular motion) and then finally slap the middle (where it was cherry red down) also. Then you quench it with a wet rat. It's really something you need to be shown to be honest.

 

The slapper will harder the area and may stop oil caning but you may introduce a high spot (which is worse than low spots).

 

I have a spare passenger headlight bucket you're more than welcome to have if it's of any use to you?

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5OVgK0UxWOju7uZk2

 

it's split at the front, someone has welded in a piece (quite poorly mind you) on the right hand side) and it has a broken stud. The melted spots are where I filled in holes from headlight covers using an oxy as practice.

 

If anything you may be able to cut pieces out of it as it's relatively rust free (apart from surface rust)?

 

I don't throw anything out, this is an example of why.

 

I didn't bother to repair it as someone else gave me a good passenger side unit which was in near mint shape.

 

I could possibly post it also, I'd guess it would be $14-$20 within NSW?

[Brabham]

Quote from Gav:

 

"Then you quench it with a wet rat."

 

I thought that was a rather sadistic approach to heat shrinking lol.

[gav240z]

Bit of a freudian slip..

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

I have been doing a lot of youtube research, and I am up for the challenge. I have an LPG blow torch which I think should do the job of shrinking pretty well. 

Thanks for the offer of the passenger headlight bucket, but mine is already perfect

 

I like a challenge, and I want to be able to repair it all. I will give it a go, and worse case I can buy replacements (but I am stubborn enough to persevere ).

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

This week I have a go at making a stud puller to do some dent repairs and I pull the engine out of the car.

 

[gav240z]

Well done, just goes to show that with a little more time spent you could do a significantly better job as an amatuer on that bonnet than most lazy bog and flog shops.

 

Your tool was a good idea, I've also thought of using a regular slide hammer and welding on small nails. I like a slide hammer because it is literally the same as an easy beat.

 

You could also use small washers and then you have something to 'hook' into.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

Well done, just goes to show that with a little more time spent you could do a significantly better job as an amatuer on that bonnet than most lazy bog and flog shops.

 

Your tool was a good idea, I've also thought of using a regular slide hammer and welding on small nails. I like a slide hammer because it is literally the same as an easy beat.

The main reasons why I didn't do a slide hammer is that, firstly I don't have one, so I would have to buy or make one. Secondly was, how do I grab the head of the nail with the slide hammer.

 

The main thing I do like about the lever method though, it that I think you have a bit more control when you are pulling the dent, so you don't over pull it. My bonnet is never going to be as nice as yours, and as you can see, it will need a light skim of bog to finish it off, but I am OK with that.

[gav240z]

The main reasons why I didn't do a slide hammer is that, firstly I don't have one, so I would have to buy or make one. Secondly was, how do I grab the head of the nail with the slide hammer.

 

The main thing I do like about the lever method though, it that I think you have a bit more control when you are pulling the dent, so you don't over pull it. My bonnet is never going to be as nice as yours, and as you can see, it will need a light skim of bog to finish it off, but I am OK with that.

 

I would have used a small washer to hook into (sorry I edited my post after I wrote it to include that so you may have missed it). You're correct that you could over pull the dent with a slide hammer if you got carried away. My slide hammer has a lot of weight in it, so just gentle taps would do a lot of work. If you happen to over pull you could tap down with a hammer but you're working the metal a lot, and as you found out the metal is quite thin (when you blew through it with the Mig) so you need to be careful how much you work it.

 

RE: My bonnet, you have also spend significantly less time on your bonnet than I have on mine and I'm still not happy with mine.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

RE: My bonnet, you have also spend significantly less time on your bonnet than I have on mine and I'm still not happy with mine.

 

You have another bonnet as well don't you, so you can take your time and just get it right. In the end you are learning the whole time which is always a win.

[HomeBuiltByJeff]

This week I tackle stretched sheet metal with the bonnet repairs, and I start pulling apart the engine.

 

[Brabham]

Good work Jeff. Another way to clean up the rust areas under the bonnet skin where you removed the section is to blast it outside with a hand held garnet gun. You end up covered in garnet but it removes all the rust and you can then hit it with zinc gal. To reduce warpage when you are doing large flat sections, just do it one tack at a time and move around the patch using an air gun to cool it down, it looked like you had run a bead along the join, it should be a series of spots. I would recommend James at MIA for engines, but it wouldn't be home built then!