mspecr Posted September 16, 2016 Author Share Posted September 16, 2016 So after reading " AK builds " epic post on restoring his fuel tank, was only fitting that I followed suit. Condition of mine well was solid sludge, and crusty remains. The gunk that came out when draining it originally was not healthy.. Following the instructions that came with the POR15 Fuel tank repair kit, I only did a small test with just the fuel sender with great results, mind you some manual scrubbing with a small brush went a long way. All up prob's total 3 hrs playing around with this thing. Fuel tank will definitely take a lot longer to break down the amount of sludge. It looked really bad from here, was seized good. soaked in marine clean for a good 20 min. use a tooth brush along the contacts and resistive track, be weary of the fine wire that's from the sender lid to the track. this cover plate can be removed by untwisting the top bent lip where it pass's through, gaining access to the resistive track clear the junk behind the resistive track and its mounting pad. check the range, 10.5 to 93 ohms, seams to work great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted October 14, 2016 Author Share Posted October 14, 2016 Got around to assembling all four hubs, parts where taking up to space so had to start making room. All new bearings, seals, brake cylinders / pistons. Didn't have a tap for the m10x1.25 so just fine blade through a spare bolt hanging around to help remove excess powder coat. Struts assembled with Stagg shocks, shock boots, and wrapped in king spring - std height. Front Caliper Pistons : Protex #: DB2014 Rear Cylinders : Dorman #: W96878 + W96879 Front old badly pitted pistons. AndBir and gav240z 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted October 23, 2016 Author Share Posted October 23, 2016 Fuel tank update. Its been roughly 3 weeks since I filled the tanked with a water + marine clean mix and the results turned out great. The 1st load which pretty much broke down a good majority of it to my surprise, a second batch is now in to soak for a another 2-3 weeks. I was contemplating running a small pump to help circulate the mixture around, but this seams to work just fine giving the long time frame the mixture has to work with. Door Hinges, New pins and bushes, these are pretty straight forward just make note of there orientation, smack the old ones out, clean up the surfaces until your a human pin cushion, install the new pin and bushes, repeat times x4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted October 27, 2016 Author Share Posted October 27, 2016 (edited) Vintage Air, As A/C was priority for this build I settled with a vintage air Compac Gen II unit., PeterAllen was kind enough to take the time out and give me a good guide and explain his experiences with his install. For the moment its only the fabrication of mounting points, reason being when the shell gets blasted and primed it should be a bolt in affair, this also helps in determining what to seal up / penetrations I require for the firewall. There was a fair few versions of how this was mounted, I ended up with a 90' bracket that is welded under where the wiper motor would of be and simple straight alu bar for the hangers. Here it cleared the steel frame of the dash, the glove box and gained access to the original defogger vents. It's worth while mentioning most installs I found on line the blower fan is on the right hand side, - mainly US builds, - In my opinion this unit will fit more easily as you got direct access to the top vents ,I simply didn't like the idea of the fan near my feet.. a noisy fan can be a passenger side issue..... The area behind the unit is more then enough to hide the water valve, hoses, wiring ect. Tight... but doable, the original vent that enters the cowl area was also chopped out and sealed. There is still the center vents to connect up, which was used the original air box, so some sort of manifold will have to be done there, the side vents can be either directly connected to the vintage unit or again some common manifold like the original setup uses. link. http://www.vintageair.com/instructions2013/906800-vuz-a.pdf AC bulkhead fittings should be fine as there is ample room for them to poke through, only thing I need is to find a RB z to see where the firewall to block / head clearance is for the heater connections. Edited October 27, 2016 by mspecr jeff43 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted November 29, 2016 Author Share Posted November 29, 2016 Got in touch with another member on here which i cant thank enough for taking the time out and handling the barrage of question I dished out. I originally went to gain info on engine placement and find clear areas in the firewall, this is for the engine loom heater and A/C lines, however after seeing it I ended up leaving with more questions then answers.... now I have things to add such as power steering, roll cages, Porsche brakes ,,, thou this will be for stage II of the build. Definitely helps in seeing what your trying to build that's in front of you. Back onto the firewall I managed to get a R33 gts-t Booster + master installed, inc the r33 clutch master. Now I could of left the original 260z clutch one in place, this would of saved me the hassle of modding the pedal box to include a extra backing plate for the clutch, however i must of misread this post as I had somehow obtained the idea that there was a clearance issue with the Clutch M hitting the booster..... and that's why I went with he r33 version. I even offset the booster away of the clutch master 2 - 3 mm... Note : 260z C/M has a vertical mount, the R33 is 45' off set.. and a patrol gu is 90' horizontal. Overall this wasn't required at the end clutch M/C mods wasn't really required, but its done now. I used this http://www.viczcar.com/forum/topic/9734-240z-manual-only-upgrade-to-skylinesilvia-booster-and-1516th-master-cylinder/ Got around to pulling the last batch of items on the car apart, which either will be sent away for powder coating or getting zinc dipped, things like the window regs, window wiper links, door locking mechs, handbrake assembly, pedals and pedal box, the dash metal frame ect. One thing that surprised the me was the state of the wiper motor.. after all these years hiding in that black bag it came out flawless, not sure if it works thou.. ryanmac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted December 8, 2016 Author Share Posted December 8, 2016 Started tearing apart the 1/4 windows, now I not sure if this is standard ... but the tabs that secure the window to the frame have been welded somewhat roughly, surely these didn't come like this from factory ?... either way they still aligned with the body so I'm not overly too concerned. Had a quick go at polishing the stainless trim which came out a treat, there are still some small minor imperfections but i guess they can be just buffed out with more time, just your standard buffing wheel and some autosol metal polish. Now I have intentions of getting some tint done, would it be worth trying to clean / polish the glass now, or just give it to the glass people to clean up and let them do it ?. Received back the items that got sent off for powder coating, again cant really complain about the quality. gav240z and PeterAllen 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 Fenders Got around to attacking the fenders this week using the TABCO replacement panels. There is a fair bit of work involved with doing this, which I clearly underestimated. Things like the position of nutserts that are in in the kicker panels (tabco units) are not in the same position as the OEM, this threw the recessed fender bolt way off. I only realized this after i rebuild the inner support to the original position. The bottom folded lips have walked off during manufacturing, that it forced the panel to sit a good 5mm proud off the kicker panel, so had to slice the lower lip to bring it back in so it hugs the kicker panel. And lastly it was around 5mm too short leading up the wheel arch, which again had to be sliced and filled. I think this was probs due to me folding the lip at the door end, thou i just followed the existing fold, so I'm not too sure :s... Still lots of cleaning up to do but you get the idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators gav240z Posted December 15, 2016 Administrators Share Posted December 15, 2016 I love some of the work going on in here, thanks for making me realise how little progress I've made of late. RE: Aftermarket replacement parts I've heard they can be a fair way off. For that section on my car I just fabricated it, it's a basic curve really. But if you don't have a roller it's probably easier to buy them. The welds on the 1/4 windows are probably because the tabs have a habit of breaking off, on #150 I've got that problem on the driver side glass. You can also polish stainless with steel wool and WD40 works well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 Cheers Gav, Reading about the top end rebuilds you do and others on this forum is whats been guiding me through all of this, a lot of late night reading. Sadly i don't have access to a roller or bender, pretty much a hammer, grinder and a vice lol. Anything somewhat flat is easy for me, hit some sort of bend / curve I'm out, so the aftermarket panels is my go too. For the 1/4 that makes sense, I might just get the frames painted inside only to hide them weld blobs, outside can stay polished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted December 15, 2016 Author Share Posted December 15, 2016 Fender (continued...) Passenger side was pretty much the same deal as what I did with the drivers, thou this time the recessed fender bolt support / stiffener was aligned 1st, then connected to the fender, still a work in progress atm. Also noted this fender didn't have a original cut out for the front indicator, so this means the entire passenger side of this car is not original at all... might start calling it two face soon. Sooooo.. Just when I was about to attack this with with a grinder, I some how managed to slice my wrist up against the bottom edge, It got me right between the glove and a long sleeve shirt out of all places.. bleeding stopped but if def a good clean cut, was half tempted to drop a depth micrometer in it to see how far it went .. the missus say its a stitches job however I beg to differ.. :s To top it off, upon writing this i realized i still had the bolt holding the fender in place... which is now trapped behind the replacement panel and there is no hole to gain access too... lol sigh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted December 30, 2016 Author Share Posted December 30, 2016 Engine. First up hope everyone had a great xmas ! and with the new year under 48 hours away hope it brings great tidings too all. Carrying on i left the fender for the time being. Having engine parts laying around the house and running out of room the finance minister made it quite clear she is not impressed about the whole ideal. Started off with washing down the block, knocked out the old core plugs and installed new ones. Quick lick of paint, installed slugs on rods, gap rings, threw in a set of bearings, check clearances, cleaned out the oil pump, installed new oil seals and knocked in a oil restrictor. Head wise just cleaned it out, gasket match port for the exhaust and coolant on the intake,re shim buckets and installed some extended cam cap bolts. Water pump and new timing belt with tensioner where also installed. Dialing in the cams will be done at a later stage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted February 21, 2017 Author Share Posted February 21, 2017 Yay back into it So she been booked in for blasting, where I thought I was ready ended up 2 weeks of long nights in the garage, something always popped up and being somewhat ocd it had to be done. Having a chat to the blaster they suggested to remove the majority of the under body deadener (something i dreaded doing in the first place) mainly as they worked on a hourly basis and is a lot cheaper in the long run. So some of the works done where: Welding un used holes in the firewall / engine bay area. Re adjusting the A pillar again to match the corner where the windshield sits. Removed rear antenna hole. Finish welding the rear passenger 3/4 panel for good. Remove under body deadener Install and mod the Bad Dog Frame rails. Stich weld gearbox and diff support brackets. General grind down of forget welds. I was going to install the rails after a blasting, however since I was removing the deadner anyways I ended up doing it. Worth mentioning you have to mod the ends of the rails that connect to the rear frame to clear the sway bar. 260 yes. not sure of this was a case for a 240. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 Dash. Being alone in a empty garage i turned my attention to my dash, like most unrestored dashes these days mine had cracks just the same. First thing was too open up the cracks so they are level with the surrounding surface, I used a die grinder with a pine cone, overkill for this but worked perfectly at carving up the old foam. Next was to place some tape on the inside of the cracks that penetrated all the way through, this stops the expanding foam from filling the areas where there not needed. Apply expanding foam, using a a paddle pop stick i would smear the foam onto the walls to help it adhere, sit and wait for a hour or so till its cured. Once cured, quick lick with 120 on a orbital sander to remove excess foam, normal body filler was used to fill the small holes in the foam, this was repeated until I was happy with the overall shape and con tore of the dash. Block sanded / feather coat and more sanding till i was up to around 600 grit, a final lick of high build primer and a last block to get it smooth. Here on i drove it out to a mob out in Kelmscott, H-Tek Ultimate Coating, here we are going to get the dash flocked in black. Turns out he would also repair a cracked dash prior to flocking. ........ ... .. ... sigh. Last pics is another client's dash that was just flocked in charcoal. Rear Lights. While I was waiting for the foam to set i started attacking the rear lights, my lens where dull as you would expect for sitting around for so long, so a bit of wet sanding and going through the finer grades followed by a buffing wheel made them good as gold. I even removed the factory casting identification as polish would just get caught in the nooks and crannies of the lettering. gav240z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterAllen Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Excellent, excellent, excellent build and thread. gav240z and mspecr 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 1/4 windows ( cont ) The frames where cleaned outed and buffed, however the inside of the frames where not to my liking, so a quick lick of satin black to help hide the unsightly welds from the mounting tabs. The glass itself was cleaned up using wd40, windex and a medium coarse steel wool. Installing the 1/4 glass was a lot easier using ample amounts of dish washing liquid, the only hardest part i found was trying to get the new seals to match the corners of the seal to the frame itself. After cleaning the frame down with water to remove all the washing detergent, I used contact adhesive to apply to the frame to the outer seal, masking tape was used to help hold the foam down while it cured, don't forget to install your corner trim / garnish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 (edited) Pedal box, Started to run out of room, and this was easy one to assemble. 2 bolts, 2 star washers, 2 plastic bushes, 2 metal sleeves, 2 rubber stops, 1 brake switch , 2 springs and 2 plastic spring locator bushes. Clean out the threads of excess powder coat. Grease up the metal sleeves and bushes and install. Install tension springs, Install stops and brake switch. Final adjustment will come later for final pedal heights. Edited March 15, 2017 by mspecr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KatoKid Posted March 15, 2017 Share Posted March 15, 2017 Loving this....keep at it! mspecr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 15, 2017 Author Share Posted March 15, 2017 Blasting Today I picked up the rest of the bolt on panels, I was surprised with how little damage over all considering how much work I had to do originally, I was expecting more. The cowl panel had 1 pin hole, bonnet has one section about the size of a 50c piece and pitting around the vents, the lower valiance / indicator mountings was belted hard. The rear hatch turned out great with only minor surface pitting around the lock and emblem area, other then that very minor dents here and there but overall I was pleased with the outcome. The shell should be done by next week hopefully, then things will start getting interesting with temp fitting of new fuel / brake lines and engine / gearbox placement. Rickers and CBR Jeff 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riceburner Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Looks very good after the blasting! mspecr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rickers Posted March 17, 2017 Share Posted March 17, 2017 Should be labelled NSFW... mspecr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Inspection Light A while ago i tore apart the inspection light and got the housing zinc'ed. New wiring, switch and lens were installed for this little beast. Pretty straight forward not much to really explain, only heads up is to pass the cable through the end lid first,then install your spring, bakelite washer then solder the tab..... don't ask why. Negative is soldered onto the J hook and your positive is the solder tab which is your base of the globe holder, here a piece of heatshink is used to tie the cable to the J hook to help support it when pulling it out. At the other end your extension (speaker cable) the positive has to go to one side of the switch, this is not polarized so either tab will do. The other tab of the switch will be your feed or main supply in which was some red 1.5mm cable i had laying around. Heat shrink the ends for a pro look. Negative of the extension cable has to be soldered to a small clip thats folded over on the main housing. Pass your main feed through the hole in the base of the housing and rubber grommet it. Coil your extension wire into the housing and your set. Parts: Switch Part No : ST0570 ( Jaycar ) Lens : 26oz (ebay user). http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/302203728479?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Wiring : speaker cable, unknown just what i had laying around. Possible upgrades later: LED globe. Waterproof rubber grommet for the switch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 22, 2017 Author Share Posted March 22, 2017 Tail Light plugs. After many hours of searching I was never able to really find a definitive answer in finding replacement bulb holders for the 260z tail lights. However if you have a stab in the dark you might actually hit something. So if you have a twist lock bulb socket that looks like the one below these are it. Fitment is perfect with a solid locking detent, the only option was a pigtail type which is basically wires on the end. I do wish they where a tad bit longer but they will suffice. Wires are 105' deg rated 20 AWG, or .5 mm2 area and average 160mm long from the back of the plug. The globe itself sits in the same height with only the rear end being about 10mm shorter then original, No real dust seal that i can see thou with a tight fitment this shouldn't really be a issue. Website : http://www.autolumination.com/ Part No : 1156 - Plastic Ba15s Single Circuit Part No : 1157 - Plastic Ba15d Duel Circuit Notes : Pricing for shipping is expensive from this place... However the range is huge, plus they have wedge type twist locks too which can be interesting to use. Qty to do both tail lights. x6 : 1156 - Plastic Ba15s Single Circuit x2 : 1157 - Plastic Ba15d Duel Circuit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted March 29, 2017 Author Share Posted March 29, 2017 Blasting Part 2. Picked her up today from the blasters, feels good to have her back. Over all she came out pretty good, only small pin holes here and there. The only biggest issue was that rear drivers side 1/4 panel around the tail lights, that was belted in at some point which i sorta expected considering how much bog that panel had originally. I started calling around a few painters to get some idea on the timeframe / cost for final panel and paint, The colour I'm going with is from Hyundai ( I know.. I know...) code S2G - Matte Grey Pearl, you find these on the Veloster Turbo models, with the polished stainless trim should make it quite a clean look. PeterAllen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators PB260Z Posted April 5, 2017 Moderators Share Posted April 5, 2017 Hi That shell looks incredible, one of the better ones around I would say. Looking forward to seeing the SG2 Grey, should like really sharp. Cheers PB mspecr 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mspecr Posted April 10, 2017 Author Share Posted April 10, 2017 Its taken a long time to get it to this state that's for sure, and still a longer way to go Dress code. Getting the shell back I just had to get the doors and panels hanging off her, here we found some issues like the front head light cones where pinching the bonnet, and the drivers side fender tip was over lapping the door a fair bit, I did spend a fair few hours on this trying to get it as best i could, how ever they will require attention, other then that i was nice to see its overall shape. The nose pinching was helped using one of the rams off the rotisserie. Radiator support After blasting we found some small holes in the lower corners of the radiator support, easy fix however it came to me I needed to start looking at radiators.. Using a old R33 skyline rad i had laying around i used that as template simply as it has the outlets on the same side and there sized for an RB. The rad is just a fraction to large to fit between the rails normally, massaging the side of the rad make it slip in perfectly, using this rad filled in the entire front which now makes me wonder if I should enlarge the opening. Doing this helps as cutting out metal is a lot easier then installing new metal back in. New rad has been ordered so once that gets here I will finalize where I'm going with this. Cowl area Welded some thick sheet metal to replicate the stiffener panel that was removed prior fixing the rust under the dash. New seam sealer was used to go over the areas that the blasting took out and POR 15 was brushed on everywhere. I probs went overboard with the coatings, thou I wont ever go back into here ever again after welding the top cowl lid back in. gav240z 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.