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260z 2+2 body differences between year models


wally57

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Guys,

I've just really started to get my teeth into the bodywork repairs to my 77 260z 2+2 and I am devastated. I bought the car of a guy just north of Brisbane and it looked pretty good at the time for a car that was supposedly part way through a full resto. The underside and internal floor was really thickly coated in a tar like compound but looked to be in good condition. Once I started scraping it off however I have found huge amounts of rust in the floor and wheel wells etc that he had glued pieces of shim steel over and covered with this coating so it couldn't be seen. Both Chassis rails from front to rear need replacing as does the floor LH inner guard and entire radiator support panel. I have pulled up on the job and I am now looking at another shell to build on. But I have a few questions first.

- Is the body of a 1/76 260z 2+2 the same as a 2/77 260z 2+2

- Will all of my parts fit the earlier model shell.

- Where do I find the chassis number on the 260z 2+2

 

Thanks

Wally57

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Hahaha... Didn't look hard enough before you bought it, did ya?

 

- Is the body of a 1/76 260z 2+2 the same as a 2/77 260z 2+2 - Yes.

- Will all of my parts fit the earlier model shell. - What model shell are you referring to?

- Where do I find the chassis number on the 260z 2+2 - On the firewall above the brake booster.

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Also check the door latches; some 76 models had the early type while others had the late "D" shaped ones. Good thing is though you probably won't have to swap them but just in case something is damaged, you will have to find some.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit: typo!

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Of coarse it's not Nice Gav, but a little bit of common sense when buying a old Zed & one that the PO said he had 'started bodywork on' should have set alarm bells ringing...

Plus the fact under body deadner was plastered on with a trowel should have spelt a warning...

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Feel sorry for you man. Shouldn't be anything too major different between the 2 years you mentioned. The 74 model 260z's where the most different to the rest (the doors and quarter glass mainly, also look at the door locking mechanism like zedman mentioned), but half of the parts still fit.

 

Another small things I noticed between a 74 and 77 is how the seats mount up (had to use rails from teh 74 to bolt in the 77 seats). But I would assume this changed in 75.

 

Good luck, don't lose heart. And post pics of your progress :)

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Hey Lurch, this is my first Z and I realise that I do not have the experience with them that you guys have. But to set the record straight I'm not stupid, I did have a good look at the car even underneath, and short of digging deadner off  and scratching the paint to find any bog, I found what rust could be found by eye. The deadner did not have the appearance of being "layed on with a trowel", it was sprayed on and looked like a professional job, there was absolutely nothing to give even the slightest hint there was an issue underneath, or even when looking at the floor from inside. He had gone to a lot of trouble to cover up the rust in the floor and rails etc. I joined this forum because I kept reading posts from you guys saying how you were always here to help newbies get there zeds up and going, I certainly did not join to get bagged for getting caught by a crook.

 

Wally57

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Hey man welcome to the forums, I know how you feel..Im also in the process of cleaning up the mess the PO left...and its not fun. I guess that guy went extreme for a few dirty bucks, you are new to Z and you didnt check but you gotta walk before you can run right? ANyways GL with the project...mine is a late 74 early 75 Ill can take pics for those discrepancies. Cheers

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  • 3 months later...

lurch being lurch nothing else wally57. u get to know him his good give him time.

 

lurch bad day mate?

 

as for differences. mine was 6/76 and was more closer to the later 75 models.

 

what i noticed from 74 to my 76 some polution brackets are different on the earlier model. also extra holes and brackets in the engine bay. on the 77 vs my 76 i noticed the door locks the later using the more modern d style also few extra or slightly different brackets in the engine bay.

usualy for pollution junk.

 

77 has "A:  piller trim covers and two holes where they screw in interior. 

in the rear some 76 like mine has child seat anchor point same as the 77. usualy located on the strut tower bracing. the 76 didnt have a hole/plug in the trim (mine didnt)  while the 77 did.

 

most of this stuff can be added to the older chassis only difficult one being the door latches. u prob better off with earlier ones as there are more common.

 

u should see what last 2 PO owners did to my 240z. though i did see them before i bought it. so i knew what i was getting myself into.

 

good luck with all of it. post pics. maybe its not as bad

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  • 2 months later...

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