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Andrew's 1972 240


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Can you still get the center caps for them? In the US they go nuts for these wheels. They think they're rare or something hehe.

http://forums.hybridz.org/topic/86202-my-wheels/

http://zhome.com/History/BlackP.htm

 

Meanwhile in Australia most people can't give them away.

 

I guess Nissan did weird stuff like that with different markets. In some markets what was standard equipment became optional extra's in other markets. Like the Kobe Seiko 'rally style' wheels, in Portugal they were fitted standard to S30z's sold there.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/wheels-tires-brakes-s30/37072-kobe-seiko-rally-wheels-ebay.html

 

 

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Having the car back has meant time to get my hands dirty!

 

Covered in other threads but the gear shift is fixed.  This bolt was the culprit for all the play in the shifter:

 

20141028_205008_zpsw6z4lmri.jpg

 

How the console came out of the car.  This is getting tackled this weekend after a trip to Supercheap etc to get fibreglass and all the other goodies.  It'll buff out............

 

20141028_205245_zps6a6fnrgz.jpg

 

Doing some soul searching on whether I really think I can achieve an acceptable outcome trying to fix the electrics myself now.  Current count is that headlights are not working, indicators not working and ignition switch needs to be replaced and rewired.  I don't want any of the repairs to be half-assed so I'm assessing whether an auto electrician visit is on the cards.  A few things suggest someone has been a bit "relaxed" in their approach to the wiring in the past such as a dicky aftermarket ignition switch with a start button, some wiring birds nest around the fuse box and the headlight buckets no longer have the factory loom/plug.  Example below of what is on the car and what is on the spare I have:

 

On the car:

 

20141028_212854_zpsoqqhv61l.jpg

 

Spare one:

 

20141028_213012_zpslnaj9y8d.jpg

 

A couple of new onion layers have emerged:

 

[*]The heater core is obviously leaking with the small trail of coolant I have found in the passenger side footwell.  Someone had bypassed the heater at some point and the mechanic hooked it back up and replaced the hoses and tap.  Looks like it's the core is the problem though rather than the tap.  I'm taking the seats out this week to refoam and recover them so I'll pull the heater core out while I've got the space in the cabin to get to it easily and will take it to a radiator shop for repair.

[*]Whilst under the car adjusting shift linkage I also found the one thing I had been hoping not to find given the proclaimed straight body state of the car (Have to quote Rudi here  - Rust free obviously means the rust comes free with the car).  This is in what I guess is the bottom of the floor pan just behind the drivers side front wheel - no idea what this area would technically be called:

 

20141028_213559_zpsy4ra6tnf.jpg

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Rust looks like the area where the floor pan meets the dogleg (also called sills). It doesn't look too bad, but you won't know until you cut the area out and examine around it to see how far it goes.

 

To be honest I wouldn't worry about it at this stage and to be even more honest I'm not surprised either. Unless your car was fully sandblasted and put on a rotisserie etc.. it's going to have a few things like this hiding in places.

 

I'd just worry about getting it on the road, enjoying it and maybe converting to 5 speed manual. Once you start tearing the car down for rust repairs it's off the road for at least multiple years. It doesn't look severe and even old collector Ferrari's have issues like this. You may want to treat the area with rust converter to prevent it getting any worse though.

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Thanks Gav.  Is this a spot a body shop could repair in isolation or does it require the full panels of job?  Guess it would come down to what lies beneath.  I'd prefer to try and fix it properly now rather than using rust converter but a full tear down is not something I want to undertake!

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... even old collector Ferrari's have issues like this...

 

You, me, carpark NOW.

 

That's girly rust. Hit it inside and out with rust converter, then a wire brush, apply an etch primer, smear on Sikaflex 227 (using a 25mm wide brush with the bristles trimmed down to 10mm) then spray some stonechip gunk on the underside. That will get you through rego and hold until you do a major restoration.

 

 

...  I'm taking the seats out this week to refoam and recover them ...

 

Just a suggestion. Do all the mechanical, body and electrical work before you do the seats and other 'bling' items, otherwise you will be fretting over damaging them whilst the other work is carried out. If they are soiled by a repairer you will have endless issues about who is responsible, etc. I have had some 'bling' items, including leather seat covers, stored for years just waiting for the day.

 

 

PS. Sorry we didn't get to chat on Sunday - too many people and not enough time.

 

 

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That's girly rust. Hit it inside and out with rust converter, then a wire brush, apply an etch primer, smear on Sikaflx 225 (using a 25mm wide brush with the bristles trimmed down to 10mm) then spray some stonechip gunk on the underside. That will get you through rego and hold until you do a major restoration.

 

 

Just a suggestion. Do all the mechanical, body and electrical work before you do the seats and other 'bling' items, otherwise you will be fretting over damaging them whilst the other work is carried out. If they are soiled by a repairer you will have endless issues about who is responsible, etc. I have had some 'bling' items, including leather seat covers, stored for years just waiting for the day.

 

 

PS. Sorry we didn't get to chat on Sunday - too many people and not enough time.

 

Thanks Peter.  Looks like rust converter is the consensus !

 

The mechanicals are just about sorted (hopefully) and the seats will fail roadworthy at the moment (frame poking through). Mainly the electrics, the seized brake hard lines, the exhaust and the heater core I need to get sorted on the mechanical side.  Plan is that the next trip out of the garage will be to a brake shop with an unregistered vehicle authorised inspector nearby (and possibly a sparky nearby as well).

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Another question for those who've been through this before.  Given the park lights and dash lights work, but the headlights and the indicators don't, should the indicator/HL Beam switch be first port of call ?  I don't have a multimeter at the moment (getting one at the weekend) but I've seen on here this switch is a common problem ?

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It can be, because you can easily back probe the plug at the indicator stalk and check for power, while using any clean metal part of the frame as earth. More than likely you will end up finding that 95% of your electrical problems will end up being corroded and bad earth connections, or just bad connections. Id also invest in a $100 dremmel from bunnings with a little wire wheel to help buff up all your eyelet earth connections, and the frame where they bolt to etc.

 

Do you know how to use a multimeter? not being a jack ass its just i know mechanics who have asked me how to use one in the past.......

 

Your most invaluable tool however, will be to download the work shop manual for your car, they are floating about the internet to download in PDF format. The electrical diagrams are extremely easy to read, the indicator circuit for example will have its own diagram with colour codes and is easy to follow. You can see on paper where to start, and where to continue from etc etc, hardest part will be following harnesses to find plugs etc.... hang on ill try and open up my one and print screen a section....

 

EDIT**

 

OK... so here is mine which is for a 76 260z... dont know how useful it will be but here goes:

 

here is the colour code for the wires:

 

wirediagramcolour_zpse165ae6a.jpg

 

 

 

And here is the general wire colour section...

 

wirediagramcolour2_zps23afbaf6.jpg

 

i can probably run through some online fault finding with you if you want cause here is the wire diagram for the indicators....

 

wirediagramcolour3_zps921b5e00.jpg

 

Rudolf.

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Thanks Rudi - much appreciated

 

Do you know how to use a multimeter? not being a jack ass its just i know mechanics who have asked me how to use one in the past.......

 

Ha ha ha - not taken as a jackass thing, especially since no, I don't!!  From what I have read I'll be setting it to read DC voltage and set the range to somewhere around the 12 volt mark.  Glad you mentioned earthing via connecting to the body - I was guessing this was the case but wasn't quite sure.  Being that the indicator assumbly is plastic I'm guessing I'll need to work out which indicator wire is the earth though to make sure the earth wire is not shot ?  Guessing I'll need to test with body and with earth wire for anything that is not earthing to the body so that I can verify it's not the earth wires ?

 

Id also invest in a $100 dremmel from bunnings with a little wire wheel to help buff up all your eyelet earth connections, and the frame where they bolt to etc.

 

On the list now - something I hadn't thought of!  I'll forego the sigh of having to spend more money..........

 

Your most invaluable tool however, will be to download the work shop manual for your car, they are floating about the internet to download in PDF format. The electrical diagrams are extremely easy to read, the indicator circuit for example will have its own diagram with colour codes and is easy to follow. You can see on paper where to start, and where to continue from etc etc, hardest part will be following harnesses to find plugs etc

 

Yeah I've been looking at the wiring diagrams for my model in the Haynes book as well as from downloading the factory manual from XenonS30.  Not sure if it made it clearer or more confusing when I followed one wire from the headlight and ended up at the radio or something - definite wrong turn there !!  My brother has been reading this thread and has been giving me some tips on looking at relays etc - he's a lot more electrical savvy than I am although he has electrocuted himself a lot - including using a multi-meter to test a home powerboard but having it on the wrong setting.

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forget about were to find and trace earth for now,

 

The most important thing is to trace Battery power from the battery, through all connectors, through the indicator stalk all the way up to the light globes. During this whole time, id be earthing the multimeter to ground on chassis, and only using the positive probe to check for power...

 

For example, you say that most of the other electrics work, so we know your getting battery power to all our ignition switches.

 

Your indicators work on accessories (or reds) meaning you have to have the key on the first click to get everything to power on, much like your radio, this is to make sure you don't leave your indicators on or radio on overnight when you turn off the car and drain the battery, thats why when you remove the ignition key, it cuts power to all those "accessories"

 

Firstly id be checking the following, at the indicator switch, there will be a plug where the switch plugs into the wire loom, you should be able to get the positive lead in the back, and probe the wires without disconnecting the plug. with the multimeter earthed to ground, you should be able to flick the indicator one way, and get power, then off, then the other way will make power go down the other wire.

 

So according to that manual, white wire goes into the indicator switch, this would be your power in, it comes from the flasher unit, maybe that is broken, or disconnected, or a bad connection, and you are not getting power out of it.  then from flasher unit, the wire going into the flasher unit is green, this is the input to it, if you followed that line/wire back on the diagram, it would lead to the fuse box, so maybe a fuse is blown? this is all things to check.

 

I have to head out now... ill try and go abit more in depth later on...

 

Rudi.

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Just my 2c:  I find a test light much easier to use than a multi-meter.  You could make your own or they are about $8 from Supercrap.  Obviously they only work when chasing/tracking power and are no good for checking capacitors and the like, but are perfect fo seeing if power is going into and out of a switch or getting to a fitting.

 

Good luck.

 

MaygZ

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I've fiddled with the electrics and got nowhere the last few days so I decided to focus on other things for now.  Ifould not get a read from the indicator switch so I think that might be the root cause but it could also be that I'm really not reading the wiring diagram properly.

 

Cleaned and plastic welded the broken console, with fibreglass as reinforcement. Happy with the result so far. Sanding and painting tomorrow. First attempt at plastic welding and it seems to have gone well.

 

Took everyone's advice and have gone for a temp fix on the dogleg. Sikaflex curing for paint tomorrow. Got a nasty surprise when I pulled the drivers seat out though. I could see the garage floor through this hole. Is this just a missing plug? The money found under the seat I don't think will be enough if it's rust..........

 

20141101_220319_zpsmgwndf5v.jpg

 

I've briefly considered putting the fibreglass to use again but if it is rust I don't really want to go half assed.

 

With visible frame the seats definitely weren't going to pass roadworthy:

 

20141101_220516_zpsgchsfi96.jpg

 

Have started pulling them apart. Surface rust on the frame but have got paint etc ready for this anyway.

 

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20141101_220319_zpsmgwndf5v.jpg

bit hard to tell from that pic exactly where that hole is but I'm pretty sure it's a factory hole.

There's at least 1 or 2 rubber plugs near the driver seat on my car

 

also, when I had to fit ADR approved seat belts for rego compliance it left an unused bolt hole switching over from the original japanese belts so I just plugged it up again with the bolt.

 

looks like there's moisture in that area too...  :(

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I must have been delirious last night becuase in the full light today the hole is quite obviously a missing grommet. The moisture is mostly grease, road dirt and crap from having a hole in the floor.

 

The change found on the floor will cover the cost then

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Its whats under the tar paper you have to worry about. Best way to get it all up is dry ice and a hammer. this has been covered in many build threads. Getting a box tomorrow to pack your power steer bits so you should have them later this week hopefully.

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A few bits of slow progress have been happening.

 

I spent pretty much all day last Sunday stripping, sanding, treating and priming ONE of the seat frames.  Reasonably happy with the job but there were bits I just couldn't get all of the old coating off because of shape etc.  I was originally thinking I would spray paint them with some rust guard, but I am now considering getting them blasted and powder coated.  Are there any durability issues with painting metal that is in constant contact with other material (ie seat foam) ?  If the paint will hold up OK I'll get a set of wire brushes for the drill to have a better crack at the second one (and maybe redo some of the first).

 

As per another thread (http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,15074.0.html) I got back into looking at the wiring.  To be honest the electricals still scare the crud out of me but every day during my 2 hours of train commuting I have been reading blogs, watching Youtube tutorials and looking at diagrams to get my knowledge up.  To that end I have established that my turn signal/dimmer switch is missing parts, wires and a harness.  Was worried about that because I know how hard they can be to track down but found this on ebay:  (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/261651663910?ru=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com.au%2Fsch%2Fi.html%3F_from%3DR40%26_sacat%3D0%26_nkw%3D261651663910%26_rdc%3D1#payCntId).  Even though it is from I presume an LHD car it looks exactly the same as what I have.  Spent some time studying the pics vs what I have taken off the car and I cannot spot a single difference (apart from the ebay one being complete).  So that will be ordered later in the week.  This week I'll follow the headlight wires back from the headlight buckets to try and work out where they are terminating.  I've found a lot of things under the dash and behind the fuse box (including the obviously not connected speedo cable) but cannot locate a headlight loom/plug.

 

Pulled out the dodgy hands free kit (http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,15011.msg160114.html#msg160114) .  It was indeed the source of the wires that had been spliced off the ignition wires with inline glass fuses.  The speaker at least was only cable tied to the steering column vs screwed or bolted.  Interestingly the control unit for the kit was not in the car - the wires were excessively long (3 to 4 metres, with 2 coiled up and shoved under dash) and ended in an unused plug............

 

20141107_212954_zps3kq6lluy.jpg

 

Bunch of parts on their way from MSA - decided it was prudent that when I switch over the headers and exhaust that I replace the exhaust manifold studs.  Also ordered a Pertronix kit, water inlet cover (mine is quite corroded) and a couple of other nits and pieces.

 

 

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That turn signal switch might need some modifications because it's designed for LHD and the switches are opposite sides to RHD. I'm sure it's totally do-able though.

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That turn signal switch might need some modifications because it's designed for LHD and the switches are opposite sides to RHD. I'm sure it's totally do-able though.

 

I had thought the same Gav, and whilst I won't be 100% certain until it arrives, from the pictures it is part for part exactly the same layout, even down to the side the horn button contact is on.  I'm thinking that the light/wiper switch may have been different (opposite directions for light toggle) but the indicator side of the switch may have been the same, just rotated around the column.

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  • 4 months later...

A few more things going on. I finally got the stinking heater box apart. Heater has  now been recored and today I picked up the heater and fan boxes from the blaster/coaters. Pretty happy with them. They were pretty ordinary and now look  brand new.

 

20150408_195912_zpsorfz0ht2.jpg

 

 

20150408_195945_zpsoraljhtm.jpg

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Heater recore cost me $390.  Took about a week to get done by the time the guy got the new core from manufacturer in Adelaide.  From what I can tell he's done a good job.  Went to a small local radiator shop not far from me in Western Sydney.  I often prefer to go these little operations rather than someone like Natrad as they are more willing to talk about stuff and I think more accountable for the quality of the work (hard for them to blame anyone else and genuinely concerned for their reputation).

 

I took 2 heaters, wanting the worst one recored and the better one serviced/repaired with solder etc.  The guy started work on the repair one and after looking at it was honest with me to not worry about spending the money at the moment - didn't charge me for the time he'd already spent on it starting the cleaning process.  Gave me advice on how to store and protect the spare in case I ever need it.

 

I also got a second heater box and fan box that I had blasted and coated as well (as well as a second fan motor etc) - not sure why I did this but if someone wants them I would be willing to part with them for a smallish cost.

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Hey Andy were did you go to get your parts blasted? and are they powder coated or just epoxy coated off a gun? they look good!

 

Hows the electrical woes going? I haven't touched mine in about 2 months, who would have thought planning a wedding would take so much time!

 

Rudolf.

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  • andyk_79 changed the title to Andrew's 1972 240

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