Ab's Uncut Emerald - '74 260Z

[ZED660]

I used Chrometech at Castle Hill in NSW  http://www.chrometech.com.au/index.php/sample-page/ they did a great job but it costs!  From memory it cost about the same as it cost me to rechrome the rear bumper but it was worth it.

 

Geoff

[AndBir]

Thanks Geoff,

I sent them pics of the bezels and heard back it would be $220 each! (=ouch!)

I presume, once they know it is a restoration and you cannot by replacements, a nice margin is added.

 

Edit : Looks like these will be put to one side while I get the other issues sorted - maybe I will have to get the other set of bezels of my rusty 2+2 and revert to the patina look.

Edited March 19, 2018 by AndBir

[AndBir]

Well finally managed to get the rear brake drums off (using the PB Blaster penetrant spray), evidently this was the first time in 44 years they have been off and looks like it was just in time as the original brake shoes were almost gone on the passenger side with more pad remaining on the drivers side. Drums looked OK and well withing the max diameter spec.

 

 

So what is the best way to "get" new rear brake shoes?? - originals rebonded or replacements via the internet??

 

 

Also sprayed the inside of the doors with the Eastwood internal frame coating, as well as further coatings on internal areas of the bodywork with seams - including the rear hatch.

 

 

Then tried to replace the rear hatch seal with one from rarespares, what a waste of time, just looking at the profile showed it was going to be a longshot that it would be adequate not even taking into account the rubber they use is too "hard" (assuming I was sent the correct seal as the packet had been opened prior to posting to me?) and would not splay out at the bottom corners.

 

 

 

As has been previously mentioned on another build thread, the option of using a door seal for the inner rear hatch seal is worth considering, either one from Clark rubber (31729) or getting the Kia substitute. I tried sections of each and they each seem OK the downside being they may fill the "gutter" area more than the OEM seal so not sure about water drainage.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AndBir]

Also managed to get some of the brake hoses off, again being the originals, everything is really seized up tight and the rear brake hoses are very difficult to get off. Managed to get one off but the other is stuck tight where it joins the fixed line on the car body - Blaster penetrant spray, heat and eventually even resorting to Vicegrips has failed to move it!

 

 

Unfortunately the replacement hoses have 17mm fittings and not the 19mm ones that sit in and are held by the bracket on the body.

 

 

[AndBir]

Been a while but back at it last month.

Having seen the condition of the front ball joints and the steering rod ball joints decided to take it all off.

Moved onto the ball joints which were just as bad

No rubber left on any of the ball joints - so all are in the process of being replaced.

I did find that when removing one of the front steering knuckles from the strut that the 44mm o-ring was missing so something else to sort out.

Having seen the accumulated oil/dirt in the transmission tunnel and at the front of the rear diff I knew the rear gearbox and front diff pinion oil seals were stuffed and so I had to drop out the rear suspension and diff to do a clean up and get better access to the diff.

Diff out and underbody cleaned with Marine Clean and high pressure water spray.

Seems the application of the underbody stone chip spray was somewhat haphazard?

 

[MaygZ]

The good thing about a blown seal (Luvemfast is now giggling in the corner) is that it helps prevent rust

[AndBir]

1 hour ago, MaygZ said:

The good thing about a blown seal (Luvemfast is now giggling in the corner) is that it helps prevent rust

Yep, no rust visible.

Some other photos.

 

 

 

[Zedhead]

Nice Z bro.

I have a 74 303 green as well but with Ivory trim. This ones not mine but the nicest example of 303 green I could find. All the best with the build.

[AndBir]

Well some progress has been made as time permits.

All the front axle & steering components are back in place after being  painted and ball joints replaced (lower and steering)

Spray painted much of the underbody forward of the fuel tank

Cleaned up all the running gear and spray painted as needed

Replaced the diff front pinion oil seal

Replaced the front diff insulator / mount

Replaced the inner rear control arm rubber bushings with OEM parts

Managed to get it all back up under the car and bolts torqued up as per specs (all except the big ones securing the rear inner control arm bushes as these have to be done when the car is at its running weight with wheels on the ground)

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by AndBir

[AndBir]

More small steps:

Replaced the clutch thrust bearing

Flushed and then filled/bled new brake master cylinder and the brake lines

Sprayed the floor pans, front wheel arches (inside front fenders) and transmission tunnel with two coats of Lizard skin sound deadener, then sprayed three coats of Lizard Skin ceramic thermal "insulation" on the floor pans and transmission tunnel.

Spray painted just the transmission tunnel grey to match the rear floor pan area.

[AndBir]

Took the radiator off to be recored and seems it has already been done previously with a Natrad 3 core designed for a Holden Torana etc.

 

[theremm]

Is it overheating? Do you need a recore? The 3 row should work more than adequately if all the tubes are clear.

[AndBir]

54 minutes ago, theremm said:

Is it overheating? Do you need a recore? The 3 row should work more than adequately if all the tubes are clear.

I have not had it back in the car with the engine running however from past experience the radiator looked like it would not work optimally.

Whilst not shown in the photo, there are patches of fins that are disintegrating/crumbling when touched. 

Edited January 23, 2019 by AndBir

[CBR Jeff]

Andy

You may want to review this drawing in relation to the assembly of the rear suspsnsion in your car?

Jeff

[AndBir]

Yep, I understand they changed the relative position of the mustache bar and the link mount braces from the 240Z to the 260Z - if this is what you are referring to?

I thought I had put it back exactly (minus the redback spider nests) as it was in the photos prior to disassembly - everything seems to line up re diff mounts etc. 

Although I do not see any reference to this change in the Service Bulletin Vol.197 issued Nov 1973.

[CBR Jeff]

Yes It looks like you have the mustache bar around the wrong way and on the wrong side of the hangers. Its a common error and Im guesing it had been made before you got rid of the spiders. There was a bit of discussion about this in Home Built Jeffs build thread recently.

Jeff

[AndBir]

As this is a 260Z with a R200 diff maybe this is why Datsun changed the mustache bar orientation.

If it was around the other way then I cannot see how the front diff mount & diff insulator would line up.

[AndBir]

25 minutes ago, CBR Jeff said:

....Im guesing it had been made before...

As far as I know my brother in law (as the only previous owner) had never had the rear or front suspension off the car.

[gilltech]

I agree, I have an early 260Z and the moustache bar is the opposite way to that in the 240Z diagram above - the curled ends face forward. But then it has an R200, which is longer than an R180. Presumably when later 260Zs went back to the R180 then the bar was reversed once more. Maybe that's why all the confusion.

[AndBir]

31 minutes ago, CBR Jeff said:

....Im guesing it had been made before...

As far as I know my brother in law (as the only previous owner) had never had the rear or front suspension off the car.

It appears the R200 is longer hence the change : http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/R200.htm

"Mustache Bars: See Item #2 in drawing above.
(AKA - Differential Case Mounting Bar-Rear)
There are three different types of mustache bars used in the 240/260/280Z's. The early Z cars used a flat mustache bar (70/71), when the rear end was moved further rearward with the beginning of the 72 production run, the mustache bar was offset rearward and could thus be described as having an offset. The mustache bar for the R200 found in the 280Z's was further offset by moving the mounting points on the subframe rearward, it is stronger and had larger holes for mounting the R200's larger mounting studs."

Given the USA went to a 280Z then this applies to our 260Zs

[CBR Jeff]

12 minutes ago, AndBir said:

As far as I know my brother in law (as the only previous owner) had never had the rear or front suspension off the car.

It appears the R200 is longer hence the change : http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/R200.htm

"Mustache Bars: See Item #2 in drawing above.
(AKA - Differential Case Mounting Bar-Rear)
There are three different types of mustache bars used in the 240/260/280Z's. The early Z cars used a flat mustache bar (70/71), when the rear end was moved further rearward with the beginning of the 72 production run, the mustache bar was offset rearward and could thus be described as having an offset. The mustache bar for the R200 found in the 280Z's was further offset by moving the mounting points on the subframe rearward, it is stronger and had larger holes for mounting the R200's larger mounting studs."

Given the USA went to a 280Z then this applies to our 260Zs

There you go. Drawing 2 has it as it was and as you have it, no dought about it. 

Jeff

[AndBir]

Radiator recored, more expensive than a cheap alloy one off eBay but probably more reliable:

As a FYI : The recore cost $500 and I had it done at Eastern Radiator Service in Boronia, Vic.

 

Edited February 5, 2019 by AndBir

[AndBir]

Not sure what others are using to replace their worn out sway bar link bushes however, I found that the Holden VU VX VY V2 WH WK 6/2000-2004 Rubber Stabiliser bushes seemed a similar match in thickness, rubber material and pin hole diameter but somewhat wider. So will see how they go.

Preferred these to the polyurethane options available as I hear these can get chopped up in time.

What the old ones looked like :

Edited February 6, 2019 by AndBir

[AndBir]

On 3/19/2018 at 12:43 PM, AndBir said:

Managed to source some NOS  felt inner door belting ex Japan, probably not really cheaper than reproductions but looks very good quality.

Now for the challenge of "surgically" removing the old and attaching the new!

Having removed the inner door belting which is held on with staples I was not looking forward to having to reattach the new strips.

I have decided the best option is to use some 3M high strength double sided automotive adhesive tape, it is rated for both in / outside use and can withstand high (sun heated metal type) temperatures.

Anyone used these types of tapes on cars?

[AndBir]

Back to the farm to do some work on the car:

Put the engine/gearbox back in

Put in the recored radiator and installed the webers

Thankfully LCR had machined down the inlet manifold to match the thickness of exhaust manifold so not issues with securing them using the original washers

Added some insulation and new plastic lining to the internals of the doors

 

and insulated the rear qtr panels

Edited May 19, 2019 by AndBir