Tj's '77 260Z 2+2

[Tj]

Next lot of new parts to go on. Headlight covers 

 

 

I know they're not to everyone's taste but I like them, I think they finish of the front end properly. They're only stuck on using the double sided tape for now, I'll see how well it holds.

I did notice that they're not moulded quite 100% right, they're a little mis-shappen and you need to rely on the screws to pull it (as close as possible to) in line. There's a few gaps here and there but its not too bad.

 

If I have to take them off again I'll try to colour match the brackets, I don't really like them in raw aluminium.

[Agno]

Did you get them in Stiv's group buy? Mine are exactly the same. I ended up using double sided tape and drilling into the buckets. Nice and sturdy now, not looking forward to taking them off to clean them considering the dirt that's getting in there!

[Tj]

Yes I did and I do remember you saying you had a bit of trouble with them too. In hindsight that's probably why they were offering them on their eBay store. Not a big hassle, I don't need to bend them that much for them to fit, I'm just worried its going to pull the tape off. I didn't really want to screw them into the buckets but I might need too.

Oh well, to quote someone from here "its only metal, it can be restored" although these are made from fibreglass aren't they?

[Corsa224]

Looking great with the wheels on, those flares really give the car that extra wide look.

 

I've got the same size and style of rim as you, what size tyres are you running?

 

Thanks

 

c

 

[Tj]

225/45 fronts and 255/40 rears

 

They have the same rolling diameter as each other and if I've calculated right (HAH! math? me?) they should have the same rolling diameter as the stock rim/tyre combo. At least I hope so, I'm so sick of my speedo being wrong.

Also worth noting is the fronts have quite a pronounced amount of stretch, but the rears are almost square to the rim, just a smidge narrower. I could have gone 245 rears to match them but honestly I'd rather not have the stretch at all but I did it on the fronts to keep the tread with down (skinny arms, y'see?)

 

 

Also while I'm at it, the fkn headlight covers all cracked around the screw holes last night, one of them is quite a long crack too  Didn't think I over tightened them but perhaps I did. Either way, not impressed.

[Tj]

So, erm... on Sunday I accidentally ended up in a car show 

 

Let me elaborate. I was recovering from a rather large Saturday night when I remembered that SDC's All Datsun Day was running out at prospect pub which is fairly local to me. So I pile in my Zed (keeping in mind that it's my daily driver, my only car) and cruised down.

I pulled into the carpark and it's packed with people and many many gorgeous Datsuns (mostly 1600's) so I'm crawling through trying to figure out where to park when I bloke in a Sydney Datsun Club shirt waves me over and says "park it over there" pointing between a rather tidy 1600 and a really nice 1200 coupe right in the middle of the display! I tell him I'm only dropping in for a sticky beak and not entering the show (it was about lunch time at this stage) to which he grins and replies "doesnt matter! You're in a Datsun!" Alright, I figure. What the hell. So I back it into the spot just opposite Stiva's embarrassingly (for me) hot (and low!!) sled and a pants tighteningly clean and original 300ZX Turbo complete with beige and maroon velour interior and digital dash and wonder how long it'll be before someone notices my crappy rims, rust bubbles and derp-face bent front bumper. 

 

Didn't need to wait long it turned out, but not quite what I was expecting. I'd barely finished parking it and people were grinning at me, taking photos and then some guy asks me to open the bonnet! Surprised the hell out of me! Luckily I had washed it a few days before but it was little more than a quick rinsing off of all the dust that accumulates on it at work and a pretty half arsed wash at that.

 

 

So I left it there with the windows down and bonnet open. I even caught a few more people checking it out a bit later. I didn't hang around long, the heat was not doing my hang over any favours and I managed to pick myself up an afternoon project while I was at it too!

I bought a new repro front bar to replace the afore mentioned derp-face bumper I was rocking.

 

The result has transformed the front end of the car and I'm no longer embarrassed about people seeing it!

 

Before:

 

After:

 

Like I said, huge difference!

 

I enjoyed my albeit brief entry to All Datsun Day and it's given me a bit of encouragement to press on with the old duck.

[Tj]

Finally! after months of fart-arseing around I've at last got the flares painted and fitted (incl cutting the arches. In for a penny....)

 

I'm pretty pleased with the result

 

 

 

Now that it's done though I'm a little iffy on the wheels. They're just too damn big in diameter!

I've actually taken them off for the mean time as I'm still using this as my daily and I'd like to avoid a defect and with these it'd only be a matter of time I think.

 

Anyway, with all that said I'm ready to sell it again. I just don't have the room or money for another weekend car and it's just gotten too out of hand for a daily driver. It's been fun but it's time to move on.

 

I'll be posting in the classifieds shortly.

[Scoota G]

Like it lots, the diameter of the wheel means nothing in the national code. It's all about width.

[DTF260]

i agree completely on the wheels being too large.

i have 17x9 and 9.5 on mine at the moment and am in the process of getting some 16in watanabes to replace them. IMO 17in is just too large. 15in is about right but to achieve a nice "look" I think road clearance becomes an issue..

on a side note, has anyone with these rotas got an accurate weight of them?

[Tj]

Bloody heavy would be my estimate  :-\

[77260Z]

Car is looking awesome dude. The flares and the wheels really set it off. I was looking at the same style rotas in the same size and offset and I think this has convinced me to go that option.

 

What size tyres are you running? Stock ride height?

[Tj]

No not stock ride height, tokico Illuminas that dropped it significantly (check the photos from the start of the thread  ) having said that with these rims on it's jacked the ground clearance up again  When I calculated rolling diameters I guess I didn't compensate for sidewall flex. Or just plain goofed. It's possible.

 

The wheels are 17x9 -13 & 17x9.5 -19 with 225/45 & 255/40 front and rear respectively.

No spacers