DreamZproject's 260z ever ongoing project

Well I know that I have only recently taken possession of one of these beautiful cars, but to

be honest, i really don't think it will be finished for a good 6 years. The initial plan is to get the

car up to a decent standard so i can drive it around as a killer weekend warrior (on club plates),

and slowly do up the car to the point where its so good that its all I'll want to drive!

Here it is! So as you can see, the paintjob is fairly bad, so ill have to get it a new lick of paint... This is the part I'm really

not looking forwards to, because i dont know what required when it comes to having a decent looking paint job that

will last. I was quoted by one panel beater $2000+ but i really don't want to have to pay that much...

Almost all of the rust has been removed. I believe that the guy was a fiberglasser, because it seems that any bit of rust

that occurred in the side skirts and bottom of the floor pan was fiber glassed over. Here is the only bubbling in the paint

that has sprung up in the hatch since the car was sprayed 5 years ago.

Now as i said, the floor pan got fiber glassed, but what im confused with is that there is still the original steel flooring from

the inside (is there a double layered thing going on with the floor?), and there is a bit of a hole in the passenger side floor.

when i dug something in there, a whole bunch of sand appeared to come out, so i have no idea what that's about!

Now on to some positives! I think that this car came with nearly everything i could possibly need to get it running, and look

decent!

Here is the L28 thats already installed in the car from a 280zx. Supposedly there is only 60,000k's on the clock, so im hoping

that that is correct!

Here is the fuel injection system i plan on installing on it.

Spare L28 engine (which i plan on selling)

This is what i have been told is a 280zx steering rack (confirmation would be great!) If it is, it will be up for sale

seeing at it can't be used on a 260 .

Random badges and hub covers

Rims on the car (looks pretty decent, but eventually will be sold)

BRAND NEW window seals for the whole car! bought for $700 by the previous owner!

Is this the 808th 260 ever made?

Really bad dash with horrible dash cap

I'll post some of my progress later, but I'd really appreciate some help/ ideas with all this. I am quite overwhelmed

at the moment. I would also be MORE than happy if anyone would like to come out and look at the car. As i said, i am

quite young and have a lot to learn about these historic cars. (I believe my Z is nearly double my age!).

Thanks for looking guys!

Jeepers that's an early 260Z as well. Well done!! I'm looking forward to this rebuild.

I don't know what sort of paint job you'd get for 2k but I'm already over 100 hours and the outer body isn't even painted yet.

I thought it best to get the car sprayed soonish, because basically all that needs to be done is to whack the parts back on and see how she runs!

6 year project is generous 

$2k budget for paint is not 

Especially of you're paying someone to do it.

That'd be cool zedman! Im actually in Ivanhoe, i don't know how close that would be to you.

The other week i had another member from here come over (i actually met him through a mutual

friend at a party!).

It's crazy i know, but that was the first time I had ever sat in a Z!

Damn... i thought 2k should have covered it :/

I am planning on doing almost all the prep work myself... but I'm guessing there is a lot involved I

don't know about...

DAMN PAINT!

I'm the one that went and had a look at it about 2 weeks ago.

It seems to be a very good base and considering what you paid for it I think you are onto a winner. Just take your time and take stock of your parts that you have for the car and see what you might need to finish it and go from there.

The $2k for the paint job I imagine would be a quote for paint only and no panel work/rust removal. The day after I had a look at your car I chased down the supplier of those seals and got myself my own set because they looked ace!

Looks like a great basis for a project ... very jealous of all the bits and pieces that came with it. I'm at pretty much the same stage with my 240z, so looking forward to seeing how your build progresses. If you want to compare notes at some stage give me a buzz... often in your part of town.

R.

Hey Aussie Z that would be great!

I am actually free a lot of the time at the moment, so feel free to drop me a message, because I'd love

to get some more advice and the like on my car. I still have sooooooooooo much to learn!

I don't know what sort of paint job you'd get for 2k but I'm already over 100 hours and the outer body isn't even painted yet.

I got the latest bill from the panel beater and I'm up to 1000 hours  :o :o But, I did a little more than paint what was there.

2k won't even buy the materials needed to paint a car, so I don't know how they quoted that. Colour, clear, primer, gun cleaner, thiners, sand paper, it just keeps going. Then there is the time involved....

Your car RS30 000808 is an early model 260Z which may have some things to keep in mind with regard to ordering parts as some will be from a 240Z rather than a 260Z. The transition from the 240Z to the 260Z had a bit of a grey area which is not always covered accurately in the parts manuals due in part, I am told, by the "light bodied" early 260Z's using the old 240Z bodies for the first few months.

Nothing to be concerned about, but something to keep in mind.

All the best with your project.

Best regards

Dave

I got the latest bill from the panel beater and I'm up to 1000 hours  :o :o But, I did a little more than paint what was there.

 

2k won't even buy the materials needed to paint a car, so I don't know how they quoted that. Colour, clear, primer, gun cleaner, thiners, sand paper, it just keeps going. Then there is the time involved....

There are cheap options in paint and supplies all can be purchased for under $700.

Nice base, if your gonna spend 2k may as well give it ago spray painting it yourself, never know, you might just enjoy it

But look forward to seeing this build!

Btw any chance was this a car from sydney ?

Just a word of advise.

If this is a 6 year project then paint should be the last thing you do.

If the car is in and out of mechanics places and various other garages for work, or even your own for that matter. The last thing you want to worry about is scratching, denting or what ever with the paint work. And it will happen if working around it for 6 years.

Do everything else then paint it. Besides you might lose interest over 6 years like many others on here and you will have wasted your money on your paint work. As we all know you won't be getting your money back.

Have fun and good luck with the project. 

I actually got this car shipped down from Brisbane! Once again, for a rather reasonable price .

My plan is to "Finish" the car in 6 years. I really aim to get the on the road within 1 year, if at all possible.

my biggest problem is lack of funds, so the plan is to get it ready and moving with what I've got, and then

slowly add more and more shmexy parts.

It was mentioned to me that the best way to get durable paint onto all the chrome parts of the car (which i

would like a satin black finish) is to get them powder coated. What is the best method of preparation for them?

I'm guessing the more stripping back I do, the cheaper it is. But is it necessary to put a coat of primer on the

parts to save a little dosh?

Most things that are powder coated will be blasted first... dont primer parts you are getting PC'd

Thanks benny, that's what i thought. Last time my dad took a few things to the powder

coater he primed them all up and thought he saved a few bucks. :D

Oh and just to double check. If there is fiber glass attached to the metal, its not going to melt is it?

(It doesn't need to be coated, its just on the reverse side of the bumper, because the bumper

covers have been gotten rid of.)

You can etch prime the parts that are to be powdercoated. Infact I recommend you do it on parts that are under the car like crossmembers and suspension parts so that if the powdercoat chips off due to a stone or whatever, you have that last line of defense of primer there.

Just ask your powdercoater which brand they prefer so that it can handle the temperature in the oven and stop it bubbling. Most will probably be able to prime them for you before they powder anyway.

Oh nah, im not going to even bother touching the bottom of the car. I'm just talking

about the chrome window surrounds and the like.

Yeah, i think i may just get them to do all the work. It takes a bloody long time to use

paint stripper...

Oh nah, im not going to even bother touching the bottom of the car. I'm just talking

about the chrome window surrounds and the like.

 

Yeah, i think i may just get them to do all the work. It takes a bloody long time to use

paint stripper...

Angle grinder + a 4" 'strip disc' attachment for about $12. Way less mess, way more fun!

Jealous about the condition of your car...

Here is a little update on what I'm doing (not much really...)

Here i have taken out all the rubber that surrounds the glass and the glass housing for the rear window.

As you can see here, on both of the glass surrounds i have the corner brackets rusted right through. The

other problem being that I have not been able to undo the screws. (So i just used the broken corner to get

the glass out. Not a long term solution tho...).

I have also been cleaning up the tail light surrounds. They are fairly buggered to say the least. The one pictured

below is the better of the two, only having a small amount of the plastic missing, the LH side one on the other

hand will require a decent amount of epoxy to get it up to presentable standard.

At the moment i am very, very slowly chipping away the old crap paintjob, so i can get it ready for a fresh lick of

paint. Seeing as though most of the chrome that surrounds the light has flaked off, I'll have to paint that black as

well.

The lenses look to be in good condition.

how did you come across this car? if you dont mind me asking....?

I actually found it on ebay! I had no plans what so ever of getting a Zed yet, seeing as though i had no money.

When this little gem came up I quickly talked to my dad about the finances, broke a deal, and called the guy

immediately. Lucky I did this because he said that there was a guy supposed to be coming in an hour (which

I really have to believe due to the value gotten from this car). 10 minutes after talking to him I had bought it.

The whole experience from first seeing the car to buying it would have been within half an hour .

Luckily i had been doing my research at the time, and knew all the right questions to ask him, so I could determine

over the phone that this car was a good deal. I scored the car for dead on 4k, and i got it sent down on a truck from

the Gold Coast for $750.