nat0_240_chevZ

I make these brkts with nuts tacked in 3 places for my rails. See pic below. But even saying this, it is a fair old process to change it,the best and easiest solution is up. Pic now added,sorry it the only one on my phone. Nat0

Specifically wantanabes or similar rims? I take it your trying to match an existimg pair? Nat0

What are you/will you be replacing it with lurcho?

240 or 260? Aa the differ. It's tmm on tops and inners on the 240 and double that on the 260z, The front rails made prev include the tapers, and yes affects replacements.

Best one I've seen yet is out of a. 2013 Suzuki Swift my mate wrecked as a stat write off for donor parts. It's sits off the column and is side mounted under the dash, it's fit is nice and discreet in the suzis, better than the Mazda 2 option I was going to exhaust. I have this unit handy, as payment for my assistance in stripping the car. I'll get pics Shortly, as I've got some sill panel sections to make this week! Nat0

Means the width and amount of stretching is less and it allows the opening/hole to actually engage into the lower rad suit or else you can't put the smaller opening over with the rail end. A 600mm quick clamp is Min size, I think it's 620 or 640mm between the front rails from memory. Maybe get the next size up. You can use the quick clamps to push also. Peel back the inner skirt from rail slightly, couple of spot welder only to give room. Nat0

I reckon I found a pair of engine mounts lying around from my r & d early on, if when I made a handful of sets, when I was doing some tidy up this week, I'll check again today. What car is it going into and what year as this plays a major role in actual fit+up. I have pics on one of my posts/threads with an rb25 and an 30 box, for reference. How's pics of where the shifter hole is, space from firewall to back of head, and how low I was able to get the engine to sit. Nat0

That looked like fantastic value..... Enough said, good ones don't hang around. Keep looking, you will find.... Nat0

Oh, use a quick clamp or Sash clamp, use it to spread the rails, only takes about 40kgs if force if the crossmember is off or loose, straighten the tabs but not so they are straight forwards but about 20-30 degrees toe-in. Slip lower over, release clamps slowly whilst using rubber mallet to push it on (at same time). Once the tabs are touching the inside of the front of the lower section, strategicly hit inboard, to aid in refolding the straightened tabs, then a square hit to fold then flat/parallel ready for plug welding. Don't hit to far as the tab starts to run away from you, but can recover it or use tek screw to pull it up and trial fit. Is a lil tricky to make it all work! I hope this helps. Nat0

240 & 260s have different width rail ends. 260s are 5mm thinner at the ends than the 240s, so basically a 10mm wider radiator can fit in between the rails of a 260z. The diff is in the taper/narrowing of the end rails. But if you are referring to the wider wedge on the end of the rails as shown in vord link pic, yes this is typical of all oem rails. Also on rad support panel flanges are folded rearwards where the rad panel meets the tie bar, but forwards nearly everywhere else except near where the top is boxed. I hope that makes sense.

Yea probly a good thing too, I was already getting my excuses ready for the CFO lol, Honey I was going for a his and hers car..... As I already have an identical set in gold but 9" rears... Lol Cheers. For the heads up. Nat0

Location please. Are they bare rims, as shown in the pics. What freight or packaging assistance can you offer? Boxes and or edge protection and wrapping? Cheers nat0

Trust you gav! Hairy men behind curtains...... You had to go there.... Lol Nice write up rudi, makes us all want to go. I love how you sought out a couple of the smaller, lesser known garages responsible for some of the early Z research and restorations. Glad you shared your pics and story with us. Nat0

EPDM sponge foam. It's a closed cell foam. A roll of self adhesive foam suitably sized. Clarke, UES, or any of the packaging and tape suppliers should help, not sure where is local for you. There are other tapes available, but as mentioned above careful as some are open cell and hold water. Can anyone advise all the section sizes the Z uses? Nat0

I've done both repairs from firewall and from behind the sway bar mounts. When doing a front section it need to be a joggled flange,. With a small lap Weld and some plugs. It's not my preferred repair but when you have a sound rest of rail it's by far a better option. As long as you pay close attention to detail, straightness etc all good. Be sure to check the length of the rail from a good front end, as if you are too short or too long it throws out your rad support but down low. If doing the whole rail and or inner skirt you can run into many other alignment concerns, although if you prepare and have the balls to potentially do a Guido repair... And potentially bin your car.... I made a chassis jig with complete alignment capability which datums of the sills and the fsm's datum. All in all ye I spent 20 hours + building the jig alone let alone doing the rail, skirt, tower, rad supt etc etc. Rail height is one main concern, but other factors to consider is strut tower to rail, height & width as well as along its length. I don't recommend it to those trying it for the first time, without serious help or experience from someone in the game. Just a suggestion. I have lots of pics of both types of repairs. Nat0

Vinegar and bicarb soda....... Or otherwise use the mobile electropolisher units, use phosphoric acid and dc-neg to bring up to really shiny but not a quite a mirror finish....

It is offset to one side, but as the engine is on a lean, the COG(centre of gravity) is pretty much central between the 2 rails, although the crank The nose of the crank from memory is about 15mm- to one side. Check my engine mount thread/topic, got a fair bit of Info in that. I'll be digging into an old backup as I lost a CAD dedicated HDD, last month. The backup should have it but. The crank points towards the tails shaft pinion, from one side of the car to the other, about 2.5 degrees roughly. Again all from memory. There are some good pics of the Z on google images showing a partially see through car from the top, and you get an awesome perspective of the drive line alignment from above. I'll do so. E digging and see what I find. In the meantime, look for my engine mount thread, as I'm only surfing via my phone e of late and struggle to multitask on phone browser. Nat0

I have just had confirmed, from far west that... The floor rails discussed thus far in this thread, to suit the 240z, do also suit 'early' 260z:s too, up to at least chassis /vin # rs30-ooo900, possibly higher may also be suitable but yet to confirm. Will advise as I become aware. This info, I owe thanks to Marty, from WA, whom has been involved in the installation of atleast a few sets so far. Billy's included. In his restoration business. So thanks Marty, I appreciate your kind words, and assistance with body / vin # and rail confirmation. Cheers Nat0.

Oh and remember, the Rb is almost the same engine as the l-series. Just think, the bore spacings are the same as are the head bolts centres. The Rb is the evolution of the L. No doubt about it. Much the same as the z18det on the l20b, as their heads are interchangeable. Nat0

G'day Dan. Yep still alive.... Same dramas, demanding family commitments. I have documented quite alot and on CAD too, especially the build of my mounts. The l-series, Rb and most inline 6's I've come across are leant over. Bar a few, ie ford and Toyota. The correct amount of 'lean' I found on the Rb, as I was able to demonstrate with one of my r34's sitting next to my zed at the time, with the front stripped off it, took heaps of pics too. Is the inlet cam, dead above the crank centre line. And as such the engine cover was dead level in the bay. The lean you note, Still, believe it or not, puts the CoG almost bang on in the centre of the engine bay for the eng / gbox assy. Thus neutralising any perceived weight bias laterally. From memory the front nose of the crank was in fact off centre, with the l-series and with the Rb I kept the much the same. When making my mounts, I have a few variations, which were acquired along the way, 1st successful placement is the 'stock' pos'n, from there I had 2 or 3 variations suitable depending on owner preference, but also gbox and engine position requirements as well as tailshaft length. Opt.1 = stock tailshaft, with an rb30/20 71C gbox. Opt. 2 = stock tailshaft length although modified output yolk with rb25 box (the big one) I used r34 gtt everything for this fit in early 71 tunnel, so ears not a problem, but still very tight, and needs a remote speedo sender. Opt. 3 = shorter, modded tailshaft. With Rb20/30 box, but 20mm lower engine height nominally but 50mm more rearward of eng/gbox assy, for even lower CoG and more neutral front rear weight bias. I could dig out my CAD drgs and clarify edit what I have written above, ie the lean direction I could be back to front from memory... Lol As for diff angle, I still have one shell on a chassis jig I made with the car clocked in based on the FSM chassis diagram, Datums.'C' and jig holes under the car at 100mm square pitches, I found the natural offset of the crank & gbox gave plenty of Mis- alignment, but the gbox output was pointing almost directly at the input on the diff (give or take 2-3mm) And 2.8deg (from memory again) due to this. I'll dig something out and post a pdf from the cad data, or a pic of it. Nat0

Also look like my v4s similar dish too... These ones 16"? Maybe 16x 9 or 16 x10s with 16x8 up front? Just a guess, as mine are 9 rear with 7" fronts. I too would be interested to know. Nat0

Is the clutch fan seized? Doesn't explain the hard starting but. Is it noisy when revving? Like a hovercraft? Had almost identical problem on an old 2+2, way back. Check it out. Nat0

I can approach directly, maybe speak with gav, re the beavers, roof skins etc. I'm sure they'd move. Too many cars been parted out purely because of a hole in the roof..... Ive got rails covered for the mo, but this could be covered by a bigger entity. Muscle car parts are going about it the right way, in terms of their approach to reproducing these items, not like days of old where Taiwanese parts were identifiable from 30-60ft away. Doors, bonnets, hatch and 1/4s also another point of interest, since there is a bit if a hole in after market availability. No probs guys. Sorry I've been quite lately. Nat0

Hi gents. I met the fellow from this place below. At one stage he had all in stock, but it's been a while. And yes the repros are done in Taiwan, usually. But they do the whole process. From 3d RE, to foam templates and mounting positions measured using a faro/romer arm. Also supply into the spares' shop(s).... As for local parts being too cost prohibitive, yes that is the case, but what I do offer I do my best to do so at a fair and reasonable cost, but make sure the quality of product is right up there. Nat0 http://store.allmusclecarparts.com.au/datsun/240-260z.html

Hi John, Howd you go with this? interested to know. If you still need this service let me know, as I have a couple of contacts in Melbourne for you, Cheers Nat0