Zedback

Changing the rear quarter windows in any way becomes a much bigger job. You start messing with roof rails and reshaping the rear quarter inner and outer panels. all I’ve done is messed with the rear hatch hinge panel roof skin and the side frames of the hatch opening. I’m not after making it look like a 2 seater, just giving it a more sleek fastback appeal.

I resurrected this old thread because it’s where the idea originated. The idea of inverting and swapping the rear windows is in an earlier post, but my intent isn’t so much to make it look like a 2 seater as to streamline it and reduce the sharp hunchback. If I can get it certified with the reduced headroom then it will retain the rear seats. I’ll try getting a profile picture, but until it’s finished the photos probably won’t do justice to what is in person a really nice shape.

Side/quarter windows are unchanged, everything fits and works normally. The roof rails, inner c-pillar forward of the hatch hinge panel is unchanged. On the rust/grey Z the quarter panels are slightly modified where they meet the roof - where they were rusted out anyway. On the white car the rear quarters were slit along their entire upper edge to allow the frame to drop, pulled in to fit and trimmed 10-15mm before welding back on.

Thank, yes it’s a fair bit of work but if you’re hatch hinge panel and/or rear of the roof is rusted out anyway then it’s not much extra at all. Just don’t forget to brace the opening and record lots of measurements. You’re aiming to tilt the entire hatch opening by about 2 degrees and lower the rear of the roof by about 50mm. Virtually all the work is on the inner c-pillar to get the frame and hatch hinge panel to lower. The roof ends up about 50mm shorter too. I’ve done it two ways now: 1st without separating the rear quarters from the hatch frame (hard work) and a c-pillar chop (below) 2nd time I cut them free along the top rim and rolled, trimmed and welded them back on after drilling out all the c-pillar to hatch frame spot welds and bending and trimming the c-pillar top edge until the frame was low enough (white car).

10 years ago there was some discussion of streamlining the 2+2 roof line. Don’t know if anyone else has, but I finally got around to making it work. Have to finish the rest of the rust repairs before the certifier will sign it off.

Wanting the section between the C-pillars that the 2+2 hatch hinges bolt into. Don’t need the roof. Anything with a lot less fiberglass and rust than what I have would be good! Happy to come and cut it out if you’re around Brisbane.

Swapped and gone!

Rotisserie made by a forum member. Held his 2+2 in the air and then a 2 seater I had. Worked well. $250

Cheers mate, a little ways away for me st the moment but if I’m ever down that way...

Hey Peter, yep but mostly for my son to have a go. Still got your rotisserie too, though hoping not to take it that far. You got any bits left over from your bus?

After a 260z 2+2 fuel tank around south east Queensland

Sold my last 240z project (the ‘71 rust bucket) a few years ago, it had worn me down. Before that had a silver 240z that I renovated from another rusty incomplete parts car that was later bought and spruced up properly by a forum member. Also had a yellow 280zx followed by a red 300zx twin turbo (brutal). Been Z free for a few years now, back into ‘50s British, but just picked up a “bottom of the barrel” 260z 2+2 for my 17yo son to see if I can get him enthused. No action yet, but he is basking in the glory of having the coolest car (wreck) in school! Focus will be on body work for a fair while I imagine, then trying to find all the missing parts - fuel tank, quarter windows, seats, interior plastics, who knows what else...

Yes Open to offers.

Gav, if no one's game to take it on then I'll get back to it eventually. See if I can get it finished inside another decade - not that there's much rust left more fibreglass and mechanical now. Pete, it's the only one left (not counting the z32 TT) - one's enough these days!

Model: 240z Location: Brisbane Price and Payment Conditions: Priceless - no idea - $10k - open to offers... Item Condition: Big Project - come a long way got a long way to go... Body: minimal rust remaining, sheet metal and/or fibreglass work to complete. Mechanical: in boxes, scattered about 3 sheds, etc... Registration: one day... Engineers Certificate: Not applicable. Contact Details: PM please. 240z has undergone extensive repair work. Early style shell: April 1971 - HS30-00618. New floors, sills, chassis rails, engine bay rails, etc +++ Some comparatively minor rust repair, and sheet metal work to fit 250GTO body kit still to be done. Fibreglass 250GTO body kit in good condition with some minor mods that could be easily reversed if desired. Most of the car is there scattered about 3 sheds and in boxes, also whatever spares I've picked up over the last decade: eg 2 manual gearboxes, Koni shocks, 300zx seats, some new rubbers, seals and trim. No engine. Currently up in the air and will come with rotisserie, but suspension and wheels could be bolted back on for transport. Have lots of photos of pulling the car down and repairs done since. Haven't felt the Z love for more than a year now so thinking of letting it go to someone with more enthusiasm... Photos below and refer to project thread: http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php/topic,7394.15.html?PHPSESSID=35c25a4eb307296cf7b9d7151e9beb0b