Zedback

Steve, there is a mesh filter on the end of the pick up in the tank that can get badly gummed up and encrusted with particles. Though if you're clogging an external filter there may not be much left of it.

If I didn't already havea plethora of project cars to keep me occupied beyond the grave I'd be taking a serious look at your shell. I reckon anyone brave and patient enough who has a flat concrete floor and a welder could unpick all the spot welds back far enough to where it's reasonably straight, do the same but in mirror image on the donor cut, and then with all the key points marked on the floor reassemble the jigsaw...

Pretty sure I used this one on the '73 project - fit was good, only hassle was drilling the holes on the back edge for the tail light panels and number plate light. Sorry Roger, haven't tried the guards but if you do please share what they're like.

Matt, if you get anyone interested in reconstructing the shell I have the remains of a skinned 260z, the front cut of which should be usable as a donor... Mike

This really is a reno is slo-mo, not helped by dropping an auger through the power supply to the shed but had a bit of fun today. Even though Galderdi had kindly supplied an old radiator I ended splashing out on a cheap alloy one, they're down to $200 delivered! It's ok, nothing flash but it is thicker than stock and there is no room room for a 280zx fan coupling and fan. Even the original 240z hub and metal fan was going to be close. So instead I've gone with a couple of electric fans. I really like the look of the metal fan shrouds with the twin electrics and rather than buy a unit in, thought I'd have a go at fabricating one up. First I marked out two halves on some scrap 0.4mm sheet I had lying around. Then folded the ends to set it out from the radiator. I pop-riveted the ends together and then mounted the fans which really hold it all together. I also added a 5mm bend on the top and bottom long edges to add a bit of stiffness and reduce the gap to the radiator. Lastly, fully assembled on the radiator. It's attached by 2 screws on each end to the frame and is rock solid. Almost as good as a bought one! Have also started on the suspension and have cleaned up the front control arms, painted in rust bullet and new black poly bushes...

Thanks NZeder. Would they be referred to as "Steel M10 x 1.0 Male Flare Nuts"? No reason for me to go otherwise so I'm sticking with standard. What sort of places stock these and rolls of bundy tube: brake shops? hydraulic specialists? Repco?

Does anyone know what the thread specifications are for the hydraulic pipe fittings (ie brake & clutch)? Wanting to replace hardlines and the rounded off fittings on the ends but imagine I will need to know thread pitch/count/diameter.

Thanks for prompting me to update and yeah, last time I had an L series running was early 2004 in Canberra Thanks, appreciate it. I'm also the sort that get's far more fun and reward out of fixing it myself.

Hi Bruce, We're in a very similar situation with an early '30s Austin 7 special plus a second chassis and years worth of parts. I'm keeping the Morris but after 4 years the Austin stuff is being let go. First stop for us is marque specific car clubs, then various vintage car clubs and lastly the major classic car mags. Just in the process of making contact with the various Austin clubs. Don't know much about Nash's but I've seen them in the mags often enough and i would have thought either marque specific or general vintage clubs would do you as well.

Ok, been a while but there has been a little bit of progress and to tell the truth a huge milestone last Sunday arvo... But first things first. I had a bunch of mismatched locks and my last experience with a locksmith was expensive and a pain in the rear, not to mention this project is DIY as much as possible. So I picked up from evilbay 2 pairs of door locks all keyed alike. 2 for the doors and 1 each for the fuel filler cover and the hatch. The fuel filler cover is identical to the door locks but has a different lock plate (?) on the back - an easy swap. The hatch lock is a very different beasty and requires complete dismantling of both locks and swapping over of the internals (lock pins?)... Other than having to file a litle bit off the protrusions on the sides of some of the pins to get them to fit, none of this was hard and all up was completed in a couple of hours. The finale of course is to add the obligatory key ring... Have also re-fitted the interior. It looks pretty schmick in the pics but in reality it's not quite with everything other than the seats being 30 year old originals. I recovered the seats using a pair from Motor Sport Auto in the US, I've had nothing but excellent service from these guys. While I did redo the support bands in the seat base, my only regret is not adding more soft padding to bulk out the covers. Though I do need to clean a bit of overspray off the rear strut towers So that's most of the little that has been acheived over the last 5 months, but the most exciting and latest development is in the engine department. I dropped in an L28 from a 280zx, fitted the carbs, an old exhaust, mech fuel pump and 280zx dizzy. A lick of paint here and there and a bit of a polish and it almost looks like a new one, rather than a second hand doner. Last Sunday afternoon for the frst time since 1988 the old girl kicked over and started! IT'S ALIVE! ;D ;D ;D ;D

I wish! Let's see work, wife's list, kids, more work, wife's list grown, kids, more work, wife's list never ends, kids, bit of Z, more work... Nothing been done on the rust bucket since last time but a bit of excitement with '73 which I'll post up in a minute...

$143 for a pair plus a set of headlight and tail light gaskets. I've found the freight costs can vary enormously depending on the combination of items I buy at any one time. Order a bunch of light things with the seat covers and it wont vary much, chuck something heavy in (or too many things) and the freight suddenly jumps. Same with heavier things, keep the package small and it's not too bad but put something large in and it jumps again. For instance because of their length I'd try ordering scuff plates with the seat covers rather than later with other parts.

Have found MSA to be excellent. Register and place an order, they will send you shipping cost and will not charge you until you have accepted. Bought a pair of replacement seat covers off them late last year and have since fitted them, very happy with them. Just wish I had bought new foam at the same time.

Stevo, come around on the weekend and see if the wreck has what you need. I've still got that master cylinder if you want it, I'm sticking with the original.

The Aus ebay kit is usable, but not great. Some parts (front and rear screen) are Rare Spare items. Door squeegees are a "close enough" item and need a fair bit of creativity to figure out. Won't be using this source for the next car.

I haven't had time to write it up yet, but I bought a set of 4 door locks from an ebay'er in Singapore (designguu), he advertises them as pairs but will sell a set of 4 keyed alike if you ask. I have a mismatch of locks from different cars and no matching keys. The door and fuel filler locks all look alike but the hatch lock is very different. I dismantled the hatch lock until I could get the tumbler out and then swapped in the pins from the 4th door lock and put it all back together. Fiddly, but DIY doable. Individually they all work fine though I haven't yet had time to fit them to the car, partly because I've misplaced the hatch lock retaining plate! The tolerances on the locks aren't as good as OEM but I think they'll do OK.

Great work. Appreciate the photos, a lot of familiar scenes and many I know I am yet to visit. Seeing how other have handled them is a great help. So many, many spotwelds, drilling them out is one thing I am truly getting sick of. However I can say that the early 240z shells have a lot fewer spots than later 260z 2+2s, so could be worse...

Thanks guys Ben I'm sure a set of Watanabes at an unreasonably cheap price would go along way to helping my mental state But in reality there's also the '73 to keep me sane and my wallet empty I would think this is definitely at the "extreme" end of the scale. But it's an early shell (#618) and as I keep reminding myself it's basically ok because there's no rust under the battery tray! Just looking back at the pictures, have a look at the mess on the concrete before/after putting the shell up on the rotisserrie, not all but most is dust, rust and dirt from in the shell. Maybe all those Z racers looking to save a few kilos need to turn their Z's upside down and give them a shake

Sorry to chime in late, but if it's any help my rust bucket is plated 4/1971 and is car #618. It has tool box hatches behind the seats. Mike

Progress over the last few months has been sporadic, but have managed to get a little bit more done on the ’71 and ’73 projects. Picked up a rotisserie off PeterT earlier in the year and got the Z mounted up on it. Because of the extensive repairs required to the tail the car is suspended on steel tubes strung through the length of the cabin: One of the more exciting moments was getting a bit more reconstruction. The rear left floor filler inside the rear quarter and the tail support piece were replaced with ones removed from a donor. The frame extensions that the hatch panel sits on are rusted through on both sides. I had thought to use donor pieces from a 2+2. They could be used with modification but there turned out to be more difference than I really wanted to deal with. Instead, I made repair patterns up of these and some other sections. And cut them out of my favourite bit of 280zx fender with a nibbler before trimming Here are the pieces laid out And their relative fitment to the tail light panel (sorry upside down...) The better left hand frame extension (from a donor) has been repaired with a repair piece ...but yet to be fitted. This piece will end up repairing the steel over the top of the right hand tail light Hadn’t yet removed the right rear quarter, so spot welds were drilled out So I could start evaluating the right inner area as well The end piece I am really targeting is that channel that runs the width of the hatch floor. Haven't decided whether to patch it, replace whoe sections, try and find a donor piece or get a new piece made up. I expect I’ll still be working on this area in 12 months time. Once that channel is repaired, the tail light and beaver panels will be repaired and reunited. These will form the core of putting the whole tail jigsaw back together again ...I hope.

Steve, your Z has some resemblance to my '71 240z, to be frightended of what may lurk under that roof rust check out my '71 rust bucket project! In my view body work for us novices is 40% bravery, 40% creativity and 20% researching other peoples projects and reading books on how you are supposed to do it. Go for it! Mike

Damn, it's only slightly worse than my '71! I'd buy it as a fixer-upper if it was closer. Anyone want to bring it up to Brissie for me?

Sorry, haven't got either of those.

Yep, no problem. Friday or Saturday is ok, whenever it's not raining!

Got a very rusty 1980 280zx targa to wreck. No engine, but everything else is available. It's a manual conversion with a shorty gearbox and modified driveshaft. All EFI gear, glass, lights, brakes, bumpers, electrical, etc... available.