wally57

Probably not Pete. He is concerned the 280zx may be a bit of a stretch. He says he can get away with a 280z because it is still listed as an S30 same as the 260z, but the 280zx is listed as a S130 so it may be a bit of a stretch. I am trying to find documentation of the 240z factory rally cars that were sold standard with 6" rims. Everyone seems to be aware of them and all agree they came out with 6" wheels but no one seems to have any documentation on them. If we can find them it will make 7"s legal nationally. But that is the challenge. Anyway thanks for the help you have all provided the hunt goes on. Wally

Ok thanks for that. Wally

By any chance do you have a front bumper bar in reasonable condition suitable for re-chroming. Wally

Peter. Thanks for the info it may be what he is looking for. I'll pass it onto him and see if that is all he needs. His name is Ian Davies at Nabiac. He's pretty switched on and good to talk to. I was using another guy in Newcastle who screwed me and others around with a load of bad advice that set my project back a fair bit and cost me quite a bit of money. If you haven't talked to your engineer since the shake up a couple of years ago you should touch base with him again because there are a lot of changes. I hope to have it on the road by early next year so you may see it around. Wally

Was actually with my engineer yesterday he is on the adr commitee and the commitee working out a lot of the anomilies at tje moment. He tells me while some engineers are still working to VS9 it isn't actually in use anymore and the NCOP while not actually in law is the document they are working to now and if you comply with it you will get your car passed. Providing it is not contrary to any ADR'S.In the NCOP it doesn't give a specific size you can go up. It goes on about increasing tyre width 30% and says you then have to use a rim the right size for the tyres. I must admit it's all very confusing but he seems to understand the whole mess. Like the current misunderstanding over engine sizes etc a lot of what you can or can't do depends on your engineer and what he can or cannot prove. He is still sure he can get it done with 7" wheels but it would be much easier if we can find documentation confirming the use of wheels by Datsun on any of the previous 280zx models any where in the world. Wally.

Guys, I am going through engineering for the installation of an LS1 into my 260z 2+2. The engineer has advised that under the current legislation etc in NSW after doing all the maths I can only go 1" over the widest rim that was fitted by Datsun to a 260Z 2+2. I have fitted 7" rims to the car but the Engineer says that because the standard wheels were only 5.5" wide I can only have 6.5" wide rims. The issue as far as he is concerned is if the wheel bearings can take the load of a larger rim. If I can prove that a wider rim was approved by Datsun anywhere then that will provide evidence that the bearings are ok and he can get the rims approved. . When I posted the thread I did say 280zx but since then have discovered the bearings in the 280zx are different to other models up to 280z so using a 280zx as an example won't actually be any good. If I can find actual documentary evidence of the 8" & 10" rims being available for the Fairlady through Datsun it will solve the entire problem. Wally

Just in the throws of sorting out the engineering for the LS1 installation in my 260z 2+2 but need to know what the front axle and rear axle weights of a stock 260z 2+2 are. I have an overall total weight of a standard car but need to know what the front and rear axle weights are so that I can establish that I have not increased the weight over the front axle by more than 10%. Thanks in advance for any help you may be able to provide. Wally

Does anyone have any verifiable evidence of any z up to a 280zx including 2+2's that came standard with wheels wider than 5.5". Wally

Thanks guys. I'll go with Sikaflex as per Pete's suggestion. I have a problem even using the name Supercheap within 50 feet of my Zed. Wally 57

Guys, Haven't been working on my zed for some time, but I have just got going again and I'm getting my car ready for paint. Can anyone suggest the brand of a good quality seam sealant that can be successfully painted over. Wally57

Set of 4 brand new ROTA RB 16" x 8" wheels with +10 offset. Brand new still in boxes. With centre caps and wheel nuts. $700.00

Since first posting this thread another member pm'd me some photo's of the outer seal arrangement, but none of the 76/77 2+2 cars I have been using actually even have the channel mentioned in the above posts. On all of the cars I have been using there is no evidence of a channel just a rounded edge. Two of the three cars still have original paintwork and none show any sign of modification or any indication there ever was a channel there. I can only assume these models were never fitted with the outer seal. I would post some photos but can't work out how to do it. Wally

A quick question about the Rear Hatch Weatherstrip. I have been on the hunt for all of the rubber required for my 2+2, but as with most aftermarket parts they don't do as much for the 2+2 as they do for the 2 seaters. One thing I am confused about is the Rear Hatch Seal. Most suppliers list a "Main Seal" but also an "Outer Seal" . On each of the three 2+2's I have used to make up my project car, they all only had one seal fitted to the raised lip around the hatch aperture on the body. The profile looks like that advertised as the main seal, so I am wondering what the "Outer Seal" is and where does it fit. Was it used on all models or only some. Thanks in advance for any guidance you may be able to offer. Wally57

Thanks for the help. Wally

Looking for a pair of stock 280z Rear Brake Caliper Mounting Brackets to fit rear calipers onto my 260z 2+2. I have recond calipers and new discs and I know I can buy aftermarket brackets but if I use them I will have to get the upgrade engineered. If I use stock zed parts I won't have to and that will save $. Wally 57

I have to strip down the WRX Power Steering Rack I am puting in my 260z and get the rack shaft out to replace seals and bushes. I have stripped it down to the point where I next need to remove the shaft. Does anybody know how you get the seal/bush assembly whatever it is out of the end of the cylinder. Wally

Just spoke with my mate, he said it was definitely sprayed on. When he was in the painters workshop he saw them doing an XU1 body and said it was a pale blue colour. After speaking with him it appears I may have misunderstood the exact process as explained in my last post. He says they dont rmove it after it drys they just prep over it. Anyway he is going into the painters again tomorrow to check progress and will try to get a brand name so I can research it further. Once I know I will post it for everyones information and further discussion if appropriate. Wally

Guys, Sorry I have been out of the loop for a couple of days and haven't had the opportunity to comment until now. I am not a painter and don't know a lot about the process, that's why I went to people who everyone up here was recommending to me. The paint shops I have mentioned are all high end shops. One in particular only repairs and paints classics, show cars and Hot Rods etc. They are regarded by many people as one of the best in the industry, certainly in the Hunter Valley. They are one of the first ones rodders, street machine owners, etc recommend. John I may not have described the process well enough previously. The compound is painted over welds etc where rust repairs etc have been completed on both sides of the weld. It penetrates and seals any holes, cracks etc that may be in the weld material. Once dry they rub or wire brush the welds to remove any excess compound and then follow the normal process of filling and shaping the panel. Handsandwhich : Firstly It's a GS that has been turned into a HO. May not be genuine but it has cost about $80k to build and is as genuine to look at as can be. Secondly I may not know much about painting but I do know a fair bit about welding. I manage a large fabrication workshop with 60 boilermakers who are all pressure qualified using the Mig process. As good as they are, every so often they still get a bit of porosity from a puff of wind, or the contamination of the weld pool. Of course they grind it out and reweld it when they see it, but they still have welds that will fail on occasion. If you think a panel beater or home handyman can weld up panels in a car without the slightest bit of porosity or minor surface cracking from rapid cooling your kidding yourself. They may not be all that visable to the eye but they will be there, and they will allow water to pass through the weld. You only need one or two in a weld and your paint job will be RS in a couple of years time if they are not properly sealed. If I am going to spend good money on a paint job I don't want rust coming back in a couple of years so I want to take all possible precations to make sure it's right. Thats why I posed this question. Wally

I have a question for the spray painters out there or those with experience with high quality paint jobs. A friend of mine is about to paint a fully restored phase 3 GTHO Falcon. He has been given a number of quotes from high end paint shops ranging from $16,000.00 to $30,000.00 for a show quality job. In almost all cases the painters mentioned spraying all welds with some kind of coating that seals up pin holes etc and dries almost as hard as metal. This apparently prevents leaching of moisture through any defects in the weld metal regardless of how minor they are. None of the painters actually gave him a brand name of the coating they use but in each case the cost was fairly high for the treatment. My question is does anybody have any idea what this coating would be and if at all possible where it can be purchased from. Wally 57

I've being wondering if anybody has ever had the standard; fuel level, oil pressure, temp, and volt gauges, repaired or re-calibrated, if so where can I get it done. It looks like I will have to change the speedo and Tacho over to 4" VDO gauges to work with the LS1 and T56 gearbox, but for the sake of making the dash look as standard as possible I would like to at least retain the standard smaller gauges and clock if it is at all possible. Wally

Can't agree enough with Lurch. Make sure you know what your in for before you get too far into it. Two years ago I bought a 260z 2+2 that looked pretty good at first, then I started stripping it down and put it on a rotiserie. So far i've replaced or carried out major rust repairs on; - Both front chassis Rails. - Radiator Support Panel. - Sections of both inner front guards. - Both floor pans and underside chassis rails. - The left hand sade of the firewall. - The bottom of the wiper motor trough. - Both sills. - Both Doglegs. - Lower sections of both rear quarter panels. - Top half of the left hand rear quarter panel. - Roof. - Roof rear support beam. - Complete rear tail light and lower beaver panel. Like you I won't just bog it up. You probably won't be able to afford to pay someone to do the work, best advice is listen to the guys on this site who have done it and can help teach you and learn how to panel beat and make your own panels. At the end of the day it's worth it. Wally

Sorry guys the computer had a hiccup before I finished above (and ran spellcheck). As I said I am actually looking for a tank out of a late model EFI sedan that will fit under the back with about 60ltrs capacity and with space down either side for the exhausts. I am however interested in Johns idea if I cant find what I am looking for as it sounds like a good alternative if things dont work out the way I hope them too. Wally

Wow this post has certainly taken a left turn from my original question, but it's all good because it is more or less covering what I was looking at anyway. The only thing is I'm building my 2+2 with the LS1 6 speed in it as a cruiser really not for competition so I don't think I'D be comfortable without a spare. I'm going to mount the space saver in the luggage compartment with under a plywood false floor that will also give me somewhere better to put the jack and some tools etc. I want to be able to run twin 3" exhausts down each side with a narrower but deeper tank in the centre which will be possible with the wheel well removed. My engineer seems to think that it is better if the tank I use has already been approved through ADR so I am looking for a tank out oif a late model EFI

Don't know if this has been covered before, I did look at the previous posts but couldn't find anything on it. With my Zed project I am looking at changing the fuel tank and will have to remove the spare wheel well. Does anybody have any idea where I may be able to get hold of a space saver wheel that I can fit in the luggage area of the car and will fit over Hilux brakes on the front end. I am told there is a mazda wheel that has the right stud pattern but I don't know if it will fit over the brakes. Any suggestions. Wally

Jamo, Picked up a pretty good WRX rack yesterday in Newcastle, would like to have been able to do the mod the way you did it but my rotary valve assembly is either cast iron or cast steel so it may be an issue getting it welded properly, and if it looks the slightest bit sus the engineer will jump on it. RTA rules here in NSW say you are not allowed to weld any cast steering components. I am not questioning the safety of rewelding the ears, if I could do it with the iron/steel housing and it looked as clean as yours does I would do it and clean the weld up so it could not be seen once it got a coat of paint. The Lexus rack ends you mentioned. I assume they are soarer is that correct. Wally