CBR Jeff

Sometimes priorities get a bit compromised. Like going shopping to get food or work on the Z car. Spending time with she who shall be obeyed or working on the Z car. Doing some gardening because Mother is coming to stay this week or working on the Z car. You get the gist. All of this resulted in a very short time in the shed this weekend. So after putting the lamb roast in to slow roast at 12.30 today I made the shed at 1.00 pm. As it turned out, a productive afternoon was had by myself with able supervision from Rocky the Labrador. First thing was to re fit the passenger’s side door to be sure all was aligned. Then the rear guard was re fitted after some primer was applied. It was removed and re fitted several times before being fitted and cut with the angle grinder. Removal and drill holes for the plug welds and then re fitted and removed again. A re fit and then some tack welding. I’m happy with the outcome. I also made some copper weld helpers that came in handy during the process. Managed to get Max our son to give me a hand during the welding process as it was proving difficult not having disjointed elbows and longer arms. Photos are attached.

Thanks Lurch. I will drop past your "den" and say hello when I come down to pick up these components and drop off the L24. Hopefully if all goes to plan this will time in to coincide with the dyno run of the 2.4l grunter for the 1600 wagon!!!

Welcome to Canberra and the forum. Hope its not to cold for you? Jeff

Thanks @Red76z. Yes that is one of the methods that can be used. Like all of the options there are good points and bad to each of them. My preferred method is to use a gap and but weld it using a copper helper like this or this > its a matter of using a method you are comfortable with. I am a refrigeration mechanic so have a fair bit of copper tubing hanging around. My plan is to use a length of thick wall large diameter tube and make a specific tool for the job that can be fitted behind the butt weld and then slid out after its all done through the rear hatch area. It may well be a one use only but see how we go. I will post some photos. Too much work this week but managed to get a few things sorted out. The local steering emporium repots are all looking good regarding the rack re build and some new components for the front end. Picked up my rebuilt rear wheel cylinders and front callipers, new pads and shoes and a set of Brembo front disks. So they are ready for assembly at some point in time. Spoke to Josh at MCA and they are well under way with the struts. All going to plan they should arrive back in Canberra with the boys coming back from Rally of QLD week after next. Had an email from Les at LCR and Gear box rebuild may also be underway? Also managed time this afternoon to weld in the inner guard section and may even get the outer section done tomorrow (maybe)

Here is another angle of the repair. Shipping is expensive but well worth it when it arrives via DHL in about a week, they do it on a volume basis so its always fun to add a few stocking fillers . Its all relative, spend the money and get the parts quickly keep motivated and pushing along. Get is send on a slow boat and it takes ages. You get distracted and when parts finally arrive you are probably off skiing or surfing and not motivated anymore.

Hi Gav Yes the lower sill was also a Tabco product. No fitment problems at all. I measured and re measured before I started and it all went together fine. Only thing I have found with all their products is that the relief around the section is generous. Meaning that they start with a bigger section of sheet than is required and you have to trim some off at the edges. I am very happy with the sections I have purchased. One of the other boys who dose more of this may have further comment? I have also purchased some local Rare Spares sections and don't think they are of the same quality or finish. I did manage to get home early today after dropping off my steering rack and control arms at the local suspension and steering emporium for some attention, to do a test fit of the passengers side inner and outer guard section. I will pull it apart again and re check before making the final cut through both the new and old outer guards so I have a neat cut line to weld with a 1mm cutting disk gap. I was reading last night and came across this quote "One of the eternal truths of automotive restorations is that inherited problems from previous restorers are always worse than problems that occur naturally". How true this is and boy have I found a few of these with this car. Hope I don't make any along the way......

Thanks Boys Catching up on brownie points today and some paperwork so not much action in the shed. I have been using a "renovator" with an assortment of blade type bits to remove the underbody. It is very effective. Took about 15 min for each floor section and about 20 min on the inner wheel arch. You can see the before and after in the photos. Inner and outer guard are a Tabco product via The Z Store from Merica 30-7301 Fender Repair Panel, Left, 70-78 240Z-260Z-280Z 1 $47.95 30-7302 Fender Repair Panel, Right, 70-78 240Z-260Z-280Z 1 $47.95 30-7307 Inner Wheel Arch Repair Panel, Left, 70-78 240Z-260Z-280Z Coupe 1 $137.98 30-7308 Inner Wheel Arch Repair Panel, Right, 70-78 240Z-260Z-280Z Coupe 1 $137.98

And a few more photos

Time to start a build thread… I purchased this car in October 2014 from Dolls Point in Sydney from an Ebay seller. It looked ok but upon inspection in person it had all the usual early Datsun problems with rust etc. The car ran quite well with a newish L26 having been fitted at some stage. The car also came with the original matching numbers L24 motor (This is probably what clinched the deal for me). The car is rusty but not as bad as some, I probably paid a bit too much for it but it’s all there and its only money after all and you cannot take it with you. I picked her home in late October and so the journey begins First thing I did was to fit new tyres, cleaned a few things up and took it to rego inspection in November to see what would happen. It failed on two items, rust in the drivers floor (not the only place but only place that seemed to matter) and the turn indicators not flashing fast enough (they worked but are a bit slow, like me) With Christmas then holidays for most of January and a work trip nothing much happened until March 2015. After getting our shed organised, cleaned out and purchase of some equipment, work has now started in earnest. After closer inspection of the rust and mechanicals a clear path has been set and the wheels are now in motion. Lots of parts have been ordered components removed cleaned and shipped off for repairs or modifications. I decided to start work on the passenger’s side (good place to practice as I won’t see that side as much) The Sill has been removed and replaced, Most of the sound proofing has been removed (renovators are an amazing tool for this). Rear quarter is next in this area with a new outer cut and inner guard to be fitted. Struts have been removed stripped cleaned up and sent to MCA for Josh to sort out. Gearbox and Diff have been removed had years of gunk cleaned off and shipped to LCR (the original L24 will also go south) I will try to keep this sort of up to date but I would rather spent time in the shed, not on the computer…..

Thanks Ross. Ill drop you a PM when I am looking for parts. Better to start local. Chris. I have no idea who or from what I have seen probably more correctly "what" owned this car before I became the custodian. I have uploaded a couple of photos of the journey so far. Well that's work for the day so I am off to the shed.

Hi guys. I must confess to have been lurking around the forum for some time now. I have picked up some great information as I have gone about getting ready to firstly get a Z, secondly start to get ready to do some work on it (lots of work) and now carry out that work. Don’t expect me to post much as I would rather spend the time in the shed than on the computer . I purchased a Brown Metallic car from Sydney that was advertised on evelbay last October. It was presented as a “Dry Country Car” (good joke). If it could only talk it would have tales to tell. It is in need of lots of work but it was all there and ticked the boxes that I wanted. It actually only failed rego on two things when I got it back to Canberra. The indicators flashed to slowly and the rust in the driver’s floor was just too much for the garage man to pass. At some stage Ill post a build thread but to date it’s been stripped down and I have ready for installation new floors, new complete full length rails, new sills, new seat mounts, rust repair panels for the both rear guards. I have started fabricating some new sections around the rear lights (bugger of a job this). I am about to pull the brakes off to get them sorted, the struts are bound for Mr Coote and if Mr Collins has time a few items will be heading south. Regards Jeff