Rear Finisher Panels

[gschne]

Hi All,

Looking for info or previous experience on the refinishing of the rear finisher panels on a 70 240z.

Did you sand blast and paint?

Or dip the panels in stripper to clean up?

Did you attempt to remove the stainless steel moulding on the taillight cutouts?

Are the stainless steel pieces available anymore?

What colors of paint did you use to repaint?

[2ManyZs]

According to the book on how to restore a Z by Wick Humble, the panels can be stripped using a stripper as it won't hurt the moldings. They can not be removed without damaging them so just mask them off before painting. I do not know of any replacements for the moldings unless you get the whole panel, and then I'm not sure if the molding comes with them. Might want to check on that first. If you use a liquid stripper make sure you get it out from under the molding or it will seap out and ruin the paint.

According to his book they can be painted in a Grey laquer with a suede agent to duplicate the original finish. Originally it is a silver-grey with a rough texture. It also says you can polish the trim using very fine steel wool before you re-paint.

BTW, an Argent wheel color would probably be a close match to the original color. And you could bead blast the panels but I think I would mask the molding so as not to make any more marks that will need to be polished out later.

[EScanlon]

2MZ as far as the stainless trim around the tail light openings, I have been able to remove it, granted it takes a LOT of patience and time since the main problem is that they are EXTREMELY easy to bend.

Additionally, there is an outfit that sells the duplicated color for the rear panels already in a spray can. Kind of spendy if I recall, but if you're going for that original look well worth it as I've yet to find the paint store that could duplicate it. I'll research and post.

[Royce]

If it hasn't been changed, the panels should be held on with the large plastic, rivet type fasteners. I have seen many replaced with screws or pop-rivets. You can remove the plastic rivets by pokeing the pin through the middle with a punch, or a nail works too. Most likely a few may not survive the process, remember they are probably 30+ years old. If they do come out okay be sure to find the little plastic pins so you can reuse them during assembly.

First remove the license plate. Then remove the three finishers and the license plate light bar. Next, gently removed the stainless trim around the light holes. Then I just sanded the painted parts a bit to scuff up the old paint. I painted mine semi gloss black but that is not the "correct" original color. Then was able to reinstall the trim and put it all back on the car. I'll try sand blasting next time, since I have a spare. It should hold up fine to solvents or blasting. Mine could have been done better but it looks good from 20 feet away. I have done it twice in the last 14 years I have had the car.

I know that there are sources for the original dark grey color, check www.zhome.com I am sure it is there somewhere. The dark grey should be used on the front grill as well. I'll try to find it and report back.

Have fun!

[Royce]

Here is the source I have in my notes for the original simi-gloss metalic gray for the grill or rear finisher.

Classic Datsun Motorsports

345 Olive Ave.

Vista, CA 92083

E-Mail: Les@classicdatsun.com

Web Site: http://www.classicdatsun.com/

Phone: 1-760-940-6365

NOTE: Just wanted to clarify that I would NOT blast or use solvents with the stainless trim still on, as EScanlon mentioned it is very thin and bendable!

[2ManyZs]

I never tried to take the trim off the panels so I was just quoting the book. Not only that, but I always preferred to paint mine a satin black. Just looked better to me than the original grey. In fact of all the cars I have had I think only one was still grey by the time it got to me anyway. Guess I'm not the only one that prefers black over the grey.

[gschne]

Thanks for the info on paint and technique. I will have to take a close look to see if I want to run the risk of bending the trim pieces.

[Daniel]

Put car wax on the stainless before you paint/remove it when the paint is dry.Stainless doesn't take paint very well to begin with,the wax will assist in keeping it off.I caution sandblasting as that can warp the metal.There is a place in N.C. called media blasters.They use the damnest things!A friend wanted a car blasted to the metal without removing the windshield and rear glass.They used crushed pecan shells!!It removed the paint and no problem for the glass.I waxed mine,then used thinner to remove any missed areas.Very easy.I think the removal/reinstall of the stainless invites more negative than positive results.While you have the panel off I would suggest checking the status of the rubber gaskets that your taillights live in ,as when they rot they let in exhaust fumes. Have fun!! Daniel

[gschne]

While on a tour of the Harley Davidson factory in Pennsylvania, I noticed that they use pecan shells to blast off paint on gas tanks that have defects. And the shells have minimal hardening affects on the metal. Thanks for the tips on applying the wax. Using all new gaskets and hoses, major resto!

:)

[2ManyZs]

Pecan shells and walnut shells are usually used to clean up engine components as they are less harmful if a tiny piece is not cleaned out of the engine block or wherever. They usually don't work well on heavy rust, or not as well as glass bead or plastic media. They can also be used on plastics without too much trouble.

Plastic blasting media and glass beads can be used on metal and will not generate the heat that silicon carbide does.

Silicon carbide is usually used on really bad rust as it is much coarser and is sharper than the rest of the medias.

[jcdozier]

Stainless steel molding??? What stainless steel molding? My panel is all black!

Just went out to the garage and lightly scraped the edge of one of the taillight cutouts - there's shiny molding under that black paint :eek:! An "instant improvement" for the Z - most of my "improvements" take a lot more work and money.

Now I'm looking for some walnut shells to throw at the car.......

[EScanlon]

The plastic rivets with the pins can be obtained at Lowe's Hardware store in their specialty fastener section. They are a bit bigger than the originals but if you aren't picky they will work, especially in the tail light metal finishers. On the interior plastic pieces they are a bit more difficult as the diameter of the rivet is a tad bigger. (1/4" instead of 6 mm.; if I recall right)

Unfortunately, the thin trim is not only very easy to bend, it scratches if you look at it too hard. So, if you feel the slightest bit of resistance to removing it, don't sweat it. Either use the aircraft stripper if you are going for the full paint removal, or use a layer of duct tape that will allow you to scuff the surrounding paint up top and right to the edge of the trim. Then mask it off carefully with some masking tape before you paint. Although the polish / protectant / vaseline / wax idea sounds easy and good, in my experience the close proximity of a waxed surface to the area that I'm painting has usually resulted in a fish eye occurring and NOT a masking of the item that was masked. In my mind, the fish eye is MUCH more problematic than having to take the time to mask the stainless.

The ACTUAL color of the front end grille and the Tail Panel Trim Pieces was actually a really weird finish. To quote from "How to Restore Your Datsun Z-Car" Wick Humble describes it as follows: "The original paint is a silver-gray "match scratcher" finish, which retains all sorts of contaminants, especially paste wax."

From personal experience, the LAST thing you want to have touch the original paint panels was paste wax. It would literally grip on, and the only way to remove it was to blast it with wax and grease remover, and of course, in order to not muck up the wax job on the rest of the car, this involves removing the panels from the car, etc etc etc.

That is why so many of those panels got repainted Flat or Semi Gloss Black. If you cared for your car, it was an even bet that you had wax streaks on the finishers, and again, if you cared for your car, it was easier to repaint them. The main problem was that NO ONE knew the paint formula. Datsun wanted you to buy new ones, and therefore "didn't know" and the paint shops couldn't match that "match scratcher" finish, so everyone matched as "close" as they could.

The silver gray sueded finish is UNIQUE, and therefore a very tricky item for a concours restoration. The closest match I've heard of is given in Wick's book;

1 pint DDL 2862 ARGENT with a lot of Suede Additive

200 Units DX265

300 Units DX264

Thin 100 to 150% and spray on fairly dry.

Wick recommends you: "regulate air pressure to the high side. Swirl paint around in the cup constantly to help keep texture additives in suspension. Maintain spraying distance and overlap coverage on the final coat, or variations in surface texture may be unacceptable. This paint should have no gloss, so don't expect any."

Hope this helps.