Restoration is back on track (with a lot of help)

[Mike]

Hi guys, I do like the black rear tail-light panel as well. But, I'm going to stick with the yellow for now. Unless I can get a 2nd set of panels, I won't bother repainting them. This is an easy enough swap in the future.

FYI, I like DougN's yellow car. The black does set it off well. Take a look at his yellow Z.

Enrique, we did have a flat-black panel (from a parts car) just to see the difference between black and yellow in a side-by-side comparison. I didn't care for the flat black. But, a semi-gloss may look ok. I'll get to that point sometime in the future. There are a lot of other things I need to finish and focus my attention.

I recently ordered carpet, vinyl, window-vinyl trim, and a firewall kit from Classic Datsun. Les has some good prices on this stuff.

Today I'll be making another order with Motorsport Auto (major sponsor of our site).

I've decided to go forward with this airdam. It's a nice and clean look for the car. I borrowed one from one of the other cars in the shop and held it up against mine. It looks pretty good. The recessed license plate holder cleans up the front very well. Since we are required to have front plates in Oregon, I need something to clean up that area.

Anyway...... more to come.........

[Mike]

BTW, what color of yellow is that?

Yes, you should come up to see your fellow siblings. We should have a yellow-Z-fun-run.

The paint code is:

Ferarri OEM: 231259

DBC84028ALT SC

Giallo Modena

[Mike]

Is that some rust I see on the inside of the roof, or old adhesive?

Old adhesive and some foam that was painted over. No way any rust has survived my tenacity.

-- Mike

[Arne]

That air dam should look good with the modern yellow color, Mike. My current plans for mine in stock pale yellow are to use a Spook from Les - not sure if I'll paint it yellow to match or paint it black. But that decision's still a ways off for me.

If I don't make it up to Salem before you get it done, I will REQUIRE you to bring it down to Eugene/Springfield for a visit.

[Mike]

That air dam should look good with the modern yellow color, Mike. My current plans for mine in stock pale yellow are to use a Spook from Les - not sure if I'll paint it yellow to match or paint it black. But that decision's still a ways off for me.

If I don't make it up to Salem before you get it done, I will REQUIRE you to bring it down to Eugene/Springfield for a visit.

Hey, make sure you tell Les that you're calling him because of a referral on this club. I want to make sure these guys know I'm saying good things about them.

Oh yea, I'm sure I'll be driving this around quite a bit when it's done. I'd love to bring it to Eugene. But, I do recommend a trip to the Z-Therapy shop.

-- MIke

[EScanlon]

Hi guys, I do like the black rear tail-light panel as well. But, I'm going to stick with the yellow for now. Unless I can get a 2nd set of panels, I won't bother repainting them. This is an easy enough swap in the future.

...snip...

Enrique, we did have a flat-black panel (from a parts car) just to see the difference between black and yellow in a side-by-side comparison. I didn't care for the flat black. But, a semi-gloss may look ok. I'll get to that point sometime in the future. There are a lot of other things I need to finish and focus my attention.

...snip...

The recessed license plate holder cleans up the front very well. Since we are required to have front plates in Oregon, I need something to clean up that area.

Anyway...... more to come.........

As far as a second set of finishers, I'm sure that ONE of us has a set we can get to you. And if you are careful with the rivets it is easy enough to swap them out.

Secondly, DON'T use the flat black panel. The Flat paint is notorious for getting smudged with wax, dirt, etc. and generally looking ... old and worn in nothing flat. A nice satin is definitely the way to go...if you're going for the black.

But if you do choose to keep the yellow, as a suggestion what about introducing some contrast to the contours in the panel? You could air-brush the curve out towards the lens as well as the curve towards the outer portion while leaving the main body of the finisher in yellow. Just enough misting to highlight the change in contour.

Then again a simple stripe going around the tail-light would also break that continuous color to the eye.

Last, I wasn't aware that front plates were required in Oregon. I'm in Washington so it doesn't apply nor affect me, but IIRC I've seen cars at shows without the front plates on. Anyone know for sure on this?

That spoiler would look nice though.

E

[Red-Eye]

Great, now my car is demanding to go to Oregon to see all of it's yellow siblings! If this keeps up, we're going to need a yellow car subgroup! Seriously, glad to see the restoration back underway, that car is going to look terrific when it's done! BTW, what color of yellow is that?

Hey Doug, I'd like to join the yellow Z Car Club too, why don't you come thru ABQ on your way to Oregon and we can travel together...Robert

[beandip]

Mike she is looking GOOD. From one yellow Z driver to another , I love the color !! Way back when I first saw your Z , shortly after she was painted , I liked the color. And a couple of years later when I was picking colors and which way I was going to go. I remembered your Z and that made my choice. You are doing a beautiful job . About he rear finisher and what is being tossed about. I shot my finisher Metallic Black . I do like the contrast but one thing I did find is in the sunlight it looks great and also when lights are shining on it. But other than that , the metallic makes it look dusty. I shot the spaces between my turbine spokes on the wheels with it also, while the car was apart. I find the same with them and am always trying to wipe nonexistent dust from them. I am nitpicking this mine you but it is something to consider. Your Z and mine have been so long in pieces , yours much longer , it will be great to see them on a cruse together some time . I am sure you are getting impatient, waiting to take her out for a drive after so long . Really good to see the progress. Gary

[Mike]

Wow, there's a lot of activity in this forum, I have to bump mine back up to the top with an update.

I finally ordered and received a big shipment of parts from Motorsport Auto over the weekend. The guys at MSA were excellent and they were even able to ship me the parts next-day-air (for a price of course). I wanted to get my parts in for the long weekend so I could do a little more work on the car during my time off.

Anyway, I ended up purchasing one of those rear-panel speaker boxes, a lot of small parts, a center console, electric fuel-pump, a heater-valve, heater hoses, and a ton of other goodies I can't remember here.

We also recieved the carpet, window-trim vinyl, and kick-panels from Les Cannaday at Classic Datsun Motorsports. He's also shipping me all of the interior vinyl (with a diamond cut that closely matches the stock original), and the firewall covering. I guess the firewall covering is a very difficult-to-find item and Les was able to set me up!

Oh yea, I was able to find the LAST REMAINING STOCK WINDSHIELD in the USA. Steve at Ztherapy set me up with this as he has some good contacts at Nissan. If you look at the photo of the glass, you'll notice that it says Nissan right on it. This was a bonus find!!!

All the rubber was supplied by Steve and the kit is a Precision Replacement Parts product. I must say the rubber kit is very nice and well worth the price. All of the rubber fits perfectly and the door gaskets are expecially nice. You can see in my photos where they supplied the little rubber piece that fits between the door and the body. (the little plastic rivets were supplied by Motorsport Auto)

Anyway, we have made some excellent progress on the car and if wasn't for the team, this baby would still be sitting in my garage. We still have a lot more work to do, but, these next few weeks will come together quickly as all the parts arrive.

-- Mike

PS: Thanks, Bryon, for staying on top of the build and plugging along even if it doesn't look like things are going anywhere.

[EScanlon]

Hey Mike, there's this HUGE smudge on that windshield....and with everything else looking so nice, let me swap you one of mine.....it's pretty much ok, except for just one or two sand pits....but NO SMUDGES!!!

Looking good Jedi!

E

[240znz]

Lookin good there Mike.

Did you purchase new stainless external door trim with the rubber seal on or did you just polish the old one up and fit new rubber?

Great work.....keep them pics a comin!

[Ron Carter]

Looks like your car is coming together quickly.

Great to see all the progress.