Well I feel like an idiot

[DatsunZsRule]

I bought my Blue 280Z back in May of 2002 so I'ved owned her for 7 yrs. now and I can't believe I never noticed this before. I had her out today and parked in the bright sun this afternoon and it was shining bright under the car so I poked my head underneith in front of the rear wheels and I freaked. No, its NOT RUST I found that freaked me out, it was the fact that I saw that either the previous owner or the shipping Co. that brought it up to me in MN. had really smacked the underside good. Frame rails in front of the rear wheels are dented and there is a spot on the drivers side where the floor is dented (behind drivers seat area)

Reason I never took notice till now is because first of all she sits so low to the ground, I can barely fit my head underneith it and the majority of the work I've done to it since I've owned it has been under the hood or underneith up by the front end. I noticed some scuff marks from laying on my creeper while working under the front but never thought it was that bad closer to the rear. :stupid: The guy I bought it from was a real straight up guy and got compliments from the president of Z Club in Arizona. He told me how there was no undercarriage damage and said how great of shape it was in and gave me all the pics I asked for to prove it so I think this was something done by the auto shipper back in 2002 and I was too stupid at the time to check it out thoroughly underneith before driving away with it and assumed it was OK and now I find it 7 yrs. later. :mad:Live and learn I guess but man was I pissed. Mostly at myself for not taking notice of this in 7 yrs. :disappoin

I won't be able to do it right away but for those of you that have done restorations, what am I looking at roughly to have something like this fixed?? I don't have the facility or the welding skill to do it myself so it will have to go to a professional resto. shop. any suggestions from those that have had to do this kind of work on there Z is greatly appreciated.

[ConchZ]

It doesn't hv to be perfect, so you might be able to just bang out the worst of it from above. If u want it perfect, figure 700 to 900 per side for new floor and rails welded in. Look up bad dog parts for floor and rails replicas. Personally, if its not rusted, I'd just bang it out. If u didn't notice it, nobody else will.

[DatsunZsRule]

It doesn't hv to be perfect, so you might be able to just bang out the worst of it from above. If u want it perfect, figure 700 to 900 per side for new floor and rails welded in. Look up bad dog parts for floor and rails replicas. Personally, if its not rusted, I'd just bang it out. If u didn't notice it, nobody else will.

Thats kinda what I was thinking too. I'm not looking to win 1st place in a car show anyway. It's a damn nice example of a classic 1st gen. Z and thats good enough for me. Just kinda bummed me out today spotting that.

[conedodger]

Jared,

I wouldn't worry about it. If it isn't messing with the alignment it isn't an issue. Bang it out. If it isn't structural and doesn't effect alignment it would be like having plastic surgery for a blemish on your arse. Why? Just keep your pants on

What part of town are you from?

Edited June 6, 2009 by conedodger

[psdenno]

I had a similar surprise with the floor of my '71. A couple years ago, when I was bringing it back to life after a 15 year snooze, my mechanic had it up on a lift and pointed out the huge dent under the passenger seat. Seems that at some point since 1971 a jerk with a floor jack had decided the floor pan was a lift point. I let it go and consider it to be patina.

Dennis

[LowCarbZ]

The underside of mine has been jacked in the wrong spots a few times in the past before I owned it. I'm just waiting a few more years until it absolutely NEEDS a full resto (as there isn't that much rust on my Z). Gonna rotisserie it and weld in stiffeners, pans etc.

[DatsunZsRule]

What part of town are you from?

Cottage Grove, MN

Yeah, It's worse than a blemish :mad: but it doesn't look to me like it will be a safety issue or mechanical issue so I think for now I'll just continue to enjoy my baby as I have for the 7 years I've owned it.

If I were to decide on repairing the damage, I think it will be pretty expensive labor wise to fix as all the undercoating on it will have to be removed first to repair it too I'm assuming

Edited June 7, 2009 by DatsunZsRule

[DeMoore]

Any pictures?

[DatsunZsRule]

Not at the moment. I got a oil change coming up on it so I'll take some then. probably next weekend if the weather allows me to

I did find a place about 30 min. away in Stillwater, MN that does resorations on antique/classic cars and they do frame work so I may swing in and see what they think and nothing else just get an estimate. There estimates are free so might as well see what my options are. If they agree that it's structurally sound and don't see it as being a problem then I'll just live with it and do whats suggested above and try to pound it out the best I can.

Edited June 7, 2009 by DatsunZsRule

[ChrisB77]

Sorry to hear of your find Jared. The bad part about loving a car so much is that things like this really get under your skin. Good luck and keep us posted!

[DatsunZsRule]

Sorry to hear of your find Jared. The bad part about loving a car so much is that things like this really get under your skin. Good luck and keep us posted!

Thanks

It could be much worse though. It's nothing major that prevents me from using it or enjoying it and nothing that can't be fixed later on IF it needs it

To me, I think structurally it's fine. Just looks bad but I figure if the estimates are free, might as well have it double checked from a resto. shop who does frame work :classic:

Anyone thinking of having a Z or any vehicle shipped, use my experience as a lesson. BEWARE and have the seller take photos before shipping and then once your Z arrives, INSPECT it thoroughly. Not just the shell, but underneith as well.

Edited June 8, 2009 by DatsunZsRule

[blue 72]

When I bought my Z underbody impacts were the body's only major detractor. I brought it home, stripped the interior, and went to town with a ball peen hammer for a few hours. The alignment was always straight and true, so I'm not concerned that the floors aren't perfectly straight (they are a lot nicer than when I began through).