Datsun 240Z Barn find Restoration! cont.

[ChrisZ]

Matt, then you should try to find Roadster parts.

It all depends on what parts you are after, Alan (HS30-H) already pointed you to z-club, there is a vendor Mr-F and there is PMAC, those two will be your best freinds for now.

This is by far a great forum, but what i don't understand, is why you don't visit your local club.

Chris

[mattbibbey]

Yes. My local club is the my next step. I've sent an email to the guy running the Z club of great britain so should hear back from him within a week hopefully.

Since my last post earlier, i've taken out the rear glass and put in a safe place. I'd been worrying a bit breaking it accidentally during the work.

[CNIXZGO]

That's really bad, unless you like a car with no steering! You'll to replace that rail asap!

[mattbibbey]

i've sourced a chassis rail/leg 300 british pounds from a uk company. Also stuff like the radiator support panel i'll be needing. they are about 300 UK pounds each, floor pans for 300 the pair,rear wheel arch repair panel 100. I don't think that's too expensive. (opinions please)

Can anyone tell me their favourite method of extracting siezed nuts and bolts?

I'm going to copper grease every nut and bolt that goes back on the car, does this make sense? I helped (actually i supplied the beers) when my mate was restoring a triumph tr6, he gave me the idea for the copper grease.

Cheers

Matt

[EScanlon]

Matt:

I don't know if there are or are not any difficulties in receiving material from Canada. I preface my comments with that being said because you have an excellent source of NEW metal items from Charlie Osborne at Zedd Findings.

http://www.datsunzparts.com/index.htm

Presuming that there aren't any difficulties, (Don't they recognize the Queen?) then obtaining parts from Charlie may save you some money. Paying £300 is about $490 US, that's a LOT for shipping and handling, seeing as he sells his PAIR of floors for $300 US. You may want to do some more shopping.

You may also find that some of the prices you are paying for those replacement parts may be for used parts, and although they ARE the "right size and shape", they are in fact, 30+ year old parts.

Given that you will have to fit and adjust those used parts as much as you would have to fit and adjust NEW parts.... do you really need to question which way to go?

The process your car requires is extensive. Many here in the US, due to the availability of donor cars and such would STILL not choose to tackle it. As such, you need to determine IF it is salvageable, and IF you want to do it.

That being said, the next step is to not delude yourself on "repairing" marginal items. Some items simply need replacement. (Cue in Dr. McCoy: "She's DEAD, Matt!") Those are the ones that will take time and effort to locate.

But, going on to the other questions:

There is a product called KROIL, which as described by others is the BEST at penetrating rusted and seized nuts and bolts. There are also others that claim to have good success mixing Acetone and Automatic Transmission Fluid (not sure of the exact ratio). There are various other penetrating oil solutions that purport to free up seized bolts, with varying degrees of success.

You need to note that at times, especially when the rust is as far advanced as the parts of your car you've highlighted are, that the bolt and nut have essentially BONDED beyond the scope of penetrating oil's effectiveness.

At that point, simply drill and tap out the offending bolt.

It is sometimes easier to start there from the beginning, but most like to snap off the bolt head before deciding that drilling and tapping is the way to go. I say this because it is easier to discern, mark and actually drill in the center of the bolt stem starting from a FLAT bolt head, than it is from the twisted remnant of the stem left sticking out of the nut. But that's just my experience, and I'll admit to giving the wrench / penetrating oil first licks before I decide to drill and tap.

If I've decided to drill and tap, I typically start with a small diameter drill, and work my way up slowly through the range until I notice that I've reached the threads of the original nut. At that point, it is usually easier to remove the offending threaded remnant than to try to tap it. Once it's all removed, I run a thread chaser through to clean up the thread.

The most important thing to remember, is to obtain a good set of taps and dies, so that your new threads are consistent and accurate. While a "cheap" set will work as thread chasers, they will wear out quickly and give you inaccurate results in the long run if you use them as actual TAPS and DIES.

This also applies to your drill bits. Get a well stepped set of drill bits and you can slowly and surely eliminate the bad stem, without damaging the nut severely.

I'm not familiar with copper grease, but I presume that it is similar to a product we have called Never-Seize.

Never-Seize, or Anti-Seize Lubricant, is a good item to use.... with caution.

I mention that because in the case of our Never-Seize... it is a silver colored grease that WILL, if you are NOT extremely and irrationally paranoid of it, "accidentally" get on your fingers... tools... and a myriad of other surfaces, such that you will be convinced that it will slowly but surely cover your entire car, garage, home and surrounding neighborhood; all with a thin film of silver tainted smudges. If the term "copper grease" denotes that it is a copper color instead of silver, well you may not find it as unpleasant... or it may drive you to swear off the stuff.

What I'm trying to say, is that a very SMALL amount will go a long LO O O O N G way.

Trust me when I say that you do NOT want your new carpet, seats, weatherstripping, all in a nice matte black.... sporting metal colored stains. The stuff will simply NOT wash or fade away.

Hope this helps

Enrique

[mattbibbey]

Enrique, thanks very much, the copper grease of which i speak is actually copper based. I'm an armourer in the british army and it's something we use on large guns! The problem with buying anything from outside the European Union is that i will be charged VAT (value added tax) I don't mean to patronise but I don't know how your taxes work in the states. It's charged at 17% and includes the price of the postage which is outrageous!! So a pair of floor pans at 300 us plus about 80US for postage, I'd get charged 65 US on top by my glorious government! Having said that, I should get in contact and it might still work out cheaper than the place i've found!

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbibbey/3935146760/" title="DSC_0679 by matt bibbey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3511/3935146760_c1f602aaa5.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0679" /></a>

<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbibbey/3935146758/" title="DSC_0675 by matt bibbey, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2437/3935146758_a32f8b4e5f.jpg" width="500" height="333" alt="DSC_0675" /></a>

So, this is where i've got to today. I've removed the clutch and brake master cylinders and i've reconditioned the clutch cylinder already.

[mattbibbey]

CAN ANYBODY TELL ME WHAT PARTS A DATSUN 260Z FROM 1978 AND A 240Z HAVE IN COMMON. WHAT ABOUT CHASSIS, DOORS, WINGS, REAR HATCH AND MECHANICALS?

I've just found one on ebay and it's not much money. Was thinking I could use it as a donor car. It's less than a day to go so i'd appretiate your time!

Thanks very much!

Matt

[ChrisZ]

Matt, there is no such thing as a -78 260Z in the US IIRC the doors won't fit, wings /fenders should and so should most mechanical parts.

Have you Contacted PMAC?

17% VAT is nothing, compared to the 25% we have to pay here and that is after import tax of 10%, but remember that what you pay isn't always the same as the declared value on the CI.

Matt, don't rush, it is the expensive way to restore a Z, from time to time PPL in the US parts out Zed's, they can also provide you with the sheet metal you need, take your time mate.

Chris

[mattbibbey]

so is it worth me buying it as a parts car? it's on £460 (roughly 740US) now and finishes tomorrow. It doesn't look too bad, it's definately a 260Z he must have put the date wrong. My Z's hood and tailgate need replacing so i figured that although it's a way off needing that stuff yet, it would be saving me in the end, plus i can sell what i don't need again on ebay.

[ChrisZ]

Is this what you want to use as a donor ???.........

Red 260Z

Edited September 20, 2009 by ChrisZ

[mattbibbey]

The link won't load for some reason. There is only one red 260Z for sale on UK ebay so if that's it then yes! It'll be worse than it looks but not worse than mine HAHAHA!

[mattbibbey]

I tried to send this as a PM to HS30-H..

Hello there,

I wonder if I might pick your brains a little more...

As you know ( because you've already been soooo helpful) I'm restoring my quite far gone '73 240Z and i'll be needing a new tail gate and bonnet among other things. I've found a 260Z (red) on ebay that finishes at 9 tonight and it doesn't look too bad. It's fairly cheap and i thought that it would save me the money for those items in the long run. Will the rear hatch and bonnet and stuff like that fit on my Z? Also i figured it's never a bad thing to have spare glass, accident do happen haha.

I'd be very grateful for your time once again,

Matt