rotten pillar... possible to repair?

[geezer]

Evil Turkey - While I'm not one to discourage someone else from taking on a job of this magnitude, I would estimate the cost and time spent will not be worth it in the end. It most likely will be neccesary to replace the floors, floor supports, outer rockers, outer wheel houses, etc. just for starters. At some point in the past, someone reinforced the front frame rails and replaced some metal, from what I can see. These cars have to be disected and turned inside out to get access to all the hidden rust. Sure you could make this car roadworthy once again, but first ask yourself if it really is worth the cost or time spent. In the end you are much better off starting off with a better condition car.

[Evil Turkey]

That's what I was affraid to hear... I was too much of a rookie to realize that car was already dead... I'll try to find a better one but up here they are so rare that one in slightly better condition than mine will cost nearly 3000$... I knew I was going to dump a lot of money in this project but I thought the car itself would be the biggest ''one time investment''

I found one for 3000$. It seems alright from the pictures but you never know... However, I'm pretty sure my engine and tranny are still useable, as well as many other parts from my car so I don't NEED a complete one.

Thanks for the quick replies, by the way.

[Gary in NJ]

However, I'm pretty sure my engine and tranny are still useable, as well as many other parts from my car so I don't NEED a complete one.

Be methodical as you strip the car. Bag-n-tag everything and even take a photo to create a photo database of what you have. I do see a lot of decent body shells for sale, but they are typically in California.

[Evil Turkey]

I thought about it for a while and here is my conclusion: Up here in Quebec, 2 seater Z's are awfully rare and due to our harsh winters, they usually are in poor condition.

Edit: and buying just a frame or even a complete car from the US wouldn't be worth it due to the taxes and import duty on cars.

Before I call this one a parts car or a writeoff, I will AT LEAST try to see what I can do. I'll gather some friends who rebuilt their own classic cars, a sandblast and a soldering machine (the CO2 ones) and I'll try to see what I can acheive this way. Buying new floor pans is a must, aswell as the floor supports but that has to be done on every ''northern Z'' so that was on my ''to-do'' list from the start. The outer rockers won't be an easy fix but I don't see why it couldn't be done.

If this still dosen't work, I'll be waiting for a good one to come up for sale.

Edited October 12, 2010 by Evil Turkey

[blue 72]

This might give you an idea of what repairing a truly rusted out Z entails:

http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php/topic/41372-1971-datsun-240z-restoproject-vidspics/

[Evil Turkey]

@ Blue 72, thanks for the link!

The project has begun. I showed my Z aswell as the link you sent to a friend of mine who did some amazing body work on an old Corolla and a couple of friends with bodywork experience and they agreed to help me bring that old piece of rust back to life. I found a parts Z that is (believe it or not) worse than mine EXCEPT for the pillar area which is pretty much intact.

We'll start by cutting and welding the ''new'' pillar in place since it's the most important structural flaw my Z has (followed right after that by a million of other things). I'll update you when that's done. Next, the outer rockers are to be repaired. Then, I'll buy new floor pans and subrails.

Sounds easy on paper, but I know that because of college, the lack of a proper garage and my friends' busy schedule this part of the project will probably stretch through the next year or so BUT I'm not in a hurry, as long as I can see this Z live again at some point in my life.

[cygnusx1]

You have a better stomach than I do. Good luck with the repairs!

[ajmcforester]

It is a 280Z their are a lot of them for sale in the US in great or good shape for under $10,000. I'd hate to see you louse interest in the Z car. You have a decent parts car also. I don't think the import cost would be that bad, I'd look into it. If it is, I see cars go up for sale up north also you might just need look longer to find what you want.

[Richard Oben]

It will be very hard to save the car no matter if the labor is free.

Do some math and go out west and get a good west coast canada car and have it shipped to you, you will be money way way way ahead. Rust is expensive, and you can never get it all.

Start with the best rust free tub you can get, spend all the money you have to get a good start, it will be the best money spent.

The other option is to buy them done, even better money than above. JMHO, Richard.