1976 280Z Restoration Project

[wheee!]

Found this pic in my files of the floor pan and tunnel area differences. The 280 has a noticeably smaller seat mount set on the driver side to accommodate the bulge in the trans tunnel.

Charlie Osborne was unaware of it and is requesting a paper template to correct the metal forms for his floor pans.

[Patcon]

Aircraft stripper recommends paint thinner for neutralization. It is very aggressive still. We stripped Cody's 510 hood with it and you could watch the paint release. I cant find the pictures I took. The paint bubbles and releases as you watch it. 3 layers of paint off half the hood in about 10 minutes, done...

[ksechler]

18 hours ago, Patcon said:

Aircraft stripper recommends paint thinner for neutralization. It is very aggressive still. We stripped Cody's 510 hood with it and you could watch the paint release. I cant find the pictures I took. The paint bubbles and releases as you watch it. 3 layers of paint off half the hood in about 10 minutes, done...

Yep, it makes noise too.  I sat down to take a break and have a beer one evening after putting it on the hood.   I could hear the paint popping as it bubbled up.  

It will also rust the metal if you leave it on.  You need to score the paint, apply the stripper, drink a beer, remove the paint and stripper and then wipe with paint thinner.  It's a same day treatment...

[Zed Head]

Effectiveness of the strippers would depend on the type of paint being stripped.  A 2K urethane repaint won't come off like an old 70's era original coating.  

[Patcon]

Worn out paint strips easier but I haven't come across anything it won't strip yet...

[Jeff G 78]

On 3/15/2016 at 2:12 PM, wheee! said:

Found this pic in my files of the floor pan and tunnel area differences. The 280 has a noticeably smaller seat mount set on the driver side to accommodate the bulge in the trans tunnel.

Charlie Osborne was unaware of it and is requesting a paper template to correct the metal forms for his floor pans.

 

Racers are all too aware of the 260/280 floorpan hump on the driver's side.  We have to cut the hump out to fit a race seat lower than the stock seat.

[wheee!]

So i wonder, should I bother replicating it or remove it and merely extend the seat brackets?

Basically extend the sheet metal up the tunnel. I assume it is there to accommodate a resonation pipe/cat in the exhaust.

[Jeff G 78]

It depends how original you want it and which is easier to form.  You can either shape the replacement floor pan to fit the 280 tunnel or shape the tunnel like the 240 to better fit the floor pan.  

[wheee!]

Shaping the tunnel would be easier at this point. I don't think it would be hard to extend the seat rails.

[Mark Maras]

26 minutes ago, wheee! said:

Shaping the tunnel would be easier at this point. I don't think it would be hard to extend the seat rails.

 Easier yes. The tunnel is thinner material than Charley's floors but are you going to lose needed clearance for the exhaust? Just a thought.

[Patcon]

Shape the floor pan. It's easy to do. Make a series of cuts in to the floor pan about every 2", closer where a tight radius is needed. Take a heel dolly and round the floor pan to it turn up where needed. Zip screw it in place. Take a body saw or cut off tool and cut the tunnel and floor pan in one pass. Tack it in place and form some more with a heel dolly. weld it all up...

[wheee!]

So much good info from all of you. Thanks!