1976 280Z Restoration Project

[ksechler]

Nice work. Still a long road ahead, but you'll have a quality product in the end for sure!  Yours looks about like mine was when I started.  I've got about three years into the project, and I think it'll be ready this fall or early next spring.

[wheee!]

Keeping at it!

[gwri8]

I think I hear a whip crackin'……...

[Patcon]

Looks good! When you dress the welds down it will look perfect...

[wheee!]

Looks good! When you dress the welds down it will look perfect...

Except I burn thru half of them grrrrrr

[Mark Maras]

 I don't know if this will help or if it's already obvious. When I'm welding thin steel, a poor fit or a hole, when I stop welding I watch the weld cool. IMMEDIATELY when the orange color disappears and the weld turns dark I start the next weld. The weld is still hot enough that the next weld starts easily and blends in with the previous weld. Weld times are typically about a half second in duration. It's easy to develop a rhythm that will give you a flatter weld and look more like a continuous weld. Less clean up too.

 

 

[wheee!]

Good advice is always appreciated. I am doing just as you are saying, and the welding is going all right but I'm thinking the Miller 210 is a bit too hot even on the lowest setting. I need a smaller welder I think!

[ksechler]

12 hours ago, wheee! said:

Good advice is always appreciated. I am doing just as you are saying, and the welding is going all right but I'm thinking the Miller 210 is a bit too hot even on the lowest setting. I need a smaller welder I think!

I used a 135 amp from Eastwood.  It worked pretty well.  

With regards to grinding and dressing those welds, keep in mind where you're working.  Everything you're welding is gonna be hidden so you don't need to kill yourself making them pretty.  Right doesn't have to be pretty.  IMHO that's why you start on the bottom of the car.  Make the mistakes and learn where it won't show so that you know what you're doing when you get to the stuff that does show.  Anyway, it looks great, but get a new dust mask!  

[wheee!]

33 minutes ago, ksechler said:

I used a 135 amp from Eastwood.  It worked pretty well.  

With regards to grinding and dressing those welds, keep in mind where you're working.  Everything you're welding is gonna be hidden so you don't need to kill yourself making them pretty.  Right doesn't have to be pretty.  IMHO that's why you start on the bottom of the car.  Make the mistakes and learn where it won't show so that you know what you're doing when you get to the stuff that does show.  Anyway, it looks great, but get a new dust mask!  

 Maybe I'm being a little too OCD but I would like the bottom of the car to be smooth and pretty. That's where any bad welds would be seen versus under the jute and carpet. The welds on the inside will be more structural for sure. Not necessarily lumpy and bad, but not ground flush and smooth. I still need to make sure the floor supports will fit too.

and yeah, I have a box of dust masks... 

[ksechler]

2 hours ago, wheee! said:

 Maybe I'm being a little too OCD but I would like the bottom of the car to be smooth and pretty. That's where any bad welds would be seen versus under the jute and carpet....

It's your project!  We all have our own thresholds for perfection.  Lord knows I spent a lot of time restoring bits and pieces that will never see the light of day because I wanted them just so (see my parking brake linkage?). 

 

Personally if some joker gets down on the ground and tries to crawl under my car to criticize my welding I think I'll just stomp him!

[Patcon]

4 hours ago, ksechler said:

because I wanted them just so (see my parking brake linkage?). 

Yeah but when your under there doing some maintenance, it will be a joy to work on!

[wheee!]

With all the techno toy tuning and Arizona z car goodies going under there, I will be showing it off I'm sure...