I went through a lot of the same trouble you did...I painted mine.

Before on the left, after on the right:

My wife loves that stuff! Use it on the stainless cookware all the time...

It’s great, but use a rag. My phone doesn’t recognize my fingerprints now.


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HAHAHAHA!!!!     

More stuff, this time from Woodmen Nissan:

First pass came out alright. Another pass should do it. Still some rust in the splines.

 

In other news...

Question before I start a whole thread on something potentially insignificant:

Did I buy the wrong nut for the rear hubs? I bought the OEM rear bearing lock nut that comes up in the Nissan parts search on most dealer sites, but the guy who pressed on my bearings told me that nut needs to be peened like the factory did. I was under the impression that the newer lock nuts didn't need to be peened.

Z Car Depot has a Rear Outer Stub Axle Lock Nut that looks the same. I have read that the 280zx nut doesn't need to be peened.

Did I get the wrong thing? I'd like to correct this before I put them rear struts back on the car.

Looks like you might be right.  

Self-locking nuts are distorted at one end to pinch the axle shaft and threads.  You can see the press marks on this eBay image of the proper ZX lock nut.  Your nut has the raised ridge, for staking.

Here's what appears to be the right part number - 43262-W1200  Google it and you'll find some stories about these guys selling the old nuts in place of the new.  MSA's page suggests that the 79-93 NA coupes used staked nuts but that doesn't seem right.  Anyway, good luck.  Your local Nissan dealer might have them on the shelf.

https://www.ebay.com/i/322923795491?chn=ps

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/23-4572

But, on the other hand, there's really nothing wrong with staking the old nuts.  They're not really "wrong".  And it's simple to do. 

What are the odds that you'll be removing that nut over the remaining life of the car?  Tiny.

Hmm. Okay. One more thing. He recommended that I not stake them until after 100 miles, at which point I should back them off and then retighten them just to the point of rotational resistance, whereas the lock nuts are supposed to be torqued.

 

Opinions?

 

 

Been thinking about paint again. Right now these are the cans of spray touch up I have in my amazon cart:

 

Nissan

A16 Atomic Orange (close enough to 918)

EBB Monarch Orange Pearl

NAM Magma Red

 

BMW

B44 Valencia Orange Metallic

B50 Sakhir Orange Metallic

 

Lamborghini

Arancio Borealis

 

Suzuki

Candy Max Orange

 

Want to narrow it down to three before I go to the painter with option. Opinions?