Seat upgrade -350z seats

[Captain Obvious]

On 12/11/2023 at 11:06 AM, HusseinHolland said:

 Do you have any pics of the reel mount under the cover? Presumablay adjusted in some way to allow for the strut brace.

I don't have any really good pics showing the belt reels, but i do think I have enough mediocre pics hoovered over the years to hopefully get the idea across.

Here's one with the seat belt mount in place:

And here's one with the interior stripped and you can see the mounting holes:

Hope that helps!

 

[HusseinHolland]

14 hours ago, Patcon said:

That's a nice sized compressor!

BTW I am so glad you're here posting. Otherwise I would run out of stuff to read and that would be bad!

Actually has to go back - they damaged it in shipping, looked fixable at first, then noticed the motor mount plate is bent, pump tube is bent, the drive belt doesn't align, and a fin is broken off one  cylinder head. 

[HusseinHolland]

14 hours ago, Captain Obvious said:

I don't have any really good pics showing the belt reels, but i do think I have enough mediocre pics hoovered over the years to hopefully get the idea across.

Here's one with the seat belt mount in place:

And here's one with the interior stripped and you can see the mounting holes:

Hope that helps!

Thanks CO! I didn't realize there was already a tower brace of sorts in place, I looked back  at some interior shoots of mine, and it appears I also have those

 

 

[HusseinHolland]

So, Home Depot is going to replace the compressor - what that actually means I have to buy another & return this one to get the refund. Kind of a PITA. The rep I spoke with was very apologetic & helpful though. I said that I felt an additional discount was in order for all the aggravation, wasted day off for the delivery (was supposed to come Tuesday, not Wednesday), etc. She discounted the compressor, and added their 'white glove' service (normally a $200 fee) which apparently is intended to make sure that an item is clear of damage prior to shipment, and again at point of delivery.

So, all in all, once  I get a good unit, it will be over $400 off the retail price.

All I got done after work was setting up the press & anchoring it to the platform I made behind the garage. I'm thinking I'll make an awning/ overhang the width of the garage (about 18') to make the platform more user friendly. I should have room to keep a number of larger items out here, albeit under tarps or covers.

Edited December 19, 2023 by HusseinHolland

[siteunseen]

I bought a big Kobalt twin piston similar to your's. Left it on the pallet but put a rubber mat under the pallet to keep it in place. I didn't want to bolt it down. A couple of moisture traps and a brass drain off the bottom that empties into an old coffee container. Made sandblasting much easier. Also a small moisture trap with fittings to use right before the hvlp spray gun and the sandblast gun. Made things very much easier for me. I think @grannyknot has a small coolant condenser in line with his. One day I'll try and do that. Our humidity is horrible down here pretty much year round.

Very nice pump you have there.

[HusseinHolland]

29 minutes ago, siteunseen said:

I bought a big Kobalt twin piston similar to your's. Left it on the pallet but put a rubber mat under the pallet to keep it in place. I didn't want to bolt it down. A couple of moisture traps and a brass drain off the bottom that empties into an old coffee container. Made sandblasting much easier. Also a small moisture trap with fittings to use right before the hvlp spray gun and the sandblast gun. Made things very much easier for me. I think @grannyknot has a small coolant condenser in line with his. One day I'll try and do that. Our humidity is horrible down here pretty much year round.

Very nice pump you have there.

EDIT - not a bad idea to leave it on the pallet, I could just cut it down & put the rubber pad under as you said. I was going to bolt it to the floor with isolator pads, but that does create issues with drainage.

I painted my Fiat in my driveway (in a canopy) 5 years ago using the Husky & a even smaller pump in tandem - I want to be able to paint without worrying about pressure drops mid-spray , which happened several times. I'm retiring from my day job this summer, so I'll have more (uninterrupted) time for projects. I'll probably want to repaint the Z at some point in the future, along with the pickup truck I made.

Edited December 15, 2023 by HusseinHolland

[HusseinHolland]

Replacement cushion (2007) came - looks better than the auction indicated. Cushion & seat heater in great shape. Frame is also painted, - unlike my 2006 version.

 

 

 

[HusseinHolland]

Modified the passenger seat switch mount point, to accept the driver's switch. The pas switch is $$$, vs. the cheap & plentiful driver's version. I don't care if it has 2 toggles

[HusseinHolland]

Back in the 350Z seats into the 280Z. Seat belt reel will (hopefully) be relocated to strut tower, like the later 77-78 280. Welded the rails I made to the 350Z rails, Checking that the seat was level to the car before tack welding. Used an weld mat to protect the interior. Removed to finish the welds. Wired the passenger seat (fore/aft only). Have to wire the seat heater

Looks good here

I didn't seam weld these. There is a plastic guide rail inside that may (did) survive some heat, wouldn't trust it to survive a bead, especially on top 

Test fit after welding to check for distortion /displacement due to welding, all good sits level with no wobble in the rails

Testing wiring for seat fore/aft. I bought used 350z heater switches, however it will be easier (I hope) to rewire the seat grids to the aftermarket relay & switches I already have in place

Full forward setting

Seat sits substantially lower than stock height. Furthest possible recline in full rear position

Wesco reel will hopefully go here. Does not feel like there is a metal plate under the cover, which may actually make it easier 

Edited December 26, 2023 by HusseinHolland

[HusseinHolland]

As @Captain Obvious predicted - a beating was in order. Not really happy about pummelling the perfectly good and clean tunnel, so I was gentle at first & used a mallet & block of wood to gently invert the bulge. Problem is that there is a major panel overlap seam in the way, forward of the inner seat belt mount, rearward of the stock rear cross member/seat support. Had to break out the large dead blow to reshape that.

After the "gentle" mallet work

Beating administered. Cleanup & paint to come, on the underside also. Edit - that is glue on the inner forward seat  cross member , not Rust!

Now the seat can be made level without lifting the sill side

Side note - I guess Nissan wanted to build in the rusting process that was mostly resolved on the outside (compared to classic Z's anyway

Seat cushion controls clear the sill

Inside clearance matches the pas side

Slight problem in that the rail spacing is not even left to right - I have to make a wider rail conversion for this side. Fortunately a 2" "U" channel will take up the gap.

I don't want to simply cut & offset the bolt down points relative to the rail.

Edited December 27, 2023 by HusseinHolland
Add text,typo

[Captain Obvious]

1 hour ago, HusseinHolland said:

As @Captain Obvious predicted - a beating was in order. 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

The beatings will continue until morale improves. 

[HusseinHolland]

Had about 40mins. between festivities, so I started on the wider inner seat rail . Need to weld it up, however the basic element is ready to move forward

Edited December 28, 2023 by HusseinHolland