So I worked on the glass trim for the rear hatch glass some

I have a nice 2 speed buffer but I don't like polishing these parts that way. If it grabs it they usually get destroyed and they're a little too much like blades to have whipping around you.

So I used a buffing pad on a 2" Rolok

This is what the finish looked like to start with

I'm using white rouge

This is after. You can still see some scratching but they will do for now. If I let myself be OCD, I could wet sand starting with 1500 probably and then buff but I don't want to slow my progress down right now

 

On another note, I soaked the blistered yellow zinc in citric acid for a day or too. When they came out they were black. But come to find out that just rinsed right off with water and a toothbrush. Then dried them off. I will bead blast them again before I replate

I had the same thoughts when i needed to do my 280zx chrome strips.. (I'm not gonna polish them on a bench polisher.. i already saw the parts fly around in my mind) You could "glue them temporary to a piece of wood with some (small "blobs") silicone, wait a day or 3 and polish the hell out of them.. then take a wire and get them off the wood and clean out the silicone on a clean towel.

Edited December 4, 20231 yr by dutchzcarguy

Nice job on the hatch trim! I went thru all of this years ago with all of the windshield and hatch trim, drip rails, door glass frames, and the quarter glass frames. In the absence of air tools I used an old high speed drill motor, 4" buffing wheel and jeweler's rouge. I ended up holding each piece flat on the bench with one hand and polishing with the other. Not always the easiest to handle but at least I didn't have parts flying around the garage. I also polished the aluminum door sill plates. I used small screws in the existing holes to fasten them to the front edge of the bench to hold securely in place.

23 hours ago, Patcon said:

So I worked on the glass trim for the rear hatch glass some

I have a nice 2 speed buffer but I don't like polishing these parts that way. If it grabs it they usually get destroyed and they're a little too much like blades to have whipping around

Hey, I like the Rolok idea, the last time I tried buffing SS window trim on a bench buffer I almost cut my face off.

3 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Hey, I like the Rolok idea, the last time I tried buffing SS window trim on a bench buffer I almost cut my face off.

I have had the buffer take trim pieces from me. It happens really fast even on low at 1800 rpm! It would be really easy to get hurt that way and it almost always damages or destroys the trim piece. This method seems much more controllable. I did polish the qtr glass frames on the buffer, but they are much sturdier

Here are the buffs I bought

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B087R5HSNB/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Nice.  Thanks for sharing.  I've started thinking about buffing stainless items, as my project is getting to the stage where they will need to go back on the car.

1 hour ago, inline6 said:

Nice.  Thanks for sharing.  I've started thinking about buffing stainless items, as my project is getting to the stage where they will need to go back on the car.

I think in your case, you will probably want to wet sand before buffing unless your trim is scratch free. You are working towards a much higher standard than I am

Thanks, just ordered a pack of 20.

So I worked on jute some more the car. I ordered the jute from "The Roadster Factory" per @Zup. It was not quite enough to do the whole car. I am short one section for under a front floor mats.

I also cut and buffed the hatch. That was a disappointing because I believe I have sanding scratches in the base coat. No getting them out now... 😞

 

I worked on the hatch glass one day last week. I needed to get the trim into the gasket.

I started with the top piece and then did the two lower corners.

On the top piece I put the inner edge into the gasket and then used my thumb to roll the outside flap out and over the trim. Working my way down the piece.

On the two lower pieces, I go them set in the corner so that both legs would go into the inner lip. Then I got one end tucked about 4", then I went to the other end and worked my way towards the corner. The issue gets to be where the trim has a much sharper corner than the gasket wants to make. Have to keep working and trying to shape the gasket to the tighter radius. I did eventually get it. I am hoping the hatch itself will help to reinforce the tight radius

 

 

I have some questions about the hatch assembly.

I had thought about installing the glass in the hatch before putting it on the car, but now I'm thinking it might be easier to get the hatch on the car without the extra weight of the glass. That would mean installing the glass from inside the hatch space though

Also how do these mount? I may have answered my own question but wanted to be sure.

I have new clips for these

This is an old clip and it appears that there is emblem retainer that helps hold the clips to the car?

I looked on car part manual and they say there are M4 screws holding the vents onto the hatch, but that doesn't seem right...

https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-240z/tail-gate-panel-trim-lock-rear-bumper

Edited December 4, 20231 yr by Patcon