2 4 0 Z Uh Oh Project

[grannyknot]

I bow to you sir, learning so much from your pics, absolutely invaluable source of info.  I will be heading deep into frame myself in the next few months, your gallery is going to be my shop companion.

[Mark Maras]

 Beautiful parts. The craftsmanship shows. Have you considered a garage business manufacturing and selling proper fitting parts? Black Dragon won't be an option in the future.

[Consigli]

You have incredible skill and patience! I feel like I'm watching an episode of  Overhaulin! Except I don't think even Chip Foose would be brave enough to take on a car so rusty! 

[Captain Obvious]

Wow. I'm impressed!

If I sent you a print, would you make some simple sheet metal parts for me?  

Edited October 19, 2016 by Captain Obvious

[jonathanrussell]

You have amazing skills. I really enjoyed reading / viewing. The work you did to strengthen the frame rails and lower radiator support is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Also, I think any of the classic car magazines would jump to publish your story and photos. 

[disepyon]

3 hours ago, Patcon said:

Those are MAD metal skills!!! I have a real appreciation for the work you've done, having done some of this work myself but not to this extent. Really hard to fabricate some of those pieces and the shear amount of hours it takes to get to this point. Just a little more and you will be done with metal work...

Did you fabricate you own outer rockers too?

I bought the Tabco outer rocker panels. Its actually the only replacement panel I had bough and actually used. Fits great, however as you can see in some of the pictures, there was a crack at the seam, most likely due to stress from what ever machine they used to press/pound those into a mold. Would be nice if they made them out of a tad thicker sheet metal. Other than that no complaints.

2 hours ago, Mark Maras said:

 Beautiful parts. The craftsmanship shows. Have you considered a garage business manufacturing and selling proper fitting parts? Black Dragon won't be an option in the future.

You never know, could be in the future I may entertain that idea, Id like to wait first though until my skills are on a professional level, as of now I am still in the Noob/beginner category.  Though I am making the interior rocker panels upon request, already made a few for some people with great feedback. Refer to my garage business thread for details. Also I will attach to this post a PDF file a how to guide for replacing the rocker panels for those that want a more in depth process.

1 hour ago, Captain Obvious said:

Wow. I'm impressed!

If I sent you a print, would you make some simple sheet metal parts for me?  

Depends on what you say is simple, hehe. Send me the plans and I can take a look for you and let you know.

1 hour ago, jonathanrussell said:

You have amazing skills. I really enjoyed reading / viewing. The work you did to strengthen the frame rails and lower radiator support is fantastic. Thanks for sharing.

Also, I think any of the classic car magazines would jump to publish your story and photos. 

Funny thing is I took someone elses Idea on another forum (Member has an awesome project going on) and created my version of the frame rails support that tie in with the front frames.  He was cool with it though, hehe, I mean come on all the Auto companies steal each others ideas.

 

Again thanks fellow Z members, both to those I quoted and didnt quote for the comments, Let me know if any of you need better pictures of any area of the car that I have went over for those ready to tear apart their cars for repairs. I may or may not have it. I have crap ton of pictures, at least a thousand , if not a couple thousand pics.

 

Alright had some time after work today to figure out the rear seat brackets. Sometimes I feel so dumb for not thinking of a simple idea with out a ton of work.  I originally was going to try and salvage the original rear seat brackets, but a couple of them are just too rusted to spend time patching them up and besides I absolutely hate drilling out spot welds, sick of it.  

Original brackets

The rear brackets have an angle to them so the seat angles upwards from back to front. Man I am amazed how quickly metal rusts here in Oklahoma, gotta love the humidity. I need to get on it and treat the newly made floor pans, Dont want to do twice the work.

Decided to just copy the design of the front seat brackets for the rears. This will also allow for the support from let to right the whole length of the floor like the original brace between the two rear brackets.

Dont think its needed in my situation to make the top of the bracket as long as the original, So I cut it off about here as shown in the picture.  I am going to use the original seats. Wouldnt be hard to add on in case I install different seats later in life.

Cross brace I was talking about.

Also able to get a ratchet wrench underneath to tighten the nut on the seat rail.

 

Thats it for now. More to come!

INTERIOR ROCKER PANEL INSTALLATION GUIDE.pdf

[disepyon]

Rear seat brackets made and both front and rear brackets welded in.

Loosely fitted in place to give you an idea of how they will look.

Front and rear brackets close up comparison.

Holes drilled for welding.

Decided this would be a good time to install the tie in plate underneath the floors close to the tunnel side.

Holes drilled in the floors.

Painted the flanges and area of the floors with weldable rust preventative primer. Also sprayed the seat brackets and tie in plates with POR15 degreaser and prep and ready to prepare it for paint.

Seat brackets welded in.

Seats test fitted.

Passenger seat slightly touches the ebrake.

however once somebody is seated, the cushion on the side collapses in a way to distance itself away from the ebrake.

Tie in plates welded in.

Me wishing my car was done and driving, hehe.

Thats all for now.  Bout time I actually start working on the parts I sandblasted.

 

Edited October 24, 2016 by disepyon
Pictures

[Mike]

Amazing progress!  This is truly a monster project and appreciate your work on it.  This car will be awesome when you are done.  Keep it up!

[Diseazd]

Some cars should just go to the crusher.....obviously you are not going to let this one die.......I agree with Mike....just amazing.......more new metal than old metal!

[grannyknot]

Brent, can you describe how you got the indent on your replacement panel in this pic? It looks like it was pressed in, I have to recreate that same indent for both sides on my car.

Thanks

[disepyon]

2 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Brent, can you describe how you got the indent on your replacement panel in this pic? It looks like it was pressed in, I have to recreate that same indent for both sides on my car.

Thanks

Made a quick guide.  This was how I did it.  Took the easy way out by cutting and welding, didnt want to fiddle around forever.  Probably better ways of doing it, feel free to chime in anyone, Id like to learn other ways too.

Depending on how original you want to make it to the stock piece, you could probably make a male and female mold out of wood (hard wood of some sort)/maybe cement, or other hard materials able to carve into and using a press, press the sheet metal into shape.  Could also hammer it into shape and use an english wheel to smooth out the hammer indentions, which I didnt have at the time.  Though My english wheel experience and knowledge is still at beginner level. 

 

Hope this helps, let me know what else is needed.

[Hardway]

Fantastic work and picture Disepyon!  Your works is certainly motivation for all of us.  I agree with what others have said, a lot of people would have junked that shell and bought a different car but you pressed on with what you had and learned to repair and improve upon the factory design in some areas.  You mentioned you were not happy with your english wheel from Baileigh.  What specifically do you not like about it?  What other brand do you wish you had gone with?  I see a lot of pictures on the Metalshapers FB page and it seems like a fair amount of guys take some parts from an existing english wheel and then build their own.  Have you thought about doing that or is it too big of a project?