1976 280 Z from Ohio to Dubai

[dutchzcarguy]

Most people are thinking stop! (this discussion) but i keep saying this : those are NOT the official jack points of a (240z-280z)  s30 chassis.. so use the right spots.

Later on when you have a flat tire the chassis has to be strong enough to use a jack anyway!

Use some rubber blocks with a slice in it for the chassis edge.

 

It's gona be a beautiful car, good job!

 

[BAS_DXB]

9 minutes ago, dutchzcarguy said:

Most people are thinking stop! (this discussion) but i keep saying this : those are NOT the official jack points of a (240z-280z)  s30 chassis.. so use the right spots.

Later on when you have a flat tire the chassis has to be strong enough to use a jack anyway!

Use some rubber blocks with a slice in it for the chassis edge.

 

It's gona be a beautiful car, good job!

 

So you mean the ones on Fig. GI-6 right ? Heard too may bad stories about it, but hey, the chassis is brand new now 😂

[grannyknot]

6 minutes ago, dutchzcarguy said:

Most people are thinking stop! (this discussion) but i keep saying this : those are NOT the official jack points of a (240z-280z)  s30 chassis.. so use the right spots.

That stripped chassis weighs just over 500 lbs, with the front suspension and cross member attached maybe 650 tops.  On a fully loaded Z using the tire changing jack that came withe car I would agree with you on the jacking points but not the way it is.  Besides, those points under the T/C mount are probably the strongest areas of the subframe.

[dutchzcarguy]

22 hours ago, BAS_DXB said:

you mean the ones on Fig. GI-6 right ? Heard too may bad stories about it

Yes, they are the right points..   The many bad stories are because the middle steel plate that normally is in there has rotten away and the sides colapse easely..  That is not gona happen when you have restored your chassis well..

21 hours ago, grannyknot said:

stripped chassis weighs just over 500 lbs

I totally agree  (i already started the discussion with a smile on my face you know..)  And your right, it's weight is low but it will get heavier.

You know, when i see a car for sale and it's on a lift like that, i already don't trust the chassis..

It's probably rotten away inside.. 

 

 

Edited March 3, 2021 by dutchzcarguy

[BAS_DXB]

Good day guys,

Another milestone achieved: exactly 5 months after taking the wheels off, Zinta is back on the ground.

Last beating on the rear quarter panels and bumper to use as little as possible body filler, and also 3 spots on the roof to correct...

Doors/Trunk/Boot/air dam/fenders are ready for the final coat.

Tomorrow afternoon or Sunday morning latest we shall lay down the final blue coat !

Edited March 6, 2021 by BAS_DXB

[wheee!]

Without judging in any way,.... what is your total cost of restoration (equivalent US dollars) to get the car from arrival in Dubai to where it will be finished? You are moving so fast!! I'm about $35,000 USD deep into mine and seven years....

Curious to know if the resto costs are comparable there to here...

 

[Yarb]

Just curious on your suspension plans. What are you going to use for your front and rear strut’s? Factory or an aftermarket version.

[BAS_DXB]

13 hours ago, wheee! said:

Without judging in any way,.... what is your total cost of restoration (equivalent US dollars) to get the car from arrival in Dubai to where it will be finished? You are moving so fast!! I'm about $35,000 USD deep into mine and seven years....

Curious to know if the resto costs are comparable there to here...

 

Overall restoration (strip down/bodywork/painting/reassembly): USD 25K

Interior restoration (seats/dashboard/console/door panels/roof lining): USD 3K

Parts+Material: USD 10-12K

So in total around USD 40K to have it running again and better than new, so this is comparable, but I do not own all the equipment that you invested in for yours, if you counted it in your total.

Labor cost in the UAE is very interesting and even though the workshop I work with is on the expensive side, the quality of execution is much higher than the average here.

The issue is obliviously all the shipping time/costs and import taxes from the US to here, but I believe you face the same outrageous rap** to get everything in Canada...

[BAS_DXB]

6 hours ago, Yarb said:

Just curious on your suspension plans. What are you going to use for your front and rear strut’s? Factory or an aftermarket version.

I had 4 brand new KYB Excel-G as part of the spare parts coming with the car, so I am giving it a shot ! Then the T3 weld-on coil-over kit to be fitted on the original shock housing.

We machined and welded metal support ring to sit the coil-over kit (original ones from T3 was not the correct diameter) and made 2 grooves to keep the O-rings in place.

I am quite happy with the color theme, now just to confirm if the driving sensations are as pleasant !

Edited March 9, 2021 by BAS_DXB

[dutchzcarguy]

A good and sheap restauration is possible in Poland.. There are good shops with low labor costs..

An example i've seen was a sort of army jeep resto by a firm called Marian  (No girls name it's the firm name..) It was done for michael Manousakis (Yes a greek living in Germany for almost or all his life.)  It was in a television show called "the steelbuddies" in German TV.

Here a video of that firm..  There must be (somewhere) a video about the restauration of a Ford Mutt  for around 14000 euro's, an open sort of jeep..

Rundgang Fort Marian in Polen, Außenlager der Steel Buddies - YouTube

[Captain Obvious]

4 hours ago, BAS_DXB said:

I had 4 brand new KYB Excel-G

So in the pic, there are rubber bellows and bump stops, but in the completed pic, neither of those were used.

Why not? Didn't fit well? Just didn't like the look?

[BAS_DXB]

3 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

A good and sheap restauration is possible in Poland.. There are good shops with low labor costs..

An example i've seen was a sort of army jeep resto by a firm called Marian  (No girls name it's the firm name..) It was done for michael Manousakis (Yes a greek living in Germany for almost or all his life.)  It was in a television show called "the steelbuddies" in German TV.

Here a video of that firm..  There must be (somewhere) a video about the restauration of a Ford Mutt  for around 14000 euro's, an open sort of jeep..

Rundgang Fort Marian in Polen, Außenlager der Steel Buddies - YouTube

I remember a show on Netflix with Michael restoring and flipping many army vehicles and even a plane from WWII. Same kind as rust valley restorers.

The video you are referring to is this one correct ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iE8E-2VNv9E.

The advantage they have in eastern Europe is the access to a lot of army vehicles, so that's how they source their parts and cut cost.

Also, its always easier and cheaper to work with body filler / bondo than actually changing and reshaping the metal panels, that's why my car looked great originally, but under than paint was another story...