Only those with strong stomachs look

[ennisdavis]

For those who have rust free Z's (yea right) dont look. I have been working on my Japanese  lunch box and the right front rocker is getting tricky. This is not going to be a 10 year on the jig project but not a bondo special either. I have a new outer front tip of a rocker, new inner front rocker and the new inner stiffener. The question is does the right kick panel come all the way down to the bottom of the rocker. I dont think it does. I cut away (pic) the outer part of the rocker and will try to grind to fit the new piece up in there and attach to the A pillar. Plasma really helps. This is a real ugly area to work on.

p.s. also included is a pic of the inner rocker where the fender bolts to.

[Racer X]

2 hours ago, ennisdavis said:

For those who have rust free Z's (yea right) dont look. I have been working on my Japanese  lunch box and the right front rocker is getting tricky. This is not going to be a 10 year on the jig project but not a bondo special either. I have a new outer front tip of a rocker, new inner front rocker and the new inner stiffener. The question is does the right kick panel come all the way down to the bottom of the rocker. I dont think it does. I cut away (pic) the outer part of the rocker and will try to grind to fit the new piece up in there and attach to the A pillar. Plasma really helps. This is a real ugly area to work on.

p.s. also included is a pic of the inner rocker where the fender bolts to.

Oohh!!!!

Can this be a share your rustbuckets thread?

If so, I have a few.

Here is a 77 280Z I have, HLS30-400870.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 18, 2022 by Racer X

[ennisdavis]

Looks about the same as mine. Rust prevention was not on their mind back then.

[Patcon]

From the first pictures I can't even really tell what I'm looking at. It needs to be zoomed out some.

[Jeff G 78]

I had a '75 that was gone from the base of the windshield all the way to the fuel tank on the RH side.  The tunnel and a bit of the rocker was the only thing holding the car together.

[ennisdavis]

Thats a very good question and someone is paying attention. I know what it is because I took the pic. You are looking at the right side outer front rocker (its cut out. The tire would be to the right and the A pillar to the left. The question is... does the vertical kick panel go all the way down to the bottom of the rocker? I dont think so.

[Patcon]

280z?

If it is, then this appears to be the relevant image.

https://www.carpartsmanual.com/datsun/Z-1969-1978/body-260z-280z/2-seater/instrument-dash-side

It would appear that stamping goes all the way from the A pillar to the bottom of the rocker panel

Edited December 19, 2022 by Patcon

[inline6]

So, this?  https://kfvintagejdm.com/shop/datsun/forward-rocker-reinforcement-left-side-datsun-240z/

A large amount of replacement panels available from them now for the Z's.

[Patcon]

I dont know whether the patient is a 240, 260 or 280 but apparently  the kick panel was a tall panel that extended from the cowl all the way to the bottom of the rocker panel. I dont know if the KF panel is in addition to that layer or a replacement for the bottom section of that panel but it is not the complete panel

[Racer X]

Yes, the KF panel is only an inner rocker reinforcement panel.

The item number 1 in the parts manual dot com page is a full panel, from the plenum down to the pinch weld where the inner and outer rocker panels, and the reinforcement panel come together. 
 

Somewhere the outer edge of the floor pan ties in there too.