The dusty Z

[heyitsrama]

Em em em. The story goes that I got bit by the Z bug years ago, and made a really poor choice in buying a car online and having it shipped to me. After getting the car, I drove the car around for a few weeks... then parked it in the garage, where it sat waiting to be worked on...

I then came up on another Z which I've partially documented in this thread (amongst other threads).

The gold/brown? Z has been great, I've learned a lot about the various sub-systems on the car, and its at a point where I don't need to mess with it, I can get into it and drive around... I think (perhaps foolishly) that I'm ready to work on the one in the garage....

 

 

Jeez that last photo was from July 15, 2024 2014!. time flies... time to get to work..

Edited December 25, 2023 by heyitsrama

[heyitsrama]

Alright so there is a boat load of metal to be replaced on this car, I have both floor pans from Chalie that been sitting in the attic for years, but I will need the passenger side firewall / battery tray and frame rail to be replaced as well.

I don't think It would be be wise to try to get this car onto a rotisserie yet because the frame rails are gone...

I've been going back an forth about what sequence things should be approached in, if you have an opinion on sequence of approach I'm all ears.

I dropped the subframe yesterday, just wanted to get the ball rolling. I'll probably drop the rear tomorrow...

 

 Here is the gore so far...  

 

 

Edited December 25, 2023 by heyitsrama

[dutchzcarguy]

42 minutes ago, heyitsrama said:

I drove the car around for a few weeks...

WOW! If you would drive that car in that state overhere.. you.. (your car) end(s) up in the press and would be seen never again!

Every car gets a checkup every year* overhere.. when you have a rustbucket, you can forget to drive it.. not a meter! (about 3 feet? 🤣)

But since a few years our country has a new rule about cars older then 50 years.. they don't need any check!  So.. i think that's also crazy!

 

* Also cars of 30 years and older (till 50) only need to get a APK (check) every 2 years. 

APK= algemene periodieke keuring = general periodic inspection.

[dutchzcarguy]

1 hour ago, heyitsrama said:

Jeez that last photo was from July 15, 2024.

Your talking about the future???  You meant 2014?

[grannyknot]

The floor pan rails stiffen the pan itself but most of the longitudinal strength is in the rockers, trans tunnel and roof.  As long as you strip all the weight off the shell before mounting I think you would be okay to put it on a rotisserie.  If the rockers also need replacing then that is another story, you would have to weld in some supports in the cab to stabilize and keep from flexing.

Is that Z from the Bay area? The rust certainly looks like road salt damage.

[heyitsrama]

11 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

Your talking about the future???  You meant 2014?

!!! Already making typos! Yes 2014

 

11 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

Every car gets a checkup every year* overhere.. when you have a rustbucket, you can forget to drive it.. not a meter! (about 3 feet? 🤣)

I had to do it myself as i could see the ground moving from under the car, I was scared that I would push my feet through the floor.

 

11 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

But since a few years our country has a new rule about cars older then 50 years.. they don't need any check!  So.. i think that's also crazy!

Here in California we only have restrictions on things that would modify the emissions systems on cars that are 1976-> Present, anything older than that there are no "restrictions" or inspections, although emissions modifications  AFAIK are still considered to be illegal.... 

My buddy has been working on swapping a newer Honda motor into his car so hes been taking all of the emissions system over to the old car as well.

Its quite a hoot to drive, I've been impressed on how cheap it into getting something that was fast and fairly reliable. Cost vs Performance its hard to beat....

 

 

6 hours ago, grannyknot said:

If the rockers also need replacing then that is another story, you would have to weld in some supports in the cab to stabilize and keep from flexing.

I'm assuming that there is rust in the rear rockers of the car as there is bubbling, I'll take a look at the front as well...

 

6 hours ago, grannyknot said:

Is that Z from the Bay area? The rust certainly looks like road salt damage.

This one was from the PNW, out of Portland if I recall correctly....

[grannyknot]

I would strongly recommend only doing one side at a time, do the pan, when that is all welded in then the rocker, then on to the other side. It may be overly cautious but better that then having a door that won't close properly.

[heyitsrama]

On 12/25/2023 at 12:40 PM, grannyknot said:

I would strongly recommend only doing one side at a time, do the pan, when that is all welded in then the rocker, then on to the other side. It may be overly cautious but better that then having a door that won't close properly.

@grannyknot thank you for the suggestion. I will try to approach the metal work this way.

 

I spent time today taking apart the rear of the car. For the most part it looks like the undercoating has kept the car clean. It all has to come off of course, just to confirm. Nothing too crazy.

 

[heyitsrama]

I didn't feel comfortable removing front frame rail // firewall on a rotisserie and not having it flex into a weird position.

So I've been working on a jig. design courtesy of @ConVerTT 🧙‍♂️

 

 

 

I noticed that the rear bumper mounts holes are not flat and both outer bolt holes are kinda angled in toward the center of the car, is this normal?

Anyone have a photo?

Happy New Year Yall 🙂

 

 

 

[grannyknot]

It is normal, the angle keeps the mounting bolt perpendicular to the curve of the bumper.

[ConVerTT]

On 1/13/2024 at 8:21 PM, heyitsrama said:

I didn't feel comfortable removing front frame rail // firewall on a rotisserie and not having it flex into a weird position.

So I've been working on a jig. design courtesy of @ConVerTT 🧙‍♂️

 

 

 

I noticed that the rear bumper mounts holes are not flat and both outer bolt holes are kinda angled in toward the center of the car, is this normal?

Anyone have a photo?

Happy New Year Yall 🙂

 

 

 

Thanks for the nod!  Good luck with the project!

[heyitsrama]

laaaa laaa laaa, slow progress. man cutting holes is scary. Just got it on the rotisserie today. Lets see how long the floors take.

@grannyknot Both Floors, then the rockers?

Any additional bracing to the front before I give it the ol flip?

the bottom of the passenger firewall that I replaced is not connected to anything (no floor yet), the frame rail that would have been under the passenger side has also been removed.

I was thinking of removing the doors before I flip the chassis too, might as well remove more weight. Anything to lookout for here?