Finally found a 69 240z, #51 Time to finish a 30 year multiple owner restoration.

[grannyknot]

What abrasive are you using in your wet blaster?

[dspillman]

5 hours ago, grannyknot said:

What abrasive are you using in your wet blaster?

  Fine crushed glass

[Gav240z]

On 4/17/2024 at 6:33 AM, CanTechZ said:

Anyone notice what's missing from the floor pan of this early car.

Rust holes. Not enough.

[Gav240z]

On 4/27/2024 at 5:29 AM, 240dkw said:

I was taught how to do lead work many years ago from a very skilled body man. You would never take a grinder to any lead, it is all done with a torch, wooden paddles for shaping and a body file for final smoothing. Shooting bits of lead all over your shop would be a nasty thing to do. Always remove it using a torch and good ventilation or a proper respirator.

 

Correct. No mechanical agitation. I was told similar when I did some night classes on panel beating at my local technical college. Working with lead is quite fun with a wooden paddle and beeswax to stop the lead sticking to the paddle. You need to heat it until melting point then keep it warm as you spread it around before it returns to a solid material upon cooling down.

Then use a metal file to shave it down and smooth off.

[Namerow]

On 5/6/2024 at 5:53 PM, dspillman said:

Most obvious being 3 large holes in early drivers side, versus 4 in later versions

Why was the fourth hole added on the left side?

[dspillman]

36 minutes ago, Namerow said:

Why was the fourth hole added on the left side?

Not really sure what the purpose was.  But pretty sure it started with the 73 ? Model.

[Namerow]

3 hours ago, dspillman said:

But pretty sure it started with the 73 ? Model.

Parts Manual shows that the PN changed as of Aug-1973.  I wonder if this production date also marked the introduction of factory-installed air conditioning (as opposed to dealer-installed)?  If hat was the case, the extra opening might have been added to provide a dedicated pass-through for AC-related lines and hoses.

[dspillman]

1 hour ago, Namerow said:

Parts Manual shows that the PN changed as of Aug-1973.  I wonder if this production date also marked the introduction of factory-installed air conditioning 

    I know of the change, because I passed on a silver 1971 Nissan restored car in 2008/9 for cheap because it had the same as above 4 hole radiator support…… thinking that no way would this be “right” ….. come to find out, there really wasn’t a “right parts” with those cars that needed peices replaced….seemed to grab whatever was handy and send em.

[bluez]

Those quarters look to be in very good shape, where did this car come from?

[dspillman]

1 hour ago, bluez said:

Those quarters look to be in very good shape, where did this car come from?

       From what I can see it got passed around a few times in the California/ Texas area?  
     It has a zcar home registered “diploma “ from back in 1995 declaring it under restoration…. I received it as it was in pictures in 2013 on BAT auction….. 

     In a way the car is in better shape by sitting in various garages, and sheds over the past 30 plus years…. Even had one comment that it had been looked at back in the 80s and was a “train wreck” then.   Of course 80s train wrecks are today peachs, I guess….especially if you’re used to seeing east coast Zs…….😃

[Patcon]

21 hours ago, dspillman said:

    Reading through several stories, blogs and after texting with a respected z connoisseur earlier this month ….   I heard my “51” called all sorts of names….basket case, train wreck, rusty, good car for parts….   Stoked my curiosity to the point I had to blast at her with the dustless system……   Last year a friend of mine peeled back some layers of paint and bondo, revealing a patchwork of welds and repairs that was somewhat disappointing.  I didn’t notice the wide “hips” on that early car as well……I have a pretty good eye for wide hips…..  on zs.    
       Did the roof, and rear quarters to hopefully not find that same patchwork of repairs…..

not perfect, but it was the first z roof I’ve seen without filler.    I’m happy with what was …. Or wasn’t exposed today! 

You're last post sort of hits on this. Many of the things you read about this cars condition are probably not recent. There are many cars I see now that I would try to restore that I would have never considered before. The combination of available reproduction panels and the increased interest and value in these cars makes the old "basket case" a viable project.

[CanTechZ]

26 minutes ago, Patcon said:

You're last post sort of hits on this. Many of the things you read about this cars condition are probably not recent. There are many cars I see now that I would try to restore that I would have never considered before. The combination of available reproduction panels and the increased interest and value in these cars makes the old "basket case" a viable project.

Are you talking about mine, I resemble that comment. Lol