duffymahoney

I Have been working on this for a while. Trying to get it one uniform finish. Which seems to be impossible. I have been building a vapor blasting setup and might try it on this and see how it turns out. It's come a long way from tar, grease and paint covered.

How did you decide to do it in this order? I am hopefully getting to about the same spot this weekend.

All of this is going off to paint and powder tomorrow. So much to tape off. I might give up on all the u joint areas and just paint them, that way I can just use a wire wheel to clean the paint off. Hard decisions.

That's the plan, poly in the front and ruber in the back. I had two good washers. So I only need one kit.

Are they yellow zinc?

I only have two of those that are good. Two are ruined. I am going poly and I think i will get rubber for the backside of the tension rod like people have said.

I actually live in Sandpoint. I love it here. I don't see a lot of z's in my area. Got the front mostly installed. Some of the zinc chromate seems to rub off with lots of handling. I will need to contact the platers. Googling it seems to say the same thing, can be rubbed off and gets harder with time. It was plated 2 days ago. Hopefully it changes. Or maybe they did something wrong? Zinc is the part that is electroplated. The chromate (yellow) is just a coating. Sure looks pretty

Almost all big cities have a plating shop. My local large city, Spokane Wa has novation. I need to find a local vapor blasting shop! Having fun tonight installing parts:)

First batch of gold is back! Time to put some stuff back in this car!

How fun is a stock 240z motor to drive? I sadly have never driven a z.

Stock pattern, they are probably the same kit:) I just paid too much. I really like the gold of the BC. I got standard stud length, but they seem long. This happened, ended up ruining it. Vise, vise grips, tig welded a bolt to the end, everythig failed. Dry to drill out, and again that failed and I had my bit walk. Oh well, this is the first bolt-bolts that I couldn't get off! Now time to find a new thermostat housing.

Got my BC Coilover kit!! I should have the fronts done this weekend. Still waiting on the auto shop to have the bearings pressed out.

Overspray/ Paint look way worse in person. Just FYI.

This is a little bit of bragging. But I changed out a bulb, and this light bucket looks brand new. How crazy.

Thanks guys. I will try that first. Gotta get it driving. Then I can focus on the details

Sadly my vin plate has overspray on it. I have been trying to think how to get it off and not ruin the plate. I added the HLS30-20212 to my signature though.

2nd major issue, well, not really my fault. Painter didn't listen and didn't tape off the brake booster. So he got copper slad in it. I then tried to clean the slad and dropped the rubber stopper inside the bowl, which is basically impossible to get out. I then put duct tape on my finger to try and get it out, the duct tape fell off. Then I tried to take it apart and now I have given up. A fellow member suggested http://boosterdeweyexchange.com/ I called them and them and they don't list it, but they know datsun stuff well. The owner actually owns a 240z. I should have it back next week, rebuilt and painted. I am going with a upraded 15/16 master cylinder to help with the rear disk brakes and also it's a bigger.

Wheels showed up. Rota RKR, 15x8 with 0 offset. Going 205/55 R15 on the tires. I picked magnesium black, which is sort of a dark gun metal grey. I think it will pop off the safari gold well! I also got my calipers back from powder. If anyone is interested in having calipers rebuilt and picking powdercoat colors. Here is who did mine. phoenixbrakeco@gmail.com http://www.phoenixcaliper.com/ Going with 4 piston toyota fronts and maxima rears with zinc rotors from silvermine.

I made my first mistake on the z. I didn't have a drain installed, so when I went to do my final acetone rinse before redkote on my tank. I couldn't get it out and it messed up my pretty powder coating:( So I am stripping the powder, welding on a drain to the top corner then re - coating it, then redkote without acetone rinse.

Here is a little more info on the z. My neighbor bought it in 1981 from the original owner who loved it. I guess he drove it all the time. She drove it in the summers between 81 and 86. Then it needed brakes which she couldn't afford so she parked it. She got it to start in 1991 is the story. That was the last time it started till I got it running. The engine runs amazing. It's a little cold blooded but that is about it. It's really a time capsule. Other then some surface rust in a few places. All wiring looks brand new and untouched. Pretty crazy. The story of how I found out about it is interesting. When I brought my 1977 bronco (restomod/ frame off) home for the first time in 1 year from the body shop. She stuck her head over the fence and asked if it was a bronco, she then proceeded to talk to me about the bronco she owned with her husband, who sadly died in a car accident in that classic bronco. She asked if I liked classic cars and I responded yes. She said if I knew of anyone that would want an old 240z. I then told her how it's been my favorite car since around high school and that I have been looking for one for years. She asked if I wanted to see it and look at it, so with my newly painted bronco still on the trailer, I walked over to her garage. And under a car cover was this z. Just sitting there. In all it's glory. I told her that the time wasn't right for me (the bronco was way way way over budget and I was broke) but when the time was right I would talk to her. About a year passed, then I decided it was time. I offered her a fair price, and I dragged it home with one drum locked up! I actually bought it to flip it and I just fell in love with it. So that is the basic story. I do have a deal with her, if I sell it in 2 years I will give her 25% of the profit. Basically costs to repair, my time, purchase price minus the selling price.

While I am waiting on zinc and bearings, I decided to work on the door gaskets and finish the interior. I have (plus my wonderful girlfriend) about 10+ hours in adhesive removal/ detailing on the inside. But very happy with everything but the carpet fitment. Also the new door gaskets suck. I ended up baking them for 3 hours on warm in my oven, they seem to be getting better day by day. I ended up stripping paint off the outer sills (overspray), then I had to get new inner door sills, I had them wrinkle powder coated to sort of match the vinyl wrapped that comes stock on my year. I am so happy with the level of rust on this z. I also got a new shift boot. I pulled the seats and the side hinges are powder coated now. Which is always scary since the powder doesn't always work on moving parts, but a little lubrication and they work like butter. I have new foam and skins waiting for the seats, hopefully have them back in by next week.

Next my focus was on the rear. Same thoughts, pull apart, paint- powder and zinc. Rear end was slightly harder to take apart. But less grease! I am also going to replace all u - joints and wheel bearings while its all apart. Also poly bushings throughout. Still waiting on a local shop to press all the bearings out.

Got all but spindles done and back from powder. I also had to get a new radiator, but I had my series 1 fan shroud welded onto it. Hopefully getting all hardware back from zinc today.

I have decided to tackle the front suspension/ steering work next. This mean all bolts, nuts, washer etc.. off to zinc and powder coating everything I can or stripping and 2 part painting stuff like the steering shaft and steering rack. It was a greasy gross mess, but it should look beautiful when done. Looks like someone slotted my cross-member (no clue what it's actually called). Luckily someone local had a series one for parts and that person made me a good deal on it.

Choke cable was stuck which made it hard to start. I greased the cable and I also tig welded the choke handle back together. I also have the electronic and all lighting to work. Took the cig port fully apart and detailed it and powder coated its bracket. Happy it all works now.