ETI4K

Very good info guys and links, too - can never have too much info. I really like the idea of splitting the tank as @240dkw did. You get completely unfettered access to everything for cleaning, blasting, and body work and the fillet gives a nice place to run a weld line. Going through the top seems less invasive, but really limits access and hammer/dolly work would be much harder around the baffles. I suppose in the end, if I'm in for a penny, I might as well be in for a pound. A weld is a weld and all welds must be done properly with no porosity or voids. So, as @Patcon suggested, welding a 30" perimeter or 100" is really not any harder - just more costly (wire, gas, and time). Besides, @240dkw missed a chance to measure pick-up height 😉 and (unless I forget) I can do it when I open it up. Submit requests now 😁

When I was in high school shop, we used to cut up old cars and then put them back together. Our shop teacher made us run water through fuel tanks before cutting or welding near them. So, a fuel tank exploded one day. I looked up to see the guy's expression as he stood there with a cutting torch in hand and staring at a suddenly very fat fuel tank. 🤯🤯🤯🤯. Kinda priceless. That said, I actually lit a torch and (without hesitation) inserted it into the fill pipe. No explosions, no flames, hence my comment: "Tried (the flame) and trusted (the results)" Thank you all for the good advice! I did lose a friend who was smoking a cigarette while he refilled the fuel tank on his lawnmower. It didn't end well for him, and I fully respect the significant danger of lighting off fuel vapors.

Certainly seems less invasive, doesn't it? Also a great way to hide the welds. Maybe even less likely to leak in case of a tiny pinhole - I plan to seal with POR afterwards.

I am attempting to repair some "body damage" to the bottom of my fuel tank. So far, I have tried hot glue techniques and weld-on pins for use with a puller. I specifically avoided going with a typical dent puller requiring holes for obvious reasons. So while pulling on the pins, I've managed to produce two good sized holes. Annoyed, but not crushed, I can now do whatever I need to remove the dents - including opening up the tank to permit some hammer and dolly work, as the pulling techniques were a bust. My thought was I'd cut around the welded seam along the side of the tank and then across middle of the support strap recess. That way the new weld line will not be visible once installed (try as I might, I cannot get a welded joint to look quite like the ones Trev does on his YT channel - Trev's Blog. The guy is a wizard). The tank has the slightest damage from surface rust in a couple small areas including a very small patch inside, so it is completely restorable. I just can't bear the thought of using it being so beat up. So I am looking for any advice, suggestions, etc. that anyone cares to share. Thanks! BTW, the tank hasn't been wet with fuel for more than 20 years. Explosion potential is zero - tried and trusted.

She was always so impressive - in many ways. I miss Top Gear!

@siteunseen When I was in high school, I was under a car welding up an exhaust system during shop class. While under there, I noticed a pair of high heels and some very nice long legs right next to the car. "Hmm", I says to myself. "Now, do I want to be under this here car, or do should I roll on out and see what's at the top of those legs?". How that time I realize I've managed to get the red hot brazing rod firmly embedded in the crook of my elbow - complete with the smell of bar-b-qued meat. Still wanting to see what was at the top of those legs, I slid on out out, slowly. You don't want to rush these things. I swear in that moment I felt absolutely no pain whatsoever. In fact, I could have stayed there looking up forever.

She was an amazing driver. Did you see her drive a delivery van on the Nurburgring on Top Gear? She was blowing past some real cars - made them look pretty bad. I wish I could have spent an hour with her in a decent car just to watch what she did. No disrespectful comments, now gents. 😇

@zKars Nice and simple, which is the best kind! Were you able to hand-form the S-bends without kinking? I've used a steel rod inserted into the end of the tube (also works for straightening). Not great at all, but expeditious! I think I will fab me up one of yours for my pending steel lines replacement adventure. Also really like the TC compression tool.

I had a motor failure a long time ago resulting from a recip A/C compressor causing uneven torque pulses on the crank snout. The harmonic damper's woodruff key wallowed out the keyway. Rather than weld up and recut the woodruff groove, the machinist suggested cutting one continuous key way and using one long straight square key. Perfect! It solves every problem with woodruff keys and presents no problems I've yet to encounter. I know this doesn't help much unless you end up with a bigger problem. 🤯

The Germans seem to know how to make the most perfect seats, for my body anyway. Perfect low back support, right firmness, and side bolsters that fit just right. I've had a few old Porches and a VW Corrado. Don't know if the Corrado seats would work in a Z, but I'd love to find some to find out. Loved 'em.

I've struggled with the idea of replating vs buying new hardware. I'm not restoring to factory original so I can use any hardware I like. It's just the process of how many, what head style, what diameter, what length, and what plating option that keeps me from going all new.

Ain't that the truth. Last night I tried to have gender with my wife. It didn't go well. She wasn't having to do with it or me!😈

I would think it'd be virtually impossible to mechanically abrade off all former plating. That's one of the great things about plating - it gets everywhere. Maybe it'd be worth the effort to chemically "deplate" the cad/zinc. Haven't checked, but maybe Caswell offers a kit. Yet another decision point.🤔

Same reason we have "Pleaded guilty" instead of plead; "Got milk" instead of have; "Gender" instead of sex; and the list goes on. I suppose it's why we've been able to move from "Whoever hath her wish, thou hast thy will" to "roofs" 😆😆 Sorry, guess I'm a latent pedant 🙄

Did that rusted pan come straight off a running motor? Did you spray or brush the POR-15 -guessing brushed. I ask because I like the film toughness, but the few times I've used it I can't get it done without leaving brush marks. Haven't tried spraying it yet.

I don't recall ever seeing painted oil pans on other motors, also. It seems like a good idea (for rust control I assume) that Nissan coated the inside surfaces, until it begins to fail. Interestingly, I just disassembled my motor, which has been on an engine stand since 1997 (all openings stuffed with something, so not hermetically sealed), and there was no rust on anything at all. I hadn't turned the motor in over a year. Whenever I did, I removed the plugs and squirted oil into each cylinder, and removed the valve cover and poured oil over the cam. Then give a few turns by hand. Since putting it on the engine stand, I've probably done that maybe 12-15 times. When I took it apart, everything was still covered in a thin film of oil. So I am ambivalent about repainting the oil pan. It's just one of at least 1000 decision points as I try to move forward.

My oil pan is doing the same thing, so the original paint must be removed. It does concern me to leave it bare, though. If your car were to be driven daily, it might not be a problem, as engine heat would routinely cook off any water (as vapor or liquid from condensation). If not, then the inside of the oil pan could acquire some surface rust. The question then becomes what to use. Glyptol, powder coat, or perhaps a thermal dispersant (suggested here - https://www.jcmmachineandcoatings.com/coatings/oil-pan/) are possible solutions.

Sorry to hear that @conedodger I had a ladder slide out from under me last week. A few new cracks that'll go away. Several weeks off my feet just as I was officially starting the resto of my car. Got the motor apart and to the machine shop, and now the project is stalled again! Speedy recovery for you!

Congratulations. It'll be very exciting for you I'm sure, when the first person shows up you can really help.

@siteunseen Love the shirt! When I bought my first Z (a 73 in 1981), my sister gave me a similar one, except on the front it had a full front view of a 240, and the back had the rear view. I still have it! Funny, while I was writing this, my wife ran to get the tee shirt. We've had it for 40 years and she locates it in less than 30 seconds. Further, our GSD Riley decided the tee shirt must be guarded since I'm infirmed. I'm recovering from yet ANOTHER f%!/$@* injury so she wouldn't let me hobble to the basement or even get up (it can a real issue when needing the bathroom). Last year this time it was a shoulder surgery. I was able to enjoy four whole months of full activity after recovery before this horse spit happened. Stay healthy all, and think through what you're doing!

Start, if you can by measuring the torque required to rotate the cam. If you don't have anything that measures directly, clamp a wooden arm of known length to the cam and use any decent kitchen digital scale. Compute the torque and record it for a baseline. When dialing in the towers, you may have to adjust one or all, so with each adjustment, record the result: Tower 1 R 1 tap right - No effect L 1 tap left -0.3 in.lbs Sorry for crappy example of a table, but trying to do this on a phone pretty well blows. Try one tap on each tower, then try two, and so on. As for tap intensity, install one tower and bolt it down snugly to a known and recorded torque, then use a dial indicator to indicate right to left motion. Tap gently, then harder until you see the indicator hold a new position. That's your starting tap intensity. It's hard to measure impact force, but your other recordations should permit you to return to your baseline if it just keeps getting worse. Eventually, you won't be able to make any improvements, and hopefully what you've done will be enough. Tighten everything down and hope like hell the torque doesn't change. If it does, start over. Good luck

@Dave WM Yep, I love having it (and a lathe, too!). They've made a huge difference in what I can get done. Problem now is I have a hard time just grabbing a drill to make holes in a plate, when I can do it so much more precisely. My best wishes to you for getting both soon! I have dreamed of a lift myself.

As to this forum, I've been into IC engines since I was 11. Starting with a minibike that wouldn't start. My father's friend came over to help. He asked what steps I'd taken. Then he asked if I'd disassembled the carburetor. I thought to myself, "DISASSEMBLE THE CARBURETOR? Is he serious?!" Of course I hadn't. And then he asked a question that me and has guided and encouraged me for bunches of years. He asked "Why not?". And so I did. My point in sharing this, I submit, is that the helpful members of this forum have done the same for other folks here who are new to cars, or new to these cars, or just need guidance. I, for one, have found people who share my love for bringing back to use machines that might otherwise have ended up in a crusher, dealing with rust and hidden body damage and oil leaks, modifying parts meant for another, or even making replacement parts if no other option exists. My friends don't really appreciate that I finally acquired a milling machine in support of my endeavors, my wife has a hard time with the time and money consumed by my "hobby" as she calls it, and I don't know anyone who wants to listen to me go into detail about what I did to restore my door hinges. At least here, if I do decide to post such details I believe someone will read it and, at the very least, politely acknowledge it. That is what makes this group of people unique. I'll stand down from soapbox now.

Thanks granny, and others. It'll be nice to no longer hear about tweets from the President. Given the typical leanings of the major media outlets, it's very likely evening news will be filled with supportive (of Mr. Biden) reporting. In that regard, I'll be glad. In every other, I am nervous.

I was up at 5 this morning thinking exhaust! I used to have a Porsche with a cat converter that the catalyst material broke loose inside the can. It made a similar metallic sound.