Hello, from sunny Sacramento! I'm new so be gentle.

[hearts dzyer]

I am an owner of a yellow 1977 280Z. I have been the proud owner since 1993. My husband recently passed away and he never got to see my Z fully restored. We were upgrading the speakers and some interior work when he passed. So it seems the interior is a mess, wires everywhere. He had made a nice list of the things he thought needed to be done before painting. Even though the Z is still considered a cherry overall, I have noticed more and more external rust and see some bubbling in one area. Can any of you recommend the best restoration process, or share restoration stories with me? If any of you can recommend someone in northern California to do the work, please , please let me know.

Just to let you know I have sought a few local top auto body paint shops here in Sacramento. One shop has now decided not to work on cars older than 25 years old, and the other gave me an estimate of $5-7,000 but that seems a bit low. I don't want to be disappointed in what is done to the best little car I have ever owned.:classic:

[zbane]

Welcome to the club, this is the place to be!

Post some shots of the questionable areas, that way those members familiar with restoration can offer advice to your specific areas of concern. It might also be helpful to list your vin#, though this isn't always neccessary. One of the cool things about posting the vin is that someone might have a car next in production, nothing like finding the long lost brother or sister.

Anyways, welcome again to the club,

[EScanlon]

Carol:

The best process will be decided more by your budget than anything else.

What one person would consider absolutely necessary someone else might feel is only on a case by case basis.

If you have unlimited funds, then ... complete disassembly, dipping the shell in an acid bath to remove all the old paint and sealants, then dipping it in again but to pickle the metal to avoid future rust, reolacing all old rubber, and most plastic, vinyl and even glass...... this would be just the beginning. You can see how laborious and expensive it can quickly become.

Conversely, you might have some simple surface rust issues that were compounded when the rust crept under the paint ... OR ... the rust inside the car has finally eaten it's way through the metal and has caused the paint to bubble. Either one of these repairs can be done and the cost / quality will be strongly affected by how much and how long you want to work at it.

As David pointed out, take some pictures and post them. That is the best beginning step towards doing it right.

Enrique

[=Enigma=]

Welcome to the forum Carol. Sorry to hear about your recent loss. The guys have already given some good advise, however there is lots more to be had here. Here's a link which explains the common rust areas to watch out for. It's based on a 240Z but is applicable to the 280Z since they share the same general body shell design which didn't change significantly until the intro of the 280ZX in 1979. Good luck with your restoration.

http://zhome.com/Classic/CommonZRust/RustPrevention240Z.htm

[a7dz]

Carol;

Great user name. Love it.

As Enrique said there are too many different ideas to post here. I started to do a simple repair the rust in the right rear wheel well and replace the right front fender. It would be easier to tell you what parts are still together then what I have apart. So, my ideas change daily.

[beandip]

Carol , I am vary sorry for the loss you have had recently. And welcome to our group . We will help in any way we can. In looking for a shop to have work done and have it done right . Look for a Body Shop that does custom cars. I am sure there is one in your City. Most '' Body Shops '' today are really panel changers . To find real craftsmen in the body work business you need to find the ones that are building Hot Rods and doing custom cars . If you are not in a hurry go to a car show and ask around . Not a new car show but a hot rod show. You might ask your Insurance agent . Try a local Parts Store especially one that has speed products . I do know some one that lives in Pleasanton maybe he would know . I will give him a shout . All the best Gary:cheeky:

[beandip]

Carol . I haven't forgotten. My friend went to a car show today and asked a bunch of the intranets where they had there work done . He said most had bought there cars the way they were. Go figure . However he said that several said to ask a certain person . As luck would have it , he had to work today but he has his name and is trying to contact him . So as soon as I hear I will pass on the info. Gary

[hearts dzyer]

Thanks, and much appreciation to all who have responded to my posting. This is all valuable information as I know a lot about my car, but I want the job done right the first time and do not want to be taken advantage of. I am not worried about funds at this time. I have saved for many years, and I am ready for the whole nine yards if need be. I want to drive it proudly all over the country and show off quite frankly, so I want people to gasp for all the right reasons. People ask me now how much I would sell the car for and have had many unsolicited offers from all over Sacramento as I am sure all of you have had. I guess I also want to know how long does a full restoration take and usually average in cost? All of your adivce is well taken and makes me more excited to get started. As I stated my husband and I had a list, the next is to upgrade the AC, check out the electrical since I have the original specs, have the interior overhauled and then paint??????????????????:classic: :classic: . The original engine is working fine, although I just replaced the injectors and did some minor tune up, wires plugs, etc. You guys are the real thing and I appreciate any and all advice, info, and personal project experience is comforting.

[JLPurcell]

Carol, You might want to talk to Les at Classic Datsun Motorsports. He is located in California. I am getting ready to take my 1972 Z to him for a complete restoration. He is one of the best in the business.

You can find their web page just google Classic Datsun Motorsports.

Good Luck!

[hearts dzyer]

Thanks for the referral to Classic Datsun Motorsports. I will Google tonight!

[Mike]

Or, just go to his website: http://www.classicdatsun.com

PLEASE tell Les Cannaday (owner) that you heard about his shop from our website.

[Pir0San]

Carol, I live in Sacramento myself, and there are a few good shops around here that do painting for a good price. I would contact Gunther's Collision, Gunther is a pretty good guy, and from what I understand from talking to him, he actually has worked on quite a few Z's in his day.

If you need anything from a fellow Z fan, let me know!