Big Ben Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Thought I would start a project thread. Here it is, with a little back story. I had previously owned this car back in 2007. Bought it from my old man. Ended up having to sell it about 6 months later due to having to buy a DD and move for work. Here is what it looked like when I sold it: Triples... I sold the car to a good friend of mine that year with the deal that he would sell it back to me if he ever sold it. Well for the last 3 years we have been in the process of a deal...yes 3 years. It took some time for me to get it back out of him. Now, he has a completely different taste when it comes to these cars. The triple webers that were on it were in need of a rebuild. Instead of a rebuild, he put a 4 barrel holley on there....definitely not my first choice and really wouldnt even be my last. I give him shit now and for the last 5 years since he has did it. He regretted doing it. So besides putting the holley on he also put a body kit on it... again definitely not my first choice in kits. He also put a somewhat rare Pantera hatch on it, again... not my choice either. However he did put a nice CF hood and a CF tail light panel on it. Put a new clutch with a 5 speed trans in it. Completely went through the engine, full ES bushing kit, wheels, etc. This was also his first paint job on the car. You might ask, why the hassle with it? Its 98% rust free. Never been in salt. I have to do a small patch in the floor board and thats it. These Z's are hard to find with out frame rail rot. They are notorious for the front frames near the firewall to rot out. You can fix this, but it is a ******* pain in the ass and you need to be extremely careful with measurements and welding. The car will be down here on Saturday(pending weather). It is immediately going to my body shop and getting stripped down. I am pulling the body kit off and the Pantera hatch. It will be going back to a stockish form. Keeping the CF hood and rear panel. Adding a BRE style CF rear wing and possibly a CF BRE style air damn. I am thinking I might change the wheels as well. Oh and you can't own a Z without fender mirrors! I am still torn between the stock orange color or going to white. I think white with the CF would look pretty dope. What do you guys think? Also suspension for it should be here Monday. Going with a simple KYB/Eibach/ ST sway bar set up for now. I was going to do coilovers, but they are a little tricky in these cars. Also I am working on a deal with a set of triple Mikuni's carbs. Holley's have no place on a Z and should be kept to V8's. I will post up pics as I go. Here is how the car sits as of now: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 Here is more progress from a 2 weeks ago Started at noon and ended at 4. Body kit was the first thing to come off. The drivers side paint came off with a scraper... My body guy who has been doing this for 20 years said he has never seen that. Most of the previous paint and primer is off, now just need to work on getting it down to the orange base. Here are the pics of the progress so far. The start... Body kit gone! Onto sanding... Here is where we stopped: Work in progress! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 More progress! Stripped the 7...old paint layers off of the car. I did find quiet a few dings, dents and some shitty repairs that were made. Did find a little rust, but not much. Here are the pics of the progress up to this point and the damaged areas. Rust in the inner well on the drivers side. I have both rear quarters/wheel wells on order along with a few other patch panels. Hopefully to have it in primer in 2 weeks and have it painted mid June. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 I took this off of one of my other forums, that is why it is in a goofy format. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Looks like a fun job . LOL . What color ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldAndyAndTheSea Posted May 8, 2013 Share Posted May 8, 2013 Pantra hatch is always a badass touch. I like! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 10, 2013 Author Share Posted May 10, 2013 I will be painting it white. Pantera hatch will actully be coming off. I dont think it will jive real well with my plans. Its in the FS section right now, but I think I may hang onto it for a bit. Update as of today: Got the rear quarters cut off on Wendsday night. Got all of the glass out yesterday. I plan to blast the inner wheel tub and repair some rust on there. Also going to blast under the front fenders and apply POR15 to all areas. Then all of the metal work starts. I will update this weekend with pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 Finished cutting out the quarters and found lots of rust in the inside of the rockers, so those are getting replaced as well. Ordered the panels through Tabco. Also began removing the upper deck cap where the hatch latch is, that was rotted out too. Thankfully you can get these through thezstore.com still. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super X Posted May 14, 2013 Share Posted May 14, 2013 Nice build. Saw your post over on Sr20_forum also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 14, 2013 Author Share Posted May 14, 2013 Thanks. Ya, the SR forum is my 2nd home.. It will be a super clean car when it is done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted May 21, 2013 Author Share Posted May 21, 2013 Well finally got to the point of starting to put things back together. No the tedious trimming and shaping of patch panels starts. Ended up having to hand fab the panels under the rear hatch plate and a few other parts. I will get some pics up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Lots of updates. Copied and pasted...so if it looks a little off thats why. Windows, fenders and trim off/ Quarters cut out Rear deck plate was rotted: Hand fabbed the replacement panels: Ended up finding a shit load of rot under the drivers door sil and have to cut a chunk of that out. Ended up having to replace both rockers, rear inner fender wells and rear quarters. Here is the metal: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 All rust repair done.Quarters are done. Rough mud work is done. First layer of primer is done. I am in process of sanding down both door and the hood(stock). Have to block down the primer, put glazing mud on and sand, prime again and then block again. Should be in paint in the next couple weeks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted September 30, 2013 Author Share Posted September 30, 2013 Getting closer. Started blocking the primer this weekend. I have to get some finish glaze on this week, prime and block again. HOPEFULLY this weekend start painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted September 30, 2013 Share Posted September 30, 2013 So you are not going back with the slam panel ( rear deck plate ) ? Doing bodywork on my 78 and the panel has some rust , not as bad as yours . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted October 1, 2013 Author Share Posted October 1, 2013 No, I have one as well. In post #12 it is with the rockers and the quarters. I wanted to primer and rust proof under it before I weld it back on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted October 1, 2013 Share Posted October 1, 2013 Where did you get your slam panel and how much ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 (edited) I got it from thezstore.com and I think it was $150. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic01b/30-7291 Edited October 2, 2013 by Big Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domzs Posted October 2, 2013 Share Posted October 2, 2013 I got it from thezstore.com and I think it was $150. http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/classic01b/30-7291 I saw that . Kinda pricey . Some said that Tabco is cheaper , around $100 . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ben Posted October 2, 2013 Author Share Posted October 2, 2013 No sure, Tabco didnt list it on their site. Looks like they did do a recent update to their site pricing wise. Unfortunately, you can't get them any other place and they are next to impossible to find with out rust or really remove easily with out damaging them and they know that. Most all of black dragon and thezstore's patch of repair panels are Tabco's anyways. I will say most of their panels were great quality and made from Galvaneil(spelling?) which is good anti rust panels. I had to do a little modification to some of the panels, but thats to be expected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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