Swiss two-become-one 240Z Ground up restauration / JDM mods

[PLATA]

Thanks for sharing your project and passion , I salute your skills ,keep the update "ENJOY THE RIDE".

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Thanks for sharing your project and passion , I salute your skills ,keep the update "ENJOY THE RIDE".

thanks for your kind words. Comments like these keep me motivated

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Few days ago i brought my Z-Bodypanels to the Company "Meier Oberflächenbehandlung Rafz" which is specialized in rust and paint removal with an alcoholic / adhesive mix. They did a very nice job and the Doltan 2K primer let's you see damage, old welds and problematic areas while preventing from new rust. Perfect. Only mistake they made was they forgot to complete thre pieces of my delivery so this friday i will go there, pick up the rest of the panels and then make the complete layout shot again. The gold colour you see is actually the Doltan 2k Primer
The roof was in mint condition with no damage, old welds and most important - it never had a sunroof installed:


Doors have some minor surface damage but nothing problematic:


The smaller bits all were in great shape:


Had to put all the parts on the car just for fun


Finally looks a bit like a car again:

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Picked up the three missing parts from the rust-and paint stripping company today and put the parts together on the car just to remember how the car looks when it's completed and give me a bit of motivation


Of course nothing is aligned or bolted on at the moment, i just hung the parts on the car for fun






Here you clearle can see previous damage, rust, welds and old Bondo on the front lower valance. i think this is the only part worth replacing. just too much damage

[miky360]

Glad to see you're still going at this! Ever considered going FRP doors rather than repairing your current ones? Just a thought. Saves a lot of work.

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Glad to see you're still going at this! Ever considered going FRP doors rather than repairing your current ones? Just a thought. Saves a lot of work.

Nah i want to keep it original when it comes to the doors. mine only have minor rust at the bottom so why not fix it? The result will be worth the effort i guess

[jdmjunkies.ch]

To make a long story short, it seems like the horrible stressful summer is over for me and i finally have some time to think about private stuff like my cars. And i've really been waiting to come back to the garage... So that's exactly what i did this week. I spent several evenings over there. Unfortunately not directly ON the car but more some preparation work. Because a fellow local Datsun Z Enthusiast asked me if he could buy my sparechassis and some parts. so i had to prepare it. Here's what the rear axle looked in the beginning:


and a few days later this was leftover and ready for sale along with some small other bits.


then i had to prepare the chassis, mainly just cleaning it a bit, because it already was a bare shell with no single bolt left on it. (the fenders are just hung there for easy storage).


Yesterday Krisztian came and picked up the shell. I'm happy for more than one reason.
First and mainly i know it's in good hands and that every  usable parts (and there are not many on this shell!) will be reaused and transplanted into it's new owner. So none of the usable parts will be scrapped.


Second i don't have to deal with the old chassis anymore and have a lot of storage space back in the garage now


And last but not least i got some money for it which will be used to bring the second chassis, which is currently at the bodyshop back to life.
This is how the garage looks now. Plenty of space to clean and sort all my spareparts which currently are a bit in a messy order


So plans for the next weeks are cleaning the garage and going through all my parts stored in there and get them organized better.
Second i have some news regarding the mirrors which i sent for repair a while ago (will make a separate post on that topic soon)
and Then i bought some parts in Japan again which should arrive here soon. So stay tuned

[jdmjunkies.ch]

After i've done the Kakimoto valve cover a while a go and started several things i'm happy to announce i finally completed another (well at least a small) part of the car. The JDM 240Z fender mirrors. This was quite a story. Because it's quite difficult to find the obsolete long-base mirrors, while the short base Datsun 510 mirrors still are available in new condition. Well i wanted to have it authentic so i went the extra mile for a detail most people probably even wouldn't notice
Started with a set of crappy long base mirrors i found on ebay a while ago. But sadly a lot of parts where missing and the mounts in the bottom where all rusted away...


So i bought a set of new 510 short base mirrors for spareparts.


then stripped the paint of the old long-bases


Disassembled and Test-fitted everything and had it painted at the paintshop in the original charcoal black.




Special thanks goes out to my Fellow datsun enthusiast Stefan who once again showed incredible support with his magic metal skills and was able to move the base mounts from the new 510 mirrors to the old long base version. Perfect work once again.


So finally i was able to assemble the mirrors back to what is now a completed genuine set of long-base JDM Fairlady 240Z Mirrors.








Couldn't be happier. One less point on the 2do-list to care about More soon...

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Long-time readers might remember i already sanded down a 240Z Rear wing in the past, but after i bought my second car i figured out the wing which came with that chassis is in much better overall condition. So i sold the first wing and decided to prepare th e second one as well. And thats what i did yesterday. Started like this:

 

The wing had terrible multiple paintjobs from the past

 

Started with a drill-mounetd CSD-Disk and after a while the wing looked like this. You can see the first layer was a gray primer, then golden paint. then another layer of red primer and on top the horrible black paintjob. Sanded it down as much as possible. but as soon as the disk hit the plastik i figured out the plastik is too weak for the disk. 

 

Ath this point i continued with 400grit Sandpaper and manual sanding. Wing looked like this before i ran out of sand-paper.

 

And i looked like this will continue next week until the surface is smooth and all old primer and paint is completely gone

Edited October 4, 2015 by jdmjunkies.ch

[88dangerdan]

I have to say the wing looks a lot better. ...lol...

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Nothing big, just spent another two hours at the garage compling the sanding down of the wing. Before:

 

and done

 

there are a few damages in the FRP surface like it's normal for a 40 year old FRP-item, but no problem. i know a good FRP-specialist and will bring it to him for repair.

 

Also needs new studs in the bottom end as well as a new foam-sealing

Edited October 5, 2015 by jdmjunkies.ch

[jdmjunkies.ch]

While i'm waiting for some parts from japan and for some answers from USA i realized i never showed you some pictures i made a few months ago (Only a teaser shot for my FB-followers was published). I made a mock-up of the  Front axle and steering setup to see how everything fits together and get the idea. So first i adjusted the steering rack according to the manual:

And then mounted it the the front subframe:

Next was the stabilizer bar, steering knuckles, tierod endlinks and new bushings allround

And then while at it i decided to add the Doglegs. Seems like everything fits as it should. perfect
What you see here is:
- Nagisa NAMS adjustable tierod endlinks
- Kameari engine mounts
- Rocky auto adjustable doglegs
- 555 Ball Joints
- Autorefine ARC stabilizer bar
- Datsun competition short steering knuckles
- Rebuilt steering rack
- All new energy PU bushings
- All other parts have been sandblasted and powdercoated
- All new OEM Nissan Screws, bolts and nuts used whenever available, otherwise replated original bolts!

 

oh, and then this:

[jdmjunkies.ch]

A while ago i wrote about different intake Manifolds and that i probably want to go for a FET (Better known as "Far East Trading" Japan) Manifold. But as i have other priorities at the moment i wasn't really looking for one. Well untill my Friend Stefan remembered my Post when he scanned the Internet for some Kenmeri parts and stumblet upon one. He immediately sent me the  link and because it was a Steal of a deal i had to get it. Today i had something in the mail

Thanks to the finned or striped design i think it perfectly fits the Kakimoto intake once it's painted in the same wrinkle-paint colour. And yeah i know the balancer tube might make everything a bit mor difficult to adjust, but i'm sure there's a way to work around it (like plugging the holes going to the tube or so...)

And because it's too expensive to only send one single part from Japan to here i ordered my self a set of Projectu Drumbrake shoes which will go nicely together with the hayashi racing drums The other set is for stefan's Kenmeri Project. Thanks again, mate!

[jdmjunkies.ch]

A while ago i started the assembly of the Pedalbox. While i still wait for some small components like the flasher unit and the Brake light switch i couldn't resist assembling all the shiny new zinc-plated and powdercoated parts
After putting the new rubber to the pedals i installed them to the box with the fresh plated bolts.


 

Then the stopper bolts and springs came in.

 

Looks brilliant, doesn't it?

 

here's a comparison between the old crappy one (right side) and the completely rebuilt one, left.

 

Oh and while at it i did the throttle pedal as well


Oh and then i have some good news from Japan again soon

[jdmjunkies.ch]

I have a truckload of parts on my way from Japan, but other than that i don't have too much news. Im going to be out of country most of the time of the rest of the year for some business trips and some long-needed vacation. However i wanted to get some stuff done before i leave and mainly it was about cleaning up the mess in the garage. I've collect parts from two chassis and the internet and put them in various boxes but somehow i lost the overview over time so i wanted to have that fixed. this is what it looked like before i started cleaning yesterday:




So i started sorting all parts from various boxes to other ones and marking everything nicely to find the parts whenever i need them


And while in the garage anyway i decided to remove the old brake calipers from the front struts


And out they are


And then also removed the moustage bar from the rear diff and figoured out everything was covered in a thick layer ouf some rubber-stuff. Probably the diff was leaking at one point and they putt this nasty stuff on it to get it fixed cheaply. Anyhow the diff will get a full rebuild or R200 swap (haven't made any desicion yet). so that won't be a problem

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Yeah i know - the pace is quite slow lately, but im still working on the project silently in the background. But today is the day i have som GREAT news for you. I got a Package delivered from Japan with some parts i've been looking for over two years now until i recently stumbled across them finally


I'm talking about the Sumitomo MK63 brakes. But what's so rare about them you might ask? they pop up every now and then on the internet. But this is not your standard MK63 for vented disk, but the very rare first gen. version for OEM Nissan disks, which are FIA homologated and were used in various ex works racing cars. I've even been told that nissan asked them back after the races from their teams.. wow

Here's a comparison between the standard brake (Also sumitomo manufactured) and the MK63:

 

I plan to restore / rebuild the new brakes before they go in.

 

And here's some specs from the NISMO homepage and the old Datsun performance catalogue:

Later NISMO offered the same brakes under their brand but they're obsolete since a few years..

Oh and while ordering parts from japan anyway i decided to order all available maintenance and refurbishing parts for the brakes from the NISMO / Nissan catalogue and got them delivered from a local Nissan dealership from Yokohama

[miky360]

Awesome find! Insane that you were able to find lines to go with them also.

[HS30-H]

I'm talking about the Sumitomo MK63 brakes. But what's so rare about them you might ask? they pop up every now and then on the internet. But this is not your standard MK63 for vented disk, but the very rare first gen. version for OEM Nissan disks, which are FIA homologated and were used in various ex works racing cars. I've even been told that nissan asked them back after the races from their teams.. wow

 

 

I said "wow" to myself when I read that too, but probably not for the same reason as you. Where does this story come from? It sounds completely apocryphal to me. Maybe something 'lost in translation'...?

 

Nissan was selling the MK63-20S caliper as a 'Race/Sports Option' part for other cars in their range before the S30-series Z debuted in 1969, so they were already in public circulation. Their original source - as a stock part for the top of the range Nissan President limousine - meant that they could be sourced elsewhere anyway. Why would Nissan want, let alone need to ask teams to give them back after using them? What a bizarre story.

 

I'm also not sure why you are making the narrower, unvented - solid disc - type MK63 caliper sound like it's something cooler than the wider - vented disc - type? It was always easier - and cheaper - to find the unvented type, and it was the more expensive vented type that was more difficult to source. The upshot was that people started machining up spacers for the unvented type calipers to make them fit over a vented disc, leading to all sorts of caliper flexing problems.

 

The reason they wanted to convert to vented discs was the fact that its so easy to overheat the stock - unvented - disc, with sudden fade (just when you didn't want it...) and pad glazing being the result. So the unvented type are fine up to a point, but the weak link is the disc. I would always recommend the vented type over the unvented type. I run MK63-20S calipers on 4 S30-series Zs and a KPGC10, and all of them with vented discs. I would not bother with the solid disc type.   

[jdmjunkies.ch]

I said "wow" to myself when I read that too, but probably not for the same reason as you. Where does this story come from? It sounds completely apocryphal to me. Maybe something 'lost in translation'...?

 

Nissan was selling the MK63-20S caliper as a 'Race/Sports Option' part for other cars in their range before the S30-series Z debuted in 1969, so they were already in public circulation. Their original source - as a stock part for the top of the range Nissan President limousine - meant that they could be sourced elsewhere anyway. Why would Nissan want, let alone need to ask teams to give them back after using them? What a bizarre story.

 

I'm also not sure why you are making the narrower, unvented - solid disc - type MK63 caliper sound like it's something cooler than the wider - vented disc - type? It was always easier - and cheaper - to find the unvented type, and it was the more expensive vented type that was more difficult to source. The upshot was that people started machining up spacers for the unvented type calipers to make them fit over a vented disc, leading to all sorts of caliper flexing problems.

 

The reason they wanted to convert to vented discs was the fact that its so easy to overheat the stock - unvented - disc, with sudden fade (just when you didn't want it...) and pad glazing being the result. So the unvented type are fine up to a point, but the weak link is the disc. I would always recommend the vented type over the unvented type. I run MK63-20S calipers on 4 S30-series Zs and a KPGC10, and all of them with vented discs. I would not bother with the solid disc type.   

Hi there, i understand your doubt and let me explain it:

1) I got told this by a guy in the USA who's into historic datsun racing and intended to sell me a set of MK63 solid calipers first, which never happened. Me too thought that story was quite bizarre, that's why i wrote "i was told" into the sentence because i was not really sure if that is true. didn't really make sense to me as well.

 

2)  According to your text i guess in the past the solid type was much common compared to the Vented type. But if you check Yahoo auctions now there are allways a few sets of MK63 vented types for sale while this was the first set of solid type within two years i gould get hands on. Maybe i don't know where to look but it was much harder for me to find a set of original solid type calipers than a set of vented ones which is even available as reproduction in japan. I know there are other options which would also work but i wanted to have the real deal. I guess the reason for aviability is because everyone is looking for the vented type and nobody wants the solid type. thats why vented ones have bevome more common and are usually sold. maybe i'm wrong, you're the expert

 

3) Now why i went for the solid type istead of the vented ones? That's not because i wanted to. i would have preferred vented ones for sure. but due to the fact that nissan in germany (which is responsible for switzerland as well) destroyed all records on old option parts (according to the guy at their office i had on the phone), and due to the swiss law regarding registration of after-market parts and cars i cannot switch to vented disks without an official german or swiss certificate. which is not available anymore. I decided to use the stock solid disks with the MK63 calipers and hope that nobody will notice the brakes are "wrong".

So for me that's actually the only option to upgrade the brakes without (hopefully) running into trouble. that's why. not my first choice but the only one i have

[jdmjunkies.ch]

After i was on a long vacation and visited tokyo auto salon as well (see tons of pictures on www.JDMjunkies.ch) im finally back at the project..

Good news guys. I thought it's about time to get the project rolling a bit faster again. that's why i'm currently preparing a few things. However thanks to my buddy stev (big thank you again, buddy!) i was able to get hands on another NOS piece: A New-Old-Stock Datsun Front lower center valance Panel thingy. Probably the last Bodypanel which was missing. Well i had one but it was rustend and totally crushed so this came in handy




With partnumber and everything


Oh and last week i got this picture from my bodyshop, letting me know that the car is back at the main workspace and ready to crank work up again. Hope to get some updates from him soon :)IMG-