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

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Today this little panel arrived:

 

It's there to protect the fuel filler neck that goes to the tank

 

And is installed in the RH wheel housing. Just a small little bit that was missing and another piece of the puzzle:

[jdmjunkies.ch]

As usual, progress is slow but steady. So this week something arrived which i've ordered over two months ago, but was delayed due to COVID-19. I mainly bought it because it had a slight water-damage and was almost for free. and it's still nice enough to work with in the workshop.

 

Just another piece of documentation ready. Looking forward to get back into the project soon.

[jdmjunkies.ch]

I'm still looking for two (prefereable NOS) panels to complete the 240Z Chassis.
IF you have those parts and are willing to sell, or if you know somebody, please contact me by any possible way!! thanks in Advance.
1) The Front air Channel LH. Nissan Part No: 64151-E4100 superseded by 64151-N4501


 

2) The rear inner fender LH: 76713-E4150 Superseded by 76713-N3450

[jdmjunkies.ch]

While the Z is at my place, my Bodyshop gave me some homework: To completely strip the chassis from all the seam sealer, undercoating, bondo and paint so that it's easier for him to remove old welds and weld new stuff... started by removing the biggest chunks in the front inner fender area with a spatula. but after an hour i realized i need a faster solution.

 

After a bit of research, i found this tihng called Turbo-Igel (Turbo Hedgehog). The name comes from the "hook" style spikes that remind of a hedgehog

 

This thing works absolutely brilliantly and isnt really agressive to the metal due to it's unique shape.

 

The problem is, after 10 minutes the effect really starts to weaken since the hooks get dull. but you still can u se it totally for about 30minutes at a maximum speed of 3500 rpm. then all the hooks are gone

 

With two disks i managed to get this much done in approx. 2 hours of work:

 

Well and while the car got cleaner, i got dirtier

 

And i removed approx 3-4 kgs of Bondo / Paint, underbody coating, seam sealer etc..

Still a lot to do. for me and the bodyshop. can you see all those terribly cheap repair attempts from previus owner? And rusty spots? And dents where there shouldn't be?
Well... i've come too far to stop now, i guess
  

[grannyknot]

This what you need, mounted on an angle grinder,  I've used this wheel hundreds and never seems to wear out.

Your body guy left you with all the "fun" work.

 

[rossman]

+1 what grannyknot said and be prepared to get yourself and everything in the immediate area very dirty. 

Edited October 9, 2020 by rossman

[1969honda]

^^^this, highly recommend a face shield as well. When those little wires do break off and stick in your clothes they can feel like razors, definetly don't want one in your eyes or any other part of your face. 

[jdmjunkies.ch]

The best source for (mostly) Accurate Information, still are the original Service manuals. At least if you don't have access to the factory documentation. So i got a bunch of documents lately from various sources:
1) The heater manual. Actually it's a free download from the classiczcars.com website, which i just printed for easier access in the workshop.
This one covers especially the S30 series Heater system:

 

 

2) The Japanese Steering Manual. It covers an array of Nissan Steering racks up to 1978, including the S30 of course, and i've never seen this one before, so i had to get it before it starts to hit prices like the other early Z-related original documentation. It's in near-mint shape too!



 

3) From Belgium i got a set of 260Z Manuals including the S30 Body and chassis Supplement 1. Which is more or less an add-on to the earlier version and includes the latest updates. I bought them mainly because they were cheap and to have some details on the later S30 Chassis versions.   

 

4) Also from belgium i got this german Datsun Electronic fault-finding manual which is a bit funky and clearly different from the other manuals. It's a bit later too, so it includes the S130 and not the S30, but has a lot of general information, wiring diagram fold-outs and is just a cool little add-on to the collection.




I still have a few manuals missing in my collection, and the picture below does not show all the Z-related factory documentation i have. But here's just a little glimpse at some documents in the shelve. What is really missing for me is some sort of factory / supplier made Sumitomo MK63 brakes documentation, which i haven't seen yet. And then the Printed L-drive Parts manual which i have in digital version and as Microfiches, but not as the most detailed printed version. I still have to read through the new manuals when i find a few quiet minutes.

[jdmjunkies.ch]

OK you might remember i got hands on a "rare" Passenger footrest the other day and then somebody made a reproduction rubber piece for it? Now i'm slowly starting to rework it. But first. I've ordered all the available parts from my local nissan dealer. Mainly the bolts and shims to mount it to the floor:


So, aside from the two black bolts that hold it down to the floor (which can easily be bought at any hardware store, i guess) i have now everything i need to complete another part of the puzzle:

 

And also had the old rubber piece removed:

 

 

And hammered out said bolts (which are sold as one piece installed on the footrest) as i plan to replace them:

 

 

Then tried to figure out the exact location of the footrest, to drill the holes into the floorpans. but i'm not sure yet...

 

So i tried to figure out something in the manuals. but all i found was a picture mentioning that the footrest exists, in the Japanese Service bullentin book "introduction of the S30"

 

But no drawing or any other information how to exactly install it. All i have to rely on are pictures, like this one below from the Motorfan January 1970 Issue (Z432 Test), or the ones posted by Kats and Alan here. So if anybody has some information on where to exactly install the footrest, please let me know :)
   

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Today i got a package from Prague. Jirka who also made these beautiful Sticker replicas here: https://www.jdmjunkies.ch/wordpress/2019-05-06/240z-various-oem-reproduction-stickers/
Posted on Social media about a few sets of Kick panels which he made and were for sale.

 

They're very close to the original, made out of (laser cut) Masonite, with very similar pattern on the back and painted in satin black

 

I wasn't really able to confirm the fitment, but from this first view the look like OEM Fitment and knowing jirka, he does work very accurate. According to his social media post these kick panels are available in the versions, depending on the year of the Car.

Thanks for another great product. Nice to see all those high-quality replica parts popping up lately, especially from the  not-so-known sources.

[jdmjunkies.ch]

So, a few days ago, i had a phone call with Chris from S30.world. We agreed on a deal (soon more) and he offered me one of his new Reproduction fuel tanks in return. Since my fuel tanks both are very worn, who am i to turn such an offer down?
This is how the original ones look. They don't seem too bad. But while one of them could surely be rescued with a certain amount of money and time, the other one is beyond reasonable repair, especially if you look inside....

 

Today the New Tank arrived here, straight from the netherlands.


I have to admit it looks fantanstic.


The only small downside is that the black coating is slightly too flat and is more glossy on the original product. According to Chris it was due to the production process or something. Nothing that a little respray can't solve. Otherwise it's perfect, down to every last detail. 


Check out his Homepage where you can see the different versions of the tank and how they are made (inside pictures too). Also he now started offering the mounting hardware for it. He now plans to offer a variaty of as-close-as-possible-to-the-original Reproduction parts in near future. Some very interesting stuff, which he told me, and which is definitely very sought after in the market. Especially with this high quality and so close to the original parts. Thanks again for such a nice piece!

Now Since the original rubber-damper / Spacer pieces on the tank are missing, i immediately started to remove the ones from the old tank:


A bit of heat from the heat gun and a spatula and they came off very easy:


When i started to clean them, i realized that one of them has started to become a bit brittly. So i will definitely have my local rubber shop make for new pieces for me soon.

 

I have ordered all the missing parts for the tank including fuel tank sender, all the hoses and fuel filler neck, etc.    

 

If you remember, i already got the protecing plate not too long ago

Thanks again chris and see you soon!

 

Edited November 6, 2020 by jdmjunkies.ch

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Since i got a new fuel tank a few days ago, i decided to get all the parts that belong to it. The first parts came today. The Fuel tank sending  unit:

 

Including the Seal O-Ring

 

And while ordering parts, i decided to get some random parts that were available too. Like the Battery tray:



 

And the choke lever Handle:

 

More parts are on the way

[jdmjunkies.ch]

More parts arrived. this time a NOS fuel filler neck, straight from Japan:
 

This fits my restored Fuel filler cap and mount perfectly

[jdmjunkies.ch]

I work with CAD Drawings and renderings daily in my work life and always wanted to learn how to draw them. When i realized i need those 240Z Tank rubber pieces redone and probably should make a nice drawing, that seemed like the perfect occasion to download FreeCAD and spend an hour on youtube watching beginners guide to CAD Drwaing. I'm used to electronis CAD programs so it's not completely new, allthough i've never designed something 3D. Until today. I got the hang for simple basics pretty fast and here i have my first design for the rubber piece:

 

Of course this is something stupidly simle. but just perfect for a total newbie like me. And it will give my rubber-shop a better idea of what they  have to make for me

 

So after all i'm pretty proud and i hope i can improve my skills in other occasions soon. at least i've got the idea about what the CAD Designers in my company do all day now

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Over the next week i've planned to bring the Chassis to a Blasting company (more on that in a separate post). But before that i had to remove the installed bodypanels.

So the passenger door and fenders came off and we have the naked chassis back.

 

Then i decided it would make sense to drill holes before the blasting and before a primer would be applied, so i decided to prepare the holes for the optional passenger footrest.

 

It took me a while to figure out the "original" position. It appears that the Drain holes and everything are not simply mirrored on LHD and RHD Cars and floorpans. So i had to do a mix of guessing and measuring to figure out the position.

 

But at the end i think i nailed it.

 

And now even the bends on the L-shaped foots make sense. I thought those were bent by accident, until i heard from several people that they've seen those feet with bends before.
(ignore the uncleaned welds, those will be cleaned of course). If you get the location right, the perfectly fit with the shape of the transmission tunnel / Floor pans. Also note that measures for the position i had first where made for the two inwards-facing "feet" but my one has two Left-facing feet, so of course the position of the holes are different...

 

At the end i had it all installed and with a nice fit, if you ask me.. 

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Shout out to my man Stefan who gave me the Tip on this NOS Front Fender for sale. Actually it said NOS but, i'm not 100% sure. it has a weird Handpainted primer-layer on the outside, but other than that looks prety NOS. it's in perfect shape (aside from a few small storage dents and scratches), has absolutely no rust (Some very small surface rust spots) and looks straight

 

After all that's exactly what i needed, so i don't really care if it was NOS or not and i just believe in it *lol*

 

Had to test fit it of course but nothing seems wrong with it.

 

Looks nice in my growing collection of Fenders. Why another one you might ask?

 

The black set is quite rusty at the bottom and with the "golden" set i realized at some point that some of the previous owner thought it's super-nice to remove the original Line that is in the fenders to make a "smooth" look. And also they deleted the Holes for the 240Z emblem

 

This is the new fender with the original line nicely visible and all factory holes are still there. So finally, one piece more in the puzzle

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Lately i got really interested in the Datsun Switzerland history and i've started to collect a few documents. Luckily it seems that thanks to Covid some people find time to dig through old piles of documents and put them for sale. Thats how i got t his Datsun (Suisse) Information brochure, very similar to this one. It seems to be  a bit older since the Z is not listed inside, but it has figure from november 1969, so i think it must be from very late 1969 or very early 1970. It seems to be higher quality than the other one, but the content is very similar.

 

Mainly advertising the Datsun Brand and Nissan Mothercompany, the Datsun Switzerland headquarter under construction and of course the cars. Including some insights into the racing programme of Nissan:



 

The second item from the same seller was a little fold-out flyer advertising the various Cars:

 

Again by Datsun switzerland, both in German and french:

 

On the backside you find the specsheets and the dealer list including the 12 Months / 20'000 km Warranty claim.

 

I thought it's such a nice and authentic piece, i had to put it in a frame and will find a nice place to hang it on the workshop wall.

I got more parts today and expect more documents soon, so stay tuned

[jdmjunkies.ch]

Since i got the triple Mikuni / Solex carb setup, i was looking for an original Competition fuel rail that belongs to it, as shown in this 1978 american Datsun competition parts catalogue:

Lately i found a NOS one for sale, and of course i had to get it...

Here's how it's listed in the Japanese Race & Rallye preparation manual:

And while ordering stuff anyway, i decided to include the floorpan rubber plugs... 

Oh and there was a free little early christmas gift inside the box too:

[jdmjunkies.ch]

I've always wanted to decorate my workshop & Garage with some authentic Vintage datsun signs or so, but they're not exactly easy to come by.. So when this one popped up, i had to get it immediately. Yesterday i undertook a 6 hour drive to the other, french speaking side, of the country, to pick up this vintage dealer sign. Due to the language barrier and short time we had, i wasn't able to figure out the history. But the seller had other, similar signs, so i guess it must have been part of a combination with other signs outside a dealership in the french speaking area of switzerland. Nevertheless. i loaded it into the back of my car and brought it home.

 

It's basically an aluminum frame with a plexiglass front which has the datsun logo printed on it somehow (it doesn't seem to be a vinyl sticker or so)


I wasn't really sure if it's working or not, and honestly i was expecting the inverters to explode when i power them up, simply to the fact that it hasn't probably been used in decades. But this beeing an "industrial grade" outdoor sign, made by a well known swiss signmaking company, it just came alife as soon as i installed the cable and plugged it in. great!


Now i have to find a nice place for it, it is much bigger then what i expected when i bought it. but i love it Probably will convert it to LED lighting before hangig it somewhere on the wall, to avoid a repair after a few working hours. This thing is big and it might e tricky to hang it somewhere, so it better should stay there forever

[boosted300]

Wowww....very envious!