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Datsun 240Z - 1971 Blue Metallic 903 - Resto


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Hi,

 

"Here I go again" like the Whitesnake song says...but this time with a 71 240Z.

 

Some of you remember me for the LB110 restoration in Mr.Vitorino shop here in Portugal, well, he had a dicease and return to work a month ago the reason for this restoration project is starting now.

 

I will put some pictures and insert some comments.

 

The Z, it's a beautiful lady but the previous owner ruined it if we talk about what's original according the year and what's not. This will be a difficult task but I'm prepared for the challenge. My Z is a 71 and it's like a 73...

 

Yesterday I left the Z with Mr.vitorino and next week the resto will begin. 

 

We've inspected the car and found the usual rust on the model, it's not bad and has excellent mechanic, good for me...Let's see how far I can go returning this Z.

 

Hope you enjoy the topic.

 

Now the first pictures...

 

Regards,

Mário

 

 

 

image.jpg

 

Z in Mr.Vitorino shop, last photo before the work...

 

 

 

 

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The last run...

 

20542765_10154851646353519_1537693842_o.

 

 

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We were making some marks in the panel that should be covered. Perhaps relays and some stuff...lot's of holes...

 

 


 

Mr.Vitorino leading the operation...

 

 

IMG_20170731_154658.jpg

 

The rubbers are completely wasted, I will put new ones. The scutcheons will return to it and the same will happen to the center bumper.

All the 73 details will disappear...

 

 

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The spolier and rear is in the wrong colour, I guess it's charcoal...

 

 

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Some rust, not really important...

 

 

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On this side of the car I was expecting more rust..,but seems fine for now!!!

 

 

IMG_20170731_160848.jpg

 

I will change the colour to the original one too, charcoal, the same as the rear and rear spoiler

 

Soon I'll have more pictures...

 

 

 

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Hi!

Thanks for the answers.

 

theczechone - Yes, they are the Kobe Seiko wheels from the 432Z. All portuguese Z had them, but some owners decided to change, luckily the previous owner didn't do that. Some minor rust...let's see if we don't have any surprises!  

 

 

Andreas - Thanks. The wheels are extremely rare and I'll keep them...I'm thinking buying the watanabe 8 spoke for dailydrive and this ones only for meetings and so on.

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Well, i had to ask. I been looking for a long time now and will keep looking. They just look amazing. Please let me know if you come across another set as you live in Portugal and those wheels came on many or all 240z there. There may be some sets still laying around.

Best of luck with the restoration. I will be following.

//Andreas

Edited by Andreas
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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi everybody!

 

Thanks a lot for yor feed-back. I’ve got some news and that’s why I’m here again.

Last Tuesday I went to Mr.vitorino shop and started do dismantle the Z…honestly I thought it was a dificult task, but it wasn’t…well, only in some little details.

The ca ris in excellent shape as photos will show…I guess this car was restored or deep painted some years ago.

Next week We’ll have at least one door rebuilt, below the doors and inside need some intervention.

Here are some photos…

 

Rear window acquisition…the car has the horizontal defrost lines and aren’t the correct…I found one vertical and job done…a few years ago I bought one in the USA and came broken…never bought or find anoter one..they are getting rare this days!!!

 

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The beggining…

 

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Door parts ready for the treatment…Nickel plating

 

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Rear floor…not bad!!! I got scared, but fortunately the brown zone is glue…no rust…

 

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Door ready for Mr.Vitorino!

 

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Original floor carpet…but has to be removed!!!

 

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Rear luggage accomodation in excelente shape

 

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And now the surprise…the original blue…It can only be seen on some detailed parts..this is one!

 

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Replacemente tyre floor…not bad…no rust…

 

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The seats will be rédone, but I will only take care of the parts that are completely off…

 

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No plastic cover…but I have 2 here…offered by a mate!!!

 

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Passenger side floor…the usual…46 years and some bad treatment…the reason…the jack tool…but Mr.vitorino said that’s a part to be redone…

 

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Drivers side floor…the usual again…but this one has no concerns…ist’s 75% good…a little intevention. By the end we will apply some Soundproofing board to avoid rust and noise.

 

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My helper keeping all the bolts in place!

 

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Under the plate no surprises!!!!

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Datsun logo temporarily off…

 

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In my opinion this s the exact moment to restore the car…it has some details that need intervention, and now that he has no rust holes and unrestorable parts the process will be much easier.

 

 

 

Andreas - The last time I saw an entire set being sold abroad the price was pornographic...8000€. All portuguese Z had them and actually our z's abre being sold for France, Belgium, finland and from the 139 sold here between 1970 and 73 no more than 35 Z's remain...We are having a great lost on Z's...unfortunately...But I see a set I'l tell you.

 

 

 

 

Hope you like it…next week some more news!!!

Regards

Mário

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Beautiful condition, you have a very straight car and as you say, perfect time fix the few things that need doing.  The only thing I can see that looks modified is the cut out for the muffler tip, looks a little larger than stock. What are your plans, will you take it back to the original blue?

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  • 1 month later...

Hi again.

 

On the last two weeks Mr.Vitorino worked on other projects and on the last days he worked in the Z.

 

He started with the doors, and at first they seem in pretty nice shape...but then he found some clues on bad reparations years ago. With this he decided to separate the door panel from the structure and he was right, they need some intervetion. Tons of rust and event the protetion layer was completely cracked.

 

This week I hope he finishes at least one door, because on Thursday I'm going to the shop.

 

Meanwhile, the electric system was rebuilt and is now tunned for 1971, I'm talking about the rear plate lights.

 

Let's see the pictures,,,and like I said...this was the correct moment for this Z...

 

IMG_20170921_160359.jpg
 
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The interior as Mr. Vitorino suspected...passenger door.
 
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Drivers door with the same aspect...
 
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And based in this suspections we have decided to make a full reparation of the doors. Next photos are from the passenger door. Door panel and interior panel removed.
I believe these were the worst parts of this car, and I'm aware of the rust on the front and rear arches and I think I'll be lucky.
 
 
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grannyknot: Thanks a lot. As you say, perfect time and Mr.Vitorino did the best option on the car. I'll put it back on 1971 with the original blue. I'll try to get all the details and put her 100% original. I think it's possible. The muffler happened because of this version I think. It still has the original muffler tip. I'll search with some other here in Portugal!
 
JT1: Thanks a lot. That's exactly the 903. Love the colour on the car. This one is pretty but not the original. 
 
Rturbo930: Thanks a lot. For the moment only metal work. 
 
 
 
 
Hope you are enjoying this resto...next week some more news!

 

Regards

Mário

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi again!

Here I am with some fresh news and photos.

The metal work is on a great speed and this week the doors were finished.

This week I think the rear and cowl grill will be finished too.

The doors gave us some trouble and we had to send them to sandblast to clean the metal, not the panel, but the interior. By the end a new panel was used. The drivers door was in bad shape, worst than the passenger side.

On Saturday we remove the symbols, rear spoiler and rear lights. Only the bumper remain.

I hope the rear and front are better than the doors…

 Let’s see the photos!

 

Doors and interior separated…

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Doors ready. The green painting is a spray to protect the metal for the rust.

 

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Mr.Vitorino looking for some rust…ahahahah

 

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This was a corner of one door…tons of rust…

 

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Under the cowl grill the scenery is good. I was a little bit worried about it…true..but Mr.Vitorino said that’s ok…the surprise is next…

 

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Under the grill…

 

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The grill had to high pointson both sides, like a screw, but…it wasn’t what we thought…

Somebody before had covered the rust on the panel with iron mass and hammered the rust point down. With time the mass began to crack…and the result was this…

 

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Mr.Vitorino immediatly started to work and found tons of rust!

 

 

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All this marerial, like a spounge, hide the rust!

 

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Again the original blue!

 

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The spoiler removed and a cracked srew…

 

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The bumper is not for my serie, I’ll remove it…only the enter is needed!

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I’ll use charcoal colour to paint the structures…

 

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Again the original blue and the rear door in excellent shape!!! No intervention needed!

 

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My homework is now recover the symbols and clean some parts.

 

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Mr. Vitorino trying to get the rear lights…not an easy task!

 

IMG_20171014_160415.jpg

 

 

 

Hope you enjoyed the photos.

Next weekend I’ll try to get some more!

 

Regards

Mário

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi folks,

I’ve got some more news!

Yesterday I’ve been in Mr.Vitorino garage, and I found my Z with another 2 parts finished. The cowl rill and the rear.

This means that soon he will be repairing the floors and front, I believe in one month for the metal work and then painting.

Soon I’ll take out the engine and gear-box to make the treatment and finish the metal work.

I’ve already started to separate some parts for the chrome and some to recover at home.

The cowl grill had to be redone in the extremities but now the part is new. And the rear was our big problem!!! The rear lights have never been removed and all the bolts were in bad shape, some we had to waste because were corroded.

 

Let’s see the photos for you to see all the advances!

 

 

This was redone because of the rust on the rear. The worst part was above the lights.

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This part was severe…but now rédone!

 

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The cowl grill is redone now…

 

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And again the original blue in two separated parts of the car.

 

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My Homework…

 

IMG_20171101_122830.jpg

 

 

Hope you have enjoyed the photos and the work until now!

Next week more news!

 

Andreas: Thanks a lot! I'm at one step for the painting job! 

 

 

Regards

Mário

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

Hi everybody,

After one month break, the works have returned.

Today we have been dismantling the sidewings, grill, lights, bumpers and soo n. All went well, but srews are evil…I hate them a lot…some broke and were in hard position to took.

Until now I was on the Z book searching just for the srews. I want them new!!!1

I thought the Z was na easy car do disassemble, but it isn’t!!! Too many tricks.

This week the works go to the sides of the car as you’ll see on the pictures!

Hope you still like them!

 

A ViZit…eheheh

 

IMG_20180127_131040.jpg

 

Hood, bumper and grill…no difficulties…

 

IMG_20180127_132445.jpg

 

The grill

 

IMG_20180127_133157_1.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_134907.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_135517.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_135521.jpg

 

Then surprises…

 

The original paint showed up again…

IMG_20180127_132524.jpg

 

The super horns…I don’t even know what model they belog…not Datsun for shure!

IMG_20180127_132536.jpg

 

And it looked like this…

 

IMG_20180127_135521.jpg

 

Side wings and lights..major problems with the screws…horrible!!! All went rust and some broke!!!

 

The surprise…

 

IMG_20180127_150616.jpg

 

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IMG_20180127_163112.jpg

 

What a big hole…

 

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The battery corner is rusty too…

 

IMG_20180127_163117.jpg

 

All stripped…

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Right side in good shape…needs a cleaning…but srews are evil…more than an hour…

 

IMG_20180127_163320.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_163317.jpg

 

Superficial rust…some luck here!!!

 

IMG_20180127_163228.jpg

 

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Down the door is possible the worst part of the right side.

 

IMG_20180127_163303.jpg

 

Some appointments to do…nothing special!

 

IMG_20180127_163218.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_163207.jpg

 

We took the car to the lifter to check all the issues we discovered…well…need deep metal work on the left side!

IMG_20180127_165104.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_165108.jpg

 

 

Left side…

 

IMG_20180127_165220.jpg

 

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Right side…

 

IMG_20180127_165202.jpg

 

IMG_20180127_165850.jpg~

 

These wings just need cleaning work!

 

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And this last photo for today…bolts with story…46 precisely…but very stubborns

 

Hope you enjoyed the work so far…

 

Andreas: Just now Mr.Vitorino recover from a family issue, the reason fot the resto to stop. It was supposed to get the car ready in January. But now will move on. Today we made great advances...let's see next week! We need to take out engine fot Mr.Vitorino to work.

 

Regards

Mário

 

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  • 2 months later...

Hi everybody!

 

It seems all imagens were lost…It might be a problem on postimage…really don’t know…I’ll start from last works on car.

It’s been raining hard these days in Portugal, and the cold didn’t allowed Mr.Vitorino to work on the car because of his desease…but we are back…

The news…the car will be to the paint shop within 2 weeks…and next week will be finished for shure! It’s just take out the windshields, brake pump and clutch pump, fuel tank and all the tubes!!!

But now the work on the car…

 

New floor…just one side was needed…an not all…

atzGvBS.jpg

Preparint to cut…

 hwm569p.jpg

It was ruined…

5xiTDk1.jpg

BARaEMX.jpg

 

New one…

bldL6Gh.jpg

Finishing it…

im3zOjd.jpg

 

The ledt side just needed some labour on the back, because the front was already done!

 

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The original colour…very cool!!!

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All the front finished

Before, but with some treatment by the time…

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And ready….

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There was missing a part here,,,Mr.Vitorino made a new one!

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Things to do…

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And we all star the mechanical part…new parts arrive…

 

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Meanwhile they arrive and put in place…

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 9exz828.jpg

 

 

Cleaning parts…

IIjIDna.jpg

 

I need a new fuel pump…but i think Ican get one new…I haven’t search for it!

4HXuLa8.jpg

 

Electric system waint to be revised,,,

7nyj0JC.jpg

 

 

MR.Vitorino completely exhaust…

1f7nQKK.jpg

 

 

See you nest week…Z

EXIR0EW.jpg

 

 

Hope you enjoyed it…next week I’ll put some more upgrades!

 

Regards

Mário

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Andreas - Thanks a lot. Mr.Vitorino is getting better, but the desease he suffered was hard along with the family issues...but let's think positively...and if the car gets finished before August, I will make a surprise for him...really will!!!

 

Regards

Mário  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi again!

On the last 3 weeks we have finished the Z…it’s so nice to see the car ready to paint…there are some minor details to solve, but not metal work, only disassemble some parts.

These weeks were hard…every time we thought the car was done another hole and rust appeared, so we decided to clean the metal until the last bit of paint…I’m talking about the floor…damn…completely rusty….now is new…

The engine is in the rebuilding process and I haven’t got pictures…maybe next week…

Meanwhile is just waiting for the paintig day.

Windows, fuel lines and brake lines will be removed within 15 days!

Hope you enjoy the progresso….let’s see the photos!

 

IMG_20180424_110711.jpg

 

IMG_20180424_150406.jpg

 

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Floor…no words…

 

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Final result…so nice!!!

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Behind the seats…

 

IMG_20180425_113219.jpg

 

IMG_20180425_113228.jpg

 

 

Front floor and the battery frame…the battery flame will be fixed tomorrow…but it seems long time ago someone made a repair on it!

 

IMG_20180424_163110.jpg

 

IMG_20180425_152124.jpg

 

Someone open a hole…crazy maniascs…so…let’s cover it…

 

IMG_20180424_144836.jpg

 

IMG_20180505_160924.jpg

 

Gone…

IMG_20180505_162814.jpg

 

The mudflaps holes were covered too…they will no longer be used…

The back of the car was in bad shape too…minor dents…but needed some repair!!!

 

IMG_20180505_155441.jpg

 

IMG_20180505_164108.jpg

 

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No holes….yeah!!!!

IMG_20180505_171318.jpg

 

Now some photos…

 

The oil pan is in great shape, just needs to be painted grey…the colour is not bad….

IMG_20180425_115851.jpg

 

Mr.Vitorino focused…

IMG_20180425_143849.jpg

 

No doubts…903 blue…

IMG_20180505_155418.jpg

 

Warriors relax…

IMG_20180505_171338.jpg

 

IMG_20180505_172909.jpg

 

Now we will wait 15 days…and deliver it for painting…

 

Hope you still enjoying it!!

 

Regards

Mário

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