Joe's 1972 240Z adventure. // 16 JUN 21 - 13 Jul 24 // 3 years 27 days build

[57GMC]

Hi Joe,

 Sweet ride.  I would keep it a roller as much as possible.  Change one thing at a time and get it really zeroed in.  Start with all the fluids and brakes.  Then drive it and change it as you go.  Just my two cents.  Just have fun...  Ken

[YoBrother]

On 6/17/2021 at 9:21 PM, A to Z said:

not sounding so good, but all lights working, and you can tell the muffler is off.  SU's are needing "assistance" I think:)

 

Hey it runs!  That's a good sign!

[A to Z]

it arrived today, didn't want to start.  oh well, we pushed it in to my garage.  car is almost 1/2 the size I was expecting....it is a SMALL car!  M dad's 2+2 280Z was huge comparted to this thing.

 

I jumped in, and removed the air cleaner, the carbs, and the exhaust manifold  Pretty cool the factory manifold is a 3 into 2 pipes, and those 2 pipes are about a foot long before going into one.  Now.... the factory exhaust was I think 1 7/8".  I will go with a 2.5" system.  I will have it custom made at a muffler shop, with a nice muffler and tip.

 

So, I used a wire wheel attachment in an electric drill and dived in.  Then some brake cleaner and a rag to make a clean spot.  49 years of "yuck".  Oh well, I have a knack for cleaning.   

 

Edited June 22, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

I am going to use the wire wheel attachment to clean up the exhaust manifold and then I will paint it with flat black hi temp paint.  I chose "Old Ford Blue" to repaint the block.  I snapped a stud in the lower exhaust manifold where the exhaust bolts up.  Luckily, there is enough to be able to grab with my vice grips.....I am going to use my MAPP gas torch to heat it up.  It should come right out.  Those smog ports are in there tight too.  I will remove them and plug the holes.

Edited August 19, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

Oh I almost forget....my car has a Mallory distributor!  What luck!

[A to Z]

My game plan for now is to work my way around the front and the other side of the engine compartment.  Drain the radiator and take it out.  detail the nose of the engine and the compartment, then move to the passenger side.  The 1972 aftermarket A/C is so antique that I am going to just toss it.  It has an old York 1 cylinder upright compressor the size of a lawn mower engine, yeah, no thanks.  I am able to get automotive paint in an aerosol can, so as needed, I will be painting the white areas, that won't buff out nice.  Oh....the interior is full of mildew!   the fan....I want to clean it and get it white again....bleach?

[A to Z]

day 2 progress, paint on the block, radiator and A/C compressor out....

[YoBrother]

Lookin good!

 

[A to Z]

Day 3.  

 

Started the day boxing up my SU carburetors and sent them off to a guy in California to professionally restore them.  You can fight these things and they never really work well, sometimes just due to age and having a lot of slop in the parts, etc.  When I get them back they will be BRAND NEW.  Yes....terribly expensive!

 

Then, I went around to the passenger side of the engine, and found yet more, dirty and tired looking stuff.  I pulled the alternator, and the small capacitor on the outside fell off all rusty, un plugged it and this alternator is a small one 30-45 amps.  So, I will replace with a modern 60 amp alternator that has the internal regulator instead of the old Hitachi regulator box on the inner fender.  Next, I pulled the starter and alternator....not too old, good enough, but needs to be cleaned up.  Went ahead and prepped the block for painting, it is ready now....just have to mask it off and spray. Now, the battery box was a bit of a mess.  I had to drill and hammer and screwdriver, and Dremel cut the spot welded in tray to get to the floor underneath it.  RUST.  I did the screwdriver test and yep, I went through in a few places.  BUT the majority was still strong enough to withstand stabs with a screwdriver.  I wire brushed it up with the electric drill.  I was going to get more aggressive with the grinding, but ten I realized I would only be making the metal thinner, so I stopped there.  Now, I will spray the rust with the converter spray to turn it into phosphate and make the metal grey again.  Then I will cut out the rusty holed areas and cut some metal and MIG weld it in.  Then, I will use my all metal filler with a thin skin coat to cover all the pock marks in the sheet metal. Then I'll sand it and prime it and then Datsun white with a clear coat.  I bought a stainless steel battery tray that is a replica of an original.  Instead of welding it in, I will bolt it in, and leave it bare stainless steel.  The other side?  The master cylinder has leaked enough to make the other corner more work.  49 years of neglect, I am staying strong.  Eventually, I will get to the work I like to do....I just have to get through the dirty yuck work.  I AM losing a ton of weight over the last 3 days....very hot, and ending each day completely wet with sweat!  I am getting old, this is my last go around with the old stuff, so this car is a keeper.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

start of the day

Edited June 24, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

another start of the day pic

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

engine is ready for paint. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

battery box pic.  yuck.   49 years of neglect.  other side under the brake master cylinder is bad too

[A to Z]

An up close look of the work needing to be done.  I will cut out the holes and weld in new metal, the pock marked stuff survived the stab test with the screwdriver, so i will treat the rust with the conversion paint and keep on truckin'.  

[grannyknot]

Or you could replace all that rotted metal. https://kfvintagejdm.com/shop/datsun/battery-tray-floor-battery-tray-datsun240z/

 

 

[A to Z]

I got the rust off.  Once I paint it with the converter, it will "de-activate" the rust and convert it to Phosphate.  I removed the rust, leaving the good metal still there, albeit a bit thinner than before.  I have 4-5 small areas where the rust went all teh way through that I am patching, a tad bit of "all metal" filler to hide the scars, the pock marks where the rust almost went through, and it is good to go.  The replacement battery tray I got is a stainless steel copy of the original from the Z depot.  Instead of welding it in, I will bolt it in with stainless hardware.

[A to Z]

I had other things to do today besides another 4-5 hours of Z car restoration, but I wanted to make some progress, and I REALLY wanted to get the block painting over and done with.  I succeeded, I got out to the garage by midnight.  I painted the passenger side at 1:30-1:45 a.m. took a shower and decided to check in here before hitting the rack.  Here are some pics:

 

Edited June 25, 2021 by A to Z

[A to Z]

[A to Z]

[A to Z]