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Stripping to shell


Guest Nic-Rebel450CA

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Guest Nic-Rebel450CA

I have seen a number of posts where ppl have stripped their Z's down to just the bare body shell for cleaning, painting, etc. I am toying with the idea of making plans to do so, but I have never done anything like that before. (I have removed various components of a vehicle, but never removed everything at the same time). How long would it take if you were to just remove everything and then put it back on (disregarding the time it takes for whatever painting is going to be done, etc.)

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i stripped my car completely (frame standing on jack stands) in about 3 days. but be prepared. i have at least 200 zip lock baggies of bolts all labeled. if you do not do that it takes about 3 days before you can't remember whether that bolt in your hand is for the steering wheel mount or for the gas tank strap!!!

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Guest Anonymous

I did the same in 6 days (not bad from being in a wheelchair). Just keep a box of ziplock bags and a permanent marker handy and label the parts as soon as you get them out. Make sure you label the larger parts like the window regulators for which side they came out of. It will make it much easier to put back in.

 

The PITA was the windshield. There was so much silicone I needed power tools to remove it.

 

Right now the front is completely sandblasted and covered in WD40 (its taking forever for the POR-15 to show up)

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Guest Nic-Rebel450CA

cool, thanks everyone :)

 

That gives me enough of an idea. I have pretty good organizational habits when it comes to working on cars so it looks like as long as I keep everything organized then I shouldnt have any trouble meeting my ideal timeframe.

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The other thing to keep in mind is storage for the parts you remove. Not only does a fully disassembled car take up a ton of room, many parts are tough to protect. Once you remove a fender for example, it is easily damaged. Make sure you have a good rack system and plenty of places to hang parts. The floor is a terrible place for many Z parts as they will surely get kicked, stepped on, or dirty/wet.

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it's amazing!! all the parts,when together as a car, take up a space about 6' x 16' x 4'. with all the parts disassembled they now take up my 14'x20' room in my basement, not to mention the kitchen table is covered with steering components. this, of course, makes my wife extremely happy.

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I started twenty years ago and after an 18 year break just restarted. During that time my basement wall caved in during a flood and you can imagine what happened to all my parts.

 

On the other hand my neighbor started on a 6 month schedule in April. He is slightly behind schedule due to doing all of the body work himself.

 

Terry

74 260Z

93 300Z

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Once you remove everything from the shell, it’s difficult to stick to the plan of full reassembly. The desire to save weight by leaving out “unnecessary” components, to leave exposed areas of sheet metal where additional attention to fighting rust is required, or to make room for roll cage attachment points, will conspire to turn a once-stripped car into a permanently-stripped car. It becomes a race car, or a race car-wannabe.

 

20 years... what can I say? That has become a life’s labor.

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