Order of Operations, no, i wish it was as easy as FOIL

[shadowbane]

So this LT1 build has completely gotten on my nerves. So much piecing together and part sourcing has had to be done that, I have gotten to the point of disliking any work done on this engine, and I'm sure some of you can commiserate. The car has sat, lacking an engine and transmission, both of which were removed with months ago, and could use some body work. I don't see much rust, but then again, the original paint has not been stripped. The body looks straight, but since the car is several colors (some panels were taken from a tan car, while the rest is silver) it doesn't have the look many desire.

 

My eventual plan is to strip the whole body, and get it blasted, rust coated, primed and painted. the eventual look will be very similar to the Porsche 911 GT3 RS (including orange powder coated wheels and roll bar):

 

My current debate is whether to stop on the engine for the time being, change things up a bit and focus on the body. The only thing holding me back from this is any fittment that may be necessary after paint has been laid down. After going over the JTR conversion manual and spending a fair amount of time on this website, I have gathered that there shouldn't be any pounding/cutting/welding/bolting/other actions that should screw up the paint on the engine bay, but that brings me to the subject of this long winded post.

 

Would any of you advise against doing the body work first, and finishing the engine while it's in the shop, or should I get the motor finished, fitted, and running, then RIP everything out, strip the car and THEN do all the body work, followed by RE-installing everything.

 

More info about the project outline: 1975 280Z, 1995 LT1 motor (pretty much stock, rebuilt, bored .030 over with Sanderson Block Hugger headers), 1995 T56, JTR conversion plates, 2.5" dual exhaust both exiting on the left, complete rewire. It's a pretty basic conversion, i just want it to be a head turner, so no corners will be cut.

 

Thanks,

Ramsey

[Careless]

Right now what I'm doing is getting my engine together enough so that I know where everything needs to go, then in the spring, I'm going to sandblast the entire shell and mount the front and rear suspension, and then make mounts for my engine once those are within close to final positions.

 

I thought about doing one before the other, but you really can't because you gotta account for various things using both parts at the same time.

 

my 2 pennies.

[dat240zg]

Uh...you'll want to double check your info on no massaging the engine bay/tranny tunnel area. I'm just finishing my LT1/T56 project up and the area where the firewall joins the tranny tunnel needed to be widened, the tranny tunnel needed to be widened in several places, etc.

 

Yours is a 280, and so may be a little wider, but I'd still double check. If you're going to dump the money and effort into the body, you don't want to be hammering it after its been painted.

 

Bryan

Dat240zg

[dsommer]

^^^

Brian, what are you still doing up?

 

Listen to him, his car is DA BOMB!!! NO shortcuts are being taken on his car, period!

[Pop N Wood]

I went through the parts sourcing part, I feel your pain. I now have almost all the parts, or at least identified them. They are sitting in boxes and waiting for install. Now I am just hurting for the time to do the work and suffering some motivational issues just like you.

 

My plan is to finish the swap and get the car on the road as soon as possible.

 

It is WAY easier working on the swap if you aren't insanely worried about muffing the finish. If you are like me your motor will be in and out more times than a sailor in a PI short time room. Even final details like running wire looms and fuel lines oftens means changing your mind about relocating a stock bracket or tie down. This is all a lot easier if you don't have to repaint everytime.

 

My vote is get the damn thing spinning the tires as soon as possible. Spend next summer driving it with the old paint then start the resto next winter.

[Dan Juday]

Well, I'm going to play devil's advocate.

 

First off, the LT1 is arguably the easiest swap mechanically (lets not talk wires here). I've done this swap. It requires the least modification to the engine bay. You even get to keep the stock hood latch. Yes, you will have to pound on the tranny tunnel, but only anal retentives paint their tranny tunnels (flame suit on).

 

You guys are missing a very important part about these motor swaps: the motivation budget. When things drag on for months with little visable change the motivation budget still has to be paid.

 

How many guys here have seen half finished projects sold at fire sale prices because the builder lost interrest? DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

 

There's nothing like a shiney new paint job to reinvigorate the motivation budget. I'm 45 year old and I've left my own trail of half finished projects in my life. Everyone who has seen my Z knows it's pretty-pretty. Well, it's got some nicks and flaws. If you plan to drive it, it will have nicks and flaws. You can't worry about that.

 

I vote that you paint it.

[dat240zg]

Where's the dang smiley for big grin.... No flaming from me, although truth be told I'm probably the last person to every be described as anal retentive.....(still chuckling about that one...)

 

My point was not to say put off the swap. I'm in a different place as I had my shell completely stripped to bare metal and then began from scratch - not what most people do.

 

I was more trying to get the point across that it's better to do it right the first time (making certain that you have all the parts and that everything fits) than to just throw something in and then worry about how/if it fits later.

 

When I first installed the LT1 using the JCI kit, I didn't take the time to do that and had to remove the motor/tranny to bang the tunnel out on the passenger side - it was a pain in the butt and wasted a good days work.

 

This time, with the JTR kit, I made certain that I had massaged the areas on #248 ahead of time, so no worries!

 

BTW - mine's no trailer queen! Can't wait to get on it!

 

Bryan

[Careless]

I'll admit, Dan Juday makes an excellent point.

 

*stares at z*

[HICKL]

I hate for my car to be down for long periods of time. I painted it with the stock six cylinder in it. Drove it for a year or so while I built my first SBC motor for it. Pulled the L6 and did all my test fits with the v8, then painted the engine bay to match the car and dropped in the v8 for good...or at least till I blew it up. Some guys are fine with having the car down for years and there projects come out awesome. I have to work/play/work/play etc so I do mine in steps. You have to figure out what your personality is plan your project around it to stay interested.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[m1noel]

My story's about the same as Hickl's, Painted it one winter, then pulled the L6, painted the bay, and put the LS in the next winter. I like to drive it.

Mike