my new project: 74 260z 2+2

[langfordchuck]

Well, work has started on my latest madness: a 1974 260 2+2. I traded the car for a roofing job, so the price was right. But as usual more rust than one would like. Had to break down and buy a welder, and learn to weld.

 

The car is a two owner car: i got it from the son in law of the original owner. It had sat in his backyard for at least 5 years so needs some work. It is still over there: i do my work there mainly because I have not yet put the wheels back on my 1960 Mercedes 190D, so no room yet in the garage.

 

Here are some random pics, including ones of the weatherstrip I took in a dispute with Motorsport auto. More to come, will post when I can and organize the series (someday).

[langfordchuck]

Well, progress continues on my 74 2+2. Some welding on the floorboards has been accomplished, as has some bodywork in the usual suspect areas.

 

The battery tray was a mess, and required quite a bit of work. the dog leg on the pass side was also bad, as were both bottoms of the 1/4 panels. the rear deck was ok, save a small hole in the tire carrier.

 

Recent pics attached.

[langfordchuck]

Well, continued slow but steady progress on the zed. I have been focusing on getting the floorboards and other interior surfaces done so i can put my interior back in. I don't want to be sanding or creating dust after the new carpet is back in, so I am holding off putting down the sound deadening etc until i have finished creating major dust.

 

The plan for the floor, now that my buddy Andy has done the welding, is to lay a little glazing putty down on the pass side to smooth out welding lines, then finish most of the bondo work on the pass side dog leg. Once that is done, I will take all the crap out of the car, clean it like a madman, using the following sequence for areas to be painted:

 

1. where surface is smooth, a little roughing up with 120 grit

2. clean with generic 'green' cleaner

3. clean again with 'marine clean' from POR

3.1 spray some POR Metal-Ready, which will need cleaning again after it has dried

4. Clean again with Tumbler silicon removal in places where i suspect caulking has been used, and with regular paint thinner elsewhere.

5. final wipe with thinner as needed.

6. Galvininzed etching primer where there is bare metal.

6.1 add body seam caulking where needed, ie, where floorboard meets firewall, etc

7. Final thick topcoat of rustoleum paint, tinted to roughly match the original yellowish/goldish colour of the floorboards.

[langfordchuck]

Slow but steady progress on the 260. My buddy who was storing the car and helping me out with it (thanks Andy!) needed the space so it is now in my yard. Closer for me to work on it, but harder since I don't have the benefit of Andy's experience . But the cool thing was that I got to drive it home! no fenders, no windows, no interior, no papers, good thing I live in the country LOL. First time i have ever driven it!.

 

Have completed all of the work on the front floorboards and firewall area: lots of welding was required. But now the floors are all good metal, sealed up with body sealant in the join areas, metal etched and then painted with multiple coats of primer.

 

After reading many posts here and elsewhere about exhaust leaks in zeds I decided to do more than I originally planned to seal up the car. So new taillight seals, new hatch seal ordered, but also body sealant on all the panel join lines, in addition to sealing licence plate light fixture. am also replacing / deleting gas tank vent lines that run through the back hatch area, pus sealing any other cracks or holes i can find. Will likely rent a smoke machine and do the vacuum test as well, just to make sure, before I put all the interior back in.

 

Installing some speakers, one in the original location to supplement the box I am building for the rear, and running some electrical lines to the back for future power needs, ie hatch release, etc.

 

Some pics of the progress.