Frame Ripping Apart. lol. *pics

[rturbo 930]

testy, testy people. wow.

 

So now that the roof and pillars aren't wrinkled, or dented, like you suggested to check (thanks for the tip) now what? still scrap it, or try to save it?

 

You'd think people on here would be a little more into PRESERVING the few chassis we have left instead of hunting for a perfect showroom floor chassis. But I'm sure everyone's car on here is perfect I know.

If you have the ability, save it. I've seen several people do full tube frames (74 5.0L Z, tube80z), modified frame rails(mark g? the VH45 240z), replaced frame rails due to rust (240hoke), accidents (Myron, wheelman, 74 5.0L Z again). Provided nothing's really bent, you should be able to save it, I think.

 

And yes, I could not agree more. I'm pretty surprised by the amount of people totally willing to part out and cut up good, solid shells for what seems like pretty stupid reasons. It is my biggest pet peeve in the Z world. I'm sure everyone thinks "it's just one car, it won't matter!", but the reality is when you have 200 people thinking the same thing, it kinda adds up.

 

Oh, um, exactly how much rust does your car have? It certainly looks like it has more than mine... if it's solid other than that frame rail spot and your now torn frame rail, then you might consider fixing it. If it's a rust bucket, I suggest you move on, unless you've got a lot of money burning a hole in your pocket.

 

Its completely up to you. If you have the time and access to a frame machine or a good surface table you'll learn a helluva lot about chassis repair. That will help you with future car mods and making cars handle well. If you approach the repair that way, you'll get a lot more out of it then a fixed car.

 

But... it makes no sense financially when you can get a straight roller chassis for $1,000 and then just transfer your existing parts over to the new car. Not every S30 can (or should) be saved. It will be much better for the marque if your car was parted out then poorly repaired.

It seems to me, you just think of these as just another car, which is fine, but you should realize not everyone does. While I totally agree it would be easier to just get another shell (something I have considered doing myself), some people see these cars a little different, ie, NOT just another car, but rather something special. Some also may have an attachment to their car for whatever reason, and some may just want to fix it for the experience.

 

Personally, I'm probably going to fix mine and use it in some way, even though it would be MUCH MUCH cheaper to just get a straight CA car... which I'm still considering.

Edited April 7, 2010 by rturbo 930

[sicj]

Structurely the rust is in the footwells of the floors and a little bit around the seats. The rails are smashed and rotted out in a few places.

 

The outside of the rockers (towards the rear wheel well) are rotted out. But that's just the body (cosmetic)

[rturbo 930]

Structurely the rust is in the footwells of the floors and a little bit around the seats. The rails are smashed and rotted out in a few places.

 

The outside of the rockers (towards the rear wheel well) are rotted out. But that's just the body (cosmetic)

Well, actually it's not, since it's a unibody, although I get your point. Sounds like pretty standard rust, so I'm surprised your frame rails are that bad. Sounds like my car has more rust, but the frame rails just have a little bit. Not like yours (I don't think). Edited April 7, 2010 by rturbo 930

[jasper]

Just a thought,...this is not about SAVING THE WHALES, or caring for 3 LEGGED PUPPIES.....

Get the best car you can. Rust repairs will eat up your time and money.

 

Rust buckets for sale.Enquire within.

Edited April 7, 2010 by jasper

[David K]

Put some springs under your seats so when the rust eats through enough, you will james bond right out of the car!

[lumberjackj]

 

It seems to me, you just think of these as just another car, which is fine, but you should realize not everyone does. While I totally agree it would be easier to just get another shell (something I have considered doing myself), some people see these cars a little different, ie, NOT just another car, but rather something special. Some also may have an attachment to their car for whatever reason, and some may just want to fix it for the experience.

 

this is where im at now...I bought my lovely 1/1974 260z from the original owner...approx 50 year old lady...and its been painted a few times, and yes its got rusty floor pans too....but theres nothing more amazing then listening to the stories shes got with her Z. Telling me how much she loves it and about how its been to the east coast and back twice....and I wouldnt even want to attempt that with the 4 speed thats in it...holy cow... And not to mention the cars history.... receipts dating back to the early 80s....able to tell you reasons for painting the car and stuff that you would never know otherwise...may be useless knowledge for some, but adds to the cars history and timeline in my opinion.

SO yeah, looking back, I may have paid a little much for the car, but its a champ, has NEVER let me down....and I hope in the next few years when I get the car completed, I could show the original owner all the hard work and dedication I put into her old rusty 260z and brought it back to BETTER then showroom condition....thanks to all the guys here at HybridZ!!

[hoov100]

Since where speaking our public opinion on what we think about our cars. I view the car itself as nothing more then a mixture of metal, plastic, rubber and cloth. And can be completely replaced one way or the other. But the bond between me and the machine I'm driving, connects me physically, mentally and spiritually to it, which is why I choose to display and have emotions for it.

[johnc]

It seems to me, you just think of these as just another car, which is fine, but you should realize not everyone does. While I totally agree it would be easier to just get another shell (something I have considered doing myself), some people see these cars a little different, ie, NOT just another car, but rather something special. Some also may have an attachment to their car for whatever reason, and some may just want to fix it for the experience.

 

I'm addressing the rational aspects of the poster's situation. The emotional aspects are up to him and not for me to comment on.

[sicj]

Zedd floors and Bad Dog rails on on their way. So even if I pick up another shell. These are getting installed.

 

I'd like to have stiffer/thicker floors in a chsssis that's stright anywyas. So this will be a good thing and better than any chassis I can find. Then I'll pick up a Kirk cage from you John.

[randy 77zt]

i have a 1977 california no rust car thats been driven with a very stiff suspension for many years.no roll bars or non-stock stiffening other than a bar between the rear strut towers that my seat belts run to.if i go up a curb into a driveway at an angle to whole chassis flexes bady.to PROPERLY build a performance car out of an old rusty semi-functioning car would require more than just getting the car back to oem specs.you really need a flat work table with the unit body clamped to it to repair the car correctly.that holds the car true while you repair it.to make the car handle well with a good track suspension the unit body needs to be as stiff as possable.this is done usually by tying a roll cage into the strut towers.to really structure a car it would almost be better to cut the floor out of the unit body and drop it onto a tube frame/roll bar combo.because of the smog laws in cali you can get very good 76-78 z's cheap.they run and are complete but the owners get tired of trying to smog them every 2 years

[sicj]

Well the way I'm looking at it is even I got a new (straight) car I'd still want new floors/rails because the stockers are so thin.

 

As per many of your guy's suggestions I'm having it looked at by a local body/frame shop tomorrow and see what he says about it.

 

thanks guys.

[hoov100]

Well the way I'm looking at it is even I got a new (straight) car I'd still want new floors/rails because the stockers are so thin.

 

As per many of your guy's suggestions I'm having it looked at by a local body/frame shop tomorrow and see what he says about it.

 

thanks guys.

 

If the floors are good, just build a full length frame out of 1x3" square steel to replace the stock frame and call it good.

[Daeron]

Sorry to have posted the Fail Snail, I don't like being a jerk but I was trying to find a fail picture that conveyed the Oops sufficiently. (plus I thought he was funny as all get-out)

 

To comment on rturbo and johnc's points... I view these cars as MUCH more than "just cars." All of them.

 

But that doesn't stop me from chopping a series 1 into bits because it is too rusty to save. That doesn't make me want to "find a home for" the godawful rusted automatic '72 car "just because its a 72, and you know that was really the best year 240 to get..."

 

You have to draw a line in the pile of rusted steel particles somewhere. A serious doinking of the frame like this is a HUGE straw on the camel's back. That is all John was saying.

 

OP: Good luck with your car. Mine's "past reasonably saving" too; yet I plan on trying as well Just remember not to overly stress a crappy chassis next time. Some of these cars have become like Willow trees, floating in the lateral g-forces the road imposes on them.. when you try to graft oak branches onto them, they just go KLUNK and don't drive straight anymore.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Daeron

[sicj]

So the update to all of this is it's a lost cause.

Not just from what I posted here but a few other spots on the car as well.

 

I brought the frame guy out to look at it showed him what I posted here and it shocked him at first. But it could be repaired because the rest of the unibody on that side of the car is fine. Probably continuing to drive it would result in the unibody failing too, but at this point replacing what ripped off would be fine.

 

The other problem was the left front of the car was in a enough of an accident to bend down the headlight/hood mounting portion of the chassis. He followed that back and found the frame to be wrinkled just before the crossmember and bondo on the frame to make it look smooth. That's what did the car in.

 

So for now I'm going pound it back straight (enough) to patch it so I can drive it to my pops house, while I look for another car. Good thing everything I've done to this point is a nut and bolt affair and can be swapped to another chassis. Sad, sad day for one more Z.

[rturbo 930]

That's a shame, but probably for the best. As you already found out, that car wasn't safe in that condition. You've said it was a series 1, what was the VIN? Curious.

Edited April 11, 2010 by rturbo 930

[Gollum]

You're the expert. Good luck with the repair.

 

It's sad that irony like this gets lots on so many people...

 

You got at least me laughing though John.

 

As tough as the reality is to swallow, it's worth it in the long run. My first Z (ZX actually) wreaked itself into a tree (not joking, hence the mod's title for me). I paid way too much money for that car, and it deeply saddened me. But, I found a 90% usable car on craigslist and had it running in 2 weeks and drove it for over a year. It was actually one of the most hassle free years of car driving I've had.

 

So sometimes good things can come from the bad events of our lives. The hard part is just moving on.

 

And John is right. Logically, financially, effort-wise, it's toast. Either have it cut up right for it's sell-able parts, or sell it to a Z-nut that will do right with it.

[Tony D]

We've all heard that "there is no such thing as a stupid question." Obviously there is such a thing as stupid response.

 

Don't ever, ever EVER go to ZC.C, you will be shattered beyond belief, Sparky!

 

You WILL see stupid questions (yes, indeed, they DO exist) and those stupid responses as well!

 

 

[Gollum]

Don't ever, ever EVER go to ZC.C, you will be shattered beyond belief, Sparky!

 

You WILL see stupid questions (yes, indeed, they DO exist) and those stupid responses as well!

 

 

 

Lol. Speaking of ZC, the other day I was looking up info on the Head Temp Sensor versus the Coolant Temp Sensor and happened upon a thread over there (I know, google actually searches their site too!!). There was one singularly wonderful post that was very informative. Upon further inspection it turns out to be none other than the one and only, wiki D.

 

 

You're awesomely informative no matter where you go. My hat is off.

[Tony D]

I am pilloried there more and more regularly.

John Galt has become my hero...

[jasper]

I suspect I'm not alone........

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillory

Edited April 13, 2010 by jasper