1978 Datsun 280Z - March *cough* 2018 Update

[camerashy]

The original plan was a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, conjuring up a sleeper muscle car...which handled...after the sale of one fell through and a severe absence of such projects in the UK....a compromise was made (read: huge change of plan took place)

Consequently I trekked to a barn in the middle of the Midlands and (with hindsight) stupidly purchased what is so far (other than higher education) one of the more costly mistakes I've made in my life. (excluding an ex-girlfriend who had 'addictive' shopping tendencies for shoes...handbags..etc)

I give you 'Meiko'...who smells like dead people and stinky fingers.

[camerashy]

Well....it's a 40-year old Datsun 240z....with a non-running engine and lbs of bondo...what do you think it's going to be like.



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To describe the state of this car there is a four letter word. It begins with 's' and ends with 't'. And it isn't suit or soot. Most of the interior was beyond saving, cracked from years of of basking in California sunshine. So much of it was cosigned to the dustbin.




The outside wasn't much better









Totally water tight

[camerashy]

I wanted to mold something, magic a creature, something that would send a thrilling chill down the spine of the neighbourhood kids as it snuck by at the zebra crossing. So the inspiration is largely derived from exhibit B, C and D.



Octopus will recognise these ⇈, and potentially these ↓ - Credit to Jan Trondsen's amazing rendering work and thanks to Alan Thomas (S20) and his incredible archive of S30 photos, without him we'd be a lot poorer when it comes to knowing things about these cars.

[camerashy]

Stripped the car down to the bare body.







Mirrors off, was expecting more rot around the holes



Removed the bumper.



Drip rail and dash cowl out



The interior. So much mouse poo.









Even the cardboard glove box liner had been eaten



Doors didn't look too bad from the inside.



Th floors however are a patchwork quilt of awful riveted-in aluminum sheet and fiberglass



Sound deadening under the rotten carpet to remove







Roof looks okay with the headliner out





Seems to come off easy with a flathead screwdriver and small hammer



Chipped off on the transmission tunnel and in the boot

[RobMorris]

This is fricking awsome! I love what you want to do with it! Pure sex wee.

[MrSpeedy]

Fcuk me, that's a hearty project to sink your teeth into.

That said, a Gazzilion restecp points if you realise your vision. And i dooooooo hope you succeed, because exibit b,c,and d are, indeed, automotive porn !

[dude]

Nice car and a good read. Hope you leave the stickers, they're really cool

[retrolegends]

If you need any help or parts try Star Motorsport Coalville Leicestershire. He specialises in 240Zs and does rally prep ones for historics. Good luck with this another Datsun saved is fine by me.

[skinley]

That looks pretty solid for a 40yr old Datsun, I can remember seeing these when I was a kid in the early 80's and they were all falling apart with terminal rust.

[fishbulb]

Alright shez, good to see you on here. Get some pics up of the shiny carbon.

P.s. Guess who...

[skidracer]

That's a beauty in the making! Good luck. Here's some inspiration for you;

[leeandjude]

wow! will look good when its done though.

love the wheels...you don't want to swap for some 280zx wheels do you? lol

[camerashy]

You guys couldn't be any further from the truth with "that looks like a pretty solid one" and "looks pretty solid for a 40yr old Datsun"
oh little do ye know.





That is nearly an inch thick of multiple layers of filler. This was on the front wings where the previous owner had fashioned in some rather pointless vents, given how far gone these wings were, there were beyond saving and I scrapped them. Unfortunately this wasn't even half the story of what was to come. After stripping the shell I had it AA'd to go get blasting just out side of Gosfield in Essex at 'Air Blast'



It wasn't so pretty when it came back. Roll over damage and maybe a rear end shunt at some point.



Passenger side C pillar roof joint



Passenger side A pillar roof joint



Passenger side dog leg panel



Front of driver side sill/rocker



Driver side dog leg panel & door jamb



Base of driver side A pillar



Driver side rear quarter panel



Driver side C pillar



Airblast said it was one of the worst accident covered up with bondo repair cases they'd ever come across. it was inches thick in some places to cover up the atrocious botch roof repair - a mix of braze, weld and oxy-melted in lead.

Lightweight spending spree

Lexan rear screen, 1/4 window set, windows with race grade sliders






Imported carbon fibre boot and bonnet, NOMEX foam cores - thanks to John Coffey at betamotorsports.com, incredibly helpful guy. Picked up a full bushings set, new rubber for all the windows as well as some other bits and pieces.

Picked up some fibreglass front wings off ebay, £47, needing some love




Now it's worth mentioning, it was around this point, (September last year) I left to live in North America for two years on a research masters degree. This obviously meant work would stop.

Solution: Malcolm Vardy, the 'dude' to many of you and owner of www.mig-welding.co.uk

[stocky]

crickey! good luck with this one fella looks like you have a challenge there

[luckygti]

Ooohh I absolutely love 240's and that looks like a pretty solid one I've been looking lustfully at the full fibreglass bodies you can get, maybe one day I'll buy one and spaceframe it. No harm in dreaming eh Oh, and the future looks promising going on yu renderings!

[HoTWire]

Looks like you've got the vision for it

Have you thought about a ZG nose??

[alistairk]

nice one. PLEASE leave the Undertaker's union sticker on there. I **so** want that for my car. Please to take many hi-res photo and mail to me so I can replicate...

Good luck with the project

[leigh]

Great stuff and those renderings are awesome. You have to do it that's all there is to it!

[Mark]

Z cars rock! Good man for saving that.

Your renders are superb. My plans for my Z are nearly identical to what you have planned which could get awkward

[surprisingskoda]

Aug 16, 2010 21:48:03 GMT Mark said:

Z cars rock! Good man for saving that.

Your renders are superb. My plans for my Z are nearly identical to what you have planned which could get awkward

You're both outplayed - check out the first car you race for Pinks for in Midnight Club LA...

Rocks though B)