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My 240z Project


_BR1TT0N_

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Hey guys, thought I would create a project album for a 240z that I have bought about 3 weeks ago. i have owned a couple of Z's in the past including a 350z and a 370z but always fancied a 240z.

The project is a "real" project as you can see by the photos but I have been looking forward to learning on how to do the things myself.

 

Anyways.. the car!

It's a 1972 Datsun 240z imported from California and came into the country literally 3 weeks ago and needs a lot of work!

 

 

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So week 1:

 

The old Radiator was leaking as had been caught underneath when unloading from the container so a new rad was needed. I decided to upgrade at the same time and went for a Mishimoto Radiator and installed this:

08B1EB56-87DD-47AA-A5A0-3A66396FE01D.jpg

 

E7314C21-7F17-41A3-920B-3ADA47745F70.jpg

 

97B06776-1883-4B89-87EF-F7FCBB09E7CE.jpg

 

Also, I found some coolant in the passenger footwell which was very suspicious then mopped it up and found some more a few days later. I then realised it come was coming from the Heater so this was the next job to remove it. The Rust on car isn't too bad but there are some spots and also needed to check for anymore so I removed the seats at the same time and cleaned the floor pans to check:

 

0580756E-D5F6-4E69-96D5-EC4469B84C5A.jpg

 

869BC833-8A91-429E-BBBF-761BE5C8D38D.jpg

 

Found a few rust spots which need sorting so I undertook a rust treatment on the floor pans using Fertan which neutralises the rust. This is then ready for the welder to come out to work his magic and get the shell solid again:

3EBBDB35-6ABD-4007-98D6-47AC34BB98D7.jpg

 

0682201D-6D37-4409-8C00-DDB4447D38A1.jpg

 

Welder has been out and so far sorted the hole in the wheel well in the boot which wasn't rust and also a hole in the front arch in the engine bay which also wasn't rust. It actually looked like a gunshot hole! Haha

 

191974AB-B092-4723-81C8-20C24DD85B16.jpg

 

Welder is taking the car this weekend to sort the floor pan holes and also the Holes on either sill (one which you can see is bad! )

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Looks like a good base to start, what are your plans with it?

 

First thing I want to do is get the shell in good condition and solid and ensure the car is mechanically sound. Once that's done, I will get s ticket on it and then decide what and how I will make her look pretty :)

Still not sure on which way to go whether to restore to more original look or have a few bits of my own style in there. Probably heading with a few bits extra like some flared arches for a start but still to decide for sure :)

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Week 2:

 

So remember I haven't got a clue about cars! So I am learning as I go! Lol

I looked at the carbs and researched them. I found that these Z's came stock with Hitachi SU side draft carbs and looking at mine they definitely weren't stock. I found out that the car had dual Weber DGV's fitted and when pushing the fuel injectors at the bank of them, they were leaking so needed to order a rebuild kit for the carbs:

 

F8EE32F3-0574-4606-84E3-C1966AC73272.jpg

 

Whilst looking at the car, I knew it had a brake leak too so I thought I would take a look to see if I can find it!

E17BF91C-27E0-45F7-AF3A-982A85FA09C5.jpg

 

AECA671C-AE00-44D2-998C-EFF8EC6EBAE2.jpg

 

1B525E0D-2BE8-4DD5-9282-CCE48AF5F021.jpg

 

I discovered there was brake fluid up in the drivers footwell where the brake pedal is. From this I am thinking the master cylinder has leaked and it's managed to get into the brake booster and come through meaning I probably need a new brake booster and master cylinder. To change both these bits, it would be a lot easier if the carbs are off the car so I am waiting on the brake parts to arrive to then remove the carbs and rebuild them and also fit the new brake parts at the same time :)

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Ok here's an update :)

I ordered a new Master Cylinder and Brake Servo from the Z car Depot in the states but in the meantime the car went off to the welder to be worked on. The welder had for 2 weeks as found a few more little holes to sort out. It came back 10 days ago with the repairs all done...

 

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So when the Z came back last week, over the last few days I got cracking with ensuring she is completely undersealed. When underneath, I found the car in pretty good condition and most of the original underseal was still very dry and solid. I made sure I wire brushed any loose rubbish off under there and made sure it was all dry then got to work and have completely undersealed the car and inside the wheel tubs.

 

4B9BE323-C145-4118-8217-CAD0E11075B4.jpg

 

I wanted to add that extra protection from our crappy weather in the UK if I did happen to be caught in it!

And yeah I got pretty covered with underseal!

 

Note to self: where gloves next time!!! (It is a b**** to get off!) lol

 

And my Brake Servo & master cylinder turned up :)

F7DB09BC-1A71-4ADE-9BB5-82D714CBC53E.png

4C264592-E09D-4BE7-B6FA-A49F662372BB.png

 

So next jobs to do:

 

Fit Brake Booster & Master Cylinder

Remove and rebuild carbs as they are leaking!

 

 

 

 

 

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  • 1 year later...

Right guys, sorry it’s been a long time! Photobucket stopped letting people using photos so the thread seemed to not make sense without photo updates. 

ALOT has happened since the last post!! 

 

Heres the updates from the last post

 

It's been so nice to work on the car today and it's been sunny!! Wahey! :)

So a local garage is helping me with the car and teaching me bits I need to do and they can also do some of the big jobs for the MOT: 
9A159EB7-F345-423C-8F2C-BD25D1C0A24A.jpg

Today, I now have both doors opening and closing using the exterior handle! lol one of those tricky little rods was missing inside the door and was a right fiddly job and also a pain to find a new one but it's finally done! 
Also painted the headlight buckets and had to remove a clip inside one which holds the spring for the adjustment of the headlight and reweld on the other side of the bucket just so it adjusts accordingly to UK MOT rules. Fitted the new Uk headlight today and they work!! 
D5A92044-9666-42D6-89FE-E3A2152C49FD.jpg
8B791770-BFE2-4EF1-B787-D2308063C2F8.jpg

Also, as I wanted the original bits for the adjustment, I ordered these from the states as the old adjustment screws and clips were nackered! 
9AB88390-E86E-4F44-A3C1-773DDA25151B.jpg

And wahey!
16FDCE6D-DF00-4E8F-847D-119795CB9306.jpg

But... always a but.... lol the headlights are a bit temperamental as it's a known common problem that the headlight switch on the stork gets mucky and corroded so sometimes you have to turn the switch a few times. ( i will try and sort this) 

Also this fuse keeps blowing! As soon as I turn the car on and guess it's something in its circuit. I am hoping it's something to do with the washers! I had no washers on the car but today I fitted a new pump and washer bottle. It worked, then it didn't, then it did and it didn't again! lol I am hoping it's linked to this fuse but having trouble finding out what fuse is the washers! 
F8CA5F29-43A2-4CB8-8627-2B86F2792381.jpg[/quote]

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So... yes.... I have been working in the snow today! Commitment! It's my last few hours until I fly out to Spain tonight! So today I feel like was a success! 
-Found the problem with the blown fuse! Wires were loose and corroded that triggers the door noise when open or closed! So taped up the wires for now so they don't short out. = no blown fuse and washer pump now works! :)

- Wheel Nuts! What a nightmare! Was missing 2 and they are different to just normal nuts and I couldn't find any anywhere other than US but still the size was slightly different so a bit of a risk for a 3 week wait! I took a chance and asked the guy where I bought the car from to check if he had any laying around! And wow! He did! So I took a 80m round trip to pick up these 2 wheel nuts to have them before I go on holiday! Just peace of mind! Lol 
The nut! (It really was driving me nuts!) bad joke I know! Lol
54B01983-CE04-4916-8E20-BD3C828E3830.jpg

So first thing this morning! I was up and took my wheels to local garage for some new rubber so it's ready for MOT! 
78C11795-504E-456A-BAAF-3551768147E4.jpg

Then back to the car while they are fitted and fitted some new anti-roll bar drop links! 
04CEE272-0B6A-487D-90D1-6CE70C3115AD.jpg

Also today, I managed to sort the headlights so the sidelights in the main headlight unit work but the lights in the front indicator don't come on with the sidelight switch ( this is because US have the day running amber lights) 

While I am away! My local garage are removing the steering rack and is being sent off to be overhauled, new drop links fitted, front tie rod arm bush kits, steering rack gators and then next to do is sort the rear lights out for the MOT! Still some work to do but making progress! :)[/quote]

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So got back from Spain and the steering rack has been overhauled which is great news so fitting that back in along with some new bushes. 
E455C984-05CC-4889-B661-491F8EA7B051.jpg

Also I managed to get the front lights working properly meaning sidelights and headlights seperate to day running lights and now indicators on front work separately. Having a few issues with the storks though as I think there are a bit corroded inside. I suppose not surprising after nearly 50 years but I will need to remove the headlight and indicator storks to give them a good clean up as they are a bit temperamental. I need to re wire the rear lights so they work to UK Spec, may need an auto electrician for this one as not overly confident plus the guages need to work too. It's slowly coming together now.... :)[/quote]

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So today was a good day! :)
You may recall me saying that my rear lights needed to be rewired due to the brake lights being on the same circuit as the indicators/hazards as a US model and also the front sidelights linked in with the front indicators as day running lights. I thought I would just try and learn it today and figure it out. Read some great forum posts about other people doing it and wow it worked!! :) all lights working as they should be: 
Front indicators:
B3FE2B10-E81D-4117-B5A1-233206329BA8_1.p
3DCC7B8C-8F11-4A72-911D-5EA26B023C04_1.p

Rear indicators relocated to reverse light clusters as wanted to keep the US style lights (now with a amber bulb though) 
A23EE9A8-EF5E-4B4E-B486-B2CE556FD8BE_1.p
38113C7F-7D3C-4457-AE09-1CA22FED4332_1.p

Tail lights :
81FD4657-D153-40C8-B35F-45B7BC50BDA5_1.j

Brake lights also work but didn't take a photo -.- 

Front sidelight:
FB13EAE4-9F74-4041-A081-570406BBB435_1.j

Front dipped beam:
8758CCF6-F2BD-4E8C-8666-67089AD859B8_1.j

And also main beam works too! :)

The indicator stork and headlight stork was a bit temperamental. Heard this is very normal as the contacts inside them tend to get a carbon build up. I didn't want to strip them apart really myself as heard there are lots of fiddly bits that if go missing, I am screwed lol and it's not cheap for a new reburbished stork for either! But it needed to be done so I went for it using a magnetic tray incase any little bits did escape. Rebuilt both indicator stork and headlight stork and are so much better! :)

Indicators
EDCBB84A-1A91-46B0-B694-E96ACDAD603E_1.j

Headlight:
0FFA1CCA-EB64-4CEE-BBFE-A4019DD5E0C4_1.j

Next jobs for me to do are:

- Build a mount / bracket to make the exhaust more secure
- remove and clean up seat belt mechanism
- ensure seats are securely bolted down
- remove and replace brake servo
- remove and replace master cylinder 
- remove and rebuild carbs 

Really getting there now. The above are jobs needed for the MOT but once that is done, it's time to then do all the bits to make sure everything works WELL rather than just needed and then can't wait to the time to start making it look pretty! Lol[/quote]

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Today when it dried up, I started removing the components that need replacing. Quite a nice job to remove some big bits for a change to simply replace with nice new shiny bits. 

First was to remove the carbs as these will need rebuilding :
7B0554D6-6BB2-4F66-94F8-2D5D72BE21F8.jpg
Which left this space :
B05BEFDF-3927-48B8-A89D-6E14CC9952A6.jpg

Then as this space was made, I need to remove the master cylinder and Brake Servo. The brakes were leaking form somewhere and my suspicion was it was leaking into the brake Servo and slowly through the pedel into the car. 
AC8391FA-46A8-4B71-836F-290161DDDFAE.jpg

So I removed the master cylinder:
65975911-D80D-4454-9517-98AEF474486C.jpg

And then next the Servo:
954B6E8E-60F3-4BFC-B361-E7F9780AA824.jpg

And as you can see the amount of brake fluid that poured out of it proved my suspicion was right. :)

Now we have an empty space ready for the new bits: 
DAEE51A3-BF03-4342-A6F2-EB68BB643F9D.jpg

I will clean up a bit as it's all out and have a new master cylinder and new brake Servo ordered from Z car Depot in the states to now fit. This weeks jobs! :)[/quote]

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