Project Z

[280Z Turbo]

I cut the pipes and had a machinist friend weld them.

[S204STi]

I cut the pipes and had a machinist friend weld them.

Good work on the measurement, and his welds look great.

[280Z Turbo]

Does anybody know where I might find a seal like this:



There's gotta be some kind of universal replacement for the lower window seal.

[93JC]

Try auto parts stores and ask if they have generic weatherstripping stock?

I would think someone would carry it, and you could just cut the new stuff to fit your window.

[280Z Turbo]

Maybe. I thought about finding some at a junkyard.

It's $50 PER SIDE from a Z-car parts supplier.

[hotrodalex]

Maybe. I thought about finding some at a junkyard.

It's $50 PER SIDE from a Z-car parts supplier.

Wow. I would think it should be under $20 for both sides.

[Secret Chimp]

Use fish tank silicone and never roll down your windows.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm starting some bodywork and prep for paint. The plan is to sand it down and reshoot it in the OEM copper color. The color is supposed to be lighter than the current color:


The OEM color hides underneeth trim pieces:


I made a patch for this. It's just aluminum and I will bondo over it to smooth it out:



I POR-15'd over that crap a while ago and it seems to be in remission. Unfortunately, the other side looks like it's the same underneeth:


Here's another nasty spot:


The driver's side fender has some nasty rust as well. Any ideas of how to fix it?



A new fender is $200.

[280Z Turbo]

Questions:

-Should I take it down to metal? There is only one aftermarket paint job on there, but it is not on there well. Some tape from autocross numbers tends to pull it off.

-I don't want/need a really nice paintjob. This car will never be a show winner and is rarely exposed to the sun, rain, snow, etc. If I do all of the prepwork myself, how much would it cost to have someone shoot it.

-Which brand/type of paint gives the most bang for the buck?

-What type of primer should I use?

[S204STi]

Depending on how thorough and high-quality you want to restore the car, I would recommend sanding down to metal and welding in patch steel sheetmetal, similar to what you did on the rocker but minus the rivets and plus an actual weld job.  Then primer it for now and get the whole car painted when you are ready.

[280Z Turbo]

Depending on how thorough and high-quality you want to restore the car, I would recommend sanding down to metal and welding in patch steel sheetmetal, similar to what you did on the rocker but minus the rivets and plus an actual weld job.  Then primer it for now and get the whole car painted when you are ready.

I can't weld very well and my welder sucks. That rocker panel area is not for novices. I don't know how you'd do it without using filler.

This is not a restoration. I just want it to look presentable.

[S204STi]

I can't weld very well and my welder sucks. That rocker panel area is not for novices. I don't know how you'd do it without using filler.

This is not a restoration. I just want it to look presentable.

As far as I know, filler is fine.  At least, I don't see a problem with it as long as what's beneath it is good enough.

[S204STi]

What kind of welder do you have anyway?

[280Z Turbo]

What kind of welder do you have anyway?

No gas mig.

[S204STi]

No gas mig.

Ouch.  MIG is great, but no gas FTL. =(

[S204STi]

I guess that would just be a wire feed, not a "metal/inert-gas" welder.

[280Z Turbo]

I guess that would just be a wire feed, not a "metal/inert-gas" welder.

Yeah. I'm just used to thinking that MIG = Wire feed.

[Soup DeVille]

I guess that would just be a wire feed, not a "metal/inert-gas" welder.

flux core wire. The flux produces the gas.

[Eye of the Tiger]

flux core wire. The flux produces the gas.

Flux core sucks. Splatters blobs of metal more than it welds, but I also suck at welding, so... 

[Soup DeVille]

Flux core sucks. Splatters blobs of metal more than it welds, but I also suck at welding, so... 

Yes, yes it does.

[JWC]

Most agri supply stores carry sheet metal.  It would also be easier to just cut out "boxed" section of the rotted metal instead of zig-zagging.

[S204STi]

flux core wire. The flux produces the gas.

Ah neat.

[Minpin]

Stick welding is the hardest for me.


MIG is easy mode. 

[280Z Turbo]

UPDATE:

I sorted out some issues this weekend.

Our raceteam got a toe gauge so I used to give my Z an alignment. I measured 1/4" TOE IN! I reset it at zero toe. Turn in is much sharper and steering effort is less.

I also tried to work on a persistent vibration issue. I had my wheels rebalanced today and found that I had a bent rim. I moved the bent rim to the back and most of the vibration moved with it. There is still some shimmy in the steering wheel, but I don't know how to get rid of it.

I seem to have a lack of caster in the right front. It wants to steer to the right under hard braking. I tried to shim out the compression rod on that side with some washers, but it wasn't enough. I think this was due to the previous owner's shipping company which dropped the car on its right front framerail in the process of unloading it. I may need to buy some adjustable tension rods.

[280Z Turbo]

Just took the car to Hot Import Nights in Chicago. My car wasn't in the show, but I drove out there with another guy I know with a Z. I might be shown on the Speed channel. I'll post pics if I find some.

A couple of things:

1.) Fumes suck. The exhaust fume issue has been going on since these cars rolled off the lot. That classic Z shape that everyone loves has lousy aerodynamic properties. The exhaust gases get sucked back into the cabin through the rear of the car. Counterintuitively, opening the window seems to make it worse. I'm going to do some testing tomorrow with a CO detector to see if I can help it.

2.) My oil pressure sender/gauge is messed up. The needle was erratic and frequently went to 0, but my car didn't blow up.

3.) The steering wheel shimmy did not seem as bad on the way back. I wonder if I flatspotted the tires and running the car helped round them out? Maybe I got used to it.

4.) The fuel pump is really loud. Don't ever buy a 255 lph Walbro. They are the pump of choice, but they are too loud.

5.) Everyone loves an old Z. I had tons of compliments on my car even though it is not in great shape. The L28ET burble and roar is what people love most.

6.) I need to put my electric fan on an automatic switch. I'm pretty good about checking my gauges, but I'm not perfect.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Yeah, put that electric fan on a thermostat, gosh!

[S204STi]

Your comment about the Walbro is interesting.  I know a guy at work with one in his SE-R, and you can hear the whine from the fuel pump a mile away.  I wondered if that was a defective unit or if that was normal... apparently the latter.

[Eye of the Tiger]

It's time to lube the muffler bearings.

[Laconian]

Just took the car to Hot Import Nights in Chicago. My car wasn't in the show, but I drove out there with another guy I know with a Z. I might be shown on the Speed channel. I'll post pics if I find some.

A couple of things:

1.) Fumes suck. The exhaust fume issue has been going on since these cars rolled off the lot. That classic Z shape that everyone loves has lousy aerodynamic properties. The exhaust gases get sucked back into the cabin through the rear of the car. Counterintuitively, opening the window seems to make it worse. I'm going to do some testing tomorrow with a CO detector to see if I can help it.

2.) My oil pressure sender/gauge is messed up. The needle was erratic and frequently went to 0, but my car didn't blow up.

3.) The steering wheel shimmy did not seem as bad on the way back. I wonder if I flatspotted the tires and running the car helped round them out? Maybe I got used to it.

4.) The fuel pump is really loud. Don't ever buy a 255 lph Walbro. They are the pump of choice, but they are too loud.

5.) Everyone loves an old Z. I had tons of compliments on my car even though it is not in great shape. The L28ET burble and roar is what people love most.

6.) I need to put my electric fan on an automatic switch. I'm pretty good about checking my gauges, but I'm not perfect.

Can you induce some kind of cabin overpressure using air taken from the front of the car? Like, add a snorkel that you can open up that will pressurize the cabin at speed?

[280Z Turbo]

I just weighed the Z with Intercomp racing scales.

693       715
661       689

Total is 2758 without driver.

Those corner weights are pretty damn close. The cross weights are near 50%. I'm surprised.