Selling the X & Bought an 75 Datsun 280Z

[lookforjoe]

Need another 350z?

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Dang - that's a rough one indeed. I actually don't like the car at all, the styling, the interior layout. I'd never want to drive one

 

[lookforjoe]

Replacement cushion (2007) came - looks better than the auction indicated. Cushion & seat heater in great shape. Frame is also painted, - unlike my 2006 version.

 

[lookforjoe]

Since it's pouring rain now, I started working on the rear strut brace. Strut weld plates came from ZcarDepot

making the vertical support for the tubing from 2" x 3/16" bar stock

started curling the plate in the vice

tried to use this 4" tube to squeeze the plate around for refining the circle, doesn't work

So I used the strut plate to bring it into shape

have to contour the tube end to mate with the weld plate

1.75" x.095" tubing

will be akin to this design, just steel

 

[lookforjoe]

Got the rear strut brace done this afternoon. First I figured out the angle I needed to set the strut plate at

Probably 15º, I measured it closer to 16º with my rudimentary tools



I futzed around trying to make a card template, but my geometry skills suck, so I just clamped my angle tool to the 4" ID support



Tacked both & checked the fit



then I welded them fully



Then I fitted them & measured the span at 29.75". I cut the 1.75" tube to just over that, then shaved a dip in the ends to fit snug on the vertical plates, checked that it is level (same as car)







After that I fully welded the tube to the supports. Deep socket still clears support wall





original caps still fit

 

[lookforjoe]

Modified the passenger seat switch mount point, to accept the driver's switch. The pas switch is $$$, vs. the cheap & plentiful driver's version. I don't care if it has 2 toggles

 

[lookforjoe]

vvvvvvv

 

[Russe11]

Ha! Just like my parents' Lincoln with a rod over the back seat, for hanging clothes when they are on a long trip!

 

[lookforjoe]

Back in the 350Z seats into the 280Z. Seat belt reel will (hopefully) be relocated to strut tower, like the later 77-78 280. Welded the rails I made to the 350Z rails, Checking that the seat was level to the car before tack welding. Used an weld mat to protect the interior. Removed to finish the welds. Wired the passenger seat (fore/aft only). Have to wire the seat heater





Looks good here

I didn't seam weld these. There is a plastic guide rail inside that may (did) survive some heat, wouldn't trust it to survive a bead, especially on top



Test fit after welding to check for distortion /displacement due to welding, all good sits level with no wobble in the rails



Testing wiring for seat fore/aft. I bought used 350z heater switches, however it will be easier (I hope) to rewire the seat grids to the aftermarket relay & switches I already have in place.

Full forward setting

Seat sits substantially lower than stock height. Furthest possible recline in full rear position

Wesco reel will hopefully go here. Does not feel like there is a metal plate under the cover, which may actually make it easier

 

[lookforjoe]

As was predicted on ClassicZ - due to 75 having a change that incorporated a bump output for the Cat converter, a beating was in order. Not really happy about pummelling the perfectly good and clean tunnel, so I was gentle at first & used a mallet & block of wood to gently invert the bulge. Problem is that there is a major panel overlap seam in the way, forward of the inner seat belt mount, rearward of the stock rear cross member/seat support. Had to break out the large dead blow to reshape that.



After the "gentle" mallet work


Beating administered. Cleanup & paint to come, on the underside also.Edit - that is glue on the inner forward seat cross member , not Rust


Now the seat can be made level without lifting the sill side

Side note - I guess Nissan wanted to build in the rusting process that was mostly resolved on the outside (compared to classic Z's anyway


Seat cushion controls clear the sill


Inside clearance matches the pas side


Slight problem in that the rail spacing is not even left to right - I have to make a wider rail conversion for this side. Fortunately a 2" I channel will take up the gap.


I don't want to simply cut & offset the bolt down points relative to the rail.

 

[kmead]

As was predicted on ClassicZ - due to 75 having a change that incorporated a bump output for the Cat converter, a beating was in order. Not really happy about pummelling the perfectly good and clean tunnel, so I was gentle at first & used a mallet & block of wood to gently invert the bulge. Problem is that there is a major panel overlap seam in the way, forward of the inner seat belt mount, rearward of the stock rear cross member/seat support. Had to break out the large dead blow to reshape that.



After the "gentle" mallet work


Beating administered. Cleanup & paint to come, on the underside also.Edit - that is glue on the inner forward seat cross member , not Rust


Now the seat can be made level without lifting the sill side

Side note - I guess Nissan wanted to build in the rusting process that was mostly resolved on the outside (compared to classic Z's anyway


Seat cushion controls clear the sill


Inside clearance matches the pas side


Slight problem in that the rail spacing is not even left to right - I have to make a wider rail conversion for this side. Fortunately a 2" I channel will take up the gap.


I don't want to simply cut & offset the bolt down points relative to the rail.

Every vendor is expected to come up with 10% cost reduction every year. Not coating a part saved money spent on paint and the labor to handle the parts further. Hidden surface so your average customer won’t care and it will never rust enough to compromise safety or part performance. Done.

Just modern business practice in pursuit of return on investment…

Sucks doesn’t it?

 

[lookforjoe]

Had about 40mins. between festivities, so I started on the wider inner seat rail . Need to weld it up, however the basic element is ready to move forward





Also, I realized I can add a beefy support to the strut bar I've already made, and lay the seat belt reel on that until I feel like dismantling the hatch interior for welding.

I will make a vertical stack with two 7/16-20 nuts at each end with a horizontal support element

 

[Rupunzell]

This 240z series of videos might be of interest:

Bernice

 

[lookforjoe]

This 240z series of videos might be of interest:

Bernice

Happy New Year Bernice!

Thanks for the video link - I had seen the link on YT when looking at various Z videos, but not viewed any of them. This series is interesting as it is very clinical & not filled with much ego inflation/blabbing on the part of the producers. I like them. I'm not going to jinx myself & say much about the extent to which elements of this are in my future

 

[Rupunzell]

Happy New Year Bernice!

Thanks for the video link - I had seen the link on YT when looking at various Z videos, but not viewed any of them. This series is interesting as it is very clinical & not filled with much ego inflation/blabbing on the part of the producers. I like them. I'm not going to jinx myself & say much about the extent to which elements of this are in my future

This guy is the real deal, none of the overly common YT "made for content" silliness and broadcasting for entertainment value to gain YT hits resulting in AD revenue. This is much about get it did proper. Clinical maybe, it is the proper way. There are strong hints this guy is in Switzerland or EU and once trained in the European traditions of being a machinist.. As the tale goes, beginning machinist apprentice in Germany would be given a cube of steel and files, their first assignment is to make a sphere from that cube of steel by hands, files and skill development. Also in the restoration videos, slotted screws are driven by PB Swiss screwdrivers. These are individually distinctive with their forged to parallel tips that reduce cam out on slotted screws. These are the preferred slotted screwdrivers for more than the past three decades. Other clues are the Emco made in Austria lathe and Schabuin (Swiss) or Deckel (German) milling machine. These machine tools are very nice but not common in the US.

As to Jinx, take what is presented as previews as to what your future projects might be and how to deal with them..

Bernice

 

[lookforjoe]

Got back from Baltimore yesterday afternoon, so back on the seat install today. Had to do some more pounding on the tunnel. Metal only stretched so far, then it split, about 3" wide, a couple inches above the seat crossmember.



flange tore where the black paint is on the tunnel.



dynamat after paint



after that, I welded the rail adaptors - tacked in place, then removed to stitch







plug for stock seat belt bolt hole



seat belt outer



seat belt inner , also added snaps in the carpet for the leather handbrake cover



Driver's side, rear attachment



sill spacing - just clears the seat belt



Seat will be re-upholstered, just not today



pass seat out to install cushion, harness routing





Headrest cushions have to be stripped to fit the new leather covers, the original covers are glued to the foam

 

[lookforjoe]

added the support bracket with two nuts to the driver's side of the strut brace. Have to do the pass side tomorrow, ran out of daylight

 

[lookforjoe]

Daytime pic with headrest. New leather for the seats has the same green stitching. I also went with a dark grey inset for the perforated panels. Not sure it's dark enough though. Seems more like a medium grey to me. Pics later

 

[lookforjoe]

Added the pass seat belt reel retainer. I'm going to make a lightly padded cover for the brace

Have to figure out if I can add the 350Z seat heater switches into the console without mucking it up

 

[lookforjoe]

1/4" Skrim coated foam (left over from a Volvo headliner job years ago) faux leather padded sleeve. Velcro fastening

 

[lookforjoe]

Putting this here so I don't forget - fitting the CD009 requires a (different offset) shifter extension - have to figure out what to do here. The main purveyor of a workable solution (HokePerformance) stopped making them about 4 years ago

Pic from HybridZ build

stock (my) opening

Stock shifter

tunnel clearance - edit. -he notes that the shifter needs to be 5" back from stock 350Z setup to fit existing location



EDIT - further searching came up with this one - I've emailed them to see if it fits S30 chassis. EDIT. -they don't know, however it puts the shifter 6" forward of stock 350Z, so it should be perfect. I may need to dogleg the shifter, not a big deal.

GKTech shifter