New Build - 73 240Z - RB25det

bernjean · Post by **bernjean** » Sat Sep 25, 2010 11:08 am

That is great work. Are you a panel beater. I don't think that people really appreciate the work and effort that is involved. I quite enjoy doing this sort of work, but it's a real pain when somebody else has been busy patching it. Over the top of rust and birdshit welds. It's best to just cut it right out and start again. Good for you keep the pictures coming I love checking out the progress and this sort of build.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Sat Sep 25, 2010 9:01 pm

i am but a lowly draughtsperson, in front of the flat screen all day drawing apartments.
Been mucking around with cars, mostly VW's, for 20odd years so rust and bodgy repairs are the norm! have been very lucky to have worked with / watched a friend who does some of the most amazing self taught stuff i've ever seen. He's building this at the moment. http://www.vask.org.nz/index.php?topic= ... #msg241058
Does his own engine builds / body / paint everything. All show winning stuff.

I really enjoy this sort of stuff too it's such a nice change from day to day stuff.

Cheers for your comments - i'll keep the updates coming. Did the fire wall today and the floor is cut ready for remaking. I'll post it up tomorrow.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:19 pm

progress from yesterday.
New fire wall section in. Gotta finish the perimeter welds but used plug welds through on to the flanges of the chassis rail.
Took ages to get it to fit properly and have the correct flats and curves to match the other untouched side.
I'll finish off the welding of this panel then start on the floor section next.

us2 · Post by **us2** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 6:37 pm

Good to see that bracing tacked on.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 7:07 pm

yeah! cheers again.
thought it might get a bit floppy with me chopn her up.
there's the angled one from the gbox mount to the track arm mount and then the rail to rail one. Could probably take it out after the wall is welded.

bernjean · Post by **bernjean** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:55 pm

With that amount of rust I would be measuring up the chassis before doing a final weld up. In saying that even with all the bracing gone as long as you have it all sitting nice and evenly is should be okay. Might be good to hang the doors every so often. You don't meet to bolt them up just sit them in the holes and check the gaps. Keep up the good work, it's looking great.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:24 pm

yep the doors will go on when i put the new sill on, along with front guard to make sure shut lines are all good.
Misaligned panels and gaps is a pet peeve of mine so i'll be doing my best to straighten it all out.
Good point though. I might actually do the rest of the floor and tack it in then hang everything just to be sure there wasn't an pre-existing issue that i could fix now.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Fri Oct 01, 2010 8:51 pm

decided to put on the new sill this afternoon.
Hung the door and guard to check out the gaps - all pretty good. Some tweaking here and there.
Door has had a bottom lip done which kicks out a little bit to far so some hammer action required to get that sitting a more in line with sill edge.
Front guard will pull down when bolted up properly. You can see the swage line not in line with it unbolted.
The aftermarket sill is pretty good only needed the captive nuts welding in for guard bolts and some trimming before welding on.
Got a repair panel for the front of the rear wheel well - not on in pics but fits ok. Will only use 50% of it though, from swage line down.

All in all pretty happy with it. Bottom door gap isn't as good as i'd like. May cut and shut that a little later.

Again the rotisserie makes this job so much more pleasant!. Will just flip the body to finish off welding the inner bottom lip of the sill instead of laying on the ground.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Sun Oct 10, 2010 6:39 pm

fitted up rear sill / arch panel today, again aftermarket shape not 100% but pretty good. Probably onto the floor section next then repair other sill.

Stumpy · Post by **Stumpy** » Mon Oct 11, 2010 10:37 pm

Hey Chris

progress is looking good! I bought LH240Z off you all those years ago.. Now I have sold it and want to buy another one!! Keep up the good work. Oh and go the L24 cant go past the sound of carbs.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 7:03 am

hey there,
Yeah i felt the need also! it's an illness that seems to roll around every few years but this time i've got it twice as bad. - Another LH240 on it's way!
Did you junk your resto shell?

Stumpy · Post by **Stumpy** » Tue Oct 12, 2010 10:11 pm

yea I saw your other Z. Is it cheap to buy on in the states and import it here? No I dont have any parts left, I sold them all... booooo

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 7:04 am

cheap is a relative term... I think i was pretty lucky to get the one i did for the money. I've kept an eye on ebay since and seen nothing good and cheap, apart from one (almost bought that too!) Shipping is pretty painless - around the 3K mark. Compliance here is just a glorified WOF for a standard car but i'll need cert etc so it's a bit more involved.

Needless to say i'll probably have the rat on the road for less than the resto one cost to buy.

nzeder · Post by **nzeder** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 4:40 pm

badhabit wrote:cheap is a relative term... I think i was pretty lucky to get the one i did for the money. I've kept an eye on ebay since and seen nothing good and cheap, apart from one (almost bought that too!) Shipping is pretty painless - around the 3K mark. Compliance here is just a glorified WOF for a standard car but i'll need cert etc so it's a bit more involved.

Needless to say i'll probably have the rat on the road for less than the resto one cost to buy.

I hear that it is a bit more than a glorified WOF. They will and do stick an endoscope/camera up the chassis rails and any signs of rust will be marked down as - required repairs. Let hope it is not a project HUGO "240z rust free" is how the ebay ad went I believe.

badhabit · Post by **badhabit** » Wed Oct 13, 2010 8:49 pm

i've been through compliance on about 5-6 cars now, admittedly not a Z before but a vehicle of similar vintage. Will cross any hurdles as they come.
I've been caught out once by not going through the car properly myself before sending it in for inspection.
Just be pleased to see it arrive. Not a nice feeling having paid money and not actually having something to show for it!

New Build - 73 240Z - RB25det

Engine for the project