Z Club of NZ Forum

Hello,
Having enjoyed reading many build threads for years, its time to pay back and start my own. Over the course of a few posts I'll bring folks up to the present day of where the car is at. I purchased the car back in 2015 from a lady who had owned it for 27 years. While it had not been abused it was certainly used and needs a full rebuild. Drove it home and used it for about a year before the rust got too bad to pass a warrant.
These first few posts will be a bit of a learning curve.....

Welcome and I'd say enjoy, but sounds like you have been already.

Thanks Bronzee, have enjoyed pulling her apart, I think it will be a while yet before I get to drive her again.
For a couple of years we were working on our house so the Datsun had to live in a rented unit (prison?). During this time I accumulated a few parts for the restoration. I'm fortunate in that for work I travel to the US once of twice a year, brought back from MSA a new interior and weatherstrip kit. From Z Car Depot a rubber suspension kit. Its a road car so didn't really want to use urethane bushes if I can avoid it. Also on a trip to Melbourne brought back new old stock door cards, I'm changing to a black interior so was wrapped to get these.

Many thanks for your commitment to show us your build, We will be looking forward to the updates. In regards to your rebuild, remember that the difference between a great looking rebuild and an average one is the detail. Polish all the stainless steel parts and get your badges looking really good. New trim is going to make the interior look very sharp. I replaced my front screen with a new one when a rebuilt my car. Not that it needed it but I didn't want the old screen with a glass full of a lifetime of stone chips.

All the best with your build.

Thanks Bernie, I have a new front screen ready to go. When the car could no longer pass the warrant due to rust, they also failed it due to a growing crack in the screen, insurance paid for a new one no problem.

here's a few random photos,

trying again with the photo orientated correctly

Looking forward to seeing her on the road when all finished.

Who did she belong to before? 27 years is a long time to own, was it a clubbie?

Awesome - great to see another one come out of the woodwork! Didn’t know this car existed! Do you know where the car originated given the indicator repeats on the guards?

Keep us updated with progress!

Just done a repaint on mine.....they are never done!

BRONZEE wrote: ↑Tue Dec 24, 2019 2:14 pm Looking forward to seeing her on the road when all finished.

Who did she belong to before? 27 years is a long time to own, was it a clubbie?

I purchased the car from Karen Metz, I checked the old ownership papers, she purchased the car in 1983 so actually owned it for some 32 years
Not sure if it was she who belonged to the club but one of the previous owners must have as there is an old style Z club sticker on the quarter glass window.

nustad wrote: ↑Thu Jan 02, 2020 9:58 pm Awesome - great to see another one come out of the woodwork! Didn’t know this car existed! Do you know where the car originated given the indicator repeats on the guards?

Keep us updated with progress!

Just done a repaint on mine.....they are never done!

Hi nustard, I have the old Post Office ownership papers. The car was previously registered in Hong Kong and was imported into NZ on the 12 December 1973. I have tried tracking down the original NZ owner to try and understand the cars history but have had no luck making contact. The car was first registered in NZ on rego plate GZ2433 with 9,150 miles on the clock. I'm guessing the first owner was an expat in Hong Kong and brought the car back with him and this would account for the front guards having indicators (which I'm thinking about removing for aesthetic reasons....)
During the ownership of Karen, the lady I purchased the car from, it was off the road for 2 or 3 years due to lack of use. This meant the rego lapsed and she had to re-register the car with its current plate WD7669. That's a shame as it would be nice to have the old black plates. Karen had to hand them in when the new ones were issued.
Does anyone have any hints on how to be able to get/use black plates?

I managed to get the original plate reissued as a personalised plate as the previous owner put a pp on it and also surrendered the black plates. First I repainted the new ones and then I got replicas made by Doozi (in Hamilton and on Facebook). Hopefully Kiwiplates will do the same .......... Email me glenn@waitete.com if you want more info.

Wow, that's really cool that you decided to have the original plates re-minted. Helps to keep the history of the car together.

So at the start of 2019 I had the car in the shed at home
Rust peaking through, there will be more I was sure.....

Pulling the car apart reveled some rather average rust repair in the past. and looks like she had a bang behind the drivers door

some more random disassembly photos