Where is the best place in CT to restore the floor and frame for a 280ZX?

Hi, Joe ~

The best place is actually not in CT, but in Bedford, Mass.

Our member John owns Bad Dog Parts (www.BadDogParts.com) and makes heavy duty frame rails and replacement floor panels. John's stuff is a bit heavier-duty than other companies make, but it lasts forever.

Other places offer welding services for Zs, and some of our other members can guide you to them.

This is a well-trodden path you're on. Rusted floors and rails are the #1 issue with older Zs.

But you already know that.

Frank

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1970 240Z

Is there any shop around here that can weld the floor. I'm hoping I can get it gone for $5,000 or less. The body needs some work but that can wait, I'm more worried about the frame. I love this car. I think its an important car to it the last year of the Datsun's.

Well, if you strip the car down to where it can be rotated on a rotisserie (and that usually means pulling the tank and drive line), you can save a lot of money. Additionally, you can probably find some guys in this Club who have had a lot of experience doing floors and rails, to do it for a lot less than that.

If you're going to make it a show car, where perfection counts, you should have it done in a shop. But if you want an excellent looking safe and solid driver which can still win awards at local car shows, we know several members who could probably do it if they have time.

Tell us about the car. (I love it when Zs are special to their owners).

Frank

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1970 240Z

I know Dave Russell up near Htfrd has a working garage and has huge experience in welding floors and rust repair. I don't know how busy he is, or if he would even want to do it, but he's close to you. And Pat Burns has a body shop down in the valley, but you'd have to get the car down to him.

Dave has a little bit of experience in rust removal and floor repair.

http://www.ctzcc.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?p ... re_071.jpg

http://www.ctzcc.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?p ... re_110.jpg

http://www.ctzcc.com/cgi-bin/album.pl?p ... re_112.jpg

This was what was left of his cars after the rust was removed! They are all 100% restored today.


Frank

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1970 240Z

I know of another guy named Vinny Bedini over in New Milford who
is very capable of doing high quality rust repair, including frame rails
and floor pans. In fact, I expect him to work on our 70 Z, 71 510, and
69 1600 whenever he can get to them.

John Jefferies is an excellent resource for the partZ, but I don't know
whether he is able to do the welding repairs.

I wonder how Dave was able to get the station wagon in the pictures
aligned and squared. Usually you would truss, brace, stress, and
cross brace the car in various directions before taking it apart so you
could keep all the dimensions and clearances true. Panel, door, hood,
and trunk/hatch alignment and tolerances are what I have in mind.

All Z Best,............................Kathy & Rick

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All Z Best,.......Kathy & Rick

1969 Z.CAR (#00013 10/69) 8/30/76
1969 ITSA.Z (#00171 11/69) 8/24/73
1970 OLD.Z (#06289 6/70) original owner
1971 510 2dr since 12/31/75
1969 1600 rdstr (our 160-Z)
1971 (#19851 1/71) sold
1975 75.Z (#01343 1/75)

QUAD POINT LASER NETWORK, OEM BODY/COLLISION SPECS. AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL.

Frank I tryed to find bigdogparts online and cant find the site. I was looking to do my floors next year as at some point someone thought it was ok to lift the car on a lift under the floors they are cracking and I found alittle rot at the weld behind the seats.

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1972 240z
2004 350z

Never mind Frank I found them guess I should have typed baddogparts Lol stupid me

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1972 240z
2004 350z

Believe me Bobby, it gets worse as you get older..........

Frank

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1970 240Z