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Winter paint project
http://forums.ctzcc.com/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=7091		 Page 1 of 4
Author:  Datsun Z Garage [ Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Winter paint project
Well...my white 240Z project car is finally about to receive a makeover. The paint job that I've been planning for several years...will finally take place...sometime this spring in my garage. I'm in the process of stripping it down and doing some sanding here and there...taking a general inventory of everything.

The history of this car was that it had been raced in Powhatan, Virginia and was actually found in a barn with no engine or interior...and most importantly no rust. When I bought it in 1996 the paint was excellent, it had been last painted in the early '80s in a Porsche 928 color called "Moonstone". But the past few years have made the finish look pretty ragged and the rust gremlins are appearing. So I've decided to repaint it white and settled on Mercedes shade called "Alabaster White". No guilt here...the original 240Z motor was built by the German company "Prince" motors I believe...so I think it's coming full circle.

This means I'll be at the BBQ this year...but sans a Z. Next year though...

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After cutting the gasket all the way around with a box cutter...the windshield pushed out from the inside easily...took me 5 minutes.

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Author:  Frank T [ Thu Oct 11, 2012 10:52 pm ]
Post subject: 
:shock: GASP!!!

Oh NO! My favorite 240Z, disassembled!

I can't imagine this car ever being any better than it already is, but I've heard Bryan threaten to paint it for about 3 years now. I suspected I would repaint my Z before he did his, but I guess he doesn't have any kids in college yet so he got the jump on me. He's always said cosmetics were the very dead-last item on his money list. Safety and performance always rated first.

For you new guyz who don't know about this car yet, it's my idea of the 'perfect' 240Z. Bryan has enhanced literally every system on the car, improving everything to about 90% of race-trim. Any further development of the car's engine, brakes, gearbox, suspension, steering, exhaust, ignition, etc, would move it away from 'street' trim to 'race' trim. I've driven it and it feels to me like a 220hp GoKart. It's the only 240 I've ever driven which has 4.11 gears in the rear, and I simply wasn't ready for that kind of performance!

It seems that every winter, Bryan performs some major project on this car.

I guess he has finally finished with all the mechanical stuff he could think of ~ now he finally gets to paint it.

Hey, ya' gotta spend that money on SOMEthing!

Frank T
Author:  Datsun Z Garage [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:14 pm ]
Post subject:  January update
My garage is unheated so I haven't gotten too far this Winter.

Luckily there was only surface rust on the driver side fenderwell, the rustproofing I put on in 1996 did its job.

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The body has orange under everything, but my inner hatch, under door panels, and under windshield glass are white. It was last painted in the early 80's, I doubt the PO pulled everything to paint the car white. Was orange used as a factory primer?

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I'm replacing the driver rocker panel. One method is to use a sawzall to remove it fast and easy. I'm doing the slow method of drilling out the factory spot welds...if I can find them all!

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I somehow sourced an unpainted NOS set of fenders...factory primer with with Nissan labels intact. Minor surface rust on a couple of edges...they look better in person...someone was smiling on me.

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Still sanding, hoping on primering it when it gets above 60F.

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Author:  Frank T [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:26 pm ]
Post subject: 
So spooky to zee this car in pieces. :(

Hey, when you pulled the fenders off did you find a rubber gasket where the fender met the body?
Author:  Filipe [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:27 pm ]
Post subject: 
Good luck to you Bryan! She's going to be a pretty one.

What kind of rustproofing did you use/apply? Looks like it held up really well.
Author:  Datsun Z Garage [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 1:39 pm ]
Post subject:  re:
It was a gallon paint-can of rubberized brush-on made by Westley's (tire stuff) of all people. I think I found it at Pep Boys back then.

Good question Frank. When I pulled them in '96 there was a bead of foam weatherstripping running top to bottom where it contacts the "paint line" in front of the door. I guesstimated and used some closed-cell weatherstripping from the hardware store which held up well.
Author:  jim.arnett [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 2:58 pm ]
Post subject: 
Bryan,
Consider a good coating of POR-15 on the insides of those new fenders before the final paint job - something my painter did for my car. The fender weatherseals at the splash panel and the A-pillar are NLA (good thing as they were open-cell foam). I used 1/2" X 3/4" closed-cell weatherstrip from AutoZone for a perfect fit in this area.

Looking forward to seeing your progress.
Author:  ZCARNUT [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 3:51 pm ]
Post subject: 
Agreed Jim, I painted the entire chassis on my car (inside and underneath) with POR15 before paint. Sealed every nook and cranny with the stuff!
Author:  Frank T [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 7:53 pm ]
Post subject: 
I used RhinoLiner on mine. Technically I guess I could drive it in snow and salt without much fear but that's what started the rusting process last time I owned it ~ no sense taking that chance again.]
Author:  Datsun Z Garage [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:20 pm ]
Post subject:  re:
I plan on leaving the black factory primer on them in place...sanding to take off the upper layers and then sealing the inside with a good undercoating...undecided on what. I'm going to use a single-stage acrylic urethane on the outside.

My car is garaged and never sees rain...I figure if the stock fenders made it 43 years my car will be 86 years old before this pair of fenders need to go.
Author:  Frank T [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:33 pm ]
Post subject: 
Yeah.....replacement parts should be REAL easy to find by then. :roll:
Author:  Filipe [ Sun Jan 27, 2013 8:49 pm ]
Post subject: 
Can you imagine how much the value of Paul's property is going to skyrocket in the coming years??

:lol: :lol:
Author:  mikeatrpi [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 10:21 am ]
Post subject: 
Spill the beans! What's the color going to be? :?:
Author:  Datsun Z Garage [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  re:
It was going to be Mercedes Alabaster White but I had an inspiration one night and decided to go with something uncommon.

As for the color...in this case I'll take the 5th...as I want to be the only Z at 2013 Nationals with this color. Ya hafta wait!
Author:  Frank T [ Wed Jan 30, 2013 3:20 pm ]
Post subject: 
Better not be Pearlescent Pewter :evil:

Hey, how's it coming with those tac-welds on the rocker panel?
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