My RB26 260Z Project

[pablo]

Previous state of it is just unbelievable!

Superb work.

amazing how it looks ok until they peel it back and then its a full WTF???

 

[EF Ian]

Repairing the bottom of the door like that where you start running out of reference points, then getting it to fit perfectly again is first class.

Its all squared up on the chassis to get proper lines before its welded.

amazing how it looks ok until they peel it back and then its a full WTF???

Well, it is 43 years old.

Imagine how many cars are on the road looking good but hiding so much underneath.




Can't wait for this to be done, fed up with the financial strain. By the time this is done I could have just about bought an RX-7 with what it will have cost. I wish I'd bought an FD3S 10 years ago when they were still affordable. My plans for my next project being an FD3S with an SB4 V8 are looking highly unlikely. I think I'm done with big budget car builds. I'll stick to building motorbikes. Was thinking how nice it would be to be a multimillionaire recently, I don't desire a bigger house, or more clothes or anything fancy. I just want to build all the ideas I have in my head in a nice home workshop. I'd never get bored and I'd end up with some awesome cars, bikes and silly inventions.

 

[pablo]

Well, it is 43 years old.

Imagine how many cars are on the road looking good but hiding so much underneath.

I mean after stripping/blasting youd think its all good to go but they obviously have the insight to know to look closer and then the real extent is clear

 

[EF Ian]

More worrying is if you have a shell that from the outside has no imperfections and you leave the internals alone they could still be hiding a lot of future problems. If I'd gone with a better shell I'd still have felt compelled to cut it open knowing what I know now.

 

[Dave..]

Amazing work and build.

 

[eamon343]

Theres alot to be said for not looking to deep, don't see it, it isnt an issue

Work looks great though, will be better than new. Is it getting painted at the same place?

 

[Lyons]

amazing how it looks ok until they peel it back and then its a full WTF???

I know! Unbelievable!

 

[EF Ian]

Theres alot to be said for not looking to deep, don't see it, it isnt an issue

This doesn't quite work if you intend to own it for life as to leave something hidden only to find it messing up your new paintwork 6 years down the line would be soul destroying.

Work looks great though, will be better than new.

It actually will be better than new which I'm happy about, I've got them to improve the shell design in some areas, add strength and stiffness in others, modify parts to make areas look more aesthetically pleasing and it will be sealed everywhere with the best modern coating available. 43 years since this was made so there have been a lot of improvements in technology.

Is it getting painted at the same place?

Yes, unless it bankrupts me first.

 

[Tufty]

The amount of work going into this is mad in a totally good way. The rear 1/4 panel work is on an other level. I love how you haven’t cut any corners and done things to the highest level yes it maybe costing that BIT more but I’m sure your over the moon with it.

 

[EF Ian]

The amount of work going into this is mad in a totally good way

Certainly a crazy amount of hours, it will be over well 800 hours work by the time its completed.

The rear 1/4 panel work is on an other level. I love how you haven’t cut any corners and done things to the highest level yes it maybe costing that BIT more but I’m sure your over the moon with it.

Their work is great, but I can't wait to see the metalwork complete and seeing it in primer.

Hopefully the rear quarters turn out fantastic with all the hours put into that section alone.

 

[Tufty]

@EF Ian im sure at this point you would very much like to hit the fast forward button if one existed. I have seen the work this week gone into them and like everything they do it’s precision. I’m sure the end is near in regards to the metal work and it will be no time before it’s in primer. I can’t wait to see it in primer but I also love all the metal work progress as well it’s so refreshing to see proper fab work being done.

 

[EF Ian]

@ Ian im sure at this point you would very much like to hit the fast forward button if one existed.

Yes and no. It would be great to have it done sooner, means I'll have the car back sooner and can start building it and it means the costs would reduce as the bodywork stage is more predicable. However I currently don't have enough money to pay for all the work if it were completed in January, so a few months extra is useful as it is basically taking all free money I have to fund it. (As in whats left after mortgage and bills etc)

I think there could be as much as 150 hours of metalwork left.



From my head there is at least this left:

Repair NS door
Finish NS door frame
Shape other quarter
Make rear lower panel
Fit rear lower panel and both rear quarters
Repair front of inner wing on both sides
Engine bay modifications
Basic seam welding in select areas as per my plans
Install strengthened jacking points in all corners
Add strengthening bars as per my plans

 

[Tufty]

I know what you mean when it comes to the money side of things houses consume some money between all the bills and some months the free money pot runs dry pretty quick.

We will be looking back at this post in a few months and it will have felt like weeks. This is kinda a life time investment as you have no plans for it to leave once finished so in my eyes as long as you can afford it in the long run it will be worth it. To be fair it’s going to be simply outstanding when it’s finished.

 

[EF Ian]

Work has continued, repaired the lower front wing and many many hours were spent getting the rear quarter to fit. The swage line was not in the correct place, so Dave removed it, got the panel to sit right using the English wheel and put the swage in the correct place.

Check the swage location

 

[EF Ian]

Unfortunately the pass side door was in a bad way in some areas, including being bent so it wouldn't line up with the frame.


Door split

 

[EF Ian]

You can see the misalignment

Luckily Dave was able to sort this.

 

[Woodcutter]

The attention to detail on this is just mind boggling.

Incredible work and patience!

 

[Eager]

Fantastic commitment
Unreal to see something being properly tore to pieces on here.
Easily the best car on the site once finished, proper enthusiastic ownership not just bought and sold and back to the dealer for one in blue this time.

 

[big_pete]

This really is incredible, do these guys do any YouTube stuff?

 

[chrisd1]

One of the best threads Ian, could read it all day, the fab work is incredible. Talent, detail, and pure quality!

 

[svensktoppen]

Wow, just wow.

 

[EF Ian]

This really is incredible, do these guys do any YouTube stuff?

Its some high level work they do.

They have a youtube channel, but haven't really being making any content for a while, I think Dave is too busy doing actual work most of the time to be able to find time to video it.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCt8_DljZQ0xKJCCL_I7JKtA

Some of their videos helped me decide to go with them:

One of the best threads Ian, could read it all day, the fab work is incredible. Talent, detail, and pure quality!

Thanks, Not often you get to see this level of work is it.






I now own another vehicle from the same year as this car....



78 Honda C500

Very definitely a project as its a non runner, very rough and the engine needs rebuilt. For now I'll strip and plan, I won't be spending any money until the Datsun is back on the road. I may do the engine before, depending on parts costs, I am hoping I will only need gaskets, rings, seals and bearings. Hopefully I am able to make it run again. I took a gamble on it and bought it unseen at an auction.


I will be doing a modern cafe racer style build with it.

 

[Apis]

78 Honda C500

Typo? CX.

 

[EF Ian]

Yes, the X on my keyboard is dodgy and I didn't check over it properly before posting. It is indeed a CX500

 

[EF Ian]

Some of the final repairs on the pass door, some very rotten sections, they have been perfectly repaired though.