260Z Project - 260Z GT-R

status

Well-Known Forum User
Didn’t realise it’s for plastic,I sent mine off to the states,as I sed before proper process is called vacuume plating and it ain’t cheap and there are not that many people in the states that do it,if you are spending thousands on doing a car up I think it is worth spending a few hundred pounds getting it done,it’s the postage that’s a killer as well
 

Ian

Club Member
No, its proper chrome plating for the FRP bumpers, first needs to have a good smooth level surface, you then coat it in several layers of conductive copper paint and I beleive flatten tham back beetween each layer, after that its like normal chroming, first nickle then chrome.


Surely there is a plater in the UK that can do this.
 

status

Well-Known Forum User
Tried before to find some one but in the end gave up as got another set of rear light surrounds I want doing,probably end up sending back to the states
 

Jay.

Club Member
Had another flick through the topic for some inspiration.

Whilst it's disappointing you didn't get quite what you were hoping for, I'm glad to hear you're progressing again. Must be a killer not being able to drive it.

How are you doing with sourcing the parts? With the amount of stuff you're getting, is it worthwhile potentially buying them over in the states and getting them all shipped over in a crate?
 

Ian

Club Member
Whilst it's disappointing you didn't get quite what you were hoping for, I'm glad to hear you're progressing again. Must be a killer not being able to drive it.
Yeah, it hurts not being able to drive it, its probably my favourite thing to do over any of my other interests/hobbies/activities so I am really missing it, it drives so well in all situations that it just makes it a pleasure to drive. It might not be the fastest RB'd Zed but I think I got the balance just right, I find that people owning more powerful or more stripped out ones actually drive them less than I do mine and overall enjoy it less. So while I do sometimes have the temptation to go single turbo and another 100hp I do believe that I would actually not enjoy it as much.

Work will be starting at the start of July. Engine and gearbox are disconnected I just need to remove them an then it will be off to get blasted, then I'm thinking about getting it hot zinc sprayed, then rust repairs on the floors, chassis rail extensions (and cage if I go that way) before a full respray in either current colour or Porsche Sapphire Blue Metallic (doing a test on my damaged wing, will more likely stay current colour) Then its just rebuilt it again.




How are you doing with sourcing the parts? With the amount of stuff you're getting, is it worthwhile potentially buying them over in the states and getting them all shipped over in a crate?
I actually am good for parts now, all that I still need is a front bumper and I really don't know what way to go with this as I haven't been able to find a straight second hand one and all the aftermarket options have a risk of poor fitment. I would like to go fibreglass to cut some weight but it would cost me over £700 to chrome an frp one. I may go bumper less for a short while until I sort this, I have Skillard bumper delete plates ready in case.

Also not sure if I will be using the FRP supplied airdam as the quality is poor, I am gong to try it but might end up changing it for one from America or a Marugen Shoukai one from Japan.
 
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AliK

Vehicle Dating Officer
Staff member
Club Member
I'm a fan of the Harrington stainless steel bumpers and the fit is good to my eyes. And should cost less that £700 for a front.But avoid their rubber corners.
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Yeah, it hurts not being able to drive it, its probably my favourite thing to over any of my other interests/hobbies/activities so I am really missing it, it drives so well in all situations that it just makes it a pleasure to drive. It might not be the fastest RB'd Zed but I think I got the balance just right, I find that people owning more powerful or more stripped out ones actually drive them less than I do mine and overall enjoy it less. So while I do sometime have the temptation to go single turbo and another 100hp I do believe that I would actually not enjoy it as much.

I've just had a flick through this thread to catch up, looks like its been quite the journey and is an awesome project. Lots of very tasteful modifications that must make it quite the weapon!

I know that feeling all too well and can really relate, you've got a great take on it though. This is what it's all about, less is actually more a lot of the time, the silly horsepower cars make for great bragging rights however in reality no sense on the road. I'm not sure what sort of power you're running however I'm sure it's 300+ which in a car of that weight must be a riot as it is and capable of getting you into all sorts of trouble. Hopefully you'll have it sorted and be able to get back to enjoying it and putting more miles on, such a shame when someone pulls out on you like that (another feeling I know too well).

Keep up the good work, it'll be worth it all when you can just take her out on an open road again and and just get lost in the experience :cool:
 

Ian

Club Member
I'm a fan of the Harrington stainless steel bumpers and the fit is good to my eyes. And should cost less that £700 for a front.But avoid their rubber corners.
I'm considering this, problem is others have found the fit to be poor. Might risk it though. Would love the weight saving from an FRP one but not sure I can justify the cost.

Would the OEM rubber corner strips fit the Harrington ones?
 

Ian

Club Member
I've just had a flick through this thread to catch up, looks like its been quite the journey and is an awesome project. Lots of very tasteful modifications that must make it quite the weapon!
Thanks, I have to say I think I have it close to perfect for me as its actually turned out to drive way better than I thought it would before I started the project, still things I'd like to do but only little things I can gradually improve over time. Its my dream car and I'm still as happy about it as the day I completed the build, wanted an S30 setup like this for years before I was actually able to.




I know that feeling all too well and can really relate, you've got a great take on it though. This is what it's all about, less is actually more a lot of the time, the silly horsepower cars make for great bragging rights however in reality no sense on the road. I'm not sure what sort of power you're running however I'm sure it's 300+ which in a car of that weight must be a riot as it is and capable of getting you into all sorts of trouble.
Its all about that feeling isn't it, thats what matters. Running 482hp on high boost, it driven on low boost most of the time, 1 bar, perhaps around 400hp. Might not seem like less is more but it handles this power perfectly whereas to go for more power I think I wouldn't be long in finding the limits, plus a single turbo is never going to come on power as progressively as the HKS twins do so I think i'd have bad traction problems even without much more power.




Hopefully you'll have it sorted and be able to get back to enjoying it and putting more miles on, such a shame when someone pulls out on you like that (another feeling I know too well).
Keep up the good work, it'll be worth it all when you can just take her out on an open road again and and just get lost in the experience :cool:
Its going to get driven so much once its back on the road again.
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
It's really cool to hear what you've accomplished and what it means to you, I love to hear the personal stories behind each of these cars. I'd love to be in the detailing and more minor modification stage however that's a quite a way off yet unfortunately. It's a dream car for me too, something very special about them!

All sounds very sensible to me, keeps the engine under stressed that way and should give years of pleasure to come without worrying. Stick with the twins and enjoy it for what it is.

I look forward to reading more about it in due course :thumbs:
 

Ian

Club Member
Yes, the fact that I enjoy it so much makes all the countless hours of research and hard work and all the expenses worth while.


I'd love to be in the detailing and more minor modification stage however that's a quite a way off yet unfortunately. It's a dream car for me too, something very special about them!
You'll get there and it will be well worth it. They are very special, only car I can think of that was more special to drive was a Radical Supersport and that was only on track, it would have sucked on the road. It was speical in how it drove, but the S30's are special in many other ways besides this.
 

Ian

Club Member
As part of the rebuild obviously my windscreen will have to be removed (I actually plan on replacing it) I am however worried about the chrome trim, will it be possible remove the window in such a way that it will be reusable? I am not a fan of the black chrome-less trim look. Are new chrome trims even available?
 

toopy

Club Member
As part of the rebuild obviously my windscreen will have to be removed (I actually plan on replacing it) I am however worried about the chrome trim, will it be possible remove the window in such a way that it will be reusable? I am not a fan of the black chrome-less trim look. Are new chrome trims even available?

https://zcarsource.com/windshield-chrome-trim-set-240z-260-280z not cheap tho!

I believe if your careful, it can be removed and reused.

Its actually stainless steel not chromed ;)
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
My screen was removed and resealed last year and the trim was re-used with no issues. Just make sure you get someone who knows what they are doing involved!
 

Ian

Club Member
No progress on this, I just can't find anywhere good, willing and able to do a bare metal respray on this. Its driving me crazy.


So I may take it to the mainland, so any suggestions on somewhere that will do the kind of job where you can be happy it will stay rust free for 15 years rather than a few. Would dread to do a bare metal job on it (currently no rust visible on external body) only for rust to appear in a few areas where there was none before.


Perhaps I am better not to bare metal the body? Only the inside floors and underneath? No bubbles anywhere and paint must have been down 7 years now.
 

240Z Man

Well-Known Forum User
No progress on this, I just can't find anywhere good, willing and able to do a bare metal respray on this. Its driving me crazy.


So I may take it to the mainland, so any suggestions on somewhere that will do the kind of job where you can be happy it will stay rust free for 15 years rather than a few. Would dread to do a bare metal job on it (currently no rust visible on external body) only for rust to appear in a few areas where there was none before.


Perhaps I am better not to bare metal the body? Only the inside floors and underneath? No bubbles anywhere and paint must have been down 7 years now.


There are not too many people around that specialise in what you are looking for, it depends how deep your pockets are as well. There is a Company called Retropower that do sand blasting or media blasting then can hot zinc spray, and they specialise in restoring old cars. I believe if you look at their website they have been doing a Datsun. The best way to see the type of work they do, and the sort of thing you are looking for, is to go on You Tube and type in Gordon Murray Mark I Escort, and watch all the 7 episodes of their work. I think after you see this you will want to do your car.
 

Ian

Club Member
With the amount of restoration projects that have been on here someone must know somewhere.

I know of Retrpower, but wouldn't use them as I have it from several sources that their finished product is not worth the price they charge, they would be wanting over £40k for the Datsun going by previous jobs, they stopped replying to me after I asked for a very rough guideline price so I managed to find info on previous work. I think they are the type of company where if you have to ask how much it costs they are not interested in working for you.


I am thinking £10k should be plenty as thats as much I can possibly give to it, thats with me stripping and re building the car and not including the cost of blasting.
 

toopy

Club Member
Assuming no corrosion, i would of thought that only a small percentage of cars are totally bare metalled for a respray, it makes no sense to me to rub it back to metal if the existing paint is good, and your just refreshing it or even if you're changing the colour.
 
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