280zx 2+2 restoration (Matchbox)

Ped

Club Member
Won this 1982 280zx 2+2 ‘model’ on eBay after a successful 300 pence bid!

As usual when it turned up on the Royal Mail delivery truck, I realised it would take literally 2 or 3 evenings to get it fully restored. Why is it that there is always more work involved than in the pictures? Fortunately the engine won’t be a problem - there isn’t one in this Macau built variant.

I intend to create a replica of the other blue silver 280zx I currently own.

The build starts in earnest! TV car shows, eat your heart out!

1. Assessing the bodywork prior to full strip down…

matchbox_car1.jpg


2. Full body-off restoration starts in earnest…

matchbox_car2.jpg


3. Targa top deleted and later style bonnet vent reworked, literally minutes and minutes of flatting back!

I always preferred the earlier 280zx…

matchbox_car3.jpg


4. The car hits the paint booth for primer, beige interior is being re-trimmed in grey/blue…

matchbox_car4.jpg


5. Meanwhile; exterior paint acquired, running gear refurbished and correct iron-cross alloys sourced…

matchbox_car5.jpg


And all without the need for some git to put on a funny hat, watch the clock and say "lets get it done" over and over again.

Tune in next time for some made up drama about the wrong parts being delivered...
 

jonbills

Membership Secretary
Site Administrator

Ped

Club Member
6. Black stone chip applied to the underside - fully seam sealed first of course.

matchbox_car6.jpg


7. Bodywork now been flatted back and masked up. Not sure about that door shut gap though… new blue carpets on order.

matchbox_car7.jpg


8. Metallic 2 pack now sprayed, silver will be shot once it has been baked. OK - so the paint is not perfect. The guy in the paint shop managed to squeeze it in in his lunch break. At the end of the day it will be a daily driver, so I only wanted to spend hundreds (of pennies) on it not thousands. Once the trim and glass has been refitted it should look presentable. EXTRA:D

matchbox_car8.jpg
 

niroshann

Club Member
I like your work! I’ve always been keen to match the ones on my key tags with the paint on the actual cars the keys belong to! Great work as usual Ped!!
 

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Ped

Club Member
I like your work! I’ve always been keen to match the ones on my key tags with the paint on the actual cars the keys belong to! Great work as usual Ped!!
Like the idea of using these as keyrings. Not sure the paint would last 5 minutes though.
 

Ped

Club Member
9. Body masked off ready for silver.

matchbox_car9.jpg


10. Silver now sprayed. It will need to have a gloss coat applied as the colour I wanted was only available in matt, so it looks like flat aluminium at the moment.

matchbox_car10.jpg


Still no carpets. The supplier is making up excuses, something about not being able to get the right size? Can’t see what is so difficult?
 

Mr Tenno

Digital Officer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Love it! There's a couple of guys on Youtube who restore vintage Hotwheels and it looks like you're doing a solid job :thumbs:
 
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