Intorducing 'Gaijin'

[gaijin]

The panel beater fellow is a pushy bugger, so its off for another epic drive to hand over parts that are requried to help work on the next areas.

Thanks to Glenn for the gaurds, these will help take moulds for the front end work which will start next week. After a quick review today, it looks like as much time as the tin work has taken. ie. Quite a bit....

Ill ecplain over the next few weeks.




Here's a better pic of something I mentioned a while back talking suspension,
If the rear end still feels too mushy with softer tires at the track, the hard bushes you see may get replaced - rose jointed, etc.

Indicator hole filled up. No warts here.

Hatch likewise with opening device.

Dove tail hatch area all done & sealed

Left hand side continues, almost there. Rear quarter replacement panel originally from Tabco, some USA outit. Not much went back on the car.

The front pillar needed a bit of love, so love applied.

Few other parts/areas furthered

 

[gaijin]

Almost forgot about this thing down south after 3 weeks off.
how very refreshing!

Last time I talked to me man John, he said "we'll finish the metal work, then I want bills paid"

Fair enough.
Either that or some of the 40k odd persons following these threads globally start sending their cars to this guy...virtually immediatly

Hence why the work finishes clearly where the metal stops.
On the outside at least.

Havent told him about a few minor things to chop later....

seat mounts, bonnet struts (eh Mike), holes Ive made in the engine bay etc etc.....

All good so far.


right side still ok, just needs the gas flap keyhole welded up

Note that window chrome & SS into position. Had to move a couple mounting holes for the rear quarter glass windows, as cage fouled chances of getting a screw in......unles your hooked up? Save it.

Few other issues at the rear.Did some costing of rear metal bar, take one dull but straight unit, de-chrome, weld up all exisitng holes and seams, straighten/smooth, re-chrome etc = $$$$

vs


buy new glass bar and paint a colour
and sell old dull bar.

no contest. Plus minus many kgs, pity its the wrong end eh.

I can break many glass bar before asking for mr dull chrome back.
Chrome could always be thrown back on later if I have a spare wadss of cash.









This pic is to note. What is going on here. Surley a clean body cant be painted with a skin looking like the close up of the moons surface?

BEADBLAST approaching. A new step added to the build. Argh well....I might get back 1/20th of it upon sale price.....
Not me talking

Panle beating getting a flash boring, time to spice things up a little I reckon

RSVP

 

[Mr.G]

Keep the build photos coming Gaijin, loving it!

 

[gaijin]

...

 

[Bantambunny]

Great news and a great update as always Keep the good work up mate!

 

[gaijin]

Phoarr,
anymore waiting and Ill have forgotten about this thing.


As mentioned, the chrome bumper has been axed in favour of a glass unit from japan. chopped for cheaper postage reasons. Still has bolts and seams molded into the glass version. Odd. They will be smoothed over.

Hard to see, but I borrowed Glenn MArtins front spare gaurds and copied the rearward support for the glass gaurds on mine, as they lacked sufficient support close to the door. Feels solid on the car now. The front wupport looks way out, but a little shaping and urethane will sort it.

I picked up a pair of racetech wide's in glass with Ally mounts from Mr Black in Chch, who has helped with a great price. Seats were fresh off the press and sent that day. They fit me well, but not the car well. We will remove all the exisiting seat mounts in the S30 chassis, and look to make a section of floor lower than the rest, so my head&helmet has clearance to the roof. Ill detail this next time. The steering wheel is close enough to me, probably not requiring movement rearward, or replacement with a dished wheel.
A sliding rail will sit below the alloy side mounts to give some fore/aft adjustment.

The front gaurds had no face to bolt the headlight buckets to, so a steel equivalent was made and joined to the gaurds, bogged over. This will allow me to run the stock lights, buckets, chrome rings for the factory look.

The gaurds are on and shaping work started. They need more work around the lower edges, but generally there.
What an effort tho, chopping up the steel units would have been easier. Need to move that front bumper edge away from the flare, its too close.

Inspection flaps cut back in. We had placed an oil filter and washer bottle accessible under them, so thought Id better get the flaps back in. Cut/place.
A new catch has been made - area in red in pic.

New old stock chrome S30 mirrors from Japan.

To avoid the bonnet pin crap look, aerocatch install planned. Since the bonnet has its structural rim on the underside that covers over where I was planning to put them, another catch will be made, similar to the inspection flaps closing mount. Thye are lockable, fit almost flush, and seem to look OK on other customs Ive looked at.

The front requires some 'air giudance equipment'. i.e. make sure we get sufficient airflow across the desired areas, its a pity the bonnet swings back into it all when opened....
The front inner part of the nose has been strengthened up, as it wasnt able to support itself in the right shape. The numberplate mounts will go.

 

[gaijin]

A mate came round and showed me what he's been doing in his spare time, over a beer and grub.

Its the intake pipe ( air filter to turbo intake) I wasnt 100% with, Im looking for the japan style many welds look. It would do very little to airflow vs pressure drop over the original 'digital' version, 45 degree angle styles.
Looks smooth, and is a mock up. Test fit it today and works ok. We might swing the air filter horizontal, rather than up/down, being the only change.

 

[Bantambunny]

Wow this project just gets better and better. I still think you'll finish yours before i finish the V8 though lol

Keep the updates coming buddy they're much appreciated

 

[JakTheRuby]

Agreed. That seat is fab too!

 

[zcarz]

Hi Gaijin. Welcome to the club mate. Just got through reading the whole thread. I am in shock.Congradulations on a super build. Truely inspirational. I wish you well.

 

[Mr Ex]

Keep up the good work, you are getting there.

 

[gaijin]

Hey, top trumps to the zedophile responders !







Zepophile responsiblities....








,


this looks shizen

this looks ok

 

[gaijin]

Let it be known that the reason that I went with the G-nose is that the misses reckons 'it looks classy' (compared to original front with spoiler). Keeping them involved!



OLD

NEW

Bonnet is on and some cutting and repositioning of the frame has been done. It needs more work to straighten up the shut lines.
Catches are next. G-nose hinges were part of the G-nose deal from Kapiti Mike. Hinges are single pivot, not double like the standard ones.

Areas to further tidy up;
Gaps;

Some fat to trim, under front guard;

Arches looking the part, kiwi style

some more stuff to chop out, all the tabs gone please.
Don't want a dirty numberplate hanging in the middle of my precious airflow.
Where will you go? Hmm...

Right side front arch to complete

Time to get more help to fast forward to/through the next stage.
- Rip out everything inside, dash,heater etc. Prepare for sandblasting the inside of the car smooth.
- Rip out all drive train and review engine bay. Require some re-work, old harness clips removed, holes filled etc.
- Cleanup of old colour paint around front wheel wells, some of it is flaking off after applying paint to tar under seal too soon.

Better dust of the overalls

 

[PET-240]

Not too bad, not too bad at all, ahh who am I kidding, I'm damn impressed, not that that really means anything, but top stuff,really top stuff.
You should be proud, esp since you are going through the cancer thing, hope all is going well with that, I'm looking to put the VH41/45 in my 240Z, still in the planning stages, but you have given many ideas!!!!!
Lookin forward to seeing this baby done!!!!!

 

[Bantambunny]

Fantastic fantastic fantastic!

Great stuff buddy, looks like you'll be almost done soon!

 

[JakTheRuby]

Superb as always. Hope you can keep up the enthusiasm as this car is gonna look like a monster!

 

[gaijin]

Enthusiasm...

I have just met with David Griffiths, who is the top Opera composer in New Zealand, who also loves Motorsport......he has performed at my house a few years back, but not for any car launch....it'd be a nice final video post to a completed car project

 

[BRONZEE]

Kiwi can do!! Perhaps this car is keeping you sane.

 

[gaijin]

Sane? Hard to judge by the characters that surround me...

bullet proofing the headlight to gaurd area

bonnet shut lines looking better

attach gaurd to inner support, more bullet proofing. Imagine this dodgy body kit peeling off on the motorway....

Bonnet looking smooth to the rest now

to fix the gaps at the end of the flares, we had to break a few eggs to bake the cake

Bonnet catches in

welting in for the front gaurd, looks kinda overkill, might look at some smaller profile stuff

rear bumper in one peice and shaved of its lumps and bumps

the panelbeater has finished the body now, the seat mounting is left, and a quick beating of frame rails under the floors and we are painting.
I will probably pull the engine out soon and get the engine bay tidied, since its had a lot of work done around there.

 

[Steve Dodson]

Coming along very nicely. Top job