Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
I got mine from there, they're very honest about what they sell, compared to a lot of well known sellers in the country, amazingly honest.
I'd be speaking to the person you had the car off.
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LiamR's 280z Restomod - SR20DET to RB25DET
- Thread starter LiamR
- Start date
I got mine from there, they're very honest about what they sell, compared to a lot of well known sellers in the country, amazingly honest.
I'd be speaking to the person you had the car off.
Alphabettispaghetti
Club Member
Excellent news
NB. if you are not aware, Jay. Is my eldest, and my Dad was a Chief Tiff in the Fleet Air Arm - worked on the development squadron (700 I think) on the Buccaneer. Learn a lot about being positive from him
I was a chief Tiff once.
The OP's life long regret must have not been doing his time in the senior service
richiep
Club Member
Good for you. Brave, but totally understand the financial viewpoint and you have skills yourself and a skilled friend who is willing to help, which is extremely valuable. It’s also very useful to have Andy on tap; his panels are nice quality and his offer of bespoke stuff is very generous. Plus, his existing range is pretty extensive and, as you note, covers many of the problem areas. His full RHD bulkhead is particularly useful in this case!
is it going to end up with a video series/updates on YT?!
is it going to end up with a video series/updates on YT?!
Garaculas
Club Member
Good on you Liam, I think it’s easy for us lot to sit here behind a phone or computer and say we would get a new shell but like you say it’s hard to turn away from a project. Plus the journey is all part of the fun!
Look forward to updates on here and from Ste on YouTube, like I said before let us know if I can be of any help and best of luck!
Look forward to updates on here and from Ste on YouTube, like I said before let us know if I can be of any help and best of luck!
LiamR
Club Member
Thanks for all the encouragement and understanding.
It wasn't an easy choice for me to make.. but Ste is the one who twisted my arm when he said he refuses to let me lose out on my dream car and be 'done over'.
If I was in the financial situation of having a big chunk of expendable cash then buying a new shell is absolutely the way to go.
I will keep this thread updated with anything that happens but it's a lot to ask of someone doing it as a favour so I don't expect it to be finished in a month or so.
It wasn't an easy choice for me to make.. but Ste is the one who twisted my arm when he said he refuses to let me lose out on my dream car and be 'done over'.
If I was in the financial situation of having a big chunk of expendable cash then buying a new shell is absolutely the way to go.
I will keep this thread updated with anything that happens but it's a lot to ask of someone doing it as a favour so I don't expect it to be finished in a month or so.
uk66fastback
Club Member
What a bleedin' nightmare. Unless you're buying a bare shell, it's always a bit of a worry as to what lurks underneath, especially with these cars as the metal was so thin, nothing lasted too long. Add in accident damage and it just gets worse.
If you think about it logically (not easy), then you're right to go with what's you've got - seeing as you will be changing/amending a lot of the panels anyway. Pleased that that is what is going to happen.
If someone had said, we've blasted it and it's had a new tunnel, a new full floor and sill on one side and a new rear wing, you'd have thought, superb. What's wrong here is that the repair is a) obvious once uncovered and b) badly completed. Which then leads you to think what else is slightly 'out' and has been 'made to fit'. That rear three quarter join below the side window - no words to even say to that. Yes, you've now got to go back and so the work again with fabricated parts (some) but when it is done - and it will be - the satisfaction will be off the scale. Apart from the 'join' and the shocking welding, as for actual rust damage, the rest of the shell is pretty good for one of these.
I've seen cars come back from way worse. It's time and money of course ... but Rome wasn't built etc.
Lots of people on here with knowledge and encouragement - and you've got a good pal in your corner with talent - which is great news.
Plan it all out, get a white board and write it all out in order. Works wonders (or frightens the s&^% out of you .... !)
If you think about it logically (not easy), then you're right to go with what's you've got - seeing as you will be changing/amending a lot of the panels anyway. Pleased that that is what is going to happen.
If someone had said, we've blasted it and it's had a new tunnel, a new full floor and sill on one side and a new rear wing, you'd have thought, superb. What's wrong here is that the repair is a) obvious once uncovered and b) badly completed. Which then leads you to think what else is slightly 'out' and has been 'made to fit'. That rear three quarter join below the side window - no words to even say to that. Yes, you've now got to go back and so the work again with fabricated parts (some) but when it is done - and it will be - the satisfaction will be off the scale. Apart from the 'join' and the shocking welding, as for actual rust damage, the rest of the shell is pretty good for one of these.
I've seen cars come back from way worse. It's time and money of course ... but Rome wasn't built etc.
Lots of people on here with knowledge and encouragement - and you've got a good pal in your corner with talent - which is great news.
Plan it all out, get a white board and write it all out in order. Works wonders (or frightens the s&^% out of you .... !)
LiamR
Club Member
You have hit the nail on the head there!
I think rust wise, I've been pretty lucky but bad repair wise... not so.
It's going to be a case of removing the horrid workmanship carefully and then trying to make it fit properly.
I just look at it and think to myself.. who in their right mind would look at that and think yeah... that will do... shes good to go! Surely a psychopath owned this car once haha!
candy red
Club Member
Good that you've made a decision in what direction you going in, you can now move forward with planning how you are going to carryout this work step by step 
as you said you had most of the bad area planned for renewal anyway ,if you can get a replacement tunnel and you get a new bulkhead panel from Andy that eliminates a lot of the cut n shut problem then once you get new sills welded in connecting A and B posts ,new floors and footwell in. You would be putting a lot of the structure of the shell back to what it should be Roof pillar joints will also be very important to the structure also once you've replaced the front chassis rail and connected back to bulkhead and rad support you will be along way there structural wise. 
lucky you have your mate to help out with the welding he's going to be busy ,think it could cost you a lot in beer money.
,
Try not to look at the hole job as 1 look at it as lots of small jobs
just some bigger than others .
Good luck with the whole build
{ how hard can it be }
Derrick
as you said you had most of the bad area planned for renewal anyway ,if you can get a replacement tunnel and you get a new bulkhead panel from Andy that eliminates a lot of the cut n shut problem then once you get new sills welded in connecting A and B posts ,new floors and footwell in. You would be putting a lot of the structure of the shell back to what it should be Roof pillar joints will also be very important to the structure also once you've replaced the front chassis rail and connected back to bulkhead and rad support you will be along way there structural wise. lucky you have your mate to help out with the welding he's going to be busy ,think it could cost you a lot in beer money.
,Try not to look at the hole job as 1 look at it as lots of small jobs
just some bigger than others .Good luck with the whole build
{ how hard can it be } Derrick
LiamR
Club Member
So a little update from Andy...
He has nearly finished making my custom front end.
It's a 240z radiator panel with a 280z Lower cross member and I think it's having a 240z upper panel (unless they are all the same). I'm going to be using the 240z bonnet hinge panels so that should give me the most room for extra wires and pipes etc. Just got to remove the front panels that are installed for the 280z front indicators.
The 280z front end...
You need to remove this piece to fit the 240z front...
This is the 240z front end...
He had also knocked me up the new stronger chassis rails.
Onwards and upwards eh!!!
He has nearly finished making my custom front end.
It's a 240z radiator panel with a 280z Lower cross member and I think it's having a 240z upper panel (unless they are all the same). I'm going to be using the 240z bonnet hinge panels so that should give me the most room for extra wires and pipes etc. Just got to remove the front panels that are installed for the 280z front indicators.
The 280z front end...
You need to remove this piece to fit the 240z front...
This is the 240z front end...
He had also knocked me up the new stronger chassis rails.
Onwards and upwards eh!!!
LiamR
Club Member
You move fast, how much to do mine?
Really looking forward to seeing the shell come back together!
Oh dont worry nothing has been done yet... those are images Andy sent me on how to do the 240z front conversion looking back it does look like my car a bit .
Least now it gives me the option of bolting on the 240z front bumper should I ever want one
WazzaJB
Club Member
My bad aha, just got excited
uk66fastback
Club Member
Where did that piece come from Liam?
LiamR
Club Member
Got it from Ebay. Think it's a company called classic car parts direct or something like that. £69.99 with free delivery.
Garaculas
Club Member
If it all stays around that price point you’ll be laughing!
LiamR
Club Member
Hi Liam
Not sure if this panel might help you out as the 280z doesn't have the recess for the rear bumper but these are hard to find panels its for the rear lower quarter let me know if any good to you .
Regards Derrick
Rear left hand side
Hi Derrick,
I can't see any images there!
