Restoration of BringaTrailer 240z - HLS30-35883

[inline6]

3 hours ago, ETI4K said:

That is a serious list.  What do the yellow cells indicate?

Attention grabbing for me for my restoration.  Some number of fasteners is missing - I need to find and add.   I will clean it up a bit as I progress on it. 🙂

 

[davewormald]

On 6/6/2021 at 9:47 AM, inline6 said:

Datsun 240z hardware - 6/1971

 

Wow!

[inline6]

The work to prep the hardware for plating is laborious.  Also, I have been trying to make sure I track down every last piece of hardware.  The car was not fully assembled when I bought it, so trying to identify everything is difficult and time consuming.  I am having some repeatable success with my hardware prepping process.  Basically it involves bead blasting to strip, stainless media in the vibratory tumbler to remove the glass bead finish, and corn cobb metal with a metal polish in the vibratory tumbler to polish the parts followed by a Dremel tool with wire brush attachments and sometimes #0000 stainless steel wool to make the finish more consistent after the dremel wire wheels.  

I got a wire wheel attachment for my 8" bench grinder and gave that a shot for a few seconds.  In addition to scaring me because I think it will take a body part off, it is way too aggressive for cleaning hardware.  Oh well, only about $15 and will certainly come in handy for something.

I thought I would share what I found out about the water pipe that goes around the back of the cylinder head.  First, I bought the one that Motorsport sells.  As you can see in the picture here, where I compare it to my original, it is quite different.  The bracket is much taller.  So the pipe is different to match.  It would probably work, but I had an idea to fix my old one.  

 

Basically, the old pipe is in good condition except for the part where the hoses attached.  Under the hose, the pipe corroded quite severely.  Figuring that some modern Nissan would share a similar part, I went looking using image search on Google and came across a part that is not too expensive (about $25) that has what I need - good ends.  It is a Nissan/INFINITI 14053-EA20B Engine Coolant Pipe (pictured on the right in the third pic here):

    

It is the same diameter and has enough straight length for me to rob what I need off of it.  I cut 25 mm off of each end and off of my old one.  Then I decided to break in my Tig welder, which I bought 1 and half years ago - 😦.  I know... right!  Well, I finally overcame the trepidation of the learning curve and got it fired up.  I practiced on the carcass of the new pipe for a bit and then managed to get two tack welds to hold one of the new ends on.  

    

 

I will practice some more on the sacrificed pipe before I finish weld the new ends onto my old one.  I will test it for leaks of course.  I think it will look really nice when I am done and have it prepped to be re-plated.  

Edited August 15, 2021 by inline6

[inline6]

Prepping hardware... Will it ever end???????????  🙂

Only a vague idea if this is good enough.  Perhaps, some of it is overkill.  Thanks for the guidance about prep level on the hardware.  I have probably been going overkill on some.  I hope I can finally send everything off in a couple of weeks.  A lot of the larger stuff (wiper linkage, hard lines, etc.) is not shown here:

    

    

    

    

      

    

  

 

Edited July 28, 2021 by inline6

[Patcon]

So what is a synopsis of your technique?

[inline6]

1 hour ago, Patcon said:

So what is a synopsis of your technique?

It has evolved some, and now it consists of:

1. Using these glass beads from Northern Tool and Equipment, important for size of grain, and bead blasting at 90 psi with a 1/8th inch nozzle to remove all rust, and to establish a consistent finish.  I use one of these baskets and find that putting a variety of hardware (big and small) is great for trapping the parts in place so I can blast them without them flying around too much.  For large parts, you don't need to use the basket, and you can then go back over them with the pressure at 50 psi to put a smoother, easier to "second stage prep" by hand, finish. 
2. For all hardware (bolts, washers, nuts, screws and odd small bits), I go straight from glass bead blasting to tumbling in one of these vibratory tumblers.  I now use a stainless steel media (bought from Southern Shine Tumblers on Facebook).  See pic below.  It consists of tiny little bits of stainless steel that are good at getting into tight spaces, like between threads, phillips head recesses, etc.  And now I use it dry.  I was using water and a bit of citric acid, but I think that is best for doing brass shell casings.  I was fighting keeping the parts from starting to oxidize/rust, and have found that the media works better and faster dry... to put a nice finish on the hardware.  Time in the tumbler is about 2-3 hours.
3. For large parts that I can't tumble, I use a Dremel tool and the little wire wheel brush attachments after glass bead blasting.  For final, more consistent finish, I follow wire brushing by hand rub the large parts with #0000 fine steel wool.  Doesn't take a lot of work by hand, but the combination of using the Dremel followed by fine steel wool by hand does end up taking some time.

 

The glass bead finish can be altered on aluminum parts, by the way.  It can look really nice, if after going over it once with 90 psi, you lower the pressure and go over the part slowly.  Extending the distance from the gun tip to the part also smooths out the finish, giving it a nice satin look.  I am still experimenting, with some aluminum parts, but a once over with 90 psi to clean followed by a once over with 50 psi achieves a really nice finish.

Edited July 28, 2021 by inline6

[Patcon]

I have the blasting cabinet, although it can be tremendously slow.

I have the same blasting basket

And I have a similar tumbler

Just need to figure out how to get the SS media

[inline6]

7 minutes ago, Patcon said:

Just need to figure out how to get the SS media

Did you see the link to their facebook page?  Send an email to them first to inquire on pricing and availability:  southernshinemedia1@gmail.com  They accept PayPal.

[Patcon]

I did.

Thanks for the email. That would be preferential to Facebook

[inline6]

One of my goals for the car I am restoring is to address points of entry for water into the body of the car.  If you look at the design that was originally used for the emblems on the car, (hatch panel and quarter panel in particular), it is obvious that water enters through the holes in the panel.  I've been thinking of a way to seal them.  These may be a good option.  I am thinking of continuing to use the factory metal clips on the posts of the emblems, but to put these on and heat shrink them around the clips.  I think I will give it a try on a test panel.  I need to come up with a few other things for my order with McMaster-Carr.  

Edited August 14, 2021 by inline6

[Patcon]

If I was worried about water entry at the emblems I would use some emblem adhesive or urethane sealant

[inline6]

4 minutes ago, Patcon said:

If I was worried about water entry at the emblems I would use some emblem adhesive or urethane sealant

Instead of the tubular clips?  Hmmm.  Or maybe just make a gasket of it around the posts and still use the tubular clips.  I've blobbed on clear silicon before and crossed my fingers that it sealed.  It makes a bit of a mess.  I am looking for something I can be more sure of getting a waterproof seal.

Are you thinking this?

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40069443/

Or maybe this?