240ZBUILTBYME 1971 240z HS-001063 Project Sheena

[240ZBUILTBYME]

My z guy Martin is giving me the hurry up to get my dash harness to him so he can install my gauges, I wanted to do an overhaul on all the terminals and plugs, so I first created a nail board and splayed out the harness. I then started studying the wiring diagram which to be honest at first look overwhelmed me, but once you have the harness splayed out and diagram in front of you it gets clearer. 

Then I marked out all the harness intersections on the board and began labelling each terminal using the wiring diagram to help me identify terminals or plugs that weren't connected to anything when i removed it from the car. Next I plan to strip the tape off the harness putting small bands of temporary tape to hold its shape and intersections, then Ill inspect and repair the wires, once I'm happy with the wires i will start depinning, replacing pins and plugs. before retaping I'm going to see if i can get it continuity tested or if i can do it myself.

 

[Racer X]

1 hour ago, 240ZBUILTBYME said:

My z guy Martin is giving me the hurry up to get my dash harness to him so he can install my gauges, I wanted to do an overhaul on all the terminals and plugs, so I first created a nail board and splayed out the harness. I then started studying the wiring diagram which to be honest at first look overwhelmed me, but once you have the harness splayed out and diagram in front of you it gets clearer. 

Then I marked out all the harness intersections on the board and began labelling each terminal using the wiring diagram to help me identify terminals or plugs that weren't connected to anything when i removed it from the car. Next I plan to strip the tape off the harness putting small bands of temporary tape to hold its shape and intersections, then Ill inspect and repair the wires, once I'm happy with the wires i will start depinning, replacing pins and plugs. before retaping I'm going to see if i can get it continuity tested or if i can do it myself.

 

You can do the continuity testing yourself, with a volt/ohm meter.

[240ZBUILTBYME]

28 minutes ago, Racer X said:

You can do the continuity testing yourself, with a volt/ohm meter.

yeah I was planning on giving it a go, was just reading up on testing a harness seems straight forward but you obviously need to know where each wire terminates on both ends, so would make sense to do it while all the tape is off 

[dutchzcarguy]

Also check the fusebox on bad connections. take out 1 fuse and close the clamps and check it they are still have a good conn. to the back cable. clean the fuse clamps with alcohol. Put back fuse and check if it is clamped well.. next fuse etc. etc. 

 

[Patcon]

I have found that on many locations the harnesses already have small bands of tape at the junctions. I also believe the original loom tape had some adhesive on it. The residue is on the wires, the ends didn't have additional wrapping to prevent raveling and it makes a noise when unwrapping that sounds like old adhesive.

[240ZBUILTBYME]

So I've been doing a lot of thinking and soul searching in regards to this project. I've contemplated giving up on this car so many times I've lost count, but I just cant bring myself to do it, I'm in too deep at this point and the passion to finish it is still too strong. But I've had to be honest with myself with what I can achieve at this point of my life with my current skillset.

I have two beautiful kids that are by far the most important thing in my life. At the moment because of the kids I'm extremely time poor, I think once they are both in fulltime school I'll be able to throw some hours at this car, that is probably 2-3 years away still. 

So I'm now contemplating having the metalwork done by a professional shop, and maybe me and my dad painting the car once the rust repair is complete, or just bite the bullet and have the shop paint it. I've had some quotes and its an extraordinary sum of money. But at this point of my life I have the money but not the time. I feel like I've been working on this car for ages (cause I have) and feel like I've achieved nothing (cause I haven't).  If I continue to stubbornly try and complete the rust repairs on my own I'll still be posting about this project when I'm 50....

So I've put the car on the waiting list of a reputable restoration shop here in Perth, currently their waitlist is over a year, so I think I will still have an opportunity to do some work. It kills me to make this decision as I always wanted to do it myself and I've spent so much buying tools and equipment to do it, but I feel its the only way i can move forward meaningfully at this time 

I got the car back from the blaster a few months ago but have only just got time to go back and take some photos. I felt nauseous for a few weeks post getting the car back. 

Here are some pics of the rust that was hiding under the paint....Although the car looks great in all one color there are certainly more holes now....

First the roof, check out the LHS drip rail, yikes

RHD rear quarter 

LHS internal roof structure 

The bottom of the tool compartment has rust all along the bottom join 

Not much left of the floor pans

I thought my rear hatch was in good nick, crazy what paint can hide.... looks worse in person trust me, all bashed and buckled 

Knew this LHS chassis rail was bad but it now has 70% more holes now

fenders looked really good before but alas I was tricked yet again

Bonnet actually came out amazing besides damage to the front corner 

oh the humanity....

rear section had some nasty suprises 

cowl and firewall holes got bigger

and lastly the cowl cover came out nice despite some small rust holes 

[Mark Maras]

 You mention time, bodywork and paint. Bodywork is the big time killer in your project. The metalwork will take a long time but not as long as getting it ready for paint. Just the sanding seems to take forever. If the paint job is a large part of the quote, I'd get a quote for the metalwork and a separate quote for the bodywork to get it ready for paint. Then paint it yourself. It's not that difficult unless you're going for pearl or metal flake.

[Patcon]

I think I agree with Mark.

Your car looks about what I expected post blasting from what we've seen up until now. I have done this several times now and there is always a bunch more metal work then you really expect. If you can afford to sub out the metal work, I would do it. I've been working on my current project Z for 12 years and have a good bit yet to go. I would encourage you to take the most direct path you can afford to a complete car that you can afford. Then go make some memories with your kids. If you can afford to sub the paint you might should do that too. It's much nicer to have a running car then a long term project.

My 2 cents...

[dutchzcarguy]

13 hours ago, 240ZBUILTBYME said:

I've had some quotes and its an extraordinary sum of money.

I know someone here in the Netherlands that had a car like yours and it came back from sandblasting and looked like yours.. he went to a specialist and he said.. If you give me 10 grand (euro's) for the repairs of only the rust, i'm not gonna touch it!  So he bought another chassis..

There was not a single panel on the car that didn't need work.

I already admired your perseverance!  I expected a chassis with lots of welds and holes.. (Like most original imports in the Netherlands are having A LOT of welds) and sadly i got right.   I wouldn't continu with this kind of rust.. but i think i said that year(s) ago..

It's your car/money..

Has the carshop seen this car? and you got a quote? If it's lower than 5 numbers they are not a specialist/professionalist.. 

And another tip.. never ever pay the full amount on front, my painter still has to work on my car (polish the complete car as it's an orange..) and he still a grant short. Now he stopped with the firm as he's 68 years old and i'm happy i didn't pay him all Now i can do this myself and keep the money!

Good luck, hope you find a guy that wants to work on your car for a reasonable amount of money..

[240ZBUILTBYME]

@Mark Maras @Patcon thanks for your opinions guys, appreciate the honesty and its reassuring you somewhat agree with my decision. I will wait and see where I stand financially and motivation wise before I decide to outsource the paint side, I like the idea of having them do the paint prep and then we come in and finish the actual painting. 

2 hours ago, dutchzcarguy said:

Has the carshop seen this car? and you got a quote?

yep they have come to see the car, figure has 5 numbers, and was around what i was expecting

Yeah I understand why some would abandon this chassis, and if a clean chassis came up i would certainly take it. but that's not going to happen, not where I am, unfinished projects are as rare as rocking horse $^!#. And at this point I think all chassis' deserve to be saved. 

[dutchzcarguy]

Yeah, i have seen more than once overhere locally that people asked for a chassis s30.. it always made me laugh.. if i could get me one i would buy it! I got enough parts to make me another one!  (On the other hand i have to much work already and feel to sick to work on another car so... don't offer me a chassis please!  🤒)

[Namerow]

23 hours ago, 240ZBUILTBYME said:

where I am, unfinished projects are as rare as rocking horse

I may be completely off the mark here, but I wonder what it would cost to ship a rough-but-solid 240Z chassis from the US west coast to your location in Perth.  I'm going to guess US$10,000.  Add, say, $2,000 to hire someone trustworthy in the US (CZCC member?) to act as your buying/shipping agent.  Add $US 10,000 to buy the car.  Let's say, US$25,000 when all is said and done.  Using this approach, the car might need a bit of metal work but it should be within your means as DIY work.

I wonder if this might prove to be a much faster route toward your end goal?  Keep in mind that you never know where you'll end up if you hire a local commercial shop to do the metal work on your current Z.  Unknowns: 1) total cost; 2) days/months/years to complete; 3) quality of work delivered; % of work actually completed before either the price goes up or you lose patience). 

As tempting as it might be to turn your Z over to a commercial specialist, it may just open up a completely new can of worms.  It can be de-risked by using progress payments based on completion milestones, but I doubt that most shops are going to be willing to sign such a contract.