4/75 Datsun 280Z; Leaf Green, CA market, 250K miles, Long Term Project 03/2023-

[siteunseen]

I rembered what you MUST be good at, in my mind anyway, Tetris. 

You have that way of thinking. "It'll fit, I know it will".

Proof is in the pictures. 

 

[HusseinHolland]

Took the front spoiler off after work & got it to the body shop for paint next week.

Also got the front seats out just as the rain began - it's supposed to rain through tomorrow, so I figured a good time to get the upholstery done. 

Removed the upholstery & made a filler piece for the side airbag location. I'm also switching the cushions left to right, as the outside of the drivers one has more wear. The PO was on the heavy side and it shows in the compression and tears in the foam. Switching them means that the worn sides will be on the inside of either seat, so not likely to be an issue down the road. Had to cut a slot for the rear seat release on the passenger side. If I could get hold of the rights quick release I would put another on the driver's side since that has electric it's a lot slower to rake than the quick flip lever 

Dense foam was a large pad used as packing for my LUK RS clutch & DM flywheel kit, I really don't throw much out

Edited April 17 by HusseinHolland

[HusseinHolland]

Did the upholstery today -  I was off work, and just as well because it ended up taking most of the day to do it. One of the zippers was broken. I tried first to fix what was there, along with resewing the seam, that didn't work. So I had to take the seam part again, and replace the damaged pull/zipper with a better quality one. That ended up taking a couple hours.  No word back from Ridies.com on the missing hardware or the broken zipper.

Covers also didn't come with the required wire rods for attachment, so I made them using $$ welding rod

Added aftermarket seat heaters that match the wiring I've already installed. The factory 350Z seat heaters are sewn to the upholstery. No practical way to transfer that, and it would have had to rewire the car to make it work anyway. 

Damaged zipper

After first repair, pull tab also snapped off

All zipped up

Sewed over the zipper end so it can't open up on the backside of the pull

Stronger pull

Drivers seat cushion

 

 

One self inflicted wound - I miscut the opening for the back release 🥺

Back in car. Plugged the seat heaters, but forgot to test them

 

Edited April 19 by HusseinHolland

[psdenno]

1 hour ago, HusseinHolland said:

Covers also didn't come with the required wire rods for attachment, so I made them using $$ welding rod

 

 

 

 

 

Next time, if you run out of "$$ welding rods", use wire coat hangers.  They work well and you probably have a few in your closet.

[HusseinHolland]

On 4/15/2024 at 5:42 PM, siteunseen said:

I rembered what you MUST be good at, in my mind anyway, Tetris. 

You have that way of thinking. "It'll fit, I know it will".

Proof is in the pictures. 

 

Thank you 😁

8 hours ago, psdenno said:

Next time, if you run out of "$$ welding rods", use wire coat hangers.  They work well and you probably have a few in your closet.

Unfortunately all the coat hangers these days are a thin gauge wire - I do indeed have plenty of those white coated ones, but they bend too easily for this. I used Stainless rod so I won't get rust should the seats get damp DTR

[psdenno]

5 hours ago, HusseinHolland said:

Thank you 😁

Unfortunately all the coat hangers these days are a thin gauge wire - I do indeed have plenty of those white coated ones, but they bend too easily for this. I used Stainless rod so I won't get rust should the seats get damp DTR

I guess, like so many other things, the quality of some coat hangers has declined.  Although, a few months ago, I used coat hangers when I reupholstered my Z for the third time in 52 years.  

Years ago, a friend of mine ran out of welding rods and used coat hangers instead when he welded the headers for his MGB.  Good luck with your project!

[HusseinHolland]

Another item arrived for install DTR - I will have to fill & paint the door caps for this job, do I'll likely do it in conjunction with the layer window frame mod. If anyone has a link to the precise location for installation, I'd appreciate it immensely😀

 

[psdenno]

2 hours ago, HusseinHolland said:

Another item arrived for install DTR - I will have to fill & paint the door caps for this job, do I'll likely do it in conjunction with the layer window frame mod. If anyone has a link to the precise location for installation, I'd appreciate it immensely😀

 

Fender mount diagram:  

 

[HusseinHolland]

11 hours ago, psdenno said:

Fender mount diagram:  

 

Thank you for the links! I do wish someone had actually photographed their car with the physical hole location when they did it, vs. a diagram of where to place the base gasket. Not one of the threads actually has any install pics besides the diagram. I'll have to add mine when I do them. 

One guy adjusted it for LHD 

 

There is a very meticulous YT Z restoration video ongoing series - I took screen shots from his Pt. 2 video (rightside, LHD chassis)- but he only shows one side & can't tell if he made them asymmetrical - I guess he'll find out if his are not right DTR

 

 

Edited April 20 by HusseinHolland

[Patcon]

Yeah, that guy does meticulous work!

[HusseinHolland]

Another side step while I'm waiting for the Z spoilers to get painted.

On the 740, I reverted to the original headlamp arrangement - these have plastic lenses vs the glass of the EU version I had installed a couple years ago, however they are much easier to get the beam properly adjusted. Also added the factory fog lamp kit I bought a couple years back. 

Had to make new support brackets for the lamp units , also used to anchor the grille brackets

Test fit alignment 

Rewiring for the US spec bulbs & sockets

NOS foglamp kit

Cut opening using provided templates

Anchored harness just case bracket gets hit

Edited April 22 by HusseinHolland

[HusseinHolland]

Fiat is now gone, making space for the pickup alongside the Z