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That could certainly be the case. I don't know how Datsun handled their part number replacement scheme, but where I came from, we would have probably used a different P/N if we changed the mold. Especially if the production floor processing was different between the two. So picture this... On the production floor, the early early one required the output port markings to be ground off and re-stamped. Then they changed the casting and the requirement for that processing became unnecessary. You would need a way to document that and communicate it to the shop floor. A new part number and accompanying new work order paperwork would be a good way to handle that.

Gotcha. And a couple comments about that spot / glazing putty: It's solvent based and because of that, it shrinks a lot as the solvent evaporates. Thin coats only to build up a deeper wound. Also it will likely etch into the PVC that the center console is made out of. That PVC is low on the chemical resistance chart. And lastly, be aware that filler has no mechanical strength on it's own. Think of it as "spraying a whole bunch of coats of sandable primer". (If that makes sense. ) I've found that JB weld sands OK with the correct low load paper.

Here are a few pics from the early eighties when I had my rear quarters replaced. Sorry that they don't show more detail. The left side was actually done about a year before the right, as someone lightly backed into me and due to the existing shoddy bondo repair, a pile of rusty bits was left on the ground similar to the second pic, during the more complete resto. At the time of the incident I didn't have the funds to do the full resto. The left side was cut back to the factory joint but on the right side it is cut further down, I'm not sure why? Or if it was cut more later in the repair process? Anyways you can see a little of the detail. I wish I had taken more closeup pictures back then.

How exactly do you test it? with a test light? If so should i have the ignition on and the left signal activated? I really prefer testing it properly before opening anything inside the T/S switch. Anyone??

I would appreciate that as well….

Does anyone have a picture of how the roof and rear quarter panels come together when the latter is replaced. Failing that, maybe just a detail shot of the relevant area of the rear quarter panel. There has to be a weld somewhere!

That makes sense.

There are two part numbers for the "early" brake M/C, sadly no implementation (from) date is shown in the Nissan parts book for E4602. Thanks CO for posting about this interesting bit of Zed trivia. 46010-E4601 Early, Early? 46010-E4602 Early?

@dpascual1986 hasn't been on the site in over 4 years. You probably won't get any feedback.

How’s it been holding up these past 11 years? I was thinking of getting one as well.

I was thinking about plastic weld but this piece is already attached on the outside with JB Weld. Inside the crease seems to be no more than 1-2 mm. Thats why i feel bondo might be a better option as it wont mess up the plastic around which plastic welding will and epoxy is very hard to sand after it is set. Will spot test this product and will report back. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Bondo-Glazing-and-Spot-Putty-00907ES-4-5-oz-1-Tube/16927984?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&wl13=5435&adid=2222222227716927984_117755028669_12420145346&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9032151&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=16927984&wl13=5435&veh=sem_LIA&gclsrc=aw.ds&&adid=2222222223716927984_117755028669_12420145346&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=501107745824&wl4=pla-306310554666&wl5=9032151&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=local&wl12=16927984&veh=sem&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAjwuJ2xBhA3EiwAMVjkVCb3MAiZZ7fniP_GEnK1Ce8a0edcONIymlO-a23xqCLkPsh0skynYhoCztIQAvD_BwE

Yes, donor was pretty heavily damaged in other places plus mine also has a lid/armrest to cover this pocket which i have taken off for now. Donor didnt had the armrest.

Plastic repair is one of those things I’ve been experimenting with frequently in the last year or so. The usual, interior plastic panels, consoles yes, broken eye glass frames, toy repair, you name it. These are my favorite findings and tools 1. Plastic welding. Basically a wide flat soldering iron with filler “wire” of various plastic species. Melt the substrate, add filler, smear it all over. 2. Wire staples in various shapes, that you heat up and press across a crack that melt then harden into the plastic thickness, binding the two sides together. 3. Build up missing areas with UV cure epoxy resin. This is my new favorite. Also makes a good glue for plastics. Used to buy in small expensive gluing kits (Goggle Bondic) but now UV cure resins are everywhere in the hobby world and are cheap.

Thanks bluez. So it definitely looks like between 7/70 and 12/70 they changed the markings from stamped-in to cast-in. Haha!! Another detail to look for on the early cars for authenticity. Stock class judges be aware! "It's got an early style M/C." "Yeah, but it's not an early early style."

I like it. It's not a particularly stressed part. I say use whatever to make it hold together. Out of curiosity however... If you found a donor, why not just use the whole donor? Was it damaged in a different location or something?

Got it. So it sounds like choices to fill that large visible joint after welding was either lead or plastic filler? And they chose the lead.

Glad you found it! You may want to consider going with a LED compatible flashers (blinker and hazard). When I put my car back together the running light fuse was getting really hot. I swapped all the bulbs and flashers to LED and it made a huge difference. Several threads on this. I think I bought everything from Amazon.

To digress sightly from the thread's main subject (sorry OP), here's an example of what the cars were going through on rallies: English team Withers Of Winsford entered an ex-Works Fairlady Z-emblemed Datsun 240Z rally car - wearing the personalised UK license plate 'CAL 1' of company owner Mr Cal Withers - in the 1973 TAP Rally of Portugal, driven by hotshoe Englishman Chris Sclater and navigated by Dutch specialist Bob De Jong. The service crew were forced to repair the screen pillar joints - which were parting company - mid-event, assisted by the staff of Portuguese Datsun distributors Entreposto. They took the screen out and either brazed or gas-welded the pillars back together... At that point the car had already taken part in the 1972 Acropolis Rally in Greece and the 1972 RAC Rally in the UK. Perhaps not surprising that the bodyshell was starting to get a little bit 'baggy'...

In my experience, the joints were usually spotwelded. However, I have seen a couple of bodies that had brazed joints (perhaps even spotwelded AND brazed).

Had to get several things squared away on the truck - it's annual state inspection is due. Main thing was the tail lamp connections - since I drove it for a year with no covers over the back of the tail lights, the sockets had all got crud on them, and sometimes the indicators would come on through the brake light circuit and so forth. All indications of bad grounds. I have several new bulb sockets, so I dug those out and cleaned up the connections on the tail light circuit boards. Besides that it was just odds and ends that they would look at as part of the safety check. I got it inspected this evening, no problems there thankfully. Since I didn't have a lot of time, I focused on making a rack to store the wood that I had outside - the tarp I was using seen better days, and wasn't keeping the water off the wood. So I had to clean and dry them all . Figured it would be safe it to store them indoors. I used pieces of tubing from the canopy I had used to cover the X1/9 when I painted it back in 2018, and set those in the angle iron with six of the longer Fiat head bolts (welded in place)

The fiberglass single layer is strong enough for this application. I am thinking to just mask the inside and use a bead of bondo to close the gap instead of plastic weld which is a messy work. Light black paint after that. Any thoughts?

As an aside I read all 100+ comments in that BaT thread. Was really fascinating. I suspected that was TonyD stirring the pot. I also found it interesting that many commenters suggested that Japanese classics would never be worth what you put into them for restoration. I suspect if you had suggested that a 240Z would sell for $300k+ you would have been laughed out of the space. It was also interesting that nobody seemed to understand the uniquity of the very early cars. So much for the experts...

We were at the car show at Zcon. I believe @gnosez posed the question. He asked about the lead at the quarter to roof joint. Matsuo San was a guest speaker and ViP at that Zcon. He said it was to let the car "breathe". We suggested "flex" and he agreed. He said if the car couldn't flex there it would flex at the windshield. He implied that the A pillar could break or the windshield could come out.