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Well folks, it's 9 months later, and I have a whole car again. It was slow going: no driving because of the pandemic meant no real urgency, some anxiety about my ability to do the job well didn't help, but mainly it turns out that it just isn't as fun the second time around. Photo dump (of the things I remember to photograph): Here were the earlier days. The hood edge was crushed a bit and there was no hope of pulling it out and I wasn't going to just use filler. So cut and welded first, then filled. I probably applied and sanded off filler 8 times trying to get the curves right, but (spoiler alert) it just wasn't cooperating. Got lucky and found a nice headlight bucket on eBay for a very reasonable price. Couldn't find a fender, so I beat it into the best shape I could and welded the sugar scoop to it. The coat of epoxy showed just how much work I still had to do. A ton of sand-fill-sand on the fender, but it got there in the end. The wheel arch and the curve where the fender/headlight come down to the air dam were the biggest challenges. Time jump to late March, and I was feeling pretty good about the progress so sprayed both the hood and fender with epoxy to get ready for some final block sanding. Put too much paint on at one time, so I had to clean that up and do some touchup work on the wheel arch. Worse: after spraying the hood, I could see a flat-ish spot that I had felt when sanding, but talked myself into thinking it wouldn't be so bad. It was, so I stripped it all off and started over. Realized part of the problem is the hood on that side had kind of collapsed, so I shimmed it with pieces of steel bar (I had to do something similar on the other side a few years ago -- my poor hood is kind of a horror show). A few more rounds filling and sanding, and it finally came together. Let's talk paint. The guy I bought the paint from originally no longer sells that brand, so he had to try to match it. It wasn't great: I had to go back a second time to and have him tweak it, and I still wasn't confident in it. He gave me some extra black so I could adjust the tint myself. Tested on the old headlight bucket (good thing I saved it!). The dark half on top original, the light is what he gave me, and the blotches are my continued adjustments. Fortunately, I also had just enough of my old paint for one coat at the end. Still, there was a lot of hand wringing on my part about the color and a real concern I'd have a hood and fender that didn't match the rest of the car. Did a pretty okay job putting the paint on, though! Quick break for a "while I'm at it" job. The detent roller pin on the door hinge popped off a couple years ago. Not a huge deal, but an annoyance, and I already have the car apart so I should fix it now. Turns out you can't buy a replacement pin and I didn't want to get a whole new hinge if I could avoid it. Went to the nuts and bolts section at Home Depot and found a stainless bolt that fit the roller. Ground down the old treads enough to get the die to fit and cut new threads, then tapped the hinge. I don't know about longevity, but it works for now and only cost about $1.50. And finally the bumper. It twisted and buckled in two places in the collision. I used a bottle jack and 1x1 to get it back to the mostly-proper width, then wedged it under my engine hoist to fix the twist. It still needed more convincing, and I figured I had nothing to lose, so I beat the bejeezus out of it with a hammer to do the rest. Did a lot of hammer and dolly work, filing, and sanding to fix it, and had a couple spots that I just couldn't correct. So I turned the bumper upside down and now they're on the bottom. Had to weld in a couple of new nuts to make it fit right against the car. Polishing was a Sisyphean ordeal and I got to the point where I was only making the things I was trying to fix worse. So I called it. The finished product:

Managed to remove the rear valance panel! Great Success! Used a combination of methods. These are the first spot welds I’ve ever removed so wanted to try them all. Used the rotabroach cutter style, the specialty drill bit type and the finger file sander. This is what my experience was with each: Rota broach/cutter type I used this specific set so not the el cheapo type off eBay. I found these difficult to use, they don’t work well on plug welds which I had a few of. they like to walk on uneven surfaces. But if your panel is flat and they are factory spot welds these do ok. You must use a center punch the specialty drill bit type this worked really well and I preferred them to the cutter style. Cut quickly and don’t mind uneven surfaces, don’t walk on you either. best on factory spot welds, they didn’t do well on the plug welds due to the small diameter. Must use a center punch too the finger file sander Bought this specific one from bunnings 60$, wanted a cheap one to try out to see if it would be worth the money buying a more expensive air one once I get my compressor. And it is great for grinding out spot welds! Catch is it will leave massive square holes in the top panel, but if you’re not reusing the top panel this is a great option. It’s very quick, I was using 40grit, easy to see when you have ground enough of the spot weld away, leaves the bottom panel in perfect condition. This one did the job but lacked a bit of power, occasionally stopped turning if you put too much pressure on but made up for it with its light weight. Had to remove the clips that hold the.... I’ve had a mental blank.... rear dress up panels that go around the tail lights. As I will be using the whole of the repair panel which will require a cut along the top edge where those clips sit. As expected it’s rather rusty in the box section behind, some rust has made it all the way through. comparison of stock valance vs Auto panel solutions repair panel. High quality product. RHS looks like it has a minor nudge. Some rudimentary measurements show it’s out by 3-4mm. Not too bad. I’m thinking a big hammer can’t fix First mock up of the panel. Need to buy more vice grips for convincing it into position. next up I plan to: - convince the panel into position then test fit the automobile rear bumper to make sure there are no dramas there - mark and cut top edge where new panel will end up - clean up the box section, carry out repairs on the rust holes - kbs rust blast then kbs rust seal the internal box section

if there is no video it did not happen..

It is possible to hardpipe an oil gauge in at the oil sender to get a direct pressure measurement

Here is how I buy BMW Z4's I really like the color and the wheels. Most of the Z4's are silver, grey or black. Not many in other colors. It's an Si. I was watching a wrecked M roadster with 70k on it recently but just couldn't pull the trigger.

Before and after on the tail light restoration. Disassembled, lenses polished to a high gloss, housing deep cleaned, new gasket, and new connectors for the harness. I’m working with a local shop to replate the original chrome trim pieces right now. Will update how that goes and if new ones will need to be sourced.

its pretty normal for it to look very low on the gauge at idle and warmed up. I wouldn't worry about it as long as it ahows higher when driving.

Updated map, doesn't make sense to drag the car hauler all over CO, AZ, NM, and TX. Will go back to Colorado Springs to pick it up visit friends and head home form there. We will make a Z Across America!!!

It's very likely the pressure sender that's become leaky inside after 30-50 years.. get a new one. (On a 280zx sender there comes oil out of the elec.connector!) Yeah i got that when i put the idle speed near the 500 rpm's.. it's normal (i do have a new pres.sender on my block) What you both can do very easely is: start the car warm up and let it idle at 700 rpm, take off the oil cap and look (with a light) inthere if the cam is beiing lubricated? Then// all is well! (as it is the highest part to be lube'd

I would make good pictures of the condition it is in now, dated with todays newspaper on the hood so you can later on say it was not a wreck and do a new paintjob.. and.. as the windows are in rubber.. (easy diy-job) .. take them all out.. i hate half jobs on these cars. do a proper job and it will not lose but win in resale value!

Were straying way off topic here but finding a bushing that is already in production that fits is probably the all around best solution.

I have a big problem with the way the word "facts" is being used. A fact should be a true statement. There are no "alternative facts" or "untrue facts", there are simply facts. Those statements should be observably true in order to qualify as facts. Statements, assertions or opinions which cannot be backed up by evidence are not facts. They are assertions or opinions without proof. We know some things are facts. One of them is that in localities where vaccination rates are higher, the number of people catching the Covid virus is lower. We might debate why that is a fact, but it is not debatable because it has been observed and confirmed.

Now on the opposite side of lucky a s s me here's my 240 original paint after a good buff out.

Who's going to ZCON? I'll be there! My 15 year old son Jake and I will be hitting the road with the 1970 Nissan Fairlady Z in the car hauler. We will arrive at ZCON on 17 August after a stopover at Mount Rushmore, South Dakota (2,086 miles). We will depart ZCON 22 August headed for Grand Canyon, Arizona, Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, and Dallas, Texas before returning home to Lake Shore, Maryland (5,315 miles total). Cheers, Kirk

The trick to that kit is to pre drill the spot weld with a 1/8" drill then the cutter stays on track.

OK, so I am wrapping up getting the 76z ready for sale. Obviously taking my time to part ways. I am installing my fuel injector / railing and one of the plastic injector holders broke. I am pretty sure that all of the parts including the injectors were original. I am having trouble locating the proper part to purchase. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Thanks to everyone for such a quick response. I did not notice the additional responses and have already ordered the ones from zcardepot.

Lemon-lime/green-yellow race car ready to get towed back on to the track. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1974-datsun-260z-36/?utm_source=dm&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2021-07-15

Nice Work!!

Glass out for sure. Anything other is lipstick on a pig.

That sub frame piece is supposed to be pretty thick. i'm not sure it will move the way you want with a large hammer. I had to use frame clamps and a come-a-long. I like a 1/4" grinding bur in a die grinder for spot welds. Fast and easy and the top panel can be reused if need be. It does make a lot of metal splinters though...

To put your mind at rest, when cold, mine starts over 3/4 across when reversing out of the drive way and normal driving. When it warms up, it sits near a half cruising and over half thrashing it. At idle it can go below 1/4. The oil itself does flow better and therefore less pressure when heated. So in some ways, the drop in the gauge is what I use (in the absence of an oil temp gauge) to know the engine / oil has reached full working temp. I needed a change of underwear when running the engine in as the oil pressure went to zero while doing 70mph. I shut it off and pulled over VERY quickly - only to discover that the connector on the sender was clicking on, but was loose and had corrosion inside of it. Cleaned it up and bent it back into a shape that made it stay in contact, it’s been flawless since. Before looking at the wiring, I did exactly what has been suggested - I took the oil filler cap off and started the car to observe oil sloshing around the inside of the cam cover. Don’t panic, we’ve all been there - but you’re wise to question it and do the checks also.

Looking good, great to see the progress you are making. Cheers, Mike

Excellent job! The paint looks sleek and flawless.

Well I'm not getting into the vax vs no-vax discussion, but I am pretty concerned about the idea of government sending volunteers door-knocking. This has the potential to end badly and dividing the country even further.

Just my opinion, which is worth exactly as much as anyone else's opinion, but I failed to see the humor in it. From one sides perspective, this is the actual reality that they fear is on the horizon. It feeds fear, distrust, and delusion. ----- Self induced reality check. I stepped back for a moment and realized that I failed to take this from a satirical view point at first. I do hope it was intended that way. I've seen too many people who come very close to these people. I discovered I'm a bit hyper-sensitive on the subject. I love satire. My only fear is that we're seeing "Natural Selection" shift into "Impulse Power". I don't want the planet to experience "Warp Drive". I've learned to ALWAYS QUESTION AUTHORITY. I've found the Authorities on the side of vaccines to be much more credible than the Authorities on the no-vax side. Are there other options among the existing drugs? Yes. At a cheaper price? It's your tax dollar) Yes. BUT to vaccinate with new vaccines or refuse to be vaccinated are the only two choices most of us are given. Please get vaccinated.

No politics, focus on COVID didn't last long. https://covidactnow.org/?s=2040960

My car is currently a bare shell, otherwise I'd be glad to help.

If the "My pillow" crackhead could make money telling people to get vaccinated then the others would be civil and get their shots. This Delta variant is going to erase the progress we've made. The thing with it is it's affecting people's kids where the not so aggressive one was getting older people. God help us if your kid gets sick. That changes everything. And oh my, what if our dogs can get it? They'll run out of vaccinations/syringes then.

I traced a couple more fuses. Note that this has not been checked by anyone else, but here's the latest. Also note this is for 77 and 78. I haven't looked into any years earlier than that:

Clarkson: Farming?? How hard can it be? Hammond: DON'T say that !! 🤣 hahaha, at 12-15 years old i got my own vegetable garden, Also drove a tractor with more than one 4 wheeled cart and plowed strait lines and used a subsoiler and also a disk harrow, cultivator and cutter bar.. so i know how difficult it is to be a farmer..

I worked in a body shop way back in my teens. People would come in about once a week, having gotten a Spray King or a MAACO $150 special (this was the early 1970’s), wanting to get the extremely poor paint job redone. Most left disappointed when we told them the cost to completely strip and start over, and do a proper refinish of their car. Even then, material alone was double or more what the scuff and blow places charged for everything. One woman came in with a 1950’s T Bird. She had just picked it up ad Spray King, stopped at the store for groceries on her way home and walking back to her car notice that the paint had peeled off of most of the passenger side door and fender. She cried when we gave her the estimate. People find out I know body and paint and ask how much. I tell them they can’t afford me, These days material will cost a couple thousand bucks, add the labor and a complete paint job will run $6,000 or more, if you can find a body shop that does complete paint jobs. They make their money doing crash repair. There is no such thing as a quick paint job. Go cheap, and cuss it every time you see it. Spend the money up front to do it right, and cuss it once, then love it for many years to come.

Thanks for all your insight, I really appreciate it! Probably just gonna rock it! Doesn’t look half bad in pics from 30 feet 😂