DC871F

Are these welds happy? I'm getting penetration, but sometimes it doesnt want to fill in the seem, meaning the spot weld builds up right up to the edge of the seem and it takes 2 or 3 times to get it to jump the gap. How about a grinder that fits into the convex curve of the door jamb? Anything has to be better than my angle grinder trying to get in there.

Awesome, I'll keep that in mind going forward.

Started welding, in areas that wont be seen for the most part first, I'm new at this. These are my first MIG welds ever. Small patch panels went well enough, but went to fill in a few holes I uncovered with the wire wheel and started blowing holes, wowzy! Managed to get them filled eventually. I'm guessing some rust must of been hiding underneath. Ok, a question for you guys. The last PIC shows some surface rust inside where I cut out the lower sill, right where the lower door hinge bolts up to. Its very solid, just surface rust inside. The question is, can I just treat this area with rust converter and move on and hope for the best, or does it need to be cut out?

I'm going to remove the inboard piece right up to the frame rails and weld in a new piece. The rest of the radiator support is pretty clean.

Adding pics of the car before breakdown, just to shoe what I'm starting with.

Lower radiator inboard support it toast, but thats the only part thats rusty, the rest of the support is just surface corrosion. I think I saw this piece for sale a Z Source or one of those sites for big dollars. Check out pin holes in left dogleg (car is upside down on rotisserie), that did not show at all through the paint, and no bondo either, hmmmmm.

Got some grinding done today, sills seems pretty good except for a couple holes. Looks like the pinch weld maybe mostly intact!

I hear you. This 240 is the 5th one I have had, and try to keep them mostly original, but this 240 is my first rotisserie job, and will be a life long keeper. With that said, it will be my kids problem to deal with when I'm gone, and since I just turned 47, it will hopefully be a few years. Maybe this is a good time to say I'm making a Fairlady tribute as well out of it. Badging, fender mirrors, D hubcaps, JDM tail lights, etc. I love the Fairlady, but hate the right hand drive.

Bummer, I was all set for some great Intel. No problem, I'll get a sample and see if I can get a match. I'm definitely going with 904white and the blue interior.

I'm restoring this 73 which has red interior, but I'm really digging the blue, so I think I'm right there with you, its fantastic.

Yeah, looks a little dark, but thats from a computer screen. Datsun, kind of like VW, they didnt expect for these cars to be around 50 years later.

Is there a spray paint that matches 240z blue interior for plastic panels?

Ok, look forward to getting out there this weekend to do some cleaning.

Wheel wells and rockers are solid, rear of the car is very clean.most of the problem are on the pans and supports. Until a few days ago I wasnt even going to worry with the sills until I started inspectinf the sandwiched vertical seem where the door closes. I'm more concerned of trying to repair that seem if the rust is significant. I will be putting new pans and supports in no matter what. I"ll know more in a few days when I start to probe the sills and put a wire wheel on them. Maybe I'm thinking too much on them.

I did mull over just spot fixing them, but the areas I was concerned about looks like it may be rusty on the inside of the rails in a few spots. I was trying to avoid doing a restoration just to see rust in the future and having to go back in. Been lurking a few build threads for about 2 years, as an aircraft mechanic and working with aluminum sheet metal for a number of years I feel Im up for the task, albeit it will probably be me measuring about 25 times and then cutting.

Yes, I plan on that method when I get home in a couple of days. Honestly it looks like if I started picking at some of those rusty areas it would be swiss cheese in no time. But I figured locally reparing that area with the way Datsun manufactured the sills it would start to unravel so to speak with the two layers of metal there and the spot welds. Like I said before, i'm no metal smith, so recreating the joint on the sills would seem to me like trying to do open heart surgery with a mexican 9/16th.

Ok, thanks. On a bigger scale, what would be the best place to start as far as pans, front rails and the forward cross member for the radiator support? The radiator support looks like it may need to come out to repair the rear side where the oval lighting holes are (a bunch of spot welds with a few sandwiched metal pieces in there). If so, whats the best method, repair that, or do the front rails first?

Door sills.

Its pitting and flaking off in spot. I figured its got to be rusty on the inside as well. Where the spot welds are there some pretty good pitting in between the sandwiched metal. Will post some pics.

Hi all, David in Jacksonville, FL. I am starting a new thread here in build threads. I have my 73 on a rotisserie and just received my goodies from Zedd Findings, pans, front rails and supports. I have a new MIG welder in hand and I'm about to get serious with cutting and welding (which I'm really not a welder) other than stick welding several years ago, so I will be doing a lot of practicing first. After getting more detailed inspecting trouble areas, I noticed that the sills on both sides where the vertical pieces (where interior trim is attached to) are sandwiched together and spot welded are rusty, so I was thinking I should probably order the Klassic Fab sills and replace them as well. Along with all that, the front support for the radiator inside "webbing" piece where the oval lightning holes are is pretty crunchy as well, but the rest of the support there is solid inside and out. My question is, along with looking for advice, where should I begin as far as keeping the car structurally sound during the process of dismantling? The car currently is being supported on the rotisserie by the rear bumper mounts and the front rails outside where the bumper supports mount. It looks like to tackle the front radiator support beam, that the car will have to be resting on stands and not by the rotisserie up on the front rails. So where should I begin? Thanks all.

Perfect, thank you. Just visited Klassic Fab, they have the sills.

Awesome brother! Exactly what I was looking for, and more!

I was following WHeee, but I didnt see where he had massive sill problems. I searched last night, didnt see much there, maybe the third bourbon was kicking in. I just got Charlies floor pans and rails from Canada. But as I started to asses my plan of attack, I started digging on the sills and it would seem silly not to replace those as well. I check out the other guys threads, thank you! David.

Car is on a rotisserie completely disassembled. I understand how its put together, I was just asking if someone knew of a place who makes aftermarket parts for this area. Thanks.

Hi all, Is there an upper door sill repop available? I have significant rust on both driver and passenger side where the thin vertical piece where the door closes. It looks like a gnarly repair if you were to start cutting it out and fabricating it. The car is on a rotisserie. It looks like there are a few joints there from the inner door sill and outer. THanks all.