St.stephen

Not that this may work in every application or vehicle, however I have found a less frustrating way of removing the undercoating.. I use a 4 1/2" scraper for the large flat areas and a hammer. I basically use it like a sculptor would use a chisel to carve stone. ONce you get underneath the undercoating it peels up in nice sections and moves along nicely. For the smaller sections, compound curves and the like, I use a 1 1/2 " scraper. Once you get a little finesse down you can remove the undercoating without even scratching the primer underneath! I was able to do the passenger side innner fender well on the 260 last night in about 2 and a half hours. You can then remove whatever bits and pieces with whatever solvent you like. Naptha works pretty well but stinks to high heaven so please be sure to have fresh air!

My bad guys, I didn't pay attention where it was a race car!! if I remember correctly, do auto glass places have a procedure or sell the material for either fixing small cracks in windshields, or have the ability to fill in chips??

YOu only need to use the tie-coat primer if you are using any other top coat other than the POR 15 topcoat. As for the degreaser and metal prep....you bet. Once I sandblast the rusted area I then clean with the degreaser. Let that dry and then etch the metal with the prep solution and you are then ready to paint. One thing to understand........The vehicle or "drying agent" within POR-15 is driven by moisture or humidity. That's what makes this stuff so great. The more moisture, the harder the paint gets. don't worry about being anal with your car. As much fun as the hobby is, no-one wants to do the same car twice in this capacity. That 280 I described in my earlier post had been half a** restored 7 years ago and that is why it is in the shape that it's in. The guy that previously restored it cut many corners underneath the car just to get it done. Post up some pics when you get a chance!

I'm pretty sure a gallon covers 72 square feet. which should be plenty for twice the protection!!!!. I have always bought the 6 pack deal which allows me smaller cans to deal with and less waste as the pot life is short. I just picked up a six pack to do my 260. I have it a little easier than most as I live about 35 minutes from where the POR 15 is sold in Morristown NJ so I can just roll in and pick it up. No need for shipping!!!

For what it's worth, jsut an observation I made with several of the Z cars I have seen without a gas tank, if you look just past the spare tire well....the space between the rear panel and the tire well, I have found that is where the undercaoting stops, then eventually the paint and all that is left is the factory now cream colored primer. Seems as though when the cars went down the line the guns did not cover completely underneath.

MSA has the windshield weatherstripping for 49.95. I;d cut it completely out of the car and plan on replacing it. Leaking windshields create rust. One of the 280 2+2 's I had developed a rust spot behind the dash from a leaky windshield. It rotted a hole about 3 inches in diameter.

gunner...Well I can say that you have already gotten ahead of the game by living in an arid climate. I live on the east coast and I am surely president of the rust bucket club. There isn;t a Z I haven't owned that has not needed atleast floors. The 78 I just acquired has rotted so bad that from the passenger side inside the car I can completely see the front tire and control arm. Measure from the transtunnel to the inside rocker and continue forward halfway up the firewall and then the inside fender well underneath the battery tray is completely gone. here is my advice. strip out the interior, remove the fenders, and front cowl. Put the car up on jack stands and remove the tires. Get yourself on a creeper underneath the car and with a screwdriver, prybar, or scraper start at the back of the car in front of the rear tires and work your way forward tapping and removing any loose undercoating you encounter. you may be surprised at what you find. the car will and I repeat will rot under the undercoating first. Check underneath the rockers. there are drain holes that get clogged and water gets trapped. Check all weld seams around the trans tunnel and start inspecting the floors and floor supports underneath in the same manner. This will give you atleast an assessment of what the underneath looks like. Move on to the interior. remove the jute pad underneath the carpet on the floors. Check up in the corners where the floor meets the toe board, firewall and trans tunnel. there are weld seems there that are the first to go. Check the floors around the rubber plugs in the floor as well. TOUCH EVERYTHING. just because it looks solid means nothing. Water off of your shoes and what not gets onto the carpet. it then soaks into the jute and never dries. this water just sits there and does it;s deed. After checking both floors and the inside rockers its time to move into the inner fender wells and frame rail cradles. basically above the TC rod support. Every Z car I;ve owned and seen on the east coast has either needed patching, completely replacing, or has been patched. Also on the inner fender wells check where the fender well meets the bottom of the frame rail. That lip all the way from the firewall to the rad support will rust also. While on the passenger side inner fender well, check underneath the battery tray. another hot spot. Move to the front of the car. Inspect where the rad support meets the frame rail on the bottom. Rust loves to hide in there. IN the front of the car where the headlight buckets bolt to and where the front bumper pistons come through. Dirt and debris get trapped and voila.....rust. Inside the engine compartment.....check where the frame rail meets the firewall. good spot to trap water, dirt and debris. Under the cowl inside where the wiper motor lives, loves to trap leaves, sticks and dirt blocking the drainage holes and rust loves to live there where it is out of sight, out of mind. Soooo, in saying all of that, whereever I find rust, no matter how minor, if it;s there it will spread. For surface rust, I would sandblast all rust and loose paint and or undercoating. For all weld seams inside and outside the car, after I have sandblasted clean, I would seal with a seam sealer (such as 3M) to ensure all water and moisture gets kept out. After everything is sealed up nice then I would treat with POR 15 and then topcoated. If you choose not to use POR 15's topcoat and use like a 2 part catalyzed acrylic enamel, then you must use the POR 15 tycoat primer. I would then reundercoat everything to ensure all things are sealed up nice. The toe boards take a beating from all the road grime basically sandblasting the front underneath of the car. Any panels rotted through, I cut out the bad metal and weld in new. Hope this helps a little.

If I remember correctly it was prior to incorporating both cables into one lever. both chokes could be independantly controlled.

Give a mullet a toolbox, a welder and a spare V8 laying around and see what happens. The mullet is everywhere. be afraid. be very afraid.

Nice work on that one! It's funny, my girlfriend is as passionate about the Z as I am however I can agree that I get flack for how much time I spend out in the garage. She wants her own Z, an orange 70 240. In due time I told her. I need another garage or house first. In addition to the 97 explorer we have, there are three Z cars.

Owners of Z cars should not ever be without a MIG welder.

hmsports....any ideas?

Well I think I have seen the most extensive rust damage on a Zcar now. Demographically I am on the east coast and there aren't many of these cars over here that have not had to be patched together at some point. Well, this 78 280 I picked up had been restored about 7 years ago by a friend of mine. The car was partially done right, and then rushed as his parents were leasing a new lazer that was sitting in the driveway all winter so they wanted the car out of garage to shelter the lazer. it was sold after it was painted and put back together. the kid that bought it never drove it as it developed a problem in the harness and never got it started. 7 years later I bought the car for 200.00 and brought it home. the car is in great shape for the most part. 78 block with a 76 head and intake, swaybars, bushings and basically new everything else. The previous owner left the battery in the car. Due to a rushed weld job, the already once patched battery tray has now rotted through the firewall, strut tower and the whole floor from the rear of the car to the toe board and from the trans tunnel to the inner rocker (some of that is disintergrated too) and the passenger kick panel is gone. So I need to reconstruct about 20 inches of the firewall, the entire toeboard, part of the inner rocker and kick panel, purchase the floor kit, as well as completely reconstruct the battery well where it ties into the side of the car, the frame rail, and into the strut tower. Yes it;s cheaper to fix it than pick up another shell. I am completely convinced there is not a SOLID shell within the NY, NJ, PA area obtainable for under 500 bucks or isn;t a 10 hour drive away. Certainly a good project to test my welding skills but a pain in the arse to say the least. Guys, be sure to seal ALL your welds and seams in the car to ensure you keep the water out. Nothing is worse than having all that work just start to rust again.

I'll see if I can get my buddies digital camera. Do you need the indicator lights and ashtray also and do you want one with a flip up armrest or not? I have both. I'll go in the basement tonight and have a look at what I have. I know I have atleast 4. let me know what you consider acceptable condition and it will probably run you somewhere around the 15-20 dollar range. I'll email you my phone number if you like

check out the film "bring it on". During the bikini car wash fund raising scene, Kirsten Dunst can be seen washing an orange what loks to be a 280. Seriously, for what it;s worth, start catching reruns of like CHIPS or other 70's action shows. I watch them jsut for Z sightings alone. The highway car accident scenes in chips are the best. there are a ton of Z;s in traffic and it;s always moving slow so you can get a good look at them.

i have several in my basement from 77 and 78 cars if you are interested.

this is truly amazing!!!

here's a community just like ours http://www.phathonda.com/members/

well you can either check out ebay, which has alot of that stuff or save yourself the trouble and do as I do.....I scan the flea markets for car and sports magazines from the year of the car you are looking for. I usually get the magazine for a buck and it;s fun to check out the other merchandise from the era..

Ahh, the farty exhaust generation of trying to squezze another hundred horse out of a sewing machine. I run into many of that kind. Honestly there are some that know their deal and know it well, but there are many that think a supertrap muffler and 4 X 8 sheet of plywood will win lemans. I see alot of guys popping motors like teenagers pop zits before the prom running nitrous. It's all a learning experience I guess. my generation was before the FWD honda or VW became a muscle car. My biggest pet peeve is that hat sideways crap. who am I to judge, and I am no where near perfect......but am I the only one who thinks that looks completely stupid??

I forgot to add that I do have the 81 1/2 ZX made by AMT ERTYL as well as the very large 1/12 scale tamiya Fairlady 240ZG.

if you are into the plastic kits revell-monogram just re-released their kits in 1/25th scale. I own two of those as well as the 1/18 kyosho, franklin mint, and sun star die-cast. and a smaller 1/32nd kyosho. The sunstar was about 35.00, the franklin mint was over a hundred, and both kyoshos's ran for about 60.00 a piece. The plastic kits were only 12 dollars a piece. MSA sells 1/18 die cast also and right around 59.95.

the non webbed one is from an earlier 280. The 75 and 76 models have the open intake design with a heat shield between the exhaust manifold and the bottom of the intake.

yeah that's the style. I should start hunting E'bay

Well that atleast gives me name of some of the manufacturers. I can do a search and see. you know...I really have to get my pics of my cars in my gallery. the 260 is on it;s side on two dollies, and the 280....well the 280 is sleeping awaiting it's turn on it's side