dspillman

I learn something everyday …thanks Kats!!!

Im hoping to get a couple of early car owners to peak inside their doors and see, and try to determine when this tab disappeared…. It disappeared earlier then vin 740. Kats was nice enough to share a wiring diagram showing the door lights path of “power” I’m tempted to use my set of door lights on a car one day….

Recently, while disassembling a early 240z door, and noticed a tab welded on the bottom of the interior door, near the handle but inside the door, a Metal, plastic flexible tab that is used throughout our cars to maintain wiring. I”ve looked at vin 740, and 800 something, and tab is not present. Curious to those with one of the “first 550 cars in 69” who happen to have their door panel off to peak in and see if same tab is there…. Assuming it was for holding the aborted door light wiring? If this has previously been discussed in past 30 years please direct me to the conversation…. How far down the production line was this present? Picture attached

I hope it’s alright to slide this here….

I need to study a bit on the hinges….. I’m thinking the early had smaller coil spring?

Pulled doors/hinges today from the body, doors are quite nice, original door passenger side will need some repair, but shouldn’t be that difficult to repair…… Hinge attachment point at body is in great shape on both sides. Have plenty of help from 3 of the grandkids!!!

No “booger beads” up the drip rail…… spot welds from the lead filler and foward. Couple of quick pictures with naked drip rails….. One car has obviously been aggressively sand blasted to the point of removing the lead in the process. “ it was purchased this way”. Gray car with lead still in place, and visible where the joint is and the feathering of the lead smooth each direction. Orange car can also just make out where the lead sits, and where spot welds in the drip rail IMG_7461.MOV IMG_7462.MOV begin foward of the lead cosmetic patch.

Attached via stitch weld for sure, then “hidden” with the lead filler spread over and smoothed. Properly shaped wooden paddles for the front and rear, and the self leveling tendencies of molten lead, smooth and flexible. Pulled apart the interior side of panel junction at corner of rear roof area…. 6 panels held in place/reinforced by a “t-plate” of sorts…. All spot welds in this area.

The base of windsheild frame/cowl area appears to hold much more lead then hatch area….

Gonna clean this peice up a little. Should be I interesting….dissection.

Captured nut in picture is shoulder belt attachment. 2nd picture back towards the taillights…3rd accross the top of hatch.

Multiple joints, and spot welds needed to be smoothed out of sight, lead would be a single application “brushed smoothed/grinded” smooth versus multiple filler applications and sanding. Lead continues out around the base of the window.

While we’re making crude videos, here’s a quickie of lead at base of front window frame as well. Clearly applied to blend and smooth for appearance. IMG_7403.MOV

Alrighty, this is a interesting video just taken of the weld joint and just how much lead is in the c-pillar “cosmetic application” I just don’t see any strength in this lead being applied in this area. This is a rusted out 73 Fairlady I purchased for parts car. I ground off paint and bondo down to “metal”. IMG_7401.MOV IMG_7402.MOV

Couple quick pictures with rear valance and slam panel removed. I’ve got decent material here, mainly surface rust. Repairs/replacement will need to be made to left side bumper mount.

It’s all good, I am reading through and trying to learn as well, soak in what I can, I’m hoping to not have to pull apart the flexiflier joint, but will if needed. The conversation is directly related to this build and others.

Having to shout squirrel every 30 minutes or so, when distracted by items not noticed before, or perceived body and fender support changes in production methods like this welded joint between ….some changes through the years…. Hls30-00051 first pair welding exhibits “Green car” Hls30-00740….”blue car” Hls30-03496…. “Primer” Hs30- 10324…..”red” quite a difference in weld patterns.

Thank you Allen… windshields pillars are looking good, thankfully… dip,or blast will tell the tale.

I would appreciate that as well….

More rust then anticipated under battery tray…

The reason I brought this up was to allow Gav240z to possibly leave a additional response to the classiczcar thread on engine casting dates, that on his last post there, and I believe in the thread …… left his question/puzzle …. On the BAT thread from 2013 or so he came back and made statement on that comment section that for the most part said that it is very possible there is nothing wrong about how 2039 was stamped. Gav240z, Please don’t take my “tone” as agitated, or angry, we own separated twins…..well, sorta. I googled 240z vin 51 and HS30 51 popped up…. Incredibly interesting to me that 2 same vin cars know of each other, and are identical from the factory. Zedhead, Owning a 1969 z has been a quest of sorts for many years, good timing and fortune found one for me. I’m turning over rocks and shaking trees hoping to find more answers and history for this car….. Sorry for being so scattered about progress with car…. It’s my personality….

I assume that it was the uniformity of the numbers stamped “level”. On the first one.

Hoping the body panels would surprise me with no “hard” body work… not to be. Driver side over quarter window where roof joint is cut out and repair will be needed. Good news is no evidence of previous repairs here…. At least no filler is present. Passenger side shows better…. But with a couple of bubbles , we all know better. My early disassembly had me leaning towards not blasting, or dipping, but now this difficult to repair are I think requires to dig a couple layers deeper to expose….stuff. Layers of untreated , un painted metal from the factory can only result in rust