1973 240Z Restoration - On to the Rust Repair...

If you have been following along with the rebuild of this original 1973 Datsun 240Z, you may have seen that we do have a bit of rust repair to contend with.  As we have been working away we have found that many sections of sheet metal will need replacement.  All areas of concern have been pretty typical of a vehicle of this age from the climate it came from.  No real surprises came about.

Area 1:  The floors.  This 240Z needed the front Floor Pans replaced.  There was rust through beneath the seats and where the panel did the bend up toward the firewall.  We removed all of the rust areas and installed a new Floor Pan Replacement Kit with Frame Rails.  These pans are a good option to take care of this area, without the contours and bends of the original floors.  Problem solved.

Area 2:  The front lower fenders.  Both sides had excessive perforation so Lower Fender Repair Panels were installed after trimming off the lower area.

Area 3:  The left lower area from the rocker to the rear inner wheel housing.  While the right side was in solid condition the same could not be said of the left.  To correct this we installed a combination of body repair panels.  Directly beneath the door a replacement Rocker Panel was installed, followed by a Dogleg Repair Panel and an Inner Wheel Well Arch.  A fair bit of time was invested over here to get everything back to square.  Time and weather took its toll through the dent on the rocker, which compromised the metal and allowed the oxidation to spread.

Area 4: The front frame rails.  Both sides had some perforation and/or extremely thinned metal.  This required some hand shaping and repair.  This is a vital area for the nose of the car and leaving it go is not an option.  Our rule of thumb is:  Make every repair to factory standard or better. 

With the rust now addressed we can start to focus on the general body work.  A Simple light block sanding unveiled minor hail damage that we will need to work through.  While a time consuming endeavor, it is not the toughest thing to encounter on a 44-year old car.  Much like many other things that happen when restoring cars, we are prepared for it and will resolve it. 

Stay with us as we approach our next post on the progress of this 1973 240Z.  For the sake of using a pun, We will keep you in SUSPENSE…