Repairing Lady. (74 260z)
02-06-2008, 05:42 PM
#1
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: oklahoma city, oklahoma
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Repairing Lady. (74 260z)
This thread is to adress the issues and concerns pretaining to the repair and restore of my 74 260z as opposed to creating a new thread everytime something comes up.
Current issues:
Wiring problem resolved (somewhat) - front side markers were grounding out to the body. they are disconnected until I get them either repaired or replaced. Under dash wiring is still a nightmare to me, but its working, so i will leave that particular part of it alone for now.
Differential clunk - its been too cold to work on it so this issue hasn't been adressed at all yet.
My body kit was liquid nailed to the car - this stuff is a Bee-otch to get off. i've had to come at it with a hammer and chisel and its still really slow going. might just be the cold weather. i'm trying to get it off in one piece, so busting it isn't an option. (yet)
No choke cable - its just hard to start in the mornings and it idles high when its warm.
Engine misses on accelleration - i believe this is due to a bad spark plug wire. Investigation in progress.
Needs interior door panels - Meh, its just a broken cosmetic part that needs to be replaced.
Weeps coolant from the engine block - like that when i got it. Dunno what it is yet. looking into it.
Oil in the coolant reservior - I am not liking this little issue at all. Don't really know what it means yet, but I DO know that oil does NOT go there.
Current issues:
Wiring problem resolved (somewhat) - front side markers were grounding out to the body. they are disconnected until I get them either repaired or replaced. Under dash wiring is still a nightmare to me, but its working, so i will leave that particular part of it alone for now.
Differential clunk - its been too cold to work on it so this issue hasn't been adressed at all yet.
My body kit was liquid nailed to the car - this stuff is a Bee-otch to get off. i've had to come at it with a hammer and chisel and its still really slow going. might just be the cold weather. i'm trying to get it off in one piece, so busting it isn't an option. (yet)
No choke cable - its just hard to start in the mornings and it idles high when its warm.
Engine misses on accelleration - i believe this is due to a bad spark plug wire. Investigation in progress.
Needs interior door panels - Meh, its just a broken cosmetic part that needs to be replaced.
Weeps coolant from the engine block - like that when i got it. Dunno what it is yet. looking into it.
Oil in the coolant reservior - I am not liking this little issue at all. Don't really know what it means yet, but I DO know that oil does NOT go there.
02-06-2008, 06:17 PM
#2
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Location: virginia
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i don't know what kind of feed back you are looking for but here a re a few of my oppinions:
diff clunk is certainlly hard to fix. i'd just look for a new one
liquid nail is going to make paint under there look terrible. i'd be ready to repaint if i took all that off.
oil in the coolant and loss of coolant = blown head gasket. long job but low parts cost
no choke cable: there should be provisions for one, so it's easy enough to make one or get the one that is supposed to go there
diff clunk is certainlly hard to fix. i'd just look for a new one
liquid nail is going to make paint under there look terrible. i'd be ready to repaint if i took all that off.
oil in the coolant and loss of coolant = blown head gasket. long job but low parts cost
no choke cable: there should be provisions for one, so it's easy enough to make one or get the one that is supposed to go there
02-06-2008, 06:41 PM
#3
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Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: oklahoma city, oklahoma
Posts: 505
repaint is definately on the to do list already. the rust damage and body dents already dictate that much.
the blown headgasket thing is good to know.
As far as desired feedback, that first message was kind of a "heres where i am right now" message. Any and all feedback is welcome.
the blown headgasket thing is good to know.
As far as desired feedback, that first message was kind of a "heres where i am right now" message. Any and all feedback is welcome.
02-06-2008, 07:14 PM
#5
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Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: lemont, Illinois
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usuallly you get coolant in the oil, not the other way around. lol. check yer oil. also, the rear clunk is more than likely actually just a bushing. its a werrr or a whine you have to worry about. teh clunk could also be a U joint. the car will prolly need paint any who, but good luck with that liquid nails lol.
02-06-2008, 07:25 PM
#6
I have a present for you...
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: dayton, nevada usa
Posts: 1,691
Empty the coolant reservoir and see if it is motor oil or just old coolant. Check in the radiator for oil and while it's running look in there for bubbles. Bubbles mean leaking compression, oil can be a crack in the head or block. Check your engine oil for coolant. Missing under aceleration can be caused by a lot of things. Fouled plug from bad head gasket, bad wires, dizzy cap, rotor, carb adjustment. There is alot you can do yourself to save$ but if you don't have the tools or work space you should find someone to help you.
Try a heat gun to soften the glue, most glue fails at 350 degrees but so does paint. Try it by heating the panel not the metal while pushing a putty knife between. Take your time, the paint is not going to survive anyway. Search this and other forums for advice on the diff clunk. Be happy, now you have something to do on the weekends. It's called a hobby, never ends!
Try a heat gun to soften the glue, most glue fails at 350 degrees but so does paint. Try it by heating the panel not the metal while pushing a putty knife between. Take your time, the paint is not going to survive anyway. Search this and other forums for advice on the diff clunk. Be happy, now you have something to do on the weekends. It's called a hobby, never ends!
02-06-2008, 07:28 PM
#7
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true story on the u-joint. so yes, check your oil to see if it's got white foam in it. i have seen oil in the coolent a few times. it can happen, but just comparing the pressures of the two passages suggests that it will usually happen as snw said
02-06-2008, 09:53 PM
#8
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Location: lemont, Illinois
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check the compression to while your at it, they also have a testor kit for BHG that you use a sample of radiator fluid your using and it will let you know if your getting contaminants in it from a BHG.
02-07-2008, 05:08 PM
#9
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Got the rear bumper/body-kit off in one peice. hammer and scraper. paint is f##ked. but i saw that comeing. didn't see the gigantic globs of rubber cement/liquid nail that would be stuck to the body undernieth it though. Other than that, the body looks good. only one little spot of surface rust on the rear end. Next will be the side skirts.
just razzin yah
02-09-2008, 09:27 PM
#12
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haha, i talked to Mr.Bobby. Turns out theres not a damn thing wrong with my headgasket. Justin, remember when the auto tranny f-ed up and it got swapped for the five speed? it had an auto radiator and the tranny oil and coolant basically just ended up swapping places, now theres just a continuous oil residue in the radiator that won't go away. thats all it was. And turns out Mr.Bobby knows Lady pretty damn well. Hes even got the door panels that match the fabric of the seats in it right now. Dunno if i'm gonna like that too much, but its better than the ripped passenger panel thats in there right now. hes also got the front fenders to replace the f-ed up one. and get this. its offa the same car you got the hood off of, and the seats from too. Figured i was gonna sneek one by him and get a z that he'd never seen before. little did I know that he was the one to provide a good chunk of the parts currently in use on Lady.
On the body kit, i'm keeping it for now. Gotta clean up the liquid nail and such, then move from there. One step at a time gentlemen. got the rear section and sideskirts off, and the front is just bolt on, so its pretty much loose now. next comes the cleaning and patching process, then the painting. Money, time, and effort. heh, the only one i have in droves is effort.
On the body kit, i'm keeping it for now. Gotta clean up the liquid nail and such, then move from there. One step at a time gentlemen. got the rear section and sideskirts off, and the front is just bolt on, so its pretty much loose now. next comes the cleaning and patching process, then the painting. Money, time, and effort. heh, the only one i have in droves is effort.
Last edited by JPerkins; 02-09-2008 at 09:33 PM.
02-09-2008, 10:25 PM
#13
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Location: lemont, Illinois
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the front kit is nice, i would keep it. and i like the 2 tone black front and hood, and red else where, idk y but it looks nice. also, its all a fabric right? like the door panels and seats? you can dye that stuff any color you want.
02-09-2008, 10:42 PM
#14
Usedta be Justin260z
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Oklahoma City
Posts: 722
1. the hood is off a junkyard car
2. it was never an auto, it was a 4 speed
3. the seats are custom
4. I know for a fact it doesnt have an auto radiator
2. it was never an auto, it was a 4 speed
3. the seats are custom
4. I know for a fact it doesnt have an auto radiator
Last edited by Sweets; 02-09-2008 at 10:44 PM.
02-10-2008, 10:42 AM
#21
Originally Posted by JPerkins
happen to know how to remove the rear bumper struts? looks like they've been cut off to accomodate the rear body kit, but how do you remove them from the body?
02-10-2008, 12:08 PM
#22
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heh....left out in the rain during the last cold snap. Remembered to grab all my tools, but the manual got left on top of the car. Its now a haynes paper brick. i got another one on order. should be here either tomorrow or tuesday.
Edit: just checked out what you said nismo. Can't get the passenger one out without droppin the gas tank. Damn. oh well. Time to drop the tank.
Edit: just checked out what you said nismo. Can't get the passenger one out without droppin the gas tank. Damn. oh well. Time to drop the tank.
Last edited by JPerkins; 02-10-2008 at 12:35 PM.
02-10-2008, 12:24 PM
#24
Poor kid, no ruler
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Orlando
Posts: 397
Scratch that, can't find it. I'll write it out for you.
1) Remove the side bumper plug, then remove the two bolts retaining the rear side bumper to the car body.
2) Remove the two nuts retaining the bumper to the shock absorber and remove the bumper assembly.
3) To remove the shock absorbers the fuel tank and muffler will have to be removed. Te shock absorbers are removed by removing the retaining bolts and nuts.
4) Installation is in reverse order.
1) Remove the side bumper plug, then remove the two bolts retaining the rear side bumper to the car body.
2) Remove the two nuts retaining the bumper to the shock absorber and remove the bumper assembly.
3) To remove the shock absorbers the fuel tank and muffler will have to be removed. Te shock absorbers are removed by removing the retaining bolts and nuts.
4) Installation is in reverse order.
02-12-2008, 08:07 PM
#25
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Location: oklahoma city, oklahoma
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Additional issue:
Brakes - a whole lot of pedal travel with NO response, and then almost full response in the last quarter of pedal travel. car WILL STOP. its just not pretty.
Brakes - a whole lot of pedal travel with NO response, and then almost full response in the last quarter of pedal travel. car WILL STOP. its just not pretty.
