Battery tray taking shape

 

Mika sent a few pictures again, looking good!

Emergency exit closed.

Frame rail in its place.

As usual things got a little out of hands. Original frame rails will be replaced by steel profile to support the added power. Original rails were quite rotted so not really a bad idea.

Rust is almost gone.

Engine

Engine is almost ready to be lifted in as soon as I get the car back.

Oh yes, Mika keeps on going with the panel beating.

Oil pan

As the car is out of the way I had time to build new oil pan. I could not see me paying ridiculous amounts of money for a custom made pan so I decided to try and do it myself. I got RB30 oil pan and after little bit of cutting and welding it is almost done. I still need to finish the welds and get it powder coated.

I also got new front hubs from Tommi's Billet. Extremely good service this time and the price was very reasonable. I designed them to be used with Porsche Boxter discs and calipers as they are easily available and not really expensive. And I just need to have Fuchs wheels on this car instead of the so common 8 spokes.

American bodywork

Yes, I knew there were some bad spots in the body and these are the worst. There was loads of bondo, sikaflex and even flassfibre, easy and cheap.

Drivers side is actually almost perfect and needs only some work with the front fender. Metal guru Mika is the man, these pictures are taken only few hours after I left the car to his gentle care. I got the repair panels form MSA along with some other goodies.

After changing water pump and radiator I just drove it around and realized that it really needs a new engine and automatic transmission just needs to go, it's not my thing. And for a car like this there was only one alternative for an engine.

Some idea what the car might look like after the metal work has been done.

New Datsun

Datsun 240Z in the previous owner's garage. Looking pretty OK, I noticed a few rust spots and badly repaired panels but since it was a driver and the price was right I bought it. And to be honest this is not my car but my better halfs. She's not a car person at all but in some bizarre way she loves early Z- cars and acceleration which we both have been missing ever since selling the RS2. And the plan is to keep this car a bit more driveable than the other ongoing project which is too far gone to be a driver.