So I've finally gotten to work on the 240z, but I've found some new rust that I didn't know it had. Most of it is centered under the battery box, and I have replacement panels to weld in, but last night I found some under the hatch panel above the tail lights. It is rusted through in about 3 quarter sized spots, the joy of it all!
I was hoping not to have to cut all that out back there, but we'll see...rust...one day I want a project that doesn't have any....
Of course Miata is always the answer....
Just needed to vent, back to your regularly scheduled forums....
There is ALWAYS more rust than you expect. I think its one of Newton's unwritten laws.
Don't have any recent pics, these are about a year old before I started taking it apart.
wow...those cars look good.
Rust on a Z? I've never heard of such a thing!!!
Okay back to reality. Those things rust everywhere. I know I've got a 280Z. Needless to say look at floor pans, rockers, fenders, quarters and dog legs. Some of the other hiding places are under the cowl (they rust from the inside out), inside the hatch, inside the doors, the corners of the hatch area, front of the hood and anywhere else you don't think water can get to but does.
Good luck
EDIT: OHHHHHH an early one. Check the insde of the hatch really good. Those vents let water in and finding another early hatch is almost imposible.
Amazingly it is pretty rust free really, apart from those two areas, and one of the fenders is kinda rough. I looked for one with as little rust as I could find. The floor pans are good, and the hatch itself appears to be in really good shape. That's why i was surprised to find that much rust under the hatch panel.
Under the battery box is terrible though.
It came with paperwork dating back a number of years. According to that, it looks like it spent most of it's life in Southern California and Arizona, which probably slowed the rust down somewhat. Now if someone had just taken care of that battery acid!
I just replaced the area under my battery tray last weekend. It's pretty easy. The best way to fab up a piece is to put in a 90 degree bend and then cut triangles in it so you can bend it down to the frame rail. Then just screw it up and weld.
My hatch panel was in good shape. They do make a replacement now. Not sure who it is though.
http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/nva/cto/1979739308.html
"rust in all the usual Z places". He's been trying to sell it a few times now over a few months or more - I'm guessing it might not be worth the $2k he wants, or there's no love in this region.
wow...$350 71 Z car...but I cant imagine the rust involved with a 70s import thats been outside for 2 decades
More! More! Give us more!
Not much more yet, I haven't worked on it in a few nights. Hopefully will get a few more pics this weekend and make some more progress. This weekend's job list includes disassembling the interior. I'm going to take it all apart before I start welding.
I've been debating on making a color change since I have to tear it completely down anyway. It was originally 901 Silver, but I've been thinking about orange, BRG, or some other wild early '70's color. It's not going to be all original anyway.
I vote orange or plain gloss white with orange BRG stripes on the fenders.
I had a 73 one time that the rust under the battery was so bad it weakened the frame rail until it broke. Of course dropping that wheel off the road didn't help it any.
4cylndrfury wrote:
I vote orange or plain gloss white with orange BRG stripes on the fenders.
Gotta disagree
Of course, it would then need a L28det with LOTS of BOOST 
I once owned a 280Z. Aside from rust, another concern with these cars (or maybe I was the only one to have this problem?) is a corroding wiring harness. This mainly manifested itself by shutting off the engine at irregular intervals...or so it seemed. I finally traced my problem to one of the wires coming of the battery's positive side. I wound up splicing in a new section nearly a foot long. I sold the car because with it's 4 speed it was a gas pig, but just as much because the rusted subframe under the engine / transmission looked like swiss cheese.
I did see one that looked a lot like the smurf blue Miatas, and it looked awesome. I also liked one in early '70's Porsche green. So many choices so little sheet metal.
I do have a battery box section that has a good firewall attached to use for a repair piece. I should be able to cut out the bad, match it to the new section, and weld it in. It sounds so simple when you type it. The frame rail looks ok at this point. Not sure how it managed to avoid the acid drip from hell, but hopefully when I can get to it a bit better it will still look ok.
I'm torn on whether to leave the 2.4, or go up to a 2.8. I keep thinking an MP62 would work great on these! Adding a turbo would be easier...but....
