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280ZX - [Project Paintjob]


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In hopes to get a new paint job I started work on the Z

 

Here is a nice view of the bare bumper and factory oil cooler

 

bodywork03.jpg

 

The front bumper didn't fit quite right but for the last 5 years I've had it hanging a little loose on the car. I trimmed the sides so they slide back further as they should. The Z headlight buckets aren't exactly flat on the bottom so to get it to fit up to the bucket you have to trim a little more of the bumper off on the front corners.

 

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Once slid back, the front upper lip extends too far back to allow the hood to open. Since the hood opens from the back, that front lip of the hood comes down. I trimmed just enough of the fiberglass bumper to clear the hood and even left a little extra to account for added paint thickness.

 

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So after all these years the front bumper is actually mounted properly

 

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I then began removing the stick-on chrome trim on the fenders and then the factory rubber trim along the doors. The grey stripe is the original factory paint.

 

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The matching rear bumper from Motorsport auto will replace the rubber bumper in back. I'm not sure if this one will need any trimming. It has an exhaust exit on the right side for the factory dual tip mufflers. I'm going to relocate my license plate to that area and mount plate lights for it behind the bumper. I'll smooth out the factory plate area.

 

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On the left side where my exhaust is I will just notch out a half circle for the exhaust pipe. I hope that turns out ok.

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This is what I hope the shop can do for me. I'm not going to paint it myself.

2003 Nissan 350Z Brickyard... is that purple?

 

I'd say Rose Taupe perhaps a little toward Mauve Taupe in bright light. Look it up.

 

Color coordinates:

# Mauve Taupe (Hex: #AF868E) (RGB: 175, 134, 142)

# Rose Taupe (Hex: #915F6D) (RGB: 145, 95, 109)

 

What's in a name? A rose by any other name... It's a stunning choice!

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I did some photoshops of the rear plate area smoothed and the license plate down below the bumper. I don't really like it at all.

So I'm going to keep the plate in the factory location and fiberglass over that right side exhaust exit on the bumper.

 

I made a mold of the lower part of the bumper yesturday. Tonight I'll lay some fiberglass in the mold to get a little curved piece to work with and fill that area.

 

I am going to keep that upper door trim that is chrome. I'll remove it for the paint job, paint the chrome black, and replace the black rubber strip.

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no thanks. We don't need to do any of that plate welding.

 

I may even just used fiberglass patches on the two holes in the hatch. I can get to the back side easily on the lower wiper motor hole. The upper hole does have a drain hole for access from below. Fiberglass should hold up just fine.

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Its been my personal experience that fiberglass is not the answer and tends to trap moisture in between it and the metal. I am by no means a body guy but thats just what I have seen with other repairs involving fiberglass. peace.

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http://www.50mb.net/~hiroko/drift/sozainissan.htm

 

I took the 280ZX they had there and changed the color and added the air dam. I took the Fairlady Z they had and changed the color. The Pulsar I made from the 200SX they have. The ones for my avitar are modified but that website is where I got the designs to work from.

 

Maybe I'll find a 1979 280zx 2+2 at the wrecking yard today with no rear wiper motor. :D factory shaved

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Its been my personal experience that fiberglass is not the answer and tends to trap moisture in between it and the metal. I am by no means a body guy but thats just what I have seen with other repairs involving fiberglass. peace.

 

ya, maybe I should weld up the holes. But still no custom work needed.

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awesome. BARELY had time to get that steering knuckle off. I arrived at 4:40 and they let me in. I had all the tools ready and I just knocked it off the ball joint when they were blowing the horn and yelling out that they were closed.

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awesome. BARELY had time to get that steering knuckle off. I arrived at 4:40 and they let me in. I had all the tools ready and I just knocked it off the ball joint when they were blowing the horn and yelling out that they were closed.

 

Sounds like you where busting out the ninja skills :D

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Sounds like you where busting out the ninja skills :D

you know it!

 

Its funny to drive my 280ZX into their parking lot and I've got the best looking car there. When everyone else was leaving all at the same time they all have rough running engines that barely start and exhaust leaks. My engine fires right up and purrs out of there.

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Ok, at some point I realized I did not have enough time to get the paint job done before my trip to California so I continued to work on the car but just did what I needed done before the long drive.

 

removed the factory rear bumper which proved to be very difficult

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Fitted the fiberglass bumper and it fit perfect with no modifications needed

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I did some fiberglass work to the bumper (not pictured)

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Icehouse welded up the holes in the rear hatch for the washer fluid squirter and the wiper arm

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removed side plastic and chrome trim (for the paint job, but I'll put it back on for my trip)

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More work by Icehouse the master welder

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swapped out the gauge cluster for one that (hopefully) is accurate. I also painted the gauge surround. I'm already thinking that I'll just go with black later on

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finally put together the under dash panels in my Z after driving around for a year with them out. Also put on the ECU cover, black fuse panel cover, and new black kick panel on passenger side

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New power terminal on the battery

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Also a new alternator belt and a new spare belt :D

 

still more to do and only 3 days left :eek:

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The bumper kits look good! See you in a few weeks...:cool:

I'll be seeing you in ONE week. :)

 

I decided to leave the license plate in the original location. but speaking of lights, both plate lights were out. I bought two new ones and tested them. They worked. Then I re-instaled the light housing on the car and now only one works... :confused:

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