5/4/08
Well, it's back, and it's good. I drove back to Salem late Friday afternoon to retrieve the car. And was very pleased once I started looking it over. Scott did a great job.
I'll admit that despite all the great word of mouth, I still had some fears that it wouldn't turn out as good as I wanted. After all, it's a bit scary to let some guy you've only met twice open your car up like a can of beans. But in the end, his work was - if anything - better than I had hoped for. Perfect contours with clean and smooth seams (can't see or feel them). He did a great job re-adjusting the hatch, it fits better than it ever has. And he stripped all the old glue off the underside of the roof and sealed it with a gloss epoxy in preparation for re-installing the headliner.
After driving it home and really looking it over, I'm thrilled. I really don't see how it could be much better. For a skilled body man, the job is fairly straightforward. Drill out all the spot welds on the donor panel to remove it intact, cut the bad roof off the car and grind down (not drill) the spot welds on the car, and re-weld the new panel into place. I'm certain that any competent sheet metal guy could do it, but I'm glad I picked one who has done it on these cars before.
But good as it is, it doesn't look great in primer, so rather than put it back together, I spent yesterday and today taking it the rest of the way apart for painting. Since it doesn't need paint under the hood or inside the car, I don't have to strip it to a bare shell and can leave some stuff on the car. In fact, it will still move under its own power. I'll drive it to the paint shop, and pull the tail lights and rear plate once I'm there. Looking into a new windshield while I'm at it.
Deanna pointed out that just last Sunday, I had a really nice looking 240Z. One week later, and look at what I've done to the poor car.
The painter is still saying 2 weeks, and since it's really a fairly simple job, maybe he can do it. Still pushing it for Canby though...
One is gray, one is gone
5/25/08
This weekend's topics, paint and farewell. The red car was delivered to the paint shop two days after the last entry. He was a little slow getting started, but progress has really picked up over the last week or so. As of last Thursday, virtually all of the bodywork was complete, and the car was about ready to be blocked out. Here are a couple of pictures of the progress to that point.
I plan to go visit again Tuesday afternoon. If all goes as planned, by that time the car should be red again. Although it's getting tight, we are still on track for getting it back on Friday. That would give me two full weekends to get it reassembled prior to the show in Canby. It might work.
I'll be going to Canby even if the car is not ready to drive, as I have a few last parts to deliver to some other Z people, and one of my friends from Tacoma will be bringing down his freshly restored 240Z, which I can't wait to see in person rather than pictures.
Speaking of Z parts, my moonlighting as a 240Z parts supplier is pretty much over. The yellow car's shell was hauled off this past Friday. It was a good car for me, even if it wasn't feasible to repair it. It got me started with Zs, found me some new friends, was the reason the red car found me, was an invaluable learning and diagnostic tool, and supplied needed parts for a whole pile of Zs around the world. And now what was left when I was done with it went to another gentleman who plans to make use of what remains. Goodbye, HLS30-12746, it was fun.
