A Comet's re-entry

Saving the Comet  -  metalwork Monday!

With quarter panel skins unavailable, we decided best to save the originals. As moisture and dirt settled into the quarter-rocker seam, that's where the work would be:

With the area cleaned up we inserted a backing strip to weld the new patch panel to: 

 

The new patch panel was carefully measured and fit:

And tacked in place:

Inisde the wheel well, the rear lower pan was also rebuilt and fully welded in - 

Before: the COMET presented well, but under that paint lurked a large amount of work. 

A car rare - and important - enough, to warrant the effort!

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1956 International gets a rear bumper

After much deliberation, we finally settled ona  basic design, made from a piece of 5" channel with endcaps welded on.

The longest bit was deciding where to position it. We didnt want it to stick too far out, but tucking it in too far wouldn't protect the lights - and I wanted it to function as a step as well, in case anyone wanted to use it to reach, or hop into, the bed.

Cutting and cleaning what was left of the rear frame section - lopped off long ago for who knows what reason....

Then deciding how far from the TLs it should be to protect from wayward walls and other objects.

With the brackets measured and fabbed

And the appropriate welding protection applied, we where ready to weld

Everything was then removed, sanded, cleaned primed and painted....

And the next day we welded on the brackets, drilled holes for the two to be mounted together and all was assembled.

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Rebuilding the twin SU carburetors for the 240Z!

This weekend I'm completing the SU carbs rebuild and shining up all the bits before refitting the carbs to the intake runners. The twin SU set up, from rebuild to reassembly can take 6-8 hours!

Also, while we're on this side of the engine, the thermostat and housing needs to be reinstalled...



As I forgot to include a new thermostat when I ordered all the parts for the rebuild, I threw the original one in some boiling water to ensure  it was still in working condition - which it is!

Before starting I collected everything I needed -including the manual,  rebuild kit and all the parts and pieces, doing one side at a time on an old cookie sheet I borrowed from the kitchen... ssssshhh! ;)

 As floats are often WAY off from the factory, adjusting the float level was first up, bending the small tine on the backside of the float and utilizing the little ruler that comes in the rebuild kit to measure 14 millimeters of space between the bottom surface and the float....

Changing out the float nozzle was next.... The new float nozzle was a little different than the old one. Hoping that it's just new and improved.

 And after all of that was done, I reassembled the entire carb assembly with new gaskets and it was time to put it all back together on the engine.

Below the carbs you can see the warm air duct that comes off the exhaust manifold and links up to the airbox...

The entire assembly is very blingy and a defining hallmark of the twin-SU setup used in the Datsun's, as well as some Ferrari's and other interesting marquis of that era.

The original Japanese hose-clamps (known as wire-clamps) came out like new when hit with the wire wheel. Not exactly sure what metal they are made from, but the corrosion was just on the surface and a few minutes on the wire wheel revealed a like-new appearance.

Same with the screws. The one on the left was cleaned and looks painted - but wasn't...

I love restoring cars and I especially love restoring all the nuts, bolts, washers and anything else the car came with. No Gas-Station hose clamps on my rebuilds!

Stay tuned for much more!

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1956 International "Binder" gets brakes

With the IH on the lift we were able to get at the brakes. Once the wheels and drums where off we could see it would need everything... 

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Changing gears: 1971 Datsun 240Z restoration

Time to totally change gears and work on the 240 said that I had painted in the shop with Duplicolor paint about two years back. Everything is there to complete it, including a few thousand $$ in new parts, but other projects got in front. I told myself I'd finish it for my sons 16th birthday and he turns 14 this year so time to get cracking!

The engine has to go back together before I can get to everything else that needs to be done to renew this sweet 71 sports car....so that's where I'm starting...

 After 2 years it's lucky that everything is labeled and in bags. This is the most important thing you can do in a restoration! Fuel pump was bolted back on after timing cover was reassembled.

 I had previously removed the cam and timing chain sprocket to change the timing chain. It's quite a bit of work to get it back on and to time everything properly by getting all the marks lined up.

 Once the timing chain and sprocket are back in their correct location it was time to affix the exhaust and intake manifolds.

 The oil pump on the 240Z has to be removed cleaned rebuilt and the distributor gear clocked property before being reinstalled. I used two different Factory manuals to get it back into the proper sequence.

 The pan bolts barely required 3 ft pounds each and at first I had them at 5 would squeeze the neoprene seal out past the edges. Easy Does It!

 Cleaning up and reinstalling the block off plate.

 After looking in both manuals and everywhere online I could not find a single source that showed the sequence to reassemble the relief valve spring and cap in the Datsuns oil pump. I finally figured out so for other people's future reference here it is:

Stay tuned as I complete the 240Z's 6 cylinder engine renewal and get it back in the car on the way to finishing another awesome restoration of a classic motorcar!

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The IH S120 moves to the lift!

While awaiting parts (Windshield seal, vent glass, wiring bits), the IH was moved to the lift, where it will be easier to work on the brakes and running gear.

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