My mechanics on YouTube is restoring a 240Z

I just went outside and set my 240Z on fire.......

In reply to Datsun240ZGuy :

I think mine would like to set me on fire. 

That color sure beat the doo doo brown it was painted. IMO They painted it all at once in two booths so the color matched best. The shop lights are very impressive. Would they help with picking things out

Short update from My Mechanics.  He makes his own locknuts.  "I make a new one." 

Crazy

Trent said:

In reply to j_tso :

I have no idea.  Around here the options are sand (usually not sand but a crushed glass or aluminum oxide media), soda or dry ice. 

Of the cars that come in and get torn down, it is always sand.... and it is everywhere 20 or more years after the blasting took place.

I also don't believe the "walnut won't warp panels" thing. I'd say it is "less likely to". Even soda blasting will warp a panel if done poorly enough.  I have a W113 pagoda trunk lid anyone can inspect if they say otherwise.  

Wouldn't the trapped media collect moisture and accelerate rust?

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

It sure does!

Ep6 is out

"Ball joints are bent, I make a new one"

How did he resist taking a pressure washer to those parts before working on them? Ick.

His level of detail is crazy.  I mean, who makes their own ball joints.  

One thing I'd disagree with him on is powder coating everything the same semi-gloss black...I think some parts should have had a cast iron look, others a plated look, etc.

I wish I had not opened this thread, I want to watch this right now but i'm at work and I actually have work I need to get done. Aaagh!

stuart in mn said:

His level of detail is crazy.  I mean, who makes their own ball joints.  

 He drilled out the spot welds on the two frame rails, removed the rails and hammered all the dents out, cleaned the rails and put them back onto the car.  

Most buy new frame rails but he can say his Z has the original restored frame rails. 

That blew my mind.

He's driven by the joy of fixing things. Sure, it's easier to just bolt new stuff on but that is clearly not how this cat is wired. The ball joints were totally unnecessary but fascinating. So was chamfering every single seam on the subframe :)

And I'm only about half through...

makes his own ball joints and nylock nuts. They're available off the shelf, but doing this gets him clicks and helps pay for the restoration.

The steering rack rebuild was good. Those metal bushings would have been hard to source so his skills and tools saved it.

In reply to j_tso :

I don't think it's just for the clicks. I think it's because it's more interesting to him and that's how he's wired. The effort that goes into his work is far higher than could be justified by video monetization. All of that filing speaks to more of a compulsion than profit.

Alright, dangit, I'm in. Glad somebody brought this up here. I quit watching the channel because the fanatical over-restored aesthetic doesn't really work for me, but the Datsun does look like fun...

Walnut blasting episode. Weirdly soothing to watch to get metal under the paint and crud exposed...

newold_m (Forum Supporter) said:

"Ball joints are bent, I make a new one"

Meh.

Dude didn't even bother making his own grease nipples, just went and bought them. His lack of drive is heartbreaking.

/Sarcasm

After watch him do all that bodywork, I can say with confidence that I don't ever want to do that.

The last couple weeks he's also been posting some video shorts, with excerpts from previous long form videos.