MOUNTING BRACKET (REAR BRAKE CALIPER) – SANDBLASTING PROCESS With all of the brake caliper hydraulic pistons now restored to a usable condition, I turned my attention to the caliper bodies themselves. The next step in the restoration process is to strip the factory coating and repaint the calipers in a high-temperature gloss black finish. From my research, achieving a durable and high-quality paint finish starts with proper surface preparation. Ideally, paint should be applied directly to bare metal wherever possible. When done correctly, the process involves applying an etch primer to the bare surface, followed by the colour coat, and finally a clear coat for added durability and protection. Because I plan to use an etch primer—which is specifically designed for bare metal as I've mentioned before—I need to remove as much of the original factory coating from the OEM calipers as much as possible. Up to this point, I’ve had good success using traditional grinding and metal resurfacing techniques to strip coatings from various parts. My initial plan was to use the same method on all four brake calipers. During testing, the bench grinder removed the factory coating effectively, but I noticed it was also altering the surface of the aluminium. I suspect this is due to heat buildup caused by friction from the wire wheel. (Above) The stripped metal surface appears to show heavy pitting, likely caused by heat buildup during grinding. Another issue was accessibility—getting the grinder into tight areas proved difficult. Progress was slow, with even a small section taking around 30 minutes to complete. At this stage, I decided the bench grinder was no longer the best tool for the job. While it could achieve the desired result, it required too much time and effort. It also produced a lot of debris, unpleasant odours, and airborne particles that ended up on my clothes and skin. For years, I’ve been researching alternative methods for stripping automotive parts more efficiently, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to upgrade my setup. So I purchased a Unimac 90L benchtop sandblasting cabinet—the most affordable and compact option available to me. I’ve wanted one of these for quite some time, and after watching countless reviews and demonstration videos online, it became clear how effective sandblasting is for quickly stripping metal parts. The main reasons I held off previously were the cost and limited storage space. However, after reorganising my workspace and weighing the long-term benefits, I decided it was a worthwhile investment. This cabinet should significantly improve my workflow—not just for this project, but for future restorations as well. The ability to strip parts down to bare metal in minutes rather than hours is a huge advantage. (Above) The cabinet is connected to a 2.0HP high-flow 60L air compressor and a 1000W dust extractor. I also installed a water trap and air regulator to control pressure and reduce moisture in the air lines. (Above) I also chose a coarse 30/60 grit garnet blasting media, which is affordable and easy to source locally. I set the air regulator to the recommended 90 PSI (0.65 MPa). (Above) Moisture control is critical in sandblasting, as water in the air lines can clog the system. The regulator with a built-in water trap helps minimise this risk. Before moving on to the calipers, I decided to test the setup on a smaller component—a pair of rear caliper mounting brackets. Here’s the condition of the brackets before blasting: (Above) While most of the factory paint coating had been removed, tight areas still retained some of the old paint—exactly where sandblasting should excel. With everything set, I placed the brackets in the cabinet and began blasting. The results were exactly what I hoped for—fast and effortless. The remaining paint was removed in seconds, and both brackets were fully stripped within minutes. (Above) Both brackets are now completely stripped back to bare metal, with all of the factory coating removed. This first test confirmed that investing in a sandblasting cabinet was the right decision. The time savings and improved results are immediately noticeable, and I’m looking forward to using this setup to restore all four brake calipers next.
MOUNTING BRACKET (REAR BRAKE CALIPER) – SANDBLASTING PROCESS With all of the brake caliper hydraulic pistons now restored to a usable condition, I turned my attention to the caliper bodies themselves. The next step in the restoration process is to strip the factory coating and repaint the calipers in a high-temperature gloss black finish. From my research, achieving a durable and high-quality paint finish starts with proper surface preparation. Ideally, paint should be applied directly to bare metal wherever possible. When done correctly, the process involves applying an etch primer to the bare surface, followed by the colour coat, and finally a clear coat for added durability and protection. Because I plan to use an etch primer—which is specifically designed for bare metal as I've mentioned before—I need to remove as much of the original factory coating from the OEM calipers as much as possible. Up to this point, I’ve had good success using traditional grinding and metal resurfacing techniques to strip coatings from various parts. My initial plan was to use the same method on all four brake calipers. During testing, the bench grinder removed the factory coating effectively, but I noticed it was also altering the surface of the aluminium. I suspect this is due to heat buildup caused by friction from the wire wheel. (Above) The stripped metal surface appears to show heavy pitting, likely caused by heat buildup during grinding. Another issue was accessibility—getting the grinder into tight areas proved difficult. Progress was slow, with even a small section taking around 30 minutes to complete. At this stage, I decided the bench grinder was no longer the best tool for the job. While it could achieve the desired result, it required too much time and effort. It also produced a lot of debris, unpleasant odours, and airborne particles that ended up on my clothes and skin. For years, I’ve been researching alternative methods for stripping automotive parts more efficiently, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to upgrade my setup. So I purchased a Unimac 90L benchtop sandblasting cabinet—the most affordable and compact option available to me. I’ve wanted one of these for quite some time, and after watching countless reviews and demonstration videos online, it became clear how effective sandblasting is for quickly stripping metal parts. The main reasons I held off previously were the cost and limited storage space. However, after reorganising my workspace and weighing the long-term benefits, I decided it was a worthwhile investment. This cabinet should significantly improve my workflow—not just for this project, but for future restorations as well. The ability to strip parts down to bare metal in minutes rather than hours is a huge advantage. (Above) The cabinet is connected to a 2.0HP high-flow 60L air compressor and a 1000W dust extractor. I also installed a water trap and air regulator to control pressure and reduce moisture in the air lines. (Above) I also chose a coarse 30/60 grit garnet blasting media, which is affordable and easy to source locally. I set the air regulator to the recommended 90 PSI (0.65 MPa). (Above) Moisture control is critical in sandblasting, as water in the air lines can clog the system. The regulator with a built-in water trap helps minimise this risk. Before moving on to the calipers, I decided to test the setup on a smaller component—a pair of rear caliper mounting brackets. Here’s the condition of the brackets before blasting: (Above) While most of the factory paint coating had been removed, tight areas still retained some of the old paint—exactly where sandblasting should excel. With everything set, I placed the brackets in the cabinet and began blasting. The results were exactly what I hoped for—fast and effortless. The remaining paint was removed in seconds, and both brackets were fully stripped within minutes. (Above) Both brackets are now completely stripped back to bare metal, with all of the factory coating removed. This first test confirmed that investing in a sandblasting cabinet was the right decision. The time savings and improved results are immediately noticeable, and I’m looking forward to using this setup to restore all four brake calipers next.
Small progress this month: I prepped the two dismantled rear brake calipers for the next stage in the restoration process, masking and protecting key areas before I will then be sandblasting them back to bare metal in the next month. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ADAMZX Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamzx_z32
REAR BRAKE CALIPER PREP BEFORE SANDBLASTING Before starting the sandblasting process on the rear brake caliper bodies, I needed to properly mask and protect a few critical areas. In particular, the hydraulic piston bores and the internal brake fluid channels or ports must be shielded from blasting media to avoid damage. (Above) The pair of calipers prior to masking. My approach was straightforward. I used masking tape to seal off the two fluid channels that allow brake fluid to pass between each half of the caliper. For the hydraulic piston bores, I inserted a dense foam material to fully block off the openings and prevent any abrasive media from contacting the internal aluminum surfaces. (Above) The tools and materials used to seal and protect the caliper components during preparation. After about an hour of work, all the necessary areas were sealed and protected. The foam inserts worked particularly well for the piston bores, creating a snug barrier. For the fluid ports, I used a simple but effective technique—lightly tapping around the edges with a hammer—to cut perfectly shaped circles out of masking tape for a precise fit. (Above) Fully masked and ready for sandblasting. That’s as far as I got for the month of July. Progress may have been limited, but it’s a solid step forward. The next stage will be to begin sandblasting the calipers, which I’m aiming to tackle soon.
Although I had been fairly consistent with my monthly progress updates up until July 2025, I unfortunately wasn't able to make any progress on the build during August. This was mainly due to spending quality time with my wife and kids on a two-week family cruise through the South Pacific, visiting New Caledonia and Vanuatu. After returning from the holiday, I was able to get back into the project and continue work on both the front and rear brake calipers. This included stripping down the rear calipers and carrying out additional masking and preparation work on the front calipers. I also managed to track down and purchase a crucial replacement part for the Z, which I’m hopeful will resolve one of the major driving issues the car is currently experiencing. YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ADAMZX Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adamzx_z32
REAR BRAKE CALIPER SANDBLASTING PROCESS Continuing on from where I left off in July's blog update, I had just finished masking off a couple of areas on each rear brake caliper that I wanted to protect from the sandblasting process. However, before I could begin blasting, I decided it was worth protecting a few additional areas. These included all of the threaded bolt holes, along with the entire mating surface between the two halves of each rear brake caliper. To protect the threaded holes, I purchased a selection of M10x1.25 metric bolts and threaded them into place. Not only will they prevent the threads from being damaged during blasting, but they'll also provide convenient mounting points for hanging the calipers during the painting process. (Above) There are three threaded holes that I decided to protect before sandblasting: one for the rear brake hardline fitting and two for the mounting bracket that secures the rear brake hose. Next, I wanted to protect the ends of the four bolt holes used by the main bolts that clamp the two caliper halves together. My goal here was to prevent those recessed areas from being stripped back to bare metal, reducing the chance of future corrosion if paint coverage wasn't perfect. It may be a little overkill, but I'd rather take the extra precaution now than regret it later. (Above) Each of the four recessed bolt holes was plugged with a small piece of foam cut from a cheap car wash sponge. The final jobs before blasting were to improve the sealing around the piston bores and redo the masking on the caliper mating surfaces. I applied fresh masking tape over each mating surface, then used a small hammer to gently tap around the edges. This cleanly cut the tape along the machined surface, leaving a crisp, accurate masking line. I also reinstalled the original rubber piston dust boots around the edges of each piston bore to provide an extra layer of protection and prevent any abrasive media from accidentally reaching the bore surfaces. (Above) I know some of these extra masking steps are probably unnecessary for a simple sandblasting job, but since this is my first time tackling a project like this, I figured it was better to be overly cautious than risk damaging a component that's difficult to replace. After repeating the process on the remaining rear brake caliper halves, I could finally say they were all ready for blasting. Masking job completed and ready for blasting! Finally, it was time to start blasting. I used 30/60 grit garnet blasting media at 90 PSI to remove the original black factory coating and return the calipers to bare metal. I was hoping this would be a quick and straightforward process, and it would also serve as a good test of my new blasting setup. Here are the results after blasting the first rear brake caliper halves. I'm extremely happy with how it turned out. As you can see, the factory black coating has been completely removed, leaving a clean, uniform bare metal finish across the entire casting. Sandblasting was a huge improvement over my previous wire-wheel stripping method. It made reaching all of the tight corners and intricate casting details almost effortless, producing a much more consistent finish with far less physical effort. Although I was very pleased with the results, one major downside quickly became apparent—it took almost an hour to complete just a single set caliper of halves. The biggest limitation was my air compressor. With only a 60-litre tank, I could blast continuously for around five minutes before the compressor had to run and recharge the tank. That meant I was spending roughly as much time waiting for air pressure to recover as I was actually blasting. The final result was exactly what I was aiming for, but the process took considerably longer than expected. For now, it's simply a limitation of my current blasting setup that I'll have to work around. Moisture in the air lines also proved to be an issue. Even with a water separator installed, small amounts of water were still making their way into the blast gun, causing several blockages throughout the job. It's clear I still have a lot to learn about getting the most out of this sandblasting setup. Despite those challenges, this stage of the project is now complete. With the calipers stripped back to bare metal, I'm hoping to move on to painting them within the next few weeks—or perhaps within the next month if everything goes according to plan.
FRONT BRAKE CALIPER PREP BEFORE SANDBLASTING With the rear brake calipers now fully sandblasted and stripped of their original factory protective coating, it was time to move on to the used iron TT front brake calipers that I disassembled last month. Having refined the masking process on the rear calipers, I followed the exact same procedure on the front pair to ensure every critical surface remained protected during blasting. The two mating surfaces where each caliper half joins together were carefully masked off. The piston bores were then filled with foam, and the dust boot covers were reinstalled to prevent any blasting media from entering the piston bores. The final stage of the preparation involved blocking off all the threaded bolt holes using heavy-duty sacrificial fasteners. This protects the threads from blasting media while ensuring they remain clean and undamaged. With that complete, both front calipers are now fully prepared for sandblasting before receiving a fresh, durable protective coating. Overall, I'm very pleased with how this preparation process has turned out. Taking the time to properly mask and protect every critical surface should make the blasting process far more straightforward while preventing unnecessary cleanup or damage afterward. The front calipers are now ready to be stripped back to bare metal in preparation for their new protective finish.
PART ACQUISITIONS FOR THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER 2025 Onto some better news now, everyone. As many of you know, since getting the car back on the road, I've been dealing with an issue where the transmission isn't shifting through the gears as it should. While it hasn't stopped me from driving the car, it's definitely a problem that will need to be addressed once the ongoing brake issues are finally resolved over the coming weeks or months. As I've mentioned in a couple of previous updates, I suspect the transmission is currently unable to shift into both 2nd and 4th gear. My assumption is that the gearbox will ultimately need to be removed, disassembled and rebuilt to rectify the fault. While this won't be a small undertaking, my dad and I are planning to tackle the rebuild ourselves. Not only will this save a significant amount in labour costs, but it will also give us the opportunity to learn more about the RE4R01A transmission by removing it from the car, stripping it down, rebuilding it, and reinstalling it ourselves. Although rebuilding the original transmission would save a considerable amount of money, it would also leave the car off the road for quite some time. After already spending around six to seven months working through the brake bleeding issues since February, the thought of having the car out of action for another extended period of time just wasn't particularly appealing. With that in mind, I spent the next seven months casually searching the internet for a good used RE4R01A transmission. If I could find a complete, working unit at the right price, it would be a much faster way of getting the car back on the road while allowing me to rebuild my original gearbox at my own pace. My first option was to reach out to my contact in Japan, Jesse Streeter, to see if he could source a transmission from Yahoo! Auctions Japan. There were a few promising listings available, but unfortunately he wasn't able to arrange shipping for something as large and heavy as a complete transmission to Australia. That ruled out importing one from Japan almost immediately. My next step was to speak with a local JDM parts supplier and mechanic to see if he had a suitable transmission available or knew of someone who did. As it turned out, he did have a used twin-turbo RE4R03A transmission for sale, but it also required a complete rebuild. To make matters worse, he wanted $2,000 AUD for the faulty gearbox, with the additional condition that I hand over my original transmission as a rebuildable core for him to sell to the next customer. Although I'd had reasonable dealings with him throughout this restoration, the proposal simply didn't stack up. I'd still have to rebuild the replacement transmission, spend a considerable amount of money, and lose my original gearbox in the process. When I weighed everything up, rebuilding my own transmission was clearly the more sensible option, so I politely declined the offer and continued my search. As the months passed, it became increasingly obvious just how difficult these transmissions are to find in Australia. Japan had several used RE4R01A gearboxes available for between $200 and $400 AUD, but without a practical way to ship them here they were effectively out of reach. There were also a number of transmissions available in the United States, but once freight costs were factored in, importing one simply wasn't financially viable. Given how common manual conversions are within the 300ZX community, I genuinely expected there to be a healthy supply of second-hand automatic transmissions on the market. Instead, my search proved the exact opposite. At least here in Australia, good used RE4R01A transmissions are surprisingly scarce, making the hunt far more challenging than I had ever anticipated. Just when I thought all hope was lost, I stumbled across an online advertisement from an automotive workshop located in Western Australia offering a used 300ZX automatic transmission for just $1,000 AUD. Initially I thought that this shop was located overseas but when I realised it was a shop located in Australia I knew that this was going to be the one I was looking for. Needless to say, I couldn't contain my excitement when I came across the listing. I immediately called my dad to discuss the possibility of purchasing the transmission as a replacement for my faulty original gearbox. After talking it through, we realised there were still a number of important questions that needed answering before committing to the purchase. The listing didn't mention whether the transmission was in good working condition, nor did it specify whether it was the naturally aspirated RE4R01A or the twin-turbo RE4R03A model. On top of that, the cost of shipping such a large and heavy item across the country was a complete unknown, and that's always something I like to factor into the total cost before proceeding with a purchase. I emailed the workshop to ask them more about the transmission and answer my questions above as well requested an estimate on shipping the transmission across the country to Victoria when I'm located. The workshop promptly replied later that day, confirming that the transmission had been operating perfectly before being removed from the donor vehicle. Unfortunately, they couldn't tell me exactly which version of the transmission it was which was surprising but they said they were look into it for me. After doing some research into the visual differences between the naturally aspirated and twin-turbo gearboxes, I carefully examined the photos in the listing and thankfully, all the identifying features on this gearbox pointed towards it being an NA RE4R01A transmission, which was exactly what I needed to match my existing drivetrain. The biggest surprise, however, was the shipping cost. Despite the transmission needing to travel over 3,400 kilometres across Australia, the workshop quoted just $50 AUD for freight directly to my door. That was a deal I simply couldn't pass up. With all of my questions answered, there was nothing left to do but purchase the transmission. I completed the payment immediately, and once the tracking details came through, I was amazed to see the estimated delivery time from Western Australia to Victoria was only two to three business days. I honestly couldn't believe my eyes. When it arrived later that week, I couldn't have been happier. The entire buying experience was smooth from start to finish, and I was genuinely impressed that a complete transmission could be transported across the country so quickly—and for such an incredibly low freight cost. It was one of those rare purchases where everything came together perfectly. The unit was strapped down to a wooden pallet and covering in black shrink wrap. Because I had the transmission delivered to my work address, I wasn't able to transport the transmission home myself, so I arranged for my dad to drive up in his SUV to collect it and bring it back to his place. The plan was to give the gearbox a thorough inspection, remove the transmission pan, and carefully check the condition of the internals before making any decisions. If everything checked out, the replacement transmission could simply be installed once the brake bleeding issue was finally resolved. Alternatively, we could have this gearbox fully rebuilt first and then install it, giving me a freshly reconditioned transmission from the outset. At this stage, we were still weighing up which approach would be the better long-term solution. Finally home safe and sound ready for a thorough inspection process to begin. For now, though, I'm simply relieved to have found an affordable RE4R01A automatic transmission that is hopefully in excellent working condition. After months of searching, it feels like a huge weight has been lifted, and I'm looking forward to inspecting it properly before eventually installing it in the car.
