ProjectWhiteNoiseZ Posted May 29, 2018 Share Posted May 29, 2018 Hello Everyone, I bought a 1971 Datsun 240z, about 2 years ago as my first project car. The more I started to dig into the car, the more I wanted to repair and improve it. Initially I was just planning on getting it running and using it while slowly upgrading and repairing it. I ended up tearing it down to the bare chassis, mounting it on a rotisserie and media blasting it. After I media blasted it, I decided to replace the floors and upgrade the frame rails with baddog frame rails. I sat down and thought about what I wanted the car to be and I came up with a ton of ideas, but ended up narrowing it down into one vision. The vision is this(nicknamed ProjectWhiteNoiseZ): My vision is inspired by modern Nissan Nismo styling, but it will be powered by a 2JZ-GTE with a cd009 transmission. I have gone through every part and media blasted and powder coated it or upgraded it with something better. Doing all of this, inspired my brother to buy a crashed 2008 Mustang GT and the current plan is to complete our cars by August/September '18. I live in Colorado and he lives in Pennsylvania, so I'll be road tripping the 240z 1700miles each way when complete to meet him at a track in Pennsylvania and race. If you're interested to see the work and follow our journey to complete our cars over the next few months, we have a YouTube channel, Facebook, and Instagram where we're documenting our builds. Any comments on suggestions for YouTube video improvements are appreciated. We will answer any questions you have. YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJt7v6VEHBqNPweO_cZ1guw PBB Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectbuildbrothers/ PWNZ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/projectwhitenoisez/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ProjectBuildBrothers/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Welcome to the forums. I'll say some things are concerning. Engine mounts, harnesses, and the TC bushings off the bat. I'll let you find your own findings with them, but would advise looking into those areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProjectWhiteNoiseZ Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 @seattlejester Thank you for the concerns, I tend to do as much research about everything as I possibly can before making decisions to avoid spending extra money and wasting time, so I think I know why you pointed those things out, but if i'm missing anything let me know. A lot of people don't understand that CX racing mounts are designed to be partially welded after installed so they get a bad rep by people installing them incorrectly. They're 0.18" SS plate so they're plenty strong enough for the job. The harnesses are not actually installed in that picture, it was just a mock up to see how they look and for a picture. They will be installed according to the standard rules for most racing classes. Attached to the roll bar(not pictured) with the right angle on the shoulders and the stock lower seat belt mounts (reinforced). They will easily be far safer than the lap/shoulder belt that came in the early Z cars. The TC bushings were again just for mock up, I'll either be drilling the poly bushings to make them compress more easily or replacing them with stock rubber bushings. If I don't feel confident that they'll make the trip I'll likely end up buying a set of Apex Engineering TC rods to avoid the issue all together. -Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 For the engine mounts: I've heard of that concern before, but never encountered it. I personally have mine bolted in and have clutch kicked an entire afternoon and not had them shift, so less of a concern as long as you use good hardware on that front. If you look straight at them you can tell the potential issue, they will install the engine tilted and off center. That gives you a lot of room for the intake, but not much room for the turbos or the exhaust. Not a big deal but if you plan on having the exhaust tuck anywhere near the trans tunnel with the CD009, that is not going to be possible. So your vision is going to be about 3 inches off the ground just for the exhaust. In addition if you mock up the CD009 chances are you are going to find that they don't quite offer enough adjustment to mount the motor as forward as it needs with that transmission at least. For the harnesses: that is a good point, mounting of the belts are real important in the angle and mount department, but more so the 4 point harnesses are inherently not safe (exception being shroth). For events like SOLO in an open lot with nothing to hit that may not be an issue and would offer good retention, but if your activity has any chance of running into another object or individual then a hard accident will actually just have you slip out from the bottom. Anti-submarine straps are used for that reason. For the TC bushings: spot on on that one, it always is a bummer when people just put them in not realizing their function. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProjectWhiteNoiseZ Posted May 30, 2018 Author Share Posted May 30, 2018 Awesome, I do plan on welding them solid once I have everything where it needs to be, so I don't think that'll be an issue for me either. I honestly feel like the factory sub-frame would be more of a weak point. I do plan on using class 12.9 hardware for everything, so hardware strength shouldn't be an issue. I plan on running stock turbos so hopefully they're small enough to not interfere with too much. If I have to, I'll shorten the driver's side engine mount or lengthen the passenger one to ensure there is enough space for everything and even offset them forward for the shifter placement if I need to. I have a shifter relocation kit to move the shifter very far forward, so it should be pretty close to where it needs to be. The early 240z cars had the trans tunnel hole for the shifter and everything about 2" further towards the rear of the car so that helps me. (reference:http://www.zhome.com/ZCMnL/tech/AandBtranny.htm) My car definitely has the more rearward hole cutout because when I bought it, it had the "B" style transmission and the tunnel was mangled in front of the shifter from whoever did the swap. I plan on taking it to a track to race my brother, but I'm not going to be racing in the SCCA or anything, it's more of a fun car, and if I end up seriously getting into racing I'll have to upgrade the cage, seats, and harnesses anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seattlejester Posted May 30, 2018 Share Posted May 30, 2018 Just read up on 4 point harnesses. If you care enough to make sure you will be mounting them correctly, then you should know that step 0 is to more or less stay away from 4 points, exception being schroth, not to mention the only DOT legal harnesses are also schroth as well. If it is for fun, make sure you put in a 3 point for daily use. If it is for serious then you should look at a 5 or 6 point. I've measured that area to death, surprisingly you may be one of a very few people that those measurements may apply to (2jz, early 240z with the flat trans mounts, CD009 with adapter plate). My CX mounts were modified though to put the engine as far back as it could, but I don't think in stock form with how long as the CD009 is it will accommodate that forward movement. Curious to see what you find, by my measurements I'm going to end up at the very far rear edge of the shifter and maybe my motor will be about where the L-series usually sits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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