73' 240z

[dustbuster358]

So thanks again to ADMIN RTZ for setting me straight. had a post int he wrong spot asking for stupid advice, props on the sites search engine?

 

So the build i have a 1973 Datsun 240z i just bought for a little under 800 dollars. Pics to follow.

 

The Good:

complete car (mostly)

Decent interior (ginger)

All glass there except drivers window (had a spare)

4 wheels with almost new tires

 

The Bad.

paint, ITS BROWN LIKE A STEAMING PILE >

rust, wheel arches are bubling and in front of drivers door are rusted through. spare wheel looks like surface rust.

wheels, missing wires on one, and would like alloy's anyways

Engine, runs, but ROUGH and definatly needs carb rebuilds and possibly valve work (have a great machinest thank god)

 

The Plan:

Basicly fix or replace engine with a RB swap. 351 c swap. 4.3l vortec v6 swap, or SBC.

replace ginger interior with black (later on of course, seat covers for split seats for now)

Paint. touch on in next section

wheels preferably red or red/white, possibly custom paint some.

Add a conservative spoiler for a little down force while maintaining the look i love on a z

Halogen or xenon HID light upgrades.

Covers for Headlight assemblies. (areo dynamics again, and style)

Update shocks for better handling, and possibly a more comfortable ride, reading forums on that still.

-general goal is to be at least semi competative with my grandmas 1969 porsche 912, long shot but a small personal goal none the less-

 

Ok this one is a little odd to most the car club, but they love it for originality. but here comes the paint and decal idea.

 

The Paint Job

Midnight blue or blue/black chromed paint.

Flat Black accents on wheel arches and spoiler, possibly hood hump.

Now i listed red or red white wheels, i'd love to have those be the running feet for a sonic the hedgehog decal running down one side and tails on the other side. i'm talking original characters style.

If i can't make the sonic thing work, then just the paint.

[dustbuster358]

pics from the original owner, car is currently enroute to my storage unit.

[BluDestiny]

This is so much better than your first post.

 

I know my 260z was that brown, but it was already repainted blue when I got it.

 

As for the sonic decal I'd just put a little vinyl stocker of him on the fender area where the Datsun logo is.

 

I say fix all the rust first, since it will only get worse. Then fix the engine and drive it to the ground. Then work a little on suspension since I'm sure its worn out and then work on getting wheels and exterior stuff. Then you can look into engine swaps.

 

But it's your car do it anyway you want.

 

For $800 that's an awesome deal

[dustbuster358]

thanks and yes my first post was about half a case of beer into working on the the REDTECH teams skyline.... so i own up to my stupidity on it haha.

as far as the sonic decal i may do that, but i had a suggestion of throwing tails in that fender area with my original sonic from the rear wheels idea and i kinda like it. see what happpens with money and all that fun stuff.

I did just come acrossed some almost new KYB struts and shocks in my storage unit that we pulled off a 240z that never got the title work finsished so we parted it off, i'm going to test and check them if they're ok i'll throw them on and use the new actual springs i ordered. i think coil over upgrades are in the near future the more i look at this old girl though...

[dustbuster358]

so for paint i'm enlisting my graphic design friend to come up with some ideas and help me make it happen, in return he gets his s10 fixed for free.

got a new battery in the Z today and it runs shittier than i thought, looking into just saving up and doing a RB swap now without bothering to fix the dual carb six :/

 

on the up side most my parts are ordered and in 2 weeks i'll order that last 3 body parts that i think i need (fender, arches and the rear wing)

for now she's getting rewired so that she at least has some stereo cababilites as one of the previous owners was an idiot and messed up 40% of whats behind the dash, or has it hanging down ugly liek on the passenger side (FML i hate stupid people) waiting till i have the body parts before bringing my dad who is a old school mechanic and the neighbor who does body work in for suggestions.

 

more pictures soon. and hopefully i can get this old girl road worthy. still deciding on wheels so many out there but i really don't want multi lugs, or if i do have them, i want a hubcap covering the conglomeration of holes in the wheel.

[dustbuster358]

Also the sub box with 2 kicker comps that i've had sitting around for years, is to big to fit, pics to come on that, i find it fairly comical actualy...

[dustbuster358]

got her running , replaced the ruined headlight bucket, got lights working (exterior) and got wheels on and all suspension done in the last few months, however sunday the engine went belly up again. i'm thinking RB26DETT swap. Has anyone done these? o find and does anyone know th best way to find an r200lsd with axlesshafts? i need to upgrade bad. pics of all updates soon.

[Six_Shooter]

FYI, that interior colour is called "butterscotch". Also the seat covers are custom or aftermarket. They are a slightly different design than factory and are missing the brass vents that would be in the lower back rest.

 

Very similar to my car when I got mine, also a '73, that is brown and had a butterscotch interior. Similar issue with the driver side dog leg as well, though mine was caused by physical damage that then caused it to rust. Still need to fix it... My interior is also black now, which is a lot better than the butter scotch IMO.

 

Yes the RB26DETT has been swapped in these cars several times now. Use that search feature.

[dustbuster358]

ok i have an RB26DETT sitting in the shop now, car is dissassembled fairly thouroughly, and i'm quickly running out of cash now that our off season hit at work and i'm not making jack ****. however here come the pictures and i've been reading some of the swap forums, but can't seem to find what to use for a radiator, and what to get for an intercooler. and teh third thing thats driving me nuts, WHAT DO YOU PEOPLE USE FOR A FUEL PUMP? best i've seen si bosch 600 in one of the forums, but is it just an electric in line pump or is it a drop into the tank? any links/help is appreciated to help me with this. also i have a bunch of parts from it i can sell, so if anyone wants all teh AWD components, shoot me a PM with an offer. its all in working order, i just wanted 95 or newer engine so i wouldn't be so paranoid about the early RB26 oil sump issue. thus i settled for a pretty hatched r33 engine after 4 months of looking and building my credit line.

[dustbuster358]

Edited March 31, 2013 by dustbuster358

[dustbuster358]

small photo's as my only cameras is a casio cell phone. anyways thoughts on widebody conversion on the back, or just moving out my quarters when i replace them so my rear tires aren't getting cut up by the wheel wells? i have to do it so input is very welcome! thanks!

[dustbuster358]

Shout out to Pat1 he'll be making some money off of me for the oil pan and sump setup.

[dustbuster358]

Thinking i'll be using these for my collection of intercooler piping...

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/GSP-Universal-32pc-3-76mm-Intercooler-Pipe-Piping-Kit-w-Silicone-Clamp-Blue-/400290738679?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Model%3A240Z&hash=item5d332ff1f7&vxp=mtr

[dustbuster358]

Well my update for today is that i have my car torn apart still, lost my body man so I'm gonna try and wing it. My rear wheel arches never came so I'm a bit irritated at that, and I'm going to repair the front fenders rather than replace them. I have all the parts i need except for the actual radiator, and a transmission for the RB26 seeing as the AWD one is useless. Looks like a rb25 rwd 5speed is running about 1100 shipped to obtain so my project has been slightly delayed again. Oh well. Hopefully I'll have some pictures uploaded to photobucket tomorrow to show what little progress i've made and show how horribly rusted my poor z is.

[dustbuster358]

So my oil pan came in a week ago, I've lost my body work guy so I may try and do the welding myself and see how cheap I can get my neighbor to just straighten the top out for. Found an 1991 300zx r200 lsd rear end on fleabay for $125. Hopfully no more than 250 after shipping. I have a mustache bare from a R200 already and the reaer stubs an dsxles shafts from a 280z that was a R200, so those will go in. If all else fails i have a open diff R200 I can get for $100 even if i go pul it out of the junk yard, then i coud put the VLSD into it instead.

[dustbuster358]

Wow Its been a long but at the same time short 6 months. I have more pictures uploading to Photobucket so I should be posting them soon. I'm to the point of fit checking my hood becuase my Rb looks liek its sitting high but its also only a few centimeters off the sway bar and engine bay frame.

 

     So before i continue wiht my update, I BOUGHT A FRS. and i love it, except the stock tires and suspension, but I can change all that in summer. pics to follow

 

 

     I have Decided this will be a 432 clone, modified obviously 3:)

 

     For my rear end I have a 95 300zx r200 vlsd that i had to ge the input shafts modified for and I have obtained an ISMA fiberglass wide body fender and pannel kit, which i plan to try and reproduce with an english wheel and some sheet metal, anyone have suggestions on what guage to use?

 

  Also i want to make molds of the kit so i can reproduce with glass or carbon or maybe even polyurethane to order, if anyone has ideas or input on how to do so please feel free to PM me, i will start a new thread for those.

 

    I Have all my emblems now as well. WOO! now to color the 432 ones

 

    Found what i thin is an original duct tale fiberglass spoiler for 80 bucks so I'm goign to try and repair it a bit and use it. also make a mold at some point.

 

     I am passivly looking for 17" wheels now though as the brake kit i want to use eventually will require them. thinking 8-9" wide if there are some cool looking ones out there i'm open to suggestions.

 

     Finally My stock front 3 piece valance is toast. I want to do an airdam or valance that looks good and is a little more unique. With the english wheel I may try to make one but i'm a way's out on that and would prefer to buy one. I don't much care for the look of the xenon one most people get, and fiberglass i'm trying to avoid but if anyone has any suggestions on a good one for a lowered ride i'm again open to suggestions.

 

   Again pics to follow And any suggestions are welcome as i've been learning alot on here and can't wait to start work on my zed full tilt again.

[dustbuster358]

Correction thats a 91 300zx r200

[dustbuster358]

FYI, that interior colour is called "butterscotch". Also the seat covers are custom or aftermarket. They are a slightly different design than factory and are missing the brass vents that would be in the lower back rest.

 

Very similar to my car when I got mine, also a '73, that is brown and had a butterscotch interior. Similar issue with the driver side dog leg as well, though mine was caused by physical damage that then caused it to rust. Still need to fix it... My interior is also black now, which is a lot better than the butter scotch IMO.

 

Yes the RB26DETT has been swapped in these cars several times now. Use that search feature.

 I'm trying to reproduce my wide body isma kit if that perks your interest as far as fixing your dogleg

[dustbuster358]

been working on the z again will upload pictures as i can to photobucket then here. I'm having issues using my 91 300zx vlsd rear end in the 240z. I will include pictues of what i have later but any help would be appreciated.

[dustbuster358]

Ok so my car is at speed farm (an import and all around shop in Bozeman/4 corners M) many pics to follow and i'm hoping by friday I can hear my RB Z run.