1972 Datsun 240Z

[Gaiden_08]

Good evening, All. This is my first post of what I hope is a long, lengthy build thread for my 240Z. This is the first Datsun that I have done and I am ALREADY heavily dependent upon the search function and information within the website. So for that, I will thank you in advance. That being said, this will be my first major "restoration" or "build" so there will be a lot of learning on my part, and likely frustration; I am sure that many can understand these feelings.

 

This whole Z adventure has been brewing for awhile in the back of my mind. I have always loved the lines of the 350Z and 370Z but was always drawn to classic cars, or "old" cars so naturally I love the 70's to 73 model 240Z's. I am lucky enough to have stumbled upon a member of this forum  through a random tip from a member of a Datsun Facebook group. Following the tip, I contacted the gentleman and we made a deal and I am on my way to go pick up my Z project this friday. I also stumbled upon another relatively local expert today through texting someone about an R230;  it was already sold but thats ok, I made a very valuable contact in both these people.

 

Posted below are pictures of the car that I have received from the seller. I will take more when I go to get it on Friday, and once I get it home and settled in my garage. Please feel free to comment on your thoughts about the car. Yes, it is a shell and its going to need alot of work but everything I have read about with these cars is that in order to have a nice car in the end you really need to start with a "rust-free" car. Thats any old car, be it a MOPAR, Chevy, or Ford. Everything I have seen over the past few months has stressed that fact and I have heeded it. I have passed up multiple other Z cars, both 260s and 280s. I am lucky enough to have found the car below and I believe that I have a great start already. Again, please feel free to offer any comments, tips, advice, or constructive criticisms.

 

Thanks for reading! I hope you all stay tuned, I will need your help and will be posting my plan of attack soon.

 

[NewZed]

Posted below are pictures of the bare naked stripped shell that I have received from the seller. 

 

Are you getting the rest of the parts too?

[Gaiden_08]

I am also going to be getting chrome trim pieces, struts, control arms, heater core, blower assembly, all glass, steering column/rack/wheel

[Pillar]

You definitely have your work cut out for you, but the satisfaction you will have when you get it back on the road will be worth it. I just recently got my Z back on the road after purchasing it a year and a half ago also in a very disassembled state. Was a lot of hard work and a there is still plenty to do, but the felling of driving it for the first time was amazing.

 

Out of curiosity, what part of VA are you in?

[Gaiden_08]

Virginia Beach. I see your in Hampton. Odd... military?

[Pillar]

Awesome, nice to find another local Z enthusiasts (I know they are around here, I just haven't really met any yet).

My father was military. We moved here when I was a kid, and just never left.

[Miles]

Hope you will find this helpful:

 

• If doing a V8 swap buy the Jags that Run (JTR) book and read it at least 5 times. Book is useful for any engine swap.
• Buy books/manuals for the engine and transmission you want to use.
• Download a 240z Factory Service Manual (FSM) and buy a Haynes repair manual for your specific car.
• Download electrical schematics for your car.  PDFs are easier to read than those found in books. Some are in color.
• Buy the book How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car by Wick Humble. It will save you hours of searching for "how to" info.
• Make a detailed plan with parts list including cost before starting a project. Plan every system of the car.
• Start bookmarking Z car parts suppliers - there are many!
• Join ClassicZCars.com website and search there as well.

 Useful Links:

http://zhome.com/

http://www.atlanticz.ca/

http://www.classiczcars.com/

http://www.zcarparts.com/

http://www.blackdrag.../zZxCatalog.htm

http://www.arizonazcar.com/

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/index.html

Edited January 7, 2016 by Miles

[Gaiden_08]

Miles, thank you for the links and the advice! I have started amassing some links already but these will help me as well! Also, good point on the books. I will order them, and yes you guessed it, I am planning on doing a V8 GM 5.3 LS swap, likely with an 8.8 IRS.

[Gaiden_08]

I went and got the Z previously pictured the other day. It was quite the long trip to NC and back, I was on the road over 12 hours, but all went well.

 

Getting loaded.

 

Driving home.

 

And then here she is back home in the garage. Also shown are all the other parts that I bought off the guy, as well.

 

[Nelsonian]

Looks like you have a good shell to start with and only some minor metal work to attend to. Though as mentioned, you will have a lot of work to do, you are miles ahead when it comes to the chassis  strengthening stage. By that I mean you have the car stripped already and free of nice paint, which I have seen with some people be the detracting reason as to why they never fortified their cars for the more powerful engine swaps. Document your build as you progress with it. Lastly, $1.89 for regular, Holy crap, it must be nice!! 

[Leon]

Lastly, $1.89 for regular, Holy crap, it must be nice!! 

 

  I was thinking the same thing!

[PLATA]

In Laurel Maryland , 1.79 $ 

[Nelsonian]

In Laurel Maryland , 1.79 $

 

I am jealous as here in the over rated and hyped land of San Diego the current average is $3.02 for regular.

[PLATA]

BTW, the Z in topic,  a nice wallet and lots of patience are key tools. Good luck on your Z adventure.

[Gaiden_08]

Thanks for the words of encouragement Nelsonian and PLATA. You mentioned being ahead of the game; this is one of the main reasons that I decided to go with this car. I figured that any car I bought I would tear down to this level. Luckily, I was able to find this car and luckier that it was in really good shape.  Strengthening the frame is one of the first things that I plan on doing. I am still researching how exactly I want to do it. I think that I am going to tie the uni-body together, strut tower bar, and then put in a roll bar. That's my current thoughts as for the strengthening piece.

[Sirpent]

Congratulations!

 

As others have mentioned, the rust sections are minor compared to mainstream S30's of the era, you have a good starting point, time patience and above everything else "PLANNING" is the key now.

 

Cheers

 

John

[Gaiden_08]

Hello again all! It has been a decent amount of time since I have updated this page. I have been meaning to do so, but my 3 month old tends to require my attention

at the exact moment I go to update. So here goes nothing. The last time I posted on here the car was on a stand and had just gotten home. Now the car is on a

tiptissorie, I got the idea from cruising some VW rabbit forums, and then I found some other people who did it here. Then I started taking off the old undercoating.

Overall, the floor pans and the frame rails are in FANTASTIC shape, in my opinion.

 

I then moved on to patching the holes with seam sealer, though some of the bigger ones I welded over with metal pieces and then seam sealed.

 

After I got done patching, I went ahead and painted the bare metal with a chassis saver. That shit is strong and stayed on me for about three weeks!

 

I continued on to the rear of the car as well. Taking undercoating off is a LONG process; not too mention a very DIRTY process.

 

I also cut out the spare tire well. This is eventually going to have a fuel cell in it. I am not 100% certain how I am going to do it yet. I will likely inset the

cell into a piece of metal and have the top of the cell be flush with the floor. I also cut this out with the intention of making room for dual exhaust down the road.

 

I plan on re-undercoating the entire floor, as well as the interior of the car. I grabbed a can of generic undercoating from Harbor Freight. I am not entirely sure if I

like it. I sprayed the can out on the passenger side wheel well and I am relatively unimpressed. The can did not last long, or cover much of the car at all, and I am

not liking how it is setting up. It has been on the car for about 48hours now and can still be marked with a fingernail. I am exploring other options, such as other

over the shelf DIY kits, or getting the car sprayed at my local Line-X. I got a quote of $875-1000 over the phone. Seems like a lot, but they have to put alot of work

in plotting all the bolt holes, etc. Additionally, I think that by the time I covered it with some other product I would have hundreds of dollars in it, and it

probably wouldn't be as nice as Line-X. So....I am kinda leaning in that direction, I just need to get the car to a good point to send it there. I want to have the

gas tank area fabbed up so that it can be covered, and then I have Bad Dog frame rail connectors on their way here now. Once all those are done, I will likely pursue

the Line-X route more seriously.

 

Last update for now. I had originally planned to put a 5.3 in the car. Well, I still plan on putting in a V8; however, the choice of V8 has changed from the 5.3

option to a 2005 LS6 that has about 30k miles on it. I am going to pick it up tomorrow with a buddy. It is currently in a 99 Camaro Z28; he is buying the car and

putting in my 5.3, and I am buying the LS6 and the T56 for the Z. I am quite excited about this!

 

As always, please feel free to share your thoughts or comments with me. Thanks for reading!

Edited April 23, 2016 by Gaiden_08

[Gaiden_08]

I got my new frame rails in from Bad Dog Parts. I am unsure about them. They seem to be built with good material, but I am unsure of the fit. As you see in the pictures, I will have to trim here and there to make them work, no big deal. My major concern is the front section of the front frame rail. I would have thought that it was supposed to be flush with the top of the original rail. Anyone have thoughts on this? Also, I think I am gonna have to straighten out my originals as well as bit. You'll see in the other picture that the original rail does not meet with the bad dog rail. I am thinking that someone used the rail at some point to jack the car up! Thanks for that.

 

More to follow as I start getting these rails put in. I am going to spend tomorrow and friday pulling out my LS6 from the Z28 that it is in. My buddy was driving (thrashing it) it yesterday around the block and he broke the cars driveshaft! She's got some torque! Makes me glad that I am reinforcing the rails, and doing a roll bar/cage of some sort in the future. I was originally thinking about going with a 4 point, but I am not thinking about doing a 6 point. Are there any recommendations for bars out there? I dont have equipment to bend pipe and make my own.

 

Here is the angle I was talking about. I feel like it should be taller?

 

Hammering required!

 

Back frame rail; needs to be trimmed likely.

 

Big picture.

 

Picking up the Z28 the other day; and the engine. I can't believe the guy didn't at least clean it up before selling it? Some people, I don't understand.

 

[jhm]

Looks like you're off to a great start....good luck with it.  

 

P.S.  I, too, really hate it when I see frame rails that are totally destroyed because some jackass thought they would make a great jacking point.  Frustrating as hell.

[Gaiden_08]

I haven't posted on this in a few weeks, things have been crazy. However, I was able to work on my car a bit today, indirectly at least. I spent all day Saturday pulling the LS6 out of the Z28 Camaro that I bought a few weeks ago. It wasn't all that hard once we got into it. Here are some pictures of the event.