Got a 240z and i need all the advice i can get!

[MurriZ]

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a pleasant day.

 

I recently bought a 1970 240z after saving money for a long time. I was excited and said that it will be easy, that I am gonna build it within the next few months. I was naive and after reading a certain post on this website, i was "enlightened". 

"For the newbie car guys on this forum.. New to building Z cars and etc.." Is the post I read.

I now want to take my time to enjoy building the car and learn as much as i can through this "journey". I would like to mention that there is no budget concerning this project since I think it will last a life time 

 

Here I am now to ask all of you who have experienced building a Z.

I ask you for all the advice you can give me and to answer any question listed below if you please. If you think there is a link that will answer or help me in anyway, go ahead and add it.

 

1. What would you recommend to have in a garage in order to modify a car in general? I am new to this so please list everything you deem necessary   

2. What are the reasons you chose a certain engine? The Z i bought has an rb25de neo and I wondering about the positives and negatives about the engines (2JZ, SR20DET, RB26DETT, etc)

3. For a newbie like me, what would you recommend I do in order to gain more experience? 

4. Where do I begin?

5. Which differential do you use and why?

 

This is my first time posting so I do apologize for any grammer/spelling mistakes as English is not my first language. I also do not know what information am I missing in this post so, if there is anything you would like to know about me or the Z, please ask away!

 

Regards!

Edited June 16, 2016 by MurriZ

[dmoralesbello]

Welcome and congratulation on your "new" Z.

If you post photographs of the car it would help us all understand the amount and type of work needed and we can all guide you more precisely. A picture is worth a thousand words.

[rossman]

It highly depends on what you plan to do with the car and how much work it needs.  Sounds like you plan to at least do an engine swap so here is what I would recommend:

 

1) Basic mechanics tool set, drill press, mig welder, cut-off saw, bench grinder, air compressor capable of running air-tools, impact wrench, die grinder set, dremel, vise, engine hoist, low profile floor jack, good jack stands, wire stripper, ratcheting wire crimper, soldering iron, hydraulic press, break-away bar, torque wrench set...I'm sure there is more....

 

2) L28 turbo because that's what I wanted.

 

3) Start turning a wrench!  Might want to consider taking a basic auto shop class, welding class, etc. There are some decent books on amazon.

 

4) I would start with basic maintenance and go from there.  If the car is running, get to know the car first before you dig in and start a major job like an engine transplant.

 

5) Z31 LSD because it seemed the easiest at the time...which is not the best rational. 

[MurriZ]

Welcome and congratulation on your "new" Z.

If you post photographs of the car it would help us all understand the amount and type of work needed and we can all guide you more precisely. A picture is worth a thousand words.

 

It highly depends on what you plan to do with the car and how much work it needs.  Sounds like you plan to at least do an engine swap so here is what I would recommend:

 

1) Basic mechanics tool set, drill press, mig welder, cut-off saw, bench grinder, air compressor capable of running air-tools, impact wrench, die grinder set, dremel, vise, engine hoist, low profile floor jack, good jack stands, wire stripper, ratcheting wire crimper, soldering iron, hydraulic press, break-away bar, torque wrench set...I'm sure there is more....

 

2) L28 turbo because that's what I wanted.

 

3) Start turning a wrench!  Might want to consider taking a basic auto shop class, welding class, etc. There are some decent books on amazon.

 

4) I would start with basic maintenance and go from there.  If the car is running, get to know the car first before you dig in and start a major job like an engine transplant.

 

5) Z31 LSD because it seemed the easiest at the time...which is not the best rational. 

Thanks for your replies!

 

Here are some fancy pictures of the car in rainy weather. I don't have any other pictures since my camera is back in the UAE while I am in Italy at the moment.. 

 

 

As you can see, the body does not really require that much work since it is very well taken care of. However, the inside of the car is pretty messed up. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to accompany that at the moment.

 

The problems I discovered as of yet are:

 

The interior needs restoration. No sound or wind isolation.

None of the gauges are working.

Engine is waaay too slow even for a "200" hp engine.. I wonder where the power went.

There is a very loud cranking? noise when I full throttle the car while driving in 1st and sometimes 2nd. I think it is when there is enough torque to lower the rear end of the car. My guess is that the prop shaft is hitting the bottom of the car. I think it does that because the prop shaft is not placed correctly? I don't really know..

The exhaust is scraping speed bumps so I must fix that as well..

The head lights went out recently     .

 

A basic description of what I want to do with the car is to make it a daily driver with about 300-400 hp and quick on the track.

[rossman]

 

As you can see, the body does not really require that much work since it is very well taken care of. However, the inside of the car is pretty messed up. Sadly, I don't have any pictures to accompany that at the moment.

 

The problems I discovered as of yet are:

 

The interior needs restoration. No sound or wind isolation.

None of the gauges are working.

Engine is waaay too slow even for a "200" hp engine.. I wonder where the power went.

There is a very loud cranking? noise when I full throttle the car while driving in 1st and sometimes 2nd. I think it is when there is enough torque to lower the rear end of the car. My guess is that the prop shaft is hitting the bottom of the car. I think it does that because the prop shaft is not placed correctly? I don't really know..

The exhaust is scraping speed bumps so I must fix that as well..

The head lights went out recently     .

 

A basic description of what I want to do with the car is to make it a daily driver with about 300-400 hp and quick on the track.

 

Getting the interior back to stock is relatively easy, technically speaking.  Check out Motorsport Auto's website.

 

Your gauge issue could be as simple as a burned out fuse.  The previous owner probably didn't take the time to adapt the speedo to the transmission (which I assume is not stock) and the tach to the engine.  Get a GPS speedo and you don't have to worry about gear ratios and such.

 

Noise could be a broken differential nose strap or broken/loose engine mount or a host of other things wrong with the drive train.

 

It's difficult to keep a large exhaust pipe from hitting speed bumps, mine does too. I just drive carefully over speed bumps.

[rturbo 930]

I was excited and said that it will be easy, that I am gonna build it within the next few months. I was naive and after reading a certain post on this website, i was "enlightened".

Been there, done that. Turns out it's not so easy, lol.

 

1. What would you recommend to have in a garage in order to modify a car in general? I am new to this so please list everything you deem necessary 

 

Get some basic hand tools (ratchets and sockets, and a breaker bar), screw drivers, allen wrenches, a floor jack, and four good quality jack stands to start with. You'll figure out what you need as you work on the car, and as you get into bigger projects.

 

2. What are the reasons you chose a certain engine? The Z i bought has an rb25de neo and I wondering about the positives and negatives about the engines (2JZ, SR20DET, RB26DETT, etc)

 

NA L28. One of my cars came with it, and I like the sound and feel of it. And I already have it.
 

3. For a newbie like me, what would you recommend I do in order to gain more experience?

 

What condition is the car in? Post some pics. Unless it's fully restored there's probably something to do on it. Start by refreshing the stock stuff on it, and get everything into good condition. With the experience you gained from doing that, you can then move onto modifying things.

 

5. Which differential do you use and why?

R200s, which came on 280Zs, are popular because they bolt in and they're pretty strong. I'm planning on swapping to a Ford 8.8 diff, but I don't know how common Fords are where you are. It's also a fairly new swap and there isn't a kit out yet to swap it in for a reasonable cost.

 

This is my first time posting so I do apologize for any grammar/spelling mistakes as English is not my first language.

 

Your English is pretty good, actually. Fixed a little spelling mistake though.

[rturbo 930]

I opened this thread a few hours ago, and I see you've posted pics since then. Looks like an excellent starting point - almost too nice to modify. I think I would've left that one stock. Sounds like you already have a few projects to do on it. Since you're new to cars, maybe take the car into a shop for diagnosis on the 'cranking' noise it's making. If the sound is a single, solid sounding 'clunk' when you hit the gas, then I would guess that it's your diff mount. If it sounds like something is hitting something while spinning, it's probably something else, but I don't know what.

[thedarkie]

At your skill level you probably shouldn't make plans to swap in a non RB engine which is incompatible with whats in the car right now.. its just too much work. Sort out the rest of it first. If you're gonna be chasing more horsepower, get the goodies from an RB25DET engine or swap a complete one in place. Turbos are good

[Miles]

Buy this book: How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car  by Wick Humble. It tells you how to take apart, restore and re-assmble your Z car with lots of pictures. It will save you many many hours searching for "how to" information!

 

The book is available several places such as: 

 

https://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Your-Datsun-Z-Car/dp/1931128022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466101164&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+restore+your+z+car+humble

 

 

You must download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) for your 1970 240Z. There are links to the FSM here on HybridZ. This is the manual the Datsun dealerships used to maintain 240Zs.

 

For the SU carb maintenance go to the Z Therapy website and buy the video "Just SUs". It explains how to maintain and repair SU carbs. Z Therapy also sells quality parts for the Su carbs.

 

Z Therapy: http://www.ztherapy.com

 

 

 

Parts:

 

Black Dragon:  http://www.blackdragonauto.com/zZxCatalog.htm

 

Motor Sports Auto (MSA):  http://www.zcarparts.com/

 

 

 

 

Always use jack stands when working under a car.

 

Keep the car stock for now and focus on making the car safe and reliable. You will be learning as you do this.

 

Beware of "upgrades" you read about on the internet. Many are not upgrades at all and may be unsafe if not done correctly.

 

 

 

 

Other websites:

 

http://www.classiczcars.com/

 

http://www.atlanticz.ca/index.php/tech-tips.html

Edited June 16, 2016 by Miles

[MurriZ]

Thank you all for your time 

Getting the interior back to stock is relatively easy, technically speaking.  Check out Motorsport Auto's website.

 

Your gauge issue could be as simple as a burned out fuse.  The previous owner probably didn't take the time to adapt the speedo to the transmission (which I assume is not stock) and the tach to the engine.  Get a GPS speedo and you don't have to worry about gear ratios and such.

 

Noise could be a broken differential nose strap or broken/loose engine mount or a host of other things wrong with the drive train.

 

It's difficult to keep a large exhaust pipe from hitting speed bumps, mine does too. I just drive carefully over speed bumps.

 

I'll have to get an expert to check on the noise and to fix it sadly.. it is not something I should take lightly..

I do drive carefully. I am just worried that it could cause future problems.. what do you think?

 

 

I opened this thread a few hours ago, and I see you've posted pics since then. Looks like an excellent starting point - almost too nice to modify. I think I would've left that one stock. Sounds like you already have a few projects to do on it. Since you're new to cars, maybe take the car into a shop for diagnosis on the 'cranking' noise it's making. If the sound is a single, solid sounding 'clunk' when you hit the gas, then I would guess that it's your diff mount. If it sounds like something is hitting something while spinning, it's probably something else, but I don't know what.

 

I do not plan on modifying the exterior that much. It is just like you said, almost too nice to modify. I think that in order to function the way I want it to, I will end up at least changing the wheels. 

About the diff, I found this link: https://technotoytuning.com/nissan/260z/complete-r200-r230-rear-end-conversion-z-car What do you think? I heard some good things about technotoy but I would like to hear your opinion on it.

 

 

At your skill level you probably shouldn't make plans to swap in a non RB engine which is incompatible with whats in the car right now.. its just too much work. Sort out the rest of it first. If you're gonna be chasing more horsepower, get the goodies from an RB25DET engine or swap a complete one in place. Turbos are good

 

Turbos are really good . Is there any place you know of where I can get my hands on some goodies for the RB25?

 

 

Buy this book: How to Restore Your Datsun Z Car  by Wick Humble. It tells you how to take apart, restore and re-assmble your Z car with lots of pictures. It will save you many many hours searching for "how to" information!

 

The book is available several places such as: 

 

https://www.amazon.com/How-Restore-Your-Datsun-Z-Car/dp/1931128022/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1466101164&sr=8-1&keywords=how+to+restore+your+z+car+humble

 

 

You must download the Factory Service Manual (FSM) for your 1970 240Z. There are links to the FSM here on HybridZ. This is the manual the Datsun dealerships used to maintain 240Zs.

 

For the SU carb maintenance go to the Z Therapy website and buy the video "Just SUs". It explains how to maintain and repair SU carbs. Z Therapy also sells quality parts for the Su carbs.

 

Z Therapy: http://www.ztherapy.com

 

 

 

Parts:

 

Black Dragon:  http://www.blackdragonauto.com/zZxCatalog.htm

 

Motor Sports Auto (MSA):  http://www.zcarparts.com/

 

 

 

 

Always use jack stands when working under a car.

 

Keep the car stock for now and focus on making the car safe and reliable. You will be learning as you do this.

 

Beware of "upgrades" you read about on the internet. Many are not upgrades at all and may be unsafe if not done correctly.

 

 

 

 

Other websites:

 

http://www.classiczcars.com/

 

http://www.atlanticz.ca/index.php/tech-tips.html

 

It seems like I have a lot of research to do  . Since you said beware of upgrades, what do you think of technotoy's mods??

 

Regards to all of you.

[Miles]

Before you think about modifications you need to decide how you will use the car.   Next you need to plan every detail of how you will build the car you want.

 

Also, you need to study and learn about the Z car and any modifications before asking questions. People will be more responsive to informed questions.

 

Good luck.

[rturbo 930]

I do not plan on modifying the exterior that much. It is just like you said, almost too nice to modify. I think that in order to function the way I want it to, I will end up at least changing the wheels. 

About the diff, I found this link: https://technotoytuning.com/nissan/260z/complete-r200-r230-rear-end-conversion-z-car What do you think? I heard some good things about technotoy but I would like to hear your opinion on it.

No way I'd spend that much on an R200 conversion, especially if you only have 200hp. A basic R200 conversion consists of a mustache bar, differential, and halfshafts from a 280z, and you'll also need to change the driveshaft. You can have one made, modified, or just play around with factory parts. When I did my conversion (early '71, series 1 car like yours) I think I used a '72 driveshaft. Also, the R200 has limited gear ratio options, and the ones it does have are expensive. That is why the Ford 8.8 is becoming popular. It's inexpensive, lightweight, and has a huge assortment of gear ratios, LSDs, and everything else.

 

I would recommend taking the time to get yourself familiar with the search function here, and do a lot of reading before you start thinking about mods. There's a lot to learn, and the success of your project will depend on how well all your modifications work together, and how they help you to achieve your goals for the car. This site has been around for 16 years now, so a lot of the questions you have have been covered here before.

[Miles]

If you don't have a need for it, why would you want to modify the differential or any other component?

 

Keep in mind that cars are designed by engineers as a system of parts selected to work together. Often when you modify a part it creates a domino effect that results in degrading the performance of some other part.  For example, so called popular "brake ugrades" often result in less braking performance!

 

Modifications are fine, but there can be unintended consequences that cost more to fix or result in an unsafe car.

[MurriZ]

No way I'd spend that much on an R200 conversion, especially if you only have 200hp. A basic R200 conversion consists of a mustache bar, differential, and halfshafts from a 280z, and you'll also need to change the driveshaft. You can have one made, modified, or just play around with factory parts. When I did my conversion (early '71, series 1 car like yours) I think I used a '72 driveshaft. Also, the R200 has limited gear ratio options, and the ones it does have are expensive. That is why the Ford 8.8 is becoming popular. It's inexpensive, lightweight, and has a huge assortment of gear ratios, LSDs, and everything else.

 

I would recommend taking the time to get yourself familiar with the search function here, and do a lot of reading before you start thinking about mods. There's a lot to learn, and the success of your project will depend on how well all your modifications work together, and how they help you to achieve your goals for the car. This site has been around for 16 years now, so a lot of the questions you have have been covered here before.

 

If you don't have a need for it, why would you want to modify the differential or any other component?

 

Keep in mind that cars are designed by engineers as a system of parts selected to work together. Often when you modify a part it creates a domino effect that results in degrading the performance of some other part.  For example, so called popular "brake ugrades" often result in less braking performance!

 

Modifications are fine, but there can be unintended consequences that cost more to fix or result in an unsafe car.

 

Thank you. I kind of forgot about searching since I was soo absorbed in this post  . I'll check out the rest of the posts.

Regards

[laporrello]

I am about 70% done of my first restoration ever.  Best advice I can give you (other than getting the Factory Manual for your year as has been already suggested):  Pick a project to start with, research that particular project extensively on the internet, and finish that project before starting the next one.  For example, right now I am replacing the stock rear suspension.  I spent a considerable amount of time researching the options and have resisted the urge to start something else (while I wait for suspension parts, for example) until I finish that job.