Boy from Oz Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Gidday - After years of lusting after a 240Z - 250 GTO conversion I've decided to go for it. I designed and built my own single-seater racing cars thirty-five years ago but I haven't done anything like that for many years. I visited a local supplier to see a kit in the flesh for the first time and to put it mildly I'm in love. But nothing is perfect. This kit retains the 240Z rear hatch and it appears to me to make the vertical panel containing the tail-lights (whatever it's called) sit too low. I have noticed some rear shapes that incorporate a trunk, fixed rear window and relocate the filler cap. Are there significant overall body dimension differences between the two types of rears or is it merely cosmetics? Does either more closely match the real thing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y-not Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 There are several different rear end designs for the GTO kits. Check out GTORR.com, they list all of the different kits made. ScorpionZcars.com makes the trunk kit you are talking about. Bill This is my Thunder Ranch (mcBurnie) rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boy from Oz Posted August 18, 2005 Author Share Posted August 18, 2005 I think it has all been a matter of visual perception. The car I saw was lowered all round by 1.5 inches. When I stood behind it the rear spoiler did not appear to be much about my knee height (I'm near 6 foot). I think the 250 kit cars are often photographed with the camera low to the ground to accentuate the lines of the car and this perhaps gives the impression that the tail is higher. Is the car in the picture above lowered at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
y-not Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I have yet to lower the car. The rear will be 1" lower and the front 2" . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Here comes trouble Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 I actually prefer the kits as better visually proprtioned than the GTO original which is my personal opinion. My project is not an attempt to replicate an original but a construction of a vehicle that I will enjoy driving (and being associated with) I consdier the Z's roll up side windows and rear hatch an improvement over the original. The original tailights as too small and utility light funky as opposed to my big rear utility light funky selection,. I see YNOT's has the rear radio attenae which gives me the inspiration to mount my attenae just for the thrill of watching a chromed pointed cylnderical object go up and down amid the sound of the the whirring commotion of a lttle electric motor at the flick of a switch (cheap thrills). If "precticality" as a person had to choose between an original 240 Z and an original 250 GTO. The GTO would be waved aside as impractical, over expensive, uncomfortable and unreliable as to longevity.....http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/larryjohnson97438/album?.dir=8223&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/larryjohnson97438/my_photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomoHawk Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Larry, I replaced the antenna on my 280Z with one that mounts to the rear glass, like the GM cars had in the late 70 & 80s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srgunz Posted August 18, 2005 Share Posted August 18, 2005 Here is a GTO replica. It is not based on a 240Z though. It was built on a custom tube frame chassis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boy from Oz Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 I went back to look at photos of GTOs (see link). Clearly they are the second most beautiful things on earth (wife is watching over my shoulder!). I'm happy that both the 'trunk' and 'hatch' type kits are good representations of the GTO shape. Can't think why I thought the tail was much higher - perhaps the camera angles. Now to find a donor car. Tell me, is all the fun in creating them or are they still a delight sitting finished in the garage and driving down the road? http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/frame.php?file=car.php&carnum=134 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boy from Oz Posted August 22, 2005 Author Share Posted August 22, 2005 Hey, guess who couldn't tell the difference between a Ferrari 250 GTO and Cobra Daytona Coupe. That's where I got the idea of the higher tail. Not that I want one but are there Cobra Daytona Coupe kit available for 240/260Zs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlackBeaut Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Hey, guess who couldn't tell the difference between a Ferrari 250 GTO and Cobra Daytona Coupe. That's where I got the idea of the higher tail. Not that I want one but are there Cobra Daytona Coupe kit available for 240/260Zs? I don't believe there are any commercial kits available at the moment, but there is a completed car with one on US Ebay at the moment though. To me eye it's proportions are just wrong to be able to really call it a replica, but it does make for an interesting curiosity. Cheers, Rob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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