Here is another great Datsun family story that Z Car Garage is proud to be a part of. John B’s mother actually bought this 240z in 1978! The Z has been in their family ever since and eventually John became the owner. Unfortunately it had been sitting for a long time as the family changed residences and needed lots of work. ZCG to the rescue! We restored the brakes and suspension which were badly corroded/seized:
The front end was treated to new rotors and turned drums, new calipers and T/C rods from Techno Toy Tuning (3T). 3T is a company that helps keep vintage Japanese cars on the road by creating sweet suspension/chassis pieces. We love their products and continue to use them as seen on Grant’s 240z. Here are the old vs new calipers finished in black:
The hard, brittle tires and groovy slotted mags were replaced with fresh Bridgestone rubber and 16×7 Panasports. These are the “new” style Panasport castings with a brilliant anodized lip:
It is amazing what a little cleaning and some Panasports can do 🙂
Underhood, the engine had a severe exhaust leak. Actually, the entire exhaust system was badly rusted…
A full ZCG exhaust system from the MSA 6-2-1 header back to our trademark slash cut tip:
More engine bay work…the gnarly carbs were fully refurbished and dialed-in. We de-smogged the engine, restored the radiator, replaced the water pump and coolant by pass hoses:
Water pump:
More deteriorated rubber found in the fuel system:
A final touch we are proud of is the refinished cowl piece. ZCG powdercoats it a matte-black finish that looks fantastic:
Dyno tuning produced a robust 140hp/152tq to the wheels:
With the engine bay in tip top shape John is ready to hit the road in this family heirloom Z!
The slick black paint on Gary R’s 280z makes me drool. Then my eyes widen when I see the gigantic ZCG BigBrakeKit AND new Panasport wheels. This is just a mock-up, but I can’t help but feel excited! The restoration moves forward with all of the newly plated parts and suspension being installed by Josh C. Hydraulic/fuel lines were beautifully plated in gold(brake) and silver(fuel):
The engine bay is glossy and the firewall is gleaming!
In our last update the interior and entire underbody was stripped and treated with POR-15, seen HERE. After drying, the front and rear suspension is in place with struts/coil overs mocked up. Note additional plated hardware:
Here are some shots of the coilovers and ZCG Big Brake Kit in all its all glory. Wheels/tires are 17″ Panasport C8s with black spokes and 255/40/17 tires under stock flares:
Stay tuned for our next update as Gary’s 280z gets a drivetrain!
That is what the license plate reads on this 240z that belongs to Mark and Michelle G. Although the Z may have ate money it has been loved and fully supported by the family for about 10years. The Z is at ZCarGarage getting a full mechanical restoration before going to Williams Auto Body for body/paint. It is being built for the street with occasional track use, so brakes and suspension had to be upgraded. ZCG installed a full Arizona Z Car suspension from front to rear including robust control arms, sway bars, and bushings. The entire underbody was also prepped and undercoated:
The 200rwhp L31 engine features triple Mikuni 44 carbs, a rare Clifford 6-2 exhaust header, and a ZCG triple-carb heat shield. The stock transmission was replaced with a 240sx gearbox with a JWT flywheel and heavy duty clutch. In back an R200 LSD diff along with a Porsche 930 CV conversion round out the drivetrain modifications:
The rear portion of the exhaust was made to be removeable making adjustments/work easier:
The Z featured Porsche 993 Twin-Turbo calipers at all four-corners and though it is an incredible braking system it needed some work/proportioning so ZCG did some fine tuning.
Soon these gorgeous brakes will be encased by shiny new custom made 17″ Panasport C8 wheels!
Finally, a nice touch that is both functional and good-looking are some new pedals. Let the Heel/Toe boogie begin!
Stay tuned for more updates after the Z comes back from Williams with fresh body and paint!
Lots of detailed pictures of the suspension below: …[read more]
This 1973 240z belongs to a friend of the shop, Lou S. It is a rare sight to see this Japanese-spec, Right-Hand-Drive (RHD) model with appropriate “FairladyZ” badging/lighting. The Z recently got new 3-piece, custom offset 17″ Panasport wheels. You might remember these beauties from the multiple sets ordered for the RB-240z builds.
These wheels allow the use of massive 255/40/17(Bridgestone RE050a) tires without major fender mods/flares. To take advantage of the larger footwork a complete Arizona Zcar suspension upgrade was installed.
The rear controls arms offer multiple points of adjustment. Struts were shortened and a Ground Control coilover kit with custom spring rates can be dialed in for any condition. Sway bars and new bushings throughout. The result is a car that stays absolutely planted in corners. It is almost begging for more power now. Triple Mikuni’s Lou? 🙂
The new stance makes this “RightLady” look awesome, and the black center spokes with polished lip complements the paint really well. Here is a short video clip of the car rolling on the freeway, enjoy!
Just wanted to share these pictures of a newly transformed 240z. Panasports have been the obvious wheel choice for the iconic Z car for years for a good reason, THEY LOOK GREAT!!
