Hi All, From A New 260Z Owner

DJY

DatsunDave
Club Member
I thought that it was about time to say 'Hi' to all the members having joined in December.

I have never owned a classic car before so I'm completely new to membership forums and all things 'Z', but I am learning...

Firstly, my Z is a 1978 260Z 2+2 RHD. When I 'acquired' her in April 17 she had been shut up in a damp garage at the end of a garden in Surrey since 1987. Her owner put her in the garage when she developed a fault with the clutch master cylinder with the intention of carrying out the repair himself but never got around to it.

Fast forward 30 years and the car needed to be moved so the house could be sold. As a friend of the family and knowing that I was interested in classic cars I was given first refusal. I did hesitate, but my friend said that if a taker could not be found quickly they would be scrapping the car. Blackmail did the job and I agreed to take her on. It was a challenge just to get her out of the garage as a mountain of rubble had been dumped in front of the garage door, the brakes were seized on and of course she was sitting on four flat tyres (which incredibly all inflated). Negotiating a flat bed recovery truck down the narrow service road and around several tight corners to the garage was a challenge in itself, but she arrived safely on my drive in Hertfordshire in one piece.

Having got her home I could see she was riddled with tin worm (of course) however she had solid floors and rails, was completely original with a very tidy interior and only 53k miles on the clock.

I then 'tinkered' for a few months until I came to terms with the fact that I did not have the skills, tools, space and most importantly the time to deal with this massive project. So I found a local company to do the restoration for me and they are doing an amazing job. The engine has been completely stripped down and rebuilt and the bodywork has been stripped to bare metal and made good. My contribution has been to source parts and renovate some of the rusty engine components.

She was originally wine red but had been resprayed black at some point in her short time on the road. My plan is to respray her metallic blue (30742 or 30885).

She has turned out to be far more of a money-pit than I could ever have imagined but that's down to my naivety. However I am smitten with my 260Z as she is a great looking car (or will be) and she is certainly not your 'usual' classic GT. Also the fact that she is one of the less coveted of the Z models (she's not a 240 and has 2 seats too many!) and is apparently quite rare makes her all the more appealing to me.

Hopefully she'll be ready for the summer when I plan to drive her to the Silverstone Classic instead of my Mondeo, which is what I usually pitch up in.

I wonder what she's like to actually drive.....?
 

DJY

DatsunDave
Club Member
Here's a picture of her as we found her in the garage, having moved stacks of old rubbish and newspapers. All of my other pic files are too big to upload so I'll modify and post later.
 

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SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
Amazing that someone wouldn't fix it in 30 years but all the better for you (although not your wallet). Thanks for saving her and looking forward to seeing photos and progress.
 

Woody928

Events Officer
Staff member
Club Member
Hi and welcome! :D

It would be great to see some more pics. There's not many 260Z 2+2's about so it will be a rare sight once back up and running on the road. I know the money pit, bigger project feeling as do most on here I'm sure, my 240Z was my first proper classic and I've loved every second of it. Keep us posted how you get on, its great to hear and see what people are up to!
 

Russell

Club Member
Best of luck with it from a fellow 2+2 owner!

More and more seem to be showing up in recent years so not quite as rare as when I first got mine on the road in 2012. Since then mine has been a pretty major money pit as well.
All the more so now I am going Hybrid with it!
 

toopy

Club Member
Welcome and well done for rescuing another 'undesirable'

Infact mines even less desirable than normal, not only is it a 2+2 but........... I have a sunroof!! :rolleyes:;)
 

TimW

Club Member
Hi and Welcome,

"Firstly, my Z is a 1978 260Z 2+2 RHD"... Sorry, still can't see the QUOTE button on the site...

Very nice indeed and quite rare... Go original colour on respray IMHO, not many originals around and soon to be appreciated more in future I reckon
 

Jay.

Club Member
Welcome to the forum!! Look forward to seeing some more pictures and stuff.

Here's a picture of her as we found her in the garage, having moved stacks of old rubbish and newspapers. All of my other pic files are too big to upload so I'll modify and post later.

I find uploading them to somewhere like Imgur compresses the picture quick enough, and then allows me to put them here a little easier.
 

Dougs260z

Club Member
Looks very similar to mine, original UK RHD 260z 2+2, 1976 in black but originally met blue. Look forward to yet another 2+2 on UK roads. The 2+2 because of the heavier weight and longer wheelbase handles better than the 240z on the road (less bounce), heavier on the track though.
 

Stockdale

Club Member
Looks very similar to mine, original UK RHD 260z 2+2, 1976 in black but originally met blue. Look forward to yet another 2+2 on UK roads. The 2+2 because of the heavier weight and longer wheelbase handles better than the 240z on the road (less bounce), heavier on the track though.


Well it probably (certainly) won't handle better than a 2-seater. Very many 240z's are imports from America where 'bounciness is desired'. UK cars are much more firm to cope with our roads. In its day during the 70's even a UK +2 car was more than a little unstable in bends (I owned one then). Extremely unstable unless modified even in a straight line over 90mph but then that's academic I hope. Just don't go there! Still a great looking car in the progression of the Z car and really rare. In those terms (rarity) well in front of 240 z's and a tad behind many 2 seater 260 z's. Not much behind original 2 seater 1st registered UK 26o 's though. Have fond memories of my son and in his child chair and my dog next to him in the back of my 2+2 during the early 80's.
 

Peter Bartlett

Active Forum User
Welcome to the Z club, I have a 1974 260Z 2 seater which was american until 1978 ! back then they were being imported, this one is Irish with the original 1978 Waterford registration and have been converted to RHD some time in its life, tripple webbers and BF Goodridge T/A's make it impossible to drive in the wet, fun though and loud with the custom side pipe. I also have a recently acquired 1982 280ZX 2+2 for the gentle runs currently with is back axle out for re-bushing. Currently in Dublin Ireland
 

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Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Well it probably (certainly) won't handle better than a 2-seater. Very many 240z's are imports from America where 'bounciness is desired'. UK cars are much more firm to cope with our roads. In its day during the 70's even a UK +2 car was more than a little unstable in bends (I owned one then). Extremely unstable unless modified even in a straight line over 90mph but then that's academic I hope. Just don't go there! Still a great looking car in the progression of the Z car and really rare. In those terms (rarity) well in front of 240 z's and a tad behind many 2 seater 260 z's. Not much behind original 2 seater 1st registered UK 26o 's though. Have fond memories of my son and in his child chair and my dog next to him in the back of my 2+2 during the early 80's.

I have been in one 260 2+2 and I was very impressed. Where was my passenger experience ? - Spa GP circuit with Andrew Muir. The car handled just fine and was not unstable at all.
 

toopy

Club Member
Welcome to the Z club, I have a 1974 260Z 2 seater which was american until 1978 ! back then they were being imported, this one is Irish with the original 1978 Waterford registration and have been converted to RHD some time in its life, tripple webbers and BF Goodridge T/A's make it impossible to drive in the wet, fun though and loud with the custom side pipe. I also have a recently acquired 1982 280ZX 2+2 for the gentle runs currently with is back axle out for re-bushing. Currently in Dublin Ireland

I like your DIY car lift, pallets and what looks like part of a re-purposed recovery truck! very inventive :)
 

andrew muir

Club Member
Thanks Rob,
The longer wheelbase makes it more stable, loads of grip and handle really nice "these car talk to you".
Stearing is very heavy at low speeds. If its unstable at any speed somethings not quite right.
 
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