Hey folks,
I’ve been lurking and reading, and speaking to some of you for the last few months with an aim to understand if my current plans could become a reality.
I’d really love to end up with an S30 “restomod” - something along the lines of the “Fugu Z” from the movies. It would have to be RHD and road legal for UK use.
Now I’m of the opinion that the most cost-efficient way of achieving this is by buying a 260/280z instead of the more expensive 240Z. I’m not too concerned over the extra weight and I think I’ve read that the chassis rails on the 280 are thicker/stronger?
There’s a possibility that someone may have already started a project like this which may save some time/money overall, I guess. (If you know of any please do let me know)
My questions are:
- What would you expect a base car for this to cost? I’d hope I could save some money here as I wouldn’t need the bodywork/paint to be perfect as it’d need redoing anyway..?
- Is a LHD to RHD conversion a better option (US import?) to get a car with less rust? How much does this conversion cost, roughly, and are parts available?
- Do any companies import cars from the US in the same way that many do from Japan? I’m not sure I’d be confident enough trying to do it myself, but it does appear that most cars and parts would come from the US as there are few available here in the UK.
- Have any of you done this already, and can you share your experience / advice / any links to threads or companies you used? Please also share some photos if you can!
It’s quite possible that I cannot achieve my end goals with the budget I have, but I’d like to try and estimate an initial target cost so I can make an informed decision. I’m well aware that costs can spiral, but if I’m not even in the right ballpark then I’ll have to give up on the idea and find an alternative car/project.
Thanks