Prospective new owner!

[ZedsDead]

Hi all,

I've been lurking on this forum for a while now and absorbing all the detailed information that everyone is kind enough to share.

I've been thinking about getting a 240z for some time but have been trying to decide on the best way to go about it. Like everyone else, I started off thinking I'd find a sub-3k, half decent UK car in need of restoration but I've come to realise that was probably a bit ambitious! So am now reconsidering my plans.

After all I've now picked up from this forum it makes me half wish I'd bought the silver 240 that sold on ebay a day or two ago, but that's not really the point, I'd still like a project rather than buying something already done.

The reason I have now registered on this excellent forum was to see if I could trouble someone for a favour? I have one last barrier in my mind that is preventing me from taking the plunge and "investing" in a Z, and that is that I would really like to see if I can actually fit in a 240 with a comfortable driving position.

I am about 6ft4 (maybe more, I don't know) and this has prevented me from owning several cars that I would have liked. I wondered if there are any 240z owners in or around Wiltshire who might be kind enough to just let me sit in their drivers seat and see if a Datsun will be a viable car for me?

If the weather's good I can offer a passenger ride in an Exige in exchange

Hopefully I'll look forward to joining the ranks of 240 ownership soon!

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Happy hunting.

Are you having a laugh, you will fit in a 240Z and especially if you fit in an Exige? I imagine you are fairly slim.

Post a pick of the Exige please.

 

[ZedsDead]

Ha ha, yeah, I'm reasonably slim.

Believe it or not, the Exige is actually surprisingly accommodating! You have to fold yourself into it but once you're in it's actually quite spacious!

It's one thing fitting in and another being comfortable to drive though, especially to drive in a "spirited" fashion. For example, I can easily fit in my girlfriends MX-5 but I would struggle to drive it hard as my knees bump my hands on the wheel!

A few years ago I wanted an ordinary Westfield but simply didn't fit. I ended up buying an XTR2 and had to machine new components to modify the peddle box assembly in order to be able to get in it.

Anyway, I thought it was worth checking before going much further. I'm still wading through the debates on this forum about the best way to get a car that's a good starting point. If that means getting an imported shell, I wanted to know I'd fit in one before going down that route!

Pic attached.

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

Find yourself a fresh American import(a good honest one) and save yourself a few K along the way.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Zedsdead, what sort of project are you after (e.g. body restoration, hybrid conversion, modified original etc) and what do you want to end up with.

I'm asking because I'm intrigued why you only want to spend £3k on obtaining one of these cars?

 

[ZedsDead]

Thanks Franky, I'm kind of leaning towards that from what I've read on here.

Rob, I know you must have heard this a thousand times on this forum but ideally I'd like to go for a hybrid. It's been my dream to build a clasic car with modern engine and running gear for a long time. I love 240z's, they're one of my favourite looking cars, and it seems that an increasing number of people have made some very nice hybrids.

I'm sure this will get me a few black looks but I'm not really a purist, I'd really like to think I could do the RB26DETT conversion or maybe the cheaper RB25DET. I'm sure every dreamer out there thinks this but I think I have a few things in my favour. I'm a qualified engineer, I have welding gear, CNC mill and ordinary lathe and pretty much everything I'd need to fabricate parts already in my garage. I can fund such a build, and I'm patient and meticulous. I've also owned (I won't go so far as to say restored) a couple of Lancia Deltas, and I'm pretty sure it's not possible to rust more than those things.

I was only looking at 3k because I like the idea of really building the car from scratch and that was an aprroximation. I was looking at a few cars I'd seen that were around that price mark but that were going to need a lot of work. I was actually quite tempted by the 4k white one in the classifieds on this site. I still have more research to do before deciding on the best way forward though.

Ideally, I'd like a non runner, that I could take the time to repair and then go for the hybrid. I'm fully prepared for the fact that a lot of bodywork will be involved but I'm not quite as brave as a few of the people on this site who have restored some very dilapidated shells. Hats off to them though as their build threads are very impressive! I am starting to think that a US import might be the way to go. It's not so cheap to begin with but as Franky suggests, it's likely to be more cost effective in the long run although I'd have to do the RHD conversion.

The other thing that occurred to me is that there must be quite a few people who have the same plan as me but never get round to finishing it. Buying someone elses unfinished project would also be an option I suppose.

Anyway, I'm in no hurry. I'm happy to bide my time to find the right one. It took me a year to find my Exige so I can be patient.

One other question though, I have been looking FRPautomotive's FRP shells. I emailed them with an enquiry which they responded to, I then replied asking if they knew of anyone who had built a car using one, or if they had any data comparing the torsional rigidity and strength of their offering to that of a steel shell but never heard back. I have seen chatter on forums about these shells but so far have yet to find anyone that's finished a car with one.

Is there anyone on this forum that has?

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Ok, now I understand.

There are 3 people who I know have done the RB conversion. A couple of others have done a Toyota conversion (think the modern term is 'instal' ).

So have a look around the Forum.

FRP - 'Throttleton' on here is the person who would have answered your questions. He supplies us with panels.

You have come to the right place.

 

[ZedsDead]

Thanks Rob,

I'm sure FRP Automotive will come back to me in time, they must get enquiries from dreamers all the time and I'm sure they're busy people so no rush. Failing that I'll see if Throttleton can help on this forum.

I thought this looked like the right place to start!

I intend to consume as much information from the forum as possible before asking all the questions which I'm sure have probably been asked before.

Thanks for the welcome and I'm sure I'll be more active on here once I've read everything there is to read.

Have a good weekend.

 

[Stockdale]

I too am (just under) 6ft 4in and just about fit into a 2-seater 260z. Probably only on account that the seats do recline to a degree which helps with head clearance. I think (but an not sure) that the stock 240z had fixed seats which, if true, may cause some difficulty. Like you I have over the years been put off many potentially attractive sports cars due to my height. I remember many years ago trying to shoehorn into aan MGB GT V8. I just about managed it but the trial drive was almost a literal disaster as each time I lifted my leg to depress the clutch I caught the steering wheel and did a sharp right swerve!!

 

[Mr.G]

I am 6ft 4, own a 240Z and I don't have a problem getting in and out with the stock seats, which do recline.

I do find though that when wearing a helmet I have to recline the seat further back to avoid my helmet hitting the roof. The stock seats do have up and down adjustment via spacers which can be added or removed once the seat is completely taken out of the car. I'm not running any of the spacers on mine so as to get the extra headroom. Bear this in mind when you sit in someones Z to see if you fit in, they may not have the spacers set up for a taller driver.

Good luck in your search for a Z, you won't be dissapointed once you've found the right car. Lots of fun and lots of tuning potential.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

I mounted my seats direct to the crossmembers on my trackday car and had lots of room with a helmet. But I'm 5'10"

So if only you will drive - no need for adjusting runners saving a fair bit off height.

I'm sure you will be ok.

 

[Wyn]

You could always add a GT40 esk door/roof to one

 

[Wyn]

I'm a qualified engineer
I have welding gear, CNC mill and ordinary lathe and pretty much everything I'd need to fabricate parts already in my garage. I can fund such a build, and I'm patient and meticulous.

That's pretty much everything I haven't got/ can't do, yet still managed to build mine

You should pi55 it

Just get the right shell (rolling helps) as the rest will be junked imo

 

[ZedsDead]

Thanks for all your comments.

Stockdale, ha ha that sounds very similar to some of the problems I've had, being tall is surprising inconvenient at times!

Mr.G, thanks for the tip. I think I would potentially have to do the same. To be honest, I don't really mind how awkward it is to get in an out, it's more about how free and comfortable the driving position is once I'm in. Things like whether or not I can quickly turn the wheel without my hands hitting my knees etc. I'd also quite like to do a European road trip so the car would need to be reasonably comfortable.

Rob, it will definitely only be me driving it! (The only one of my cars the GF is allowed to drive is the 4x4, which it wouldn't matter if she crashed into a tree). I guess that once I had it setup just right for me it wouldn't really need to be moved again.

Thanks Wyn, I actually laughed when I read your message and it reassured me that I'm not getting into anything tooooooo stupid here.

Unless something jumps out at me here in the UK, I'm starting to think that importing a US car might be the best thing to do.

Bearing in mind I am not a purist, and don't want a meticulously restored original (although I have great respect for those that do). I want to build a classic with a modern engine and running gear, to use as often as often as possible rather than as a show pony. At risk of igniting heated debate, is the general opinion that, considering my aim, importing a US car/shell might be the best way forward?

 

[Ian Patmore]

Well, it looks like you are going to have to try sitting in a S30 and see how it feels about getting your frame in.
Good luck with the search, keep us posted.

 

[racer]

I'm 6"4 also. Never had any issues with my crash helmet in the race car but, of course my race seat is lower than standard.
I nearly bought an Elise for the road 2 years ago and, I found that about the same to get in and out of as the Zed with a cage in it so you will be fine. Zeds are quite a roomy car really, including a big boot for spares wheels/tyres if you're planning to track it?
I like the Rb25 conversion as it's neater in the bay than the 26(Single turbo). Depends on how much power you're after really. 400 brake in a 1100Kilo Zed is good for an 11 second Quater!
Good luck with the search.

 

[ZedsDead]

Thanks racer, that's reassuring.

I think I'm really just going to have to find someone who'll let me sit in theirs and see for myself. I looked on the calendar of events but nothing in my area anytime soon unfortunately although I will be going to the Wilton house supercar day later in the year so if I haven't found anything by then I'm sure that's as likely a place as any to find one!

To begin with I think I'll just go for the standard engine, I'm sure shoehorning that it will be challenging enough. I'll worry about the mods later but no doubt they'll come. Whilst I'm very much about handling, BHP is pretty addictive...

 

[datsfun]

I like the Rb25 conversion as it's neater in the bay than the 26(Single turbo). Depends on how much power you're after really. 400 brake in a 1100Kilo Zed is good for an 11 second Quater!
Good luck with the search.

Or you could SR20 it, get the 400+ bhp easy, it will be 1050k and better weight distribution

 

[ZedsDead]

Yeah, that's another much cheaper option!

There are a number of ways of doing this but I figure if I'm going to go to the lengths of building the car and doing the install, I might as well go all out

 

[racer]

Sr20 sounds good. Not been done before in this country I believe.

I'm not sure where you are but, there lots of events coming up starting this weekend at North weald.
Then Donington park and, Santa pod after that. Should be plenty of Zeds to sit in at these events.