Looking to buy or have built first class 240Z

T

tch911

Well-Known Forum User
Having been hovering away from Z's and playing with moderns for the past three years, I am now very keen to buy something really good.

Have a look in my gallery and you'll see that I've owned a good 2.8 from Geoff Gale, an exceptional 260Z from Z farm and the Wyn ZVR (Did that ever surface again in Z circles? - my god I regret selling that).

Anyway time moves on and I am now keen to have a first class Z. My route to ownership really falls into two camps:

1 - Buy it
2 - Build it

Now I know that getting something built (Are Fourways still the best?) is the more expensive route but you ultimately get what you want. On the flipside, if there's a really nice car out there that someone would like to sell then do get in touch.

Ultimately I would really love something like the old ZVR, a wolf in sheeps clothing but I think that finding someone to build me a car with a V8 or an RB Twin Turbo engine is fairly unlikely?

Obviously there is always the option of going down the highly tuned straight six route but I'm keen on something with alot of power.

Car that inspire my thoughts are:

The ZVR
The Supercharged LS engined US car (We've all watched the video)
The Nissan V8 engined car in blue red and white
The stunning Gunmetal with silver stripes US car
Any RB Twin Turbo car

Anyway, any tips, help, advice or contacs would be really appreciated.

Thank you, Tom
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
tch911 said:
Having been hovering away from Z's and playing with moderns for the past three years, I am now very keen to buy something really good.

Obviously there is always the option of going down the highly tuned straight six route but I'm keen on something with alot of power.

Anyway, any tips, help, advice or contacs would be really appreciated.

Thank you, Tom
Click to expand...

Welcome back to the Z scene :thumbs:

Why do you want lots of power, what are you going to do with the car?

You've been away working on 'moderns' and now you come back to Zs so why don't you just leave a Z engine in it, and keep away from the 'moderns' and keep it simple?
 
T

tch911

Well-Known Forum User
Rob Gaskin said:
Why do you want lots of power, what are you going to do with the car?

You've been away working on 'moderns' and now you come back to Zs so why don't you just leave a Z engine in it, and keep away from the 'moderns' and keep it simple?
Click to expand...

Ha ha, not working on 'moderns', enjoying them.

It'll just be a toy for Sunday drives, B roads and airfield track days. It needs noise, absurd acceleration and the style of a Z, else I guess I'd buy a caterham or Ariel.

I have always loved hotrods. There's something infectious about a big engine in a small lightweight car. My fear is that a DJ or otherwise straight six would produce a decent amount of power but your essentially running a race engine. I like the relatively unstressed nature of an LS3 or a RB25 engine.

I think the Youtube video of my ZVR (YouTube - Datsun 240Z with TVR Chimaera V8 Engine) sums up why I loved it so much!!!
 
T

tch911

Well-Known Forum User
morbias said:
Sumo Power will probably build you just about anything you want, especially if it involves a tuned RB engine.
Click to expand...

Would they know enough about tuning Z's though. There's so many performance parts available in the US to do something amazing, maybe it's a case of me buying the bits and them handing me a bill.

I suppose if I bought a RHD converted shell in white from Z farm or Fourways, that's a possible....
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
There was a very nice V8 for sale on ebay a couple of weeks ago (£15k) - not sure if it was sold but it had 3 offers.

There is a 240Z Turbo for sale in our Classifieds for £8k.

Also there are a few people on here with 'Hybrid' cars now and no doubt they will 'pitch in'.

The least you should do with a car like that is the Drag Challenge!
 
T

tch911

Well-Known Forum User
Rob Gaskin said:
There was a very nice V8 for sale on ebay a couple of weeks ago (£15k) - not sure if it was sold but it had 3 offers.

There is a 240Z Turbo for sale in our Classifieds for £8k.

Also there are a few people on here with 'Hybrid' cars now and no doubt they will 'pitch in'.

The least you should do with a car like that is the Drag Challenge!
Click to expand...

Thank you for that, I have sent them an email. Nothing a respray and retrim couldn't sort out. Engine, gearbox, apparent condition....perfect! Still keen on something RB35 but I think if I'd gone to all that effort, would I ever sell it....

I think I know the 240Z Turbo, silver, based in Bournemouth, not sure it's the tidyest car. I think the price also points in that direction.

I have always kept a track on the drag challenge and like what Steve has achieved with his car.
 
T

tch911

Well-Known Forum User
SeanDezart

SeanDezart

Well-Known Forum User
tch911 said:
There's something infectious about a big engine in a small lightweight car. My fear is that a DJ or otherwise straight six would produce a decent amount of power but your essentially running a race engine.
Click to expand...

You mean like a 3.1 in a car weighing just over a ton ?

I don't think that you've ever driven a car with a DJ stroker 'cos it isn't like a race engine unless you drive as such ! Sounds a bit stupid but it's so tractable, anyone with more than a half-decent stroker will tell you and up to 300bhp is going to be quick.

If no-one'll let you drive one over there, get a cheapie flight over to Nantes/La Rochelle and have a go in mine on some decent empty roads.

Alternatively, my good friend over here working on Zs has done loads of MGV8 conversions and would love the sacriledge of installing one in a clean shell.
 
S

samuri-240

Well-Known Forum User
Build your own you get everything the way you want it then, you will know what has been done & that it has been done right. Best route is start with a virtually rust free shell. William Galliers next batch of imports will be here soon, buy one of these send it to Sean's mate in france or Gary Bellamy to get the shell sorted, engine wise if using the L series DJ is your man. If you need any help tracking down parts for the build I will be able to point you in the right direction to keep the cost's down abit.
 
datsun dave

datsun dave

Club Member
samuri-240 said:
Build your own you get everything the way you want it then, you will know what has been done & that it has been done right. Best route is start with a virtually rust free shell. William Galliers next batch of imports will be here soon, buy one of these send it to Sean's mate in france or Gary Bellamy to get the shell sorted, engine wise if using the L series DJ is your man. If you need any help tracking down parts for the build I will be able to point you in the right direction to keep the cost's down abit.
Click to expand...

Spot on advice.
 
Zed2k

Zed2k

Well-Known Forum User
I can tell you 300bhp from an L28 is enough for me!! and yes my cars Still forsale and I'm open to offers will be going on ebay this weekend, you're quite welcome to come and have alook if you want just passed the Mot again. I pretty much built my car to do sub 12's quarters and think it will do it but not with me driving.Good luck with the search,
Nick.
 
O

ozting

Well-Known Forum User
Loved it

:driving:I have just been on that Rocky site, its brilliant! How much are flights to Japan!! They really seem to have a good selection of z's there.
Shame I have to go shopping today really.....

Did the currency and they are quite expensive but worth it I am sure
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top