240Z LHD Turbo at auction

Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Rob Gaskin said:
Guys I feel I should know this car - it has a Z Club sticker on it.

The write-up say it is turbocharged with a 45 Weber carb.

I'm trying to understand that (I see the car has the standard Fi inlet manifold).

Can someone explain please?

https://www.historics.co.uk/buying/auctions/2021-07-17/cars/ref-68-1972-datsun-240z-wp/
Click to expand...

This is the car that led me here. I saw it and thought it looks amazing, and put a post on the Datsun FB group asking for advice about it Someone on there had seen it for sale about 5 years ago for £20k and viewed it, but said it was a tiny bit tatty I think, and £20k was too much for a LHD back then.

It's also in the classifieds section, in an ad by a chap called Julian.
 
Mark N

Mark N

Club Member
It's a draw through system with the 45 Weber on the turbo inlet.
The injector bungs on the OEM inlet manifold are blocked off.
I'm guessing the butterfly has been removed from the OEM throttle body and it is only being used for an interface for the hose to the intercooler.
There must be a bit of fuel lag/poor response due to the distance of the carb from the head, considering the length of the tract via the intercooler.

Screen Shot 2021-07-04 at 9.03.18 AM.png
 
Last edited:
Mark N

Mark N

Club Member
The inlet manifold is also the earlier non-webbed, non-EGR type seen on earlier 280Zs, which may explain why the original owner went this route and didn't just transplant a 280ZXT set-up.
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
Thanks Mark. On the pictures I viewed I couldn't see the carb. I was questioning if it was described correctly and was an fi system of some kind.

I know on some supercharged and turbocharged systems the carb is in a pressurised box because it's after the boost.

So as you say the fuel mixing is right at the beginning of the lengthy tubing run and intercooler.
 
Rob Gaskin

Rob Gaskin

Treasurer
Staff member
Site Administrator
I think the car could be worth buying. If a guy can engineer that turbo system the rest of the car should be OK. Well worth a good look or punt anyway.
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Mark N said:
It's nothing that couldn't be improved by (re)fitting an injection set-up with suitable injectors and a stand-alone ECU.
Click to expand...

I keep meaning to ask, how do the FI engines sound next to the carbed? Do they sound as good? I'm in love with the sound of the 240s with twin or triple carbs, but I'm more likely to buy a 280z in the future I think, so just wondering how they sound.
 
Mark N

Mark N

Club Member
Robotsan said:
I keep meaning to ask, how do the FI engines sound next to the carbed? Do they sound as good? I'm in love with the sound of the 240s with twin or triple carbs, but I'm more likely to buy a 280z in the future I think, so just wondering how they sound.
Click to expand...

There should be plenty of 280z clips on Youtube.
You can also swap from the OEM EFI system to ITBs or carbs, if you really want to.
The biggest issue with the OEM EFI system is that they are old and replacement parts are such as the AFMs are getting harder to source in working condition.
However, there are alternatives such as the FAST EZ-EFI system which uses modern sensors and ECU to replace the old Bosch system.
 
toopy

toopy

Club Member
Ive seen this car at a show about 4 years ago, although i don't remember all the intercooler pipework, maybe its been re-engineered or maybe I'm just not remembering it right. Seemed to run just fine, although i do remember the guy saying a cold start was a bit hit and miss and he had some way of overcoming that, but i can't remember what.
It was in good nick overall, i didn't look underneath it though.
 
richiep

richiep

Club Member
There’s plenty of pics of this car around from previous threads, ads, etc. It’s cosmetically tatty and suffers from the “challenged” tastes of its US owner before import. All those nasty Z logos everywhere, etc. Quite frankly, I’d say it needs a lot of work to turn it into something that would be considered desirable, cosmetically and mechanically. I could see it being a money pit tbh - something that should be considered in placing a value on it and in bidding terms. All IMO.

Someone will probably end up overpaying and getting a financial hiding.
 
Mr.G

Mr.G

Club Member
An accident waiting to happen not good engineering asking for a manifold explosion. The 80s blow through carb kits didnt gave an intercooler for the fuel to puddle and lead to an intake manifold explosion.
 
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Mark N said:
This article just popped up on my FB feed.
Even starting the car sounds a bit sketchy to say the least.

https://www.carthrottle.com/post/th...4ptG0CL29t12UE5RhfkEb7Byefu4bD2IaN6iOwwJWmqzE
Click to expand...

That does sound sketchy!! But also kind of fun, like starting a spitfire or some car from the 20's. Might put off a lot of buyers!

Would there be a way to make it safer/more usable but still keep the turbo? Would you just have to convert it to FI and get rid of the carbs?

Also.. what would happen if you went for the wipers and accidentally squirted more fuel in while on a spirited drive, anything bad?
 
Last edited:
Robotsan

Robotsan

Club Member
Mark N said:
It's nothing that couldn't be improved by (re)fitting an injection set-up with suitable injectors and a stand-alone ECU.
Click to expand...

Scratch that, just read your earlier post!

How much might it cost to get that work done, anyone got a ball park figure?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top