Morning Everyone!

Wally

Club Member
Thought I'd introduce myself as I've been lurking these forums for the last month gathering info ready for the next project car. I've been admiring the Datsun 240z for many years and I've decided now is the time to get one. I've always wanted after a classic car which I can modernise and use as a daily driver (read, more often than just a couple of times a month).

I'm hoping to get either a 240, 260 or 280z 2 seater. Probably looking at a late 260 or 280z that needs work though. My plans will be to referbish/upgrade all the suspension and brakes. Swap in an rb25det, gearbox and diff to match. Hoping to end up initially at 350hp but I'll probably increase that number in the future once all the inevitable problems are fixed. I'm hoping all the work will be done by myself but I'm sure there will be a few things I'll need help with.

Just started my search now for a RHD shell or full car. Any leads would be greatly appreciated. Budget for the shell is probably around 7-8k.

Joe

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IbanezDan51

Well-Known Forum User
Save yourself a LOT of work Joe, get a left hand car that's relatively rust free (and you should be able to get a 240Z for that budget). Then convert it...

Lots of mistakes have been made by people on here (myself included), listen to the advice and go down the correct route :)
 

Wally

Club Member
I had looked at exactly that. It just looked a massive faff converting to RHD and then documenting that. Essentially if you were to cut the old bulkhead out and replace it with a RHD one.

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IbanezDan51

Well-Known Forum User
Not much faff, you don't need to cut the whole bulkhead out. You can just replace the mounting plate on to the other side for steering column/brakes master cylinder etc. Woody (I think) makes the conversion panel on here.

And you will be hard pressed to find a rot free rhd car which requires as little work - think sills, floors, airtubes, outer arches, rear tailgate slam panel, wings, tailgate, door skins as a minimum.

Trust me ;)
 

johnymd

Club Member
As said, do not even consider a RHD shell to start your project. LHD 260/280 is the way to go. I've just started my 280z RHD conversion which will also be a hybrid (Lexus V8) and the initial conversion of the brakes/clutch and steering column were pretty easy. I know there are lots of other less important things to deal with on the conversion and it depends on how much you want it to look original. At the end of the day its a lot less work than reconstructing a rotten UK car which is all you will get for £7-8k.
 

Wally

Club Member
Looks like converting is the way to go then. Thanks for the advice. Makes searching for a car a damn sight easier as there are plenty of LHD to choose from. I'll give Woody a message on here once I've aquire a car.

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uk66fastback

Club Member
They guys above speak sense, Wally, they've lots of experience of these cars.

RHD rust-free shells certainly don't exist for your budget .... so it's spend £££ converting a LHD car or spend ££££££££££ mending a RHD one! And if you're not going for the originality, which you're not, the former option is the one.
 

Wally

Club Member
Cheers for all the help. I've seen rough guides to the RHD conversion. Does anyone have a link to anything more in depth? Need to do lots more reading up on it.

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SacCyclone

Club Member
Hi Wally,

For a good (think mostly rust free and accident free) LHD 240 that is complete but been sitting for years and needs everything gone through, a budget of £5-6K may be possible. That will land you a 240 in the UK for around £7-8K. Try to get a complete car so you don't have to hunt down parts later on which can be frustrating and expensive. Finding such a car in the states is half the battle and buying it before anyone else is the other half of the battle with all the interest in these car now days.

Be very careful if you choose the US route and look for dry states like California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada etc. Stay away from east coast and other wet areas as they are trying to buy the dry state cars too for a reason.

If you find something in the US, send me a link and I will be happy to review it for you and maybe save you some time and money.

Cheers, Mike
 

Wally

Club Member
That's a great offer cheers Mike. I may just take you up on that. I'm was hoping to pick up a car that's already in the UK so I can actually see the car before buying. I think buying one from the US without seeing it would be a big risk and I'm not sure pictures would tell the full story of what will need doing to the car.


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uk66fastback

Club Member
You can rely on Mike though, Wally. There are a few on here who have bought cars from him and shipped them over, believe me, if things weren't kosher and info on condition was withheld, people would soon know ...

I've had a fair few parts from him in the past couple of years - always upfront etc and no problems. Go look at his blue 260z in the classifieds ...
 
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