-
The Z Club relies on the support of it's paid members - join the club or renew your membership here.
My old 240Z brings happiness again
- Thread starter Rob Gaskin
- Start date
SeanDezart
Well-Known Forum User
Oh f*kc - another black and red one..........
rallymanDP
Well-Known Forum User
Taking part in the Mdina Grand Prix, no less.......
Could this really be the first 240Z to take part in a Grand Prix ?
Could this really be the first 240Z to take part in a Grand Prix ?
IbanezDan51
Well-Known Forum User
Excellent! Good to see her in action!
Moggy those are your old Quarter Bumpers!
The new owner bought the car without seeing it (but I gave him an honest description of it).
It was taken away on a trailer with a load of spares to have the bodywork smartened up - nothing major at this stage i.e. Glass put back in doors, steel bonnet put back, fibreglass bumpers fitted and then tidying up and a respray.
The car was entered in the Portuguese Historic Rally which is a ‘Regularity’ event almost entirely on tarmac. Before this the car was taken to Duncan's place (Z Farm) for essential rally equipment to be fitted. As far as I know this was LSD, Sump Guard, Tank Guard, lights, upgraded alternator and a Tripmaster (but not rally suspension yet – time was tight).
The owner collected the car from Duncan on Tuesday 2 Oct, only 6 days before scrutineering in Portugal!
A couple of hours later I got a phone call ‘ Rob I’m in the car but it’s stopped’! It was 7pm, dark and pouring down. He had established that it was a fuel problem but did not know anything about 240Zs never mind that particular car. Two minutes later it was fine again - after talking him through the fuse box and my in-line pump fuse the problem was sorted by ‘spinning’ the fuse (spares were there if needed). Phew!
Next I heard he was at home in Brittany and loving the car – no further issues. The torque of the engine was the characteristic that impressed him most.
The day before setting off for Portugal he gets a call (work) saying he must fly to Malta urgently and has to cancel the rally – not known to me at this stage. I follow the rally and see that 5 cars did not make the start, one was my 240Z! I was gutted and concerned. Emails sent no reply.
Yesterday I get an email from a very happy owner. To cut a long story short whilst in Malta he had heard about and entered a motorsport event for Historic cars called the Valletta Grand Prix Valletta Grand Prix -
So he flies back to Brittany and drives 3,000 miles in 3 days to Malta, that’s one way to get to know the car!! Even J Palmer would think twice about that. The organisers look at the car and put him in the highly modified class. After 2 days of testing, timed runs and racing he finishes 2nd O/A out of 70 cars, 2nd in Class and Best Newcomer! He is ‘over the moon’ and full of praise for the car.
Yet again without any engine work over the last 11 years it has performed remarkably well! Still on it’s original (matching numbers) engine and 45 year old SUs! (had to get that in!).
To cap it all I have been invited to share the car in the same event next year – no decision made yet.
I’m so pleased that the ‘old girl’ has a new lease of life, just what I was hoping for. Of course the event is not as grand as Grand Prix may suggest, it’s more like a ‘Club’ sprint or hill-climb over here but what a story.
It was taken away on a trailer with a load of spares to have the bodywork smartened up - nothing major at this stage i.e. Glass put back in doors, steel bonnet put back, fibreglass bumpers fitted and then tidying up and a respray.
The car was entered in the Portuguese Historic Rally which is a ‘Regularity’ event almost entirely on tarmac. Before this the car was taken to Duncan's place (Z Farm) for essential rally equipment to be fitted. As far as I know this was LSD, Sump Guard, Tank Guard, lights, upgraded alternator and a Tripmaster (but not rally suspension yet – time was tight).
The owner collected the car from Duncan on Tuesday 2 Oct, only 6 days before scrutineering in Portugal!
A couple of hours later I got a phone call ‘ Rob I’m in the car but it’s stopped’! It was 7pm, dark and pouring down. He had established that it was a fuel problem but did not know anything about 240Zs never mind that particular car. Two minutes later it was fine again - after talking him through the fuse box and my in-line pump fuse the problem was sorted by ‘spinning’ the fuse (spares were there if needed). Phew!
Next I heard he was at home in Brittany and loving the car – no further issues. The torque of the engine was the characteristic that impressed him most.
The day before setting off for Portugal he gets a call (work) saying he must fly to Malta urgently and has to cancel the rally – not known to me at this stage. I follow the rally and see that 5 cars did not make the start, one was my 240Z! I was gutted and concerned. Emails sent no reply.
Yesterday I get an email from a very happy owner. To cut a long story short whilst in Malta he had heard about and entered a motorsport event for Historic cars called the Valletta Grand Prix Valletta Grand Prix -
So he flies back to Brittany and drives 3,000 miles in 3 days to Malta, that’s one way to get to know the car!! Even J Palmer would think twice about that. The organisers look at the car and put him in the highly modified class. After 2 days of testing, timed runs and racing he finishes 2nd O/A out of 70 cars, 2nd in Class and Best Newcomer! He is ‘over the moon’ and full of praise for the car.
Yet again without any engine work over the last 11 years it has performed remarkably well! Still on it’s original (matching numbers) engine and 45 year old SUs! (had to get that in!).
To cap it all I have been invited to share the car in the same event next year – no decision made yet.
I’m so pleased that the ‘old girl’ has a new lease of life, just what I was hoping for. Of course the event is not as grand as Grand Prix may suggest, it’s more like a ‘Club’ sprint or hill-climb over here but what a story.
Attachments
IbanezDan51
Well-Known Forum User
What a fantastic outcome! Couldn't have hoped for better if I'm honest!
Car looks spankingly good too!
Car looks spankingly good too!
Last edited by a moderator:
andrew muir
Club Member
Hi Rob go for it.
Malta, nice weather, nice people and you can thrash your old car too!! Doesn't get much better!
Malta, nice weather, nice people and you can thrash your old car too!! Doesn't get much better!
Ian
Club Member
Thats more down to the roads, doesn't take much to make tyres squeal.
Wish I knew that this was on as I'd definitly have gone for a look.
nissanabuser
Active Forum User
Nice video
Well this event is gradually appearing in the press.
Classic Car Weekly gave 4 pages to it and not a mention of my 240Z!
Classic and Sports Car covered it and showed a picture of John Burton's highly modified E Type stating it was the fastest post-war car there. No it wasn't my old 240Z beat it by 3 seconds!! It was actually the 1st in the over 4ltr Class.
Here are the official results, my old car was number 69 (Zak Matten) 2nd:
http://www.vallettagrandprix.com/files/23/Mdina Gp 2012 INCLUDING OTHER TIMES.pdf
The exempt car was a highly modified Zetec engined Anglia.
What makes the result even better in my mind was that the car was driven all the way there and also on 12 year old road tyres. Notice Rupert Keegan in the results - ex F1 and Le Mans driver.
I'm sure my proudness is coming through
Classic Car Weekly gave 4 pages to it and not a mention of my 240Z!
Classic and Sports Car covered it and showed a picture of John Burton's highly modified E Type stating it was the fastest post-war car there. No it wasn't my old 240Z beat it by 3 seconds!! It was actually the 1st in the over 4ltr Class.
Here are the official results, my old car was number 69 (Zak Matten) 2nd:
http://www.vallettagrandprix.com/files/23/Mdina Gp 2012 INCLUDING OTHER TIMES.pdf
The exempt car was a highly modified Zetec engined Anglia.
What makes the result even better in my mind was that the car was driven all the way there and also on 12 year old road tyres. Notice Rupert Keegan in the results - ex F1 and Le Mans driver.
I'm sure my proudness is coming through
Happiness AGAIN.
Press Release:
'On Sunday 11th of November, Malta will host an important Hillclimb event in Mtaħleb. Italian Drivers will come in Malta to compete with Maltese Talent.'
Well the old 240 finished First Classic The owner phoned me twice during the day to update me - he's so happy. More info and pics to follow.
Press Release:
'On Sunday 11th of November, Malta will host an important Hillclimb event in Mtaħleb. Italian Drivers will come in Malta to compete with Maltese Talent.'
Well the old 240 finished First Classic
The owner phoned me twice during the day to update me - he's so happy. More info and pics to follow.rallymanDP
Well-Known Forum User
There's another short Video on YouTube, Rob - look up 'XM Racing Datsun 240Z'.
STEVE BURNS
Club Member
JakTheRuby
Club Member
Ahhh, perfect! The people's sportscar should always be thus. Rob, yours was always destined to carry on. And in the right way. Joy!
