Jason P's 1971 Datsun 240z Resto-Mod
PROJECTZ: Jason's 1971 Datsun 240zApril 24, 2020
Read the full write-up at PROJECTZ: Jason's 1971 Datsun 240z ↗
Photo: PROJECTZ: Jason's 1971 Datsun 240zA 1971 Datsun 240Z resto-mod built by Z Car Garage for owner Jason P
Owner Jason P worked with Z Car Garage (ZCG) to turn a tired 240Z into a resto-mod that keeps the original look inside and out while upgrading the mechanicals underneath. The shop swapped in a freshened 3.1L stroker driveline with triple Mikunis, fitted its own big-brake kit and CV axles, rebuilt the suspension with Techno Toy Tuning coilover parts, and refreshed the interior and small details. It is a documented, shop-led build rather than a DIY project, told from both the builder's and owner's perspective.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- 3.1L L24 stroker built by Techcraft, P90 head, Clifford 6-3-2 header, triple Mikuni PHH44 carburetors on a Harada intake manifold, 2.5" exhaust with Borla XR-1 muffler; dyno tuned to 221 hp / 226 lb-ft at the wheels on 91 octane
- Ignition
- MSD6Al box with tach adapter and black coil
- Cooling
- Koyo race radiator
- Gearbox
- Early 280Z 5-speed with 0.86 overdrive, replacing the original 4-speed
- Rear axle
- Factory 3.36 R180, with an upgrade planned for later
- Clutch
- JWT aluminum flywheel with heavy-duty clutch for the L-series
- Suspension
- Full Koni coil-over suspension with Techno Toy Tuning adjustable T/C rods, rear control arms, bushings, rack bushings, steering coupler, ball joints and wheel bearings; ST rear sway bar
- Brakes
- Z Car Garage Big-Brake kit front and rear with Stoptech ST42 4-piston calipers, 280mm x 20.6mm rotors on 7075 aluminum hats, and Stoptech 309 sport street pads; new brake booster and master cylinder; factory handbrake retained
- Drivetrain
- Z Car Garage CV axle set
- Wheels
- 16x7 Panasport wheels
- Tyres
- Bridgestone S-04, 225/50/16
- Electrical
- 280ZX internally regulated alternator and gear-reduction starter
- Interior
- Vintage Dashes dash installation, pressure-tested and refurbished heater core/box, cleaned gauges
Parts used
Parts named as used in the original write-up, grouped the way the Parts page groups them. Where one of the shops we index lists the same thing for this car, it is shown underneath with a link to the shop.
Engine 4
- Techcraft 3.1L L24 stroker engineTechcraft
Complete freshened driveline swapped in to replace the tired factory L24; dyno tuned to 221 hp / 226 lb-ft at the wheels
- P90 cylinder head
Fitted as part of the 3.1L stroker build
In the shopsFactory Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor (CHTS) ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $109.87
Cylinder Head Water Fitting - L-Series (L24/L26/L28) ↗
The Datsun Depot· $57.00 USD
Cylinder Head Gasket Set (Rover V8 Carb) ↗
bpnorthwest.com· $59.99 USD - Clifford 6-3-2 headerClifford Performance
Exhaust header fitted to the stroker engine
- 2.5-inch exhaust system with Borla XR-1 mufflerBorla
Exhaust fitted with the new engine
In the shops
Borla S-Type Axle-Back Exhaust System (12-15 Civic) ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $499.99 USD
Borla S-Type Cat-Back Exhaust System (17-20 Civic Si) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $1,629.99 USD
Borla S-Type Axle-Back Exhaust System (14-17 Corolla) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $499.99 USD
Fuel & Ignition 5
- Triple Mikuni PHH44 carburetorsMikuni
Mounted on a Harada intake manifold, part of the stroker engine package
In the shops
Custom Carburetor Funnels for Weber/Solex/Mikuni L6 Triple Carb Setup ↗
JDM Car Parts· $259.99 USD
Mikuni Carburetor Decal for Nissan Fairlady Z432 ↗JDM Car Parts· $29.99 USD
Custom Carburetor Funnels for Weber/Solex/Mikuni ↗JDM Car Parts· $269.00 USD - Harada intake manifoldHarada
Intake manifold carrying the triple Mikuni carburetors
In the shops
Harada Triple Carburetor Intake Manifold Assembly for Nissan L6 Engine ↗JDM Car Parts· $789.99 USDFactory Intake Manifold Bolt (73-74 240Z-260Z) ↗Factory Intake/Exhaust Manifold Stud (70-74 240Z-260Z) ↗ - ZCG carburetor heat shield, serial #245Z Car Garage
Heat shield fitted for the carburetor setup
In the shopsWeber and Mikuni Heat Shield ↗Z Car Garage· $169.00 USD
Exhaust Heat Shield Kit ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $290.00 USD
Turbo Heat Shield (NA/NB) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $119.00 USD - MSD6Al ignition box with tach adapter and black coilMSD
Ignition system fitted with the new engine
In the shops
Genuine Ignition Leads - Black - L-Series 6-Cylinder (L24 L26 L28) ↗The Datsun Depot· $177.00 USD
V-8 On-Plug Ignition Coil ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $28.92 USD
Ignition Coil (Replacement) ↗MGbits4U· £31.72 GBP
- New fuel system and fuel tankZ Car Garage parts stash
Entire fuel system replaced including a clean replacement gas tank and vapor/recovery lines, as the original tank was in rough shape
In the shops
Fuel Tank Sender Gasket ↗
TRGB· £0.39 GBP
Screw, Sender Unit to Fuel Tank ↗TRGB· £0.72 GBP
Large Bore Fuel Tank Outlet Pipe ↗TRGB· £15.35 GBP
Cooling 1
- Koyo race radiatorKoyo
New radiator installed during engine bay rebuild
In the shops
Koyo Aluminum Radiator (71-74 Corolla 1.6L Manual) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $373.00 USD
Koyo Radiator (85-87 Corolla GT-S AE86 1.6L 4AGE Manual) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $397.00 USD
Koyo Aluminum Radiator for 3SGE BEAMS Swap (85-87 Corolla) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $417.00 USD
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Early 280Z 5-speed gearbox
Replaced the original 4-speed, adding a 0.86 overdrive
In the shops
5-Speed Transmission Case Dowel Pin OEM (240Z/260Z/280Z/280ZX) ↗
Z Car Depot· $4.29 USD
Transmission Shaft Snap Ring (240Z/260Z/280Z/280ZX, 4/5-Speed) ↗Z Car Depot· $4.99 USD
Transmission Shaft Woodruff Key (240Z/260Z/280Z/280ZX, 4/5-Speed) ↗Z Car Depot· $3.99 USD - JWT aluminum flywheel and heavy-duty clutchJWT
Fitted with the driveline for improved pedal feel and driveability
In the shops
Clutch Kit, 3-Piece, AP Heavy Duty ↗
Good Parts· $319.00 USD
Release Bearing, clutch, heavy duty ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £11.50 GBP
Clutch Release Bearing, Koyo Heavy Duty ↗Good Parts· $39.00 USD - Z Car Garage CV axle set #321Z Car Garage
Installed to transmit power more smoothly than stock half shafts
Suspension & Steering 5
- Koni coil-over suspensionKoni / Techno Toy Tuning
Full coil-over kit fitted during the chassis rebuild
In the shops
Koni GTS Coilover Kit ↗Flyin' Miata· $2,099.00 USD
Koni STR.T Rear Shock, 1990-1997 ↗Flyin' Miata· $139.00 USD
Koni STR.T Rear Shock, 2006-2015 ↗Flyin' Miata· $169.00 USD - Adjustable T/C rods, rear control arms and bushingsTechno Toy Tuning
New suspension arms and bushings fitted as part of the coil-over conversion
In the shops
Rear Upper Control Arm Bushings (Set of 6) ↗Flyin' Miata· $189.00 USD
Rear Lower Control Arm Bushings (Set of 8) ↗Flyin' Miata· $229.00 USD
Control Arm Bushing (XJ) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.85 USD - Rack bushings, steering coupler and ball jointsTechno Toy Tuning
Steering components replaced during suspension rebuild
In the shops
Steering Shaft Coupler Bushing (Poly) ↗Z Car Depot· $25.99 USD
Energy Suspension Steering Coupler Bushing ↗
Silvermine Motors· $21.00 USD
Steering Column Coupler Bushing (240Z/260Z/280Z/280ZX) ↗Z-Services· €46.80 EUR
- Front and rear wheel bearingsTechno Toy Tuning
Replaced as part of the suspension rebuild
In the shops
Wheel Bearing Kit - Lucas Rear, Jaguar 1965-1987 ↗bpnorthwest.com· $42.27 USD - ST rear sway bar
Fitted with powdercoated hangers as part of the suspension upgrade
In the shops
Rear Sway Bar Bushings (NA/NB) ↗Flyin' Miata· $34.99 USD
Rear Anti-Sway Bar Kit, 7/8 in. ↗Good Parts· $439.00 USD
Rear Sway Bar Bushings, 5/8" (NC) ↗Flyin' Miata· $14.99 USD
Brakes 4
- Stoptech ST42 4-piston front and rear calipersStoptech / Z Car Garage
Core of the ZCG Big-Brake kit, designed to bolt in without master cylinder or proportioning changes
In the shopsDatsun S30 Stoptech Big Brake Kit ↗StopTech Posi-Quiet Ceramic Brake Pads for MSA Four Piston Caliper Kit, 70-78 240Z/260Z/280Z ↗
StopTech Sport Slotted Front Left Rotor [17-18 Civic/ILX] ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $145.00 USD - 280mm x 20.6mm rotors with 7075 aluminum hats
Rotors used in the Big-Brake kit
In the shops
Brake Upgrade Kit - 4-Pot Wilwood 280mm Rotors ↗The Datsun Depot· $1,389.00 USD
Wilwood Rotor Hat ↗Flyin' Miata· $179.00 USD
Front Coilovers - Z32 Brakes 280mm Rotors - 1200/120y ↗The Datsun Depot· $2,458.00 USD - Stoptech 309 sport street brake padsStoptech
Pads fitted with the Big-Brake kit
In the shopsStopTech Sport Slotted Front Left Rotor [17-18 Civic/ILX] ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $145.00 USD
StopTech Rear Right Sport Slotted Rotor - Black E-Coated (16-18 Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $82.00 USD
StopTech Select Sport Drilled and Slotted Front Rotor (98-02 Accord / 06-08 Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $65.00 USD - New brake booster and master cylinder
Fitted to complete the big-brake conversion
In the shops
Brake Booster to Master Cylinder Engagement Tool Gauge ↗Z Car Depot· $13.99 USD
Clutch Master Cylinder Mounting Hardware - 240Z/260Z/280Z/280ZX ↗Z Car Depot· $1.99 USD
Brake Master Cylinder ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $73.99 USD
Wheels & Tyres 2
- 16x7 Panasport wheelsPanasport
Replaced the car's generic wheels
In the shops
Panasport Wheel Nut Set ↗
Racetorations· £11.00 GBP
Panasport Aluminium Wheel Centre ↗Racetorations· £60.00 GBP16x7 +11 Japanese Panasport Wheel ↗ - Bridgestone S-04 tyres, 225/50/16Bridgestone
Fitted on the new Panasport wheels
Body & Trim 2
- NOS S30 hoodZ Car Garage parts stash
Replaced the disliked 280ZX vented hood and was repainted
In the shopsDatsun S30 Stoptech Big Brake Kit ↗
Star Road Triple Carburetor Fuel Rail for S30/Hakosuka ↗JDM Car Parts· $699.99 USD
Shift Knob (Rosewood, Black Badge) for Datsun S30 240Z/260Z/280Z ↗JDM Car Parts· $329.99 USD - Factory 240Z radio
Replaced the previous owner's aftermarket radio and speaker boxes
In the shopsFactory Exhaust Manifold Stud, 70-73 240Z ↗Factory Rear Bypass Water Tube (1970-73 240Z) ↗
Radio Delete Dash Storage Box (240Z/260Z/280Z) ↗Z Car Depot· $34.99 USD
Interior 3
- Vintage Dashes dashboardVintage Dashes
New dash installed as part of the interior refresh
- Heater core and heater box
Pressure tested and refurbished during the dash removal
In the shops
Heater Core ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $199.87 USD
Heater Core (Later Type) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $172.81 USD
Valve-to-Heater Core U-Hose ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $15.99 USD - Instrument gauges
Cleaned up as part of the interior work
In the shops
Instrument Securing Nut (Large Gauges) ↗James Paddock Ltd· £1.45 GBP
Instrument Seating Ring, 52mm Small Gauge ↗
Electrical 2
- 280ZX internally regulated alternator
Fitted as part of the new driveline
- Gear-reduction starter
Fitted as part of the new driveline
In the shops
High-Torque Gear Reduction Starter ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $213.50 USD
Gear Reduction Starter for Rover V-8 ↗bpnorthwest.com· $166.64 USD
Link Lead for Gear Reduction Starter ↗
British Auto USA· $7.90 USD
Photos
40 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from PROJECTZ: Jason's 1971 Datsun 240z. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
How it was done
Starting condition
Jason wanted a silver S30 as a long-term project and settled on a local car previously owned by ZONC member Robert C, which ZCG had worked on before. Driving unmodified 240Z and Fairlady Z examples convinced him the stock suspension and drum brakes were not confidence inspiring, even though he liked the character of the L24 engine, which shaped his goals for the build.
Engine and driveline swap
ZCG pulled the tired factory L24 and installed a freshened 3.1L stroker driveline that had originally been built by Techcraft, including a P90 head, Clifford header, triple Mikuni carburetors and MSD ignition. The engine bay was stripped, cleaned, undercoated and replated, with a new fuel system, fuel tank, radiator and belts. A 280Z 5-speed replaced the 4-speed, and a JWT flywheel and clutch were fitted for easier driving. The result was dyno tuned to 221 hp and 226 lb-ft at the wheels.
Brakes and suspension
To match the extra power, ZCG fitted its own Big-Brake kit front and rear with Stoptech calipers, rotors and pads, plus a new master cylinder and booster, while keeping the factory handbrake. A full Koni coil-over suspension with Techno Toy Tuning arms, bushings and hardware was installed, along with ZCG CV axles and an ST rear sway bar. Panasport wheels and Bridgestone tyres replaced the generic wheels.
Interior and details
The dash was removed so the heater core could be pressure tested and the heater box refurbished, with the gauges cleaned up. A Vintage Dashes unit was fitted. Cosmetic changes included swapping the owner-disliked 280ZX vented hood for a NOS S30 hood that was painted, touching up the front end, and replacing an aftermarket radio and speaker setup with a factory 240Z radio.
Progress so far
With the mechanical work and detailing complete, Jason collected the finished car and began driving it regularly, reporting that it felt tighter, stopped better and was easier to live with than the stock cars he had sampled earlier. The write-up presents the build as finished to this stage, with the rear differential noted as a planned future upgrade.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at PROJECTZ: Jason's 1971 Datsun 240z ↗
Worth knowing
- An easy-to-live-with clutch matters as much as outright power for a vintage car meant to be driven often
- Upgrading brakes and suspension together changes how the chassis feels more than tackling them separately