Jeff's 1971 Datsun 240z Revival
Jeff's 1971 Datsun 240zDecember 14, 2019
Photo: Jeff's 1971 Datsun 240zA 1971 Datsun 240Z revived after a stalled 13-year restoration
Jeff bought this 240Z in 2006 as a worn-out, blown-engine project and began a bare-metal restoration that dragged on for thirteen years, hitting dashboard fitment problems, a failed engine rebuild, and an unplanned paint colour change before his friend who was painting it passed away. In 2019 he brought the car to Z Car Garage, who sorted the fuel system and carburetion, swapped in a five-speed gearbox, refreshed the suspension, and fitted big brakes and CV axles so Jeff could finally drive it.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- L-series inline six, previously rebuilt but never run before Z Car Garage sorted it; triple Weber 45 DCOE carburettors with velocity stacks, MSD ignition box, ZCG heat shield
- Gearbox
- Early 1977-78 280Z 5-speed (0.86 overdrive), rebuilt by Steve Pettersen of Pettersen Motorworks; new clutch, flywheel and slave cylinder
- Suspension
- Full refresh with new bushings, Koni Reds and Eibach springs; Techno Toy Tuning adjustable lower control arms and traction control rods
- Brakes
- Z Car Garage Big-Brake kit with Stoptech ST42 four-piston front and rear race calipers, 280mm x 20.6mm rotors on 7075 aluminium hats, Stoptech 309 sport street pads; factory handbrake retained
- Drivetrain
- Z Car Garage CV axles replacing the stock half shafts
- Exhaust
- Z Car Garage full exhaust system, 2.5 inch piping to a stainless resonator and Magnaflow muffler with a slash-cut tip
- Interior
- Z Car Garage upgraded door seals fitted for a solid closing sound
- Paint
- Repainted a dark blue described by the owner as "blurple", not the originally chosen colour
- Tyres
- New tyres fitted, brand not stated
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.
Fuel & Ignition 2
- Weber 45 DCOE carburettors with velocity stacksWeber
Replaced fouled 40mm Webers; dyno tuned by the shop for gains of 19hp and 17 ft-lb
In the shops
Carburettors, Weber, 40 DCOE, fast road ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £696.60 GBP
Carburettor Conversion Kit, Weber 3 x 45 DCOE ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £3,104.26 GBP
Manifold, inlet, Weber DCOE ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £476.26 GBP - MSD ignition boxMSD
Installed as part of the engine sorting and rewiring
Cooling 1
- ZCG heat shieldZ Car Garage
Fitted to protect the new induction setup
In the shops
Exhaust Heat Shield Kit ↗
Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $290.00 USD
Turbo Heat Shield (NA/NB) ↗
Flyin' Miata· $119.00 USD
DEI Titanium Heat Shield for Tubing ↗Flyin' Miata· $44.99 USD
Gearbox & Drivetrain 3
- Early 1977-78 280Z 5-speed gearbox (0.86 overdrive)Pettersen Motorworks
Rebuilt and installed in place of the tired 4-speed; trans tunnel and console trimmed to fit the shifter
In the shops
Gearbox/Overdrive Oil (1 Litre) ↗James Paddock Ltd· £10.50 GBP
Gearbox J Type Overdrive Mainshaft ↗
Triumph Special Tuning (TST)· £229.17 GBP
Gearbox Rear Oil Seal (Mk3 6-Speed) ↗
MX5 City· $28.13 USD - Clutch, flywheel and slave cylinder
New units fitted alongside the 5-speed swap
In the shops
Clutch Slave Cylinder ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $226.27 USD
Clutch Slave Cylinder Pushrod ↗
Clutch Slave Cylinder Push Rod ↗ - CV axlesZ Car Garage
Replaced the stock half shafts for smoother power transmission
Suspension & Steering 3
- Koni Red dampersKoni
Fitted as part of a full suspension refresh
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 - Eibach springsEibach
Fitted alongside the Koni dampers in the suspension refresh
In the shops
Eibach Pro-Kit Lowering Springs (22-23 Civic) ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $395.00 USD
Eibach PRO-KIT Lowering Springs (06-07 Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $395.00 USD
Eibach PRO-KIT Lowering Springs (96-00 Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $395.00 USD - Adjustable lower control arms and traction/control rodsTechno Toy Tuning
Installed to complete the chassis refresh
In the shops
Traction Arms (FRS/BRZ/GT86) ↗
Techno Toy Tuning· $265.00 USD
Fulcrum Shaft, Lower Control Arm ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $42.99 USD
Lower Front Control Arm Bushing, S-Type ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $41.99 USD
Brakes 3
- Stoptech ST42 4-piston front and rear race calipersStoptech / Z Car Garage
Core of the ZCG Big-Brake kit, bolt-in with no master cylinder change needed, retains factory handbrake
In the shopsDatsun S30 Stoptech Big Brake Kit ↗Z Car Garage· $2,995.00 USD
StopTech Posi-Quiet Ceramic Brake Pads for MSA Four Piston Caliper Kit, 70-78 240Z/260Z/280Z ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $46.87
StopTech Sport Slotted Front Left Rotor [17-18 Civic/ILX] ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $145.00 USD - 280mm x 20.6mm rotors with aluminium 7075 hatsZ Car Garage
Paired with the Stoptech calipers 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
Fitted with the big-brake kit for street use
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
Body & Trim 1
- Full exhaust system with 2.5 inch piping, stainless resonator and Magnaflow mufflerZ Car Garage / Magnaflow
Installed with a slash-cut tip as part of the overall build
In the shops
MagnaFlow Street Series Cat-Back Exhaust System (Part 15712) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $787.00 USD
MagnaFlow Street Series Cat-Back Exhaust System (Part 16687) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $1,028.00 USD
MagnaFlow Street Series Cat-Back Exhaust System (Part 15643) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $734.00 USD
Interior 1
- Upgraded door sealsZ Car Garage
Fitted to give a solid door-closing sound
Photos
40 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Jeff'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 and history
Jeff bought this 1971 S30 in 2006, white and worn out with a blown engine, meaning to strip it to bare metal and restore it. The project ran into a new dashboard that did not fit and an engine rebuild that failed. His friend who was painting the car changed the chosen colour to a darker blue without asking, then was diagnosed with cancer and died shortly after, halting the build for years.
Bringing it to Z Car Garage
After sitting for over a decade, Jeff took the car to Z Car Garage in early 2019 on Rob's reputation. The shop went through the car from top to bottom starting with the drivetrain, sorting the fuel system, carb linkage and clutch hydraulics, and repairing the speedometer to get the rebuilt engine running.
Carburetor and ignition work
The triple 40mm Webers Jeff had bought were fouled by fuel system build-up from the long lay-up. Z Car Garage replaced them with new Weber 45 DCOE carbs and velocity stacks, added an MSD ignition box and a ZCG heat shield, then dyno tuned the setup, gaining 19hp and 17 ft-lb over the 40mm set-up.
Gearbox swap
Jeff originally only wanted the Webers dialed in on the dyno, but was impressed enough to have the tired four-speed replaced with an early 1977-78 280Z five-speed with 0.86 overdrive, rebuilt by Steve Pettersen of Pettersen Motorworks. A new clutch, flywheel and slave were fitted, and the transmission tunnel and console were trimmed for the shifter.
Chassis and suspension
The chassis received a full suspension refresh with new bushings, Koni Red dampers and Eibach springs, along with Techno Toy Tuning adjustable lower control arms and traction control rods, finished in the shop's signature colour.
Brakes and CV axles
After sampling the shop's demo car, Jeff opted for the Z Car Garage Big-Brake kit front and rear, developed with Stoptech as a bolt-in solution needing no master cylinder or proportioning changes, and retaining the factory handbrake. The stock half shafts were also replaced with Z Car Garage CV axles.
Finishing touches and completion
The interior gained Z Car Garage door seals for a solid closing sound, and new tyres were fitted. The car was completed on the timeline promised and now runs well, with Jeff already planning a more powerful engine down the road.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Jeff's 1971 Datsun 240z ↗