Stan K's 1970 Datsun 240Z mechanical restoration

Stan K · 1970 Datsun 240Z

Datsun 240Z (S30)

Stan's 1970 Datsun 240ZMarch 20, 2023

Read the full write-up at Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z ↗

Photo: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

A long-dormant 1970 Datsun 240Z brought back with a full mechanical restoration

Original owner Stan K had parked his early-production 240Z since the early 1990s before shipping it to Z Car Garage in 2020 to be mechanically sorted for his family to enjoy. The shop rebuilt the engine, refreshed the drivetrain, brakes, suspension and fuel system, and refurbished the interior and dash while keeping the car's original Safari Gold paint. The story is notable for the emotional ending: Stan passed away before the finished car reached his family, who came to collect it and learn to drive it in his memory.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine: Rebello 2.4 stock rebuild retaining the original factory block and head
Carburetors: Z-Therapy carburetors
Ignition: Pertronix electronic ignition
Starter/Charging: Updated to 280ZX specification
Exhaust: MSA coated header with Z Car Garage exhaust system
Gearbox: Original 4-speed manual, reseal
Drivetrain: Z Car Garage CV axles (set #377) replacing stock half shafts, differential reseal with new front/side seals
Suspension: T3 control arms, adjustable traction/control rods, new ball joints, springs and shocks
Brakes: Stock braking system refurbished: factory calipers, rotors, wheel cylinders, drums, shoes and repacked wheel bearings
Fuel system: New S30 World fuel tank, replaced vapor hoses
Wheels: Series 1 OEM wheels with Series 1 "D" hubcaps
Tyres: 185/70/14 Vredestein Sprint Classics
Interior: Vintage Dashes Series 1 reproduction dashboard, refurbished heater box and HVAC controls, cleaned gauges, replacement seats
Body/Trim: New hatch weatherstripping, NOS hatch vents, ZCG door seals and weatherstripping
Paint: Original factory Safari Gold paint, detailed
Power output: 133 hp / 137 ft-lb at the wheels on dyno

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 3

Rebello 2.4 engine rebuildRebello
Stock-spec rebuild retaining the original factory block and cylinder head to replace the failed engine
MSA coated headerMSA
Replaced the exhaust manifold along with new gaskets
In the shops
MSA 3-2 TBC Coated Header with Smog Fittings, 73 240Z ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $389.87
MSA 3-2 TBC Coated Header with Smog Fittings, 1970-72 240Z ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $389.87
MSA 3-2 TBC Coated Header, No Smog Fittings, 70-76 240Z-260Z-280Z ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $378.87
ZCG exhaust systemZ Car Garage
Fitted alongside the MSA header as the car's exhaust

Fuel & Ignition 3

Z-Therapy carburetorsZ-Therapy
Fitted as part of the engine tune-up
Pertronix ignitionPertronix
Electronic ignition fitted during the tune-up
In the shops
Electronic Ignition Kit, Pertronix Ignitor, positive earth ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £389.00 GBP
Electronic Ignition Kit, Pertronix Ignitor, negative earth ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £343.00 GBP
Electronic Ignition Kit, Pertronix Ignitor, DM2, negative earth ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £304.25 GBP
S30 World replacement fuel tankS30 World
New Series 1 replacement tank fitted to start the fuel system fresh

Gearbox & Drivetrain 3

Original 4-speed manual transmission
Resealed and retained from the car
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
Z Car Garage CV axlesZ Car Garage
Bolt-in CV axle set (#377) replacing the stock half shafts for smoother power delivery
Differential seals
Differential resealed with new front and side seals

Suspension & Steering 3

T3 control arms
Fitted as part of the suspension/drivetrain refresh
In the shops
Control Arm Bushing (XJ) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $6.85 USD
Control Arm Bushing Pair (NOS) ↗Sports & Classics· $21.95 USD
Fulcrum Shaft, Lower Control Arm ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $42.99 USD
Adjustable traction/control rods
Fitted during the suspension refurbishment
In the shops
Adjustable Track Rod Assembly ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $120.91 USD
Adjustable Push Rod, Six Cylinder ↗Good Parts· $21.00 USD
ISR Performance Rear Traction Rod ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $282.15 USD
Ball joints, springs and shocks
New components fitted as part of the suspension refurbishment
In the shops
Lower Ball Joint ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $42.99 USD
Lower Ball Joint ↗MX5 City· $28.13 USD
Lower Ball Joint ↗Flyin' Miata· $119.00 USD

Brakes 1

Factory brake calipers, rotors, wheel cylinders, drums and shoes
Refurbished to restore the stock braking system
In the shops
Factory Cylinder Head Temperature Sensor (CHTS) ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $109.87
Front Brake Upgrade Kit with Wilwood Calipers (No Rotors) ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $726.00 USD
Front Brake Upgrade Kit with Wilwood Calipers and EBC Rotors ↗Moss Motors – Triumph TR6/TR250· $1,156.25 USD

Wheels & Tyres 2

Vredestein Sprint Classic tyresVredestein
185/70/14 tyres fitted to the Series 1 OEM wheels
In the shops
Classic MG Tyre Savers ↗MGOC Spares· £14.95
Classic MG Tyre Valves ↗MGOC Spares· £17.00
Series 1 "D" hubcapsZ Car Garage
Sourced from the shop's parts stash to finish the OEM wheels

Body & Trim 3

Vapor hoses and hatch weatherstripping
Replaced to eliminate fuel smell in the cabin
NOS hatch vents
Fresh set installed on the hatch
In the shops
Hatch Vent Trim Screw (510 Wagon) ↗Z Car Depot· $0.89 USD
ZCG door seals and weatherstrippingZ Car Garage
Fitted to quieten and tighten the door shut action

Interior 3

Vintage Dashes Series 1 reproduction dashboardVintage Dashes
Replaced the cracked original dashboard
Heater box refurbishment
New heat/defrost vents and gaskets fitted, HVAC cable controls lubricated
In the shops
Heater Box to Vent Foam Gasket ↗James Paddock Ltd· £3.95 GBP
Replacement seats
Fresh set fitted to replace the weathered original seats

Electrical 1

280ZX-spec starter and charging system
Starter and charging components updated to 280ZX specification

Photos

40 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

Engine bay during the rebuild processPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Engine component work in progressPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Rebuilt engine before reinstallationPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

CV axle and drivetrain componentsPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Suspension and control arm refurbishmentPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Drivetrain and engine bay detail during restorationPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Underside work on brakes or suspensionPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

The completed 1970 Datsun 240Z in Safari GoldPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Early photo of the Datsun before mechanical restorationPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

The 240Z as it arrived at the shopPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

Interior dashboard removal and replacementPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

New dashboard being installedPhoto: Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z

How it was done

Starting condition

Stan K, the original owner of this early-build (VIN 511) 1970 240Z, had the car sitting since the early 1990s. He shipped it to Z Car Garage in 2020 so it could be mechanically restored and enjoyed by his son and the next generation. A full inspection on arrival showed the car was in rough shape from decades of storage, and the engine had failed.

Engine and drivetrain work

The shop built a Rebello 2.4 stock rebuild keeping the original block and head, then cleaned the engine bay before reinstalling it. They refreshed the cooling system and heater core, updated the starter and charging system to 280ZX spec, fitted Z-Therapy carbs with Pertronix ignition, replaced intake/exhaust gaskets, and added an MSA header with ZCG exhaust. The 4-speed gearbox was resealed and Z Car Garage CV axles with T3 control arms were installed; the differential was resealed.

Brakes and fuel system

The entire braking and hydraulic system was gone through, with factory calipers, rotors, wheel cylinders, drums and shoes refurbished and wheel bearings repacked, keeping the car on its stock setup. A new S30 World fuel tank was fitted along with fresh vapor hoses and hatch weatherstripping to stop fuel smell entering the cabin. Suspension was refreshed with adjustable T/C rods, new ball joints, springs and shocks.

Wheels and details

The car was fitted with period-style 185/70/14 Vredestein Sprint Classic tyres on its Series 1 OEM wheels, along with a set of Series 1 "D" hubcaps sourced from the shop's parts stash, and new NOS hatch vents.

Interior refresh

Alongside the mechanical work the interior was freshened up, highlighted by a full Series 1 reproduction dashboard from Vintage Dashes replacing the cracked original. The heater box was refurbished with new vents, gaskets and lubricated HVAC cables, the gauges were disassembled and cleaned, door seals and weatherstripping were fitted, and a fresh set of seats replaced the weathered originals.

Dyno tuning and completion

Once reassembled, the Z was dyno tuned to 133 hp and 137 ft-lb at the wheels. Because the work took place during COVID, Stan's family could not visit during the build, and Stan passed away before seeing the finished car. His widow and children later collected it, and his son was taught to drive the manual gearbox for the first time.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Stan's 1970 Datsun 240Z ↗