Tebirkes' 1973 Datsun 240z Restoration
Datsun 240Z (S30)3-page write-up
Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series)
Read the full write-up at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
Photo: Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series)Long-running restoration of a 1973 Datsun 240Z with L28 triple-Weber drivetrain
A Swedish-based owner documents a ground-up restoration of a 1973 240Z that had already received an L28 engine swap with triple Weber carbs before he bought it. The thread, spanning 2016 to 2024, tracks teardown, extensive rust repair, sand blasting, and slow progress through suspension, brakes, electrical and body work, with the car still awaiting completion.
Specs
As stated in the original write-up.
- Engine
- L28 inline six with triple Weber carburettors, swapped from a 1977-78 280Z
- Brakes
- Wilwood 1 inch brake master cylinder and Wilwood front/rear proportioning valve, 8.5 inch vacuum booster
- Lighting
- Hella H4 headlights
- Wheels
- 15 inch wheels fitted to clear brake upgrade, replacing 14 inch originals
- Interior seats
- Cobra (Paddy Hopkirk) seats retained, being reupholstered locally
- Instrumentation
- Innovate Motorsports MTX-L AFR gauge and data logger
- Exhaust
- MSA exhaust header
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 1
- MSA exhaust headerMSA
Purchased for the engine rebuild
In the shopsMSA Premium Exhaust System for 6-1 Headers (70-74 240Z-260Z) ↗Motorsport Auto (The Z Store)· $349.87
MSA Premium Exhaust System for 6-1 Headers (9/74-78 260Z-280Z) ↗
Fuel & Ignition 1
- Innovate Motorsports MTX-L AFR gauge and loggerInnovate Motorsports
Installed for carb tuning and AFR monitoring, gauge mounted in glove box sidewall
In the shops
Paco Motorsports 3" Suspension Lift Kit ↗
Flyin' Miata· $289.00 USD
P&L Motorsports CNC Exhaust Head Flanges ↗
JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $109.95 USD
IL Motorsport Competition Engine Mount Pair ↗Flyin' Miata· $149.00 USD
Brakes 2
- Wilwood brake master cylinderWilwood
1 inch master cylinder fitted with new vacuum booster
In the shops
Wilwood Rear Brake Rotor Ring (NA/NB 2-piece) ↗Flyin' Miata· $175.00 USDWilwood Rear HM7 Disc Brake Kit - 88-04 Civic/Integra ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $762.45 USD
Wilwood Parking Brake Cable Kit for CPB Calipers - Black (06-Current Civic) ↗JDMuscle — Mazda MX-5· $232.52 USD - Wilwood proportioning valveWilwood
Fitted in place of original front/rear brake proportioning valve to allow bias adjustment
In the shops
Wilwood Adjustable Proportioning Valve ↗
Silvermine Motors· $134.00 USD
Wilwood Proportioning Valve Disc Brake Combination System ↗Silvermine Motors· $112.00 USD
Wilwood Adjustable Brake Proportioning Valve (240Z/260Z/280Z) ↗Z-Services· €74.50 EUR
Wheels & Tyres 1
- 15 inch wheels
Bought to replace 14 inch wheels and clear the brake upgrade
Interior 2
- Corbeau seat sliding bracketsCorbeau
Fitted to replace worn/broken original seat brackets
- Cobra (Paddy Hopkirk) seats
Original seats kept and sent to a local upholsterer for custom re-trimming
In the shops
Paddy Hopkirk Sump Guard ↗
Mini Sport· £111.00 GBP
Paddy Hopkirk Lapel Badge ↗Mini Sport· £1.79 GBP
Paddy Hopkirk Fuel Can 2L ↗Mini Sport· £30.00 GBP
Electrical 4
- Hella H4 headlightsHella
New headlights installed with rewired, colour-coded harness and original Japanese connectors
In the shops
Radiator, Hella ↗Moss Europe (UK)· £291.25 GBP
Hella Headlight Kit ↗
Techno Toy Tuning· $275.00 USD
7-Inch Round Hella Headlights ↗Techno Toy Tuning· $145.00 USD - Air horn
Installed in place of original horn
- New fuse box and relay kits
Fuse box, hazard relay kit, full beam relay kit and marker flasher relay kit installed on the harness
In the shops
MSA Fuse Box Upgrade Kit for Datsun 240Z ↗
JDM Car Parts· $272.79 USD
Dust Cover for MSA Fuse Box (Datsun 240Z) ↗JDM Car Parts· $34.99 USD
Fuse Box ↗MGbits4U· £47.91 GBP
- Honda wiper motor
Fitted to replace the tired original wiper motor, with extension harness and extra relay for proper parking
Photos
251 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series). A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.
Tebirkesueth · 2016-08-30T20:01:40Z 27this post at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
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Tebirkesueth · 2018-04-03T09:25:08Z 9this post at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
Tebirkesueth · 2021-03-08T23:04:53Z 14this post at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
Tebirkesueth · 2024-10-27T18:36:45Z 7this post at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
How it was done
Starting condition
The owner bought a 1973 240Z imported from the Netherlands in 1983, driven until 1990 then stored. It came with an L28 engine and triple Weber carbs already swapped in from a late 1970s 280Z, plus a stash of spare panels and parts including a damaged original L24 block.
Initial checks and parts gathering
Before teardown the owner had the carbs refurbished and briefly ran the engine to confirm it fired and held oil pressure. He began sourcing rebuild items: brake upgrades, lighting, an AFR gauge and logger, an exhaust header, and rebuild kits, while beginning to document the car's condition.
Teardown and rust discovery
Suspension, steering rack, rear axle and differential were removed. Rust was found in the frame rail boxes near the stabiliser bar mounts, and later sand blasting revealed further corrosion including swapped floor pans, inner wheel wells, rockers and rear beaver panel.
Electrical and small component work
The owner rewired the headlight harness with correct colour-coded wiring and original Japanese connectors, added a new fuse box, relay kits for hazards and marker flashers, and swapped the tired wiper motor for a stronger Honda unit with a rewired relay harness.
Body repair and paint
After sand blasting, extensive structural repair followed: frame rails, radiator support, rockers, wheel wells, rear floors and quarter panels were replaced due to rust. Finding a body shop and painter proved difficult, causing long delays, with painting finally underway by 2024.
Progress so far
As of the latest supplied update, the body repairs were nearing completion and the car was expected back in the owner's garage, with painting in progress; the engine and twin spare five-speed gearboxes were also being sorted, but the build remains unfinished.
A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at Swedish Datsun 240Z Restoration (HybridZ S30 Series) ↗
Worth knowing
- Protect the headliner and inner trim before sending a body for sand blasting, or it may suffer damage
- Check for swapped or non-standard floor panels early as missing under-seal can hint at prior hidden repairs
- Finding a body shop and painter willing to take on a long project can take years