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theczechone's 1972 240Z (HLS30-50499) barn find restoration

theczechone · 1972 Datsun 240Z

Datsun 240Z (S30)

'72 240z HLS30-50499

Read the full write-up at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

Barn-found 1972 Datsun 240Z revived with L28 swap and brake upgrades

theczechone rescues a rust-affected but complete 1972 240Z that had been parked in a Texas barn, bringing the swapped L28 engine back to life and rebuilding the floors, interior and brakes. The thread tracks the car from a seized barn find to a driven GT-style project, including a later engine build in progress.

Specs

As stated in the original write-up.

Engine
L28 inline six (originally swapped from a 1975-76 donor) with round-top SU carburetors, later converted to triple 44s
Gearbox
5-speed manual
Rear axle
Open R200 unit, later swapped for a rebuilt R180 (3.7)
Suspension
BC Racing coilovers
Front brakes
Toyota 4x4 vented disc brakes
Rear brakes
Nissan Maxima disc conversion
Brake master/booster
Rebuilt booster with a 280ZXT master cylinder
Ignition coil
MSD Blaster 2 Coil paired with E12-80 280ZX ignition
Interior trim
New vinyl interior kit from MSA
Seats
Corbeau Clubman seats
Steering wheel
Peyton Steering wheel
Battery tray
Z Car Depot stainless steel battery tray

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 2

Fuel & Ignition 3

Gearbox & Drivetrain 3

Suspension & Steering 1

Brakes 4

Wheels & Tyres 1

  • Epsilon Meshies wheels

    Fitted to the orange car instead of a different project

Body & Trim 4

Interior 6

Photos

16 pictures collected from the write-up, in the order they were posted, shown from '72 240z HLS30-50499. A picture opens larger here, with the way through to the page it is on.

theczechone · 2017-02-20T14:24:24Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-04-05T12:43:26Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-04-07T19:24:29Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-04-11T12:16:34Z 4this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-05-02T12:15:53Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-07-02T02:36:11Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-07-21T22:38:41Z 2this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-08-03T12:20:50Z 1this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2017-08-29T12:02:04Z 2this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

theczechone · 2019-01-03T22:42:32Z 2this post at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499
Photo: '72 240z HLS30-50499

How it was done

Starting condition

The 240Z was a Texas car that had sat in a Michigan barn since 2009, mostly shielded from snow and salt but still rusty. Floors had been badly patched with fiberglass, and leaking clutch and brake fluid had eaten away more metal. It carried a swapped L28 engine, 5-speed gearbox and open R200 rear end, with mice having nested throughout the interior.

Getting it running

The engine was revived by draining old fuel and hot-wiring the starter, then sorted with new plugs, wires, cap and rotor. The fuel tank was removed, cleaned, repainted and refitted with new straps. Leaking brake and clutch master cylinders and the clutch slave cylinder were replaced with budget parts as a stopgap.

Floor and body repairs

Extensive rust was found under the fiberglass patches, requiring replacement of the battery tray, part of the firewall, and both floor pans, sourced locally and fitted with new frame rails and subframe connectors. The repaired areas were treated with etching primer, seam sealer and a RustBullet coating inside.

Interior rebuild

After discovering the factory interior was originally white rather than the black it had been resprayed, the owner pressed ahead with available trim. A new MSA vinyl kit, sound deadening, refurbished pedal box, a replacement dash with swapped gauges, Corbeau seats, a Peyton steering wheel and rear panels were all installed to get the cabin usable.

Mechanical work and first drive

A failing mechanical fuel pump that was leaking into the crankcase pushed forward a planned switch to electric fuel delivery. BC coilovers, Toyota 4x4 front brakes and a Maxima rear disc conversion were fitted along with a rebuilt booster and 280ZXT master cylinder, getting the car running under its own power again.

Ongoing work

By 2019 the car was still in regular use while the owner worked on a fresh engine build, having sourced an LD crank and 240Z rods with 240SX pistons, weighing that combination against a forged Kameari setup, alongside triple 44 carburettors already fitted.

A summary in our own words. The full account, with all its detail, is in the original write-up: read it at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

Worth knowing

  • Repairing rusted floors with fiberglass patches fails over time; replace with new metal instead.

'72 240z HLS30-50499

forum thread: 1 of 1 pages and 16 of 16 posts inspected; 13 unquoted updates by theczechone used; 3 replies excluded on 7 November 2026. The original write-up and photographs remain with their creators. This page is a catalogue in our own words, and a signpost to the source.

Read the full write-up at '72 240z HLS30-50499 ↗

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