Project Hiatus

Project has stalled in the last couple of months. I had to sell the old datsun because it was too far gone. A piece of advice for those seeking a 240z shell. bite the bullet and buy one that is already running and was never stored near water.  I am currently searching for a new one and i am aiming to get one by end of Feburary. My project direction has also changed a little bit as well. It turns out that the inline six (vortec 4200, ll6) will not fit. Someone else already tried it and there is no way it can fit unless the engine is sitting extremely low and the the hood is raised or a cowl is added. So I have decided to either get a 350z motor or an ecotec motor. Also the drivetrain has changed to either a Subaru STI diff and axles or a BMW e30 diff and axles. I dont have any pics to post but the suspension design is coming along. I just need to get some of these parts modeled so i can check clearances and suspension geometry. I found some more inspiration from a socal datsun owner by the user name of crazyoctopus. He didnt go crazy with his 240 but he gave it a nice rugged look especially with the lightweight Diamond Racing wheels. btw these are not my photos so obviously i am not taking credit for them. Also for future swappers i have the following dimensions of the Vortec 4200 (Atlas LL8) nd the LS1 engine

Engine Measurements or Dimensions

Vortec 4200
Length = 32" from bellhousing to front of engine not including harmonic balancer
Width = ~16" This one was hard to measure due to the intake plenum and exhaust manifold
Height = ~35" from bottom of pan to top of intake plenum with PCM

LS1 this includes accessories (you might take ~3" off the width with a relocated alternator
Length = 27.5"
Width = 30"
Height = 27.5"

Status Update

Its been awhile, but alot is going on. I just purchased my TIG welder and a 1992 toyota pick up for parts hauling. We also just got a puppy: 8 week old cream shiba. While saving for the tig i have worked on the suspension design so i haven't been idle. My Miller Diversion 180 should be here next weekend so the real work can begin! My engine selection has matured a little bit as well. I cant fit the ls1 in without compromising my suspension so im going with a gm vortec 4200 (ll8 engine). This is a 4.2 liter inline 6 with an aluminum block. This way i wont compromise my suspension design, ill still have plenty of power, and ill have the smoothness of an inline 6. Some might ask why i didnt just stick with the original engine since it was a six. The answer is the original engine was a iron block, not fuel injected, old, and only 150 hp. the stock vortec has ~300 hp

Getting Set Up in the New Place

Car has been on hold due to moving and saving for a TIG welder. Good news is that i got my garage set up ;)

Project Direction

I have decided to lift a corvette c5 ls1, manual transmission, and torque tube for the powertrain. I choose this powertrain for a number of reasons, again some of them are opinions with no engineering reasons to back them; yet. I choose this powertrain because the ls1 is not that heavy compared to 4 cylinders and is probably the same wieght as the cast iron rb25det. Also this engine makes alot of power and parts are dime a dozen, no 90's JDM parts to hunt down. I also like the torque tube since there is no driveshaft just two couplers and a straight shaft. Shortening the tube is going to be a pain but eh its a project! The third reason that i choose this powertrain is it is a IRS rear end and the trans/diff are mounted in one unit in the rear for better weight balance. I will need this because the 240z is naturally tail happy. Another point to note is you can get a complete rolling C5 chassis for ~6k. Here is a pic of another datsun that i am targeting mine to look like. This photo is from modified magazine

Sandblasting

Sandblasting was the next task. This and getting the car painted are the only tasks that i will outsource because they require a large facility and/or they are messy. Here is the car back from the blaster. More detailed picks will follow.

Rotisserie Build

I decided to build my own rotisserie because i am cheap.  My rotisserie turned out well except the two ends should have been connected like most rotisseries, i knew this before i started but i was cheap. Also the feet should be up when rotating the car since the side load, caused by the axis misalignment, on the feet will break them.

Tear Down

Starting my blog about my 1972 Datsun 240z resto-mod. I got this car in June of 2011. There were many reasons why i choose to get a 240z. After moving to california i starting to searching for a project car to start restoring and modifying. I wanted a car that met the following criteria:

• Had to be lightweight and a uni-body. I hate frame on rails. This criteria is more of a personal opinion
• Had to be pre-74 to beat the stupid smog laws in california
• Had to be readily availible so i wouldnt be gouged by NOS parts
• Had to be of all steel construction so repairs would be easy

After searching around i decided on either a 240z or a Datsun 510. I am not sure if the 510 is a uni-body, but my girlfriend said it looked like a clown car and i didnt want to carry an extra two passengers (240z only has 2 seats!). Also the 240z has a large engine bay making the engine choice wide open. So... I got a 72 240z from an old tug boat captain in sebastapol, ca. This was my first mistake (an probably not my last), because he used the car to drive down to the ports in the 80's = sea salt rusting the car! Anyways im from michigan and im used to crappy cars and im already vested in the car so moving forward. I got the car stripped and sand blasted. I made sure to save the lights, dash (even though it was cracked), and the glass. I had to buy a new windshield and hatch since mine were junk

Car when i picked it up and tear down: