just picked up a 73 240z

[mikeith]

this is my second zcar. i bought one a long time ago for $500 to fix up and it ended up be alot more of a headace than it was worth. so this time bought one that was semi on its way to where i want to go with it. All new steering assembly from top to bottom. here is some of the specs on the car

All new urethane bushings all the way around the car with old steering column disk bushing re-installed for slightly softer road driving comfort

Tokico 5-way adjustables all the way around

Eibach progressive springs

Jim Cook Racing sway bars front and rear

Newly rebuilt SU carbs from a ’72 were installed in place of the Webers

6-2-1 Headers with a 2.5 inch mandrel bent exhaust were installed

The distributor is a strange hybrid development of a 280z turbo top mated to the 240z bottom – works very well

New plugs and wires

4 piston caliper brakes with vented rotors and stainless steel brake lines

Rear drums were rebuilt for a track day specification

Thermostat + accurate Autometer gauge

The fenders were rolled to fit my wider track tires

Original 2.4 liter motor was replaced with a hand built 2.8 liter – carbs and all other go fast set up was transferred in the swap. The replacement motor was built by a guy from Sunbelt Engines (race engine builders). It has some really nice head work and produces great torque and power.

The 4 speed transmission was replaced with a close ratio 5 speed with a long 5th gear when the motor was out. New supports and bushing were done.

When the motor was out I also had a nice clutch put in.

3 row aluminum radiator

Custom heat shield between carbs and block

The old heater core system was rebuilt

The front air dam was replaced with a urethane MSA and a wind brace was installed behind it

New fuse box

New headlights

[mikeith]

next things to be done... mostly in this order

R230 differential

LS3/T56 combo, forged internals, turbo to run 15psi on street and 20+ w/ meth injection

better seats

autometer gauges

8-point cage

camber plates

adjustable rear control arms

sectiond struts

modified rear suspension to handle 315/35-17's w/o going outside stock fenders

paint and interior

[minnesotazcar]

Congrats on your buy, beautiful car. Good luck with the rest of your build to, it sounds like your going to have alot of fun with it.

[evildky]

Newly rebuilt SU carbs from a ’72 were installed in place of the Webers

what? 73 came with SU's granted they were the hackjob imitation SU's with lots fo emissions garbage added on but still SU's and definitely not webbers, even the DGV's would be an improvement over the flat top SU's

and the sunbelt engine is a nice piece, shame to pluck it but it certainly can't compare with a turbo V8

and yes it always pays to spend mroe ont he fornt end and start with a better project, glad you found a good one, and selling off that engine will help offset the cost of your build

[mikeith]

i

what? 73 came with SU's granted they were the hackjob imitation SU's with lots fo emissions garbage added on but still SU's and definitely not webbers, even the DGV's would be an improvement over the flat top SU's

and the sunbelt engine is a nice piece, shame to pluck it but it certainly can't compare with a turbo V8

and yes it always pays to spend mroe ont he fornt end and start with a better project, glad you found a good one, and selling off that engine will help offset the cost of your build

i meant in place if the webers that were on the l28.

what do you think that sunbelt motor is worth? and the 5 speed transmission?

it'll be a while before i can do the swap... probably a year before i have all the parts needed so i'll drive the car around as is until then. it also came w/ 4 sets of race wheels and hoosiers that are about 65-75% still there that i am going to sell.

[mikeith]

here's a shot of the carbs and of the rest of the engine bay

[NSR_s30]

Nice Z.

[evildky]

all L28's came injected, webbers were never factory equipment

the 6 speed, if it's an early 5 speed it might be worth $300 or so, if it's a later 280zx 5 speed then it's worht about $100-150

the sunbelt engine, well, if you cna prove ti was a sunbelt and what was done to it and or a dyno sheet could be worth $1000-1500, that assumes it's a ballanced and blueprinted race engine making north of 250hp

[mikeith]

cool thanks for all the info! the car was built by a guy named john williams who is supposed to be a pretty good zcar builder. hopefully he has all the reciepts from the motor build. i'm glad i found out that before i just tossed it up on the classifieds for $500 or so! i wonder what he meant by the whole webers thing... maybe when sunbelt built it it had webers and john changed when he put it in the car

[Colorado Kidd]

nice find

[Philipio]

WOW I want that car. Very nice! You probably don't want to disclose the amount you bought it for?

[mikeith]

i dont mind... i'm not one of those wierd people who act like its some big secret.... i paid 7000. it also came with two sets of roadrace wheels hoosier slicks that i will sell along with the motor/transmission to cover some of what i am going to spend on the lsx/t56 conversion... after doing alot of research i found that if i start with an ls2 block i can bore it to an ls3 spec, use forged internals and ported and polished l92 heads cheaper than i can buy an ls3. so as of now that is the plan

[hbpignosePA]

u should keep the l series in there.....

mmmmmmm tripple webbers would be/ are the sex

[evildky]

modified rear suspension to handle 315/35-17's w/o going outside stock fenders

just noticed this part, sorry it's not possible, I'm running 315's with coil overs and they stick out about 4" from my flared fenders, more like 5 fomr stock, I could get maybe another .5 of backspacing but that would be very close and most likely rubbing the strut housing

[mikeith]

i see what you mean but i plan on doing something different and taking a risk... i'm at work so i cant get on hybridz(firewall) to copy and paste the link of my plan but i'll do it tonight. i plan on moving the strut inward 3" on top and bottom and tubbing the inner fenders. basically i am going to cut the entire fender tubs and strut mounts out move them in 3", weld em back in and add some bracing. and on the rear hub assembly i'm going to simply add new strut mounts to the side of the factory ones and brace it well. i realise i'll need a stiffer spring to make up for the lost leverage.

i also know it may hurt SOME handling but since i doubt the car will ever see a roadcourse (maybe if there was one less than 5 hours away from me ). it is mainly going to be a street car to play in and i've seen how well 245's hook up with 600+ rwhp and it isnt pretty

[mikeith]

i also plan on making the new setup so that IF it does make it handle like crap i could bolt the struts back into their original location. and just use some wide ZG flares(which i REALLY dont want to have to do)

(i made a quik rendering on ms paint.... its ugly but you'll get the idea... cant host it from work so i'll put it on my PB account and post it when i run home for lunch)
Modified by mikeith at 8:48 AM 4/20/2009

[mikeith]

here's the link i was refering too http://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=146984

and here's the quick rendering i mad on ms paint. notice there are two strut mounts on each side like i mentioned in the previous post. (yes i know in all actuallit they will be closer together bcause thats obviously more than 3 inches but you get the concept)

[sek8031]

That seems like an intense amount of work just for wider tires on a road car.

[evildky]

I had read that thread, kinda seems like you are reinventing the wheel, converting a a narrowed C4 IRS with tubs would be the better option IMHO, not sure what size tire scotty was runnign his GNZ but it was a lot and it hooked and it ran low 10's, actually there si a guy with a 2JZ running low 10's on street tires on stock suspension with dot tires, it's all about setting it up for the lauch, wider tires doe not equat better traction, mine doesn't hook worth a dang in a straight line, but it'll turn with the best of them

[mikeith]

I had read that thread, kinda seems like you are reinventing the wheel, converting a a narrowed C4 IRS with tubs would be the better option IMHO, not sure what size tire scotty was runnign his GNZ but it was a lot and it hooked and it ran low 10's, actually there si a guy with a 2JZ running low 10's on street tires on stock suspension with dot tires, it's all about setting it up for the lauch, wider tires doe not equat better traction, mine doesn't hook worth a dang in a straight line, but it'll turn with the best of them

whats the specs on scotty's gnz? i'm not too worried about launching i'm more worried about it breaking loose from a roll... after seeing how bad darius' car used to do from a roll i just dont want those problems. i plan on running as sticky of a street tire as i can find and stuff i just dont see it doing much without allowing for more of a contact patch... it also seems like using a c4 rear would cost alot more and take alot more fab work than what i am wanting to do

[prtrillaboss]

Nice Datsun!

[evildky]

might be more cost and fab work but you'll have a much better setuphttp://forums.hybridz.org/showthread.php?t=69879I think your are looking in the wrong direction for traction, the pro outlaw 10.5 nhra class has a record 1/4 mile ET of 8.55! think about how much power those cars are putting down, it's not all about tire width, but it's about using what you have, corrected rear camber with the righ shock valving and spring rate will hold a lot of power, I knwo for a fact there are stock fendered non tubbed Z's running 10's on dot tires

[mikeith]

thanks! i guess i'll just have to do some experienting and work with all that stuff and all the different spring rates etc. i'd LOVE to be able to get it to hold without any extra fabrication i just figured it was going to be a must.

[4AM]

Sweet I've wanted a 70s 240Z for awhile, I'd trade my Z31 in a heart beat. Props, Lucky find dude!

[evildky]

I was dismanteling my IRS the other day and one problem with your strut and tower relocation is you get into the companion flage for the halfshafts, so the coil overs, get an 8 wheel and LCA's camber plates and good struts and coil overs

[Shady195]

Very Nice! I love satin black on the 240Z.. better than any other car IMO..

Congrats! I'm looking at getting one soon myself

[mikeith]

I was dismanteling my IRS the other day and one problem with your strut and tower relocation is you get into the companion flage for the halfshafts, so the coil overs, get an 8 wheel and LCA's camber plates and good struts and coil overs

cool thanks

also will the MR2 shock inserts fit in the 240z strut housings or am i going to have to get the thicker 280z ones? the reason i ask is if they will work ing the 240z ones that will make that much more room wheel/tire.... i saw clifton's car on hybridz and he was able to fit a 275/40-17 with rolled fenders and coilovers

[evildky]

the outside diameter difference is only about 1/8", but yes they'll fit but it's a very tight fit, the inside bore fo the 240 housings are also smaller and if you section them and you must make absolutely sure they are perfectly aligned and taht you welds aren't too deep

[mikeith]

i think just to be safe i'll tack em back together with the shock in place for perfect allignment then remove the shock and finish the weld...

also i noticed you secioned 3" from the back and a 1.5" from the front. i'm guessing its due to the 280z strut housings being taller in back ??? how much would that mean i needed to section the stock 240s housings

[evildky]

I'd suggest you get the struts in hand and do the measurements to determine how much needs to be sectoned form your housings for your struts, it would suck to get ti wrong