Meet "Bella" - The NICOclub RB25-powered 240Z Project

[AZhitman]

Building an RB25DET 240Z - The backstory!

[DCaff300ZX]

NICE!!!
A lot of quality work there, and glad to see Ace was involved!

[m tr4nch]

awesome build man, can't wait to see more!
i'd like to do up an s30 one of these days, such a nice looking car.

[AZhitman]

All done.

Hope you guys enjoy.

[gmac708]

Very good article Greg. Lots of really good pointers in it. It gives me inspiration to get my car completed. Bella looks awesome with the ZG flares. Bumpers are incredible.

Gord

[AZhitman]

Yours is going to be 10x nicer... I can't wait to see it!

[Innovazn]

I've followed the story since the first day I saw it up on the front page.

Sir, your story is inspirational and touching. Seeing the hard work and effort you put into that machine is unmatched. I have to say, I love how old classics look and restored. A job well done. If you havent already, you should call up the old man you bought her from originally and share it with him. Im sure he will welcome you with a big smile.

[warvin240]

first off that's awesome how u restored that car plus more!! i just bought my self a 1982 280zx and i want to do the rb swap on her, did u have to change the motors monts?

[AZhitman]

Yes - They were fabricated from scratch.

Congrats on your new Z, and stick around... we'll be glad to help you with the swap!

[300ZXttZMAN]

Love it

[razrlinkz]

I just want to say that I have read the entire article and that I'm touched by the story(for both of you and the car). That was an amazing restoration and I'm in awe of your knowledge and of the resources you used for the Datsun! I've actually dreamed of getting an Datsun similar to this one, but unfortunately because of many things going on(mainly having disagreements with my father about old cars)its sad to say I probably won't get one for many years to come. Anyway, has there been any improvements to the car or any upgrades??

-razrlinkz

[AZhitman]

Thanks razr! Since the article was completed, we've added a 3.70 LSD, and replaced the rear springs with a different set (higher spring rate).

We've just received our order of all new interior plastic, so that'll be going in soon, and I picked up a really sweet vintage Nardi steering wheel for Becky as well, so that'll go in soon!

[rmmagow]

Wow, I never thought I'd use this word and I am way too old to use but...... AWESOME!!

The car, the build, the people, the story. This is what makes all the other nonsense related to the Internet worth it!

Thanks for a great read and inspiration.

[glitched]

Where the fenders cut (and welded back up) for the flares?

[AZhitman]

No. No cutting was done.

[240zdreamin]

Hi AZhitman,

Your story is very intriguing and I would have to say it has inspired me to tackle a similar restoration. I am yet to purchase a 240z but I have been scouting around for months now looking for one that suits me. This is based on initial outlay cost and vehicle condition.

I am sure I will have many questions once I find the right car.

Thank you in advance and best regards.

[glitched]

No. No cutting was done.

Thanks, All the forum threads on the Z forums that i've been searching are saying cutting is required, but i wasnt so sure.
I have similiar sized wheels (16x8 0 offset watanabe's with 225/50 tires)
I just bought a Z on ebay and i'm waiting on it to be shipped from california. it's already lowered slightly with lowering springs, so i'm just trying to get an idea how things will fit. I know i would cut if i was really lowered and had really wide tires, but with the relatively low width and slight drop, i dont think it's needed, but i'm not 100% on that. I'm probably going to base my decision to get flares or not on how yours looks.

[Datsundimeguy]

You guys did a fantastic job! She looks amazing! I am doing a strip down and rebuild of two '72 S30s (one for a buddy, and one for myself) and a VG-30 powered dime for myself also. His is RB25DET powered as well. The guy he bought it from already had it in and was driving it for a while but stripped it to do a ground up resto. and lost interest. I'm going to have to go over his "popcorn" welds and inspect every inch to make sure I do things right. I don't know much about those RB's and I don't know where to get parts or wiring schematics to make sure that everything is hooked up correctly and to help trouble shoot. Can you help direct me to a good source? Thanks!

[AZhitman]

You're in the right place.

It's kind of a "shotgun" question, but as you get more specific inquiries, we can certainly help... Our members and staff know the RB engine very well, we've got plenty of wiring experts here, and of course a lot of us have built classic Zs!

Good luck with it - Eager to see YOUR build thread!

[optimusprime8]

I realize this is an old thread but I'm wondering what you did for AC? I'm trying to decide between going to Vintage Air and buying a kit or trying to piece together a junkyard kit and have someone make lines for me. I'm doing the same thing by the way, RB25DET in a 72 240z.

[AZhitman]

Great question. She still doesn't have AC, but I'm in the same boat - I'd like to assemble a setup for a few of our old Datsuns.

I've considered removing a complete AC system from a junkyard corolla or civic, to see if it can be retrofitted into these cars.

[evildky]

Local guy used a vintage air setup, to keep it above the bottom of the dash he had to cut a portion of the cowl and box it in. I wondered about an S2k or miata donor.

[unclewolf82]

Did you use a rb25det transmission? if so Did it line up with the center console?

[AZhitman]

Yes sir.

It was petty damn close. Engine was bumped forward a small amount (due to other fitment issues).

[AZhitman]

This thread is long, long overdue for some updates... and there are a LOT of them.

For those of you who are catching us mid-story, roll back to the top and check out the initial build article - things will make a lot more sense!

For our friends who have been following this project for a decade, here's the updates:

Once the build was completed, Bella made several appearances at JCCS, the Route66 JDM Classic, numerous local Datsun and Zclub events, and even ZCON. She got some occasional fair-weather use for local runarounds and we even drove her to work and school on occasion.

[AZhitman]

I'm going to take a brief detour here, if it's OK, just to share some things that I've learned.

If you've ever watched shows like Overhaulin' or any of the other various restoration / hot rodding shows, you know they blow through a build in what seems like weeks, and edit it down to a thirty-minute segment (which is like 12 minutes after commercials).

IN reality, unless you have a shop full of experts, professional fabrication tools, and unlimited funds, a build like this can take a year. Or two. Or more. AND, unless it's planned out step-by-step from the start, problems will occur.

We've all drooled over pics of someone else's build, and imagined what it would be like to drive it. It all looks so simple - Hop in, turn the key, burn rubber, be the star of the car show, get the girl, and ride off into the sunset. Right?

Nope. Rarely, if ever, does it work that way. In fact, I've driven a lot of really gorgeous builds, and they almost always fail to meet expectations. Let's face it, we're not automotive engineers with an unlimited budget and a professional shop full of experts.

Bella was no different. Little issues presented themselves here and there, and small annoyances became larger issues. A random occasional stumble got worse (ECU? Injectors? Bad wiring? Failing IACV? Bad sensor somewhere?) The stench of unburnt, uncatalyzed fuel in the cabin made long drives a stinky adventure. Small areas of poorly-prepped metal shed their blue paint. Some rust bubbles reappeared, pretty quickly. Cobbled-together suspension components that were never designed to work together started to create sketchy handling issues...

But the absolute biggest issue was this: The original donor shell was a '72, and had some rust. Repairs were cosmetic (remember, this car wasn't originally slated to have a Skyline engine) and no chassis reinforcement was done to handle the additional power. 300hp and a 3.90 VLSD meant speed was no problem - but the sloppy '72 chassis wasn't happy. Stress cracks in common areas appeared, and misalignments were visible.

This was, for the most part, my first Datsun restoration. I've built a lot of cars since then. I've learned a ton. I soon realized that Bella was not in her "final form." I can do better. She deserves it. Becky deserves it.

I got this.

[AZhitman]

S30 owners, generally, prefer the early cars to the 75-78 models. Early cars have the sexy bumpers, they weigh less, the horsepower is more or less a wash, and the interiors are more raw and purposeful.

But the later Z cars benefited from a LOT of on-the-fly improvements, namely, to chassis rigidity and stiffness. Sure, that came with extra weight, but a stiff chassis is worth a slight weight penalty.

Ideally, if one wanted to build a resto-mod Z, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better platform than, say, a 1975 model. Significantly more chassis stiffening than the earlier cars, provisions for fuel injection, but without the bloat of a 77-78 model.

Be advised, I'm already anticipating hate mail from everyone with a 1970-74 and 1976-78 Datsun Z. Don't bother - it's my story, I'll tell it how I want.

With that in mind, while in San Diego for ZCON 2014, I purchased a pristine, low-mile, 2-owner, rust-free 1975 Z from a long-time Z enthusiast and collector in Southern California. At the time, I felt I overpaid somewhat. In hindsight, it was a steal. For five years, it would sit in the garage at Datsun Ranch, awaiting its eventual fate.

[Ilya]

Awesome project!

[davidmoralesbello]

Hey Greg, I'm totally with you on the choice of Z! I prefer the last year of production ("78 280Z) because to me it represents the final evolution of the S-30 with the bugs worked out and all refinements made throughout the previous years. I'm in it for the sporty ride, comfort and reliability that the car was known for. If I want unrivaled speed and power I hop in my Lambo but believe me, I enjoy my 280Z tons more. Good, smart choice, my man.

[AZhitman]

I feel like there's an awesome story behind that... "Do I drive the Datsun or the Lambo, hmmm..."

That's an awesome dilemma to have! Good to hear from you, brother!!! Thanks for your encouragement and support.