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Films:
Dare To Be Different In A Datsun 240Z
All Datsun 240Zs can be added to the growing registry on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/121977164809467/
I had a neighbor had a silver 71 240z, he would start his car up in the garage next to ours and all my friends would say what the hell is that. Long story short this guy had a Ensenada special, the camshaft he had made for his car was called a “Chico Grind” not sure what other mods were done other than the obvious header pipe and exhaust. Once a year this guy would go to Ensenada to stretch the legs on the old Datsun, and for those that know Baja and highway 1 you don’t know what your missing… Stories of 140mph runs emanated from that garage every time he drove to work, or made a milk run to the store. 😮
This video came out on my 44th birthday. Prior to that day, I had previously owned five different Z’s. The most recently sold was a very modified 350Z roadster. Ever since selling the roadster in July, I felt like I sold off a very essential part of my soul. A Z owner is very different from many other car enthusiasts. The Z isn’t the fastest but it holds a spirit that the designer successfully carried through the design. That spirit transfers to the owner. Dave does a great job talking about his one-on-one bond with the car. All of these do a great job describing this spirit.
Two weeks after seeing this video, my determination to finally get a clean classic Z paid off when I came across a red ’77 280Z. The previous owner passed away a few weeks earlier and his estate was being settled by his daughter. I picked up the car for a really low price and brought it home to begin restoration and light modification. Dave’s 240Z video and Petrolicious’ website have stirred my soul again. I’m happy to be in a Z again and I won’t ever be selling her. It is a pleasure to carry on the previous owner’s passion. Going through the Chilton’s manual found under the seat has handwritten notes and receipts in it from the previous owner. It’s like he was writing messages to be read by the next owner. Perhaps he knew he would die but wanted his baby to be well cared for. Someday, my time will come too. Until then, I will make my notes in the same Chilton’s manual. Maybe one day, after I am gone, another Z owner will read my notes and the spirit of the Z will capture him or her like it has with me and the other previous owner. Dave, if you read this, please consider bringing your Z to ZdayZ in May 2014. See http://www.ZdayZ.com for details.
Dave, thank you on several fronts. First for taking custody of such a landmark vehicle and showing it the TLC but also driving it. I am glad it is not a 100\% stock Concours restoration with better paintwork then it had originally. Love that lump. Webber carbs, kick ass exhaust, upgraded suspension. The whole magila. Secondly, I had a 1970 in 77 at the ripe age of 16. 18 months later I drove off the road the in the wee hours of the morning of Thanksgiving after nodding off on my way home from hanging out with the crowd and watching Cheech and Chongs, Up in Smoke. (Enough said there) I hit a stone wall, a telephone pole, rolled the car back onto the road and came to a stop completely inverted. The engine was still running. Not a scratch on me. The frame of that car was totally rusted out. Not much left. You brought back a lot of memories and reminded how much better that car was then brand new 911s, Pontiac Trans Ams, Z-28s, Jags, etc. of the day. Absolutely obliterated 2002s of all vintages! Went like stink (over 120) got over 25 mpg and saved my sorry ass from extinction. I loved that car more than my first two girlfriends and now almost 40 years later the curves and lines have held up much better than theirs. Although its only real short coming was it could not substitute for a motel room . Had to lift the hatch for that and hang ones legs out and hope the hydraulic cylinder didn’t fail. Ahhhh, good times. I still have the horn button and a set of keys. Thanks.
Great video!Very enjoyable to watch, the guys obviously a petrolhead and loves his car 🙂 and who wouldn’t? that INL6 sounds glorious and I love the compact design of the car… There is an interesting Autocar article of September 1972, comparing this to the Alfa Romeo 2000GTV and it was a very very close call between the two. One reviewer preferred the Z, the other the GTV.
WOW … what an awesome car. I have been building a RHD 1971 240Z with a very similar set-up that is in the final stages of completion, following over four years work. Like Dave, I’ve stuck with the original L24 motor, but with porting, boring, trick extractors and triple dual throat O.E.R racing carburetors it’s good for ‘only’ 250HP, still a decent hike over 150hp stock. The car is due for completion in a few weeks, and now has Panasport eight spoke racing wheels, Koni Sport suspension, and Dunlop tarmac rally tyres. I hope to show you when she’s ready. This clip is a real inspiration, very well done Dave!
What an awesome sound! I’ve always maintained that a good six makes the best noises, and this proves it! Even I, as a diehard italian car enthusiast, have to admit to wanting one after watching this. The lines are pretty faultless, and there’s quite a sound machine underneath. It’s not perfect, but a machine that’s enjoyed on a regular basis is much better than a councours queen. As always, awesome video!
Lovely 240, sounds fantastic.
Check out my 240z on youtube, it’s a rat car with a full restoration underneath.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KPaEYb1Gww
Having a stepnose I was motivated to find the shirt and thought I would share for those of you interested too… http://www.drivenautowear.com/category/shirts
The part when he talks about all the older people coming up to him and saying how they had one back in the day, and telling him stories about it.
I get this exact thing when I tell people I have a Spitfire.
First thing my dad said when I showed him the spitfire I’d found was ‘I had one of those as a first car. My dad (my grandad) bought me one that had been rolled as a first car and I fixed it up’.
He went on to tell a story about how he and a friend were racing back from somewhere in his little Alfasud and his mate’s Sptifire. He took a corner flat, and his mate tried to follow. Unfortunately, he committed the cardinal sin of Spitfire cornering, he bottled it and lifted mid-way through causing the rear suspension to jack up and gain massive positive camber.
He span and crashed into someone’s garden. This mate, my dad says, was the jammiest, luckiest sod he’d ever known. The chap who owned the garden he crashed into was himself a Spitfire enthusiast, wandered out and said ‘you lifted mid-corner didn’t you’, and over the next few weeks helped him fix the damage he’d caused his little sports car.
Lucky bastard.
