Actually the story behind this 73 240Z started back in 1992 when fate sucker punched it in the back. Meaning; thats when I bought it. Knowing nothing about cars at the time (or more accurately - knowing even less than I do today) I thought it would be an absolutely grand idea to tear it all apart, strip it to bare metal, and hopefully figure out how to put it all back together looking better than ever.

By about 1998 after having been moved from garage to garage and with parts spread across 3 state lines, I improved it from a poorly running but complete car to a primered, rolling shell with all new suspension. I also collected at least another entire 240Z worth of spare parts along the way. (Including a spare roof - who keeps a spare roof for their car!!?)

Anyway it was about that time I bought a roadster, got into hillclimbing, and basically lost interest in restorations.

Fast forward to 2008 where I decided that it would be fun to broaden my racing horizons and promote myself from a mediocre Solo Driver to a mediocre (Vintage) Road Racer! And what better way to rekindle my interest in the long forgot Z project than to envision it as track warrior, paying tribute to the Sharps and Mortons and Parkinsonses while dicing it up with TR6s and 911s and, well you get the idea.

So read along and hopefully by doing so you'll forget any crazy notions of developing your own race car. I actually started work in about Sept so we have some catching up to do!

Footnote - besides boasting mechanical ham-fistedness I am also computer illiterate. If someone could clue me in as to how to do it, I could embed photos rather than posting links like this one:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/0i ... directlink

Well Tim, I've got about a hundred things to say about all that ~

1. GREAT JOB! The shell looks like it's coming along very well and you're taking careful steps and doing clean work on it;

2. Funny comment about the 'spare roof' But if there had been a spare roof available at the Toronto motor show in 1969, Bob Sharp would not have received #00006, wouldn't have raced it, and automotive history would have suffered (you know the story ~ the pretty car model girl climbed up onto the roof of the car to pose for a picture and dented it so badly it was only good for racing);

3. If those are "shop tires" you're using, what plans do you have for the 5-slot mags, and do you have all four center caps for them?;

4. What's that weird 'vacuum cleaner hose' thingy in the L/R wheel well where the antenna should be? Never saw one of those. Brake coolers?;

5. You have the perfect size "Z Trailer" and I want it!;

6. We can tell you how to Post pictures here into the Forums, but you are far better off linking to an outside gallery like you're doing. Our server can handle only so many pix and then we start losing stuff. I will contact you off-screen with instructions if you want to Post 'em up here;

7. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK and keep us all advised on how it's going.
I still have some partZ left on the 1971 partZ car if they are of any use to you~ they are DEEPLY discounted to CTZCC members, and Clive is rebuilding a second EVIL Z and has Series-1 partZ available also.

When you get around to needing speed stuff, touch base with AirJockie and make sure his garage doesn't have something you need in one of the corners.

This is gonna be a great project.

Frank T

Tim, you'll learn around here, I'm the type that keeps a spare roof around. I have one for a 280 and a ZX. I also wish I knew how to post links instead of pictures, that's funny, I'm computer illiterate too. Well looks good so far, and of course we all can't wait to see the finish project, but take your time and do it right. You don't have to have a driving Z to be in the club, Frank can enlighten you on that. Shoot, my 240 has been sittin 3 years now since I bought it, and don't need much to be driveable. Some day I'll do the full restore, but at least want to drive it a couple years. I will also be using those aluminum slots on my 240. I had to buy 4 Z cars to get mine. (long story.) Well good luck with her, and I only have 280 parts, Ssome fit the 240,) if you need something, and I think Frank has some 240 parts left. Have a good Z day.

Frank - you bring up a good point on the dented roof on Sharp's 240Z. Proper feng shui dictates that I should hire a bikini model to roll around on the roof before the body goes into final surface prep. (Good excuse for a Z group gathering as well...)

The slotted mags I can certainly part with, they are 14 x 6 or 6.5" Unfortunately I don't have center caps, however I'll check to see if some other center caps I have lying around (I never use them) that might fit these old mags. More on this later.

Those vacuum tubes are the ducting from behind the dash for the eyeball vents. I might use them for cockpit ventilation or something.

The trailer is an equipment trailer, I wanted something tight enough to fit in the garage and just big enough to do the job, I pull with an old Cherokee.

I do need a windshield - doesn't have to be perfect but no deep divots from rocks etc.

Thanks for all the support, I will try to get into a regular posting habit so that everyone can follow along!

Murf~
I have a 1971 windscreen (still on the car) with a single wiper streak on the passenger side. Yours for a cheap donation to the CTZCC (shall we agree on $20?)

I have 4 excellent 5-slots on the car, but have no center caps. We can't "trade", since the caps are for me and the windscreen $ goes to the Club, but I would buy 4 of them from you if you found them.

Please keep up this excellent thread ~ we all need a fantasy to keep us alive thru winter hibernation!

Frank T

On the windshield - you got yourself a deal, buster.

The caps I found didn't fit but I wasn't surprised, they are for modern rims that have much smaller ID center holes. Sorry that I didn't realize you were after the caps specifically.

Today I decided it would be a good idea to mock up the engine so that I could start planning the rollcage. You know, so the tubes don't end up running through the space where the carbs are supposed to go, etc.

So I grabbed a spare block and head I had lying around, located some old mounts, and muscled it all in place. No tranny yet so I hung the back from the hood release bracket.

Contest! Whats wrong with this picture? Hint - I swore a lot when trying to fit the headers (I did have the head bolted to the block at the time.)

<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_cMvjR1ILhkw/SWrIAEKrELI/AAAAAAAAAIc/9Z597IRMBkY/s512/IMG_0237.JPG">

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Yy ... directlink

Well 2 weeks and one tons worth of Washingtons later (quite literally) and we have one well-built set of monkey bars! The doors open but you still get in like the Dukes of Hazzard.

Now the balls' back in my court. Engine mounts and exhaust are likely to be next on the list.

Photos at http://picasaweb.google.com/RightLaneCl ... directlink

<img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_cMvjR1ILhkw/SaR6EZuE4qI/AAAAAAAAAKo/dkCvXLhUVM8/s640/IMG_0140.JPG">

Sorry I didn't get to respond to your "WHAT'S WRONG" picture.

I don't guess there's a practical way of hanging the block at a 16-degree cant when you don't have motor mounts, so your exhaust will never match up correctly. Other than that, I can't see anything else wrong.

What diameter did you make the cage out of?

Looks like you have a great shell to start from and are making good progress!!

Phil

Tubing is 1.50" OD all round.

who did the cage, and how much?

_________________


Also Known As Clayton Pace

Sorry for the delay. Chris Howard did the rollcage for my car, with some assorted extras the total tab came to $2400. His contact info - for those interested:

Chris Howard
(508) 429-6717
5drew@comcast.net

I have found it is easier to get him by phone. He is SE of Boston, off of 495 South of I90. (Near Framingham.)

Hey Murf ~ was I right? Do I win the 'no-priZe' for guessing what was wrong?

Frank

Oh! Sorry - the whats wrong photo answer:

It had been a long time since I worked around an L series motor that sits at an angle, or 'slant.' The Z shell has been motorless for 15 years.

So when I went to mount the block and empty transmission case I forgot which mount went on which side of the block. And that means I forgot which way the motor tilted, and installed the mounts in reverse, leaning towards the drivers side!

haha! Yeah, that was my guess. Datsun laid the block over a few degrees to lower the hood profile and reduce frontal area.

I once heard of someone putting a "shaker" hood on his 260 drag car, so he figured he could mount the engine straight upright ~ guess he thought it would be easier to work on, or something. The carb angle wasn't flat after that and he had all sortz of problems trying to make it work. He quickly went back to the slant.

By the way ~ are you planning on providing any sort of escape vent(s) for underhood air pressure? If it's a race car, you can get away with cutting it up just about however you want.....

Frank