Custom Datsun 240Z

Looking back at the Datsun 240Z, its place in sports car history as a genuine classic collectible is clear. Yet the benefit of 20/20 hindsight has also motivated a number of Z-car owners to rewrite the record books.

Z-8
Consider Dan Juday's 240Z. The car's lineage is still obvious, but he decided to enhance it with a revisionist approach, following a "what if..." scenario. For instance, instead of living with the modest output of the 2.4-liter inline SOHC six, he transplanted it with a Chevy V8, a relatively common hop-up for older Z-cars.


For those considering such a change-out in the drivetrain, the 260 or 280 models are usually preferred for this type of project, since collectors do not consider them as valuable as the 240Z. That's because in 1974 the Z-car's engine was enlarged to 2.6 liters to make the 260Z. Although horsepower was up from 151 to 162, weight was also increased and performance was not improved. A 2+2 model was added to the line the same year. The 260Z was built for only one year before it was replaced by the 280Z in 1975. While the 260 was saddled with troublesome emission-control carburetors, the 2.8-liter 280Z benefited from fuel injection, improving performance enough to surpass 240Z levels. Even so, swapping the Japanese engine with Detroit V-8 makes for a radically faster car.


Juday went on to make a number of other modifications on his 240Z as well over a three-year period. His buildup approach is one that other customizers can glean several tips from. He bought the car in January of 2001 after seeing it on eBay with no bids. The car obtained a salvage title after the police arrested the previous owner and impounded it. Never reclaimed, the impound yard sold it for scrap for only $600 cash. Quite a buy considering that a restored 240Z might sell for tens of thousands of dollars.


Juday wasn't interested in a pure restoration project, but instead a restomod (with extra emphasis on the "mod" part). "It was always my plan to swap in a Chevy V8 and customize the body," he recalls. "After months of searching I chose this particular car because of the remarkable lack of rust and the straightest frame rails I'd seen yet on a 240. It was just a bonus that it had no Bondo and a very clean interior for a 30-year-old car. I wasn't worried about the selection of dings and scratches since the body was going to get extensive reworking."