Goodbye Mrs. Datsun...

"The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner" (peter-mckee)
04/26/2015 at 17:00 • Filed to: DATSUN

So I just put the 240z to rest for a couple weeks as I’m gonna be going through the entire underside of the car soon to refresh everything. Right now I’ve got Tokico lowering springs and Illumina struts, Energy Suspension poly bushings, new motor mounts. While I’ve got everything apart I’m gonna de-rusty the inside of the gas tank (a shit ton of rust decided it wanted to be fuel and I’ve gone through five filters now...) as well as a new pump and regulator. Once all this is done I’m gonna take the Z up to my welding shop for school and weld in new, stiffer frame rails, floor pans and subframe connectors. Should be a shit ton better afterwards cause ever since I bought the car basically anything that could be shot is and that makes for some scary canyon drives.

Goodbye, my terrifying friend. I’ll see ya in a couple weeks...

DISCUSSION (11)

MM54 > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/26/2015 at 20:06

Please keep us up to date with this (with pictures, even!) if you can, some day I hope to have my very own 240z and would be really interested to see some work being done on one so I know what I’d be getting into.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/26/2015 at 20:29

My frame rails were ok, we welded in some fat plates behind the dog legs, the original bits in there are thin, best to beef it up!

Kinja'd!!!

NonDriftingS13 > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/26/2015 at 20:51

Yes, please keep us updated! Also I’d be aware where you install those poly bushings. They don’t allow movement upon multiple axes that some suspension bits need and they need to be lubricated too. Just something to think about...

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > MM54
04/26/2015 at 21:20

Can do! It really has been an easy to own classic. Provided you have the right attitude for owning a vintage car (wrenching, frustration and trust) it’s completely within reach. I’m in college and it’s my second vehicle (I DD an old 4Runner) and it really hasn’t been hard at all. Just gotta channel your cheapness, be resourceful and take your time when it comes to getting anything done with it.

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
04/26/2015 at 21:24

I guess floor support rails might be the more specific term for what I’ll be fixing. Along with some rust on the frame horns up front. A friend of mine who has a 240 with an Olds V8 did the same thing using plain channel steel and it sounds like it helped out the chassis stiffness a lot.

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/26/2015 at 21:38

The guy I consulted is a Z car specialist, he always knows what to do. He does everything major on my car, they build race cars so mine is pretty easy. When I go to Japan next month I’m giving him the car to do a few things, I’ll post a tour of the car after that. I call this phase 2. The bottom of my right front fender had rust that we killed, phase 3 may replace the front fenders, remove the side trim I hate and repaint the car. I wanted to keep the original paint but I’m not sure its possible and its probably best for the car to treat any little problems and coat and paint anything left. I got an ITG air filter to go on my triples, rear disk kit and several little things as well. I’m having them re tune the carbs since I can’t even begin to do that, also put some top spring kits on all the individual carbs. I think I need different jets and I found a list of settings that work for all driving conditions from an old Z tuner so I want to try it.

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
04/26/2015 at 22:56

Yeah my friend runs a high school shop class and between him and his buddies has a fully stripped turbo’d 240 running a draw through and water injection, a 260z they race in LeMons another turbo 510 and his v8 240, so I can trust his opinions. I just found a set of triple Italian DCOE 40s that I could rebuild and get going pretty cheaply, so that and a cam might be my next step. Then comes re-gearing and wheels and tires and a roll bar and rebuilding the L28 I have and better brakes and an LSD and oh god there’s a ton of stuff left...

415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°) > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/26/2015 at 23:18

Yes the list goes on, I would like a better rear end at some point. I actually have Weber DCOE 45s it says, I had to check. My car came with a roll bar, it fits really well, only a few mm from everything, no idea how old it is or who made it.

MM54 > The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner
04/27/2015 at 00:09

Sounds good! I daily drove an all-original ‘71 Chevelle for a couple years so I know what it takes to keep up with an older car - I really enjoy it, so long as I’m not being left stuck places! I graduate college (BSEE with a minor in Math) in less than two weeks, once I get things settled down I expect to start accumulating, err, I mean, collecting, some cool cars to play with (and giving that Chevelle the full restoration it deserves!).

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > 415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)
04/27/2015 at 00:43

I’ve been eyeballing a kit from Jegs recently. Its just a mess of pre bent tubes that theoretically will fit a Z. But I guess that’s why I’m a welding student right? Just one more thing that I can do cheaper than going to MSA

The Magic Rev Matching 4Runner > MM54
04/27/2015 at 00:49

Oh, nice! It’s always funny to me when older people come up to me at gas stations or wherever and say they wish they could afford to have one. Then I tell ‘em I’m a freshman in college and work part time as a carpenter and I’m still able to enjoy it and modify it to my liking hahaha. Definitely not living the high life and am most certainly single but hey, I got my two dream cars already