1972 Datsun 240Z Roadster - auto parts - by owner - vehicle automotive sale - craigslist (2024)

I started on the frame bench and discovered that my Z had previously been crashed on the passenger side. The right front apron, rail, and core support have been replaced, as was the back half of the quarter panel on the same side. The repairs appear to have been professionally done and they held up fine even after all of the hard running I gave the car.

Since I planned to make it into a convertible, I first added structure to the floorboards by welding an 1/8” thick steel hat channel from the footwell areas of the firewall, under the floors on both sides, to the rear bulkhead. After priming the area, I sprayed on a heavy layer of undercoating to protect the metal. Next, I cut the top off, raked the windshield A-pillars back ~15° and chopped them two inches, then internally reinforced the pillars with round tubing that just fit. I had a local glass shop cut a new Datsun windshield to fit, and eventually installed it using modern urethane windshield caulk on the windshield pinch weld and a black plastic molding to cover the joint rather than using the original-style gasket. I also replaced the 240Z hood with a 280 hood with open vents to keep things cooler.

For the convertible top and trunk, I went to the junkyard and found a donor Fiat 124 Spider. The parts had to be substantially modified to fit and look right on the Datsun, but I think they turned out quite nicely. When the car was finished, I could pull up to a stop light, flip three latches, and throw the top open within ~5 seconds; putting it back up took maybe 7. And the interior was dry, the top didn’t leak.

Once the body work was done, the painter at the body shop sprayed the car with Sikkens white pearl top coated with clear urethane. Then I sent it over to a local interior shop and had the original seats re-padded and covered in cloth. He also made the canvas convertible top, refurbished the door panels, and installed custom black carpeting throughout.

While all that was being done, I upgraded to a semi-hotrod L28 engine, with light porting of the head, a performance camshaft, electronic ignition, headers, front and rear sway bars, adjustable camber bushings, quick steering knuckles, urethane bushings, and a “ground effects kit” (all from Motorsport, now www.thezstore.com), along with triple Mikuni 44 PHH carburetors, a 5-speed transmission, and Koni shock absorbers. I also upgraded to Enkei 92-series 16” wheels (painted to match the body) with Pirelli P7 tires. The car was quite the looker when I was done.

There is a picture of the car attached showing it done (except for the bumper installation) in 1987 or ‘88. I drove it daily for five years. The car was an outstanding performer. It was only when I pushed it to 10/10ths that I could detect just a slight bit of shimmy from the roof being gone. My friend’s 1968 Corvette roadster was significantly less rigid than my Datsun. But then thieves stole the car in 1991, leaving it up on blocks miles away, with the Enkei wheels gone and the side and rear portions of my ground effects kit destroyed in the process. My insurance didn’t cover full replacement value, so I replaced the Enkeis with cheaper 15” alloy wheels and Goodyear 205 50-15 tires that will come with the car now.

In 1992, I went to Japan and stayed for seven years. I left the car with my brother, who was renting barn space from a farmer for some things. While I was gone, he stopped paying rent to the farmer, who pushed everything outside under a tree. When I returned to the States, the paint looked dirty but shiny after a good washing and the engine ran OK. He put Accel stickers on my front air dam (see attached pic). But the biggest problem was that rust had attacked the firewall near the battery and also the doglegs low on the rear quarter panels, and some small cracks had appeared in the custom coachwork near the trunk.

I decided to do a major overhaul and redesign. I disassembled the car (keeping, I believe, every nut, bolt, washer, bracket, and strap), sandblasted the rusted areas, and built a rotisserie. While in Japan, I learned about the G-nose option that was highly prized among Datsun enthusiasts there. I bought an aftermarket, 2-piece G-nose kit, including hinges, fender flares, as well as NOS Nissan-brand G-nose headlight covers w/stainless rings from Motorsport. My plan was to fix the rusted areas, rebuild the engine, and have the car repainted pearl white, but with a red pearl ‘rising sun flag’ “meatball” centered on the hood with and rays extending out in all directions (a Japanese version of the Union jack-themed 1970 Jag convertible in the 1999 comedy The Spy who Shagged Me).

I also have the original steering wheel, steel wheels, and hubcaps for the car. I planned to get rid of the Momo wheel and go back to original. I looked into having the original steel wheels modified for 15 or 16 inch substantially wider tires but would be compatible with the OEM hubcaps, but never got around to it.

Unfortunately, I was only able to finish parts of the plan until life got in the way. I rebuilt the L28 using a combination of an overbored L28 block and crankshaft (balanced & polished), L24 rods (3mm longer than L28) big ends bored for L28 crank, and new pistons that would normally be used in a KA24E (89mm bore). I believe that yields ~2.949 liter displacement and ~9.5 static compression ratio. On the top end, the head is E88 with mild porting, a performance cam (I don’t recall the specs) and high performance spring kit w/lightweight aluminum retainers. Unfortunately, it’s been 22 years since the rebuild, and the ink has faded from many of the receipts I kept.

I stayed with the triple Mikuni carbs and header, and the exhaust is still in excellent condition. The car comes with a new Tokiko strut and spring kit still in the box. Motorsport provided me with doglegs to replace the ones that rusted out.

While I had it on the rotisserie, I decided to make the unibody structure more rigid by fabricating a sort of latticework frame of ½” square steel tubing that fit tightly to the interior floors, transmission tunnel, and door sills. After welding the cage to the original floors, tunnel, and sills, I then spot welded a sheetmetal skin over the cage, creating a quasi-honeycomb floor that I believe will make car even more rigid than it was before.

Then I got a job in 2003 that required me to move from Oregon to Maryland, and the Datsun has sat on the rotisserie in my garage ever since. I bar the engine over every few months, but I got into old Chris Craft boats in 2007 and the restoration/refit of my 1969 Chris Craft Roamer 46 has (and continues to) take up all of my free time. I’m not getting any younger, and I recently decided it’s time to (hopefully) pass my beloved Datsun on to the next owner. It has a clear Oregon title.

There is a 45-minute video in which I go through the car in great detail, showing all of the parts that come with it, as well as the areas of the car that were damaged and repaired: https://youtu.be/xBlvfsE1jRg.

Included parts list
Unless otherwise noted, all parts are from my 1972 Datsun 240Z or are spares that fit it.
4x hubcaps, complete w/”Z” badges
2x hubcaps, no badge
2x L/R front turn signals
2x L/R front marker lights
4x L/R rear marker lights
3x Strut top caps
1x alternator + belt
1x L28 electronic distributor
1x distributor cap w/spark plug wire set
2x wiring harnesses
2x front suspension strut w/ 4 pot caliper & adjustable camber bushings (L/R)
2x front suspension strut w/ 2 pot caliper (L/R)
4x front tension rods (2x L/R)
1x painted valve cover
2x wiper motor & linkage assemblies
3x wiper arms w/blades
2x starter (1 w/gear reduction)
1x flywheel
1x clutch disk
1x clutch pressure plate
1x transmission plate
1x front cross member w/engine mounts
1x steering rack, complete
1x NOS tension rod bushing kit
1x NOS steering rack bushing kit
1x NOS stainless steel flexible brake line kit
1x NOS Cowl Panel Receiver kit
4x swaybar end links (F/R, urethane and rubber bushings)
2x dashboard filler cowels
4x fuel, clutch, & brake hard lines
1x custom carpet kit for entire interior
1x used OEM vinyl upper seat cover
2x original (believed) door panels
2x recovered vinyl door panels
2x recovered vinyl/carpet door panels
1x convertible top w/frame, canvas, & rear plastic folding window
1x trunk interior rear panel
2x trunk interior side panels
2x rear suspension struts w/drum brakes, links, & OEM rubber bushings
2x rear suspension struts w/drum brakes, links, & adjustable camber bushings
2x rear bumpers
4x half shafts
1x NOS Tokico HPK 251 suspension kit
2x lexan door windows (L/R)
1x drive shaft
1x R180 differential (3.364:1 ratio)
1x R200 differential (3.364:1 ratio)
2x differential straps
2x differential mounts
1x NOS rocker dogleg patch panel
2x parking brake lever assemblies
1x parking brake cable assemblies
2x aluminum door sills “DATSUN” L/R
2x inner door sill covers (vinyl over stamped steel) L/R
1x throttle, brake, & clutch pedal rubber covers (spares in good used condition)
1x OEM steering wheel w/horn button
1x OEM “DATSUN” horn button (spare)
1.5x turn signal/light/ignition switch plastic cover
2x turn signal switches
2x headlight/running light switches
2x steering columns
1x Momo steering wheel w/ “NISSAN” horn button
2x center console switch/light panel
1x center console switch/light indicators (spares)
1x rear view mirror
1x OEM chrome driver side door mirror
1x OEM engine inspection light assembly
2x hood release cables w/ handles
1x power brake booster
1x brake master cylinder
2x clutch master cylinder
1x clutch slave cylinder
1x clutch fork
1x speedometer cable w/compensating gearbox for 15” wheel/tire combo
1x set of aftermarket “G-nose” wheel flares
1x 2-piece aftermarket “G-nose” kit
2x OEM Nissan “G-nose” hood hinges
2x OEM Nissan “G-nose” headlight cover kit w/lenses and stainless trim rings
2x SEV Marchal Amplilux dual bulb, dual reflector headlights
2x headlight retainer cases w/stainless headlight rings
1x used OEM headlight case (R)
1x front ventilation duct
1x upper strut bar
1x voltage regulator
1x ignition coil clamp
6x NOS 34mm Mikuni Solex side-draft carburetor venturies
1x NOS K&N filter care service kit.
1x fuel pressure regulator
1x fuel distribution block (3 outlet)
1x NOS Summit® oil filter relocation kit
2x fender filler panels (L/R, two sets)
4x DATSUN emblems
2x 240Z emblems
1x complete welded exhaust system
2x door moldings & seals (L/R)
2x glove box doors
1x dashboard w/original instruments
1x heater core/heater box assembly
1x heater fan/motor/housing assembly
2x heater box inlet ducts
2x heater box outlet ducts
2x heater hose assemblies
1x ignition switch w/2 keys
2x stainless steel door window seals (L/R 2 sets)
2x window regulator and door latch assemblies
2x OEM jack hatch assemblies
1x OEM fuel tank w straps
1x fuel inlet hose
2x fuel doors
1x rubber fuel flap
2x right taillight assemblies
1x left taillight assembly
1x rear license plate light
1x rear tail light/license plate filler panels (L, Center, & R)
4x 15” aluminum wheels w/ tires
4x OEM 14” steel wheels
1x OEM jack
1x OEM spare tire hold-down plate
1x OEM pressboard spare tire cover
1x radiator w/hoses & cap
2x seats (R/L) recovered in black velour
1x windshield
1x 280Z hood w/OEM vents
1x hood stay
1x hood cowel panel
1x battery access hatch
2x clutch master cylinder hatches
2x doors (L/R)
1x trunk lid
1x trunk latch release solenoid
4x cans containing every nut, bolt, and washer removed while disassembling the car
armrests
2x seatbelt latches
2x OEM horns (tested, working)