NZeder's Datsun 260z Build Thread

[nzeder]

The bumpers that came with the car were Datsun 240z times which some might not know mount differently on the rear of the Datsun 260z. The front was easy as they are the same, that went on with ease. The rear....well another issue that had to be addressed. As luck would have it I already had some 260z rear bumper brackets for the road car so these could be copied and the 240z rear bumper fitted......wrong....turns out the 240z rear bumper might look like a 260z 2 seater rear bumper but where the brackets mounts in a slightly different location to the 260z 2 seater bumper so the replica mounts had to be modified again....

Now we had windows fitted and working with later regulators, bumpers fitted, rear window in, towing hooks painted red and installed, gutter trim/bright work fitted - it is now starting to look more like a zed should. Also got the door locks sorted. Word of advice make sure when you assemble the locks the correct length screws go in the correct location who ever partly assembled the car did not know of check this and the door would open and close fine just not lock as one of the screws was too long and stop the lock rod from moving correctly.

With the original power train that came with the car sold some good old L Gata needed to be sourced given I have sold my last L28 to Karl aka limezed and 2 before that to Earl Cruickshank for his Silver Datsun 240z. I did however get a L28 F54/N42 combo with the car. So the head is going to be used on rebuild later and the F54 was swapped for another N42 head.

As I am trying to be true to period correctness with the car I wanted to use N42/N42 head and block combo's as the N42 block was first available in 1975 unlike the F54 that did not come about until 1981-82.

Another Datsun Z club member was moving away from L28 power plants so a road trip was in order to collect 2 x N42/N42 long blocks, one from Hamilton the other from Rotorua. One of these engines will be dropped in to the car from the get go and I will run with that until I rebuild another engine ready for a swap over. I also managed to secure another N42 block/bottom end to go with the head I picked from the F54 swap.

So once again my garage/storage area went from 3 x L28 to 0 then back to 3 x L28 again.

Next was carbs - I needed some triples and a triple intake manifold as all my others that I had from years gone past (back in the 90's) had moved on to grace the engine bays of other zeds (either ones I owned, or other Datsun Z club member cars). More $$ was spend on importing a Cannon intake manifold and a set of triple Mikuni 44phh the correct carbs listed on the sports option catalogue for the S30Z.

Here are some images of the carbs - another update later. (click on these little images to see them larger)


Next installment brakes.