# 1972 Datsun 240Z



## 1972_240 (Aug 27, 2004)

I recently aquired a 1972 Datsun 240Z for free. The car is in less than stellar condition, but it has had two owners, and we know both of them. The car was parked up in a field near our house, and I found it while I was stacking wood, asked my parents who's it was, turns out it was a friends of ours. I asked him if he had any plans for it, and it turns out he was just going to let it sit up there forever. It's been sitting up there in that field for nearly 13 years, uncovered, completley exposed to the weather. I went up to start it and bring it down to my house, but it turns out that it had a flat tire and needed that changed, and also needed a new battery. After that it started up relativley easily, but ran rough. I brought it down to my house and let it air out. Over the 13 years many things had made that car their home, including rats and bugs and what not. I cleaned all of that out, ripped out all the carpet, and just let it air out for about a month or two. I then brought it in to the garage and began working on it. This car, besides having the oil changed, is working on a stock motor, stock tranny, stock everything, and has basicly been ignored for 32 years and 146,000 miles.

I changed the oil, transmission fluid, differential fluid, changed the water pump, the spark plugs, spark plug wires, brake line, swaped backs and bottoms of the seats to make one good seat, bled the brakes (one caliper is still seized), bled the coolant system (radiator is aftermarket and HUGE so it takes a LONG time to get it up to operating temperatures), re-timed the valves, replaced the intake/exhaust gasket, broke a ton of rusted bolts, SORTA-tuned the carbs (still running rich) and that's about it.

It runs MUCH better now, but the interior/exterior is still way out of my price range to repair. I was told that this car was in a front-end collision, which is why the radiator was replaced, but most of the damage was cosmetic, and was pounded out (or so I was told). Well, recently, I discovered that the front right frame rail was cracked all the way through (probably from the accident, which occured sometime pre-1991), and was the reason why the front right wheel was visibly out of alignment.

Basicly the car is rusted in quite a few spots, and has one large body problem, but other than that, it's pretty amazing considering it was ignored for so long. I'm going to get the engine running as well as I can, and leave the rest up to fate. Here are some pics.


























































Here's a video of how it sounds. (1.12 MB) AVI Format.
If you're easily offended by harsh language, than don't download the video. Throughout the entire video you can hear me yelling at my friend to open the F***ing garage door.
Engine Sound Movie 
Well, it'll be interesting to hear what you guys have to say.


----------



## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

that's fricken awesome dude... It'll be a really good project car


----------



## Marc Z31 (Jul 25, 2004)

Get an Electric fan, It sounds kind of like a jeep right now
Sweet car. My only more favorable Z is an 88 Shiro Special


----------



## 1972_240 (Aug 27, 2004)

I'll look into the electric fan, but that video was recorded with a crappy camera on my PDA, so the sound/video kinda sucks. I'm going to work on this car for as long as I can, but I have a feeling that something short of a miracle is needed to fully restore it.


----------



## 240ZT (May 9, 2003)

The interior doesn't look too bad. Get a pair of integra seats for cheap and put them in there. You can get some black carpet from Home Depot and cut it to size if you are on a budget.


----------



## 1972_240 (Aug 27, 2004)

Any suggestions about the busted frame-rail? I wouldn't feel comfortable welding it myself, but I know that it's fix-able... in the right hands.


----------



## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

1972_240 said:


> Any suggestions about the busted frame-rail? I wouldn't feel comfortable welding it myself, but I know that it's fix-able... in the right hands.


That's all anybody else would do but you need to get it straight which you won't be able to do by yourself


----------



## 1972_240 (Aug 27, 2004)

How much would we be looking at $ wise for a job like that?


----------



## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

I really have no idea. Sorry


----------



## 240ZT (May 9, 2003)

Check with a body shop.


----------



## hondakillerZX (Aug 16, 2004)

good find man if you get that thing running good you'll love it. Z's kick ass


----------



## nizmo559 (Mar 4, 2003)

Thats a nice 240 amazing cars that start up after years of sitting arent they. Mine did the same its almost unbelieveable. Good luck.


----------

