A few weeks before Easter this year (2010), a mate from the Gippsland Car Club lobs into my work for a quick yack & informs me he’s heard about a 240Z for sale, down near the G/Lakes.
I said “yeah, get me some details” (thinking that nothing will come of it).
Right before I’m due to go on holidays for Easter, said mate lobs back in on a Friday with a phone number for an older bloke called Harry… Hrmm…
I get home that evening & mull over for a few minuets weather or not to call this ‘Harry’.
I give in & make the call:
(Summarizations of the call):
“Hello?”“Hi Harry, my name is Locky & I’m enquiring as to weather you have a 240Z for sale?”
“Umm… well… yes I guess I do”“OK well, umm, can you tell me some information about it? What year is it?”
“Oh, well it’s a 1970 model”Bells start ringing in my head & I immediately ask”
“Ahh ok – do you know what Chassis Number it is?”
“Oh it’s 14something – I can’t remember atm”(At this stage I break out into a cold sweat).
“Right. Is it still registed?”
“Oh Yes – It’s been registed & insured since 1970 – still has the original plates on it.”(My heart starts racing)
“Oh excellent” (me trying not to sound too excited)
“So how long have you owned it Harry?”
“I bought it new in December 1970 – it took aaaaaggges to arrive from Japan”(My hand starts shaking).
“So is it in stock condition is it?”
“Well it mostly is, but I had the orignal engine & gearbox rebuilt a few years ago buy a bloke called Gordon Dobie who used to run a workshop called ‘Datsun Performance Centre’. Have you heard of him?”(I nearly drop the phone)
“Umm, yes the name rings a bell”
“Right, well he rebuilt the engine with a ported head with big valves, cam, & he also fitted fuel injection with one of those ‘Wolf’ computers.”“Oh right”
“Yes, but it doesn’t run very well – I don’t think it’s been tuned correctly.”
“It’s also got a rebuilt close ratio gearbox in it – it’s magic to shift”(At this stage I’m nearly a drooling mess on the floor)
“That all sounds excellent Harry – oh, is there much rust in the body?”
“Nope, apart from the bottoms of the guards – they’ve blistered. Damn things, they’re the 2nd set I’ve had on it!”“Well… umm… (trying to sound composed), that sounds like a very nice 240Z Harry”
“If your home tomorrow (Saturday) would it be possible to come down & have a look at it?”
“Yes, I don’t see why not. But make it after 10am – I’m retired & I don’t get out of bed early anymore unless I have to! (laughs).”I hang up & sit on a chair in complete disbelief.
So much for nothing coming of that…
The next Day I head down there (2hr drive) & meet up with Harry & his lovely wife Dawn, to inspect the Zed.
I think most of my Christmas’s came at one that morning.
Not only is it an early Chassis number – HS30-00149, it’s also matching numbers(!)
Harry was undeniably nervous about selling it (with good reason!), so a careful negotiation process took up most of the morning.
However fate intervened when I went & started it: a high pressure fuel line burst in the engine bay, spraying fuel all over the garage floor.
I quickly shut it down & this (sadly) was when it really hit home for Harry – the mighty 240Z was beyond him…
Dad & myself shot down after Easter & collected the Zed with the trailer, & we spent most of the day there talking, eating, drinking & socializing - basically making it easier for Harry to separate from the Zed, which he so loved.
He also gave me all the old parts he’s taken off it: the Hitachi carbs, steel wheels with early ‘D’ hubcaps, front under tray, front spook (which he had made in the 70’s for it!) etc etc.
He even gave me the original sales receipt for it, from when he bought it!!!
In the coming weeks after I took position of it, I repaired the rust in the guards, then the floor, chassis rails, foot-wells, inner guard (under the battery tray), firewall… It was a tad rustier than Harry thought…!
Then the panic set in –I was so busy at work, and with only a few weeks to get a Roadworthy (in order to keep the original B&W plates) & transfer it into my name I decided to hand it over to Mike at Spyder Automobiles in Warragul to finish the mechanical repairs & organize the roadworthy.
The roadworthy was achieved with a few days to spare – to say I was stressed during this time would be an understatement…!
Mike is also a Wolf dealer, installer & tuner & had the 240Z running like a Swiss watch – as it always should have been.
And that’s the story – perhaps the greatest find I’ll ever have!
Future plans are to fit new door rubbers (thanks Simon!) then upgrade the brake/suspension/diff & maybe fit some triple throttle bodies (nice easy ‘bolt-on’ modifications)… then see what it does on the track
This is one Zed that’s never going to be cut up/butchered & is to remain one VERY special Z (at least to me!).
Thanks for reading!
Cheers,
Lurch.
