The Brown Hornet - as NEW 1971 240Z - SOLD

[C.A.R.]

What treatment are you going to apply on the underside of the Zed, Adam?

[acf321]

Hey Lurch,

 

The underside of the car is all covered in stone guard and then painted. Nothing too special here, but the thinking was that the stone guard would assist in cutting out NVH without going beserk. Note the Dynamat on the firewall, that I actually was not convinced I wanted to use, however Nat suggested we go with that for the heat retardation qualities it has, and from memory the last Z I owned tended to cook my feet, and that was a standard motor!

 

We're likely to use a lesser amount of D-mat on the tranny tunnel and eslewhere, just carpet as per NZedder's car.

 

As for the roof, can anyone tell me what the car has on either side of the roof inside, in the place where the top of the window frames line up with. From memory it was black vinyl, but is there any moulding or other that has to be used for this part and the a pillars?

 

 

[garvice]

Hey Garvice ... good to hear from you mate .. you must have burning ears, as we were questioning if we could get any new rubber seals for the rear hatch hinges, as you were making. Any luck on this?

Your thinking of greg, but we do live close and have a screen name starting with G, so I can see the mistake.

 

On the nissan plates, i know what you mean, but that is the way the Aussie RTA put them on back in the day, the holes are alread there.  I could change it, but it would be making new holes. Having said that, Nat is not happy with the top plate and we are going to glue it to the panel, so it will come off and be changed slightly before its completed.

Still think you should have welded up the holes at the body work stage then re-drilled new holes, but at least Nat is fixing it.

[acf321]

week 37...

 

Still waiting on all the metal to come back from the cad platers, but today I took down everything I have for the car, including glass, steering wheel, interior etc etc. Nat has had the rear brake linings machined, and has reconditioned the brake vacuum unit and front calipers. Calipers are painted in two pac heat resistant paint and to my way of thinking look fantastic, as in OEM look.

 

Need to go over to MIA Engine Services in a week or so as they're ready to finalise the motor. CR is very close to 11:1 and all the bottom end is all assembled. I'll try to get down there and get some photos of the final part of the assembly, and then post them up here. Alloy is all refinished and looking as new. Seats are ready to go to the trimmer to have the new covers installed, and headlining is being re-cut as we speak.

 

I helped a mate clean his car last weekend .. have a look!

 

Cheers

 

Adam

[acf321]

Hey Rev ... these are the caps we were talking about. Not the circular handle, just the round cap that clips onto it.

 

Cheers

 

[acf321]

Week 42...

 

Popped by for a quick look to see what's been going on. Headlining is done and looks excellent, as are rear strut mount covers (the fit  of which is rubbish, from Datsun Spirit). Lets hope their seats covers are better or the whole lot will be going back with a 'please explain'.

 

Nat's put the rear suspension in, including all new bushes and cad plated bolts. I was was pretty impressed with the look of it to be honest. I wanted it to look 'as new' without looking as though we'd spent a week painting / polishing it. The fuel tank has been re-painted and restored and looks as new. We tried a teaser by sitting one of the wheels on the hub. Note the brakes are not on the car, so the wheel will sit a little further out once this is completed. (the wheel shown is actually the front wheel which has wrong rear offset, but is a nice teaser to show colour and style).

 

Anyway, the car is looking really cool, and we're very happy we went with a non-traditional Red or Silver scheme. As much as we considered a silver early on, lots of Z's are being re-done in this hue, so we wanted to be sure this car stood out from the crowd, whilst maintaining the period / racing look.

 

Nat's going to have the suspension fitted and the car will be on the ground in the next fortnight or so. Thinking of putting some pretty cool decals on the car as well, for that old school racer look. Also looking to buy a set of Willans four point harnesses as they add to the look and replace the old ratty original ones I have. 

 

Cheers

[acf321]

more. That wheel rocks !

[Zedman240®]

It's going to be a shame when it's driven in the wet for the first time! All that grime covering the yellow underneath...oh well!

[RB30X]

Looks absolutely amazing, but I don't even want to consider how much this is costing you.

[KatoKid]

This rocks Adam.....probably the most inspirational thread on the forum. Cant wait to see it the flesh one day.

[mossy]

Any updates Adam?

[acf321]

Week 48...

 

wow its almost been a year.

 

Went down to MIA today to have a look at the engine (photos attached). James has completed putting the motor together, but is yet to put the alternator, starter, and timing plate back on. We're going to have to use an electric fuel pump, as the mechanical one won't fit given the Kameari chain tensioner. All the alloy is restored to OEM look, and the block is painted OEM blue, with the sump in the factory black. Alternator, oil pump, water pump, starter are all restored inside and out. We managed to find a set new set of Nissan Motorsport tuned length extractors which James tells me are the way to go also, adding that final HP advantage. With very near 11:1 CR, race pistons, OER carbs, oversize valves, Isky cam, and springs, etc, James is pretty comfortable the thing will make 250hp at the fly. Given his work in Datsun race motors, and his ongoing class leading form in Group SC, its hard not to see why it won't, albeit his race motor is a little warmer than this.

 

Saw all the other SC race cars down at MIA today, and it really made me want to get the hornet on the road. I am having James neighbour 'Pottsy' set up the suspension once its on, as he does all the race cars. Its interesting that all the race cars have 14" wheels with 60 series tyres, and lowered appropriately, they look great. It confirmed in my mind that the 15" wheels with 205/60 series tyres is the right way to go (at least for this project). Interestingly also, almost all the race cars use no rear sway bar, and a very thin front one. It seems with these cars, less is more.

 

My new Stainless steel bars arrived here last week and all I can say is they look amazing. Hand made, exact replica stainless bars are incredible.

 

Anyway, car now has all the suspension on, and in two weeks should have the motor in. James will rig it up on the dyno and get the OER's jetted properly, and i'll get Pottsy to tune up the handling. On a final note, we had all the nuts and bolts nickel plated, and in these photos they are not yet on the motor.

 

I've been buying all the little odd and hard to find parts from OS, so the car will look 100% OEM inside and out, until i put my foot down (Fingers crossed !!).

 

Rgds

 

Adam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[acf321]

last photos

[WA240Z]

So glad to see the updates again, I have really been enjoying watching your wonderful car come togeather. By the sounds of it not too long now.

[FLEXZED]

hey adam

 

looking great mate, as i have said before cant wait to see it on the road

 

Loui

[NZeder]

all looking great Adam makes me think I should update my thread again given recent additions to the frame

 

Can't wait for pics of the bar installed

[KatoKid]

Looking great Adam.

 

Who's stainless bars did you buy and did they come drilled for rubbers or plain? I think good bars make or break the finished product, seen plenty of cars that have a good looking body but the bars let them down.

 

David.

[acf321]

Thanks for the comments guys, David as for the Bars, they are made in thailand by an English Company called Group Harrington, which specialises in remaking chrome bars in stainless. They do a lot of classics, such as early american, and lots of Euro cars including ferrari. The Datsun bars were recently on sale and cost me exactly A$1000 delivered to Australia front and back. They come with the corner rubber strips, but do not have the holes for the over-riders, which you would need to drill yourself.

[NZeder]

I did ask if they could make a ZG front bumper in stainless too but the issue is getting a good sample to them might have to see if I can get a good FG replica to them given I only have the orginial urethan unit and don't want to sent that away

[mossy]

Hey Adam how much were they on sale for? I've been keeping an eye on them but they have always seemed to be the same price?

[acf321]

week 48... again !

 

James Flett (M.I.A Engineering) sent me these pics through this week.

 

Just as a reminder of what we've done with this L24 motor (from what I know), proudly supplied be a fellow member from Port Macquarie;

1) block and engine was hot dipped and painted in OEM blue and black

2) Engine was line bored, and bored about ~40 thou to give us 2.5L

3) head has been extensively ported, with new larger valves, and guides. We used Iskanderian valve springs, lash pad and retainers

4) Isky stage 3 road cam - see photos.

5) kameari twin idler gear, and adjustable timing gear.

6) Rods, crank and flywheel balanced, with about 2kg off flywheel. We avoided using an ally racing fly wheel given cost and ultra light weight might not work too well on a road motor,

7) OEM harmonic balancer has been restored by local engineering company, including new rubber damper.

8') CR ~11:1, with the pistons you see being 'james special' alloy racing items. 

9) oil pump, alternator, and starter are all restored inside and out, with new water pump. Fuel pump will be electric.

10) 45mm OER 'racing carburetors' with TWR 4.5" inlet, match ported to head. Headers will be Nissan Motorsport tuned length items.

11) 280Z electric dizzy with internal mods. All hardware has been nickel plated and looks a treat.

11) As i've said elsewhere in the forum, the motor should be good for ~100hp/litre. James has a dyno, so once complete we can check the theory.

 

 

Rgds

 

Adam

 

 

 

 

 

 

[acf321]

last pics

 

[C.A.R.]

Adam, can you please ask James for head flow figures please (inlet & exhaust): what ### cfm @ 25" of h2O

[acf321]

Week 48 again ....

 

James just sent these photos through ... he says it'll be completed by this time tomorrow.

 

[acf321]

and these. Should look insane with the OER's, Dizzy and race leads on it!!!