Differences between 240 and 260 2 seater

[JP240z]

My mum just bought a '75 260 2 seater as a project car.....

I was just wondering what differences there were between this and my 240?

 

I'm aware of the different:

 

Engine capacity

Exhaust system

Console

TailLights

AC?

Retractible Seatbelts?

TailLight Surrounds?

Bonnet?

Speedo?

Hatch Struts?

 

Any help on this would be appreciated.

If anyone is interested in what the car looks like...it is the yellow 260 on carsales...or was on carsales..not sure. definately a bargain tho i think....wish it was mine!

 

Cheers,

Jack

[Toecutter]

wow your mum bought a project car! thats pretty cool, she must like Z's? wow, who's doing the work! I'm running late for dinner to answer this question but I'll give it a go when I get back tonite!

[Mr Camouflage]

Bonnet should be identical to a 240z, unless its the vented bonnet.

 

More differences:

 

Front lower radiator crossmember is deeper/closer to the ground, allowing for a bigger radiator.

 

Top rad support panel has a Lip on that contours to the underside of the bonner (though later 73 240z's had this too).

 

Rear A arms construction is different (where the spindle pin housing joins to the A arm - 260Z appears stronger maybe?).

 

Front crossmember is reinforced where it bolts to the chassis.

 

Engine bay has extra brackets for carbon canister, fuseable links, etc.

 

Door catches may be different.

 

Front valance pannel is different

 

Seat trim is different.

 

Interior trim is different (Not the same diamond pattern as the 240).

 

Thicker sway bar (i believe, at least on the 2+2 it is).

[NZeder]

And if it was manufactured after Aug 75 then it will be the later/last body shell which should have all the differences listed above as these are the later mods ie radiator supports panel being lower. The later 260z have the larger suspension struts, stonger stub axles, R200 if manual in the 2 seater, taller rear strut towers and much stonger in this area. As stated the doors are different due to the different latch setup (outside skin is the same). Intermittant wipers (and not by fault in the old wiring like some 240z :lol: ) I am sure there are more but that is the major ones anyway.

 

EDIT: Just found it on carsales - later/last body shell alright just look at the rear strut towers. See http://images.carsales.com.au/private/1722952.jpg

 

Also if you look at the pic above you will see those large holes in the rear panel those were for the those big US bumpers on the 280z they got as they share some of the same panels, however the US 280z did not have the shape for the bumper in the rear quarters but the rest of the back end is the same as the 280z (with the firewall different for the LHD setup, I am sure there are others between the 280z and our later 260z models but Nissan did share many parts between these models just some difference for the appropriate market)

[JP240z]

thanks for that mr camoflage, i wasnt sure about may of those....it clears up a lot.

Yes my mum does love her cars...she helped me with ALL the work on my car as she is a design engineer with Ford....she does the mechanicals of the AC in falcon and territory. So since my car is nearing completion...she decided to look for somthing else..and as there are no corvette stingrays sitting around, she decided to go for a 260 2 seater which i think was a real bargain for 3500 and no rust.

 

how does the value of 260 2 seaters compare with that of 240's?

and are parts easier to come by or similiar due to the similarities with the 240?

 

And yes....i think i am the only 240 owner still on their L's!

Cheers,

Jack

[NZeder]

Great price for what looks like a very rust free shell (no rust in the battery box area looking at the photos) Not personally keen on the sun roof I would want to put a new roof on to fix that (however I am from NZ were it rains alot - which you guys need a lot of for those fires and so you can wash the zeds)

 

Also looking at the ad they talk about the work done to the engine - some info is not correct. Installing L24 rods with the stock crank does not stroke the engine only a longer stroke crank will do that (ie LD28). Changing the rods from the L26/28 units 130.3mm center to center to L24 133mm center to center changes the rod/stroke ratio from 1.65 to 1.68 should rev a little better. However the 2mm over bore bring it close to a stock L28. The stock L24/L26 bore is 83mm so taking out to 85mm is only 1mm less than the stock 86mm of the L28. So this would make it 2.7l and with L24 rods if the deck height is good should go well (talked about the tops of the pistons machined - I hope not too much as this might make them weak and blowing the top of them could be possible if too much meat was removed)

 

Great project - good luck to you and your mum.

[JP240z]

yeah...i realised that he was a no hoper as soon as i read the l24 rods bit...but decided to check it out as mums keen on a V8...but it turns out that he has had a mate doing the mechanicals as he is qualified and he has all reciepts for the work done. But it seems like a great body to me...all sits flush and straight and no rust as far as i can see....and the rust prone spots were fairly visible..

thanks for that info too nzeder...its november or sumthing like that of 75 so it is the later body.

 

cheers,

Jack

[zedevan]

yeah i saw that car up there the other day when i was looking just out of curosity and was thinking the same thing about it! your mum should get them to give her a discounted xr6 turbo motor for it :evil:, i'd never do it myself but it sure would make for one quick car.

 

so u've now got 2 zeds in the family, both with sunroofs, and both not on the road? lol! hack up the 260z and keep your 240z orginal. i should of bought a car in a similar state to this, along with a cheap 80's corolla, and played with it as it works out much cheaper, but i've had alot of fun with mine still and i couldnt imagine it being any other way (the past that is, not the car hehe)

 

have fun with them both, and enjoy your car when you get your p's! i get off mine the day after you get yours i just realised

 

so the late 260z's have the same suspension and hubs as 280z's? just trying to work out what stuff works thats on the overseas sites etc

[Mr Camouflage]

Your mum must be high on the list of worlds coolest mums.

[NZeder]

so the late 260z's have the same suspension and hubs as 280z's? just trying to work out what stuff works thats on the overseas sites etc

Yep - in fact here is an interesting bit of info. The US guys talk about getting the 280z stub axles as they are stonger than the 240z/260z units (by 260z I mean their 260z not they ones we got - see the next bit). Now the interesting bit is that on our RHD market cars there is only one partnumber for the 260z stub axles and yes it is different to the 240z one. So from that I take it that all 260z stub axles are the stonger 27 spline units. I have never owned a early 260z so can't comment with 100% certainty I am just going by the parts catalogue I have (last edition Dec 79).

 

Also a lot of people get bent out of shape about which is better the 240z or the 260z which has more value etc. And I know here in NZ when you say you own a 260z most stay "I don't like them the 240z is better" (as most think of the 260z as the 2+2). To the non Zed fan if they see a 260z two seater they don't know it is different to the 240z (all of what has been discussed above). Now also interesting to know is that in our RHD market Nissan made 101537 240z (well that was the last recorded chassis number), but only 021384 260z 2 seater (again the last recorded chassis number) so that makes the 260z 2 seater a rare car? So pickup a 240z and cut that puppy there are more of them around.....or not due to the thinner steel used (ie lighter) they rusted more (this is the case with the fisrt versions upto late 1970 as they used even thinner pressing in places). So the 260z is an improved version :twisted: stonger suspension, body, less made = harder to find, heavier due to the ++ of the stronger suspension blah blah. But still a very light car by todays standards.

 

Hell a Nissan Mica is over 1100KG.

[JP240z]

Yes Mr Camoflage....it certainly helps having a mum that can help you work on ur car .

And not quite evan....i had a new roof put onto my 240...have kept it extremely original and it is now on the road..ive added recent pics into my gallery.

 

So we go to pic up the car tonight....taking dad along as he is keen on doing some of the minor body work required. It looks like a great car...and it will make for one awsome driveway lol.

 

Thanks for all ur help.

Cheers,

Jack

[NZeder]

Yes Mr Camoflage....it certainly helps having a mum that can help you work on ur car .

And not quite evan....i had a new roof put onto my 240...have kept it extremely original and it is now on the road..ive added recent pics into my gallery.

 

So we go to pic up the car tonight....taking dad along as he is keen on doing some of the minor body work required. It looks like a great car...and it will make for one awsome driveway lol.

 

Thanks for all ur help.

Cheers' date='

Jack[/quote']

 

Jack the car looks great - excellent work can't wait to see what happens to your mums 260z. What type of V8 is your mum thinking of?

[JP240z]

well the l26 in it sounds alright...so i dont think she'll be replacing it in hurry....dads keen on a big block but i think a warm 350 would be nice....but nothing beats the sound of a big block. I think she'll restore to relative originality before she starts messing with it too much...

 

And thanks...i love my car how it is. I think the chromed taillight surrounds really set of the rear of the car and a fresh front bumper also adds to it. But the sound is the main attraction.....way loud.

 

Cheers,

Jack

[zedevan]

ohyeah, forgot about the fact you got the roof replaced! mayb thats y i remembered your car had a sunroof, just forgot that it was HAD

 

your car looks nice, and is a classy classic colour, is the rear tail light panel on 240z's metal and hence how it can be chromed? or is it dipped plastic? i think thats the main reason to get a 240 over a 260, the rear lights, 260z's rear light panel is ugly in comparison

 

i agree with most ppl's comment being "oh a 260z, i prefer 240z's" being due to 2+2's. i think i read somewhere that fewer 2+2's were made than the 2 seaters, is that true?

[Zeddophile]

If your mum is after some good suspension (not sure whats been put into it by this guy), I have a full set of brand new Koni reds and standard height King Springs from my 76, and a bunch of assorted polyureathane bushes which will fit straight in - also have a lot of interior plastic panels and bits of trim which will also fit, plus some other bits and pieces - just PM with anything you're after, and I'll tell you if i've got it and what condition.

[NZeder]

i agree with most ppl's comment being "oh a 260z' date=' i prefer 240z's" being due to 2+2's. i think i read somewhere that fewer 2+2's were made than the 2 seaters, is that true?[/quote']Sorry Jack for this slight highjack. Yes and No is the answer - Yes there are fewer if you are looking at the range as a whole (ie 240z and 260z - lets leave the LHD US market out hell they forget about ours on their sites) but if you are talking just 260z then going by the parts catalogue I have then they made 383 more 2+2 than 2 seater in the export RHD markets. I like the 260z tail lights over the 240z ones - but I am thinking of installing custom rear lights for something completely different :wink:

[zedevan]

i do not mind the lights themselves, just the panel, particually the fillets around the reverse light, lol, getting off topic i know. ages ago i started a thread regarding the skyline lights i'm fabricating for my car, i'm hoping to actully finish them soon since i'll hopefully have some time...hopefully