Administrators gav240z 3,006 Posted April 29, 2020 Administrators eBay Listing: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1962-Ferrari-250GTO-replica-1970-Datsun-240Z-5-speed-NSW-rego-NO-RES-PRICE-DROP-/333571459851 Photos were taken on April 11th 2020, so they show the car as it currently is. Red car in pics is what I started with seven years ago. Car located approx. 40 mins north of Sydney on Central Coast. Up for sale is this incredible Ferrari 250GTO re-creation. After seven years of building the car, this is very much a regretted sale, but a loss of income is forcing my hand. This is a car that gets A LOT of very positive reactions from just about everybody. The shape, the colour, the sound, the interior; it all comes together in an amazing way that people love. This car started life as a very early production Datsun 240Z. Built in 1970, it is just the 165th RHD car produced. When I purchased the Datsun donor car about seven years ago, it was a very solid & tidy car, but was heavily modified and beyond feasible return to stock. (See pics) As such, it made the ideal base for this GTO recreation. The high price of two-seater Datsun Zs nowadays means these are no longer feasible donor vehicles, so if you want an affordable 250GTO, this may be your only opportunity. A highly modified ALPHA-1 fibreglass GTO body was purchased from Melbourne, and then installed professionally by Classic Revival in Hornsby, NSW. Once installed, an exhaustive list of further work was performed to make the car look less like a kit car and more like the real deal. The original Datsun hatchback was removed and replaced with a bespoke boot and valance panel, all hand fabricated in steel by Rebel Restoration in Gosford. The boot is probably better built than on a real GTO! The Datsun fuel tank was removed and replaced with a new aluminium fuel cell. This was done to enable a true dual exhaust system to be installed, with a pipe running either side of the tank. A Le Mans fuel cap and custom fabricated fuel filler line have been installed as per an original GTO. The Datsun door handles were removed and replaced with handles very similar to those on a real GTO. The original squared-off door window frames were rounded and the body modified to match. Whilst this may seem like a small visual change, it makes a huge difference to the overall look of the car, and it’s details like this that separate this car from cheesy looking replicas that have been built over the years. Headlights have been replaced with chrome-rimmed MGB headlights and custom acrylic headlight covers have been installed. Custom-made hood scoops, stainless steel bonnet pins and leather bonnet straps were installed to mimic the details on original cars. Aluminium door mirrors were installed on each side of the car for a period look. Taillights were chosen carefully and installed in a way that makes the car look incredibly realistic from the rear. Tailpipes, taillights and bodylines all align as per the original car. Please Google pictures of replica GTOs and you’ll see how most builders get these details wrong and their cars look nothing like the real deal. Inside there is almost nothing of the original Datsun remaining other than the dash. Included in the sale is a fibreglass GTO-style instrument bezel that I never used, as I always thought the 240Z dash was actually a nicer design than the Ferrari. Door cards were hand fabricated from aluminium sheet then upholstered in diamond stitch vinyl. The transmission tunnel has been modified to make it smooth, and all new rear panels & parcel shelf were fabricated, then upholstered to match. Seats are from an AC Cobra replica, providing great comfort and support, plus a perfect period look. Steering wheel is a Nardi-style wood rim unit. Black vinyl headliner was installed, including custom upholstery over the now deleted rear side windows. Front wheels are stock width pre-AU Falcon items, with custom widened Falcon rims at the rear. All four tyres are excellent, showing very little wear. Custom bolt covers were made, with period spinners finalizing the early sixties “Dunlop Wheels’ look. The entire body of the car was sprayed with several coats of “Clausen’s All-U-Need” waterproof sealer then professionally wrapped in stunning Avery Mid-Blue metallic wrap. Wrap is approximately four months old. Mechanically, the car is pretty much stock 120 MPH (190 km/h) performance Datsun 240Z, other than the exhaust. This keeps things very simple & economical, plus it means that the car remains registered as a Datsun that has a fibreglass body-kit on it. The car runs, drives and stops well. The new owner may want to look at getting the rings done in the near future as the car is starting to get a little smoky. Also, the five speed gearbox has some whine at low speeds, but another 240Z five speed ‘box will come with the car. A universal joint in the steering column is showing some wear and as a result, there is some shudder in the steering when cornering on badly corrugated roads. Handling lives up to the great reputation of Datsun Zeds, and the sound of the exhaust is unbelievable! It sounds more like an exotic car than a potent six cylinder Datsun. Overall the car runs great and is very usable as-is, but would further benefit from some mechanical renovation in the coming years. The car is registered with full NSW rego until Oct 31 2020. I have it currently insured with full comprehensive insurance and is appraised at $60,000. The car was recently subjected to some minor flooding (fresh water), and as a result, the starter motor has been rebuilt. All carpet & any affected upholstery inside the car was cleaned and dried. There is no damp smell or other remnant of the water that entered the car. In light of the current restrictions, inspections of the car will be limited to serious enquiries only.
