My Datsun 240 GNZ
Thread Starter
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
My Datsun 240 GNZ
There has been a few people asking to see pictures of the Datsun in the background of some of my pictures, so here ya guys go. It's a '73 Datsun 240Z, which I now call a GNZ for obvious reasons. I have been slowly tinkering with it when I had time and money to throw at it. I just got the fuel pump I needed from Racetronix. Things are getting finished and I'm getting excited!
Keeping the engine stock for break in, but as soon as I get those miles on her, I'm going with a bigger turbo and bigger injectors. The Z weighs a little over 2500 lbs. with me in it. If any of you know what a Buick GN is, you know this will be a quick little car. With the engine stock, I should be running low 11's in the quarter mile. I included a picture of when I first installed the engine into the Z. The engine is very small, almost laughable considering how much power these 3.8's make. I think I included most everything. It was kind of fun listing off stuff. Haven't thought about it in quite a while.
Engine: '87 Buick Grand National 3.8 SFI
A buddy and I completely rebuilt the engine. stock injectors, stock turbo for break in. Transmission is brand new (built by Jimmy's Transmissions) and has a mild build.
Rear end: R200 3:54 LSD, CV axles
Suspension: Coil overs, 200lb. springs rear/180lb. springs in front, Sectioned struts 1.5", Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable, polyurethane bushings throughout, Suspension Techniques sway bars front and rear
Wheels: Crappy 17X7 eBay wheels for a Honda. Using adapters to run common wheels. Buying Rota RB-R's 17X8 front and 17X9.5 rear which will require ZG flares (bolt on flares that look oh so sweet)
Exterior: JDM fender mirrors, air dam, 7" round lights for a VW (lights have a H3 fog light/H4 headlight/and turn signals inside)
Interior: Full display of Dakota Digital gauges, 6 point cage, and that's about it. I'll get around to replacing the stock stereo (has 3 AM presets and 2 FM presets haha) sometime in the near future.
Fuel system: I installed a plastic fuel tank from a '02 LS1 Camaro. It has a fill bucket inside, which under acceleration or hard turns, I won't have fuel starvation. I installed a Racetronix in tank fuel pump (good for up to 700hp) which keeps the fill bucket working as OEM.
(In the picture below, the car, engine & engine bay needs a serious cleaning. It's really full of dust!)
Keeping the engine stock for break in, but as soon as I get those miles on her, I'm going with a bigger turbo and bigger injectors. The Z weighs a little over 2500 lbs. with me in it. If any of you know what a Buick GN is, you know this will be a quick little car. With the engine stock, I should be running low 11's in the quarter mile. I included a picture of when I first installed the engine into the Z. The engine is very small, almost laughable considering how much power these 3.8's make. I think I included most everything. It was kind of fun listing off stuff. Haven't thought about it in quite a while.
Engine: '87 Buick Grand National 3.8 SFI
A buddy and I completely rebuilt the engine. stock injectors, stock turbo for break in. Transmission is brand new (built by Jimmy's Transmissions) and has a mild build.
Rear end: R200 3:54 LSD, CV axles
Suspension: Coil overs, 200lb. springs rear/180lb. springs in front, Sectioned struts 1.5", Tokico Illumina 5-way adjustable, polyurethane bushings throughout, Suspension Techniques sway bars front and rear
Wheels: Crappy 17X7 eBay wheels for a Honda. Using adapters to run common wheels. Buying Rota RB-R's 17X8 front and 17X9.5 rear which will require ZG flares (bolt on flares that look oh so sweet)
Exterior: JDM fender mirrors, air dam, 7" round lights for a VW (lights have a H3 fog light/H4 headlight/and turn signals inside)
Interior: Full display of Dakota Digital gauges, 6 point cage, and that's about it. I'll get around to replacing the stock stereo (has 3 AM presets and 2 FM presets haha) sometime in the near future.
Fuel system: I installed a plastic fuel tank from a '02 LS1 Camaro. It has a fill bucket inside, which under acceleration or hard turns, I won't have fuel starvation. I installed a Racetronix in tank fuel pump (good for up to 700hp) which keeps the fill bucket working as OEM.
(In the picture below, the car, engine & engine bay needs a serious cleaning. It's really full of dust!)
Last edited by CruxGNZ; Mar 13, 2014 at 08:51 PM.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 251
From: Mid. Tennessee
That is great. Small vehicle powerful engines. What else is needed?
Makes me miss my old V-8 S10 with a built 327 in it. Good for nothing but smoking tires and hell raising but it was fun to drive.
Makes me miss my old V-8 S10 with a built 327 in it. Good for nothing but smoking tires and hell raising but it was fun to drive.
Thread Starter
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
Funny you say that, my very first vehicle I bought at 16 years old was a '87 S-10 with a V8 swap. Young kid, light truck, gobs of power...got me in trouble quite a few times. Had it for 8 months when a kid walks up to me in the back parking lot at my high school and says I'll buy it off ya for $1800. Sold it to him the very next day. I only bought the dang thing for $1100
Can't go wrong with that. Beat the **** out of it and have a crap load of fun in the warmer months and then sell it for a profit before winter sets in.
Stiff Member
Back Marker
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 150
From: whiteford,md
You have good taste in engines. I just added meth injection to mine. Before you add boost, make sure you have a way to monitor knock or it won't be together long. The methanol cools the intake & allows for a lot more boost. Any ?'s about the motor, just ask. I've had mine for about 12 years now. A wideband o2 sensor is useful to dial in af ratio. Enjoy. Nice work. Tim
Member
Squid
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 72
Cool car! I always thought that combo would be a dinamite setup. Had a 3000 healey with a corvette 327, a GMC s15 350 chev and now a 67 Sunbeam Tiger with a 289 ford... Small cars big engines almost as fun as my VTR!
Have fun and control the power over steer.
Have fun and control the power over steer.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 258
From: Santa Clara, CA
That's a beautiful build man.
For years I was contemplating on dropping a '94 Mitsubishi VR-4 twin turbo v6 in a donor MR2. Got the idea after someone put a 6L caddy engine in it. For fear of death, I opted not to do it =p
That thing should be a blast though, I was playing tag with a guy in a 260 going up one of my favorite roads on my old CB750K. I may have got to the top first, but he got there looking cooler!
For years I was contemplating on dropping a '94 Mitsubishi VR-4 twin turbo v6 in a donor MR2. Got the idea after someone put a 6L caddy engine in it. For fear of death, I opted not to do it =p
That thing should be a blast though, I was playing tag with a guy in a 260 going up one of my favorite roads on my old CB750K. I may have got to the top first, but he got there looking cooler!
Senior Member
Superstock
Superstock
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 321
Nice build. I almost bought a Scarab ('79 280Z/400cid small block 8) when I was 19, probably good I didn't (did a trick RX7 instead). There are still some very nice ones out there, your's is the 1st V6 turbo conversion I've seen. Any idea if you've saved any weight? The stock I6 was pretty heavy.
Thread Starter
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
Thanks for the kind words everybody. It has been a fun project so far. I do plan on getting a alchy injection kit, because race gas is getting so expensive these days. I didn't buy a bigger turbo yet, because I want to see how far I can go on the stock setup first before I start throwing go fast goodies at it.
I actually did save weight. I lost 60 pounds with the LC2, which I wasn't expecting. I thought it might be a little heavier, but it was a nice surprise.
If you guys want to see the absolute best website dedicated to Z's, check out www.HybridZ.org There has been everything stuffed into the S30 ('70-'78), from 4 cylinders, 6 cylinders, 8 cylinders, 10 cylinders (Viper engine), 12 cylinders (Jaguar and a BMW engine), to electric and even turbine! Although, I 'm pretty sure the last two were in a S130 (next generation after the S30).
The Z is just a small, lightweight, rear wheel drive, awesome handling, very simple to work on, great looking car (in my opinion), that has a engine bay that can swallow up pretty much any power plant out there. It's just a great platform for a engine swap.
I actually did save weight. I lost 60 pounds with the LC2, which I wasn't expecting. I thought it might be a little heavier, but it was a nice surprise.
If you guys want to see the absolute best website dedicated to Z's, check out www.HybridZ.org There has been everything stuffed into the S30 ('70-'78), from 4 cylinders, 6 cylinders, 8 cylinders, 10 cylinders (Viper engine), 12 cylinders (Jaguar and a BMW engine), to electric and even turbine! Although, I 'm pretty sure the last two were in a S130 (next generation after the S30).
The Z is just a small, lightweight, rear wheel drive, awesome handling, very simple to work on, great looking car (in my opinion), that has a engine bay that can swallow up pretty much any power plant out there. It's just a great platform for a engine swap.
Last edited by CruxGNZ; Mar 13, 2014 at 08:38 PM. Reason: Adding stuff
Thread Starter
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
I'll be bringing the GNZ up to Wisconsin Dells in about six weeks for the Hot Rod Power Tour. If anyone wants to meet up for a bee...soda or something, let me know.
evil man of nothing
MotoGP
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,516
From: Boynton Beach, FL
Thread Starter
Rex Kramer-Thrill Seeker
SuperBike
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 2,312
From: Brookfield, WI
Thanks guys 
Thanks for posting that video! I just saw thier Rotson in the latest issue of Hot Rod magazine, but never had a chance to hop online and check it out untill now. Freiburger & Finnegan with thier Z car remind me of myself and an old buddy of mine and his 280Z. We did very low buck modifications to the engine (installed a Powerstroke diesel turbo as well). He was making around 500hp out of the stock straight six untill things started to break (like I said, low buck stuff). Had fun with that Z. I think he still has it too. It's been about 8 years since I last saw him and his Z. I think I'll give him a call...
Thanks for posting that video! I just saw thier Rotson in the latest issue of Hot Rod magazine, but never had a chance to hop online and check it out untill now. Freiburger & Finnegan with thier Z car remind me of myself and an old buddy of mine and his 280Z. We did very low buck modifications to the engine (installed a Powerstroke diesel turbo as well). He was making around 500hp out of the stock straight six untill things started to break (like I said, low buck stuff). Had fun with that Z. I think he still has it too. It's been about 8 years since I last saw him and his Z. I think I'll give him a call...
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