Gumball Posted July 15, 2020 Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) My dad is cool... and yeah I know you think your dad is cool but my dad is cooler. But in all seriousness my dad yous to own some pretty cool cars, each one with some crazy story behind it, His favorite car being his cursed 70-72 Datsun 240z. My original idea was to build this for him for fathers day, but things got in the way. Regardless Im going to do it anyways. So I have a somewhat built, yard sale Tamiya 240z im planning on rebuilding into the 240 he had before it got sent to the wreckers, however more capable of driving on the street. As far as I can remember the story goes that the first owner purchased the vehicle brand new from the dealer. The car was enjoyed for a number of years before at some point the original owner got t-boned at an intersection. The car was then sold to the second owner whom proceeded to fix it up, repairing the car and adding some triple Weber carbs, and Brembo brakes. The car was once again enjoyed for a few years before getting t-boned at an intersection. The car was then sold to my dad. My dad proceeded to add a stiffer rear end, an aftermarket stereo, and the beefy rear tires. My dad got in about 5 accidents in about 2 years, each time getting t-boned in an intersection. He got into so many accidents he gave up repainting the front fenders, with the final accident sending the radiator into the fan cutting a perfectly circular hole in the rad. At that point he gave up and scraped the car. The 1970-72 Datsun 240z has been a favorite of his since the day it came out, so for fun I thought id rebuild the car he remembers having. Edited July 15, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 15, 2020 Author Share Posted July 15, 2020 (edited) Some starting progress, got it all apart and im beginning on the engine. According to my old man the engine was originally stock black, equipped with triple Webber carbs (with either round or triangular air filters) and most likely some crazy internals considering his most impressive speeding ticket was in this car at "well over the 120mph mark" ill be adding the Canadian rust to the engine soon. Edited July 15, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted July 16, 2020 Share Posted July 16, 2020 Is this the 1:12 kit? I'd like to give it a go someday. Good luck with it, I like the old photos and the history behind you wanting to build it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 16, 2020 Author Share Posted July 16, 2020 7 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said: Is this the 1:12 kit? I'd like to give it a go someday. Good luck with it, I like the old photos and the history behind you wanting to build it. Yes it is! Its quite an interesting kit, definitely a fun build. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 17, 2020 Author Share Posted July 17, 2020 another update, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 If only the L24 engine in my 1:1 Datsun was that clean..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dann Tier Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 LOVE these cars!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 17, 2020 Author Share Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) 13 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said: If only the L24 engine in my 1:1 Datsun was that clean..... Lol its not that clean anymore, the picture doesn't show but i did indeed add some Canadian grade rust, wear and tear to the block and trans however that was just after this picture. But as much as im trying to add realism to the wear and tear of the vehicle I do have to consider that im trying to recreate a well kept daily driver in the 80s. And wait a minuet... you have a 240z? Edited July 17, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted July 17, 2020 Share Posted July 17, 2020 3 minutes ago, Gumball said: And wait a minuet... you have a 240z? Good to see more progress! No, nothing as sporty as a 240Z - I have a 1980 Laurel with the L24S engine. You didn't get that model in North America, it's about the size of an 810/Maxima. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 17, 2020 Author Share Posted July 17, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, Spottedlaurel said: Good to see more progress! No, nothing as sporty as a 240Z - I have a 1980 Laurel with the L24S engine. You didn't get that model in North America, it's about the size of an 810/Maxima. Actually i know exactly what car that is, a friend of mine bought one, i believe it was imported at one point. nether the less a good looking car, wouldnt mine owning or building a kit of one myself. That or a 70ish Mitsubishi GTO Edited July 17, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace-Garageguy Posted July 18, 2020 Share Posted July 18, 2020 Nice yard-sale find. Those big Z-car kits are pretty spendy new these days. I've owned and/or built a few real ones over the years, so you have my interest. Did your dad's car have fiberglass front fenders? The way the left one is broken in the wreck shot sure looks like it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 18, 2020 Author Share Posted July 18, 2020 22 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said: Nice yard-sale find. Those big Z-car kits are pretty spendy new these days. I've owned and/or built a few real ones over the years, so you have my interest. Did your dad's car have fiberglass front fenders? The way the left one is broken in the wreck shot sure looks like it. They were originally steel, but according to him he was able to get the fiberglass for far cheaper and easier to repair then buying new steel fenders. I actually managed to snag 2 of these kits, the other im highly considering building in the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 20, 2020 Author Share Posted July 20, 2020 (edited) so got some more progress done, im sill having fun trying to figure out how i would go about the oval air filters. however this is the progress i got so far, rear suspension is done, brake lines are done, electrical for the most part is done as well as most of the engine hoses and such are just about done. iv been stripping the paint off of the body panels for the past few days, hopefully will be done soon. I assume any new, modern Nissan brown and orange would match the original Datsun colours relatively close, and if i get some paint hopefully soon i can apply it.still have to do some touch up spots around the batterie and lines but all that will be within some time. Edited July 20, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 26, 2020 Author Share Posted July 26, 2020 Sorry to have been away for a bit, progress is slow but at least is still progress. The original interior was actually a beige corduroy, i dont think ill be able to do the corduroy but i definitely can do the beige. Turns out I ran out of beige (which was a custom colour of mine) so the inner rear wheel humps int painted what it would have looked like. I also made a polystyrene ignition coil, also wiring it, pretty much finishing off the engine bay and all the wiring. Also the bod is finally primed, except for the fact that the primer on the hood got completely messed up. Currently right now, Im still trying to figure out the oval air filters, but i have given up on the LHD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted July 26, 2020 Share Posted July 26, 2020 (edited) Good progress there, shame about the bonnet - had it been painted previously? I'm just about the start building a Z and it takes a little bit of inspiration from the story of your dad's 1:1. Edited July 26, 2020 by Spottedlaurel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 29, 2020 Author Share Posted July 29, 2020 (edited) On 7/26/2020 at 1:51 AM, Spottedlaurel said: Good progress there, shame about the bonnet - had it been painted previously? I'm just about the start building a Z and it takes a little bit of inspiration from the story of your dad's 1:1. Yeah it was painted previously. Brake fluid has worked pretty well for the past few kits, however this paint job was super weird. underneath the blue paint was almost like a "magnetic to plastic" silver goo. I managed to get most of it off, but yet it seems i missed a few spots on the fender, regardless i need to re strip the body and hood, At least all the other body panels worked out fine. And yeah it is a shame about his 1:1 240, But according to him, he got a date with the girl who hit him last. If you need any inspiration how about putting a V12 in your kit? or make one more Nascar like, V8, full roll cage, etc? Edited July 29, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Geiger Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Man, nothing like a car that was doomed! We had a 1990 Grand Voyager that got hit five times. Nothing our fault and several times when legally parked! Even traded it in with a dented fender just to be done with it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magicmustang Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 Your work on the interior and engine are outstanding. Here's a pic of my ex. Sold It last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spottedlaurel Posted July 29, 2020 Share Posted July 29, 2020 12 minutes ago, magicmustang said: Your work on the interior and engine are outstanding. Here's a pic of my ex. Sold It last year. Very nice. Interesting to see with the maroon interior. 34 minutes ago, Gumball said: Yeah it was painted previously. Brake fluid has worked pretty well for the past few kits, however this paint job was super weird. underneath the blue paint was almost like a "magnetic to plastic" silver goo. I managed to get most of it off, but yet it seems i missed a few spots on the fender, regardless i need to re strip the body and hood, At least all the other body panels worked out fine. And yeah it is a shame about his 1:1 240, But according to him, he got a date with the girl who hit him last. If you need any inspiration how about putting a V12 in your kit? or make one more Nascar like, V8, full roll cage, etc? Just about to start my WIP on it. It will be a simple build, so some imagination required as to what will be under the bonnet...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modlbldr Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Nice work so far. I like the idea of the inspiration from the 1:1. I just started this morning cleaning up the flash and such on this one. Later- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TransAmMike Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 Nice.......I bought as far as I can remember the first 260Z delivered in New Orleans back in the day. I guess now I need to find a Z model. Cool!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bisc63 Posted July 30, 2020 Share Posted July 30, 2020 There's only one real way to build/display this model: gettin' t-boned at an intersection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 On 7/29/2020 at 5:19 PM, Tom Geiger said: Man, nothing like a car that was doomed! We had a 1990 Grand Voyager that got hit five times. Nothing our fault and several times when legally parked! Even traded it in with a dented fender just to be done with it! Perhaps yours and my dads came from the same factory? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) On 7/29/2020 at 5:34 PM, magicmustang said: Your work on the interior and engine are outstanding. Here's a pic of my ex. Sold It last year. Nice car! What year? My dad also mentioned to me that his carb air filters had more of an oval squarish shape to them, do you know what kind of air filters were on your car? just curious for reference pictures when i decide to make them. Edited July 30, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gumball Posted July 30, 2020 Author Share Posted July 30, 2020 (edited) On 7/29/2020 at 5:52 PM, Spottedlaurel said: Very nice. Interesting to see with the maroon interior. Just about to start my WIP on it. It will be a simple build, so some imagination required as to what will be under the bonnet...... Ill be interested in what you and Modlbldr come up with! Edited July 30, 2020 by Gumball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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