Scarab #160

[EuroDat]

From what I have heard about Scarabs, they can be ordrred as a kit where you could build it yourself or you could have Scarab modify your car.

I think Scarab wasn't mass producing these cars, but they were "custom" made to order and the customer could select mods to suit their our desires. I can remember seeing a post with an ad where you could order a V8 kit from Scarab for a Ford or Chevy V8 iirc and you supplied the engine. That would leave it open to all kinds of engine configurations.

If that is the case, it would be near impossible the difine a Scarab as a particular model and option pack. And a "real" Scarab would only be valid with the original documents stating the options the S30 received.

@Randalla I think it's a great project you have going here. Even if it has a fuzy history.

[Zed Head]

4 hours ago, Mark Maras said:

 My Scarab knowledge is sorely lacking. I was under the impression that the Scarab's all had 327 c.i. engines. At least that's what a friend told me. He has a beautiful red Z that he claims is a true Scarab, but the more I learn about them, it appears that his may be a pseudo Scarab. Were all the Scarab's built with the same components?

This source says that GM used that code on 327's and 350's.  So that fits.  3970010  http://www.nastyz28.com/sbchevy/sblock.html

Where's texasz?  He was going to have his site back up in a little while.  @texasz

[texasz]

Yes I said that, unfortunately my Linux admin skills are severely lacking these days and I've been having troubles getting anyone to help without charging a significant amount of money.  I have a friend who said he'd be willing to help me this month so hopefully things will all be back up soon.  It's not just the Z Car content that is on that server so it's been a huge PITA for me having it down for so long. 

[Randalla]

Scarab used 327's on the earlier cars then shifted to 350's. I'm not sure of the exact timing, but it seems they changed to 350's sometime in 1980. What a Scarab is, and is not, can be a bit confusing. Some people incorrectly call all V-8 Zcars Scarabs. Scarab Engineering sold individual parts from their mail order catalog to those building their V-8 Z car at home, however some items were only available on the turnkey factory built cars, all of which were individually numbered, with I.D. plates on the driver's side door jam. Best guess at this point is some number less than 200 of the factory cars were originally built and sold by Scarab. How many are still left is anybody's guess, but about 20 numbered cars are known by the registry. All factory built cars had many things in common, but since there were many extra cost options/choices, it's likely no two cars were exactly alike.

[Diseazd]

Guess you could say that the vintage Scarab is kinda like the current Singer Porsches......take a good platform and try to make it stand out. In the 70's, there was a transition from V8 muscle to overhead cam (no push rod) refined sixes and fours. I sold my 67 Camaro in 71 to buy my first Z......haven't bought anything but Japan since (with the exception of 3 Porsches). Some liked the design but couldn't give up what they knew best....V8 power. An original Scarab (from what I've seen) has enough original stuff (fiberglass flares and emblems etc.) and now Randall has confirmed that there was an ID plate to confirm one of the rare original 200 built......enough proof for me. Anyone really interested in the breed, probably has enough info to confirm in his mind that he bought the right car. V8 is not my "cup of tea", but I can certainly understand the attraction. Hell, my son put a comp LS 7 in his 2003 BMW wagon that put 550 h.p. to the wheels and I thought he was nuts. It sold for $36,000.00 on BAT.....didn't recoup his investment LOL. I myself would love to see a concourse Scarab brought back to as close to original as possible.....I would marvel at the memorabilia......love to hear it fire up, but in my Z's I will always stick to the L Series motors......can't wait to install my latest 3.1 L Series Stroker.......bring on that Scarab 70's American muscle car!!!!

[Zed Head]

1 hour ago, Diseazd said:

. I myself would love to see a concourse Scarab brought back to as close to original as possible.....

"Original" is the undefined part here.  How will anyone know?  If somebody could get a copy of the catalog saved, and some other documentation, it would help.

Was there a Scarab "factory"?  I think it was just a shop that modified the cars, right?  Drop your car off, get it modified, get it back.  Or did they buy the car, modify it, and sell it as a finished product?

Did a Google, and it looks like it was actually three shops.  Is Brain Morrow still around?  http://datsunforum.com/the-scarab-legend-the-original-hybrid-datsun-z/

 

Edit - a few more clicks and I found that I have created a circle.  I imagine that with some click-work on eBay and Craigslist a person could collect enough parts to make their own Scarab.  A receipt or build-list from Scarab Engineering would really add to a car's cachet.  

Good luck Randalla.

A few more bits.  We could @ these guys and probably blow up this thread.  But I'll stop now, I've learned enough. - 

http://www.zhome.com/rnt/Scarab/Scarab.htm

Here's a page from a book with some wrongness - https://books.google.com/books?id=99gDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA117&lpg=PA117&dq=Brian+Morrow+scarab&source=bl&ots=xTkZJtUsFK&sig=O6L5rMWjd2NMTt5jja5k_EXl8xc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiThYqVxqTUAhWJLmMKHZDpAbkQ6AEINjAD#v=onepage&q=Brian Morrow scarab&f=false

This conversation has happened before - 

@kimberly

Edited June 4, 2017 by Zed Head

[Randalla]

Here's a copy of an early brochure. Very 70's hair and clothes.