SpeedRoo

What would be the correct number @26th-Z ? Is this the correct one, it's off a Aug 1970 build.

Great observations, please keep them coming. The inner tail panel, when did it change over to covers for the taillight access?

The engine number stamping is correct, the font of "L24" was always a different style. Here's another for comparison. Seems from engine number 5000 onwards there were two zeroes at the beginning of the number.

Keep it coming guys, fantastic comments and great feedback. What would be the right door rubbers for this car, the early 2-piece type or single piece bulb type like this one has? It seems to be missing the key number decal in the glovebox. They painted over some bolts on the rear end. Looks like it has the factory rubber bushings on the mustache bar.

The driver's side door has the later hinges, the passenger side has the earlier hinges. The cross member under the seats is in body colour rather than black.

Thanks @26th-Z there is no intention to badmouth the car at all, just use it to learn how to do things correctly. There were so many changes to the 240Z over the years it's hard to keep abreast of them all. Hopefully this will be a learning exercise for all, I know it will be for me.

Nicely done video on the MZR 240Z Evolution by Henry Catchpole.

Thanks Rich @motorman7 I'll make a note of all these when I'm doing my car "03802" May 1970.

@motorman7 Please knit pick, helps us Newby restorers to find out how to do it correctly. Have set up this thread to list what needs to be corrected.

Another lovely early 240Z, Jan 1970, has turned up on BAT. Restored by Pierre and Whitehead over the last decade. Loads of photos which really help me, and others, when we are restoring our cars. As an aid to Newby restorers like myself, could the sage experienced members on this site help picking out what's not done correctly on the car. Not trying to be negative but it really helps to document how things should be restored or how they came as original. I'll start the ball rolling and add photos to show what I'm looking at. There seems to be the wiring cover missing under the dash. The radiator support frame seems to have been sprayed completely rather than painted by hand with a brush. The radio antenna doesn't look to be the early pointed tip type. The id plate on the "B" post seems to be etched rather than stamped. Not sure if the rubber stoppers are fitted under the door levers. Were the 1970 cars finished in black underneath or body colour? Looks like a later fuel filler cap assembly has been fitted. Looks as if the black Velcro patches to hold the spare wheel cover in place are missing. Also the jute underfelt is not fitted. I believe the horizontal water hose running front to back should also be braided like all the other hoses. Additionally did the early airboxes have stickers/decals on them? I'm sure there are other things I've missed and I may be wrong on some of the items I've listed. Feel free to correct me where needed.

Sadly Mike there will always be companies like the operation in Madill OK that are not to be trusted. As long as owners try and help each other and alert them to suppliers/companies to be wary of then that's about all we can do. It seems once they get caught on a regular basis, business soon dries up and they move onto the next hot thing. Having gone through the Mustang and Volvo owners the 240Z people are the current target.

Great Black Friday discounts on genuine Nissan parts today. Stocked up on bushes/bearings etc. from Courtesy Nissan and ZCardepot. Can make sure all the suspension bushes on "Twisty" are factory rubber and all the bearings in the engine rebuild are all Nissan parts along with the NOS OEM Datsun gasket set.

Narrowed wheel selection down to Slot Mags or Libres. My August 1970 240Z came with Libres, which were made in Oregon at the American Racing foundry in Portland. As "08802" has been an Oregon car it's whole life, still has the original registration, I think the Libres are best kept for it. So looks like Slot Mags for "03802", just have to work out who made the two I already have and match them. Been sorting out my parts stash to see what I need to source to complete the change back to original. I need some of the early seat hinges (Type 1) with the round adjusters, seems the base cushion and seat back have the same part numbers but the adjusters/hinges are different from mid 1971 onwards. In need of the early 4 speed gearbox, I have 2 of the later versions as spares if anyone needs one or wants to swap! Also after one early seat belt, I have the passenger side but not the drivers (PO fitted a harness). Date code is 4 1970. The search continues.

Yes I need the headlight scoops, the ones on 03802 are metal for some reason and have tabs for perspex covers. Also after the Koito headlights, may fit the upgraded H4 Koitos. I like your idea for the Libres.

Thanks @Terrapin Z I will take you up on the radiator for sure, I think I only have 2 slot mags in my stash but will check. Next storm on the coast I will be heading out that way to windsurf and will try and drop by and see all your goodies! I have the plastic fan but just needed the metal fan for display purposes!

Glad I dove into the wiring, a few extra switches added and some other wires missing. The heavy gauge wires coming out of the fuse box were a bit hard and fried, so dug out a spare harness I had and salvaged some better wires. Sanded all the connectors back to bright metal and cleaned up the loom with lacquer thinners. The original radio was missing in action so searched around for a better period solution. Has anyone used one of these modern reincarnations of the original style. https://www.retrosoundusa.com.au/index.php?l=product_detail&p=363 has music streaming, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and aux inputs as well as AM/FM. They have even made up a replica facia for it. Or do I go the other route and fit a radio delete cubby box? If I go with the updated radio I could add an extra speaker on the right rear across the trunk from the original.

Thanks @Mark Maras and @siteunseen I'm leaning towards the slots as well. "08802" has black Appliance "Mesh" wheels which would probably look cool with the yellow. May mount them up to see what they look like.

Big question is what wheels to put on it. I don't have any TOPY steel wheels and doubt I will be able to find any 02-70 or 03-70 ones with the correct early hubcaps. I have some slot mags and also a set of American Racing Libres. I'm leaning to the slot mags as they seem to be fairly popular in the period. Then again I really like the look of the Libres. I've also got some Appliance mags that look okay. Decisions!

Turning to the interior I've had Chester and Herod make up a set of new carpets for it from their original patterns. I had a spare set of seats that came with "08802" so they will be getting new foam and covers; unfortunately there seems to be a six month wait for interior items from Distinctive Industries who made all the reproduction trim for the Vintage 240Z program. In the meantime I've taken out the console and fuse box to check all the wiring/connections and renew where necessary. I think I'll take out the A/C system as it's no longer connected up. In the meantime I've made a list of all the other bits I need. The spare brake booster and master cylinder are off for sleeving and rebuild. On the lookout for a metal fan and original radiator (hopefully @Terrapin Z has some in his stash). Also need an early steering wheel and headlights. Trying to bring "Twisty" back as close as possible to original but I realise having been repainted and with a replacement engine it wont be perfect.

With "Twisty" safely tucked up in a warm garage I've started the process of bringing it back to original. First up was finding the correct engine. After scanning various 240Z registries and poring over any 1970 240Z sold in the last few years, I determined a number range for the correct one I needed to source. From cars finished in May of 1970 I determined the range was from chassis number 03598 to 04605. My car, 03802, was in the first third to half of these. Engine numbers ranged from around 06000 to 07400. So that's what I was aiming for. It would be a 4 screw carb setup with an early "Nissan 2400 OHC" cam cover. Scanning back through internet ads for early 240Z engines I found one listed a couple of years ago on "OfferUp". Even better it was only about 4 hours away from me. It was available and wasn't seized, it still turned over by hand! A quick day trip up to Carnation, WA and it was mine. First major obstacle overcome. It will need a full rebuild but I have a NOS Nissan full gasket set, Datsun pistons, new factory rings and bearings all ready to go into it. First up will be be stripping it down, boiling the block, checking all tolerances and painting it the correct blue colour. Luckily I have a spare "monkey change" gearbox and R180 diff; a R200 had been fitted when the engine was swapped to the Ford 289. The block casting shows "0211" which translates to a February 11 1970 build. The engine number is "06517" so right in the correct range for a May 1970 240Z. Luck is with me so far!

Another 240Z followed me home and I couldn't say no to it! It's a May 1970 car that was first sold by Datsun of Hawaii in July 1970, fitted with air conditioning. It then went to the mainland in the early 1980s and underwent an engine transplant. The original engine, 07174, was discarded and a 1965 Ford 289 fitted with an automatic transmission. Hydraulic power steering was also adapted and fitted. Non standard seats and tan trim also found their way into the car. Next stop was Texas where it was purchased by the last owner in 1990. He then brought it with him to Washington State and undertook a multi year rebuild. Mounted on a rotisserie he did a nut and bolt restoration, stripping the body back to bare metal and removing all the original blue paint. Grey rustproof primer was followed by Sunshine Yellow acrylic enamel before reassembly. All nuts and bolts were re-plated, all suspension components refurbished and painted, and all new Nissan sourced rubbers fitted. New Nissan door cards and center console installed, non standard race seats fitted and strut bars added in the engine bay and rear. The 289 was retained with 15" wheels added and the car completed by the mid 1990s. Only 18,000 miles have been added since. Must say the Ford V8 does not suit the car at all, the power steering is too light and the brakes too heavy (a later brake booster had been fitted when the engine was swapped). Driving it back to back with my BRE equipped August 1970 build 240Z was a revelation.......all the modifications have to go! So the plan is to refit the correct engine, rebuild the brakes back to standard and put an early 4-speed gearbox back into it. The paint is great considering it was done 30 years ago and garage kept ever since.

I think this is an indication of the level they restored it to, painting everything on the rear suspension black at once (including all the nuts and bolts) seems a cheap easy way out. Don't think the factory did it that way!

Scored new in box Interpart Mulholland shocks for the 240Z on EBay. Had been searching a few years for some fronts and up pops a set of front and rear. Will be great with the full BRE suspension setup I have.