'74 260z drift build (Z is for zig zag)

[Woody620]

Thought it was time for a new project since my dad scrapped my 620's and vega wagon, and this thing happened to come up for cheap.



(Sorry about the huge images.)
Its a '74 260z. Im new to these so any help would be awesome! Surprisingly its a solid car, light rust for a Datsun. A little bit of body damage, but only on unboltable sheet metal. Its missing seats, door internals, door windows and a few other things. I guess it was a police impound from probably before i was born and from the looks of it a drug dealer owned it. theres still good oil in the engine and the carbs though! I stripped out the rest of the interior since I plan on making this a track car. It also came with three turbines, and then i happened to find another one in a pile of tires where i borrowed the tow dolly! But I gotta stop rambling and actually go work on the thing so more updates soon!

[Npdavies.]

An early 260z too! Looks like a good start for a track car. I'd probably make sure nothing is messed up behind the fenders, looking at the condition of the front apron.

Luckily, it looks like everything should be fairly easy to replace (even though you can see the fender peeking out from where it should connect to the headlight bucket)

Is the engine the L26? Or L24?

 

Can't wait to see how things turn out. :thumbup:

[Woody620]

L26 I believe. I double checked, theres no frame or other sheet metal damage. Im not really worried if body panels dont line up exactly straight. this car wont be pretty, except for where it counts. And thanks!

[Woody620]

Pulled the dash and the rest of the interior out last night. removed the "combination switch" off the steering column and will be sealing the heater box everywhere except for defrost. then it will work with the twist of a knob on a switch panel im making. also i will be removing the vents that run down the fenders to the kick panel today. need to find some metal for my door panels too. anyone need some parts? haha.

I will take more pics today since it was dark last night.

[Woody620]

Also Im trying to figure out a color for it, the body is staying black but im painting the turbines and a few things on the inside and probably engine bay when I get that far.

Im torn between plum/deep purple, olive green, navy blue, and red.

[Woody620]

I picked, purple. New 185/65/14 tires and lugs hopefully tomorrow. =]

 

 

Took the dash out and cleaned it up as pest I could. Pretty much done with stripping the inside. Found a spot below the battery where the fuel lines are rusted through and the frame has a hole in it. I also worked on deleting some of the california emissions equipment. Would have taken more pictures but my phone died.

 

 

Planning on sealing the heater box so it only runs heater defrost with the twist of a constant rheostat knob, also running everything electrical that i can to a switchboard on the center of the dash. no switches on the steering shaft to get in the way either. then ill be running metal plated door panels as soon as I find some inner door part and glass.

[I'm BLUE]

Nice find! :cool:

 

Frame rails are generally rotten ... especially floor pans ... not a huge deal to replace

 

Rockers ... front lower fenders ... rear wheel inner/outer lips ... battery box and rear hatch sill are common places on z cars besides tge floors lol :)

 

Battery box ... take mig and find good sheet metal worthy of welding to ... buzz it all out to that point ... and replace... ;-)

 

Ick flatops ... haha

[DAT510]

Purple wheels.........

 

 

 

 

Rusty Datto

 

 

 

 

I approve

[Woody620]

So I guess I got lucky as far as rust goes then! the frame and whats not missing from the tray is still solid confirmed by the old poke it hard with a screwdriver trick.

 

flatops?

 

And thanks! Nice invisible ink.^ lol

[Woody620]

Tires mounted! Ordered the 12x1.25 mag shank lugs too.

 

 

I finished my "defrost-only" heater box with some inside and out cleaning, screws, and purple duct tape.

 

Started mock up of switch panel, need to find some lit switches now! maybe... purple light? =]

 

 

Cleaned and finished removing things off the dash, still really cracked. =/

 

Haven't done much outside due to rain... I hope it lets up, summer is almost here!

[Npdavies.]

Flattops meaning the carburetors.

The flat topped versus round topped SU's, round used on the 240z, and the flat used on the 260z. The flattops are, as most people say, just useless paperweights.

From what I've gathered it's smog related, they aren't performance based. They were just made to keep the US happy so Datsun/Nissan could continue to sell their cars here.

 

I'm sure other people know more than just ^ though.

[Woody620]

Oh, definitely make sense now. I definitely want the round tops. My buddy has them on his 240, way simpler.

 

I've tried taking as much smog stuff off that i can, but there is a few things that connect both carbs and having never worked on something with more than one carb, Im clueless.

[Alex Datsun]

Purple is the way to go!!

[I'm BLUE]

Pulled the dash and the rest of the interior out last night. removed the "combination switch" off the steering column and will be sealing the heater box everywhere except for defrost. then it will work with the twist of a knob on a switch panel im making. also i will be removing the vents that run down the fenders to the kick panel today. need to find some metal for my door panels too. anyone need some parts? haha.

I will take more pics today since it was dark last night.

 

What kind of metal are you looking for ... for your doors ? :)

[Ratty260z]

The flatops can actually out perform round tops delete the smog stuff and what not usually helps, also they have seperate idle circuits so you can have a good mixture for idle and a different mixture for WOT. A common problem with round tops is if you want it to be a bit rich up top you'll be rich at idle. TonyD on hybridz rants about the performance qualities of flatops all the time and he has run some very unique Z's such as a 10,000rpm+ L20A salt flats car.

 

I did the same thing with the heater on my first Z duct tape and all, scrapped that 2+2 for another 2+2, ended up having to scrap that one too and ender up with a early 260z like yours but with far less rust.

 

Nice project though I miss my Z it was fast and fun I had a 280zx L28 in it but my 1976 honda civic that replaced it is creeping into my heart, the cbr600 carbs I install tomorrow probadbly won't help :D

[Woody620]

What kind of metal are you looking for ... for your doors ? :)

 

preferably aluminum daimond plate or something light... but if thats too expensive Ill just go with steel or whatevers cheapest.

 

The flatops can actually out perform round tops delete the smog stuff and what not usually helps, also they have seperate idle circuits so you can have a good mixture for idle and a different mixture for WOT. A common problem with round tops is if you want it to be a bit rich up top you'll be rich at idle. TonyD on hybridz rants about the performance qualities of flatops all the time and he has run some very unique Z's such as a 10,000rpm+ L20A salt flats car.

 

I did the same thing with the heater on my first Z duct tape and all, scrapped that 2+2 for another 2+2, ended up having to scrap that one too and ender up with a early 260z like yours but with far less rust.

 

Nice project though I miss my Z it was fast and fun I had a 280zx L28 in it but my 1976 honda civic that replaced it is creeping into my heart, the cbr600 carbs I install tomorrow probadbly won't help :D

 

I need to talk to that guy! Unfortunetely I doubt Im hybrid Z material. :D

[Woody620]

So a little update, I got a ton of parts. I got a little 11" grant steering wheel that should fit in there perfect with plenty of hand room. Got much stiffer springs for the front with the right diameter, now i just need to figure out where to cut them to get the right height. Found a nice looking tip for the exhaust, lol. (usually I don't care but I got it for free and I think it will look perfect.) Still waiting on lugs. :crying: still need seats and door parts/glass. also I really want to find a cheap front airdam, even if its broken, ill just ziptie it back togther (everyone knows a good drift car has tons of zip ties.) :rofl:

[Npdavies.]

 

The front is on stock coils cut 1 1/2 off. The back is on 280z Eibach lowering springs.

However I have 16" Wheels. :P Just as reference for your own spring cut-ry.

[Woody620]

Thanks! I think I'm going lower than that though. I've seen your car in other posts though, it looks awesome!

Personally i like to cut at least the front so its only 0.5-1" above the bump stop when its loaded. it sucks when it comes to potholes, but as long as the shocks are good i have really good results that way. Also when you corner it will usually sit on the outside bump stop and almost act as a poor mans sway bar. It works great... again as long as the corner isn't bumpy. Then the back I just cut to match the front. :thumbup:

Kinda ridiculous I know, probably not as ridiculous as what I found in the rear springs on mine to preload it. :rofl:

 

and it had some orange springs in the front but they look stock. :confused:

 

 

Anyways more pics!

 

The steering wheel! I took all the tape off so its clean.

 

The exhaust tip.

 

Put an awesome sticker on it. B)

 

Did a little emissions delete. Anything else I can take off?

 

Test fit the wheels on my wagon... holy mother of offset!

[Woody620]

So having some issues trying to get the switch panel together. does anyone know where I can find the internal schematics of a wiper motor? I dont want to have to pull mine apart. also what the resistance spec of the heater blower motor is on hi speed. i tested the stock resistor but it was jumping from 25-50 ohms.

[Woody620]

So a little bit of an update, no pics though(I swear my camera is dead everytime I work on my car).

I tried getting it to run and the motor was siezed. I broke it loose pulling it in gear and now the engine spins too well, as in no compression... Still didn't run since the mechanical fuel pump is shot and wasn't giving it fuel, so hopefully it runs when I try it with the electric pump, even if it runs like crap.

 

Got some complete doors, rear latch and a skid pan thanks to redbanner. And I got some led switches as well.

I'll try and get pics tonight!

[datzenmike]

Oh, definitely make sense now. I definitely want the round tops. My buddy has them on his 240, way simpler.

 

I've tried taking as much smog stuff off that i can, but there is a few things that connect both carbs and having never worked on something with more than one carb, Im clueless.

 

Throw away and get round tops. They are imposible to work on, Nissan dealers don't even want to hear about them. Tighter emissions was the reason for them and the reason EFI was introduced the next year.

[Woody620]

Well since I'm probably going to need a whole new motor soon, might as well get some with it!

[Woody620]

Testing waters for sale... Anyone interested? :)

[Woody620]