1974 Datsun 260z

[dsc201knoc]

So, after trolling the z forums, i realized.... I dont think i am going to fit in there. There is one forum hybridz that seemed promising however its riddled with viruses. I came to the conclusion in about one post on each after another person similar to me asked about getting 'moar low' as we call it in the euro community.

Immediately all the z guys started bashing the guy talking about functionality and he was destroying the car. etc.. No help at all just a bunch of rude people talking trash. I had the same issues in the e30 community on many sites as well. People cant just let you be..

So I bought this car this afternoon, from the philippines.. I am from tacoma, wa and i wanted to get a head start for when i get back so i picked this car up. After searching long and hard for a celica or a z i finally found one that someone wasnt asking an arm, a leg and a kidney for.

So i scooped it up and this is it. It runs but rough because of the carbs. So the guy is holding on to it at his house for me and we are going to fix it in place. I got really lucky with how cool this guy is. My wife took care of all the paperwork for me. :thumbup:



So in the last few hours i have already ordered some parts for the car so they can be waiting for me at my apartment when i get back

A set of round top carbs
A set of Ramflo Air cleaners
Diamond Racing 15x10 -25 and -38 wheels
205 50 15 Kuhmo ecsta tires
Xenon front valance
ZG flares

I sold a few different cars and other items to fund this project but i financed them out to people so im at my budget right now. Im still pending 700 from the sale of my m3, 600 from the sale of my e30 318is, and 600 from the sale of a couch. Im putting that together to pay for the coil suspension.

I am also selling 3 other cars to put more money into this project, a 87 crx si, a 82 volvo 244 turbo, and a fiat x1/9 bertone. Then i will be selling a 74 yamaha tracker project, and possibly my 82 yamaha 920cc chopper to free up some cash. Other items are a set of wheels, some m3 seats and a washer and dryer :thumbup:  clearing house to enjoy this car... im hoping it will be my last for a while, as you can tell i have a problem with buying cars for good deals.

Im not rich, i have just kind of accumulated cars and motorcycles i have liked but when im ready to sell, no one has money.. :confused:  thats why i started inhouse financing things to people.

Well im really glad to be here, im excited to start this build and just ready to have a cool ratsun... Ill probably go to the z forum and find the nicest z pictures i can find and tell them i ripped the car apart to make it a rat... so everyone and their mothers can tell me how horrible of a person i am and how i ruined a perfectly good car that is becoming rare.

I look at it differently, if it wasnt for people like me, these cars would be cubed. Just because i dont have 20k to make it a restored car doesnt mean i cand build something cool.. B)

Ill make sure as soon as i get back on the 1st of August i start updating with more photos.

 

Damon

 

[INDY510]

needs moar low ..... :rofl:

[bananahamuck]

Just take criticism for what it is and move forward,, sometimes you get great ideas by the craziest suggestions.. That`s why i found a home here.

 

 

You should really get to know your local Datsun guys it,, as much as we come off as total douchebags ,,we try to give a hand if we can,,,,,,,,, Ok we`ll stand around in your garage drinking all your beverages and take pictures of you working,,, but the thought is there.

 

 

and we are going to be needing pictures of said 82 Yama-chopper immediately

[datzenmike]

So, after trolling the z forums, i realized.... I dont think i am going to fit in there. There is one forum hybridz that seemed promising however its riddled with viruses. I came to the conclusion in about one post on each after another person similar to me asked about getting 'moar low' as we call it in the euro community.

 

Immediately all the z guys started bashing the guy talking about functionality and he was destroying the car. etc.. No help at all just a bunch of rude people talking trash. I had the same issues in the e30 community on many sites as well. People cant just let you be..

.

All happy forums are alike. Every unhappy forum is unhappy in it's own way..... Leo Tolstoy

[dsc201knoc]

.

All happy forums are alike. Every unhappy forum is unhappy in it's own way..... Leo Tolstoy

 

 

I guess i should expand, basically these guys gave no information and basically told the guy that he shouldnt do it. Period. I saw this a lot in the e30 community.... rev3limited... these guys are big time naturalists. Whereas i went to e30performance and the two moderators, one guy drifts and the other guy autocrosses. There is a lot more help on the page and the forum is way smaller. Everyone there actually does custom work and is always ready to figure out new ways to do cool stuff with their cars.

 

For me, my e30 had a hybrid front brake kit, i welded custom mounts to get newer model vader seats to fit in the car etc. Its all about making the car yours. I am a mid way naturalist also, it should look like 'it may have come to the factory that way' When i see a datsun and a z, low and wide.. Well in japan, they have been doing low and wide for years. I mean even VIP style, big body cars with big wheels, that was huge in japan before we started it here in the US.

This is my e30 i was building, these old e30 318is have a jdm flare to them... small, nimble, rwd, hi revving 4 cyl....

 

 

 

Just take criticism for what it is and move forward,, sometimes you get great ideas by the craziest suggestions.. That`s why i found a home here.

 

 

You should really get to know your local Datsun guys it,, as much as we come off as total douchebags ,,we try to give a hand if we can,,,,,,,,, Ok we`ll stand around in your garage drinking all your beverages and take pictures of you working,,, but the thought is there.

 

 

and we are going to be needing pictures of said 82 Yama-chopper immediately

 

Im all for suggestion and constructive criticism; however, you have to put something out you know... Like hey i wouldnt do that if you are planning on.... whatever... Not, 'you are ruining your car, you are dumb, i wouldnt do that, etc.' All these comments were over a photo... A photo im using for inspiration... These owners hating on a guy with a crap paint job, not realizing its a style of car. saying 'how did that car make the cover of a magazine' 'look the paint is mismatched' 'go and atleast get a paint job' 'that car looks dumb'

 

 

Those people are haters, they have owned their z for ever, spent all this money and they cant get in a magazine because it looks just like everyone elses. Then hate on the guy who gets a mag shoot because he broke the mold.

 

Here is the chopper:

 

 

 

 

 

needs moar low ..... :rofl:

I put this together when by buddies friend bought a 92 318... he was so high and kept saying 'i have coils on the way bro..' So i told him no more excuses and sent him this photo

 

[dsc201knoc]

This is the page on facebook that has a lot of the cars i have built and worked on over the last few years.

https://www.facebook.com/autocourant

 

I call it auto_COURANT... au courant means like... in, fresh, new, current.. etc.. so auto_COURANT seemed appropriate. I started my modding back when i was 14 right before I terned 15 because i couldnt afford to bring my car to someone else to get work done. 15 years later I have owned 34 different vehicles. 31 cars and 3 motorcycles. Ranging from MY1972-2013... Ill tell you my wife can have the 2013... I am happy with older cars. Im trying to sell my colorado to pick up and older truck also.. a datsun or a truck like this ford courier.. aka US version of the mazda b series.
 

Also considering doing a zero paint job on the z... not nice but faded... I found some patterns... and a good example of a faded zero.. Im thinking the bottom one because im considering a dark red paint for the wheels...

[datzenmike]

 

 

I think I remember this car and I didn't like it either. The paint? who cares, front air dam/splitter, I don't care. What I didn't like was the fender wells plasma cut to fit flairs and the ride height so low the car is pretty much useless for driving.. and all for a look. If you look at all the pictures you'll see it was hacked pretty bad, all to have this 'look'. I'm more of the form follows function guy.

 

 

[dsc201knoc]

I mean i get about the T3 camber plates and stuff its a trade off 190 a set for weld in or 420 a set for bolt in.. Like i said before,we dont always have an extra grand for camber plates; however, i agree that maybe they could have done some good welds grinded it down and make it look oem .. That is a pretty sloppy weld job.. same with the fender cutting... im not apposed to fender cutting to fit a style but i dont know what it looks like under that flare... Its not my car. My car will be low, it will be a 10mile each way dd, however im also looking to get a datsun pickup or a ford courier to split duties. as of right now my datsun project is just a car until im ready to put it into duties.
 

The idea of a car is that its not going to tickle everyones fancy,and thats fine, on one HAS to like someone elses car; however, at the end of the day its the owners car. If he is happy, so be it.. It upset me more only because they were discrediting his car not because of what it was, but because they didnt understand it, and it was getting more attention then their car.

You made a good point, can it be driven? There is another kid with the rising sun on the fender, his is daily driven with a similar stance with no issues.

[bananahamuck]

Cool bike my brother wants to give my oldest son a early 80s Yama 650 twin and i have been showing him those type on the XS400.com but,,, his mother has already told us,,,, we will be having none of that!!

 

:D

[dsc201knoc]

Cool bike my brother wants to give my oldest son a early 80s Yama 650 twin and i have been showing him those type on the XS400.com but,,, his mother has already told us,,,, we will be having none of that!!

 

:D

 

 

Thats when you need to be like....

 

 

 

 

 

 

[DatsunMotorSports]

 

SICK!

 

 

JIIIZZZ...

 

 

AGREED! MOAR LOOOWWW

My 74 has 2.5" of ground clearance to the frame rail on a normal driving day... A couple turns of the coil overs and I discovered it will lay on its frame rails... WAY LOOW!

[dsc201knoc]

AGREED! MOAR LOOOWWW

My 74 has 2.5" of ground clearance to the frame rail on a normal driving day... A couple turns of the coil overs and I discovered it will lay on its frame rails... WAY LOOW!

 

Thats awesome :w00t:

 

I drive all highway to work so i think i can get away with it also... What coil set up are you using? I have read the s13 setup doesnt go low enough.. Im wondering how low the T3 set up goes... I hear the best bet is welding the base mounts and using dc2 teg coils.... Im just wondering id the t3 set up goes real low also, the time it takes to get the welding done, then the mr2 rear struts in the front and the front s30 struts in the rear and do the weld in ground control kit or even the welding of the mounts for the dc2 kit... It might just be worth the extra 500 to get the t3 pre made kit with the weld in camber plates.

 

Im open to suggestions.

 

Any ideas?

[jalen]

https://www.google.com/search?q=sunny+liang+240z&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=2ojrUbfDGuPliALvuYFI&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=356

My favorite z

[dsc201knoc]

https://www.google.com/search?q=sunny+liang+240z&client=safari&hl=en&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=2ojrUbfDGuPliALvuYFI&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAQ&biw=320&bih=356

My favorite z

 

Wow, that looks real good... Thats the spoiler im looking at getting.. I love the small 240 bumpers.. for the cost though, i feel like i can get some metal and weld some metal into a set of thin bumpers.

 

Super cool... :thumbup:

[dsc201knoc]

So im trying to secure an old rusty ratsun 620 pickup with a camper style rear bed cover and a trailer made from a rear end of another 620... Wish me luck... i want this guy to replace my chevy colorado that i really dont need.

:w00t: Call me ol fashion but i think she be pertier than a pea...  B) 

 

[DatsunMotorSports]

Thats awesome :w00t:

 

I drive all highway to work so i think i can get away with it also... What coil set up are you using? I have read the s13 setup doesnt go low enough.. Im wondering how low the T3 set up goes... I hear the best bet is welding the base mounts and using dc2 teg coils.... Im just wondering id the t3 set up goes real low also, the time it takes to get the welding done, then the mr2 rear struts in the front and the front s30 struts in the rear and do the weld in ground control kit or even the welding of the mounts for the dc2 kit... It might just be worth the extra 500 to get the t3 pre made kit with the weld in camber plates.

 

Im open to suggestions.

 

Any ideas?

 

Im using Cosmo Racing EVO2 coil overs. They work well, but they do not install like the other coil overs out there. They do not use a weld on sleeve. I sectioned the struts. MR2 front and front S30 in the rear. Im running Tokico Illuminas.

Ive wondered about T3's setup, but only because they offer the rear HD hubs and Im starting to push real power... I can replicate coil overs, but building those hubs correctly is out of my grasp at the moment.

[dsc201knoc]

Im using Cosmo Racing EVO2 coil overs. They work well, but they do not install like the other coil overs out there. They do not use a weld on sleeve. I sectioned the struts. MR2 front and front S30 in the rear. Im running Tokico Illuminas.

Ive wondered about T3's setup, but only because they offer the rear HD hubs and Im starting to push real power... I can replicate coil overs, but building those hubs correctly is out of my grasp at the moment.

I looked them up all models say 'out of stock'

 

So you say with this set up, you can sit the car on the ground right? I might just not take any chances and do the aw11 and s30 struts then section my tubes and do the weld kit

 

Do the adjustable struts make a significant difference over the non adjustable? Im just doing to be dd for now. If i decide to make more power in the car i can always upgrade later, or do you reccomend getting the adj right off the bat.

 

I dont want to ride on cut springs too long.. People are still broke so i havent recieved anymore payments from any one :blush:

[2050-Z]

Looking good!

 

 

[jalen]

Cant you take the early 260z bumpers and give it the 240z bumper look? and its a bolt on instead of fabbing up one...

[dsc201knoc]

Some new shots...







At my complex... Im sure i made some people upset pulling in, the "richie" people here already think i dont belong parking my plethra of rats in this spot. Some guy was staring at me when i was taking the photos up top there.. Then i pulled in to the complex, i realized.. homeboy didnt even live here. He got back into his truck and parked outside the gate after he realized i lived here. His judgemental eyes probably thought i would call the towing company for how hard he was mean muggin me.

 

 

 

The side by side



 

Some more.



A few of my other rats...

79 Toyota Hilux and 79 Fiat x1/9







 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[dsc201knoc]

Cant you take the early 260z bumpers and give it the 240z bumper look? and its a bolt on instead of fabbing up one...

 

Maybe im not sure... I would like the thin front 240z style bumper.. no rear bumper doesnt bother me so much.

 

So the car runs good, real rich right now. im new to carbs so figuring that out. the twin pipes exhaust front thezstore wont work with my car because its too low. It doesnt tuck up high enough. So its open headers right now... loud, real loud. After driving it, i think it needs a new front passanger hub bearing and a rear river side hub bearing. Ebrake is shot.

 

Interior dash lights dont work. This is a car that the previous owner really didnt know much about but had big dreams of fixing it up. The suspension is completely shot and riding on bumpstops, but the ride isnt bouncy or really bad at all.

 

Got a lot of looks on the ride home down 512 and 5 yesterday. I needed to take it out and see how it was running overall. Im bringing it back over to my buddies today. I need to get ready to move to another complex. The people here where i live suck. They think they are better than everyone and people have backed into my fiat twice and i get dirty looks all the time because i have 'Ugly' cars and i have tattoos. Go figure.