On the 20th March 2018 we posted about my dream project, a 1971 Datsun 240Z, with all the right intentions of getting the build started. But why were there no updates after that?
It soon became clear that with the Golf build progressing, the brand growing, and a desire to see the 240Z built with minimal breaks, the project would have to wait. Roll on a few years and we can finally confirm that the ball is rolling. But first, here’s a brief look back to bring everyone up to date.
It was the mid-2000s and the internet/forum era was really beginning to connect the world of automotive culture. While surfing the dial-up internet, I came across the 240Z. Instantly, I knew this was my dream car — one I wanted to own and build myself. With nowhere to work on a car at the time, the dream had to be put on hold, but that didn’t stop the late-night browsing. In 2009 I found an article that set the theme for the build, and 16 years later, despite seeing hundreds of examples since, nothing has changed — I still keep going back to it.
So in 2017, with my 30th birthday approaching and a new-to-us house complete with a garage, it was time to start the hunt and finally buy the dream project. Having spent limited time around Zs, I reached out to John Palmer, who invited me down to look over his car, talk me through what to look out for, and take me out in his 1970 USA import.
The hunt began, but after many hours on Craigslist and every other platform I could think of, nothing suitable came up. Then a very rough-looking 240Z appeared on UK eBay. Deciding that a rough car might actually be the right move, my dad and I headed up north to inspect it. On closer inspection, the car started to tick a lot of boxes. It had all the parts I needed, the metalwork was far better than expected, and more importantly, it had incredible patina — nothing I ever expected to find on a Z.
A deal was struck, a low loader was hired, and the following weekend I officially became the owner of a 1971 240Z. With the car safely home in my garage, it then sat patiently, waiting for a window of opportunity that would allow me to see the build through properly, without long pauses in between. Now that this article has been written, you can catch up on some of the build over on our YouTube channel, and in the next article we’ll dive into the progress and plans for the car.
