RE: Datsun 240Z V8: You Know You Want To

[vrsmxtb]

Haven't the Roadkill guys just done the same, but far rattier.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcjC00J8FaM

[LancerG]

I think for 8k its a good buy - spend £2k on re-carpet, retrim seats, tidy up and mop the paint, you'd have a lovely rare car that turns heads and sounds awesome for under 10k

Its actually quite tempting. I bet its sold already

[richiep]

This was built 8/9 years ago by a member of the Z Club (who has more recently built one with a Skyline RB25DET on board). Here's the original build thread:

http://www.zclub.net/forum/showthread.php?t=4699&a...

[themanwithnoname]

samoht said:

The colour feels like a tribute to Wangan Midnight to me
(pic from wikia).

Glad its not just me then...

First thing that went through my mind was "Zeto"

[TimJM]

For 8k I would have that without thinking twice...but I already have way too many cars and I don't have 8k.

Perhaps a swap would work...

[steve-V8s]

This one had a rover V8 for a while it was then re-united with the 6.

http://youtu.be/lXqZJTZ9-e0

[Terminator X]

Saw this in the classifieds t'other day as I'm often searching for "V8" ... One day, one day.

TX.

[Liquid Knight]

They've been putting V8's in MGB's for years why not an MGB replica?

[macdeb]

Alfa159Ti said:

However, forgive my possible ignorance, but aren't the TVR engines of that vintage notoriously unreliable and do they not require rebuilds as almost par for the course?

Some people actually believe what Clarkson says [who was actually a big TVR fan once upon a time]
The TVRV8 [rover based] is a pretty tough old lump. The speed 6 however had problems in it's early days. I'm on my 4th TVR and none have let me down, toured all over Europe in 'em without issue.
Oh, and I LOVE the Datsun 'Z's and with a V8 at that price

[skyrover]

Why drop a boat anchor Rover V8 into it? What a wasted opportunity

[Martin350]

Boat anchor..?

A Rover V8, having an aluminium block and heads, probably weighs less than the Datsun straight six with cast iron block!

[Gary C]

Martin350 said:

Boat anchor..?

A Rover V8, having an aluminium block and heads, probably weighs less than the Datsun straight six with cast iron block!

About the same apparently, but it should be shorter so moves the weight back slightly? Which could be good and might even be a bit lower. No there's a though. Subaru flat four ej20 turbo ? Low, light and short

[Axeboy]

Love it.

Great combo in my opinion. Im sure some wont like the fact its not got a Z heart, but I do like it. Seems like a really good price to me too..

[Martin350]

Gary C said:

About the same apparently, but it should be shorter so moves the weight back slightly? Which could be good and might even be a bit lower. No there's a though. Subaru flat four ej20 turbo ? Low, light and short

Wouldn't sound as nice as the V8 though!

[skyrover]

Martin350 said:

Boat anchor..?

A Rover V8, having an aluminium block and heads, probably weighs less than the Datsun straight six with cast iron block!

makes bugger all power. If your going to drop a V8 into it, at least start with a good one.

[CAPP0]

You know, I *DO* want to! Lots!

I fear any attempts at restoration might uncover much nastiness however.

[e21Mark]

I've never been a fan of engine swaps from other manufacturers, but I much prefer the idea of the BMW s54 straight six. This one is stunning > http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/139679/bmw-...

Given how rare / expensive 240's are nowadays, £8k seems a bit of a bargain. If you can't find one though, there are some alternatives that are also RWD with six pot engines and you could build something that's a lot of fun, for £8k

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[900T-R]

skyrover said:

makes bugger all power. If your going to drop a V8 into it, at least start with a good one.

Mine makes 300 hp @ 6,000 rpm from a small valve 4.3 litre. Given that the thing weighs about the same as the average iron blocked 4-banger and generally fits in the same space as one, too, I'd call that pretty good going - how much power exactly would you want in an old school motor weighing <1,100 kg?

The bottom line is that ALL the 'modern' V8 alternatives are less practical c.q. would overshoot reasonable project goals in terms of size, weight and output. Dimension-wise, the GM LSx-series is closest, but still somewhat bigger and heavier, while all the DOHC ones are too wide and top heavy (plus the regular '90s/early '00s BMW/Merc/Jag/Lexus/Audi V8s don't make any more power than a well fettled RV8 anyway).

Oh, and the TVR versions make the finest noise of any roadgoing V8 bar none

[CAPP0]

900T-R said:

Oh, and the TVR versions make the finest noise of any roadgoing V8 bar none

Apols for the hijack but can you tell me what it is that makes the TVR version sound so good? Headers? Exhaust configuration? Cam? Inlet? All of the above?

Reason for asking, I have an RV8 in my old Defender and would love to make it sound more TVR-like, for exactly the reason you state above!

[900T-R]

My educated guess would be most is in the combination of a fairly aggressive cam and the manifolds/exhaust. Having said that, every single V8 TVR seems to be sounding slightly different from the next...