"Mechanix Menace": An LS7-motivated, chopped and heavily modified 1973 Datsun 240Z

[chevyz240]

The garage season has officially begun! After a long hiatus I have started working on the Z-car again. First on the agenda is to finalize the cabin layout. Previously I had planned to have the engine offset 30 mm (1.2") to the right. Today I decided to increase that to 40 mm in order to gain some more clearance to the driver's side of the transmission tunnel (we're talking English Channel Tunnel here...). To do that I had to narrow the passenger side of the cabin. I continued to modify the wooden mockup. To make it as accurate as possible I decided to calculate with 15 mm combined thickness of the sound insulation and carpet/upholstery. Now the inner surfaces of the wood will represent the actual finished surface. It's not going to be overly spacious for the passenger, but it'll be comfortable enough for a normal size person.



The reasons for the very wide trans tunnel is that I will be using 26 mm thick aluminum sandwich panels for the cabin to gain stiffness and improve sound and heat insulation, while still being light weight. The dual 3" exhaust also needs width beside the trans. In addition I want to have adequate airflow to cool the transmission. If the airflow out of the tunnel is large and cool enough, I may channel it through the rear mounted radiator I'm planning to use. One advantage to the side offset of the engine is a higher right side weight percentage, which tends to be less than 50 percent otherwise. Especially on track days it's an advantage, as all (but one I think) Swedish tracks are run clockwise.

[69CougarXR7]

Henrick,

Your build is what led me to this forum... Always have been a fan of the Z cars.... Have a couple of 280 projects that I have been trying to sell off to fund some of my 1969 Cougar build...

Look forward to more updates...

Brian

[chevyz240]

Henrick,

Your build is what led me to this forum... Always have been a fan of the Z cars.... Have a couple of 280 projects that I have been trying to sell off to fund some of my 1969 Cougar build...

Look forward to more updates...

Brian

Thanks Brian!

Do you have a build thread for the Cougar? (Or the 280 Z's?)

[linkstar69]

That offset will make routing your exhaust around the steering much easier

[69CougarXR7]

Thanks Brian!

Do you have a build thread for the Cougar? (Or the 280 Z's?)

No build threads... Z's are for sale...

My Cougar is a long way off before I will even think of making a thread on it.... Time and funds, especially funds keeps me from going too far on the car.... Plus, the only place I can work on it is at my business location and that is 13 miles from my home... Not exactly kosher for family and the wife for me to spend all my extra time there... So, I work on it once or twice a month during the warmer months..

Here is the most current picture I have available... I actually have the entire front sheet metal and grill removed since this pic was taken..



Brian

[chevyz240]

That offset will make routing your exhaust around the steering much easier

That's an added benefit!

[chevyz240]

No build threads... Z's are for sale...

My Cougar is a long way off before I will even think of making a thread on it.... Time and funds, especially funds keeps me from going too far on the car.... Plus, the only place I can work on it is at my business location and that is 13 miles from my home... Not exactly kosher for family and the wife for me to spend all my extra time there... So, I work on it once or twice a month during the warmer months..

Here is the most current picture I have available... I actually have the entire front sheet metal and grill removed since this pic was taken..



Brian

Yeah, that doesn't sound ideal. Maybe you can say you had to work overtime, and work on the Cougar a bit? Are you an airplane mechanic?

[69CougarXR7]

Yeah, that doesn't sound ideal. Maybe you can say you had to work overtime, and work on the Cougar a bit? Are you an airplane mechanic?

Yes, I am a licenced A&P IA.... The aircraft in the picture is a long term project.... Finally got it imported to the states and started doing an engine conversion on it this week... It is getting a 6 cylinder Continental 0-470-J (470 cubic inch) that produces 225 horsepower at 2700 RPM... Big upgrade from the 165 horsepower Franklin engine that is in it now...

My primary focus in my business is single engine fixed gear aircraft with a specialty in fabric cover and restoration... I have a Face Book page under Steve's Aircraft if you want to look me up...

Take care...

Brian

[chevyz240]

Today I have reacquainted myself with Blender in order to continue the Datsun modeling soon. There is still a lot to do; rear window, lights, grill etc. The biggest job is trying out different fender flares.

[Godbolt]

When Mazda revealed the concept RX-Vision at Tokyo it looked familiar somehow. It bares an uncanny resemblance to some of your renderings! (At least to me anyway....)

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/mo...ncept-revealed

[chevyz240]

When Mazda revealed the concept RX-Vision at Tokyo it looked familiar somehow. It bares an uncanny resemblance to some of your renderings! (At least to me anyway....)

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/mo...ncept-revealed

I hadn't seen that Mazda, James, but there definitely are some similarities! The Aston Martin Vantage also has a few similar lines.

[chevyz240]

Yes, I am a licenced A&P IA.... The aircraft in the picture is a long term project.... Finally got it imported to the states and started doing an engine conversion on it this week... It is getting a 6 cylinder Continental 0-470-J (470 cubic inch) that produces 225 horsepower at 2700 RPM... Big upgrade from the 165 horsepower Franklin engine that is in it now...

My primary focus in my business is single engine fixed gear aircraft with a specialty in fabric cover and restoration... I have a Face Book page under Steve's Aircraft if you want to look me up...

Take care...

Brian

I will look you up on Facebook, Brian!

[chevyz240]

For the first time since almost 7!!! years I have actually physically added something to Mechanix Menace! Previously I have either cut stuff off, or mocked up parts, but today I welded up the rear steering column bracket. It's not completed yet, but it's tacked in place. This feels really good!

[2ndroundko]

So hows the grafting of the e36 suspension going.

[MOREHORSEPOWER]

Here is a Mazda 1979 RX7

[chevyz240]

So hows the grafting of the e36 suspension going.

The E39 suspension is mocked up roughly in place but it will take some time before I get to the parts of the chassis that will hold the suspension. First on the chassis fab agenda is the cabin part.

[chevyz240]

Here is a Mazda 1979 RX7

And???

[chevyz240]

This weekend I have fabricated the front steering column bracket. Seam welding will be done later.

[chevyz240]

Today I made a rough mockup of the front part of the chassis. Everything isn't there and the exact positioning of the tubes will change. I made it mostly to test how it can be laid out and to see if the firewall design will work with the intended front chassis design. I'm happy with it and I feel I can soon go ahead and start welding tubes for the cabin part of the chassis.

[bonecrrusher]

Dat Firewall!