Kustom Builds: 1971 Datsun 240z
Karl Kustoms loves hot rods and aftermarket performance parts that customize your ride. We don’t just sell parts; we also restore and upgrade cars in our dedicated workshop. Our more recent restorations included a body-off refurb of the classic Datsun 240Z sports car.
We documented the build in a three-part video series, covering the work that went into restoring this dream car for our client. Here, we discuss the finer details of what went into creating this stunning 240Z.
The Client: Keith Tharren
Keith Tharren is an existing customer of ours with a thing for Nissan Z cars. We did a 370Z for him in a Candy Apple red and black finish. He was so impressed he went and found another car for us to do. Now, the reason he picked this particular car requires a bit of a backstory.
“Hey, I got this real cool sports car that I will sell to you for 500 bucks.”
Keith’s appreciation for Z cars began with a lime green Datsun 240Z that he bought back in college for $500. The bits that weren’t rusted were painted lime green and despite its mechanical fragility, he instantly fell in love with its sporty lines.
With limited funds available, Keith managed to patch it up, so it only broke down some of the time. He even had it repainted Candy Apple red, although it wasn’t a particularly great job. After a few years, the car went to a new home, and Keith’s dream of owning a decent 240Z had to take a back seat.
The Car: 1971 Datsun 240Z
Fast forward a few decades, and Keith was ready to relive his early 240Z experience, but this time he had the means to do it properly. Decent 240Zs aren’t all that easy to come by, but after some searching, he found a solid 1971 model in Minnesota.
It was finished in red instead of the Lime Green of his original car, but otherwise, it was just what he was looking for.
Body Shop Tech: Tully Nall
For this refurb, we stripped the entire car down to its last nut and bolt. Every part was marked and tagged, and Tully, our body shop tech, chemically stripped off all the interior parts.
He also noted dents in some body panels and a left rear corner that had suffered accident damage at some point. The doors, rear quarters, and hatch were rusted – not beyond repair – but it was more cost-effective to replace them.
Replacing the old panels and straightening them all up to fit perfectly was a challenging task. But necessary to ensure the car looked factory-fresh once painted.
Ed Birmingham – Head Painter
Ed prepped the car for the spray booth by sanding it, sealing crevices, and then cleaning and taping off the bodywork. Keith had thought about respraying the car lime green, but decided to stick with the original 905 red color in the end.
Picking the right hue isn’t always straightforward. At Karl Kustoms we aim to please, so Ed and his team often spray a single panel for the client to take home and think about.
While the color remained original, we did add the black side decals and added a period-correct rear spoiler and louver. The bumpers were also aftermarket items, as originals are now impossible to find. Other interesting info on the paint of this build include:
- Original 905 red color was used
- Side decals were added
- Rear spoiler and rear louvers were added – but fitted to 240Z’s from this period
- Engine bay had already been detailed and finished in red by a previous owner
- Body was painted inside first, then outside
The Tech Guy: Kyle Kolke
With Keith’s first 240Z experience being marred by unreliability, he wanted to ensure this car was mechanically perfect. With this in mind, Kyle went over every inch of the car when it arrived at our workshop. Mechanically, it was in good condition aside from some minor issues. The mechanical throttle was a little sticky, and the fuel tank needed a full refurb as it had tons of dirt and rust in it. Normal issues for a car of this age.
Aside from that it got a new fuel pump and full service, which is pretty impressive for a car over 50-years old. Keith’s aim to keep the car as original extended to the radio, too. This meant a long search for the original AM radio that came with the car.
“We can’t rip the original radio out, because it’s gonna take away from the original aesthetics of the interior.”
-Keith Kolke, Karl Kustoms Tech
It looked good in the dash, but Karl Customs got a ‘secret radio’ system from Ford & Garland to make it more useable. This includes a separate head unit that was installed in the glove box. All connections were run through a custom-built panel installed by Keith under the seat. A set of four Kicker speakers rounded off the sound installation. The end result was an original look with modern-day useability.
The Upholstery Manager: Brett Waterton
Brett was tasked with getting the interior of the 240Z back to showroom condition. A common issue with these Z cars is that the dashboards crack quite badly. So, it was sent out to Just Dashes for a complete refurb.
The headliner was replaced, and the car got new vinyl perimeter trim. The door panels were replaced too, but Keith wanted to keep the seat covers to retain some originality. He did agree to new foam inserts to make them comfortable to sit in, though.
New carpets were put into the footwells and cargo area to finish it all off. Some other components of this build include:
- New door panels
- New headlining
- Original seat covers were used (with new foam inserts)
- New carpets throughout
- Fully refurbished dashboard
Karl Kustoms Has The Perfect Performance Parts For Your Build
We may love our Chevys, but like any true auto enthusiast, we appreciate all sorts of classics and sports cars, too. Keith’s Datsun 240Z was a great project for us. We do restoration, custom upholstery, painting, bodywork, and more on almost any vehicle. Some interesting info about the progression of this rebuild:
- Car was completely stripped and rebuilt
- Mechanically very sound
- Body panels mostly in good condition
- Kept as close to stock as possible
- Rear louvers and rear spoiler only exterior additions
- Aftermarket radio is hidden in the glovebox (original in dash)
- Original red color was retained
In addition to restoration experts, Karl Kustoms also has experienced machinists on staff. And we sell some of the finest hot rods in the country. We believe in good value, that’s why we offer a price match guarantee. Contact us today to see for yourself.