Being one of the most iconic Japanese sports cars ever built, it’s no surprise that the Datsun 240Z features heavily at the annual Japanese Classic Car Show. You’ll find 240Zs of every type at JCCS, from full factory restorations to lightly modified street machines and even race cars.
With so many examples present it can be hard for a 240Z to stand out, but Richard Madlangbayan’s ’72 manages to do that quite easily.
While it’s quite common to see S30s with vintage-style, bolt-on fender flares, Richard’s Z goes about its exterior styling in a much different way.
The car is running a full wide-body conversion from a company called ZTrix out of Arizona, and while it’s not a look you see too often, the finished product looks damn good. It’s aggressive and modern, yet doesn’t look at all out of place on the early-’70s Datsun.
The muscular wide-body kit is complemented by other additions like clear headlight covers, a tall rear spoiler and a custom-made diffuser out back.
Perfectly suiting the car’s contemporary theme is a set of 18-inch Nismo LMGT2 wheels with offsets dipping well into the negative range. Other upgrades to the chassis include a Megan Racing coil-over suspension conversion and Wilwood disc brakes all around.
Given the car’s modern attributes, you won’t find carburetors beneath this hood. The motor is an RB25DET, and it’s got a fully-built bottom end, Tomei cams and a big Garrett turbocharger just to name a few of the goodies. A Subaru STI differential has also been added to handle the additional power.
Inside the cockpit sit a pair of full bucket seats, Nardi steering wheel, a full collection of aftermarket gauges and an Auto Power roll bar.
Don’t get me wrong, I love an S30 with a set of side-draft carbs and RS Watanabes as much as anyone. Sometimes though, it’s nice to see something that breaks tradition, and this 240Z manages to feel very fresh in a crowded field.
Stay tuned for more spotlights from the 2015 JCCS.
Mike Garrett
Instagram: japanifornia_media
mike@speedhunters.com