72 Datsun 240Z Project Claptrap - Yes That Claptrap

[Toasted Pancakes]

Welcome to Project Claptrap

Background on the Car

This is a 1972 Datsun 240z that has seen a not very kind history.  I purchased this vehicle in Austin Texas from a family that had it for some time. From Austin I road tripped my beat up 240Z with no AC, gas fumes, a seat belt that I had to tie myself into and a straight piped exhaust all the way back home in Houston Texas a solid 162 miles in the Texas Heat.  I officially named it Claptrap - two reasons One : The car is clapped out  (old, rusty, falling apart) Two : I'm a huge gamer and a big fan of the Borderlands Series and I absolutely love the character Claptrap.  Yes if anyone is asking the License Plate on the vehicle will be Clap Trap.

The Car

• 1972 Datsun 240Z
• L24 Engine with original Carbs 
• BC racing Coil overs
• Original 14" Wheels
• Original 47 year old Clutch
• Gauges that kinda of work (side note : every time you hit a bump the needle moves in the speedometer but it got me out of a speeding ticket - 65 in a 45 )

Upgrades Planned

• Replace both Floor Pans
• Roll Cage
• Racing Seats w/ Belts
• Complete Brake Rebuild
• Clutch and Flywheel Upgrade
• Replace the gauges
• Build in a Fuel Cell
• Moving to Push rod suspension in the rear 
• Moving to full tube front end
• LED projector Headlights
• All new Wiring ground up with new fuse block
• And maybe swapping the L24 for a RB26DETT maybe......
• Finally Paint  with new wheels and tires
• Side Exit exhaust 

The Paint Color

The plan here is to Paint the 240Z Sunflower Yellow Pearl with an offset Metallic Gray stripe. The car will have a front bumper with no turn signals - moving those into the headlight assembly.

Here is the Color in 3D so you can see it  : Click Here

Pictures

 

 

[Show More Pictures]

 

Story So Far

So far I've started stripped the vehicle to remove all the rust. Currently working on cutting and welding in the new floor pans so I do not just fall through the floor while Driving Claptrap. I've found 2 mice nest so far - at least it is only two. I am low key terrified of taking the dash out since I will probably find the mice. Let me know what you think. 

[Hide]

Edited July 1, 2019 by Toasted Pancakes

[grannyknot]

Looks like a pretty solid car, love the black lightning bolt.  I found generations of mice in my car, had to have the car dipped to get the smell of the mouse pee out. They won't be in the dash so much as the heater box, they love it in there.

[Patcon]

Wondering why you want to make certain changes?

Fuel cell? Push rod rear suspension? Tubular front end?

[240260280]

I'll take a clap trap if anyone has one of these:

 

[Toasted Pancakes]

1 hour ago, grannyknot said:

Looks like a pretty solid car, love the black lightning bolt.  I found generations of mice in my car, had to have the car dipped to get the smell of the mouse pee out. They won't be in the dash so much as the heater box, they love it in there.

I'm getting there - hopefully they are out of the vehicle by now with all the grinding I've done.

[Toasted Pancakes]

29 minutes ago, Patcon said:

Wondering why you want to make certain changes?

Fuel cell? Push rod rear suspension? Tubular front end?

The Fuel tank was rusted and squishy on top the tank.  So I had to replace it and purchasing a Fuel cell with modern fuel pumps will get me two things. First it will last a whole lot longer than the steel since it wont rust. Two it will allow me to track the vehicle if I ever desire also its just safer. 

The Push rod is modernize the suspension to improve handling and more points of customization to the car.  The Tube front is to replace the worn out control arms and rusted components that are questionable at best.  If i'm replacing it - 99% of the time it'll be a newer design to be better handling or just go faster.

The goal of the car is to be able to enjoy the car on the streets or drive to a track waste some corvettes then drive home again.

[rturbo 930]

The car looks pretty solid, more so than most, I highly doubt any of the suspension components are rusted to the point of being structurally compromised. You sound like you're pretty young. I think you should spend some more time with the car as is and get to know it, as you don't seem to think much of its capabilities. Zs can be made to be plenty capable without a tube frame, or custom suspension.