Persistance of Time: Datsun 240Z

Story by David S. Wallens • Photos by Tim Suddard
Restoration Photos Courtesy John Taddonio

All that John Taddonio wanted to do was install some stiffer springs. In the end, though, he wound up totally restoring his Datsun 240Z. Actually, a small clarification: He kind of wound up having to r…

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Thanks for posting this, I really enjoyed reading it.  Nice to hear about a normal guy getting through a troublesome restoration (long timeline, shop change, etc.).  Gives me hope for my own projects.

Thanks for the great read David and it gives me hope that I might actually finish my 260Z project one of these years.  I did finally move into a new place last Saturday with an 850 sf garage so my poor Trans Am, Datsun and Lincoln LS can be united again under one roof with room to work on them.  Getting the rest of the shop stuff over to the house is this Saturday's project. 

Thanks. That was a fun one to put together. 

A neat comparison road test would be an early FR-S/BRZ versus a 240Z/260Z. Prices and performance should be close. 914-6 and even a Dino/308 would also be close in performance.

I always thought that if I owned a 240Z I'd want it with stock steel wheels and caps.  Those are now pretty rare as the first trip of a new purchser was almost always to the tire shop to but mag wheels - to the point that seeing a 240 with original factory wheels was a very rare sight.

wspohn said:

I always thought that if I owned a 240Z I'd want it with stock steel wheels and caps.  Those are now pretty rare as the first trip of a new purchser was almost always to the tire shop to but mag wheels - to the point that seeing a 240 with original factory wheels was a very rare sight.

Guess you missed this one last month on BAT....

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1971-datsun-240z-136/

I did, thanks.  I try to limit my visits as I always find things I like and find myself thinking "Where could I put another car?"