The original plan was a 1970 Plymouth Roadrunner, conjuring up a sleeper muscle car...which handled...after the sale of one fell through and a severe absence of such projects in the UK....a compromise was made (read: huge change of plan took place)
Consequently I trekked to a barn in the middle of the Midlands and (with hindsight) stupidly purchased what is so far (other than his degree title) one of the more costly mistakes he has made in his short lifespan. (excluding an ex-girlfriend who had 'addictive' shopping tendencies for shoes...handbags..and..and...) - you get the picture.
I give you 'Meiko'...who smells like dead people/stinky fingers.
This is a somewhat repost of my thread on briskoda.net only I'll get the photos sorted on a proper host so that bandwidth allowance doesn't detract from the hilarity.
Well....it's a 40-year old Datsun 240z....with a non-running engine and lbs of bondo...what do you think it's going to be like.
A more sensible man would have avoided this 240 as if it were a Croyden based transvestite who refers to themselves as 'Mungo'.
Interior
To describe the state of this car there is a four letter word. It begins with 's' and ends with 't'. And it isn't suit or soot. Most of the interior was beyond saving, cracked from years of of basking in California sunshine. So this is what happened to most of it.
Conjure something a little more attractive than Peter Mandelsons book cover, or indeed his book - see exhibit A:
Christ he is a clown.
I want to mold something, magic a creature that I could give to my (as yet unborn) children, something that would send a thrilling chill down the spine of the neighbourhood kids as it snuck by at the zebra crossing, rather than attacting a keying. So the inspiration is largely derived from exhibit B, C and D. This gentlemen, is pornography that your dad would be proud you viewed on the family computer in the living room.
Octopus will recognise these ⇈, and potentially these ↓ - Credit to Jan Trondsen's incredible work.
Fcuk me, that's a hearty project to sink your teeth into.
That said, a Gazzilion restecp points if you realise your vision. And I dooooooo hope you succeed, because exibit b,c,and d are, indeed, automotive porn !
If you need any help or parts try Star Motorsport Coalville Leicestershire. He specialises in 240Zs and does rally prep ones for historics. Good luck with this another Datsun saved is fine by me.
1975 Datsun 100a Flying Custard,Audi A4SE Avant(workhorse),VW Polo(wifes),Raleigh Choppers,knackered bikes and a garage full of crap.
That looks pretty solid for a 40yr old Datsun, I can remember seeing these when I was a kid in the early 80's and they were all falling apart with terminal rust.
You guys couldn't be any further from the truth with "that looks like a pretty solid one" and "looks pretty solid for a 40yr old Datsun" oh little do ye know.
The Horror Revealed
That...is nearly an inch thick of multiple layers of bondo. This was on the front wings where some dumbass had put in some ugly pointless vents..so these went to the scrap heap, there were beyond saving....this unfortunately wasn't half the story of what was to come.
Leaving for the blasting
After
The blasting guys said it was one of the worst case of 'bondo' they'd ever come across. it was inches thick in some places to cover up the attrocious botch roof repair - a mix of braze, weld and oxy-melted in crap. Other than for a few bits, the car was fairly solid otherwise. New sill, floorpans, framerails all needed.
So what to do...what to do...
Spending spree!!!
Lightweight spending spree
Lexan rear screen, 1/4 window set, windows with race grade sliders
Imported carbon fibre boot and bonnet, NOMEX foam cores - thanks to John Coffey at betamotorsports.com, incredibly helpful guy. Picked up a full bushings set, new rubber for all the windows as well as some other bits and pieces.
Picked up some fibreglass front wings off ebay, £47, needing some love
Now it's worth mentioning, it was around this point, (September last year) I left to live in North America for two years on a research masters degree. This obviously meant work would stop.
Solution: Malcolm Vardy, the 'dude' to many of you and owner of www.mig-welding.co.uk
Ooohh I absolutely love 240's and that looks like a pretty solid one I've been looking lustfully at the full fibreglass bodies you can get, maybe one day I'll buy one and spaceframe it. No harm in dreaming eh Oh, and the future looks promising going on yu renderings!
nice one. PLEASE leave the Undertaker's union sticker on there. I **so** want that for my car. Please to take many hi-res photo and mail to me so I can replicate...
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I've been looking lustfully at the full fibreglass bodies you can get, maybe one day I'll buy one and spaceframe it. No harm in dreaming eh 
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