‘’I bought the car in 1976, I’ve always wanted one and somebody local was selling one.’’ First introduced in 1969 as the peak of Japanese Performance, the Datsun 240Z was every petrol head’s dream car; and to a certain extent it still is. This particular car is owned by Les Bromley, a gentleman who has owned this car for most of it’s life. When Les purchased this car in 1976, it was only 3 years old (1973). For many years, Les spent his time doing what anyone would do with this car… enjoying it. With a 2.4 litre 6 cylinder engine up front, producing 150BHP, this car wasn’t your average daily driver in 1976. Everywhere you go, the 240Z will turn heads because of it’s pure sound and shape; the design of the 240Z was very elegant, and almost ‘muscle car like’. In the 70s, the Datsun 240Z was one of the best sports cars money could buy, along with the Ferrari 365, Lamborghini Countach and Porsche 911. For a company that primarily built family and practical vehicles for every day use, this was a huge step in the car world for Datsun, and it really got them the publicity they worked for and deserved.
Tech Spec – Engine & Performance 2.4 Litre 6cyl L24 Fully Rebuilt, Triple 40 Weber Carburettors, Alluminium Pistons, Polished & Balanced pistons & Rods, 6 Branch exhaust, Lumination Electronic Ignition, lightened flywheel, Single overhead camshaft, Vented Brembo Brakes Front & Back Exterior Original Datsun 240Z Body Fully Rebuilt, Full Respray Subaru Carmine Red, Cobra Slot Wheels 195/70/R14, Orignal Registration Plates Interior Original Datsun 240Z Interior, Red carpets colour coded to paintwork, leather seats re-trimmed
In 1986 Les decided to try and sell the Datsun as the condition wasn’t where he would have liked it to be, but he was getting offered very little money. Being an engineer, he had very little time to invest into the car, but loved the way it drove and felt on the road. Before owning the Datsun, Les had owned many different cars from Audis and BMWs to Austin 1100S and Minis; and even a Ford Escort. In 1988 Les rebuilt the entire body, engine and mechanics of the car, down to every single nut and bolt. ‘’I rebuilt the whole car down to every nut and bolt, it took me 2 years of working on it in in a tiny garage on my lunch breaks at work, it’s a labour of love’’. Les had also made the ‘Z’ top mount covers himself, using aluminium. Having rebuilt the entire car, it‘s very difficult not to notice little touches and parts of the car that have been hand built.
Originally, the car was painted in Datsun’s ‘Ivory White’, with completely black interior carpets. Since then, it has been resprayed in Subaru Carmine Red, which matches the shape and age of the car perfectly. This accompanied with the addition of the burgandy carpets makes the car look very standard. The 14’’ Cobra Slot wheels were also added when the car was rebuilt, giving it an aggressive and chunky stance. As previously said, this car has a 2.4 Litre 6 cylinder engine under the bonnet, with triple 40 weber carburettors and K&N Bolt on air filters . As well as this, the polished cylinder head and 4 branch exhaust system makes a very deep and throaty sound, which matches the look of the Datsun perfectly. Now in 2017, the 1973 Datsun 240Z is a very rare sight, especially in the UK. Most of these cars are in the US, or in Japan; and even then it is very rare to find one in this ‘original’ looking condition. The 240Z today is widely used for Japanese performance shows, and they are quite often seen with widebody kits and engine swaps. It’s quite surreal to be able to see an original looking Datsun 240Z, virtually exactly how it would have looked in the seventies. This car really is a timewarp, straight from 1973.
So what does the future hold for this Datsun 240Z? Currently, Les doesn’t have any plans or changes he wants to make to the car; he simply wants to enjoy it. Having owned the car for such a long period of time, and spending countless hours working on it, he wants to put all of his hard work invested into the car doing what it was built to do. Impromptu weekend drives, many car shows and the occasional roadtrip will be the main use for this stunning 240Z; and we definitely approve! Here at OhSoRetro we love all styles of retro cars, from American muscle to Japanese imports, from Fully rebuilt Race Cars to Purist Icons. One thing we really appreciate is something different and unique, something that you very rarely see in today’s day and age; and we think this Datsun 240Z sums that up perfectly. We want to hear from you, we want to know what your favourite type of retro car is, and what would you like to see us feature more of? Let us know at Info@OhSoRetroEvents.co.uk, or find us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!
Words and Photos by Harry Higgs Photography
