For #throwbackthursday we take a look at Rob Fuller’s 1970 Datsun 240z. This Series 1 S30 gained notoriety 15 years ago when it was powered by an RB25DET drivetrain. We had many good memories with the RB-configuration and like all Datsuns, this one has a great story behind it.
In 1997, Rob spotted a ’70 240Z sitting in a driveway while driving down a back road in Georgia. He soon learned that the owner had the Z for a really long time and it hadn’t been running for years. Unable to afford the owner’s price, Rob offered to wash and detail the car, as well as bringing a car cover to protect it until he had funds for towing. Eventually a deal was made with the seller, and Rob towed it home to start working on it. In 1998 he started his first job working at Z Service Unlimited in Atlanta when the recently acquired Z overheated and failed.
Rob and the 1970 240z at Z Service Unlimited in GA, ~1997. (Right) Turbo Tom’s EFI turbocharged L-Series build, still at the shop today:
A customer’s ’71 240Z had rolled-over and Rob swapped it’s 2.8L/5-speed/R200 diff into his Z. He enjoyed driving the Z all around Georgia before relocating to Northern California where he was offered a job at a local Z shop. Once the 240 was shipped over, Rob saved up money for yet another engine transplant, this time a 3.1L stroker with SUs. He attended many track days at Thunderhill and Laguna Seca with the setup. In 2001, the car was painted ’70 Mopar Go Green by William’s Auto Body:
In 2004, Rob opened Z Car Garage and started building a turbocharged L-series (utilizing Turbo Tom parts) for his Z. After completing his SR20DET-powered Datsun 510 he was inspired to have the same modern powerplant for GO GA Z. The turbocharged, inline-6 from the Nissan R33 Skyline was a logical choice. The swap was completed by July 2005.
A quick breakdown of the build: T3/T4 turbo, Nismo 740cc injectors, GReddy intake manifold, custom Z Car Garage front-mount intercooler, C&R radiator, JWT aluminum flywheel and heavy-duty clutch. Ford Lightning MAF, a Z32 TT fuel pump DEFI gauges. Suspension consisted of full Ground Control parts with 5-way adjustable Tokicos, custom 993 Porsche brakes behind 16×7 Panasport wheels wrapped in 225/50/16 Kumho Victor Racer V700 tires.
How did it perform? At 19 psi, the Z put down 440 whp and 380 lb-ft of torque at the wheels on the ZCG dyno. All while making the most intoxicating sounds. Enjoy this compilation I made of the Z in action, speakers up!
We enjoyed driving the Z to car shows/events including long trips to JCCS (2006) and the Mt. Shasta All-Datsun Meet.
GO GA Z even got some media exposure (before the days of Instagram and Facebook!) Below: Sport Compact Car Magazine, Lighting Auto (JDM), and Turbo Magazine
So where is the Z now? In 2009 the RB25DET was removed and built up to RB28 spec for installation into Gary’s Behemoth.
Gary would later decide to run the legendary OS Giken TC24B1Z in his Z, making it the world’s first LHD OS Giken TC24B1Z powered S30. Rob’s Z was the test mule for the TC24, a little known fact. Here it is on the dyno:
The RB28 sits on display in the front office at ZCG, while the GO GA Z chassis is still being utilized for TC24 development.
We hope you enjoyed our trip down memory lane with Rob’s RB-powered Z. I loved this car so much I built a 1/24th scale model of it. Please read on to learn about the model and see more pictures. LONG LIVE THE Z!
About The Model
One of my hobbies is 1/24 scale model car building. In the past few years I’ve focused on building scale replicas of friend’s personal cars. Rob’s 1970 240z holds a special place in my Z heart and I thought it would be a nice challenge to make a model faithful to the real car.
I made sure the engine bay had the entire RB25DET drivetrain visible with Greddy intake manifold, injectors, turbo and FMIC plumbing, BOVs, and that Interstate battery. On the outside I used Go Green paint for the body, Porsche Big Red calipers with cross-drilled rotors, Panasport-type wheels, and a photo-reduced license plate that reads ” GO GA Z”. The interior even has DEFI gauges, a MOMO steering wheel and Recaro seats…just like the real thing! Enjoy the pictures and stop by the shop to see the model in its display case, but please do not touch it 🙂
You can see more pictures below!
