SEVEN QUESTIONS WITH A 240Z OWNER

Jon Newlyn explains why his ’Z love endures after three decades

Why a Z?

‘My first few cars were Datsuns. Then, in 1985, I decided to buy a classic Datsun with a bigger engine for longevity; the 240Z was easily the most appealing. Then I drove one and was hooked; the sound and the power were intoxicating.’

So what did you buy?

‘Initially a 1971 240Z rally car, but in 1988 that was sold for the original 240Z press car that featured on the front cover of Motor in 1971. That’s the car that

I still own, 31 years on.’

What were the big restoration hurdles?

‘Rust! I bought a spare rust-free bodyshell from California which was used for repair sections, especially the rear wings and threequarter panels. I wanted any metal welded-in to be the same age as the rest of the car if possible.’

Have you used it since?

‘You bet! I once drove 650 miles to Stuttgart in one day and it’s been driven all over the UK. It’s just come back from a trip of more than 1000 miles around Scotland, and over the years it’s done loads of weekend tours – which it’s ideally suited to.’

How reliable has it been?

‘The car has been trailered home only once. That was because of a failed alternator which cost just £15 to fix. Other than that, since the restoration it’s rarely needed more than servicing.’

Any upgrades?

‘I’ve added electronic ignition, upgraded the headlights with a relay conversion, and fitted a period fuse box with modern internals. These have turned the car into a fast and reliable tourer.’

Any other Zs?

‘I’m part of a consortium that imported a really early 240Z from Australia in 2017 – something that was far from straightforward because of all of the form-filling. The seller sent copious images and videos of the car and it looked really good. Indeed, it was, but it still cost £10,000 to bring it up to standard – including replacing the Australian tyres, as they’re not E-rated.’