1970
Owner's Build — 5 Years in the Making

PROJECT Z

A 1970 Datsun 240Z Fairlady — pulled from a field, stripped to bare metal, and reborn as a turbo LS-powered monster. Built by hand in Charlotte, NC.

1970
Datsun 240Z
LS V8
Engine
76mm
Turbo
8.8 IRS
Rear End
Brembo
Front Brakes
5 Yrs
Build Time

The Story

This 1970 Datsun 240Z — possibly a genuine Fairlady chassis — was picked up as a rusted-out shell with faded paint and a dream attached to it. Over the course of five years, it was stripped to bare metal and rebuilt every inch by hand.

The result: a turbo LS V8 swapped into a car that weighs nothing, sitting on a custom-fabbed rear end with Brembo brakes up front and Baer Pro rears, wrapped in satin black with a full cage inside. Every suspension component, bracket, and the cage itself cerakoted in matching bronze. No shortcuts. No compromises.

Where It Started

240Z before 240Z original blue 240Z stripped

Body & Paint

Paint booth Satin black Fresh paint rear Body straight Interior tub Paint detail

The Heart — Turbo LS V8

LS cerakoted intake Turbo manifold Engine components Engine in bay LS V8 in 240Z

Suspension & Brakes

Cerakoted suspension Baer rear brakes Brembo fronts Rear stance Rear fitment

Cage & Interior

Roll cage bronze Cage interior Cage raw Wiring harness Sound deadening Fuel cell

The Build — In Progress

Team bodywork Assembly Bare chassis Progress Fender fitting Detail Suspension Rear end Engine bay Build detail

Build Timeline

2021 — Acquisition

Found the 240Z — rusted, faded, forgotten. But the bones were there. Possibly a genuine Fairlady Z chassis.

2021–2022 — Strip & Metalwork

Stripped to bare shell. Cut out all rust, welded in new metal, straightened the body. Hours of blocking by hand.

2023 — Paint & Cage

Interior tub sprayed gloss black. Body laid in satin black. Full multi-point roll cage fabricated and welded in. Cerakoted bronze.

2024 — Drivetrain

LS V8 built and dropped in. 76mm turbo. Ford 8.8 IRS rear end with custom axles and hubs. Brembo fronts, Baer Pro rears.

2025 — Wiring & Detail

Full engine harness routed. Fuel cell installed. Radiator relocated to trunk. Every bracket and suspension piece cerakoted and powder coated.

2026 — Final Assembly

Cerakoting the last pieces. Fitting the AN lines for the rear radiator. Three weeks from first start.

Full Specs

Chassis1970 Datsun 240Z (Fairlady)
EngineLS V8 — Turbo
Turbo76mm
Water PumpTexas Speed Electric
Rear EndFord 8.8 IRS — Custom Axles & Hubs
Front BrakesBrembo — 12" Rotors
Rear BrakesBaer Pro 6" — Slotted Rotors
RadiatorRear-Mounted (Trunk) w/ Electric Fans
Coolant Lines-10 AN Supply / -8 AN Return
CageCustom Full Multi-Point — Cerakoted Bronze
SuspensionCerakoted Bronze — All Custom
ExteriorSatin Black
InteriorBlack — Bucket Seat, Short Shifter
Sound DeadeningSiless Full Floor & Tunnel
FuelTrunk-Mounted Fuel Cell
Build Time5 Years
Built ByRoman Yakimenko

Follow the Build

See more progress shots and the first start on Instagram.

@primesauto704