Just the beginning....

The 240Z on the left side of the photo was our first Datsun 240Z. I added the spook and the stripes on the hood. The 280Z belonged to a friend, the decal package on it was factory.

Our first 240Z after some modifications.....

this is our first Datsun 240Z. As you can see from the photos above we made a few changes to the car after I drove under a Chevy Chevette, damaging the hood, bumper and headlight buckets. We had headlight covers on the 240Z, so we picked up the pieces and super glued them back together. To make the headlight body one piece, I laid fiberglass over the entire bucket to make the new piece. The rear taillights are Plexiglas cut and molded to the rear panel, painted red on the back side with clear spots for the back up lights. I cut down the factory taillights and attached them to the Plexiglas. The remodeled taillight housing used the same light bulbs and wiring. For the grid look I cut down rubber strips and super glued them to the outside of the Plexiglas. The rear bumper is the sides of the original rear bumper cut down, still using all the mounting brackets from the factory bumper. The front bumper (not in photo) when finished just wrapped around the headlight buckets and did not run in front of the grill. I added the rear spoiler and air dam and did the color change. The headlights were obviously moved and are mounted behind the grilled in cutouts making them "hidden".

Sports car clubs and autocrossing

My wife and I transplanted to the the Seattle area from Flagstaff Arizona. One of the great things that attracted us to the area were the very active sports car clubs in the area. SCCA Solo 2 (autocrossing) became a passion within a short time. Autocrossing was something we had always wanted to do with our Z. Our initial exposure was in Kent with the NWSCC and BEAC. The people were friendly and helpful to the novice and the cars were great! We quickly learned that our 72 240Z needed special attention to coax around the course. It was a little nose heavy, needed sticky tires and better harness/seat belts to keep the driver in the seat better. Autocrossing is the greatest affordable thrill next to full blown racing that a working stiff can experience. Anyone who drives a car should try it just to learn how a car reacts to different inputs under different conditions ( wet pavement for example). After our bout of temporaty insanity when we traded our Z for a Porsche, we discovered the PCA (Porsche Club). We also discovered many of the same friendly, helpful people that belong to the NWSCC. However, the PCA doesn't just hold autocross events, they have many great ways to drive their wonderful cars around the Pacific Northwest and have a lot of fun doing it. There are also several groups that revere the Datsun Z Car like ZCCA and NWDE.

1972 Datsun 240Z

This is our 1972 Datsun 240Z. This car literally came home in the back of a pickup. We had another Z that had been hit badly in the front end. We stripped the one and put together one great car. The only thing this one was missing was a posi to make it a regular Corvette beater in B Street prepared class. Unfortunately in a state of mental illness we traded her for a 1972 Porsche 911t!. We have regretted this action ever since.

This picture was taken at an all Z show in Durango Colorado at the local Nissan Dealership. We had Datsun Z cars from the Las Vegas Club, Utah, Denver, Alburquerque and of course our own Northern Arizona Z Club. We have since transplanted to the Pacific Northwest.

Datsun Z Car Fanatic

Hello, my name is Thomas Ball and I am a Z Car fanatic. My wife and I have owned over 20 of them over our lifetime. We have built many literally from the ground up. There is nothing mechanically, body and paint or electrically that I cannot do to these vehicles. We love to autocross and our white 1972 240Z was one of our favorites. We have also owned 280z, 260z and the very best of all a Solar Orange 2007 350z.