OK, now this is some crazy stuff right here. Some guy decided to stuff a Jaguar V-12 into a Datsun 240Z.
240Z engine swaps are almost as old as the car itself. I used to own a ‘73 240. Got it from the second owner, just perfect shape. I “sold” it to my dad, and then he turned around and gave it to my brother not two months later.
Anyway, once I had to drive my 240 out to where my then-wife ditched the VW Rabbit after shredding the ferrule off of the clutch cable. I’m sitting by the side of the road, waiting for the tow-truck, when up drives this cop.
He stops and gets out, doesn’t say a word as he starts writing up a ticket for the car illegally parked in front of the Rabbit.
“This your car?” he snaps, pointing to said VW.
“Yeah, clutch cable is shot. Waiting for the wrecker.”
“Ah. OK then, I won’t write you … hey! Is that your 240!?”
“Yup. Second owner, had it since-”
“I used to have a 240! I did the Chevy 327 engine swap! Man, these are GREAT cars! Mind if I take a look?”
And the cop started pouring over my car, pointing out this and that, and what to look out for. Hands down, the nicest conversation I’ve ever had with a cop standing at the side of the road. (You don’t want to know about the other conversations.)
According to him, there’s a whole underground of guys that are into 240s with big engines, and it seems like here we have one of the more crazy advocates of that group.
Surely the weight distribution and balance is way off, but my God, the acceleration must be explosive.
And that engine note … this is a guy I could grow to like.
There’s more photographic evidence after the jump.
Source: Jalopnik
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