1976 Datsun 260Z Convertible – Reader’s Car

Fane Harman's unique Datsun 'Zed' cruiser

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Photographers: Ben Hosking


This article on Fane’s Datsun 260Z was originally published in the March 2018 issue of Street Machine

“I FOUND this 1976 Datsun 260Z sitting beaten up on the front lawn of a house back in 1996. It was in a bad way, but I wanted it, so I offered some cash and towed it home.

“I love to see something different in car design and construction, so I set about modifying the car along these lines. Over two decades later and after hundreds of hours of work in developing and refining it, I have ended up with what I think is one of the most unique Datsun Z-cars you might ever see.

“I am a lover of Nissan V6 turbo motors for their power and torque, so in went a three-litre, four-camshaft , 24-valve V6 out of a 300ZX. The gearbox is the same as used in the Nissan GT-R, backed by an R200 diff with a KAAZ two-way LSD centre. It pushes out around 600hp at the wheels.

“With the roof removed, it really does have great lines as a roadster. I do nearly all the work myself and am forever bettering the car, so it’s still a work in progress. It gets driven hard at automotive events, but is a good cruiser on the streets too. I have plans to race it more in hillclimbs, Cannonball-style road rallies and street car events. Summernats is also in my sights!”

Photographers: Ben Hosking

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