Issue 41
As soon as we arrived at Brands Hatch back in August for our Summer track evening (RC 10/11) we couldn’t get enough of a certain trio of Datsun 240Zs. We’d initially thought we were simply looking at three nicely turned-out examples of the iconic retro coupe, but closer examination prompted us to get even more excited.
Not only did it turn out that John Palmer, Darren Styles and Terry Taylor were all mates, which instantly makes for a great story, but their cars were three of the coolest modified classic Datsuns we’d seen. All three were running eye-watering engine conversions; John’s boasts a 340bhp 1JZ-GTE 2.5-litre twin-turbo engine (sourced from a Toyota Soarer), Darren’s is a Skyline-powered 480bhp RB26DETT 2.6-litre twin-turbo machine, and Terry’s packs a 228bhp L28-engine (the 2.8-litre out of a Datsun 280ZX on triple Weber 45s).
Each represents different stages to 240Z tuning heaven, yet each is equally impressive in its own right. We won’t lie, the 240Z is one of our favourite retro motors, and these three UK examples are the finest we’ve ever seen, as such we couldn’t wait to get them in the magazine. We hope you like what you see – p24. Incidentally we must give a shout out to Brands Hatch for the use of its Grand Prix circuit for our photoshoot.
If the aforementioned 240Zs hadn’t made cover this month then the slot would’ve undoubtedly fallen to Curt Pattinson’s jaw-dropping ’78 Ascona. The car is ultimately a 400R rep, but it’s so much more than just a homage. The car has been painstakingly built from the ground-up and has definitely raised the bar for any future Ascona or Manta builds.
Lastly I wanted to quickly mention the Goodwood Revival. The weekend was a sell-out and has been hailed as the greatest running of the event to date, proving there’s an increasing hunger for the nostalgic way of life out there. We just wish there were more events organised in this fashion, where everyone immerses themselves into the spirit of the weekend so thoroughly with the clothes and hairstyles to match. If you made it down to Chichester this year we hope you had a good time, if not check out what you missed.
Simon Jackson, Editor
Air Wolff
After over a decade involved with the water-cooled VW scene, Andreas Wolff switched his allegiance to worship at the church of air. This ’61 VW Beetle is the end result…
Stock Exchange
There’s a lot to be said for traditional tuning methods, but we get up close and personal with three very different modified 240Zs to see if new turbocharged engines are the way forward…
Virtual Reality
The 5th annual Retro Rides Gathering found a new place to call home at Prescott Hill Climb in Gloucestershire. But would the new venue suit this eclectic event?
Ground Crew
Calling Curt Pattinson’s ’78 Ascona merely a ‘replica’ 400R would seem to be doing it something of a disservice. This latest project to emerge from the Retro Power stable, built from the ground-up, is so much more than just another carbon copy Opel.
Fast Track
Keith Oakley’s Zetec-powered ’72 Hillman Avenger is an ever-evolving road and track project that’s now running in its finest fettle yet…
Fitting an: HID kit
Poor headlights can be one of the most frustrating things about driving your classic motor at night. Luckily retro fitting a set of HID lights can save your bacon. Here’s how…
Who is: Retro Power?
After hearing the hype and inspecting some of the specialist’s project cars in the flesh, we head to Leicestershire to meet the team behind Retro Power…
