Datsun 240Z East African Safari rally car

Launched in 1969 as a direct competitor to the Jaguar E-Type, Triumph TR5, Alfa Spider and Healey 3000, the Datsun 240Z amazed everyone by becoming the best selling sports car of all time, clocking up over a million sales before it was replaced by the equally successful 260Z in 1973. With a combination of Ferrari-esque styling, bullet-proof mechanicals and a lusty 150bhp straight-six engine (2.4-litre in the early cars, 2.6 in the later), the car's popular appeal was cemented by a highly successful career in international rallying.

Dating from 1972, this particular car has been built up from a rust-free USA import as a long-distance rally car and has successfully completed the East African Safari rally three times, in 2003, 2005 and 2007. It reputedly cost over £90,000 to build with most of the work done by marque specialists The Z Farm in Yorkshire, and was converted to RHD in the process.

The vendor states that: “This vehicle’s bodyshell was completely stripped, modified and strengthened as per the Works programme in the 1970s. It took nearly 1,000 man/hours of work, and a whole lot of fine detail to complete, and we even had to replicate the special rear footrests, the jacking points, front bonnet spotlight pods, etc. In addition, all the suspension was reinforced and the roll-cage was designed and fitted by Safety Devices. The engine mods were pretty basic, 2.6-litre Fast Road spec, as the fuel out in Africa is low quality and our brief was for reliability more than outright speed – 5,000kms is an awful long way across the African bush, and a lot can go wrong!”

Other equipment includes: FIA seats by SPARCO and belts by SABELT; fire extinguisher system; 15-inch Minilite magnesium wheels; Proflex evo 2 struts with thicker casing materials; 4-pot front brake callipers with vented discs; rear disc conversion; 120-litre ATL FIA-spec bag fuel tank in steel casing; twin spare wheels; twin Facet fuel pumps; rally spec wiring loom with Aerospace-spec switches; alloy triple-core radiator; triple Dellorto carbs with cold air box. The car comes with an MSA rally log book registered in the UK plus FIA papers and is just itching to go rallying again with a new owner behind the wheel.