1971 Datsun 240Z Build: A 2.9L L28 Stroker Restomod From California Datsun

1971 Datsun 240Z - Car Owner: Wayne Nocella - Built By: Al Allen - Instagram: @californiadatsun 

Photographer: Marvin Recinos - Instagram:  @mr2mivin

A 1971 Datsun 240Z is one of the cars that basically built the Z-car legend — the S30 chassis that convinced America a Japanese sports car could actually hang with the Europeans. This particular one came through our shop, California Datsun, after owner Wayne Nocella tried building it himself and quickly realized he was in over his head. We see that a lot. This Z had actually already been through another shop's attempt at a restoration before it landed with us, which meant part of the job was undoing someone else's half-finished ideas before we could even get to ours.

I'm Al Allen, and I run California Datsun — Datsun Parts LLC on paper — which I started in 2008 out of a lifelong obsession with the S30 chassis. I've been in it since 1989. I daily-drove my own 260Z for a decade and picked up awards at Hot Import Nights and the National Z Car Convention along the way, and somewhere in there I turned a parts hustle into one of the largest Datsun parts suppliers in the world, plus a shop that handles full Z-car restorations start to finish. The late-90s JDM boom is really what lit the fire for me, running with the Group Z Car Club and spending way too many nights in the garage. What started as a side hustle to fund my own project became a full-time business in 2013, and it hasn't slowed down since.

What Wayne Wanted From This Build

Wayne's vision for this Z was simple to say and a lot harder to deliver: style, speed and reliability, all in the same car. Not a trailer queen, not a straight-line drag toy — something that looks right, drives right, and doesn't leave you stranded. We took his ideas and put them into this one-of-a-kind Z.

This Z is simple sexy, and honestly that's the best way I can put it. It's got the right stance, the perfect power plant, and a mix of aggression and attitude that gets it noticed every time it's out in the wild. It's not a car you glance at — it's one you watch pull into a lot. It's a total experience just to drive, and that's really the whole point of a build like this. We're extremely proud of our work here.

The Heart of the Build: A 2.9L L28 Stroker

This is our signature move at California Datsun, and it's the engine combination we come back to again and again because it just works: a high-compression L28, punched out to a full 2.9 litres, running a 500L 300D camshaft for genuinely muscular power delivery. We believe an engine should look as good as it runs, so we paired the Ferrari Gray paint finish with pops of powder-coated red through the engine bay. Add the ceramic-coated headers and JDM Mikuni triple carbs, and that pretty much says it all.

Engine & Drivetrain

• 2.9L stroked L28 inline-six, high compression
• 500L 300D camshaft
• Ceramic coated headers
• JDM Mikuni triple carburettors
• 2.5" Magnaflow exhaust
• 5-speed manual transmission
• 3.9 R200 differential with CV axles
• Factory-style ice cold A/C, for genuine daily usability

The ceramic-coated headers and those Mikuni triple carbs really do say everything about the intent here — this isn't a numbers-matching museum piece, it's a build meant to be driven hard and enjoyed, with a soundtrack to match. The 2.5" Magnaflow exhaust keeps it loud enough to announce itself without drowning out that triple-carb induction note, which is honestly half the appeal of an L-series six done right.

Stopping and Handling: Wilwood, Eibach and a Lowered Stance

To actually stop all that power, the Z boasts a full Wilwood brake setup — not somewhere we cut corners, because a car this fun to drive needs to be just as confident under braking. Those sit behind a set of 16" Konig wheels, which keep the S30's classic proportions intact while giving it a more modern footprint.

Suspension & Brakes

• Wilwood disc brakes
• 16" Konig wheels
• Eibach lowering springs
• KYB performance struts

The whole setup sits on Eibach springs and KYB struts, there to lower the altitude and raise the attitude — one of our favourite builds for exactly that reason. It drops the stance just enough to look right without sacrificing the ride quality you need if you're actually planning to drive the thing, which Wayne is.

Is a Restomod Right for a Classic Z Car?

A restomod keeps a classic car's original look and character on the outside while modernising what's underneath — the engine, brakes, suspension and electrics — so it drives and stops like something built decades later without losing what made people fall for the shape in the first place. For a chassis like the S30, that's the sweet spot. You get the proportions and presence of a 1971 car with none of the compromises that came with it off the factory line.

The Interior: Custom Leather Built to Last

The cabin on this one was handled by Ernie's Auto Interiors, who designed a fully custom, one-of-a-kind jet black leather interior from scratch. Every bit of interior plastic got fully wrapped to match, which goes a long way toward making a 50-plus-year-old cabin feel genuinely modern rather than just restored.

Interior

• Custom jet black leather upholstery, designed by Ernie's Auto Interiors
• Fully wrapped interior plastics
• Factory-style A/C retained and functioning

Who Did the Work

This Z took our team the better part of two years to build properly, and it genuinely took a team. Jake, Jonah and Cameron handled the bulk of it at California Datsun, and my son Griffen Allen also put his hands on this one — it's become a bit of a family affair around here, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

A build at this level never happens in a vacuum, and we're extremely grateful for all of the supporting shops who help make our builds possible. From Rod's Garage, Ricky's Machine and Baltazar's Bodyshop to Ontario Metal Polishing and Ernie's Auto Interior, they all had a hand in getting this Z where it needed to be. We always have to shout out the guys over at Young Gun Coating, who provide us with excellent powder coated suspension and exhaust parts on every build. Of course, we're thankful Raul Mendez makes sure all of our cars are perfectly detailed, cut and buffed to perfection. And we always want to show appreciation to our regular parts suppliers — Motorsport Auto, Hector's Tires, and our everyday needs from the local O'Reilly Auto Parts.

What's Next for This Z

Down the line, Wayne may look at adding power steering and a set of strut bars. Neither is urgent — this Z already drives better than it has any right to for something built in 1971 — but they're the kind of refinements that tend to get added once an owner's been living with a car a while and knows exactly where they want it to go next.

Why This Build Matters

We're genuinely proud of this one. It's the perfect blend of looks and feel, the kind of car that gets the attention it deserves rather than attention bought with volume alone. If you're chasing something similar, we've documented plenty of other S30 builds that show the range this chassis is capable of — our 1972 Datsun 240Z Kilimanjaro White L28 build and our earlier 1973 Datsun 240Z restoration are both worth a look if you want to see how differently two Z builds can turn out even starting from the same bones.

My own dream car, if anyone's asking, is simple: owning one of every Datsun ever made. We're working on it.

For more build inspiration and classic JDM restomod reading, check out the Mag store on Amazon.

Built by Al Allen and the team at California Datsun. Photography by Marvin Recinos (@mr2mivin).