Growing up in the early '90s meant no internet access for me at the time. But luckily enough, I've always had people around me telling me stories of greatness. I was probably about 5 years old when I first heard of the Bonneville Salt Flats. It was also then I became aware of the record-breaking, gas turbine-powered vehicle called Bluebird. No wonder I've such a thirst for speed today.
Back in the '60s, the Bluebird managed to hit 403.1 mph (648.7 kph). As I grew older I eventually came to learn about the Thrust SSC. In essence, this was a land-going aircraft. In 1997 it set a new world record, going at a speed of 763 mph (1,228 kph). These days multiple vehicles on the market can go faster than 200 mph (321 kph). But there are just a few that can go over 250 mph (402 kph). I wonder if we'll ever get to the point where land speeds over 700 mph (1,126 kph) will become the norm for mankind. But I feel that we'll sooner revert to flying instead.
If you've got a serious need for speed there are plenty of ways to satisfy it these days. Get a fast motorcycle, or get involved in the top fuel dragster scene. Or better yet, build or buy a car to tackle the salt flats. I imagine taking on Bonneville is much more complicated than it seems, but look at the bright side. The run-off area is huge! Browsing through the classifieds I came across a vehicle that is legendary in more ways than one. If you're a 240Z fan, you might have seen the Japanese "Wangan Midnight" series.
It was there that I first got hooked on the 240Z. Seeing the "Devil Z" racing on Japanese highways at speeds over 200 mph made me dream about one day experiencing a car like this myself. But this Datsun wasn't built for the Japanese highway, it was built for the salt flats. And need not be an expert in cars to realize that this is a seriously fast machine. If you're a Datsun purist, you might want to look away from this one. That's because the original engine was ditched in favor of a Toyota-sourced, 2JZ-GTE unit.
Photo: Bring a Trailer
Working in conjunction with a BorgWarner S400SX-E 72mm turbocharger, this 240Z is now rated for a solid 859 horsepower and 631 lb-ft (855 Nm) of torque. The engine was even rebuilt in September of 2020, so I expect that you can enjoy this car right away. The gearbox this uses is a Getrag V160/V161 six-speed manual, and you know that these don't come cheap. I'm surprised the owner didn't go for a sequential gearbox instead. The seller has provided a short video of the car in action, plenty of photos, and proof of how fast it can go. In 2017, this car went up to 227.45 mph (366 kph) at Bonneville Speed Week, so it's no wonder it comes equipped with dual parachutes.
This 1972 Datsun 240Z is currently located in Redondo Beach, California. There are 7 days before the auction is over, and the highest bid right now is just $3,200. It's futile to mention that this isn't a street-legal vehicle, although some nutcases might be tempted to take it out to Compton on a late night for a quick race. I suggest you read through the user-posted comments as well, one of the most hilarious ones is:"Do you have all the OEM parts to put it back to stock?". I just hope that this car is going to make it to a museum one day.
The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S. Full profile
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