DATSUN 240Z COMPETITION
// It was almost as fast and good looking as the iconic Toyota 2000GT
// But very different from the Toyota it was affordable and still fast
// The Datsun 240Z was the beginning of a long love affair to Japanese sports cars
ONE OF THE fast Datsun racers when the 240Z was new in the beginning of the 1970s was American John Morton. He was back in a 240Z competition car when he did the Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix last week. Morton was behind the wheel of a 240Z build and owned by Stefan Winquist a car with more horse power than the original cars.
The looks of the body, the music of the engine, the light sliding balance through the fast open sweepers of the street circuit made us simply shiver.
We talk to John Morton:
Q: First of all, Mr. Morton: What are the main differences between the Winquist car and the original you raced back in the beginning of the 70es?
A: The original car had about 270 horse power so less than Stefan's car. We had stock 1970 240z brakes which were 2 piston callipers. We didn't have a roll cage, only a roll bar. We had no camber adjustment though I'm not sure that Stefan's car had either. Our car was lighter but I can't remember the weight.
Q: You have been racing a lot of different cars how would you rank the original 240Z to the others?
A: Unfortunately I didn't drive Stefan's car when it was running up to it's full potential but my memories of the BRE 240z are very good. I've driven much slower and much faster cars but good impressions are formed more by success than speed and we had great success with that car so it is very high on my list of favourites.
Q: How competitive is the Winquist car?
A: I was sorry Stefan had so much trouble with the car because he showed it had the potential to run at the front and through mechanical problems was deprived of the opportunity.
Q: What do you think of the Copenhagener event was the track too bumpy?
A: The event was lots of fun and the organizers did a good job with the track even though it was bumpy. Street circuits are usually rough for obvious reasons. I don't like them much but this one was all they had to work with and they did a good job all things considered.
WINQUIST 240Z SPEC
// Datsun 24Z front engine, rearwheel drive
// Produced from 1970 to 1976 the earliest were the lightest
// 6 cyl. Inline
// 275 285 PS
// 5 speed gearbox
// McPherson struts up front
// 4 pot callipers up front
// 995 kg according to the homologation, it can get down to 920
// Up to 260 kmp with a long gearing
// Owner: Stefan Winquist
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