It Began In Africa, Catching Z’s #featured

I’m sat on the third storey of a building that’s roughly ten metres by fifteen. The row of high glass windows that are in front and to my side show me roughly seventy five percent of the Killarney Raceway in Cape Town, South Africa. Directly below me is the start/finish line with race cars randomly passing in a practice session. Opening a window and picking up my camera, I go for a few shots, but one car is moving faster and requires more precision than others. That car is Martin Richard’s Datsun 140Z and this is the first picture I took of it.

To be completely honest, I’ve never been a fan of the B210 bodystyle. In standard form it sits too high, with the bodylines tucking under like a barrel, leaving skinny thirteen inch wheels at each corner. Exposed and weak. However as any other Speedhunter will tell you, keeping an open mind is one of the first rules of the game. Blink and you’ll miss something good. Look in the same direction and you’ll miss what’s down the side road.

I always love discovering a new permutation of a model, especially one that you’re not expecting like the 140Z. So Martin, tell us about that to start with? “You’ve got a 140Z and a 160Z. The standard cars were the 1200GX coupe, known in your country as the B210 or 120Y. The 140Z was a lighter car than the 160z, it came with the 1400 overhead cam motor and pair of Dellortos.”

The pull of a Zero spec car is strong, we get that. But why not an Escort or MG even? Why Japanese? “Because you can’t get go fast bits for those like you can a Datsun. I think it’s got a far more versatile engine, from the 1400, 1800, 2ltr and even to the 2.2 all the parts are interchangeable, so you can even keep the block but change the innards. It’s a lot more user friendly and cheaper than the others as far as I’m concerned.”

So did Datsun make more of an effort in South Africa than other manufacturers with performance models and aftermarket parts? “There were the triple S cars of course and the first Z conversions, they carried that on and I like that.”

What made it a Z then? “The side draft carbs, camshaft and the branch (exhaust manifold)”. So no suspension changes, anything on the interior? “It came with a different set of mags, but that was it.” Only South Africa got the Z conversion, so how rare are they then? “I think there was maybe 800-1,000 made, no more than that.”

The scene in South Africa is different to that I’ve seen elsewhere. Looking around, you could be in New Zealand, California, Scotland, parts of Europe even, but the rules are different. South Africa is an isolated market so it got a diverse selection of manufacturers and models. Renault were strong with their African colonial connections. You also have to remember we’re as close to South America as we are to Japan. Thirty years on, it’s interesting trying to get a grip on it.

Martin raced on the oval track to start with and moved on to the circuit in a 510, which is now a beautiful BRE replica also here today and piloted by a friend. So Martin, a 510 is what many of us would consider to be the pinnacle of small, classic Datsun ownership, and how come you moved on? “I raced it for five years and I said you’ve got to go forward, you’ve got to catch these guys at the front. The 510 is on 15s, so we went to 13s and I’ve always liked the shape of the 140Z. It’s smaller, lighter, so it can be faster.”

Fast it is. Thanks to the rules of classic racing in South Africa Martin is now using an L20 block with the 2.2 crank. Of course there are a bunch of other goodies in there from Wiseco and the like, meaning 210bhp in 875kgs is why it took me a couple of laps to catch Martin on camera.

Watching him slip through gaps in the varied grid of cars was a joy.

Just look at it though. How purposeful does the Z look now? The fibreglass wings, bonnet and front dam are all made to original Nismo specs, a rare and no doubt happy find that Martin made. “There’s a guy who raced one of these in Johannesburg and he’s got a set of moulds, So I got them from him.” The bulbous GRP just makes the Coupe shape work so well.

Let’s face it, if you only saw that distinctive rear window treatment you could pin the model, right?

Did you remember seeing them race in period? “We’ve got photos to prove it. I stand to be corrected but in 1978, they won the Wynns 1000km race. It used to be called the 9hr Endurance race. The Wynns was more like six hours.”

It’s an incredibly rare car in the UK, so tell us about South Africa, is it more like a Ford Escort in terms of how common they are? “No, it’s pretty common car. There’s more four doors left because the two doors ended up on the scrap heap or smashed up. I don’t know specifically about Zs though.”

Martin did all the work himself, from chassis to engine and the 140 now lives in his pit garage at Killarney Raceway. We’re here for the Ford and Friends event, which we’ll bring you more of next week. The atmosphere in the pits is amazing. All of the garages are in private ownership so it’s just like being in an avenue of horsepower. The track is all round us, with noise bouncing off the walls as spanners twirl and fuel is pumped.

“The motor racing is the cherry on top. On a Thursday night we all get together and Braai (BBQ), drink and we talk sh*t. If we get a chance to race then that’s a bonus. The camaraderie and the talking is what it’s about.”

“There’s a clique of us, we all Braai.” So tell us about that? “A fire creates atmosphere, add meat and alcohol and with those two it’s a bloody good combination.” I’ve never been to a race circuit like it before and I’ll show you some more in another post, it’s a great place.

Back to the Z as I hear it’s got the reputation as the fastest Datsun in Africa and before that it was Martin’s 510, so he’s just moved the goal posts a bit closer together.

So what of the future? “ I hold the class lap record of 1.21.6sec, but the Escorts are getting faster and I’m not going to build another car. So I think I’ll just sit back and Braai, come down to the pits,” Martin laughs as if he realises what he just said, “Ahh, I might as well just race then, eh?”

Martin isn’t going anywhere in a hurry, “Cars have been part of my life since I was about eight or nine years old. This is the passion, this is the home, this is the life.”

Body

1976 140Z, Nismo replica bonnet, wings, bootlid, spoiler, ten point roll cage tied in to front struts, generic period door mirrors, Hyundai Getz bright red

Interior

Sabelt Taurus seat, 1stRace six point harness

Engine

L20, 2.2 crank, Cunningham rods, Wiseco pistons, L3 cam, 15.2mm lift, 44mm intake 37 exhaust, 48 dellortos, dry sump, stepped manifold, 45-48-52-57mm and in to collector, 63mm pipe from collector back, BMW 330 radiator

210bhp @ the flywheel, 230 lbs ft torque

Transmission

Lightened flywheel, Chevy Nomad differential with LSD, Borg Warner M75 rear casing, Nissan 200SX S14 five speed box, custom made propshaft

Suspension

Coilover conversion all round with Glass inserts, 550lb front spring, decambered rear leaf spring with Glass* shocks, third link

*South African supplier Ian Glass

Brakes

(f) Nissan 280ZX brakes, 530 BMW four pot calliper (r) Skyline 2.8 discs with Mercedes Benz callipers, adjustable bias

Wheels and tyres

Softline five spoke 10x13in alloys, NA Carrera 19.5x10x13in tyre

875kgs wet and ready to race

Thanks

Brother Ian Richards, G&A Promotions for all their help, Radiator King. I’m always grateful for all the help I get… Everybody around Killarney

………………..

Bryn Musselwhite

We met Martin at the excellent Ford and Friends event, so much more than blue ovals. It was held at the Killarney Raceway in the shadow of Table Mountain.

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1

grew up watching this car evolve over the years.....what a machine!!!

3

Good to see some SA posts. And that washing machine drum bola!

4

Awesome article Bryn , was awesome meeting you ! thanks for putting South Africa on the tuning Map Speedhunters !! Greetings from Topend !

5

As brilliantly prepared and driven this car is it takes a brilliant photographer to make it appear so alive. Thanks Bryn.

6

Fastest Datsun in africa? ... love it!

7

I race against this car and driver in a Capella Rotary , and Martin has with out doubt been my inspiration to go faster and faster...what a lad

8

I'v followed both of Martin cars at panel P&D,work oppisite the building where they did the body work. BIG DATSUN FAN.

9

Very nice old school Datsun, extremely rare thing to see for me. Little racing beast.

10

Ive seen a few b210 fixed up but nothing like this. they are starting to grow on me a bit. a japanese Alfa GTV and another "Z" I like.

11

Awesome looking car

12

Once again, awesome write up and beautiful pics. Great to see Cape Town, South Africa making its way onto the international map. Keep it up, all the way from Cape Town.

13

Bryn, I really loved going through this post more than once... Brilliant looking 140Z and the P510 has me really interested... For more photo's of the Datsuns that used to race in South Africa as Martin mentioned, have a look at these two posts I did on my blog: http://dattosankureiji.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/some-more-old-school-racers/ and http://dattosankureiji.wordpress.com/2012/08/19/some-more-old-school-racers-2/

14

Really cool car. Too bad that is so rare these days...

15

 @datsunsss  Your grand father was Team Manager for Kunimitsu Takahashi ?!?!?!?!?!?!!!??!!!??!  Wow!!! How cool is that ! Thanks for the vintage pics!

16

 @ericbauer Hi Eric, yeah it is pretty cool! My grandfather was officialy a Technical Advisor in the Experimental Division for Datsun/Nissan Japan from 1964. Still need to find the time to put more of the great stuff about him up onto the blog... My pleasure on the pics, I find it very pleasing to receive positive comments about something I really love doing!

17

since when has a 140 datsun come out with a 2. what ever motor i thought that the cars in classics where supposed to be period which means what ever body it must have the correct motor but as i see it there are two people in classics that bend the rules and get away with it and whom ever is a threat to them gets kicked out of classics like  Zack and afew others and since when are defuses allowed in classics keep it up that's why Killarney has lost most of there supporters and thats why killarney is going for a ball of shit.
rules are rules don't bend it because you getting something out of it killarney maybe you guys don't see it but then again you won't because it benefits you
very sad shame

18

You do not know about japanese cRs obviously. The "Z" 140. and 160 are legends because only in South Africa these cars were offered. In Japan it was called the "PB210".
All these are "L" series motors, not "A" series like the US model B210 or the UK and others 120Y.
Do not forget this is a race car and engines can be modified to the top engine within the model. L series motors came in 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 configurations. Same thing happened with the Datsun 510 so much liked in places like US where it was offered in 1.4 and 1.6 engine configurations, while in other countries the 510 was offered with "J" series over head valve motors.
This "Z" Datsun has the right engine, "L" series motor as it came from factory. The cc has been enhanced. That is why it is shown here as a race car, not a factory restoration car.

19

Fantastic, simply love Datsuns

20

Supporter66  
Sounds like you have personal issues which obviously you clearly have never resolved at the correct level of motorsport as clearly you have little or absolutely no idea of the written rules which govern the said category and in turn this beautifully photographed race car.  For the record the rules do not follow Appendix K, never have and never will.  Perhaps the best advise one could offer you would be to become ofey with what is actually permitted and in so doing prevent the ignorance displayed by yourself at an international level.

21

What a magical car. It's now owned by Riaan Jacobs who has completely refurbished the body and I believe is building a new period specific engine together with Martin Richards.

The car remains a peice of South African racing history and is in good hands.

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