The former coupe has undergone some big changes.
Jay Leno’s Garage features some extraordinary cars that would put most museums and car collections to shame. Generally, Leno tends to lean on the side of featuring stock cars, with exceptions, of course. One of those exceptions is a wild Nissan 240Z with a GM family engine swap, but it’s not an LS swap like you’re probably already thinking. LS swapped 240Z Nissans are not as uncommon as this build, featuring a 580 cubic inch bored-out Chevy Small Block.
Check out a 240Z built by a father-son duo here.
People tend not to leave Nissan 240Zs stock, so it’s never quite a shocker when an example has some serious changes - even back in the 70s and 80s, people were shoving big V8s in them. It’s also not uncommon to find one with American power moving the tires, but it’s almost always an LS engine, not a Chevy Small Block in recent years when people swap.
James Smith is the owner of the Nissan 240Z that’s been dubbed the 'Chevatsun 580Z’ to call out to the powerhouse that replaced the original engine. The 1972 Nissan 240Z was purchased in 2001 for a mere $1000, and it had already gone massive changes like the roof being chopped off and the engine swap had begun. It took James sorting some things out of the 240Z to fit the 350 bored out to a 580 in the car. The big engine puts out 300-horsepower, which is a lot for the small-framed 240Z, and it’s backed by a four-speed transmission.
Check it out:
