Though the chassis started life as a standard Datsun Z car, hardly any of it is left. However, it was important for Thorp, Hicks, and Pecino that they retain the essence of the Z while still making it their own.
“What we wanted to do was, like, not take anything away from the Z…but I also wanted to evolve the conversation of what a Z can be,” says Thorp in an interview with photographer and YouTuber Larry Chen.
We’d say that goal was meticulously achieved. It’s all hand-made carbon fiber body components strung end to end seamlessly to create a wildly attractive overall appearance that blends modern and vintage. It has no headlights or mirrors, yet it still manages to look like a complete car.
However, one thing that is inarguably modern about this remarkable Z build is its powerplant. Sorry, purists. If completely disassembling and re-designing the car didn’t already upset you, the fact that the legendary Datsun L-series inline-six engine is gone just might. It doesn’t even have an engine!
