What defines a 240Z a classic?

[PrOxLaMuS©]

A classic... hmm

Timeless design

Never ending interest

Sporty and affordable

[hls30.com]

What makes you love the car? Leave the generalities at home, type the specifics-yes, I know, itr was hard for me too!

Will

[rusty260z]

because i can afford one and everyone eles thinks they are expensive

[72 OJ]

Nostalgia,great lines,great cabin design,strong/durable drive train,easy to maintain,racing heritage,adapts well to be personalized,affordable,desirable in must corners of the world......that makes it a CLASSIC.

[cygnusx1]

Watch this

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/don_norman_on_design_and_emotion.html

[Hardway]

That is a great presentation in that link. Thank you for posting Cygnusx1.

I think the word "classic" is something that not only served its purpose very well but makes you feel good doing it. If classic was just in reference to age then items from 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago and on that were design and function failures would deteriorate the meaning of the word. In the case of the 240z, even if you have never driven one you are drawn to it. If you have driven one then you admire its simplicity, revel in its performance, and appreciate its flaws.

My wife, who is not in to cars anywhere near as much as I am shocked me when she said she liked the rusty '77 280z I brought home a few months ago, she said it was cute. Of course her next question was how much to get it painted and how long? Still recovering from shock since I was afraid I was going to be in the dog house for parking such a "cosmetic needy" car in our driveway. She said it reminded her of the old Ferrari's and other cars we saw at Pebble Beach last year. With this comment I believe classic is something not modern and stirs an emotion. Think of other things we call "classic" Wurlitzer jukeboxes, old tractors, steam trains, heck, KFC calls their chicken pot pie "classic" and it is, cooked well not only is it appealing to the eye, it dang sure tastes good! This probably reminds many of us of dinners around the table or camp fires with friends and family.

I believe the 240z and its classic status also has to do with the fact it will never be repeated. Granted, light weight, small, fast attractive cars are made all the time but they are not as attainable from a price standpoint as the 240z was. The 240z set a benchmark and has served as inspiration to others and it is recognized when it has done so. Just like drivers and enthusiasts back when the car was new recognized its inspiration was taken from the Ferrari GTO, Jag XKE, and the like.

The part of the story that we benefit the most from is the fact the 240z is available and attainable by everyone. Plus, if you love almost everything about the 240z but want a little more plush-ness there is a 260z or 280z out there for you as well.

May we all admire the people and machines we call "classic" in our driveways, behind velvet ropes, and in all forms of media around the world.

Edited March 17, 2012 by Hardway

[FastWoman]

Wow, old thread! I have to agree with Enrique's take, so many years ago. What makes it a classic is that people love it, and it brings back fond memories. I've had so many conversations with people that start out like this... "Wow, is that a Datsun Z? What year is it?" [answer] "Wow, I used to have one of those..." [insert personal story]

I remember fueling up at a gas station in West Virginia. Someone pulled up in a beat-to-hell Pinto. His wife sat in the passenger seat while he went in to buy beer or cigarettes or something. I stared in disbelief at a running, operating, still-in-use Pinto. I commented to the wife that it actually made me happy to see the old car on the road. She said, "Yeah, we get that reaction a lot." Thus, I would categorize Ford's exploding econobox as an American classic, for better or worse.