Just bought a factory restored 72 240Z!

[gruvyz]

The Factory restored car which I just bought does have the metal factory restored plate under the shifter. It also has those round stickers in each of the rear quarter windows. The back tail piece is that greyish black color. Funny, I know this is the original color, but I think I like the look of the semi-shinny black tailpiece & how it contrasts with the lights better than the original greyish color. I guess I will leave the greyish color alone. The engine compartment is bright & shinny new. Like the rest of the car, it was all restored. I just noticed in a few pics that it has A/C. I don't know how I feel about that. I know my wife will love it. The A/C coil is in the passenger side under the dash. I am haveing the car freighted over to me, so when I get it in a few weeks I will post pics. Thanks, Dave.

[NCLarry]

Dave:

If I recall, you live preety close to where I live (even closer to where I'm moving to). Please please please give me a shout when this arrives? I need the motivation to get moving on mine... Can I come see it... huh... please...

Already I feel like a kid in a candy shop...

[26th-Z]

Dave,

The tail light valance should be about the same color as the D hubcaps and the front grill. It is flat lacquer metallic gunmetal in various shades. Some people prefer the very light gunmetal seen in some sales brochures while others prefer the grill, hubcaps and valance to match in a darker shade. I think the front line of that battle was somewhere South of Tennessee last week.

So that you don't worry, FR cars came with things like A/C and mag wheels. Good luck!

[240 in OZ]

Hey Dave

It has to be the one that was listed on ebay a few weeks back and the auction ended early? Is this the case?

Regards

Joseph

[HS30-H]

gruvyz,

Congratulations, and welcome to the world of early Z ownership. Special congratulations on the purchase of a tangible piece of NMC USA's advertising budget.

Welcome too to the sad and lonely cul-de-sac that I inhabit. Its a place where curmudgeonly sticklers roam, muttering under their breath that the only Nissan "Factory" your car saw was over thirty years ago, and was located in Japan and not the United States of America. :paranoid:

I know I've whined about it in the past, but is this "Factory Restoration" tag set in stone now? Is all the other nonsense about it being a "World first" also now 'fact'?

*shuffles back into darkened room and closes door with a loud clang*

[sblake01]

Try to think of it as the 'Nissan Factory' Restoration Program rather that the 'Nissan Factory Restoration' Program.

[Bambikiller240]

I agree with Stephen. They are Nissan Factory "Authorized" Restorations. I don't think Nissan ever tried to pass them off as having been restored in a Nissan Factory (either in USA or Japan).

$.01

[HS30-H]

I don't think Nissan ever tried to pass them off as having been restored in a Nissan Factory (either in USA or Japan).

So when people write "Factory Restored", they don't actually mean what they are implying? Right.

Where did this bad habit start?

I remember seeing UK newspaper and car magazine reports around the time the project was first announced, and not all of the journalists seemed to be in full command of the facts. Many of the articles implied that the cars were to be sent back to Japan and at least one ( I remember choking on my morning tea ) CATEGORICALLY stated that the cars indeed were to be shipped back to Nissan in Japan. Looks like loose lips sunk ships.

Subsequently I saw more accurate reporting of the exercise, but this "Factory Restored" tag still sticks with a lot of people. I've seen it plenty on this site, where people should know better.

Where did it come from?

[Bambikiller240]

So when people write "Factory Restored", they don't actually mean what they are implying? Right.

...............Where did it come from?

Well, My guess is that like many multi-word terms (for lack of a better description) it has been "shortened" to make conversation a bit easier. Like WMD's, Yellowcake, etc.

Technically ( & literally), the term "Factory Restored" is of course, incorrect (like many shortened terms commonly used in the world); and *most* people (especially here) realize that. Since we (and most people discussing them) are not trying to sell them, or otherwise attempting to misrepresent them, I don't see this as anything more than a "nit".

Now that we have discussed it, if anyone is confused about the term, they have only to conduct a simple "SEARCH" and they will learn the true meaning of the term.

[26th-Z]

Alan,

Nissan, ie. "factory" in fact purchased Z cars, arranged for them to be restored, paid for the restoration, and then sold them through selected Nissan dealerships in the United States. No other automotive manufacturer had done that before. Certainly manufacturers have offered restoration services on a customer basis before, but a manufacturer had never purchased cars for resale through its own sales facilities. All of the cars were restored on a contract basis by private companies - contracted by Nissan and under Nissan supervision. When the program was announced, orders were placed and sometimes filled to suit the specific customer requests. Cars were fitted with air conditioning, mag wheels, spoilers and other items normally considered "dealer options". That is what is considered the "Factory Restoration Program". Did someone tinkle in your morning Cheerios?

[Zrush]

It can also be called the "240Z Restoration Program" according to some paperwork I have. Congrats Dave on your purchase! Our FR 240Z has increased in value by $6,000 since we purchase the car off the showroom floor. I would not paint or alter the car in any form as it's value is in the way it was delivered to the dealerships from Nissan.

I've heard that Chevrolet was tinkering with the idea of a simular program for their 68 or 69 Camaro. They have quit making the car and I did hear that they were going to re-introduce the Camaro in late 2005 or 2006. But you think if they were going to restore of few, that they would have begun by now. Imagine the price tag for one of those beasts :devious:

Vicky

[HS30-H]

Alan,

Nissan, ie. "factory" in fact purchased Z cars, arranged for them to be restored, paid for the restoration, and then sold them through selected Nissan dealerships in the United States.

Christopher,

I'm sorry, but I can't see where the word "factory" ( sometimes with a capital F I've noticed ) comes into it. Since when did NMC USA = "Factory"?

As far as I am aware, this project was the brainchild of NMC USA ( as opposed to NMC Japan ). That's not the same thing at all, is it?

'NMC USA sponsored / sanctioned restoration program' would be less misleading I think. Maybe not quite enough buzz for the copywriters though.

Tagging the word "Factory" onto it conjures up a different picture altogether - at least to my mind. Its being used much too casually for me. Look at the title of this thread.

No other automotive manufacturer had done that before. Certainly manufacturers have offered restoration services on a customer basis before, but a manufacturer had never purchased cars for resale through its own sales facilities.

This is categorically NOT TRUE.

You make it sound very cut and dried. However, I think you might have taken NMC USA's advertising men a little too literally.

Manufacturers here in the UK have been doing roughly the same thing for many years. In fact, if you want to look back into the early part of the Twentieth Century you would see that such a practice was relatively common. I'm sure other manufacturers in other countries were doing it too.

Rolls Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin and Lotus spring to mind. Aston Martin have been doing it since the '70's for sure. I've even ridden in a Factory refurb of a DB5 that was for sale at their Newport Pagnell Factory sales showroom.

For a cast iron example I'd cite Bristol. They have been - and in fact still do - buy back customer cars and refurb them for sale to other customers. This is not bespoke refurb for an existing owner ( although this too is offered ) but the systematic buy-back, refurb and resale of old cars through its own manufacturing and sales system. Now THAT is what I would call a "Factory Restoration"........

Maybe Bristol doesn't count though, eh? How many Americans have heard of Bristol Cars? We are - after all - now in the "New American Century", or so I hear.

Did someone tinkle in your morning Cheerios?

Nope. Just trying to make what ( I think ) is a valid and relevant point.

Which seems to be less and less important on this forum recently.

Alan T.

( No Cheerios please, I'm strictly a Muesli guy )