Why the Z

[chickenwafer]

Okay, I've been pondering this one for a long (and when I mean long, I mean LONG) time. But don't jump the gates on this, read it first. And I am mainly vented due to some things that transpired today with some run-ins with fellow car geeks.....okay, it was a sh*tty day in all.

My main ponder is why restore the Z? Besides sedimental value or a trip for a nalstoliga high, what's the point? I got this question asked to me by a fellow mechanic friend. He laid on all the best questions, including the car won't hold any resale value to speak of if I restore it (I won't get good money for selling it if I ever do) and the other facts that the car will never be as powerful as a restored old Chevy (He has a '38 Coupe with a 383 4bbl).

So, he says, in review, there is no performance aspect, finical reasons, or even a great memory lane trip. With all the work I plan to do to my Z, thus amounting a nice bill (when I'm finished I predict a total of over $35,000 spent). I know I do the work myself, blah blah blah, but I can do that with any car.

So far, the only thing keeping my from commiting a Z-induced suicide is the fact Z cars are rare (and VERY rare in this neck of the woods where I live, ala the Rust Belt).

Now I know I will be put on the chopping block for this, but I want you to mull it over and think seriously. Wouldn't restoring another car make more sense? Or is that the appeal of the Z? I know with me, I love the Z because I've been around them most of my life and know them forwards and backwards, not to mention I have a lame sedimental value in one I own. Other than that, why?

Here comes the onslaught...........

Dave

[Bubbleguinea]

good question...

i restored it, well, because i broke it :-)

i bought the car when i turned 17, not running, rusty, and now im 18 and the damn thing gets every look wherever i go.

theres nothing better than pulling up to a 2005 corvette at a stop light, and him rolling down his window and says how sweet my Z is. then we take off :-)

(custom EFI manifolds and SDS works f.y.i)

ive got the car running a 13.9 N/A non-stroked (SDS, cutsom EFI manifold, check my gallery)...thats pretty fast, quicker than most, well, lots of cars. and the point is, there is a performance issue to it. how many hondas can you jump in and fly around corners really fast, and STILL get looks from everybody on the road?

i love my car, it poped up in my life, and it will be with me till i have a son to pass it on too.

im sorry, but a 1967 restored corvette, or a 1976 restored datsun Z...hmmmmmm...i wonder which i would take, and wonder what everyone would look at? everybody sees restored corvettes or mustangs or cameros or some gay stuff like that. its not everyday you see a fully restored, performance modified Datsun.

to sum it up: The reason i own and restored a 280Z 2+2 is for the compliments on my achievement.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

Bubble's when did you buy SDS?! you still have that brand new AFM in your pictures in your gallery..

did you just buy that from MSA like less than a year ago?!

[speedyblue]

My Z is a daily driver. It's low, has wide wheels and sounds very tough when you plant it. Overall it is a rough looking car, by no means restored, or anything special to look at, but I can drive it around for weeks without passing another one and it still stands out from the sea of buzz boxes and family sedans. It is cheap, reliable and I can drive it like I stole it, knowing that if the worst comes and I do crash it, I can search, buy another one and simply fit all the modifications to the new one, or build another one up better than the first. I've had it for 8 years now and it's still going strong. Most cars would have depreciated more than what I paid for this puppy.

[boyblunda]

Good questions and ones well worth considering before venturing into a major time and financial commitment. Thanks for making me consider my personal position in this.

My reasons for wanting to restore a Z can probably summarized under the following :

Style & Character : The Zed has always been the car that really appeals to me. Yes I also think that there are V8 muscle cars that also appeal to me but the only car that ever truly rivalled the S30 Zed in my mind is the Lancia Stratos - a very limited production purpose built performance machine and the Zeds arch enemy in the East African Safari rallies. How many heads turn when we drive our Zeds around? It was, and remains, a classic car of its time and the lines of the Zed match anything I see on the road today.

Driving & Handling : The driving position of the Zed is exceptional and gives the driver to ability to really feel what the car is doing through the seat of the pants sensations.

Versatility : The Zed can be a tourer, a competition vehicle, and anything else I want it to be. A muscle car might outperform a Zed in a straight line but how will it travel through tight twisty roads of varying surfaces?

Affordability : The Zed is still available at reasonable prices although prices are climbing for good cars.

Availability Of Parts : Most parts are readily available although it is more difficult for those with a strict philosdophy on what comprises a stock car.

Sentiment and nostalgia do play a big part as I have memories of the sound and look of a Zed as they were pedalled around on Rallies in the seventies both on the international scene and within Australia.

I do not think many who do a restoration want to let common sense get too much in the way of what they feel for their vehicle and the satisfaction of being personally involved in the detail of their restoration. Certainly the cold hard commercial argument of what your car might be worth at the end of investing your time and money in such a project has logic but no feeling. The considerations come from opposite ends of the spectrum. I do not intend to sell any Zed I restore so it is not a consideration from my point of view.

The answers to these questions are going to be different for each individual and I suppose at the end of the day we all have to make our own decisions. Certainly, if you do not have the real personal passion for the Zed then perhaps a $35000 restoration project is not the thing to get into. Many of the reasons above might apply to all vehicle options you might consider for a restoration project but the two key factors that set the Zed above any others in my mind are the driving "feel" and the "character" of the car.

[BTA_Z]

Restore the Z?, Why Yes!! It was the earliest definition in the Americas of a true sports car, all others were bulky, expensive, and everyday ordinary. The Z lacked nothing, great engine, excellent suspension, and curb appeal and priced to sell. Maybe she could have used some decent wheels, but no less an apparent classic, even in those days. When asked why the Z?, explain it's like an environmental issue that needs to be protected before society pushes it into extinction. There's only a certain amount of these cars left on the road and like green space, air, and water, we aren't getting anymore. Those of us who have the honor of owning one of these endangered species are doing a civic duty buy holding on to them for as long as possible and taking reasonable care of them.

You can join the "me too" club if you want to! Hondas, Chevys, Ford, etc... are a dime a dozen. If you're in it for the money..note.. restorations usually cost more than resale! As for the speed.. note.. you can go as fast as you can afford..

Enjoy the ride!

[GunnerRob]

Simple.

It fits me like my favorite clothes.

[PrOxLaMuS©]

old classic looks...

girls mistake it for a Porsche.. haha....

beautiful sound...

quick as hell with a turbo in her...

EASY EASY EASY to work on

[EScanlon]

Your friend says "...in review, there is no performance aspect, finical reasons, or even a great memory lane trip."

And he's right......for him!

You may not need the punch of a nitro dragster, or the re-saleability of a Rolls, or the memories of prior ownership. It may be that you've fallen in love with the car, it's styling and for it's age, the ride. The only way to get that ride is to "re-fresh" it.

There are other ways of getting that thrill, but if it isn't your cup of tea, it isn't. Just that simple.

So, instead of trying to get him to see your point in restoring it, ask yourself if he's an integral part of your restoration, (i.e. without him, no mechanic) or if he's just another friend with his opinion to voice. If it's just another opinion, then shouldn't that tell you something?

E

[bemmerguy714]

Okay, I've been pondering this one for a long (and when I mean long, I mean LONG) time. But don't jump the gates on this, read it first. And I am mainly vented due to some things that transpired today with some run-ins with fellow car geeks.....okay, it was a sh*tty day in all.

My main ponder is why restore the Z? Besides sedimental value or a trip for a nalstoliga high, what's the point? I got this question asked to me by a fellow mechanic friend. He laid on all the best questions, including the car won't hold any resale value to speak of if I restore it (I won't get good money for selling it if I ever do) and the other facts that the car will never be as powerful as a restored old Chevy (He has a '38 Coupe with a 383 4bbl).

So, he says, in review, there is no performance aspect, finical reasons, or even a great memory lane trip. With all the work I plan to do to my Z, thus amounting a nice bill (when I'm finished I predict a total of over $35,000 spent). I know I do the work myself, blah blah blah, but I can do that with any car.

So far, the only thing keeping my from commiting a Z-induced suicide is the fact Z cars are rare (and VERY rare in this neck of the woods where I live, ala the Rust Belt).

Now I know I will be put on the chopping block for this, but I want you to mull it over and think seriously. Wouldn't restoring another car make more sense? Or is that the appeal of the Z? I know with me, I love the Z because I've been around them most of my life and know them forwards and backwards, not to mention I have a lame sedimental value in one I own. Other than that, why?

Here comes the onslaught...........

Dave

U know.... i'm asking myself the same question everyday. It looks good....in these gallerys...i cant really look at mine, and everyone says l24s are slow? So i've been wondering about doing the whole L28 stroker thing. But will that make it a "rocket". How much MORE money am i lookin at. Will it be worth it? I've alredy spent around $7000.00 and i know, i know, i;m going to be hated and everyone is gona say you put $7000 in a rust bucket and ur still wondering if you LIKE IT!?!?!?!?! I've only been doing this so me and my dad will basically have something to talk about. :disappoin HE"S THE ONE WHO LOVES THESE CARS. He used to have 3 of them in high school. He says i'm gona like it after it done. So i will still be asking myself that til its done and that will be the day i decide...

Til then i'll just be here asking stupid questions so you guys will have me to laugh at. :stupid:

Matt

[bemmerguy714]

good question...

i restored it, well, because i broke it :-)

i bought the car when i turned 17, not running, rusty, and now im 18 and the damn thing gets every look wherever i go.

theres nothing better than pulling up to a 2005 corvette at a stop light, and him rolling down his window and says how sweet my Z is. then we take off :-)

(custom EFI manifolds and SDS works f.y.i)

ive got the car running a 13.9 N/A non-stroked (SDS, cutsom EFI manifold, check my gallery)...thats pretty fast, quicker than most, well, lots of cars. and the point is, there is a performance issue to it. how many hondas can you jump in and fly around corners really fast, and STILL get looks from everybody on the road?

i love my car, it poped up in my life, and it will be with me till i have a son to pass it on too.

im sorry, but a 1967 restored corvette, or a 1976 restored datsun Z...hmmmmmm...i wonder which i would take, and wonder what everyone would look at? everybody sees restored corvettes or mustangs or cameros or some gay stuff like that. its not everyday you see a fully restored, performance modified Datsun.

to sum it up: The reason i own and restored a 280Z 2+2 is for the compliments on my achievement.

You can take a vette?

[Alfadog]

Because they're better than anything American from the same period.

I'm sure he'd disagree with me, but that's fine. Enrique summed it up. It's personal!