$20,000 240z on Ebay..and rising

[mmagnus]

Did you guys see this 240z on ebay...current bid $20k

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1971-DATSUN-240z-LOWEST-MILEAGE-NUMBERS-MATCH_W0QQitemZ4583698431QQcategoryZ6187QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[nwcubsman]

Explain to me why you'd take a car with 15k miles and change the ignition and radiator so it wasn't stock. Are you planning to go add 30k miles? Why the need for a replacement distributor? When I saw this auction yesterday, something smelled fishy. I think I'll run the price up. :stupid:

Of course, I have been known to be cynical and sarcastic.

[Fun_in_my_z]

Lowest mileage my arse

[cremmenga]

Lowest mileage my arse

I'm with you man that is a pretty big statement to make!!!!

[EScanlon]

Time out, before we go doing the smelly butt inspection on this vehicle:

Replacing the distributor on the early Z's was/ is a common "repair"/upgrade. Points are notorious for being hard to set properly (when was the last time you saw a dwell meter?) as well as for getting pitted, and changing the strength of the spark depending on how weak the spring on them is at higher rpm's.

The replacement of the radiator falls in line with trying to restore the vehicle after someone had added the overflow tank. The original radiator is only a two row, if I recall correctly, and also very difficult to obtain. Calling MSA (a recognized vendor of Datsun Z parts) may have led to someone on their staff or here pointing out that fact.

Given a choice between a very hard to find, inferior part over a superior part that is readily available....I know which way I would go. Now, if I were set on having a museum trailer queen......instead of a driveable car......I would opt for the original OEM item. However, the overflow tank points to the original radiator already having been worked/repaired/replaced.

Then again, as far as the asking price...it IS in New York. That alone says a LOT regarding the expectations of the seller and the rarity of the vehicle.

So before we denigrate it, and/or nit-pick it according to what WE would do if we could go back in time and buy it from the dealer, let's address the vehicle as it is now.

From the pictures it appears to be a very nice, well-maintained and desireable vehicle.

Hype about "lowest mileage", "only one", etc are just that HYPE.

2¢

Enrique

[seerex]

I can't remember the owners name< i think Burt> but this car was bid on before all the way past either 23 or 26 k at one point and he decided he didn't want to sell. I agree about the lowest milage stuff but for everything else , I would prefer this to a factory restoration in some ways , I wouldn't be totally afraid to drive it. For the price I think 20k is a good almost a great deal. Alot depending on what you want to do with it and where you live again. Those of us who live in the salt states with putting it on the roads or by the ocean pay a dear price for older cars if they are local. But I still think it would be a 15k plus car anywhere.

[c david]

this car is not unknown and after it's third (mabye more) ebay auction; he just might let it go. all of what i read on the car in this auction is true. it was bought and cared for as stated and is certainly worth every penny the high bidder chooses to spend. i've spent enough time with this car and owner to remind me why we all invest in these cars. be it a skeletal parts car for $200.00 bucks or the unchallenged "lowest mileage 240z" for "$22,000.00 dollars."

dogburt is a very unique person and his love for the zcar is just a fullfilling as mine. i can't begin to "dog" anyone for the choices made modifying thier car even though i find it easy to be cynical about most cars including his, mine and the original design of " the most successfull line of sports cars ever produced ". bottom line for me is, if you've got the stank to buy more show cars than oj has aquittals then you can cut a hole in the roof and call it air conditioning.

[Alfadog]

Beautiful, this car is just stunning. Will be interesting to see what it goes for this time.

[=Enigma=]

It's damn nice, but I'd rather pay $5000 - $6000 for a near perfect driver with a solid body and low mileage, then dump a couple thousand into a refresh, and drive the damn thing whenever I want and feel good about it. Oh wait, I already did that.

[26th-Z]

Yea, this is Burt's car again. So how much do you wanna bet, CDavid? Will it actually sell? I see he has that "reserve not met" going again. I say lunch at Hooter's that it won't sell. If I loose, you have to say it's your birthday and dance on the table. If I win, I'll dance. I hope this car finds a good home.

[EScanlon]

It's damn nice, but I'd rather pay $5000 - $6000 for a near perfect driver with a solid body and low mileage, then dump a couple thousand into a refresh, and drive the damn thing whenever I want and feel good about it. Oh wait, I already did that.

You have a good point.

However, that $5k to $6k estimate in the Rust Belt states would buy you a good fixer upper, but NOT a car in the condition that the pictures reflect.

Conversely, that same car in California, Arizona, New Mexico and other of the "arid" states would not fetch over 10-15k even with it's imputed rarity as to mileage and relatively modification free state.

Ed, 26th Z and various other members from the East part of the country can attest to how rare it is to find a Z without having serious rust for less than $5k. That same $5k vehicle in the East would likely be called a "parts car" in the West, and not sell for more than a grand. Now, take a car that would fetch $10k in the West and it will easily go to $15k or more in the East.

But this has been discussed just about every time a Z from the East gets sold on e-Bay. What those of us in the West would likely pass up, can be a gem of a find in the East. Conversely, if the East coast guys would pass up a given car then I'll almost guarantee that there isn't a West coast guy who would PAY for it.

I hope he gets the price he reserved for. It can only help ALL of our cars, whether in the U.S. or abroad.

Enrique

[EScanlon]

Yea, this is Burt's car again. So how much do you wanna bet, CDavid? Will it actually sell? I see he has that "reserve not met" going again. I say lunch at Hooter's that it won't sell. If I loose, you have to say it's your birthday and dance on the table. If I win, I'll dance. I hope this car finds a good home.

Actually, if I might suggest:

If Chris loses, have CDavid choose which Hooter Honey dances, and if Chris loses then CDavid chooses.

Heck, if you can get a Hooter Honey up on the table......I'm in!!! And I won't mind who picks which Hooter Honey.

E