Ebay Car-What year is it really?

[zpizzaman20]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series-240-Z-1972-DATSUN-240-Z-FRESH-REBUILD-NEW-TRANY-DUAL-WEBERS_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ6187QQitemZ4603390648QQrdZ1

Is it a 240 with 77-78 nose, not 77-78 hood. 280 Dash with 75-76 steering wheel?

[v12horse]

That is very strange. Your right it has a 260/280 dash and cosole with 74-76 steering wheel, the front fenders look like they are from a 240z, the door panels are from a 240z, and the hatch is from a 70-early 71. Very strange. The ultimate part swapping.

-Ben

[Arne]

Wow. Very hard to pin down. The right fender has either a 260Z or 280Z emblem, not the 240Z's Datsun emblem. It would be very interesting to know if the number plates (dash and door jamb) match the firewall stamping.

[kenz240z]

Interesting mix of parts. Yes, it would be interesting to see what date is stamped on teh door jamb plate. Looks like a 240Z rear finisher & lower valance panel, 240Z door panels, 280Z dash, console & steering wheel, aftermarket seats (or from another make/model of car), passenger side fender looks to be from a 280Z, but drivers side fender looks like it could be from a 240Z. The bumper fits nicely against the passenger side fender, but there is a gap on the drivers side. Hood appears to be from a 240Z, no vents.

[kenz240z]

Just noticed something else, the air duct in the engine bay for the drivers side fender looks like a 240Z, I don't think the 280's had those anymore. Maybe the front clip (or part of it, anyway) was replaced with parts off a 280Z. And maybe the dash & console were changed out, too. The seats look like they could be Recaros, but I can't tell for sure.

[DatsunZGuy]

would put production at between 9/71-6/72.

[=Enigma=]

I'm sorry but that motor doesn't look freshly rebuilt to me. My guess will be that the seller is the one who will have to worry about "legal action".

[Jim Frederick]

This Z is definitely a 280z, probably a 77 or 78. Too many 280z parts to transpose in a 240z. I imagine this car was wrecked way back in the day and bodyshop replaced rear clip with 240z donor car. The engine could be original with simple dual webber conversion. Why they would change out fuel injection for dual webbers is a mystery to me. Everything else in engine bay screams 280z, coil, distributor, and wiring harness are dead give aways.

[Zthing]

My guess is that it's a 240z that somebody tried to modernize back in the day. Note the nifty sunroof. One thing is for certain though, scrutinize every pic, even the close up of the steering wheel which shows a snip of the drivers door. The amount of rust present even on a non-original paint job, ensures the purchaser that he has in fact acquired a Z. Owning this car could catch a person up with the Z crowd right quick. In a way......they could own almost every year in one simple purchase. Yeeeehaaaa!

[ZSaint]

Notice the wiring 'hanginging down' on the passengers side? I would look at some serious wiring problems with this car. Someone has tried to work on it. Probably gave up!

[lonetreesteve]

All I can say is...what a mutt! You always see 280Z guys removing those ugly US Govt-mandated bumpers and replacing them with the small, albeit ineffective but attractive 240Z bumpers, never the other way around. I think Zthing is right, a long time ago, say the late '70s, some guy wanted to make his 240 look like the newer (and perhaps more desireable at the time) 280Z.

[Virto]

Love the huge dent on the passenger fender. I like how his photos specifically avoid showing it head on....he doesn't even mention it. It looks pretty ramshackle...I'd be worried about that one getting down the road.

You think he'd at least put all the parts on straight before trying to sell.