What attracted you to a datsun Z?

[learnerZpermit]

was it the curves? maybe the (then) not so popular I-6 ? or maybe you just love japanese cars? or what about that independent rear suspension? not too common for its era in america! what ever the case, post your reason here?

[daddz]

In my case lightning struck twice before I was ten years old. I remember noticing the shape even before I knew what make it was. It was a pale yellow 240Z (not sure of the year) that I saw when I was probably no more than four years old viewed out of the window of my parents' old '73 Celica.

Before I knew what it was I also liked the Saab Sonet and had a hard time differentiating between the two. Matchbox only gets you so far. Then lightning struck for the second time in February 1978. My father called to speak to me on the phone (my parents were separated) and his old '76 Mustang Cobra II (think Charlie's Angels only it was black and gold w/ 302 and 4 speed--145hp!) had just been totalled that previous New Year's Eve in D.C. He mentioned he was thinking about a Triumph Spitfire and I knew what those were as my neighbor had owned three Triumph TR-6's (this might be where I got OCD for having multiple '78 280Z's all in the same color?) and that was cool. He then went on to say that he had also been looking at a Datsun 280Z maybe a red one with a vinly roof (ack!!!), but at least it was a Datsun Z and that was all that mattered.

The following weekend a wine red metallic 280Z with gold pinstripes showed up in the driveway and the rest is history! I can still remember being mesmorized by the ticking under the hood when the car was shut off (aluminum cooling) and the smell of the interior. Even then you could sense that you were climbing into something special and then when it was first started that crazy fan clutch noise that the 280Z's make.

[=Enigma=]

I definitely have to say the curves and the sound because I fell in love with them as a kid and I knew nothing about cars, except for the fact that the seeing the Z drive down the street made me go nutty. I'm sure you know the feeling I am talking about. I think I was around 12 yrs old the first time I noticed one, even though they had been around for 8 years by then, and it was love at first sight. 27 yrs later.....I finally have one of my own. WOOT!

[gogriz91]

I got to spend a summer on Okinawa in '82 and the Z and the ZX were the hot cars to have. There were a ton of Skylines and Silvias and even a few Celicas but the Z was the hot car to have. When I was able to buy a car I knew I wanted a Z, didn't know the difference between 240-260 or 280 but it had to have that bodystyle.

[TomoHawk]

I have one of the last Alpha One GTO body kits....

[240ZX]

I have one of the last Alpha One GTO body kits....

Come again????:stupid:

I'd have to agree that the lines of the Z are what cought my eye! It was my senior year in high school and the first time I saw one of these beauties, I knew I had to have one someday! They definitely had the EURO look....couldn't hardly believe that a car this good looking could cost so little. Well.....13 years later I owned a 1970 240Z. I've owned the same car ever since.

Tom

[xxjoeyxxeb]

I've been going to car shows... since I was born. My dad had a 65 Pontiac GTO tri-power, still has his old plate TRI PWR. Then when I was between 7-10 he restored a 73 Corvette 350 4-speed, and I helped him. We got pictures of me in the engine bay and it looks like I'm about to hammer something wrong. Ever since then I fell in love with corvettes, and I think that is what first started me into Datsuns. When I was young, I sometimes would think a Datsun was a vette when it caught my eye. As I grew older I realized how great of a car the Z was, and learned the differences, better or worse, than the Vettes. I'm in college and had to sell my Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V, which I had a blast with everything I had done to it, and then I saved my money, went to a car show and saw a Z again and fell in love with everything, the lines, engine, handling, light weight... and then I found out I could hav emy little corvette, just by swapping in a sbc 350.... and what do you know, I've had a 260 since last November and am broke...

[Galaxybj]

I was shopping for a sports car in the summer of 1969 - Drove the MGB GT, Triumph GT6, drooled over the Toyota 2000GT and then drove a Datsun 2000. Such a fun, fast car to drive. I was sold on it - an order was written up. Then..............the sales manager at Valley Datsun in Spokane Washington called me and asked me to come in - he had something to show me. What he had was a two sided early release brochure of the Datsun 240Z. I told him to forget the roadster - I want a Z. Unfortuanately I had to wait until July 1971 to take delivery - I had to take a trip to the Phillipines with the Air Force. A friend of mine got the first Z in Spokane, which would have been mine. Anyway - long story short - the performace of the 2000 roadster and the body of the 240Z was what sold me on it. -Bill-

[jmortensen]

Most of my friends had 510s, but one had a Z. I was remarking in my ignorant 16 year old way that the L6 wouldn't be a very high revving engine due to the long crankshaft, then that friend took me for a ride. That was the end of that misconception and the start of my search for a Z...

[civ104]

My current Z is the eighth in a string of Datsuns, stretching back to the '65 1600 roadster I had when I was stationed in Okinawa. The tally thus far is one 1969 510, three 2000 roadsters and this Z is the third I have owned. I think the combination of ageless lines and light weight make the first generation Z a most desirable car.

[DougN]

I got to spend a summer on Okinawa in '82 and the Z and the ZX were the hot cars to have. There were a ton of Skylines and Silvias and even a few Celicas but the Z was the hot car to have. When I was able to buy a car I knew I wanted a Z, didn't know the difference between 240-260 or 280 but it had to have that bodystyle.

What were you doing on Okinawa then? I spent some time there with MAG-36 in 83 and 84, and I agree, the Z was the hot car on the street

[jmark]

A couple of reasons I guess. All my well to do friends had Z cars in HS (1976-1980). I road in one friends 260Z 2+2 quite a bit and another friend's dad had a 240Z. My first attempts at driving a stick was my uncles's '79 280ZX 5 speed. I have had quite a few sportscars RX7's, M3's, S2000 and finally a 350Z. My father in law's friend had an old '78 280Z that he was second owner of and he said he'd sell it to us for $1K. Car will eventually be my sons car. We have done alot to get it ready and still have a few items to finish. Car is just fun to drive and still draws attention. This Z lead me to purchase the white '71 240Z which I will eventually get repainted. This Z has been to the Dragons Tail for Zdayz and was driven home from its previous owner 2.5 hours. My dad still says he could have bought one of those new for $3500! I didn't want to be someone who always says this! The history of the marque and significance of the car is obvious if you drive one. Just imagine this car coming out in early 1970! Nothing came close. I have made quite a few friends who actually still race the 240Z. It still amazes me to see these cars still winning against much newer cars.