Do people notice you in your classic Z on the road?

[mikewags]

S30's are very rare in South Florida, so my car does turn many heads on the road.

It's a cool feeling, but after a while it gets a little annoying. This is because the car attracts attention, and you get people staring at it not paying attention to the road, or slowing down around the car to take a look. This also includes cars in front of you slowing down to catch a closer glimpse in their rear-view.

When I'm driving the Z, I prefer to zip through traffic, although when people are rubbernecking around you; it doesn't help.

Then again, it's probably just the drivers here in Miami. I think this city has the worst drivers in the U.S. Nobody uses turn signals or pays attention; and EVERYONE is on a cell phone while they drive...:mad:

Edited August 15, 2008 by mikewags

[Zs-ondabrain]

I got a really weird compliment from a police officer that pulled me over for my exhaust...after stoppiing and handing my insurance card he told me i had a "Nice little corvette conversion" .... don't think that didnt get me started. this officer must have only been 30 so i guess he has no idea of 70's japanese imports....

That's when you say " If you're gonna give me a ticket, then just do it. But don't pull me over then Insult me AND my car" Basically, Don't make me take my seatbelt off, you would'nt like me Outside my Z"

[Mike B]

That's when you say " If you're gonna give me a ticket, then just do it. But don't pull me over then Insult me AND my car" Basically, Don't make me take my seatbelt off, you would'nt like me Outside my Z"

Sounds like a guaranteed way to get a ticket to me Dave.

-Mike

[Glliw]

Personally, I don't go a day without getting a compliment or rubber-necker. It seems like at least half the people on the road try to catch a better glimpse of my '74 260z.

Just the other day I was sitting in this crappy Chinese buffet and noticed some guy and his wife/girlfriend outside doing the whole pointing and reminiscing thing with my car.

Another note, it seems the majority of people that do want to talk to me about it are older people that used to have one or had a brother or etc etc. I have yet to met anyone else in the Florida panhandle that has one besides two people. One with an imported L20 RHD and another with an RB25.

Other than that, there was a 280zx on the road around here that seemed to have an enthusiast driver from what I could tell from our traffic light conversations but I believe its been sold or taken off the road since I haven't seen it in over a month.

'Tis a rarer and rarer vehicle it is, the S30.

[JerseyJoe]

I notice being noticed on the road, but lately its not the good kind. I'll be tooling down the road at 40, and see a minvan or an Escalade, or a BMW - doesn't matter - on a side road up ahead. They'll sit and watch me head toward them and then right before I get there, they remember they were going to turn and pull out right in front of me!

This leads to an awkward visual acknowledgement where the driver of the other car is smiling at me, and I'm scowling and yelling 'dumbass' out the window at him.

I'm probably not representing our fine community all that well...

[Poindexter]

I agree with the folks who have commented on the oblivious state most 350Z owners drive around in. Much like DougN, I consider the Z the forefather of all Z's so when this gorgeous 350Z convertible pulled up next to me in a Whole Foods parking lot, I said playfully, "Hi cousin!". The driver put down his cell phone and said "Do I know you?" I asked him "you do recognize my car don't you?" to which he replied "no, I don't like Corvettes." At moments like that it's hard for me to *not* be incredulous. Stereotypes are usually based in fact.

Next- I usually go to at least 2 Cruise-Ins a week during the summer. They each both have well over 100 cars, sometimes 3 times that, and universally the people there are among the nicest I encounter anywhere. Besides having the same Japanese license plates that I have in my signature, "Datsun" appears literally at least once on every side of the car. "Hey what you got there?" can be heard more often than I can believe. But mostly people come over and tell me about their Z's from back in the 70's and how sad they are to ever have sold it. They also freak out when I tell them that my Z is in original paint. She represents herself pretty well. Rarity does play a part too, as I have yet to see another Z in any of these shows. There's a real Hemi Cuda, but no Z cars.

Finally, I have been chased down by a guy in a 280ZX who wanted to show his gf "the car that started the whole 'Z thing'." That was cool. On the street what happens most of the time is some variant of the thumbs up, "nice car" and "what year is your 260?" kind of thing. Most of the recognition actually comes from the 20ish year old crowd, or from someone in their 40-50's and the most appreciation seems to come from the 8-12 year olds who recognize the car from video games I think. They seem to uniformly love the car. The 920 gold color does have something to do with it, as really nothing on the road is that color so she really stands out among all of the Corvettes, Mustangs and Porsches.

To my knowledge, as told to me by many, there are no other Z's on the road in my whole county- which is pretty large.

Edited August 15, 2008 by Poindexter

[guy_geo]

Well, here in Montreal, I do see a lot of people slowing to have a peak at the car and kids in window's car looking and probably asking their parents : What car is this???

Plus, I do have some nodding from time to time and thumbs up also at traffic lights while waiting..

and people looking at the car like it is a UFO...

Problem is most people buy cars to go to point A-B, but want to ride a piece of history...

But the best was this...

Last week, I went to Charlevoix,

near Qc, my home region, and parked the Z in front of Manoir Richelieu (fancy Hotel)

next beside 2 Ferraris, an F430 and a 612..

Both owners came to talk to me and told me, once, they were younger, they had each a 240Z... and that was bringing back good memories..

I was so ....thrilled!!

Edited August 15, 2008 by guy_geo

[blue 72]

My stories sound similar to others. I used to work at a hotel, and whenever I brough up my car around those 40-50 years old they had a story. Either they owned one, or a close relative did. On the road no one seems to note much, but I have had an early 300ZX rev at me from the opposite intersection just to say "hi". Every time I'm on the side of the road though, I get people stopping to see if I need anything and tell me about the Z they used to own. Of note though, most everyone thinks its a 280Z. When I tell them its a '72 they kind of go silent for a second.

[george71z]

I have had a number of people at car shows tell me stories about either them or some relative that had a Z but it rusted away or was into a pole or guardrail. I have also had people that have later models, that they like my car cause they can see the sparkplugs.

[gogriz91]

I get eyeballed by the "Honda with a wing" crowd and the "Neon with a fartcan" exhaust crowd as well.

There are a few 350's running around but on only one occasion did one ever recognize my car as an early Z. I'm tooling home and notice a 350 behind me at the light, no big wup, but after the light turns green, the car pulls up beside me and it's the Wing CC, a one star General. He says "Nice Z" then lays on the gas. I follow, couldn't pull on him but slowed the gap until we hit about 85. (I'm trying to figure out which of my kids band instruments I can sell to fund either the ITB, turbo or triple Mikuni transplant that is in my future to "close the gap")

[fuzze]

Evening all , when I bought my Z last sept in Kelowna , I drove home to the lower mainland along the Coquihalla highway , and when I stopped at the toll booth to pay , the girl taking my loot said to me that my car was a rare sight as she see's very few a year . We then pulled over to use the restrooms and as I was waiting for my son , this guys walks up to me and says that he saw me drive by him at the Merrit interchange and he was hoping to catch up to me to talk the Z talk , seems he was a former owner of a early z back in the day . Here in the great white north our Z's are totally noticed every where we go .

Later all , gotta go to the garage and continue pecking away at my resto .

Chris

[sleepyzzz]

the other day i took my two boys out to eat in my z, and on the way home we passed the skate board park. the skateboarders noticed the car and one of them yelled cool car.

my younger son, said they were being sarcastic. i said nope. they like the z, even though it looks so bad needing paint. my kids always give me a hard time about the car. i keep telling them when it is finished i am going to make them beg me to let them ride in it for all of the crap they have given me all this time.