Really do love this thing...

[Danglybanger]

I need to make a post like this. Had the car around for a week or so, my daily driver.

It's an original, maintained 280Z and I'm coming out of a Lotus turbo Esprit...

Honestly, I feel that the Z is about 10 times the car and I'm not making excuses. Whatever anyone says about cars from this era, it has torque like a hot rod (I can just take off at ANY time in any gear from any RPM it seems) and it's just so smooth and quiet while it's doing it... 6 cyl FI is a great combo... I can really see it being revolutionary for its time, being something so driveable and usable and still delivering that sort of performance, in an era where most sports cars needed to be wound up and were uncomfortable in any way to drive normally.

Little details about the car keep striking me as thoughtful the more I drive... The little mat beneath the gas cap, the way everything fits together and feels so solid. The gearchange with the four speed is the best feeling of any car I've ever driven, the lightness and action of the clutch... The suspension seems more solid and precise than anything I've driven short of my dad's C5 Vettes, which it feels about on par with (the Lotus simply acted like it had no suspension).

Keep in mind I'm not racing it or anything... But in every day situations, this thing is definitely quicker and easier to drive than the Lotus. In the past I've driven/owned classic muscle cars, Vettes of multiple generations, the Lotus etc., I think the best overall car really has to be the Z. My father agrees (he's owned I think four of them in his lifetime).

Everything just feels nice, and properly thought through, meant for driving. Plus gas mileage rivals new cars (Also, might be the first car I've owned, very new models included, where all the guages seemed to work... including the clock)

...Alright, that might be all for now. I'd post pics of my new love, but not til I've buffed her out a bit and found some proper hubcaps (the cheap arse Kragen ones that were on it when I drove it down managed to crack and fly off on the grapevine... blame Enormous Torque).

Think the girlfriend's getting jealous of it, uh oh... Swear to god the Z came first (I was brought to the hospital in a 260 upon being born, the story goes... came back in a Ford Tempo, let's not talk about that).

[Carl Beck]

Hi Dan:

Sounds like you found a well cared for example.

I'm with you and your Dad. I too have had just about every type of car I've wanted (including V12 Ferrari and Jag.'s, Porsches, Vette's and Muscle Cars etc). I can honestly say that the Datsun 240-Z's are the best Sports/GT's, regardless of price, that I've ever owned. Over the years every other car has come and gone - but the 72 240-Z that I bought at the end of 71 - always stayed.

If I had to get in a car and drive across the US today - it would be the Z that I'd take. For the past 36 years I've been hoping that someone would design/build/sell another Sports/GT that was as good - but so far that hasn't happened. So we'll have to keep the old ones running...

Wecome to DATSUN...

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Poindexter]

It's so fantastic to read comments from other people who also madly love their Z cars and are not afraid to express it. It makes me feel *normal* even, as most of my friends are pretty sick of hearing about my car already, and tired of getting picture messages of my Z in front of this place or that. I think it's their loss to NOT have as much passion for what they drive as we do. Except for my friend with a Cayenne S- he enjoys his car a lot. I've just past my first complete month using it as my DD and I love it more every day- even in the heat.

BTW, Danglybanger, I have to mention that one of my dream cars is the turbo Esprit- which I've never gotten to drive- and to be considered among its' competition is amazing- and for the Z to surpass the Lotus in your experience is awesome. I could never have bought the Lotus though, as I'm 6'3" and I've been told that me and my size 13's would never have fit in the car- or the pedal box.

When you consider the hours and hours people spend in transit, how great it is for us to literally enjoy all of that time, every hop we take, every off-ramp, and every twisty back road! I have a road near me that I drive at least twice every day just because it's so much fun, and totally gorgeous too. It's a 5-mile long, very twisty and up & down road that follows along a river, and is tree-shaded for much of its length- and I just love sun-dappled roads for some reason. Plus there is no shoulder anywhere, hence no local cherry-tops to interfere with my fun. (Speeds only range to 50 so I'm not an unsafe maniac.) I'm going to make a short video of the run this summer, and score it with suitable music too, (and post it) although the engine sounds do a pretty good on that part.

To love a car is one thing- lots of people love their cars- but to really be able examine it objectively as well, to have done the work and spent the time driving many other marques so as to be able to actually make balanced comparisons versus the other sports/GT cars and still have it come out on top is even more amazing- after nearly 40 years!

And now I'm off for this weekend on an 400-mile, each way, road trip to the mountains around Woodstock NY.

PS- I would like to make the shifter a little more precise though- perhaps a bit more "clicky" but that's all.

[Danglybanger]

haha, the turbo Esprit is a great car, no doubt, but even engaging in normal driving on the road it needs to be wound up beyond comfort in a way that makes you worry about your wallet (220 horsepower turbocharged 2.2 4 cylinders tend to make their power that way), the gearing, suspension etc. is all suited for the racetrack...

While bits don't quite fall off of them as people tend to claim, nothing is as well thought out as the Z. Point to point the Z is definitely a quicker car, and in executing any maneuver it feels more solid and stable. The Z could be a new car, while the Esprit feels a bit more dated IMO... (as for the gearshift, the Esprit's shifter is notoriously loose)

When 6' people ride in the Lotus I take off the sunroof and their heads stick 3" above

My dad only bought his Corvette ZO6 after declaring it the only car that could match the Z in his opinion... (he now owns that, a few more classic vettes, but as I grew up he had the afforementioned Z, as well as Porsches, MGs etc...)

[Poindexter]

I just added a short video to my CarDomain page. While the sound is below par, and the camera-work a bit jerky- I did take it with one hand and drove with the other- for a first try the result still has some impact. You get the idea.

Just a jaunt on beautiful road through a gorgeous neighborhood, sunlight dappling the trees, some sweet engine sounds and just a hint of classic rock songs in the background...

I'm going to go back with a better camera with much higher resolution, on a solid, shock-reducing mount, with several accessory microphones feeding into an outboard mixer to capture and add-in hopefully well-recorded exhaust and engine sounds, and maybe a musical soundtrack too. Better production values next time.

[76Datsun280z]

These car sure are addicting! In my opinion too, these cars make an awesome, practical daily driver while making the whole drive fun. Some of the new modern cars that I've driven get to put to shame in comparison of how they drive or feel over the Z and I think, my 280 is over thirty years old and it doesn't raddle or have an annoying dead spot in the mid range.

Looking forward to seeing your Z, sounds like you've got a nice one and even better, the clock works!:classic:

[sblake01]

The clock in my 78 has always worked.

[billyjarrell]

To restate what the others have said the Z is indeed an awesome daily driver. I drive mine just about every day, (barring taking out the trash or something). I have a 76 280 and like everyone said the torque is amazing, and I've added a 5-speed with brass shifter bushings so shifting and cruising are even better. I love the look on other drivers faces, some because they know, and think its cool and others because they have no idea what kind of car it is, only its an old one.