http://bringatrailer.com/2008/08/26/vintage-rally-spec-rhd-1973-datsun-240z/

whoa....

(apologies if this car has been posted before.)

no words are good enough

I saw that earlier today. I wonder if anyone in the UK (Alan?) knows this car?

That's a lot of coin for a stitch welded Z with webers, lexan windows and diamond plate on the floor.

Wow! I would love to have $82k to drop into the Z. Would be able to do some CRAZY work on it. Basically have a brand new car, with some left over cash! WOW!

good looking

Ya, it's status must be lost on me. Sure its a great looking car but.... Would one of the real rally cars that it was actually modeled after fetch that much?

Agreed, insane money for what appears to me to be a 'tribute' car at best. That's why I was hoping the Alan might know the car. Maybe there's something significant about it that we're missing.

Yes, I know the car. I had a good look around it at auction, and have seen it in use 'on stage' too.

Some points to take into account:

*It is being sold by a dealer who bought it at auction for about 20% less than they are currently advertising it for.

*The asking price is actually in Pounds Sterling currency, so converting that into ( a currently relatively weak ) $US figure is going to make it look more expensive to you than it does to us over here. Think about the 'Big Mac Index' of real-world values.....

*Building a facsimile of that car in the UK, at current professional labour rates and retail parts prices, would cost much more than Oakfields are asking for it.

*'bringatrailer.com' don't know what they are looking at, and Oakfields don't really know what they are selling.

*Oakfields need to make a living, and at least 17.5% of the sale price is Value Added Tax - which goes to the government.

*The spec of the car has absolutely nothing in common with the genuine Works cars.

*It's a little bit more than a seam-welded shell, a set of Webers, Lexan windows and some checker-plate. The most expensive parts of a car like this are the bits you cannot see......

*Current build spec is - I believe - aimed at MSA British Historic Rally Championship participation. Not 'FIA' Appendix K, and certainly not a current Safari type spec.

A current Safari-spec car - built by one of the professionals who currently build them - would start at around double this figure.

I don't personally like some of the details of the car, but it is well built and I think it represents good value for money for anybody that wants to buy a turnkey car for the MSA British championship.

Click on the pictures and you are taken to http://www.classicdriver.de/uk/find/4100_dealers2_results.asp?next=4100_dealers2_results.asp&lCarID=1763597&lCurrency=2&dealerid=1337

The only thing I recognize is Kevin Bristow Motorsport. I'll bet Alan knows about this car.

(edit: right)

Yes, I know the car. I had a good look around it at auction, and have seen it in use 'on stage' too.

Some points to take into account...

Good points, Alan. Thanks for the info and background.

...I'd rather see more nice, street driveable Zs than that one, which admittedly would look great and perform well on the track (but then again anything could, almost, if prepped properly), but would never be something to pick up a date in or drive cross country

Though I should be glad that cars like that exist, to keep the reputation of mine up