which to buy

[mantastical]

first i wanna thank everyone for their advice in advance.

i'm having a difficult time on deciding which Z to buy. the choices i have are a 74 260z, early model and a 72 240z. both are in the same condition. no rust, interior is good, exterior is good, frame rails are good, titles are in hand and clear. both are drivable with good suspension and no leaks of any kind.

now with that said the 260z is about 2000.00 cheaper and about a 5-6 hour drive from where i'm at. and the 240z is about an hour or 2 drive away which has the tail lights i like over the 260 and 280 and the smaller bumpers.

which of the two would you prefer?

[IBZINYA]

My two cents....

I own a decent early 74 and enjoy it because its a daily driver... and a hot rod of sorts.. modifications and engine swap are in its future.. and its an all matching numbers car. It would be a long time before it would be worth much more than I paid for it.

If you are looking for a concourse car go with the early Z... If you want one that you can truly drive hard and not cry over the ocasional rock chip or deer in the road go with the 74... Cant wait to see which one you get.

[Arne]

I agree, it depends on your goals. If you want to restore a Z to stock or near-stock condition, go with the 240Z. If you plan to modify one, consider the 260Z. Especially in lightly modified condition, the 260Z will be a better daily driver, should that be your goal.

[mantastical]

thanks. my goals are to have a nice daily driver with plans to swap in a l28et for added power and i like turbos. but still kinda leaning toward the 240z just because. still having a hard time choosing. i'll be puchasing within 2 weeks, hopefully. i'll keep updating as needed on what i might be getting. any other inputs?

[Mike B]

I agree, I would lean toward the 240z, if they are both in the same condition. You should definitely post detailed pictures of both cars, if possible, to get specific feedback before you buy.

-Mike

[Carl Beck]

No no no - if you're going to swap in an L28ET - then use the 260-Z.

If you were going to keep either one stock - then the 240Z would make a better choice. It will be easier to find parts for, it would hold it's resale value better and be easier to resell later if you need or want to.

There is a reason the 260Z is $2,000.00 less expensive - so save the money for your new engine.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[rdefabri]

No no no - if you're going to swap in an L28ET - then use the 260-Z.

If you were going to keep either one stock - then the 240Z would make a better choice. It will be easier to find parts for, it would hold it's resale value better and be easier to resell later if you need or want to.

There is a reason the 260Z is $2,000.00 less expensive - so save the money for your new engine.

FWIW,

Carl B.

+1 - don't by a 240Z if you're gonna mod it. The 260Z still retains the 240Z aesthetics, but could actually benefit from the swap.

[EVILC]

If you like the look of the 240z and small bumpers more then buy it and do your swap! You can always undo whatever you do to the car just in case you want to do a full resto "someday". If it makes you feel better....I have a 2/70 car all orginal that is getting a L30ET swap

Enjoy your car because it is your money and just save the parts you swap out if you want to go back to orignal. Pics will help us help you.

[=Enigma=]

With your goals stated, and both cars in roughly the same condition, I would probably go for the 260z and save the extra $2000 for the engine swap. If you like the smaller bumpers of the 240z, you can always swap some in later, and there are after market options for these as well in fiberglass and carbon fiber if you're going the mod route.

A couple things you didn't share which could make a difference are other modifications already made to each car such as transmissions, differenentials, wheels, brakes, carbs, FI conversion etc.

[ChrisZ]

Like Mike B said, post pictures, shouldn't an early 260Z have the smaller bumpers ?

Go for the one you like most, in the end you will regred saving money if you buy the 260Z over the 240Z if that is the one you like most (i think so) and if it is because of the distance, you get over it.

If you like the 240Z most, make the seller an offer, just choose what you like best.

Chris

[jmortensen]

The 260Z is heavier. Whether it is a little bit heavier or a lot heavier depends on if its an early or late 260. If you want to go fast, the less weight you have to move the faster you'll go.

[mantastical]

thanks everyone for advice. i don't have pics of either car, lost them somewhere in my email. and i believe that the early 260z had smaller bumpers but not the same as 240z, i think. anyway i think i might have to go with the 240z even though its costing a bit more. i find it easier to find parts for it. the plan was to do a swap but not right away, gotta sweet talk my boss for that. the person i'm buying from is gonna be out of town for about 2 weeks so i'll update when i contact her again.