act your age. Wait no... Post your age

[vercingetorix]

60 is the new 40

[adamr]

I'm 39. Back in 1988, I had an 84 Monte Carlo SS. One night after work, my buddy and I had a little rat race across town en route to a bar. He was in his 78 280z- green with tan interior. I always liked his Z... Anyway, I was holding my own at around 110 mph when I threw a rod. What a god awful sound! I had little money and needed another car. I was thru pouring money into that Chevy. Remember, GM build quality back then was poor at best. I figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.

I found a really nice '76 with a good paint job for sale in the grocery store parking lot. $3500. Seemed a little high at the time. It looked great, drove well, and was simply a much better car than the SS. Looking back, it was the best car deal I ever got. I was hooked! I hopped it up and drove it like I stole it. After rolling it on an off ramp at 115 mph and totalling it, I was off to find another. Got a black 78 with wire wheels. Loved it, too. Got T boned by an old lady in a Cadillac, who ran a stop sign, while driving down St. Charles Ave in New Orleans. Sold it and began saving for the next one, which turned out to be another 76. After spending lots of money getting it all fixed up, and getting a really nice paint job, I proudly drover it for many years. I foolishly took it with me to New York, where I exposed it to way to much salt and sand. The cancer came back. Years later, after moving back to Texas, I got stuck in a horrible traffic jam. The car overheated, and steam came billowing from the tailpipe. Head gasket was blown, and the head was warped. The mechanic who fixed it screwed me and the car. I sold it for parts to a father and son who were to use it to ressurect another Z. They came to find it in better shape than their original car, and restored it, yet again. Two years later, they showed up at my work, and asked me to come outside. Immaculate she was! All the rust cut out, perfect paint, Panasports, new struts etc... God, I was so jealous.

By this point in my life, I was driving an Acura TL. I needed something reliable, with good A/C. For years after seeing my old car back on the road, I, in the back of my mind, hoped that someday I could afford a play toy/second car. Of course, I wanted another Z.

Fast forward 9 years to 2008. I found my orange series one. I've had it for a year. I absolutley love it. In fact, it is an obsession. I'm on here everyday. I watch Ebay for parts I don't even need. Most of all, I simply love driving it. I love the history, the lines of the car, the quirks of the car, the thumbs up I get all over town. Once you've owned a Z, well, you know where I'm coming from. You must, because you are reading this right now. It's great to be back in a Z. I plan on keeping this car till death does us part :knockedou.

[240znz]

41 I am.

Saw first zed when about 11ish I guess. Thought is was one of the coolest cars and as it was owned by our neighbour, I got to hear it heaps. Never got a ride in it but peering through the hatch at the centre gauges is burnt into the mind.

[KDMatt]

I'm definitely one of the 'second generation' youngsters around here, clocking in at 22.

I first heard of the Z when I was on vacation with my family in northern Minnesota, and tradition demanded that every year I build a model.

Now in the years previous, I'd done a '69 charger, '55 Nomad, '68 Thunderbird, and that particular year the hardware store had very few options as far as models of cars were concerned. However, one did manage to catch my eye, and that was a model of a Datsun 240z. It was the coolest thing they had, so that's what I got.

The picture on the box was orange, but immediately I knew this was a car that would be better in silver. I never finished that model. My dad remembered the cars though, having mentioned something about there being a 'better' version that came out afterward, the '280z'

Fast forward a few more years to my last month of highschool.

My mother and I were driving back from school (I didn't have my own car at this point), to get my sister (from middle school, gross) and on the corner I saw a gleaming red 280z. Encouraged by my mother (for whatever reason), I checked it out and wrote down the phone number.

The next thing I did was come here!

With advice and and things to look out for, I examined the car a second time and walked away from the deal-totally disappointed, having realized that thing was rusting to pieces.

I graduated, got some money, then began my search for a 280z ... I even looked at a 280zx too, but just two months after my first encounter, I found my silver '76 280z .... with just 83,000 original miles... and I've had her ever since.

The guy before me was not a Z-nut, so I've managed to fix a few minor nuisances in the mean time... but yeah, that's my story.

I hope I can have more Z's in the future, even possibly a Datsun roadster!

[sblake01]

I'm definitely one of the 'second generation' youngsters around here,.......

What does that mean? I thought 'second generation' referred to someone like myself whose parents were born in another country.

[KDMatt]

What does that mean? I thought 'second generation' referred to someone like myself whose parents were born in another country.

Oh, I had no idea it could mean that actually. I just meant that there are 'first generation' Z-owners (i.e. people who were of age, or close to being of age when the cars were produced) ... and 'second generation' (the 'children' of the generation that was of age).

...so Baby Boomers vs. Gen Y maybe?

[samzhot240]

I am 19, bought my car at 15 after falling madly in love with a local mechanics silver 240z. I set my heart on his but at 15 years old his $5000.00 price tag killed the dream. so i became a pro at ebay and bought 1973 online for $500. I got what I paid for at the time but I have also been re-paid ten fold by the memories I have with my father working on it and all the rides. It's no show room car but it is my most prized possession and I would rather die in my car than sell it or crash it. It is quite possibly the most obnoxious shade of grabber orange but I fell in love with it and no one could talk me out of it. My car sort of defines me, it's got its quirks but its got way more personality than most can deal with at one time...

[VITAMIN Z]

I am 41 now, here is a short sinopsis of my Datsun endeavor

@16 I got my first Datsun (1200 Sedan) but got stolen

@19 I got a 70 510 which was impounded by mistake and never recovered! (had it for over 10 years

@28 I got an 87 Sentra, which was featured on the Low Rider magazine! It got totaled parked outside my house!

@30 I got a 1998 Altima, which I still drive!

@32 I got an 87 Maxima

and @39 I got a 74 260Z as a b-day present!

I have always been around Datsuns/Nissans! An now more than ever I'm hooked on my Z!

Edited April 15, 2009 by VITAMIN Z
spelling

[mazingerz1976]

I was borned in April 1st, 1976. 33 now and in love with the Datsuns since 1983 when my dad purchased the 260C (Cedric 230 GX) from 1973. I own a 1980 ZX since 2005 and i love it, now it´s stripped waiting for the paint.

Camilo

[d240zx2]

Probably the oldest among us at 64 11/12 years. Bought my Z 15 April '70. 00721. Drove the literal dog crap out of it. Sold it in '77 with the provision that if it ever came up for sale, I had the right of first refusal. Well, it did, and I bought it back in 2007. It's now a pristine show car with liberal track hours. I know, that's a dichotomy, but it's nice. The keys will only leave "my cold, dead hands."

And like another poster said, it's like I'm 26 again...my happy place.

BTW, check out www.texaszparty.com for information about Texas' Z owners having a big shindig at MSR-Houston on Father's day weekend.

Frank

[70 Cam Guy]

I'm the new guy on the block but I've been a car nut, and motorcycle nut for a long time. I am 28, 29 in the next month or so.

At 17, I bought my first car, my 1970 Camaro with money I made working for marie calenders. I finally sold it a couple years ago when I graduated college. It needed too much to fix the cancer and I wasn't in to spending the money on it. I do admit I miss that car, but it went to a loving home.

When I bought my Honda a couple years ago, my Toyota became my next project. I bought myself a 110 MIG welder and taught myself to weld. It's still in process (need gears and front axle shafts) but I'm doing a solid axle swap on it. Essentially cut off the front independent suspension and weld on leaf springs for a solid front axle

My '73 is my long awaited return to classic cars and rear wheel drive. It doesn't hurt these things do pretty well on gas. Sidedrafts are new to me and learning is half the fun for me

-lover of all things mechanical

[virtualorgasm]

Turned 19 December 08

Purchased 1978 280z this April 09

my Z story has just begun....