Another 240Z exhaust goes NLA

[Arne]

Guess you will have to come up and have this local hot rod shop bend one to fit your car like they did mine.

That could happen, Jim. I've talked to a number of local shops here, and the good ones all seem to use "rape and pillage" as their business model. I've been re-thinking what I want, once I clarify that in my mind I'll make a last attempt with the locals.

If all else fails you can always count on me to find more exhaust stuff

Well, yes, that's all well and good, Wing. But for me, and for my car which is driven regularly, it seems wrong to spend a bunch of money on a NOS part or system only to wear it out in a few years. I'd much rather have spent $300 on a complete (mandrel bent, aluminized) Monza that was modern construction but period looks, than $250 or so on an NOS Ansa rear section only, that is all mild steel, and will probably be irreplaceable when it rusts or the glass blows out.

Not to say that your prices are too high, they aren't, not for true NOS period parts. But true NOS doesn't make sense to me in a part that I think of as a consumable.

Another reason why I'm doing my gradual exodus from the Datsun hobby. It's not just the 70-73 parts market that's drying up nor is it just the S30, it's all Datsuns. Like Greg said in post 4, there is much better support for other vintage cars.

Well, I haven't got to that point yet. But as I said, the parts support for old Datsuns is very disappointing to me. Both from the aftermarket, and from Nissan.

I guess I could sell the Z and buy a 911... :tapemouth

[sblake01]

I'm selling the Z, Truck and 810 and buying a 2005-06 GTO.

[Arne]

I'm selling the Z, Truck and 810 and buying a 2005-06 GTO.

As long as that works for you, Stephen, I'm good with it. But I've tried having only more modern transport, and found myself frustrated when I don't have a car that I can easily work on myself. The 240Z was my solution. A good solution, as long as I can continue to get the parts and accessories I want and need for it...

[KenshinX]

I'm selling the Z, Truck and 810 and buying a 2005-06 GTO.

Are you serious??

[sblake01]

Yep, that's my plan.

[Nota280]

I'm selling the Z, Truck and 810 and buying a 2005-06 GTO.

I do not see many of them running around. Good choice in my opinion.

[sblake01]

I drove one last year and immediately vowed to one day own one. It was a 2004 which is a 5.7 liter w/350hp. The 05-06 are 6 liter w/400hp.

[ta240]

dang, I should have asked more for the muffler part of my Monza system when I sold it. Probably should have just stuffed it in the attic.

I was going to keep selling parts off my old white Z ( www.geocities.com/z-car ) but have decided that most of the usable parts I'll just keep aside for when I might need them for my 'new' Z.

I can go weeks now without seeing another Z (240-280) on the road anymore and probably only saw 3 or 4 other 240's in the last year. As was pointed out above there are so few left and so few of those people want to keep them stock looking. I'm not averse to updating some items but I do like to keep the overall look clean and somewhat period correct.

Read an article by Jay Leno the other day where he was saying that one of the biggest problems with collector/classic cars anymore is people just don't drive them so the parts don't wear out so nobody makes new parts. Then the few people that do drive and enjoy the cars have no source for replacements. Combine that with the number of Z's left that are highly modified and add to that the percentage that just want to keep their car running and don't have the disposable income and the demand even drops farther.

The GTO is a great sleeper in my opinion. Tons of power without the 'look at me' of a vette.

Edited May 14, 2009 by ta240

[datsunrides]

But as I said, the parts support for old Datsuns is very disappointing to me. Both from the aftermarket, and from Nissan.

Have you ever looked at trying to get parts for the same vintage Toyota/Honda/Mazda/Mitsu? You want to talk disappointing? We can at least still get parts for the Datsuns, from the dealer no less! I would almost kill to have the same disappointing parts availability for the other Japanese brands. I'm sure others that have tried to or are restoring one of the "others" know what I speak of.

Mark

[sblake01]

Every time you check, it seems that some other Datsun part has become no longer available. Soon, I'm afraid, the Datsun situation will be pretty much the same as the other Japanese marques.

[guy_geo]

Can you order it from Europe directly?

[sblake01]

Can you order it from Europe directly?

Are you referring to the exhaust system or other Datsun parts? If you mean other Datsun parts, then do you mean from Japan directly? If so, that makes the process even more costly since you also have to pay a 'middle man'.