Are 73 auto 240z worth it?

[aceofspades]

SO I know of a local pretty clean 73 auto for sale

but I dunno its an auto car are they rare or just on common because no one wants them?

[MikeW]

They are rare because not as many were made to begin with. Some people have claimed they have the advantage of not having been driven as hard as manual transmission cars. Many people have swapped the automatic for a manual. If it's clean, i.e., rust free, it might well be a good buy. Do you have any pictures?

[bigoak]

Both...

Good news is the auto's tend to have been thrashed a little less...and you can swap in a manual if you want to...

As always, rust is the key...if the body is good the Z is your oyster...

EDIT...Turns out I agree with MikeW...great post MikeW...

Edited July 9, 2009 by bigoak

[SportBikeMike]

I agree with the others. You lose a little straight line performance and thats about it. She's worth a look.

(I was actually thinking about going to look at an automatic 280ZX tomorrow.)

[wavemux]

I share the same sentiment regarding autos (possibly because I happen to own one). Stepping on the gas pedal of an auto 240Z is just as much fun as stepping on the pedal of a 4 or 5 speed....well, maybe a 5 speed is a little more fun. It's a Z after all. You do loose that off-the-line pull but once you get going it accelerates nicely. Plus I have the added benefit of my wife being able to drive it. The only problem I have with it is the "Nancy Boy" taunting I have to put up with from the guys in my Z club. If it's rust free (or nearly rust free) don't let the fact that it's an auto dissuade you from giving it consideration.

[Arne]

And should you decide to do so, converting to a 4 or 5 speed later is relatively easy.

Series 1 240Z auto to 4 speed swap

[aceofspades]

its ok car its 73 repainted in white so it hides the body work bit but i can still see it!

I drove it around needs trans fluid which worries what shape the trans is in!

but I dunno about the car needs more work then the 6 grand the owner wants for it I have 2 photos of me dirving it and one side profile i took with my phone!

Also there is mice poop all over the car and smells pretty strong !

The owner already had the wiring fixed due to mice eating some of the starter lines

he wants 6 grand for it no less!

Also has some after market carbs that starts with an C

[bigoak]

Umm...pass on it...more because of the mice poop (and the lack of care that indicates) than the tranny (automatics and 4 speeds are a dime a dozen as people usually have them lying around after the 5 speed upgrade...).

The hunt continues...

[1973Z]

As others have said, move along and get a much better car.

[wavemux]

Mice Poop = Gut entire car. Pass on this one unless the owner is willing to come way way down on price

[Montezuma]

Mice poop also equals mice wizz which means a complete interior gutting. Who knows what other wires they have chewed. I also think mice poop equals a $4K reduction in the price of the car. I own a 73 automatic Blue with off-white interior, the car was unmolested when I bought it and I will never take out the Automatic, I want to keep it original. Keep you eye on Craigslist San Diego, Orange County, Oregon, Azrizona and New Mexico I am sure you will find a nice mice poopless Z there if you are serious. Sometimes members here on the board sell real nice cars too. Good luck in your search....Mice Poop yuck.

[Ttiger]

$6K is pretty high, even for a clean Z.

I bought a '73 auto two years ago. It needed fluid because the shift modulator was bad and was allowing the motor to suck trans fluid up through the vacuum tube. It was about $12 at Kragen and that solved the problem. It was not bad to drive. It's 3rd gear is a 1:1 ratio so it's the same a 4th gear in a manual trans car. I drove it LA for the Z-Car Nationals in 2008 and it ran fine.

After about 8 months, I replaced the auto with a rebuilt 260Z motor with 240Z intake and a 280Z 5-speed. I had to enlarge the trans tunnel cut out (outline is there from the factory) and bypass the neutral safety switch. Other than that, it was plug-and-play

Edited July 15, 2009 by Ttiger