HLS30-OOO13 Has Been Found!

[mgmoreau]

To think I live less than two hours from the car in little ole Rhode Island. Who would have thought this car would be found in New England of all places with the winters we have!

[Unkle]

What's it worth , a hundred grand ? C'mon , it's over now, it's been found . Who has the need / greed / financial muscle to remove it from the current owner ?? Heh heh , someone is tossing and turning and can't sleep !!!

Really , and no '' hyperbole " , what's it worth ? Guesses ?

[HS30-H]

I didn't want to say anything - nor "spread the word" - until the guy that found it had a chance to tell the story himself.

Wow Carl,

Super-speedy editing job on zhome.com, what!?

'The First Boat Load...' page: http://www2.zhome.com:81/History/FirstBoatload.html

... and 'Locating The Remaining 1969 Production...' page: http://www2.zhome.com:81/History/69ZArticle.html

..."Updated as of 11th Aug. 2009"

[Mr Camouflage]

Whats it worth? Depends on how rusty it is.

[HS30-H]

Whilst we wait with bated breath for the next instalment of the 'HLS30-00013' story....

A couple of quotes from that ctzcc.com thread have been echoing around inside my noggin for a little while since I read them, so I thought I'd ask about them here.....

Apparently, 'HLS30-00013' is "...The most precious-numbered 240Z", which I find somewhat peculiar ( what about the lower numbered HLS30s? And does HS30-00013 not count? And do S30-00001~00013 and PS30-00001~00013 not count either? ), but perhaps not quite as interesting as something else I read there:

"It's sister Z, VIN #16, was determined to be the earliest known commercial survivor and first Z car sold to the public (on 22Oct69, as you all know)."

First of all, the "...first Z car sold to the public..." is quite obviously something quite hard to determine, seeing as the Z car physically went on sale to the general public in Japan before anywhere else ( so who knows who got theirs 'first'? ), but secondly, am I supposed to believe that somebody actually purchased 'HLS30-00016' from a showroom or dealership in the USA on 22nd October 1969?

Surely any such "purchase" would be a case of somebody making a reservation and paying a deposit of some sort based on a photo and description in a sales catalogue or leaflet? Where was the actual car when this "purchase" is supposed to have taken place?

Isn't this just some rather fanciful thinking and/or a tall story being taken as fact? Nissan held a 'Press Preview' event at their Ginza head office on October 18th 1969, and this would have been the first 'official' unveiling of actual cars. The first members of the 'General Public' to see the new S30-series range 'officially' would have been those who were first through the doors at the Tokyo Motor Show on 24th October 1969, and they would have been allowed to discuss / place orders for cars then - but nobody would have got to test drive one until the Press Test Drive Day on 5th November.

So isn't this just some tall story telling about HLS30-00016 that is being taken as 'truth', or is this just an example of the 'Planet USA' phenomenon?

What's the real story? Any volunteers?

Cheers,

Alan T.

Edited August 15, 2009 by HS30-H
Missed out a few important Ls. Thanks MikeB!

[geezer]

I would like to congratulate the owner on such a prestigeous find!

It will be interesting to hear what is known about HLS30-00013. Such things as history of ownership, paper trail of maintenance, original documentation and the sharing of memories of past owners are likely high hopes, but maybe a few things I have wondered about can now be answered. Like, does it have L24 2027 installed or if not what is the engine number? What engine number is shown on the data plate? Is there any evidence of this car being used as a test mule by Nissan?

I'm hoping, in good time we will see some pics and be further enlightened, when the new owner finds the time. In the meantime, I will continue to compose new words to the Huckleberry Hound tune - O My Darlin' to assist in my search for #9.

[26th-Z]

I'm glad you brought the subject up, Alan, because I did not want to respond to the blurb posted on the Connecticut club site with the impolite negativity it deserves. What is it I heard? "In the time it took Frank to write that garb, he could have just filled us in on a few satisfying facts". Instead we hear about a car that was NOT sold to the public on 22 October 1969 as we all know and isn't-even-the-original-color "pristine". Frank has some of his facts mixed up, evidently. But, of course he would have forgotton about the Japanese models or the other export models. Ya-know Connecticut is Ivy League territory. But HLS30-00013 doesn't need another car to validate it, does it? Horray for Frank's enthusiasm, though. And horray to the guy who owns a car similar (but not as exquisite) as her Majesty the 26th! Horray for all the 'lowVIN' guys for we have found another member!

How much is it worth? As much as someone wants to spend. HLS30-00017 is for sale. No one wants to pay what the owner wants so it sits in storage. Is it worth it?

Edited August 14, 2009 by 26th-Z

[Unkle]

How much is it worth? As much as someone wants to spend. HLS30-00017 is for sale. No one wants to pay what the owner wants so it sits in storage. Is it worth it?

So a dollar figure guess from you would be :

You own 2 early beauts and have a good idea , what's your number ?

What's # 17 going for ?

[EVILC]

You low vin guys have the BEST postings on the net! Chris, next convention we are going to be doing a lot of drinking and bs'n. For me I think the story behind the car is cooler to hear than seeing another low vin Z. Like you said it is only worth what someone is going to pay. How different is 13 from 16, 17, 26, 27 or 95...nothing just a number! The shapes of all the cars mentioned above are different and that is where the true value is.

Honestly, I met a guy in a gas station who has car # 2?? 69 car and he sent me pics to prove it. It is a parts car and is not on the Zhome list...guess I should tell him what a GREAT car he has and it is worth.....$

=)

[26th-Z]

I don't know how much my cars are worth! I don't want to sell them. I bought Her Majesty from the estate of a friend knowing two things; I like 240Zs (1) and (2) the first 100 examples of any successful automobile model like the 240Z are desireable. And, in recognition to what Alan points out, the first 100 examples of the HLS30U or UN. I know; Carl says the first 500...Ok, Ok. Frankly, the low VIN thing is simply a fun conversation item. So, if I had to pick a number out of the air based on what I see stuff selling for? I'ld say low 30s to 50k. Maybe higher depending on this, that, and a few other things.

[J Shara]

did the low vin # z's have a five digit serial number, because most of the z's i have seen have a six digits, so wouldnt the serial number look like HLS30-000013?

[Carl Beck]

I would like to congratulate the owner on such a prestigeous find!

It will be interesting to hear what is known about HLS30-00013. Such things as history of ownership, paper trail of maintenance, original documentation and the sharing of memories of past owners are likely high hopes, but maybe a few things I have wondered about can now be answered. Like, does it have L24 2027 installed or if not what is the engine number? What engine number is shown on the data plate? Is there any evidence of this car being used as a test mule by Nissan?

Hi Ron:

Several years ago I had tracked the car down to the person that sold it to its present owner. He relayed the following from documents found in the car. Which is pretty much confirmed by Rick as well.

- He believes he was the second owner, from the window sticker in the glove box and other papers.

- Purchased it from Garner, NC in 1976

- Imported into Portsmouth, VA

- Sold by a Hampton, VA Dealer

- At the time of purchase it has over 90K miles

- Head replaced due to over-heating

- Sold it to its present owner - an inside Parts Counter Man and Collector that worked for Bob Sharp Datsun.

He gave me the present owners name - and I had been trying unsuccessfully for years to track him down. Talked to Bob Sharp and he remembered him, but did not know what happened to him, same for a couple other guys that worked in the Racing Shop at BSR... The present owner only worked at Bob Sharp Datsun for a couple years...

He seemed to have dropped out of the Z Car community and no one knew where he was...

Engine L24-02085

FWIW,

Carl B.