Almost a barn find

[SportBikeMike]

So, Mike, yours must be getting near the end of the run. Does anyone know what the HIGHEST VIN is for a 240?

That would be interesting to know. My VIN exceeds the total number of 240Zs made according to Johnnie's numbers. Does anyone know how this could be the case?

[tlorber]

Snipped from zhome.com:

"Note- it is possible that the last few months of 1973, were in fact the 1974 Model Year 260Z;s. "

My understanding is that the last month for 240 production was 8/73. Does anyone on this site have a higher number than that stated above?

[Kathy & Rick]

Thanks motorman,

Yeah the color is the best part! love it.

Heres some pics,

See what yas think.

Mr grnsky, that is one fine looking car. I agree that Code 113 Green

Metallic with saddle interior was a very pretty combination. For some

reason it never became one of the most popular.

Your car brings back some sad memories, however. While I was in sales

with Bob Sharp I sold one just like it to a good friend and bowling buddy,

Guy McKnight. Not too long afterward Guy totaled the car, getting

killed in the process. It still haunts me to this day when I think of it.

~Rick~

[Kathy & Rick]

So, Mike, yours must be getting near the end of the run. Does anyone know what the HIGHEST VIN is for a 240?

The highest VIN I have ever seen on a 240Z is 172040, build date 7/73,

owned by Dave Klein.

All Z Best,..............................Kathy & Rick

[Kathy & Rick]

Snipped from zhome.com:

"Note- it is possible that the last few months of 1973' date=' were in fact the 1974 Model Year 260Z;s. "

My understanding is that the last month for 240 production was 8/73. Does anyone on this site have a higher number than that stated above?[/quote']

I would agree with the first comment, but not the second.

I have never seen a build date of 8/73 on a 240Z.

I have never seen a build date of 7/73 on a 260Z.

However, I have seen several 8/73 260Z's. And as we know, all 260Z's

were model year 1974, as you correctly stated.

So I conclude that the end of July marked the transition between the two.

All Z Best,..........................Kathy & Rick

[Mike B]

The highest VIN I have ever seen on a 240Z is 172040, build date 7/73,

If Carl's registry on zhome.com is correct, the highest VIN for a HLS30 (240z) it shows is HLS30-172753

I have never seen a build date of 8/73 on a 240Z.

The zhome.com registry also shows that Eiji's HLS30-170408 has a build date of 8/73.

-Mike

[Mike B]

My VIN exceeds the total number of 240Zs made according to Johnnie's numbers. Does anyone know how this could be the case?

According to Carl Beck in post #3 in this old thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=20928, about 20,000 VINs were skipped when the 1973 model year was begun (from about 100,000 to about 120,000). I believe there were probably a few other VIN ranges skipped prior to the introduction of other model years, since the starting VINs for each year all started with VINs rounded to the thousands.

-Mike

[Montezuma]

I

If Carl's registry on zhome.com is correct, the highest VIN for a HLS30 (240z) it shows is HLS30-172753

The zhome.com registry also shows that Eiji's HLS30-170408 has a build date of 8/73.

-Mike

On the Z register my car 170933 is the highest number on the register that is still in the states. It is still a 7/73 car with a higher VIN than Eiji.

[grnsky]

Rick,

Sorry to stir up memories, Very sad. But it was the green that got me so interested as I hardly ever see the color scheme for sale. Next thing you know I am on a plane bound for SF, The condition of the car was the added bonus:D:D which put me over the line in a puddle of my own drool!

Interesting that you say they didnt sell well, I figured they would have been all the rage back then, greens, purpules, oranges etc.

[ChrisZ]

VIN 171039 here, build 7/73.

Chris

[Kathy & Rick]

Rick,

Sorry to stir up memories, Very sad. But it was the green that got me so interested as I hardly ever see the color scheme for sale. Interesting that you say they didnt sell well, I figured they would have been all the rage back then, greens, purpules, oranges etc.

Hi again. Maybe I was misleading; sorry about that. Of course back in the day, when buying a new Z, you didn't have "choice of color" like you do today. The waiting lists, comprised of people who put down a deposit and got on the list, had diminished by the end of the 240Z run.

But there were few ways to special order a certain color:

1) get on the list and HOPE that your choice is the color that comes in on the next truck whenever your name came up.

2) if when your name comes to the top of the list, the Z is not your choice of color, pass on it, and the next one, and the next one, till finally your color comes in. Problems: a) you could wait a LONG time till your color arrived, especially on

certain colors which seemed to be produced in smaller numbers

to begin with. some hardnosed dealers had a "take it or

leave it" attitude whereupon you would be refunded your deposit and "kindly" bounced from the list.

3) Accept the Z that came in when your turn came up and have it spray painted your color. Problems: a) several hundred dollars additional cost. probable devaluation of the car. Footnote: there was an occasional buyer who just had to have a black 240Z, and didn't care what the cost. But black wasn't even a factory color until I think late 70s, around the time of the Black Pearl experiment.

4) Go for a used Z instead of a new one. Problems: a) people weren't turning loose of their Zs except in unusual circum- stances, so the likelihood of getting your choice of color was still little to none. if you were so lucky as to find a used Z in your color, you probably would pay a premium price for it.

Eventually a mechanism called the "dealer swap" came in, but that was later, about the time of the 260, more likely the 280Z. In comes Mr. grnsky and negotiates a deal for a green Z with Rick. Rick gets on the phone with Regional or with other dealers to see who has a green Z (the Internet was in the future). Rick finds an unsold green Z, and the dealer who has it says he has a buyer for a red Z but doesn't have one in stock. I do. Deal done. Rick drives the red Z to the other dealer (some dealers had a car trailer), does the transfer paperwork, and drives the green Z back. The Z might have as

much as 200 miles on it at the time of sale; but Mr grnsky isn't

concerned about that, because he has his green Z and didn't have to wait 90 forevers to get it.

All Z Best,.....................Rick (and Kathy, of course)

Edited August 29, 2010 by Kathy & Rick

[grnsky]

Good form,

Grnsky would settle for nothing less than a leaf green 240z, and would have been beating down the doors of your dealership every darn day wanting to know where it was. In fact, tell me where it is, I will get it myself!