What are the top 20 early Z-car modifications considered to be "molestation"?

[TomoHawk]

IMO, it seems reasonable to add something to the Z car only if it was normal or usual to find it on other cars of the same era. AFAIR, cars of the 70s didn't have Recaro seats as OEM parts, as well as video screens and 10-disk CD players, subwoofers, and the boom-box speaker panels. Cars owned by high school kids usually had loose speaker boxes, with a 10-foot extension, in the back. Race cars had the bumpers removed and sometimes had big fender flares, roll bars and nitrous bottles.

Only custom-prepared "show-car" engines had polished or powder-coated intakes, exhaust, chromed EVERYTHING, and urban-themed cars had the 'ghetto shine' on the tyres.

I still meet people who insist that the basecoat-clearcoat system was the normal thing in the 70s, so you just bite your tongue and change the topic when that comes up. Those people are obviously living in the media- corrupted today, and probably watch "Overhaulin" too much, instead of studying how the real classics were done.

That's why I just walk past the new Corvettes or anything built after about 2000, and look for something the real character. Usually they have some rust on the body or are assembled with bits of interesting junk.

I don't call it a molestation or abomination- I just look for something else, like the hotdog vendor. :classic:

[motorman7]

Judges at a concours would no doubt disagree.

This quote caught my eye, so I had to respond. When I first started entering my '70 240Z in concours events, I remember bobc telling me not to get my hopes up. He told me that, "the standard concours judge would believe you if you told him that all 240Z's came with a V-8 and blacked-out engine bays". Of course I thought he was exaggerating. Little did I know that he hit the nail right on the head.

The Hunington Beach "Concours" has a category specifically for Z-cars. The winning car as picked by the "concours" judges was painted 'Bada-Bing' silver (Silver with a mild purple haze), had a blacked out engine bay, chromed engine bay parts and bare hoses among other things. Nice car, but not what a purist would consider a true restoration. Even though I love the concours events, I have learned to take the outcome with a "grain of salt".

-Recaro and all other racing seats, they may feel nice and but they look hidious (these all are just MY humble opinions).

I would have agreed with you in the past, but these are growing on me.

[tlorber]

I would say that anything that is easily reversible should by no means be considered a molestation. I'm not saying that the converse is necessarily true. Simply that, if you do an upgrade that you like (and scores of them exist for these cars) but you decide to show the car (god forbid) you can always take it back to stock.

Given the value of these cars, or lack thereof, they should be driven and not trailered or put in a glass case. Maybe someday when my car is actually worth something, I'll go stuff all the beautiful smog equipment back on, de-tune the motor and slopen up the suspension.

[Oiluj]

Any mod that is bolt-off without any dmage to the stock parts is not an issue in my book. If it can be easily returned to stock, it's not an issue. Especially things that improve drivability and safety. A good paint job is expected on a 40 year old car. That said, a "truly original" cars in good condition are rare gems that should be kept that way...

[Arne]

"a small fortune" examples: http://www.datsunclassifieds.com/showproduct.php/product/6365/title/1971-datsun-240z-rb25det-exquisite-restoration/cat/1 and, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649&item=290613568469&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

OK. Wasn't sure if my car qualified or not.

[gtom]

IMO, it seems reasonable to add something to the Z car only if it was normal or usual to find it on other cars of the same era. :classic:

Thank you for this post, it brings up a very interesting point which, I think gets at the very heart of the matter. The modification of an early Z-car, whether in the past or the present can be seen as 'normative'. While many of these modifications can be justified as necessary upgrades, for example, headlight relays, electronic ignition, quality gas shocks ect., other modifications fall into a different category, which I will call, 'additive'. Among these 'additive' modifications, some have been more well received than others, but whatever the case may be, if 'additive' modifications to the early Z-car is considered normal, my next question is, is the early Z-car, the way it came out of the factory, lacking something? Performance? Looks? Character? Perceived quality? I surmise that Nissan marketing caught on to this and subsequently transformed the original Z-car into something quite different...for whatever the reason, I still don't really know why.

[gtom]

OK. Wasn't sure if my car qualified or not.

Arne, I did look at your Z-car ad link. I think you did a great job and you have a very nice Z!...I will consider it. Any discount?

[gtom]

"the standard concours judge would believe you if you told him that all 240Z's came with a V-8 and blacked-out engine bays".

5. Blacked-out engine bays.

[Arne]

Arne, I did look at your Z-car ad link. I think you did a great job and you have a very nice Z!...I will consider it. Any discount?

PM sent.

[TomoHawk]

I would have agreed with you in the past, but these are growing on me.

Of course... specially if you can afford them! I gotta stick with whatever you can get at the pick-N-pull, but, IMO, I think mine are fine for the marque.

The other thing I see happening is what to do when OEM parts are actually no longer available, even from rusty parts cars. For example, the electronic ignition and EFI systems. You may have to resort to substituting hand-made parts, but you may still be able to have them (look) fine.

[ta240]

It depends on the starting condition of the car. If you rescue one from the crusher then it is different from taking a clean example and cutting it up but in my opinion anything that can be switched back to stock easily isn't bad (I have an attic loaded with original stuff off my Z).

I guess some people like the old flip up sunroofs but when I was Z shopping I'd just keep looking when I saw one of those.

Paint color changes I'm okay with, I'm not a big fan of some of the stock colors so new colors aren't all bad.

I do cringe when people say "just cut a hole in the door panel for a speaker", but it is their car.

I'm not a fan of cutting up the sheet metal. Seen plenty with bulges added that look terrible.

The biggest crime against a Z in my opinion is not driving it. I love to see them preserved but I prefer to see them on the road. When it is cool enough to get away without AC mine gets spends at least 2 hours a day on the road for my commute. To that end it gets just about any change that makes that more enjoyable and comfortable. Although I can't bring myself to add AC to it

As the values climb and the cars become more rare the number that are garage queens increases. A lady at work often tells me "You shouldn't be driving that". But if I didn't drive it I'd have to either park it in the living room as a decoration or sell it. Neither of which I want to do.

And most of all I hope that Z owners never become a group that look down our noses at other owners because of their choices. There are plenty of things I don't want done to my car and things I think look terrible on other cars but I won't think I'm better than you because my Z doesn't have that done to it. It takes a fair amount of time/work/money to keep these cars going so if making it yours keeps you interested in keeping it going then all the better.

Trevor

http://www.240z.me

[gtom]

I do cringe when people say "just cut a hole in the door panel for a speaker", but it is their car.

6. Cutting the door panels to accomodate after-market speakers.