I had been getting this magazine as part of my subscription to NASA but apparetly they are no longer sending it-otherwise I'd scan and post it here.

Anyhow, I saw the July 2012 issue in a client's office and the cover article was about how Japanese cars are finally getting some respect as Collector Cars. They mention both the roadster and the Z, among other vehicles. I'm not saying this will solve your college tuition problems, but perhaps it is a start.

Heck yea! Nice find. If you can find the article, I'd love to read it.

I got it and a huge BRE 240Z is on the front cover.. good read. They say the same things that people have been saying, that the 240Z is on the short list of collectable Japanese tin. I think one quote said that gone are the days of a running rust free 240Z for 5000 dollars. Get yours now.

Running CLAIMED rust-free seems to be about 10K these days. YMMV.

Just got off ebay. A 1973 fully restored Z is on there with a price of $41,500.!.... Wow!

The '73 has been up there for a while now, and no takers. I think at $30K it would go in an instant but you open up a lot of options as you eclipse the $40K mark. Having said that, I know for certain that the restoration of that car, all in, would run north of $60K in my local market for that level of effort.

The problem with that car is - it wasn't or hasn't actually been "Restored" ie... put back to it original "as new" condition. No pictures of the full undercarriage that show exactly what was done there either - and that hurts it.

At this point it is really a very nice "Street Mod." - but not a Collector Quality Classic Car. A Collector would still have to spend many thousands of dollars to finish a restoration. The trouble is most Collectors won't buy a project.

Buyers of this car are Enthusiasts... but that group won't pay anywhere near to asking price... maybe 1/2 that.

FWIW,

Carl B.

If you look at the three offers on that car, now that the auction had ended, it will show you what the offer amounts were. Surprisingly, there were two offers for $37,000 that were not accepted. Those seem like great offers and only $4,500 off the asking price, so I'm very surprised the seller didn't jump at them.

There was also another 73 that I was watching that sold with a BIN of $20k recently, http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270997961890&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648 I was a bit surprised, since it wasn't totally correct (black engine bay, etc).

Maybe the market is picking up?

-Mike

Heck yea! Nice find. If you can find the article, I'd love to read it.

Mike, I'm a subscriber to this mag, you're welcome to swing by and borrow it. I will want it back, however. Give me a call when you're in town.

BTW, the article also profiles Datsun Roadsters and Hakosuka Skyline GTR in addition to the 240Z.

Edited June 20, 201212 yr by Arne

Surprisingly, there were two offers for $37,000 that were not accepted. Those seem like great offers and only $4,500 off the asking price, so I'm very surprised the seller didn't jump at them.

The fact that the seller didn't jump on them - leads me to beileve that they were Shill Bids from associates, and they knew they would be rejected.

E-Bay is loaded with SCAM artists now...

FWIW,

Carl B.

This is music to my ears, Z's gaining the respect in the Classic car hobby . I know that mine is not an original restored one but she has all the nostalgic appeal plus an attitude with a professional LS1 conversion.Was not to love, she is a Cali car, with a fist rate paint job done over ten years ago that looks as if was done a few months ago, a perfect dash , a cabin that is well preserved, leather seats, A/C, a killer stance with Panasports, balance suspension,strong subframe work , disc brakes on all corners, naked bumpers,euro tail lights, a six speed tranny and she gets 30+MPG

Edited June 20, 201212 yr by 72 OJ

The fact that the seller didn't jump on them - leads me to beileve that they were Shill Bids from associates, and they knew they would be rejected.

E-Bay is loaded with SCAM artists now...

FWIW,

Carl B.

So the seller has two "associates" with hundreds of ebay transactions each, make two separate offers for the same amount, that no one else can even see until after the auction ends (and which are hard to find even then, unless you know where to look). Might be a better tactic if he had a low starting price and a high reserve, so people could at least see the bids, instead of just using a high BIN price and offers that no one can see until the auction ends. Sounds a bit conspiracy theorist to me, but anything is possible I guess and I have no knowledge of what really happened.... Maybe he is just trying work a deal outside of ebay with someone that was close to his asking price? Was the $20k BIN on the other 73 also a schill bid? I also see that the silver 1970 from Atlanta that was discussed in another thread (in need of repaint and with a dash cap, etc.) closed at $16,089 http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/?cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2648&item=160823199278&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT

Just because someone else bids more for a car than I may think it is worth doesn't necessarily make it a scam.

-Mike

Edited June 20, 201212 yr by Mike B