New Member

[ZCCOR#109]

Hi everyone. Just a note to introduce myself.

I am an original owner, of a 240Z built in 10/71.

Here is my story.

Upon return from service in The Republic of Korea, my wife and I looked for a new vehicle. We heard about the new Datsun from Car & Driver, as well as my sport car racing brother. He commented on the generous amount of room in the vehicle. Yes, it has leg room for someone 6'4".

It was May 1971, and we put $100 down at the new Datsun dealer in Belair Maryland. This dealer was in an old gas station with a couple of bays and one car in the "showroom" that was the old front office. Remember those.

In October we came up on the top of the waiting list, but there were no cars. There was a dock strike (love the longshoreman) on the east coast, and nothing was being imported.

On the 3rd of Jan 1972 we were notified that cars had arrived. Datsun had imported cars through British Columbia, and rail shipped to the east coast. They were unloaded at the rear of a large victorian house in town, which was owned by the dealer.

We were told, "go look at the cars and take your pick!!!!"

If you were around then, this was unheard of. You got what ever was available, and with the dealer add on's that were overpriced. (bumper override bars, and aluminum wheel, etc.)

We had a choice of green/tan, blue/white, red/white, yellow/black, and the "orange"/black. We chose the blue with white interior. Later, we were in the Swan Creek Sports Car Club with Jack Waugh who got the red/white car. Jack had totaled his two liter SLR, but that's another story.

I had an after market A/C put on by a local garage. And that's another story.

We had already joined the SCSCC, and My wife and I commenced to Autocross the Z in the Baltimore/Washington Area Sports Car Councel events, our own events, and ones at Wilmington Del, and York Pa.

I put aluminum Minilite 14x6.5" wheels on it, at $125each in 1973. Then I had my father, a welder, braze the holes for the chrome trim holes closed, and put on BRE front and rear spook and spoiler with the associated body and paint work.

we were able to set a record with the new wheels and half warn tires at the Wilmington course. It was a set course around an industrial area. This allowed a comparison of times from event to event and year to year. OH, also Koni shocks set half firm. No exterior adjustment to these shocks. The strut had to be removed to adjust. Never did change that.

A friend, Joe Ruffing that had a two liter(Datsun 2000) and I were able to run autocrosses in three states one day, Baltimore, Wilmington, and York Del. We always thought that was a record.

In 1975 I went to Okinawa Japan and left the z in my mother-in-laws garage. Upon return I used it three SUMMERS in the UP of Michigan, driving each summer to Ft. Riley KS for training of ROTC cadets. That is where we got hail damage. The dent in the roof is still there.

The car was stored again during tours in Germany 1984-88 and The Netherlands 1990-92.

In between we ran solo II's on occasion. Then in 1997 we returned to Columbus OH, and I have been running Ohio Valley Region (OVR-SCCA) events. Trouble is a near stock Z doesn't fare well in B street prepared.

The Z has the original paint except for where the trim was remove. (That was a BIG mistake that a young person makes!) The interior is original with a seam separation on the drivers bottom seat . There is some cracking in the interior panels, due to loose cargo. I have rebuilt the brakes several times, and run synthetic fluid. I put Koni's on in 1973, but they were leaking in 1975 and I replaced with Totyco gas, which are a nice ride but not firm enough to handle. (They actually raised the ride level of the car with the gas pressure) Not recommended for the enthusiast. I use Kumo Victor Racers for street and track. Took the Z to the track in 1995, for open track day. Love those tires when they heat up.

Two years ago I replace the after market A/C with a new system of R134a. I used hardware from Vintage Air in Texas. They are a BIG dealer/manufacturer of A/C units for Street Rods. The only piece of hardware crital for the change over was the under dash evaporator unit. I had to have new fittings brazed onto the unit that would match the new hoses.

The Z needs some care right now, new clutch master and slave, parts on hand. Repair the Spook, damaged in the paddoc of Solo II event, new plug wires ( same ones from 1974 solid core).

We had the car Zebarted when about two months old. Only got rust in one place, between door and rear wheel well at rockerpanel. That was due to the inner and outer fender seam not being tight right there. I had that repaired in 1984, and took the interior out and had the Zbart folks retreat. I also treated the rear fenders seam to a coating of zink cromate primer in 1979. I opened the seam at the top of the wheel well, used an ear bulb to suck up the primer and squirt into the seam until it ran out both sides at the bottom. Then I painted the seam closed with Zebart.

We just initiated a new Z club here in central ohio. It is for Roadster and Z owners. The Roadster and Z car club RZCC.

Time to go, talk later.

[AxtellZ]

Welcome, Lowell!!

Great story, glad to have another friend here! Have you checked out www.zhome.com Carl would love your story to add to hist list of original owners. Take care, i am in western NY, maybe one day our paths shall cross. Zya, Jeremiah

[ZCCOR#109]

Thanks Jeremiah for the welcome. I've been reading the posts for several months and never could get on these threads. Finally got help from Mike Gholson and "I'm in"

I'm a member of the original owners "club", number 108 I believe. Carl Beck is like really cool, with a wealth of knowledge. I subscibe to the zhome.com Internet Z club.

I have a similar story of acquisition of my new car, a Focus SVT. I ordered in Feb 2002, was told the car was made in April, got my loan and then the cars were not shipped from Mexico due to "an undiagnosted fault" Ford had a problem but didn't know how to correct. I got the car June 28th!! It was worth the wait.

The SVT is very similar to the 240Z in that it has great performance for a low price. 170 hp, LARGE 4 wheel disk brakes, 17 inch aluminum wheels, with 45 profile tires, 6 speed close ration transmission with no overdrive. It turns 15.8 in the quarter and my 240Z did 16.4 when I took it to the strip in 1973.

I'm going to compete in G stock this year, and hoping to learn how to compete in front wheel drive. A 350Z would be great, but I got this car for 17,950, the new Z is a little pricy for me, although it is ok for the performance and the competition.

It's blue too

[Ken]

Hi Lowell:

Great story! Were you in civilian or military service on your foreign tours? I spent some 21 years in military service while residing in 28 different countries.

You mentioned that your car was a 72 with a build date of 10/71.

I am the second owner of a 72 with a build date of 10?71. I now have 72,000 miles on the car. It is metalic silver (901) with a red interior. You can see some photo's in the gallery. Original owner was a Fla lawyer who drove it for 10 years (62,000 mi) and then placed it in warehouse storage til the late 90's. It was never driven out of the state of Fla until I owned it. After a good refreashing I jumped in and drove to New Hampshire in two days.

By the way my VIN# is 51114. Close to yours?

Anyway, welcome to the club. There is a wealth of information here.

regards,

Ken

72 240Z

91 300ZX