71 Garage Find

[northernz]

Here's a garage find 1971 on Bring a Trailer.

No Reserve: 29-Years-Stored 1971 Datsun 240Z | Bring a Trailer

[lcord]

Has anyone inspected the car on site?

Thanks

[grannyknot]

Here is another that is local to me, Garage find with title! 1972!

I also bought a late /71 a couple of months back that turned into a parts car.

How many more can still be out there?

Chris

[bartsscooterservice]

This should be a series 2 right, but it still has the metal cooling fan ?

I assume now that there isn't a real " series 1 to series 2 " period they just changed things during the production time ...?

[EhlersRS]

Bart,

According to the VIN, HLS30-28461, this is a Series II and would have been produced in April 1971. I like to think that the Series I cars ended when they moved the rear vents from the hatch to the B pillar, but I wouldn't be surprised if there are a few Series II cars (after VIN HLS30-21000) that have the rear vents on the hatch. My guess is they used up all of the remaining Series I parts left in stock during production, which just makes good business sense. There are more photos of the car on the Ebay ad, in case you haven't seen it yet: Datsun Z Series Coupe | eBay

Robert S.

[26th-Z]

You guys realize that there is no such thing as 'Series I' and 'Series II', don't you? Those terms are just made up by us enthusiasts to describe the evolution differences between model years. I have never seen any Nissan produced literature that announces anything like a new or updated series II. We just use those terms and really the observation should be that the metal fan seems inappropriate for that build. Of course, I agree that the side vents and Nissan OHC valve cover amongst other things would indicate a 'Series II'.

[psdenno]

My '71 is an April build and came from the factory with a metal fan that eventually went through the radiator after about eight years of service. It was a good reason to upgrade to a larger radiator and a plastic fan.

Dennis

[EhlersRS]

I understand that Nissan never classified the 240Z's by Series type and that the designation is just a convenient way to identify differences in the models. On Carl's page regarding the 1971 model year (The New 1971 Late Model Datsun 240Z), he cites that Nissan referred to the 1971 cars as "New 1971 late model Datsun 240Z Sports". Maybe we can start referring to the "Series II" models by this rather lengthy designation. Also, my early Series II built in February 1971 has a metal radiator fan too.

Robert S.

[Carl Beck]

The fact that Nissan and their Authorized Dealers here in the US sold the same model 240Z as 1970 and 1971 "Model Year" vehicles; then introduced yet another "Late Model Year 1971" vehicle - - - should make the reason clear as to why there is no "Official Nissan" designation that points out the difference. They seem to have made ever effort to hide the differences at the time.

While the average buyer didn't have a clue that while they were paying for what they thought was the latest model i.e. 1971 - they were in fact getting the previous years model with no changes, other than to the MSPR. The buyers that actually waited for 240Z's produce in Feb. 1971 actually got what they paid for - a newer model with several improvements.

So to avoid the confusion caused by having the same model being sold/titled as 1970 and 1971, then having a second model sold/titled as 1971 - Yes, knowledgable enthusiast apply the more specific terms of Series I and Series II to these vehicles.

Metal Fan's were replaced on the 1972 Model Year 240Z's here in the North American Market.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

I have never seen any Nissan produced literature that announces anything like a new or updated series II.

Chris:

We avoid using Nissan's terms - because they allow confusion as to the specific's of the exact model being discussed.

I'm pretty sure most of the Model Introduction Service Bulletins for the 240Z's have been shown/discussed here. Here is the cover page introducing the "1971 late model" or as we call it the Series II cars.

That way we can tell if a 240Z Sold/Titled or advertised for sale used as a 1971 Model - is in fact the first or second model sold/titled as a 1971.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

Back to the Original Post - from the pictures provided - that looks like a very solid example - and would most likely be fun to fully restore at this point. It will be interesting to see where the bidding winds up at the end of the auction…$10K would not surprise me. It is getting very hard to find un-molested 240Z's in easily restorable condition. I hope someone we know gets the car and just cleans it up - to see what it really looks like.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[bartsscooterservice]

You guys realize that there is no such thing as 'Series I' and 'Series II', don't you? Those terms are just made up by us enthusiasts to describe the evolution differences between model years. I have never seen any Nissan produced literature that announces anything like a new or updated series II. We just use those terms and really the observation should be that the metal fan seems inappropriate for that build. Of course, I agree that the side vents and Nissan OHC valve cover amongst other things would indicate a 'Series II'.

Maybe then it would be more appropriate to name model changes per production year ?