This car is being sold on Ebay and yes, we have seen others that were obvious fakes, remember the supposed Z Store car about a year ago? If we don't point out the obvious flaws and/or half truths on some of these cars, our beloved Z cars are going to join the ranks of some of the more popular muscle cars that are being faked and/or misrepresented and going for much higher prices than they deserve. Which in turn will make buyers that more leery of buying or even bidding on cars that are truly worthy of the higher prices that they are entitled due to their early Vin numbers etc....

This seller to his credit did post a retraction on it having a 4 speed and not a 5 speed as he originally listed. But, he still has the wrong VIN number, which to some people that don't know any better, would cause them to think they are getting something they aren't. The car is obviously a late 71 as it has too many discrepencies with a true early car, such as the C-pillar vents, and the steering wheel is a later style as well.

If we as a group of true enthusiasts, don't point out the obvious discrepencies of cars like this that are being offered for sale, the next thing you know we'll be seeing the sale of fake Fairlady's, 432's and the like. If we don't "police" our hobby, who will?

The next thing you know, a car is going to show up on Ebay with the same VIN number as one of our members cars, being sold for a high price and then the owner of the real car is going to have to prove that his car is the legitimate one. This has already happened with many of the American Muscle cars, and people have been taken to jail for it as well. It would be so much easier to fake a Z as the factory didn't hide a build sheet in the car, all someone needs to do is swap number plates and they are in business.

I'll step down now and leave a nickel in the collection plate......

BTW, it has already gone over 4100, and who knows how high it could go if people think it is actually a very early car... but "Caveat Emptor"......

Ok, I admit that the only 240 I have ever really looked that closely at is the pile of parts that is in my garage (which I should point out I am sure hasn't been restored yet :-) )... but I am not so sure that this is a fake...

First, on the VIN#, is it possible that he just left out the "30" from the model number? My car's VIN number is HLS30-2XXXX. If you assume that the 30 is missing, and all he has listed is the part after the dash then the number itself is only about 900+- higher than mine, which was manufactured in April of 1971.

As for the rest of the car... the original parts that mine still has look just like that. The valve cover on my engine is identical to the one in the picture... in fact the whole engine compartment is with the exception that his still seems to run... ;-). The serial number on the engine in my car matches the number on the nameplate, so I have no reason to assume that the valve cover isn't original. (In spite of what I have read on some web sites...)

I can't talk about the shift lever that much, because the transmission in my car is clearly from a 260Z, the lever isn't straight like the one in the pictures, and someone has cut-out the floor to make it fit. But on the plus side for the Ebay seller, his shifter doesn't look like mine...

As for the shift knob... the car is 32 years old... I never left the original shift knob on any car that I owned with a manual transmission back in the 70's.

That center console is a dead ringer for mine, except that his is clean.

The pillar vents, or what ever they are are identical to my car.

The car has clearly been repainted at some point, so whoever painted it may have put the front side markers on backwards.

And of course, the wheels are not original, but they look better than the chrome abominations on my car.

Granted the radio is aftermarket, and the car has been spruced up a little here or there, but any car that someone has been actually DRIVING on a regular basis is going to have to be worked on just to keep it running. (And I wouldn't have put up with an AM radio for one day longer than I had to either.)

But for the real test... the current bid is over $4100 and the reserve hasn't been met. Too rich for my blood... But I am a tightwad, just ask my wife or my daughters...

Originally posted by EScanlon

Wasn't it about a year ago that we had a member with a VENT on one side of the car, while still having the vent holes in the hatch?

Hey my car has no vents on the hatch. Everything about it is series 2, badges, tool box compartments, steering wheel, center console. But I onlu have a vent hole in the left rear pannel.

The right pannel has the badge, but no hole behind it, and no its not bondo's up, i can see the back of the pannel,as i've pulled the interior out.

Personally I think the whole pannel might have been replaced to fix some accident damage, as its a bit banged up in there. I suspect the its the same story with the other car you mention. Wont know for sure till i strip the sheel back to metal.

Australian cars have to have the chassis number stamped into the chassis (Duh!) as well as it being on the nissan ID tag, and on the Compliance plate (the goverment makes the car maker fit these to show it complys with australian design rules).

Dont US cars have the chassis number on the chassis also? The Haynes manual shows a picture of the chassis number on the dash, visible through the windscreen.

I still recon the ad is misleading by stating its a 1 owner car when clearly it must be a 2 owner car.