Farewell To My Z

[emccallum]

It looks like my days of Z ownership are coming to an end. I have owned a z since 1982. Had them in my life since my dad bought one new in 1974. A good friend of mine has been breaking my chops about selling him my Z for a while. It is a 2/71 in very good shape. Refreshed it (thought I restored it, until I met Carl Beck on the internet) back in the mid 90's and have put a total of 5K miles on it. I am sad to see it go, but I haven't driven it and I think it is time for someone else to enjoy it. I am planning to put something else in its place just not a Datsun.

 

I have seen one or two old z's around my hometown, Greenwood, SC, maybe I can catch them and pass along some knowlege I have gained from all of you over the years. I have a lot of boxes I am going to go through over the winter and try and sell/give away some stuff, but if anyone is around my area and wants to come see if i have anything of interest, please contact me.

 

ernest

[siteunseen]

Nice car to pass along to a friend.  You're a fine man.

[FastWoman]

Ah, gee...  I'm in a similar situation.  Our other sports car is a Miata.  My partner loves the convertible, and I hate convertibles.  I love my Z, but she doesn't like that it's closed in and dark (black interior).  I don't have a daily drive and don't get to take my car out as much as I used to.  So we're thinking of selling both cars and getting a T-top of some sort, perhaps a 300ZX (perhaps the turbo).  The thing is, though, I will miss my inline 6.  But I'll get to drive it more, and we'll have a bit of framework over our heads (and no leaky ragtop).

 

Ah, but I love my 280Z.  The 300ZX is more like a spaceship.  Decisions, decision....

[siteunseen]

Is it April already?

[Captain Obvious]

we're thinking of selling both cars and getting a T-top of some sort, perhaps a 300ZX (perhaps the turbo).

 

I had a 94 300ZX for a number of years. I sold the 300ZX and bought the 280Z instead and I'm much happier with the result. I know everybody is different, but I'm not sure you'd be happy in a 300ZX. It's really hard to describe, but there was just never anything visceral about it with me.

 

Sure, T-tops out on a beautiful day was a wonderful thing, but other than that, nothing. The insignia says "Z" that's about it. There was nothing else about the car that reminded me of the first generation.

[SteveJ]

Ernest, you might want to contact the Upstate Z Club to see if anybody there might be interested in the left-overs. Also, let me know what you have. I haven't been up to Greenwood in a few years. 

[bpilati]

emccallum, don't do it. You'll regret it.

[FastWoman]

Captain, it would have to be a T-top to work as a convertable that's not quite a convertable.  But I have no illusions that a 300ZX in any way resembles a Z.  It's just another car -- perhaps the most desirable of the T-tops for me.

 

If I could only put a T-top on my Z.... 

[Captain Obvious]

I didn't buy my 300ZX because it was the descendent of the first gen, nor did I ever expect that it would be similar in any way. My comment was meant more to say that If you're simply looking for something fun to drive that has T-Tops, there has to be other better (IMHO) choices than the 300ZX.

 

My 300ZX was in excellent condition. Needed nothing. Sounds great, right? Well not completely. I like to tinker. No... I HAVE to tinker. And I found that car very difficult to tinker with. I consider it over-engineered, and mine wasn't even a TT! Mine was a 2+2 (which in the states means it's a NA and has T-Tops) and the TT is an order of magnitude MORE complicated. Even I dreaded working on it.

 

Heavy, over-engineered, expensive to fix, not "nimble" at all... A "sporty looking" luxury cruiser.

 

Open the hood and look around and try to see the ground under the car past the engine? Forget it. Packed too tight. And somehow they managed to stuff two turbos in there on the TT???

Anyway, I didn't intend to 300ZX bash. They're beautiful, and through the same theory that bumblebees fly, they can be hot performers as well. Just saying that I've spent many hours in both seats and I'm much happier in my smelly, slow, creaky, always something needs fixin' 280Z and if I were to replace my first gen with something else, it wouldn't be a 300ZX.

 

How about an old Porsche Targa? You got the $$?

[Carl Beck]

.... Refreshed it (thought I restored it, until I met Carl Beck on the internet) back in the mid 90's and have put a total of 5K miles on it.

ernest

Hi Ernest:

That is a beautiful Z and I'm sure your friend will enjoy it greatly. Be sure to send him here, if he isn't already.

Z or no Z - do keep in touch.  Let us know what your replacing the Z with..

 

Kind regards,

Carl

[Pop's Z]

So Sarah, what about a 280ZX Turbo Coupe? Almost a Zed and T-tops, 5-spd, etc. I also have a book that shows a T-top conversion on our cars, but it was a long time ago.

 

Cheers, Mike

[Carl Beck]

.  But I'll get to drive it more, and we'll have a bit of framework over our heads (and no leaky ragtop).

 

Ah, but I love my 280Z.  The 300ZX is more like a spaceship.  Decisions, decision....

 

How about a retractable hardtop - in a package about the same overall size as the Z? Aerodynamics so well done, that even with the top down at 80 mph - you aren't blow out of the car. A car with a personality "kind of" like the Z... Very affordable, especially if you can do most of the small things yourself? Not old enough to be a "Classic", but Special Interest Enough to have a great group of followers?

 

The more I drive this car the more I appreciate it..

http://becksystems.com/SLK230/SLK230a.htm

 

Good luck with whatever you decide..

Carl B.