1972 240Z Vintage Z Program Car up for Auction on BaT

[lonetreesteve]

5 hours ago, Mike said:

I didn't read the description, but, did they explain the reason for the three dials where the radio should be located?  It doesn't seem that Nissan would make that kind of modification..

 

Mike,

My understanding was that the Vintage Z currently on BaT had air conditioning added by one of the owners at some point after the car was purchased in 1997. 

I also remember reading a number of years ago that the Vintage Zs were not equipped with A/C and that a lot of the cars came with a blank cover or a "radio delete" plate where the radio usually goes. Back in 2004, my son and I saw one of the VZ cars, HLS30-40904, a Monte Carlo Red '71 Series II sitting on the showroom floor at Peak Nissan in Littleton, CO. The dealership had purchased the car from a gentleman in Florida, who bought it in 1997.  My son took a few pictures including the interior of the car, showing the radio delete plate.  I'm not sure if all of the Vintage Zs came with radio delete covers, perhaps 26th-Z can confirm this.

Edited July 14, 2019 by lonetreesteve

[Jason240z]

interesting chat again.  Its a bit of a 'bully' setup on there.  People who really do not understand the cars and the wider model range, speaking about stuff like its correct and flaming others who normally are more factually correct.

 

[26th-Z]

Here's what I have from HLS30-40904.  Looks like a black filler was placed behind the standard radio cover plate.  That's not 68835-E4100 like the other picture.

Right now, Pete Evanow has chimed up on BaT.  He says that all of the Vintage Zs came without radios.

[Mike]

47 minutes ago, 26th-Z said:

Here's what I have from HLS30-40904.  Looks like a black filler was placed behind the standard radio cover plate.  That's not 68835-E4100 like the other picture.

Right now, Pete Evanow has chimed up on BaT.  He says that all of the Vintage Zs came without radios.

Yuck!  They should have at least put in one of those Retro Sound radios..  or I guess installing nothing in that area leaves it open for new owner to install whatever they want.  I don't like that 3-dial A/C control panel at all..  it looks unfinished.

[SwedishZ]

Dose anyone know how to contact BaT to get user contact info, Im trying to get in contact with Lstepp4re and Thorofare or any one else who was apart of the VZ program. I have a VZ car and have a few questions they might be able to awnser.

Thanks 

Jeff

[HS30-H]

2 hours ago, 26th-Z said:

Right now, Pete Evanow has chimed up on BaT.  He says that all of the Vintage Zs came without radios.

He also says he's going to write a new book about the Z, for publication late in 2020.

Hope it turns out better than his last one.

[HS30-H]

5 minutes ago, SwedishZ said:

I have a VZ car and have a few questions they might be able to awnser.

I don't think 'Lstepp4re' should be too high on your list of Experten...

You have world-class 'Z Store'/'Vintage Z Program' knowledge at your service right here on the classiczcars forum, and indeed already on this thread, in the form of our fellow member '26th-Z'. He compiled and privately published what most consider to be the definitive written work on the subject, and I'm sure he would be happy to answer any questions you put to him. If he doesn't have the answer - and he usually will - then he will know who to ask.  

[Jason240z]

On 7/15/2019 at 9:51 AM, HS30-H said:

He also says he's going to write a new book about the Z, for publication late in 2020.

Hope it turns out better than his last one.

So is he re writing history? 

[HS30-H]

2 hours ago, Jason240z said:

So is he re writing history? 

One thing's for sure, the original book ('Z: 35 Years Of Nissan's Sports Car', published by Motorbooks in 2005) could do with a re-write. It would have benefitted from some pretty strict fact-checking and photo caption sub-editing before original publication.

Being polite, it's not any kind of reference work on the marque.

[HS30-H]

People still calling the 'Vintage Z Program'/'Z Store' project "...unique in automotive history..." and that "No other car manufacturer has ever undertaken anything even remotely like it."

Why does this misconception seem to be such a precious part of the story to so many people? Call it out as false and it's like you're some kind of apostate.  Why? Bristol, Bentley, Morgan and - most prolifically - Aston Martin all undertook similar activities (Aston Martin still do...), buying back old models, refurbishing/restoring them and then selling them on as 'factory restored' product with a warranty. If British cars somehow don't count, how about East German manufacturer VEB and their Trabant? VEB had a policy of recycling customer cast-offs - as much out of necessity as anything else -  all through their production life. You can nit-pick about the small details, but such activities were not "unique".

Aston Martin are still doing it today, through their Aston Martin Works Service department:

http://www.astonmartinworks.com/heritage-sales/aston-martin-mk1-db6-vantage

So are Bristol Cars:

https://bristolcars.co.uk/Sales-Post/?permalink=411-restoration

 

Personally speaking, I'm a fan of the 'VZ' cars and the whole project, and the three examples I have seen in person were beautifully turned out cars that anybody would be happy to own. But getting facts wrong and exaggerating the significance of the program in the wider automotive field does none of us any good in the long term. Keep It Real.

 

 

 

 

 

[Alamo]

That seems like an odd thing to get upset about. There actually are other marques that restored cars. Neat. Now more people know thanks to you!  

Why go out of the way to minimize how cool the VZ cars are? I don’t yet understand everyone’s quirks here, but your response is bizarre and petty. 

[HS30-H]

9 minutes ago, Alamo said:

Why go out of the way to minimize how cool the VZ cars are?

Your response is a perfect illustration of my bigger point. How do hyperbole, exaggeration and plain old fashioned lies help the cause of understanding, appreciating and curating the history and legacy of the 'VZ' cars? How does telling the truth "minimize" anything?