Tentatively bougth a '72, tell me how I did?

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

Well, I've tentatively bought myself a '72 240Z. I'll describe it for you and link a bunch of pictures. If you would be so kind to tell me what you think of her and what she would be worth I'd greatly appreciate it. After I get some replies, I'll tell you what I paid, and I'll either be really pleased or dissappointed ( I think I did pretty good though....)

This is an original owner documented 240Z. Complete service records and bill of sale. Documented 78,000 miles car. Automatic transmission with no A/C.

Inspected car in person yesterday. Performed compression check and put car on ramps to look at undercarriage. Took car for test drive.

Here's my findings. No rust visible anywhere, including the typical hot spots; under battery tray, hatch area, floor pans, fender wells, and frame rails. Frame rails straight with no bends or dents. Passenger side front outer floor pan slightly pushed up by an inappropriately placed lift or jack. This was very minor.

Paint all original with the exception of hood that was replaced due to accident repair. A tire fell off a truck and hit car in hood damaging hood and front bumber. Hood, hinges, and bumber replaced with NOS parts and appears well done. Full documentation. Paint is very good and still shines nicely. No cracks or peels. Both doors have numerous door dings but none deep. Dings confined to doors themselves and don't venture into fenders or quarter panels.

All original glass in very good condition, weather stripping also nice. Chrome, emblems, and stainless trim in very good condition with the exception of a quarter size bit of chrome peeling on rear bumber. No rust on interior of rear bumper or front for that matter.

Interior is just about perfect. No cracks in dash. All instruments work including clock, courtesy lights, and annoying buzzer. Seats, vinyl and plactic panels appear nearly perfect. Original rugs in very nice condition with minimal wear on driver floor side. Only flaw with interior is that running lights and dash lights don't come on. I think that this may be the switch itself as fuses and tail light bulbs look fine. Headlights,flashers, turn signals, and brake lights work.

Engine starts and runs fine. No oil of fluid leaks visible. Compression check revealed consistent readings of 135-145 psi. This is a little low from specs but, the car was located at 5000 ' altitude and I'll bet the altitude affected the reading.

Probably one of the nicest driving Z's I've driven. Accelerated nicely (for an automatic), tracked straight with no pulling during braking. Suspension in good condition (all stock) if softly sprung for my taste.

I have a donor 4-speed and related components and will probably put those into this car. The wife would love the automatic but, I don't think I can come to terms with it <grin>.

Anyway, here's a link to the pictures;

http://photos.yahoo.com/landmissle

Open up the folder entitled " 72 Z Orange" and take a gander and let me know what you think. Don't be shy and give me your honest opinion.

As mentioned, I'll post later what I paid ( don't want to influence your accessment for now).

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[2ManyZs]

Looks good to me... if you got it for less than 5K I'd say you got one hell of a deal. Other than having the automatic, I can't see much wrong with it in the pics.

[26th-Z]

It makes my heart smile to see such nice cars out there. I am against the notion of changing the transmission, but suit yourself. Am anxious to hear what you paid. Would have to agree that anything under 5K would be a good deal.

[landmizzle]

Hi all,

Well, I guess I didn't do as good as I imagined. Not bad just not really good. Anyway, I paid 6K for the car. The owner wanted 7K for it.

It's the best orginal Z or any Z for that matter that I've come accross during my latest Z hunt.

I guess I thought I was getting a better deal than I have since I was comparing it two several other Z's that I've looked into that were price considerabley higher.

One of those Z's was the green 70 240 I posted pictures awhile back on. That one was priced at 11.9K and most folks commented that they thought it was worth every penny of that. Granted, it was a '70 4-speed with A/C but, I thought that the Orange '72 I posted would compare favorabley with it.

Oh well!!

I still like this Z very much and am pleased with it and the purchase price. '72's have always been my favorite year.

Thanks guys for the comments and when I get it home, I'll let you know!

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

[26th-Z]

You did very well on the price. I am still getting accustomed to the rising values of Z's and I am encouraged with what I see in the market.

[landmizzle]

Hi 26th-Z,

I know how you feel. I've owned three Z's now and the most I ever paid up until this one was $3900. That was back in '93. Back then, for 4K you were getting a really nice Z. So, coparatively, I've only paid 1/3 more for this Z than I ever had. When you consider ten years have gone by and Z prices aren't going lower, I feel I got a pretty good deal. Ahhh, the price of addiction.

Your right of course, that for the owners of Z's, the edging upward of prices is a good thing. I feel that Z's are begining to garner the respect they deserve and this of course is reflected in their price.

Thanks again for your kind comments!

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

Originally posted by 26th-Z

You did very well on the price. I am still getting accustomed to the rising values of Z's and I am encouraged with what I see in the market.

[2ManyZs]

If you had gotten it for less than 5K I would have said you got a "steal".....:devious:

You still got a good deal, I would have expected the asking price to be a couple grand more... especially considering shape it's in.

[Rob]

That's a very nice car. It's very fortunate that converting a Z from auto to manual doesn't involve cutting anything:classic:

[Gav240z]

You got a great price just think of how much you would spent to fix up a 240z that was a total wreck and putting OEM parts on it?

Not to mention rust repair.

I wish I could buy a factory refreshed 240z from Nissan:classic: .

Very nice Z hang on to it, it will be worth alot more later. As everyone is saying there only getting more expensive.

Oh and keep the auto in the garage just incase.

I've learnt never throw anything away.

:classic:

[landmizzle]

Hi Gav240Z,

Thank you for the kind words.

I do plan on holding onto the automatic and related parts, "just incase".

I'm definetly getting the impression that numerous individuals would prefer that I leave the car as-is with the automatic. I'm curious as to why. I assume because that's the way it came from the factory. Were automatics relatively rare?

If it will make anyone feel better, I'm definetly from the school if keeping the car true to it's form with the exception of bolt on reversable changes. Normally I confine my tinkering to suspension upgrades and such.I know the automatic swap is pushing that concept a bit but, I believe it's basically just a bolt in swap with the assorted bits and no major surgery (i.e. cutting here or there). At least that is what my mechanic is telling me.

I posted about the automatic swap out in the "Suspension and drive line" forum but got no replies. So perhaps I'm flying blind here.

Best Regards,

Landmizzle '71 and '72 240Z

Originally posted by Gav240z

Very nice Z hang on to it, it will be worth alot more later. As everyone is saying there only getting more expensive.

Oh and keep the auto in the garage just incase.

I've learnt never throw anything away.

:classic:

[PrOxLaMuS©]

so how much did ya pay?

I would say about $3,700?

[Zpeed]

he paid US$6000, prox

i agree with the other guys, if you got it less than $5000 it would be a steal but $6000 isn't a steal but still a good buy,

here in aus, US$6000 is say around the AU$10k mark, which is around exactly what that condition of car would sell for in australia, the car could sell here for a lot more than AU$10k, but you know what i mean, australian Z's arnt as expensive as US good condition Z's, even though there are less here, but theres so many good ones that people don't part with, and all the &#036;^&#33;# and all really modded ones get sold..

but all in all, if i was in your position, i would've bought it also for that price, it looks awesome, and a car in that condition... i am with you on the changing parts that can be easily changed back, its not like its a collectors car, that won't be drivin, or you are keeping it to make more money on the car etc, i presume you are buying it to drive it, and a 4spd or 5spd will make you drive it then so be it, but best to keep all the auto parts togther, and if you want to mod the engine etc maybe best to get another engine and keep the original engine original.... but its ur car, and you can do whatever you like... and also with springs/shocks etc keeping the original stuff

and is it just me, or do the original 240z hubcaps, just look damn awesome, never seen such good looking hubcaps suit the car great, for the classic look...