Early car for sale in Queensland

[240 in OZ]

In some respects Im afraid to say that prices of all of the zed cars here in Australia are really starting to go through the roof and IMO are becomming stupid in most cases.

I can remember back in the early 90's when you could pick up a good, sound, running and registered 240z as a project car for around $2000. Sure it needed some work, but nothing major and it could be fixed up while you were using it. I have seen cars in similar condition these days advertised for around $4000 min.

I remember looking at a very low VIN# car back in about 94 or so (VIN<100) that was registered, driveable and pretty decent. The owner wanted $2500 ono for it. It was a very original car but did need some work and unfortunately wasnt what I was looking for at the time. Of course, looking back on it, it is exactly what I would like to have now ;>

I still think that the majority of sellers of z cars these days here in Australia are really trying to take advantage of "z fever" and also the scarcity of the cars to try and demand top $ for the rotting rubbish that they are trying to pass off as "restoration cases".

Its a real shame to see. As a comparison you wouldnt buy say an MGB for AUS$12K that needed anything done to it, would you?

[Gee]

My father has just sold his MGB GT for approx 12 grand and I certainly couldn't find, let alone buy a zed in the same condition. If it was it would be over 18k I reckon..

As for DIY spraying, is it hard to do, or do you mean merely prepping it and letting someone else spray the car? I'm going to be looking at doing mine soon and need to find a good spray shop in Melbourne, so if anyone knows one please tell me!!

Looking at SLK silver to replace the usual Z silver..

[Gav240z]

240z in OZ that actually pleases me to see these cars are going up in value as the owner of my 240z said to me these cars are very underated and of course rare too. No I wouldn't pay 12k for a MG but that's because i don't like them personally.

I understand where your coming from but these cars are not becoming any easier to get and lets not forget the market back in Japan who like to buy early Z's at a good price.

It's sad in one respect but in another I'm actually quite glad.:tapemouth

[sjcurtis]

I agree totaly with Gav240z,in the long term higher prices benifits all of us. If you are unluky enough to suffer a F100 reversing into you when the pride and joy is parked in the street, the existing regime your insurer may try to "right off" as uneconommical to repair. We all know the Zed can be repaired but with the Insuranable prices so low we will suffer this problem.

Now with the fleet price rising it will force Insurers to repair as cost effective.

As for that HS30-0091 in Melb it must be pretty average probably not a bad idea to give it a miss. I just wish these people would advertise both body and engine number and a fair or average or exceptional condition if it is +$12000.

My2c

Steve

:classic:

[halz]

HS30-00091 , the $12k car, does not have its original engine - it has a 260 engine. IMO this makes the price even more unrealistic. Prices of around $12k are what you'd expect for an "almost-nothing-to-spend", original example of a 240Z.

The owner of this car planned to use it for Targa/Classic racing but when the rules were changed, he lost the percieved advantage of a light, 1969-model car with a hot 2.8 litre engine...not that that sounds too original in my books anyway!

Speaking of low numbers, I saw HS30-00038 here in Perth a fortnight ago. It is engineless, has a sunroof and looks pretty rough in general.

[240 in OZ]

Gav240z/others

I did say in my posting "in some respects", and the points that both you and Steve Curtis have pointed out are basically the other respects.

As the owner of a very original 71 240z I am very pleased to see the prices of the cars going up; hell Id like to see them commanding AUS$20K; but I was just trying to point out that people are starting to become a little unrealistic when it comes to selling cars that they have in the run down conditions that it seems a great deal of them are in these days.

My anology with the MGB may have been a bad one I guess due to the high numbers of surviving cars and also the great spare parts availability. It wouldnt be too difficult to complete a 100 point restoration on an MGB, all you would need is a heap of dollars and not much sense (sorry MGB owners ;>), but try doing a 100 point restoration on a 240z here in Australia. From what I have heard it is starting to be a little difficult to complete one in the USA as well.

What I was trying to get at is people are just being unrealistic when it comes to selling run down cars. Cars that have no floors, bad rails, gutted interiors and non-original engines in them are suddenly commanding $3000! Buy this car and have the body work done and you would be in for a great deal of expense I would imagine, far outweighing the final "value" of the car. At the end of the day the car has the non-original engine in it, and most buyers of collector cars looking at the high end of the market would want the original engine in the car, or at least available with the car.

Halz example of RHD#91 is a prime example. Here is a car that has a non-original engine in it and the owner/seller is asking $12k for it. Using this as a mark of the market, should I ask say $20k for my original condition car and hope to sell it?

IMO there is definately a clear divide starting to emerge in the z car scene here in Australia...the car is either good or bad. There doesnt seem to be that many average cars out there in the market place these days, and the picture has definately shifted significantly since I have been into zed cars.

The really bad cars have become the bad cars and the average ones have become the good ones. No offence to anyone here on the list (and I include myself in this description), but I havent seen many "great" cars here in Australia for some time.

I do not class my car as a great car. I can think of a few, but can count them using my fingers.

I hope this has cleared up my point that I was trying to put across; I have probably just confused you even more, havent I ;>

[drunkenmaster]

Originally posted by Gee

As for DIY spraying, is it hard to do, or do you mean merely prepping it and letting someone else spray the car? I'm going to be looking at doing mine soon and need to find a good spray shop in Melbourne, so if anyone knows one please tell me!!

Racefix in Braeside did mine, click my link in my sig. for photos of the job. He will let you do what you can first and take over, for example he told me to do the underbody of my car myself otherwise if I was to pay for labour to do it it would cost a fortune and that was good advice as I am finding its not very hard, just time consuming.

He will remember my car if you drop by and mention it.

[Gee]

How much though? PM me if you don't want to broadcast it..

[zed240au]

i really dont think the zeds have moved up in price the way they should have i mean mine was a junk heap back in 86 when i bought it for $3000 good examples where bringing $6000 at the time in 1990 a mate got $18000 insurance on a 240 that was written off was smick but not great and really we are still looking at $20,000 for a top example now

In the rebuild on my car i spent inexcess of $25000 back in 1990 that was with me doing all labour except leather work and outside paint work

While i agree some people are just being stupid in there asking prices for ratty cars (but its all about what someone will pay I know now my bargin cost me a lot more than a good car would have at the same time) overall the prices should have risen more I mean what other sports coupe can you buy for the money bar an rx7

Mick

[datfreak]

my 2c

I'am not one that follows the whole concourse(is that spelt right) thing- nor do I follow the classic racing.(I do respect others that do)

Because of this if I was in the market for a '70 240z and spending anything from $2000-$15000, I personally wouldnt give a toss if it had the original L24, or another L24 or a big bore L28.

As long and the car itself was clean and neat I wouldnt care if it wasnt original(as long as any mods where tastefull!) ie aftermarket seats,wheels,diff etc

I personally would opt for a zed with a L series motor, just because I really love the old things--with carbi's...they arnt as good as injection but they are wonderful for their simplicity and engineering...as-tec-tic-ly(cant spell) very pleasing

enough babbling but my point is the these cars are still worth a BIG deal to people like myself when they have been changed from original,,(people dont be scared of changing bits of your ZED because you might hurt its resale,,IT WONT)

the zed rules by itself and doesnt need a judge to say its crap because it doesnt have its originally ANYTHING.

[halz]

people dont be scared of changing bits of your ZED because you might hurt its resale,,IT WONT

People will always modify their cars to suit their personal tastes and this can be done subtly or otherwise. A for affecting your car's resale value, well I have to disagree. In a market where all Z-car prices are rising, you might not notice the impact of customisation on your car's sale price. However, a car with recaro seats, 6 speakers mounted in the door and hatch trims, autotechnik shifter and steering wheel (etc, etc) will not rise in value as much as the same car with its original equipment. I do not dispute that it will increase in value, just that it won't be as much as the original car.

Picture two such cars side by side in your mind's eye, which one would you pay more $$ for?

[240 in OZ]

datfreak

We shall see if you are right in say 10 years time when there are only a handful of 240z cars still left in the country and still in one piece.

These cars are now becomming true collector status cars, and Im afraid to say that true collectors just wont put up with mods such as non-original engines etc.

Its good to see people out there rebuilding these cars basically from scrap and getting them back on the road; owner mods are always going to happen in these cases. But, I am definately against modifying these cars just for the sake of it.