hawaiiankine

Aloha, Sorry Steve. Figured it had been discussed before, but was just trying to make some discussion. It sounds like most of you guys have gotten pretty good deals on Z's, but in exchange for having it be a project. ~Joel

Aloha, Just out of curiosity, I thought it might be interesting to know how much Z cars are selling for these days. Maybe you guys could list what model it was, the condition it was in and where you bought it. Also, what do you use it for? Daily driver, garage queen or weekend racer? Mahalos, Joel

Aloha Chuck, Well, I guess I'm not trying to say they're elitist. And I do know that many of the guys at Pelican do their own work, which I respect because the flat 6 is an amazing machine. The 911 is a status symbol, and unfortunately the people who gravitate towards it because of that reason aren't exactly the "friendly wrenchers" that many of us are. I completely agree with your comment about the bang-for-the-buck of the Z car. Definitely cannot argue against that. aloha, Joel

BambiKiller240 - I know what you mean about the attitude of 911 guys. I really love those cars, definitely go against the grain in terms of engineering and handling, but the owners just seem to ruin it all. I visit the Porsche forum over at Pelicanparts.com every now and then and half of the threads are dealing with "How often does your 911 get you laid?" or "Do Viper Owners get more action than 911 owners?" Or something to that effect. Okay, I can understand a humorous post like that once in a while, but it seems like half the people over there are just concerned with how they look while driving their 911. Totally turns me off from even wanting to buy one anymore. Oh well. I suppose its between the 240Z and the Alfa GTV 2000 for me. I know that they raced in different classes in the 70's, but in terms of wanting a classic sports car that's affordable and has a group of amiable enthusiasts dedicated to it...that's what I'm considering. So, the Z-car has many nemeses (nemesi?) it just depends on which market you're in, whether you're on the track or the street, and whether you're competing with new or old tin. Makes sense. aloha, Joel

Alfa GTV...definitely a cool little car. Wouldn't that compete more with the 510? B Sedan racing? Another car I've thought about getting into (both of them actually). Gema - I was waiting for someone to say rust! When I first posted this question I said that I had posted a similar question in a Porsche forum. Well, a couple of those guys have stated that they used to have Z cars and that they miss their Z cars. Probably miss the price as well. aloha, Joel

Aloha, Well, I think the best gas I can get down here, if I want to pay for it, is 103? or 105? Something like that. They sell it at one 76 station and its like $6.50/gal. Good stuff...but...ouch. Here's a suprise for some of you, here in Hawaii our state government is going to put gasoline price caps into effect. They are going to take the national average and then compare the cost of delivery to Hawaii, cost of living for citizens, etc. etc. and come up with some formula that will produce a magic number they will give to gas station owners and say, "bah...here you go...you lolo." I don't know if price-caps are the way to go, but in a state where Chevron owns the only refinery and has actually been sued by the state for price-fixing...maybe its not a bad idea. I think its just a supply and demand thing here in Hawaii. We only have one refinery for the entire state, but I don't think another will be allowed to be built because of environmental laws. Hmmm...convenient for Chevron...:mad: Joel PS - ElaineZ, the ... effects of the economy on the locals here really doesn't have anything to do with Z's. But, it does effect the way you perceive "paradise."

Aloha, Hmmm...so the Z seems to have been the tough new kid on the block and just had to earn its place, eh? I know the Porsche guys will never admit it publicly, but I have had a couple of them tell me that they have a lot of respect for the 240Z. They have stated as well that the Z is the best bang for your buck out there. But, I don't know if they'd ever mention it in casual conversation amongst their own group. Most of them over there like to consider Ferrari or BMW as their main competitors. I suppose that could be true for newer makes, but I'm mostly interested in classics. Good point about Newman choosing to race Z's. I wonder why, if it wasn't to keep costs down? Maybe he just knew that he could spend the same amount but make the car that much better than his competitors? As for the 911T, that's actually the bargain version of the early 911's (911T then E then S increasing in cost and performance). The turbo didn't come out until '76 or '77. Well, thanks for all the input. I like the sound of the flat 6 engine, but I don't know if I'd like the sound of the money it could cause to jump out of my wallet and into the cash register. Plus, the Z just looks really cool. (and I can afford to OWN one, not have a lienholder against one). Joel

Aloha, Just wondering what you guys feel is the biggest challenger to your Z's on the track or on the street. BritCars? BMW's? Ever chastise a 911? Honestly, my heart is torn between Z's and 911's. I asked a similar question in a Porsche forum and the Z never came up. So far. :classic: mahalos, Joel

Hmmm...lots of people want cool Japanese Z parts, but don't want to pay overseas shipping. I live in Hawaii, halfway there...hmmm...maybe I should've gotten a degree in international business... Datsun, I think should be pronounced "Dai Tsun" in Japanese. Don't ask me what it means. Although, I know that Mazda is actually Matsuta, a family name. Subaru is the Japanese name for the Pleiades constellation. Sony is actually "Sonii." Anyway, back to the parts. Well, if you guys want to see what the cost would be for the parts, here's a handy little currency converter. Currency Converter I figure, hey...the best parts for American V8's come from America. The best parts for flat aircooled 6's come Germany. The best parts for Nissan inline 6's must come from...Japan. ?? Just my thoughts. There's got to be a way to get that stuff over here (U.S.). It must be easier to get it down in Oz...right? aloha, Joel

Aloha Ben, Well, actually I don't even have a Z car yet! :stupid: I'm just one of those guys who likes to research things to death before I jump in. Just wanted to know how "customizable" a Z car could be. I think the Japanese manufacturers have a lot of top-quality stuff (at least from my experience with Honda parts). It seems that MSA is one of the few places here in the States that produces aftermarket go-fast goodies for the Z. That's one reason I was searching the web for Japanese parts suppliers. Too bad about the exhaust systems though. In my lurking here on the boards, I've heard some good things about those systems. Mahalos, Joel

Aloha, Just wondering if some of the products produced by Japanese aftermarket companies will fit LHD Z's. They have some nice looking stuff... Nostalgic & GT Sports Works Spirit Garage RS Start Of course, you have to download the Japanese text set for your computer to view most of this stuff. Mahalos, Joel

Aloha, Will...you hit the nail on its rather unfortunate head. ~Joel

Aloha, Well, I'm thinking that once my wife and I move back up from the islands that we'd make a trip somewhere. But, Gema, I'll still take the $5...think of it as going towards the "Help Buy Joel a 240Z" fund. Thanks for the invite Will. Let me tell you...after you've lived in a Hawaii for a while, a person is ready for something different. I have family here, so its not like I'll never see the place again but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Plus...its just ridiculously expensive. How much are you paying for 92 octane gas in Savannah? Today, I went to Shell and 92 (I put 87 in our Suzuki Aerio) was $2.33 per gallon. That's not the most expensive neighborhood on the island either. ~Joel

Hi Will, Thanks for the welcome. Nice examples of Z's down here are few and far between as there's no escape from the sea breeze (read: salt). So, I'll probably end up scouring California for a rust-free car in the future. I see that you're from Savannah. I hear its nice down there. My wife has been bugging me forever to go on vacation to Savannah. Hmmm....maybe someday we'll take a roadtrip in a Z... ~Joel