psdenno

Welcome to the World, Poindexter. No matter how much any of us may know, there's ALWAYS someone who knows more - ALWAYS. Tough lesson to learn, suck it up.:surprised So, look on the bright side and start buying all the Z books you can find, collect the dealer literature, go to the club events in your area, have fun, and enjoy the Datsun Hobby, not the Datsun Religion. And most of all, remember that a preposition is not something to end a sentence with. Dennis

OK, playing with the numbers is getting to be fun. The 240Z was so popular in 1971 that there was a nine month waiting list when I bought mine. I was, however, able to jump to the top of the list by paying $4,350 + $174 sales tax. Add on $4.20 for license plates, a $2 transfer fee and a $3 service charge and I was out the door for $4,533.20 according to my dealership invoice paperwork. Oh, to be young again! Figuring the actual cost of use for 37 years gets a little wonky if we factor in how much I've spent to keep it insured all those years. I haven't kept insurance records, but I'm sure I could buy a fairly nice Z today for the thousands of dollars I've mailed off to my insurance company over the years. I'm not regretting a moment of those 37 years of ownership or the cost of the "refresh" that's currently being accomplished. You can't put a price on the miles of smiles. Dennis

Which literary device were you using - allegory, dramatic irony, creative license, hyperbole, verbal irony? Sorry for straying so far off topic... Getting back on topic.... Would we consider a "fresh" 240Z that just rolled off the assembly line to be a #1 car or would a recently over-restored 240Z be a #1 car? What's the standard? Dennis

Poindexter, Be careful when you play with numbers. The value of my Z may have doubled since I bought it new in 1971. But when you compare the buying power of 2008 dollars to 1971 dollars you also have to factor in 445.67% inflation during that period. For example, in 1972 I had ARA A/C installed on my Z. The total bill, parts & labor, came to $325. I'm currently in the process of having a new A/C system installed on the same Z. Parts came to a little over $900 and the labor estimate is between $325 and $650 depending on how many hours it actually takes. In 1972 my annual income was $8,985 so $325 for A/C was a serious chunk of change equal to about two weeks pay. Inflation makes the 2008 numbers a bit more interesting and direct comparisons to the past faulty at best. Dennis

For me, getting the hoses from MSA was the good news. Getting the installation bill from my mechanic was the bad news. Dennis

No. Dennis

Well said, John. Auctions like ebay give us a snapshot in time of what someone is willing to pay for a given car that may, or may not be, as described. That, in turn, let's us see price trends and learn what features seem to be valued by people with bucks who bid. A 1970 Porsche 914-6 that I'm familiar with was recently on ebay. Bidding went to about $35,000 and the reserve was not met so it didn't sell. I know the owner and the car and am aware that it would take about $75K to replicate that car. There were less than 3,000 built and probably half of those are gone. Based on the high bid, does that mean that it's worth $35,000? Don't know. Drive 'em, enjoy 'em, worry about how much money you put into 'em, not how much you'll get back. It's a hobby. Dennis

As a general rule, the cars we buy are not good additions to our retirement portfolios. The only people making money on them are the ones who sell parts and provide services. From time to time, as with the Z in this discussion, an amazingly high sale price occurs. What circumstances generate that price? Low VIN, low miles, limited production, untouched condition, willing buyers in a bidding war? Willing buyers with the "fever" always make the difference. I have two other cars - a Porsche 914-6 and an Avanti. Only about 3,000 of each were built. They both still sell for very low prices compared to other sports or muscle cars of their time. The old cars that pull big prices are the ones that made the most people drool as kids - the ones that were on posters, in the movies, and available as models to customize. As cool as my '71 Z is, a '71 Jag has a bigger "Cool Car" factor and commands a higher price. We need to learn to enjoy the Z for the pleasure it provides - a feel good investment, not a financial investment. Dennis

Great looking Z and a story with a happy ending! What could be better? Sounds like all the expensive parts work and now it's on to checking and replacing wear items as needed. When I awoke my '71 240Z from of its almost 20 year nap last year, I replaced just about everything that was made of rubber or contained fluid. The first "shakedown" drive was an amazing experience just as you noted with your Z. Mine is still a work in progress and I'll be replacing the 36 year old AC system next week with a MSA kit. It's a great car, treat it well. Dennis

Gimme the freakin' keys and nobody gets hurt! ___________________________________________ Dennis

Soooo....can I safely assume that no actual Nauga was harmed in the manufacture of my car's genuine virgin unborn naugahyde upholstery? Dennis

Hi Daniel, The quality of the body work looks great. My initial thoughts were the same as posted earlier by Mr Camouflage. I think I'd have to see the trunk area in person to have a better feel for how it flows with the rest of the Z. From the pictures, it tends to overpower the rear fenderline. Keep us posted. Dennis

The folks from Google recently came through my neighborhood and photographed my street for their Google Maps Street View project. That's the view you can link to from Google Maps in order to see a panorama street level view instead of an overhead satellite view of a neighborhood. As luck would have it, the Z was parked at the curb (see avatar). Anyone else have their Z caught by Google? Dennis

If hydrogen comes on-line, no more gas? That's like saying they stopped growing hay when the car was invented. I'm fairly certain people with horses can still find fuel for them. Dennis

Only add 25% to the estimate? I suggest, based on my experience, that you double what you think it will cost and double, or triple, the time you think it will take. If it gets done sooner and costs less than anticipated, rejoice! Dennis

"Dring", "Oringinal"....it's an insidious RING virus. Thank goodness you've been able to detect it. Now, if we can only keep it from spreading Dennis 1971 240Z Original Typing Impaired Owner

A Dring would be any beverage that makes your ears ring. When the ringing starts, hand your keys to a sober friend. Dennis 1971 240Z Oringinal Owner

The multi-light set is much better. I'm sure the price is reasonable based on the time, effort, and materials involved. I'm just not sure how many will prefer it to an 89 cent replacement bulb. Good luck with the project. Dennis 1971 240Z Original Owner

I've had good luck using a good quality dental floss - work it under the emblem from one end or the other until you get to a pin and then gently pull toward you. After you lift it a bit, go to the other end and repeat the process - a little at a time, alternating ends of the emblem, working toward the middle. So far, no scratches or broken emblems. Dennis 1971 240Z Original Owner

Regarding the graph of the increasing values of the 240Z, 914, and Alfa moving up into the $13,000 - $15,000 range over 20 years...... According to the graph, all started at $5,000 - $7,000. For comparison, let's look at $5,000 in cash invested at 5% compounded for the same 20 years. It would be worth $13,266.49 today. Subrtact 20 years of insurance and routine maintenance costs on the cars and you probably have a negative number. Keep the cars for their warm fuzzy intangible value, not as part of your retirement portfolio. Dennis 1971 240Z Original Owner 1970 Porsche 914-6 Show Car 1963 Studebaker Avanti R2

This has been said to work: http://www.crutchfield.com/S-aGCRDXeZIQk/App/Product/Item/Main.aspx?i=070XC4100 Dennis 1971 240Z Original Owner

Just a little clarification on the Porsche 914 history. The 914 four cylinder and the 914-6 both hit the market as 1970 models. The "four" was $3,595 on the East Coast and $100 more on the West. The 914-6 listed for $5,999 on the East Coast and $100 more on the West. Although the Porsche Club of America, as well as other Porsche clubs around the world, rejected 914 owners' membership applications, the Porsche factory did not threaten to pull support from the clubs. Cooler heads eventually prevailed and after a few years, 914s were accepted. It was during that time that I started the Porsche 914 Owners Association which became one of the largest Porsche clubs in the world. Yes, we were, and still are, factory recognized. Ferdinand Porsche was quoted in 914 ads as saying, "I wanted to design a car young people could afford." I didn't pay attention, and bought a new 1971 240Z instead. I still have it and it's parked in front of my house. I also have a 1970 914-6 in the garage. Dennis http://www.porsche914.org

I just get the message below when I click on your links - seems you've run afoul of the copyright laws. License Required A license is required to play the selected song or video. However, a license for this file cannot be found, has expired or was corrupted. To get a license for this content, please visit the web site or open the software application from which the file was originally downloaded. You may be required to log in or purchase the song or video.

Leno drove his Cosmo to the Japanese car show at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA a few months ago. Neat little car. He was very interested in all the cars on display and worked the crowd nicely. A genuine "Car Guy". Dennis

Since you asked.......Ebay the Libres and go back to what you had before. I think it's a nicer retro aftermarket look for that period car. The D caps are dandy - just make sure they're on tight and watch out for curbs. Dennis 1971 240Z Original Owner