EhlersRS

Bart, When I first saw the photo I also thought it was a "240Z" emblem because of the extra band of light color coming off the right side. Then I searched for some photos online of Series I cars with the "240Z" emblem. It appears the circle of the "240Z" emblem is smaller than the round "Z" emblem on the newer models. This car appears to have the larger round emblem. Since the "240Z" emblems have 240Z across the center, you wouldn't be able to see the complete circle or circumference of the emblem. In this photo you can see the entire circumference. Since there are other reflections of sunlight on the car and the light color near the emblem is at a strange angle, I think it's just a reflection and not the end of "240Z". Okay, I've got too much time on my hands this morning. Also, how far have you gotten in locating the original owner of your car? Robert S.

Mike, Thank you for sharing your story with us. Judging from the photo you attached of your father and the car, I would also say this is a 1972 model. This style of hubcap was used from 1972 until 1976. As pointed out, the style of the B pillar "Z" emblem started in 1971 and the front bumper is the style used in 1971 and 1972. If the photo had been taken a little to the left and included the gas lid, we could determine conclusively if this is a 1971 or 1972. The 1971 models have a chrome knob on the gas lid (like the 1970's) and this was changed for the 1972 model which only has an indent in the gas lid for pulling it open. Unless your father owned a 1971 model and changed to the new hubcaps, I'm still confident this is a 1972 model. Also, the production of the 1972 models started in Sept/Oct of 1971 and ran until August 1972. This would place the VIN number between HLS30-046000 and HLS30-120000 (roughly). If you haven't been there already, I would also recommend Carl Beck's site which contains more history on early Z's: the Z Car Home Page. This is where I got the production dates from. We wish you well on your quest to find your father's car! Robert S.

Mike, Sorry to hear about your health issues and hopefully the recovery process goes well. Hopefully I can get my car dismantled this year and catalog the plastic parts that will need rechroming. I now have all of the body panels the car will need for the restore and I picked up a rechromed front bumper. The front bumper guards I have will need to be rechromed, as well as the back bumper components. Take care, Robert S.

Curtis, As Steve pointed out, the '72 is considered the "best of the breed" for the 240Z's because of the mechanical improvements over the earlier models. When I was saving to buy a Z I was hoping to purchase a '72, but I ended up with an early '71 instead. Judging from the first digit of your VIN, your car was probably manufactured in the summer of '71 and sold/titled as a '72. From what I've read, the '71 models aren't worth more money than the '72, but rather are based on the condition of the car. Hopefully that helps your decision. Robert S.

Mark, I'm glad you found a new home for your '71 Z and hopefully the new owner takes good care of her. I might be interested in the early shift knob. I'll send you a message at your email address listed above. Robert S.

Darrel, It's disappointing to find more rust damage on a car you just purchased, but from your descriptions and photos this car has minimal rust as far as Z's are concerned. Your car would be considered a very nice example in the Midwest! If the floors can't be patched, you may need to get a new floor pan kit (Zedd Findings or MSA) to repair the rust properly. I enjoyed seeing the old school photos from the second owner and look forward to seeing your progress on the car! Robert S.

Even us "young" guys are sick of this brutally cold winter! In Iowa we've had 8 days in a row with the high temp below freezing and are projected to have another 10 days below freezing. Today it's supposed to reach a balmy 12 degrees. I guess we're finally experiencing the ice age we were supposed to get before they decided it was global warming. Robert S.

Scott, That's a good start! I became interested in early Z's after I started a new job in 2008 and my coworker told me about his 260Z. In fact, he got the car shortly after I started working here. I got married in the summer of 2009 and by early 2010 I was spending a lot of time looking at 240Z's online. I didn't have any money for a project car and the rental house we stayed at didn't have a garage. Back then my wife wasn't too keen on the idea of me getting a project car, but over time she began to accept the idea. We bought our first home in late 2010 and in the summer of 2011 I got a weekend job to help pay bills and start a Datsun fund. Finally, in June 2012 I bought the 240Z! Now my wife likes the early Z's and on the rare occasions we've seen one in town, she's the first to spot it! Oddly enough, she likes the styling of the 240Z, but she doesn't like anything between that and the 350ZX. I guess since she's a "child of the 90's", she doesn't like the cars from the 80's or 90's. Hopefully in time your wife will grow to appreciate the early Z's like mine has. Robert S.

Hello Scott, Welcome to the forum! I live in the Cedar Rapids/Marion area and bought a '71 240Z in the summer of 2012 to restore. The car spent most of it's life in Peoria, IL, so it came with the normal "Midwest" rust. I haven't done much work on the car, but I've been collecting parts and tools that I'll need for the restoration. There are several early Z owners in Iowa, but I've only seen a few cars here in Cedar Rapids that are currently on the road. My coworker (buysell) is restoring an early 260Z and he's much further along in the process than I am. Chris (glassguy) is near the Quad Cities area and he recently restored a '71 240Z. I think there are more early Z owners in the Des Moines area and I've met a few online. Overall, there doesn't seem to be very many of us from Iowa, but I also suspect most of them don't have an active online presence to find them! You might as well start planning your mid-life crisis, along with starting a Datsun fund for the car you hope to buy. Occasionaly some fairly rust free cars come up for sale in Iowa and the surrounding states, but you'll also pay more for a good car car in the Midwest. As most guys can attest, you will spend less time and less money on a car that originates from the western states. You will spend more up front to have the car delivered, but they generally have less rust and cost less than good Midwest cars. You came to the right place to learn about early Z's and I hope you can find the 240Z your looking for someday! Robert S.

Richard, After you mentioned your restoration on the '72, I went back and looked at the photos you posted. I remembered seeing your original post about the restoration and really admire your work! The new rear quarters I'll be buying appear to be for the early 260Z and not necessarily the 240Z, because of the cut out for the bumper shocks. As you stated, these will work great for my car after modifying the rear panel area. Also, since I won't be using the Tabco wheel arches, this will give me better access to replace the inner wheel arch, which I also have from Tabco. Thanks for your input! Robert S.

Chuck, thanks for the advice on the rear quarters. After getting the Tabco wheel arches, it became evident my car would need more work on the rear end than the Tabco panels could cover. It sounds like these new quarter panels will be perfect! Robert S.

Hello Again, A few days ago the owner sent more photos of the rear quarter panels. There are several labels from the manufacture on the panels, but nothing that indicates which company produced them. Oddly enough, both the 240Z/Early 260Z and late 260Z/280Z panels are marked with the same information from the manufacture. One label states "Made in Taiwan R.O.C." and another states the part number and description: "16-63-562 RFP 260F, 260Z Rear Quarter Panel 74-78 RH" However, the guys at the body shop were smart enough to know the labels were wrong for the early style panels, so in one photo of the driver's side panel, you can see they crossed out 280Z and wrote what must be the correct part number for the 240Z panel: "16-67-563 LH". I plan to visit the owner sometime next month and purchase the panels. I'll have to buy all 4 panels in a package deal which is fine, but that also means I'll have 2 passenger side 280Z panels that I won't need. From the photos the 280Z panels look good, except one is missing the dog leg. So, if anyone is looking for a passenger quarter panel just let me know! Below are more photos of the 240Z/260Z panels. If anyone has experience with this particular style of after market panels, I'd appreciate any advice. Thanks, Robert S.

Jeff, Who owned the 280ZX in the background? The Libre style wheels are my favorite and maybe someday I'll get a set for my '71 project, but right now the rust repairs and body work are more important. Plus, I plan to refurbish the original hubcaps to keep the car as original as possible. Robert S.

Julian, Welcome to the forum! You've come to the right place for classic Z's! I purchased a '71 240Z from Peoria, IL to restore and have been collecting parts and tools since then. Having your father's experience is a great asset and it's wonderful you can share this experience with him! I hope to have children of my own someday to pass on my love of Z's. Also, it's great to have another Z enthusiast here in the Midwest! There's several classic Z owners in Iowa I've become acquinted with and I know the Chicago area has a good Z club. Again, welcome to the forum and enjoy the ride! Robert S.

Hello Guys, I have recently been contacted with an opportunity to purchase a set of after market rear quarter panels, that extend from the door to the taillights. I am restoring a '71 240Z and already have a pair of Tabco repair panels for the outer wheel arches. However, after much deliberation I've decided it would be easier to repair all of the rust with a full quarter panel. There is rust damage in the taillight area and the back corners, along with some rust damage in the side bumper mounting area (bumper indent). According to the owner, the quarter panels came from a body shop in Omaha and after being tucked away, they were forgotten about for 20 years until they started to pack up to move. Currently I don't have any other information about the panels, except for some initial photos from the owner (see below). In the photos there is a pair (driver/passenger) of panels for a 240Z/Early 260Z and 2 passenger side panels for a late 260Z/280Z. Of course I'm interested in the pair for my 240Z project. I would like to know if anyone has seen these after market rear quarters before and who manufactured them 20 years ago? I am also interested to know how well these after market quarters match the original OEM panels? The owner lives a few hours from me, so I have not been able to see them in person yet. Also, I did a quick search on after market rear quarters here looking for any previous discussions that might shed some light on these panels. This discussion (http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/body-paint-s30/32819-body-panels-msa-vs-black-dragon.html) provided several links of companies that manufacture panels, but I don't think the ones in question were produced by Wolf Steel in Canada: Datsun S30, 280Z Panels. Thanks for any input you can provide! Robert S.

My wife would kill me if I decided to start collecting tanks! It took several years before I could buy the Z to restore and it will be a long time before I'll be able to buy a second one. It's great that he is preserving history for future generations! So, what is the going rate for a good used tank these days? Robert S.

Dave, You know I hate to see you sell the Z, but I understand that this is part of life. Does this mean you'll have time to come help me work on my Z now? You may also want to post an ad in Datsun Classifieds. Robert S.

The front metal brace for the fiberglass hood is hideous! Sometimes you just wonder what people were thinking and someone actually spent time and money on this car! Robert S.

Justin, Welcome and you've got a nice Z! Mine was manufactured in 2/71, which was the first month of production for the Series II. Even though mine isn't a Series I, it still shares some of the same features such as the dash, center console, non-reclining seats, etc. I enjoyed the photos of your car and look forward to more updates! Robert S.

Dan, welcome from the other side of Iowa! There are a few S30 owners in the Cedar Rapids area, but I've only seen a few of them actually running! I bought a '71 240Z last year to restore, but didn't have much time to work on the car this year. Look forward to hearing about more progress on your Z. Robert S.

Mike, The Nissan Hardbody was produced for the US market from 1986 1/2 to 1997 and yes they were pretty "square" in design. The Frontier came out in 1998 and this was the beginning of the rounder body design for the Nissan trucks. I bought my 1997 Hardbody in September that year, so it had a $2000 dealer rebate in order to make room for the new Frontiers. If it wasn't for the rebate, I wouldn't have had enough money to purchase the truck. It's the best vehicle I've ever owned and even though it came with the 2.4 L engine, it's stood up to every challenge I put it through. http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/members/ehlersrs-albums-1971-datsun-240z-picture53972-we-stopped-hardees-galesburg-dinner-also-gave-me-chance-check-everything-out-again.html Robert S.

That's awesome! I have a 1997 Hardbody that I bought new and it now has +162k miles. I can't imagine rolling over 300k! It seems like a lot of Z owners also have Nissan trucks. Robert S.

Looks like a nice restoration on the 240Z, however that's not the correct front bumper for a '73. I suspect this is really a '72 or they switched out the bumpers during the restoration. You'd need to see the VIN plate to know for sure and some more photos would be nice! Robert S.

Adam, Thanks for the quick response! I'll be sure to let you know if the package arrives safely. Robert S.

That's funny Adam! I'm a sucker for puns! Robert S.