daddz

Alan, Kats, and all: Thanks for a most engaging post on another of my favorite cars of all time. Regarding Mr. Zinn of Florida; I believe he was the subject of an article that appeared in Sports Car International a few years back. The photography was spectacular (as usual for SCI) and as a retrospective it was well written too. When Mr. Zinn was mentioned it was stated that he owned two 2000GT's, one of them being a single overhead cam w/ automatic transmission (a 1970 model if I recall). As an interesting aside, Road and Track published an article in the late 1970's which mentioned that one of the executives at Kearny Mesa Toyota of San Diego used to drive one of the ex-Shelby prepared cars to and from work everyday and would smoke a tobacco pipe whilst embarrasing many "high performance" cars. The car was painted a striking silver with a black band in the midsection. The car was about 46 inches tall from the factory and the ex-Shelby car was approximately 1.5 inches lower! One of the other board members at Kearny Mesa Toyota also owned a completely stock 2000GT that was only driven in good weather. The article also appeared in Road & Track's Toyota 1966-1984 compilation soft cover book. If only Toyota would produce a modern interpretation of that design. Regarding the "cloisonne" emblems it is also somewhat related but, AMCO used to market a shift knob that you could purchase at the dealer's parts department to dress up the somewhat somber interior of a 280Z (we didn't get a fancy wood like shift knob like the 240Z). I have just installed a new in the box AMCO shift knob in my latest '77 280Z and it has a unique finish which compliments the interior. Alan, I was given the email that you mentioned by a fellow Z club member and it was sent back by the web postmaster so it may have been shutdown? Thanks for your great pics of the meet! Is the book published in Japanese? If so, it is not a problem as I have a Japanese friend who has kindly offered her time to translate. Kats, I never cease to be amazed at the depth of knowledge you have attained regarding the Z's early development phase. I wonder how the lower roofline would have looked? Again, thanks to everyone who remembers these great cars. p.s. you might enjoy the following website: http://www.ies-geneve.ch/2000gt/

I have owned too many :classic: I will just list the Z cars: 1983 Datsun 280ZX 2+2 (being 20 yrs. old at the time my insurance was already too expensive--traded in for an '87 Supra) 1982 Datsun 280ZX hardtop (totalled by little old lady in a Chevette) 1978 Datsun 280Z can't remember but it was 455... 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30426919 "Sliver" 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30427175 "Old Yellow" 1978 Datsun 280Z orange parts car 1976 Datsun 280Z black but, was originally brown 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30431775 "Tangerine" 1977 Datsun 280Z HLS30374001 sky blue--gave it to my father and is now a former parts car. 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30448652 Wine Red Met. "Junkyard Car--rescued from a junkyard since it was so solid) 1976 Datsun 280Z Copper--sold it to a friend who has now sold it to his neighbor. 1977 Datsun 280Z HLS30375108 02/77 Wine Red Met. "Major General Andrews' old car" (father talked me into gving him this car as well) 1982 Datsun 280ZX 2+2 (now a parts car to help out junkyard car--ATK engine and new Nissan 5 speed w/30k) 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30456240 Wine Red Met. "Datsun Dynamics" 1977 Datsun 280Z HLS30366531 Wine Red Met. 2003 Nissan 350Z Brickyard Red 1982 Datsun 280ZX hardtop 1986 Nissan 300ZX hardtop 1984 Nissan 300ZX A.E. --sold 1978 Datsun 280Z HLS30469662--ebay car that was sold. 1986 Nissan 300ZX (never put this one on the road) I think that is it as far as Z cars go. In case anyone is interested these cars have also passed through my hands: 1987 Toyota Supra N/A 1988 Toyota Supra Turbo 1987 Toyota Celica GTS 1985 Mazda RX7 GSL-SE 1987 Mazda RX7 GXL 1986 Mazda RX7 SE 1977 Volkswagen Scirocco 1972 Toyota Celica ST (still have this one..)

I took some measurements years ago when I convinced a friend to install 1st generation Miata seats in an MGB. Afterwards I was curious and compared the measurements to a stock 280Z seat. In all directions the Miata seat is within 1 to 2 inches of the stock Z seat. The seatback is slightly narrower and the seat cushion is actually just a bit longer but, almost identical in width. I still have the measurements someplace and I will go and retrieve them. The seat rails are slightly different so it wouldn't be a straight bolt in however, materials technology has come a long way and the Miata seats are probably going to be durable over the long run and with more aggresive padding it ought to provide more stability for the autocrossers and roadracers amongst us. For the clincher most junkyards are quite happy to sell a set for about $100.00 (that's what my friend paid for his) and if you are so inlcined the Miata seats have speakers built into the headrests.

It's funny and tragic to think that Jim Morrison was found not guilty of "lewd" behaviour (funny), and yet Jimi Hendrix passed away the 18th of September 1970, two days before I was born. It's a shame because both artists always have a standing invitation to play through my Z's radio anytime and yet imagine what they might have released had they lived a bit longer. Great website reference, thanks

Dan, I am still waiting for the SUV craze to go away as well. That Smart Roadster would be just the ticket for around town driving. A friend of mine recently bought a G35 coupe w/ 6MT and I recently went for a ride in it. If it didn't have the fussy dashboard details that Infiniti's are known for and the leather seats which feel like there is a phone book mounted under them it wouldn;t be so bad. With my 6'1" height the seat could never be low enough in the car for my tastes. The beltline doesn't seem as high as the 350Z becuase of the "booster seat" but it wasn't my taste. I couldn't justify the asking price either. The joke is that the Infiniti dealer will annoy you with customer care whilst the Nissan dealer doesn't want to hear about a "feathering tire" or a "grease mark" on the windows. I wasn't aware of the gas tank mixture but, I do remember that under the hood of the 2nd gen. there was a small bottle which would inject coolant for cold weather starting. On the two 2nd gen. cars that I owned that bottle never had to be replenished. Curious to see if Mazda will continue to pursue the Rotary sportscar which should give the Z and other a run for the money as the RX8 was a bit of a disappointment. Who knows we may have a "Samurai Shootout" if Toyota makes good on bringing a Supra to market.

Stephen, To answer your question let's go back the intial launch of the 240Z in October of 1969; there were lots of cars that looked similar to the 240Z back then: Jaguar XKE Ferrari 250SWB, 250GTO, 275GTB/4 Triumph GT6 Opel GT Saab Sonnet Toyota 2000GT Chevrolet Corvette C2 When I write similar I am referring to the long hood, short deck design (cab rearward). With the exception of the Triumph, Saab, and Opel the 240Z was trying to emulate the exotic looking cars and provide a somewhat similar performance experience for a lower price point. In all honesty the writers of the day seemed to be saying that the 240Z is a "good" car considering its price however, at the price of the XKE or C2 the Z didn't quite match up. In this sense the 350Z does beg comparison with the 240Z given the fact that you are able to extract that level of performance from an expense of $26,809 for a base model (w/ tags, tax, etc $28,452 out the door). Okay the styling may not be timeless but, unless you can issue a sportscar that looks like a 240Z or XKE and run the risk of being flamed by the automotive press good luck. As for the 1977 810 just look at a period brochure for that car. The ad copy reads like an ad for a Buick as it speaks of simulated woodgrain with the engine of the "legendary" 240Z all the while providing "unprecedented luxury" at a price. As for the new Maxima, Nissan doesn't seem to understand where they are going with this car. It probably won't sell as well as the Altima 3.5 SE because there is price disparity. Unless you have to have that roof length sunroof and that edgy styling, the Altima delivers more bang for the buck. I would say the Altima 3.5 SE is a closer comparison for the '77 810 except that its engine is driving the wrong set of wheels. Dan, In all of my Rotary experiences I have never had reliability issues. The proper care and feeding for a Rotary involve frequent oil changes and coolant flushes. It couldn't be a simpler engine to maintain. My '85 RX7 GSL-SE had 181,000 miles on it when I bought it and when I sold it the car had 205,000 on it and it would not use a drop of oil between oil changes (every 2500) and it would still wag the tail in 1st, 2nd and sometimes the upshift into 3rd. My second gen. RX7 was a similar story. So the "apparent life expectancy" that you are referring to is somehwat suspicious. I have encountered 2nd gen. RX7's with almost 300,000 miles on the original drivetrain. The only reason those cars experience engine mishaps result from substandard maintenance habits as with most cars. As for the 3rd gen. RX7's the problem stems from vacuum lines not being tended to in addition to over enthusiastic owners who immediately upon purchase install over-sized exhausts and adjustable boost controllers and other nonsense. With a Rotary you cannot just install a piece without it affecting other parameters of the engine's performance. With a Z you can get away with more nonsense without the engine grenading itself. With the Crossfire you are benefitting from the merger with Daimler as it uses the SLK's underpinnings with only a 215hp V6 to get the job done. The price is starting at almost $40,000 and delaers in the Washington area have bunches of them sitting on the lot. If Chrysler/Dodge wanted to make a splash why not build the Dodge Razor concept car with 240hp and low curb weight and a price of $15,000! Now that would make a dent in 350Z sales! In 30 years who knows what car clubs will be around and given the internet there will probably be a 350Z club. By then we will have scrapped a bunch more S30's and we will be the old farts bidding the prices to the sky for clean unmolested examples while younger people will question our sanity! Let me run for cover now..

As a former RX7 owner (both 1st and 2nd gen) I found them to be extremely reliable, fun to drive, and great handling cars. Oh, and one small thing Nissan might learn form Mazda: The RX7's don't have to rust in every conceivable orifice unlike the Z car. Mazda could learn to price their parts a bit more competitively though, instead of trying to make back all of their R & D costs on the backs of the weekend hobbyist. Two different schools of thought: Nissan: we'll make a nice looking (S30) car but, it will rust the minute it is minted. Mazda: we'll make a nice looking car that won't rust but, the parts will send you to the poorhouse (maybe you should've bought that 944 afterall).

I read that bit about the "X" in one of Ben Milspaugh's books about Z cars years ago. That may have been repeated because of his experience in the aeronautical field. I just looked through the book "Datsun 280ZX" published by Nissan in 1978 and thought there might have been reference to "X" in that book; I will look it over when I have more time. Yuppie69, Not all 280ZX's were equipped with headlight washers and digital dashboards. They used to package digital instrumentation with a stereo of some small output (better than stock) and usually with leather seat surfaces and t-tops which made for one hell of a bloated, slow and ill handling car. Make no mistakes because apparently the U.S. market wanted such a car; personally I don't mind driving my '82 280ZX. Mine is a hardtop with cloth seats and an analog dashboard and with the Tokico springs and struts the old girl really doesn't mind corners. The car is definitely better suited to cruising the interstates and is a pretty comfortable car. The Z31 is strangely enough more of a sportster than my '82. My '86 300ZX is a hardtop and even before the Tokico springs/struts went in, out of the box it handled better than the 280ZX. Alot of that was due to the much improved seats and better steering feel. The V6 also seems to pull more smoothly than the '82's engine. It doesn't sound any better but its a different car. To be honest now that I have owned a Z31 (a couple actually starting with a 50th Anniversary Turbo) I wouldn't seek to repeat the experience again. The parts are becoming scarce and the people that seem to like the Z31 don't like to spend any money on keeping them in good condition. Okay, maybe I will run for cover now.

Don't feel bad; we here in D.C. have been crippled by the sheer cold. I have a stack of car jobs to do and heated garage space is at a premium. With eight cars (7 Z's and one very old Celica) to look after it is getting ridiculous. All I am hoping for is to at least break into the 40's so that I can get some of these jobs done. Couple that with a "must do" trip to Daytona beach this weekend for the Rolex 24 and I don't think I will ever get done. Oh well.

TomoHawk, Thanks for the suggestion, I will look into that shortly. I was also looking into the thin fiberglass bumpers that Motorsport Auto was selling a few years back. Ideally I would like to acquire a 240ZG similar to the one that Alan has in the U.K.

That would be a 74.5 260Z with the bad carburettors and heavy bumpers. At least the '75 280Z had the fuel injected L28 to offset the additional weight added by those big arse bumpers. One of these days I plan on converting my 280Z's to the early chrome bumpers of the 240Z. It should provide a weight savings of about 115lbs. (later ''77 and '78 style bumpers) with all of the shock absorbers removed. The '74.5 -'76 bumpers are little bit heavier still! When those bumpers were still available the back bumper for a '77/'78 was listing for more than $600!

Michael, I disagree with the 350ZX moniker. The new Z was not experimental (where the 280ZX got its name) and it definitely does not have an over abundance of luxury gewgaws like my '82 280ZX and/ or my '86 300ZX (and those are base models--no t-tops or leather and digital packages). My 350Z is also a base model and it is stiffly sprung and has a cloth interior. Except for the power windows/door locks/power steering it is very reminscent of the experience I get from driving my '78 280Z (equipped w/ Tokico Illuminas and Tokico springs set on 3 front and rear). I would invite you to take one for a test drive and forget what the outside looks like. I think you would like the power delivery and the ability the car has to brake traction in the 2/3 upshift. Not since I owned an '88 Toyota Supra Turbo have I experienced the surge from one gear to the next. For the price the base model is the better deal without all of the DVD bs.

Alan, I thought you would get a chuckle out of the ad. In any case I do agree that he is a bit of a dreamer considering the asking price and non-original condition of the vehicle. As big as London is that would be a tough vehicle to hide .

Alan, Have you ever spotted this Z in London? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2455225905&category=18238

Way too go! That's great news for you and your Z. I bet you'll be getting some Classic Car insurance real soon. It's only costing about $80.00 annually for $5000 agreed upon value coverage with 3000 miles/ year. That and the use of your club should insure that you have many more years with her.

Did anyone happen to see the four Callaway Corvettes that were purchased by one gentleman? He spent $685,000 for all four cars and in an earlier segment he had purchased an older Corvette for more than $100,000! This was really a Chevy and Hot Rod auction as far as record prices were concerned with a few Hemi powered vehicles doing holding their own. Just think that on top of the purchase price the buyer and seller each have to cough up 8% commission to Barrett-Jackson. The comment by Brock Yates regarding Japanese cars was offensive given his position with Car and Driver and as a journalist at large. He stated that "there are too many Japanese cars for them to be considered collectible". I fired off an email that argued the point and at least the announcers did mention that they had received alot of emails but, they still asserted that you can "check the value in the Blue Book and see if a loan oculd be had"; WTF? Honestly, do they think that someone would be going to an auction to spend $400,000 for a hot rod Lincoln and then attempt to get a loan for it? If they were looking for low production Japanese cars then look at the following: 1990 Mazda RX7 GTUs 1988 Nissan 300ZX Turbo SE (1000 produced) 1979 Datsun 280ZXR (1000 produced) 1984 Nissan 300ZX Turbo A.E. 1988 Mazda RX7 10th Anniversary 1978 Datsun 280Z Black Pearl 1980 Datsun 280ZX 10th A.E. Granted these cars on their best day still wouldn't be $50,000 cars but, give them time. Once all of the old farts and muscle car crazies get too old to drive and/or have to buy Long Term Care Insurance watch the values start to level off a bit. The generation that once thought T-buckets were the "it" cars have now but all died off.

Mr Camouflage, I like your photoshopped 350Z as it is close to what I had hoped for. The longer hood and truncated tail recall the overall proportions of the S30. I would like to see a modern E-type, Toyota 2000GT, Ferrari 250, 275, Daytona re-introduced to the world. I also prefer mesh type wheels but, nobody seems to make that style anymore either.

Wow! The car does seem to generate alot of strong opinions and rightfully so. I own such a beast, a 2003 Base model finished in Brickyard Red. The car and I have covered a bit over 13,000 miles and it is very similar in feel to my '78 280Z (most like HLS30456240-- the car that I rescued from Datsun Dynamics) which has Tokico Illumina struts and Tokico springs (set on 3 front/rear with an engine that has been fully balanced and bored .020 over with an HKS 12lb. flywheel). If you don't like the creature comforts that crept in with the 280Z ('75 through '78) then you probably won't like the 350Z. It is a stiff ride without being jiggly and it corners fairly quickly albeit with a bit of noticeable lean. If you have piloted a Miata, the steering is similar. It has alot of headroom and good footwell room ( I am about 6'1"). The HVAC controls and the radio conrols are well placed. Mechanically speaking the oil changes are a cinch (I can't imagine paying/entrusting someone to perform that simple task) and the engine has a timing chain (I wish my '86 300ZX hardtop had a chain instead of that timing belt) and most things are easily accessible (battery, radiator, clutch master cylinder, brake master cylinder). I based my purchase on both brand loyalty and personal experience with the Z car family. I wanted to explore the new car purchase experience with a Z car as my father had done 25 years ago with his Z. I have been pleased on both counts so far. The only generation of Z that I haven't owned yet is the Z32. I think that I would like to acquire a hardtop Z32 at some point. At some point I would invite all of you Z enthusiasts to at least test drive a 350Z. Even though the styling could have been better I still enjoy the car on other levels. My ideal "new" Z would have been an S30 Datsun Z with skinny bumpers, covered headlights, an RB26DETT or RB26DE for base models. I applaud Porsche for sticking with a 40 year old design that has been continually updated over the decades.

Rob, Welcome from yet another Rob! I remember seeing your car in that book as well. Is the black paint original or was the car repainted? The wheels look like Wolfrace? With the Webasto sunroof opened to the warm and sunny English countryside , you're sure to catch a few crumpets. Enjoy, Rob Alan, I usually get teased quite a bit for remembering specific cars in a given area over a given period of years by my friends. The joke is that "I haven't owned that one yet", and thus I must keep track of them as potential purchases.

Victor, That is a damn shame; what spineless bastard would steal another man's pride and joy has serious problems. Hope someone ventilates the perpitrator's skull. I sincerely hope that you had a classic car insurance policy for your pride and joy. This would be a good oppurtunity for us to look at our insurance on our respective classic Datsun's. I live on the East Coast and I was surprised at the level of coverage that can be had for almost no money. In my situation $5000 agreed upon value coverage with 3000 miles a year only cost about $75.00. In any case, I hope that your car is located with a minimum amount of time/frustration/damage.

Symon, Here in the 'states Nissan has a database entitled "Nissan Service Comm" which when fed a VIN# going back to '84 will give you the exact production date (mm/dd/yyyy), the factory whre assembled (i.e. Hiratsuka, Oppama), the original selling dealer's name and address as well as the PDI date, the in-service date and the retail date. I was assisting another Z car owner with his quest for info. regarding an '83 280ZX and he was able to contact Nissan in California and they were able to get that information for him form a microfiche. I am not sure that information for us S30 owners is or was ever recorded. In Europe and more specifically Great Britain the Datsun distributors seem to have kept detailed records on the S30 cars. Good luck with your quest.

Thanks to mmagnus for posting the link; the website is pretty well organized. I have been purchasing copies of this magazine (I think it was formerly "Thoroughbred and Classic Cars"?) as well as Classic and Sportscar since the early '90's. It is interesting to read the European perspective with regard to the Z cars from 1970 onwards and especially now that the cars have attained "classic" status. datto, Ben was correct in stating that a proper E-type Jag would blow off an early 240Z. By 1969 the E-type was reduced to a reasonably quick car but, not in the same vain as an early Series 1 XKE. To compare a '69 XKE, a proper frame of reference might be a 280ZX 2+2! In having a 3.8 or 4.2 Inline 6 capable of producing 265bhp (SAE gross) attached to a body that weighed between 2464 and 2600lb with a final drive ratio of 4.17 you can rest assured that a stock 240Z wouldn't have a chance.

I just checked the Celica this past weekend and it has a mixture of headlights however, it still had one "cursive Toshiba" and it is in great working order. I had to replace a parking light bulb and it was a Koito!