26th-Z

I think it is important to understand the relevance of the options to the different models available in 1970. We must keep in mind that the car we know as the 240-Z was only one model of the S30 type produced by Nissan. In the home market, there was the standard S30, the stripped down, bare bones S30-S, and that racey PS30 (432). I personally believe that the HLS30 and the HS30 can be most closely tied to the standard S30 model which we would call the luxury version. Confusing? Some options appear to be standard features of some models and optional on others. Some of these options are listed in the North American parts catalogs and were available, however very few knew about this and the items are rather rare in this country. 1. 8-track / AM with auto arial 27350-E4126 with speakers 29240-E4125 and E4225 2. Stop watch clock / rally clock 27385-E4100 with oscillator 27395-E4100 3. Seat recliners 4. I think this is a parking light switch that allows one side of the parking lights to be lit when parked on the side of the road. 5. Fog lamps. There is a very long thread on this option in the archives 6. Dual exhaust tips. 7. Vinyl top covering. Very period correct and luxurious. 8. Side stripe kit. Kats has one. 9. I wonder if this has to do with the headlight covers? 10. Bumper guards. Home market cars did not have bumper guards. 11. Rear window demister. The first HLS30s came with clear glass 90301- E4100 12. The rear spoiler has three reference numbers - 98100-E4600, E4601, and N3300 13. Foot rest 75500-E4100 14. Walnut shift knob I can't read any of the text from the scan. I pulled all of these part numbers from my North American parts catalogs - listed as optional. Also, generally speaking, the E4100 subscript usually designates the first issue, 1969 and on. Hope this helps.

Well, sure Larry! I'll start out by saying that I have no complaints. I expected what I got and bid according to that expectation. If I could complain about anything it would be that I was hoping the car would be better than the pictures. I talked to the seller several times during the auction. We had a pretty good conversation going. I posted most all of the pictures he sent me. The pictures I didn't post were so bad that there was no point. What I meant by photoshopping the pictures was that they were so bad that I spent time adjusting the contrast, brightness, saturation and other controls to optimize them and make them a little more legible. For instance, the picture of the engine bay showed the battery box, but it took playing around with the picture to determine that it was still there and in pretty good shape. The conversations on the phone helped me get a better idea of what I was looking at. The seller wasn't trying to hide anything. It was just one of those deals - the seller finally gave up on his dream of restoring the car. He had already moved to another State and was selling what he thought was a valuable car because he didn't want to move it. He knew what he had, but he also knew what it was going to take to restore it, and he just didn't have the time or energy. Looking at the car closely, I might say that the seller was more optomistic than reality, but again, I expected it. He is basically correct. 27 can be restored. It IS possible. Even the new pictures I just posted are not all that great. A lot of the white spots you see on the outside of the car are primer and or bondo showing through. The rear fender arches are gone after what appears to be many attempts to repair them. Of course, the whole front end of the car will need to be replaced - fenders, hood, etc., but as the seller told me, the rockers are in pretty good shape. It has never been crashed. The floors are intact and useable. Bottom line - and I agree with the seller's attitude - there is just too much to nit-pik about - why bother. Either buy the car or don't. It is a matching numbers car with a clean title. I took a great leap of faith. I didn't hang more than $3,000 out and as much as I appreciate how much that may seem to a lot of people here, it is not for me. Nor is the budget to restore this thing by myself over a period of a few years.

Ironic, isn't it? The car looks like it has been on crack for the last 10 years.

Crack pipe

I just loaded a bunch of pictures into my gallery; 27th-Z. I spent Saturday morning vacuming the car - completely. The snake skin and the mouse nest are gone now. Story of my life, as soon as I got the car cleaned up it rained. Oh well, what's a little more water going to do? The pictures could be better, but you will get proper impression. Cleaning out an old car is fun isn't it? You find all kinds of things. This was in the glove box. The car goes immediately to dry storage and I'm moving on with the restoration of 26. There is really no point in doing anything right away. The car is a mess. There is a ton of work to do. A lot of penetrating oil needs to be applied to everything, or I'm going to play hell trying to get it apart. It is protected, now. Saved. Wish me luck. Some day, I'll show up at an event with both of them all pretty and restored.

You tell 'em, Vicky. At least the Bucs don't have black vinyl on their helmets!

I think that was an insult.

There's a lesson to be had from all this. Not sure what it is, but something about flying in the face of common sense comes to mind. Great banter about this car on IZCC. My favorite; "Lets seeeee..... 30K bid the first time.... 24K bid the second time... 20K bid this time.... I think I'll wait for about three more actions, and three more bidders to back out - by then it should be down to around $14K".

Ya-know the bummer about this discussion? I bought a box of key parts on eBay, fixed up all the locks and keys for 26, and sold all the rest of the stuff to Chloe! Check out Kats' site for info about different keys and applications.

The new ones come any way you want them, Tomohawk, as long as its black vinyl.

In the morning e-mail from the winning bidder; "Just won an NOS lower cloth wrapped radiator hose for my 240Z on eBay. The find of the month! Paid about $140 which is quite reasonable. Now I need to find the upper hose. For Syracuse..." There you have it. That's what is going on. If you want to show..... And we're part of all this, you know. When we are at a show and looking at a stock Z, what's the first thing we notice in the engine bay?

Pretty wild, huh Mark? Let's see...average $120 each, times two cars.... Ok, just deduct the points. Perhaps the "daily driver" class is more my style, anyhow. Yea, whatever color suits your fancy, color coordinated with the rest of the engine bay. You can't go wrong with black. Make sure you weave it so the Frederick's label shows just under the hose clamp.

Wow! I missed that one! No matter. I'm out of money at the moment, anyhow. Well, if you want original, that's what it's going to cost. And all you guys who think that's crazy aren't showing your cars in the stock original class, are you? The last braided radiator hose I saw on eBay appeared on the winning car at the national convention. Mark, follow my lead on this one. Buy some fishnet pantyhose from Frederick's of Hollywood and wrap the radiator hose with it. That's what I'm going to do!