HLS30-00016 or Wick Humble's car for $15K?

[Mike B]

I was looking through some old Zcar magazines this weekend and noticed classified ads for two prominent Zcars, both with an asking price of $15,000. The first was VIN #HLS30-00016 (#16 to those of us in the US and believed to be the first Z car sold to the public in North America) from the Nov/Dec 1994 issue of Zcar magazine (first issue). The second was Wick Humble's car that he restored in the well known book "How to Restore Your Datsun Z car" from the Fall 1996 issue. The ads are shown below with the numbers blurred out. So, which would you rather have? I know who has #16, and I assume that he bought it through this ad, but I wonder who has Wick Humble's car and what condition it is in today. Is it a Gold Medalion winner, or has it ever even been shown at any national conventions?

-Mike

[JonnyRock]

If #16 is truly the first car sold to the public (the others being mules and crash test vehicles), I'd much prefer it.

I see the significance of Wick's car, but I don't think you can beat saying "I have the first Z ever sold."

[Carl Beck]

Hi Mike:

I saw an ad posted on a Bulletin Board during the 1995 Convention in Atlanta. Same as the ad for #16 that you posted.

When I returned home at the end of that week - I called, and called and called - no answer. This went on for weeks, and finally at 11:00PM some girl answered - only to tell me that the previous party was no longer at that phone number, she had just gotten it a few weeks earlier. She said she thought the person had moved to Columbus, Ohio.

So for the next couple months I tried to track the person down in Columbus.. no luck.

A couple months after that as I recall - I got an e-mail from the owner of #16. Seems he had advertised it for sale - and the response was so huge he felt he underpriced it - so he took it off the market. Now he was thinking of selling it again. I told him to put a price on it that made him happy and let me know, as I'd be a buyer. We exchanged e-mails several times, but he would not commit to a price nor a sale. He just couldn't make up his mind.

I related that story to my friend in the Tampa area - - when he ask me about the car. So my friend started calling the owner, who we now knew lived in a town just North of Columbus - every couple days. The owner traveled a lot, and wasn't home very much, nonetheless my friend kept calling. He talked to the owners wife for hours and got to know her, he talked to the owners live-in baby sitter for hours and got to know her (Shannon). This went on for months...

Finally he caught the owner at home - and the owners wife told the owner to make up his mind if he was going to sell the car or not - she was tired of talking to my friend. The owner had just bought a 1926 Caddy - he needed the room for a new project - so he agreed to sell the car... for the originally advertised price.

My friend called and ask if I wanted to go to Ohio with him to pick up the car and drive it home. The owner had assured him it was "Pristine" and could be driven anywhere. So we flew up to Columbus and the owners wife picked us up at the Airport. When we got to the owners house, we meet Shannon and I want to tell you SHE was PRISTINE!! At that point the owner wasn't home yet from another trip.. so we had to wait a few hours...

When the owner got home, we went to the garage, un-coved the car and it was in very good shape. Even still had it's original 1969 Dated Spark Plug Wires! Started up and ran like a clock... My friend paid for the car and we were on our way SOUTH...

We were both laughing the whole 1500 miles home ... "PRISTINE Carl!!" .. my friend would shout... and we'd laugh as that 240-Z ate up the miles at 80mph+. The only problem we had, was the fact that the seats had lost their support.. and we were sitting on the lower seat frames.. So we stopped at a local K-Mart somewhere in Kentucky and bought a few pillows to sit on...

BTW - the car was originally Gold, the owner had the exterior body painted White. Other than that the car was about 99% original and rust free. It had originally come from Texas.

Bottom line - #16 would be worth far more than Wick's car...

FWIW,

Carl B.

[Carl Beck]

If #16 is truly the first car sold to the public (the others being mules and crash test vehicles), I'd much prefer it.

I see the significance of Wick's car, but I don't think you can beat saying "I have the first Z ever sold."

Oh my God here we go.....

Carl B.

[Mike B]

If #16 is truly the first car sold to the public (the others being mules and crash test vehicles), I'd much prefer it.

I see the significance of Wick's car, but I don't think you can beat saying "I have the first Z ever sold."

Jon, on zhome.com it indicates there are actually three earlier HLS30 models still known to exist and which are privately owned (HLS30-00006, 00007, and 00008), but these cars were initially used for photo shots and displays and then delivered to race teams, so they were never intended to be sold to the public. As Alan will point out if I don't, this also just references cars sold in North America and there could possibly be an earlier home market or other export market car that is earlier than this one.

-Mike

[Arne]

Oh my God here we go.....

Carl B.

My thoughts exactly, Carl. It's only a matter of time...

[Mike B]

Oh my God here we go.....

Carl B.

My thoughts exactly, Carl. It's only a matter of time...

I tried to be very careful with my wording and reply to Jon in a matter that won't attract attention of the Z police, but I have not been very successful at that so far .

He talked to the owners wife for hours and got to know her, he talked to the owners live-in baby sitter for hours and got to know her (Shannon). This went on for months...

That's too funny Carl! I'm surprised he didn't fly up there and camp out in their yard.:classic:

I also wanted to mention that in the same isssue of Zcar mag there was an article by Wick Humble regarding Z restoration projects - which Z to get, etc. In it he says "if I had 10 grand burning a hole in my pocket, I'd invest in the three best original, unrestored, lowest VIN 1970 240Z's I could find. I would drive them and when demand peaks, sell two to entire pay for the complete restoration of the third. Opportunities like this come with less frequency every year!" I thought that was an interesting comment for a lot of reasons, but in reading that issue it was interesting to see how demand for quality Z cars and restoration parts was starting to rise very quickly about that time.

-Mike

[JonnyRock]

Okay okay. Sometimes the degree to which you all (there are about 4 people on the boards in particular of whom I speak) tear apart some members verbiage, really pisses me off. I apologize that my statement was too vague and and could be taken the wrong way. Let me therefore correct said statement:

"I own the first 240Z (HLS30-00016) ever sold to a private owner. This is not to say earlier 240Z's (HLS30-00006, 00007, and 00008) are not now in private ownership and no implication of said fact is implied. Rather, I mean to communicate that my particular 240Z was furnished to a private owner at an earlier time than any of the aformentioned 240Z's*"

* - "Please note, this statement only applies to US market and North American 240Z's. Japanese Domesic market Fairlady Z's, Z432's, and any and all 240Z's having been sold outside of the United States and Canada do not qualify. Please contact my lawyer with any and all grievences."

Everyone happy? Now I'm taking my ball, and I'm gonna go play and none of you are invited...

Edited August 17, 2008 by JonnyRock
touch-up

[JonnyRock]

My first hypothetical quote rolled off the tongue much easier, no?

[HS30-H]

Nice to see the beginnings of a little self-policing going on.

The message must be getting through......

[Mike B]

Okay okay. Sometimes the degree to which you all (there are about 4 people on the boards in particular of whom I speak) tear apart some members verbiage, really pisses me off. I apologize that my statement was too vague and and could be taken the wrong way.

Jon, our comments weren't a slam against you, but merely an acknowledgement that any statement that is not 100% technically correct on this site won't go unchallenged by some. There is a usually a valid point in that challenging, but it seems to get further diluted all the time.

Nice to see the beginnings of a little self-policing going on.

The message must be getting through......

Alan, most of us on this site get your message (and even agree with it), but many of us don't agree with the way you chose to convey it.

-Mike

[geezer]

Great story Carl! One of many, many you have to tell, or to look at it a different way, a great story this Z has to tell. It reminded me of an old movie I once saw from the late 60's or early 70's where they recount the life history of a yellow Rolls Royce, passing from one owner to the next, going through the second world war etc. All these cars have a story to tell; some more interesting than others, but fun to hear.