Question for Z owners who have also owned Roadsters

[ArnieTX]

I've been looking around for a Z car and have run into a couple of roadsters. None have been driveable though.

We all know how easy it is to fall in love with the old Z cars. Have any of you Z owners also owned a Roadster? How did it compare to owning your Z? I'm intrigued by the little car and I think it would be fun to have one. I'd like to hear experiences and comparisons if anyone has any experience with these.

Thanks

[Bruce Palmer]

... of Datsuns. You buy one that needs to be done, bring major quantities of money. $800 for timing chain kit for a U-20 as an example? Just price out a few itemsfrom the parts suppliers.

You buy a done roadster, same rule applies. Bring money.

[sblake01]

I bought my 1970 1600 Roadster for $900 in 1977. Owned it for 20 years and sold iit in 1997 for $5500. Comparison to the Z? Apples and oranges. Totally different cars. I sometimes wish I'd kept it but I wouldn't look for another one.

[Ron Carter]

I have a roadster, Z and 510.

I enjoy the open feeling of the roadster and drive it more than my other cars. The Z is faster, and handles better, but the roadster has some magic that is hard to beat.

[e_racer1999]

not trying to threadjack, but along the same lines of this thread... what other forums are out there for other datsuns? i have searched for forums for my wife's 510 for example, but i haven't been able to come up with one as wonderful as this....

[sblake01]

Have you tried this one: http://dimequarterly.tierranet.com/

[e_racer1999]

i was just going to say "they don't have a forum," but then i scrolled to the bottom! doh! thanks for that; DQ has been an asset to me for awhile. glad to know there's a forum there.

[Bruce Palmer]

... home page and scroll down the left side to "mailing list" and that'll pop you onto the registration page for the "Bluebird list" ...

Bar none the best info list out there that I have found regardless of marque and I've trudged thru a bunch of 'em. Very helpful members. Pretty strict about 510 content which helps when trying to sort the fly $^!# from the pepper.....

[e_racer1999]

... when trying to sort the fly $^!# from the pepper.....

hahahahaha that's a new one to me! thanks guys.

[GeoffT]

My '68 2000 roadster was well-worn and getting rusty by the time I got it. It had stress cracks around the brake master cylinder and in the trunk, but I'd probably still have it if my job hadn't moved me to another state.

My '71 240 has also had some rough miles and many modifications before I got it. In almost 3 years I have probably driven it less than 100 miles while

replacing door seals, repairing minor rust, replacing brakes and clutch, and now trouble-shooting a sour engine (I work slow!). But no metal fatigue issues that I've located. Probably much better mail order and salvage parts availability for the Z - relatively few roadsters made by comparison, I think.

Good luck! Geoff