Do people notice you in your classic Z on the road?

[SportBikeMike]

A couple of years ago I was cruising around in my Z and I noticed there was a car cruise going on, heading in the opposite direction. 99% American muscle cars. I thought what the heck, did a quick U-turn, came back and merged right between two muscle cars (they actually let me in!). Anyway, the Z got all kinds of attention from the crowd....I heard one lady shriek "its a Datsun!". Alot of thumbs-up and cheers, somewhat surprising for a muscle car crowd. Maybe they just needed some relief from the never-ending string of Mustangs and Camaros.

Edited March 8, 2012 by SportBikeMike

[Mikes Z car]

Any interest in my car would be easier to analyze if the PO hadn't painted Pebbles and Bam Bam on it complete with the painter's signature. Still, with the cartoon characters I love owning it. In my signature picture you can just make out Pebbles on the left rear quarter panel just aft of the antenna mount.

[Big sam]

Hi,

I usually get all sorts of attention when out in the z, smiles, waves ,a friendly pat on the roof and comment "nice old car mate"by a cop as he handed me my speeding ticket,and an amusing comment from an american guy at the gas station last weekend, " nice car, what year is that? how'd you get the steering wheel on the other side?" not sure all the 350/370z owners recogniZe their car's distant relative.Also, there does seem to be a mentality down here of "oh that looks old I'll go out of my way to (try) and pass it.

[madkaw]

It's probably the second biggest reason for loving this car-the first being the fun of driving it and listening to the inline sex!

My son who is in highschool hopes I will pick him up everyday at school-the kids have no idea what the car is but they think it's an cool

I had a guy in a company van stop in front of me at a 4 way stop sign in the middle of traffic hour to jump out and take a picture of my car. I mean traffic was backed up everywhere-I'm like- are you kidding me!

I bought a new car the other day and I drove my Z to do the final paperwork at the dealer. After the final transaction the dealer looked at me with a big sh!t eating grin and said," soooo, you need me to drive your Z car home so you can the new car home". I said -sure- and he followed me home driving my Z. He was about my age and he couldn't thank me enough and took a dozen pictures in the garage.

I get thumbs up from at least one person everytime I drive around.

What's interesting and soon might get more interesting is the fact that i live in Bloomington at Indiana University where there is a very large young Asian population of rich kids. There is a tons of young Asians driving around Audis, Maserattis, porsches and we are not talking the cheap models. I wonder what these young "hot rodders" think of seeing a Japenese hot rod running around. I just moved back into this area so I'm quite sure my car will get known around this community.

[MotoManMike]

"Some wanted, some not. The not is when these young a** kids (no offense to anyone in this club) with their fast subaru's, mitsubishi's, hondas, etc. want to race! I wish I could race them sometimes and kick their butts!"

Why not spank the kids with the hondas and subaru's. I do it all the time. Some of them get me off the line, but when I hit 4th gear its game over. I've found with my 4 speed many will always get you off the line, but once you get rolling, they just can't hang. On top of the fact many cars have a limiter at 118. I've read alot that these Datsun top out right around there but first hand experience is they are very wrong. I don't condone street racing by any means, I don't ever do this in traffic but its very wide open here and flat. If i'm on the highway by myself and have a ricer roll up on me revving his motor, i'm going to hurt his feelings I just can't help it.

Edited March 9, 2012 by MotoManMike

[CW240Z]

I can't help getting attention in the Z, especially since it's bright green. I love little kids reactions when they see it, they"ll point and say, "Check out that Lamborghini!" apparently only Lambos are bright green. Where I live the ricers thrive after dark. It's always fun to see they're reactions as they pass in rattle-canned black Civics and Acuras.

Chase

[kjohnson2444]

Wow. How fun that this thread has been revived! I never knew it existed. Here are a couple of stories...

Back in 1977 when I had my first 240z (I was only 18 at the time), I was visiting my grandmother where she lived at a senior citizen's apartment building. I pulled my car into the parking lot and got out of my car. Right next to me an older woman (maybe in her 70's) was getting out of her car. She looked over at me and asked "Is that your car?" I said "Yes," and she replied "Hot Diggety!" and we each went our own way. It still makes me laugh when I think about it.

Last year when I purchased my current 240z project, I had to trailer it home. My wife and I made the 4-hour trip together. As we were driving along the highway, a young man (in his 20's) drove up beside me in a Subaru WRX emphatically gaving me the thumb's up. I think he was more excited about the car than I was.

Here's how they looked at the time...

[olzed]

The S30 still catches the eye. Just goes to show the designers were spot on back then.

[jimbob_racing]

My 280Z looks like crap but I still get a lot of positive comments. Getting gas is almost always a long process and when I park it in public I often get a note asking if I want to sell. Here in the rust belt, most Datsuns are long gone so even a ratty one like mine stands out. I can only imagine how much attention it'll attract once I finish redoing the car to my standards.

[Bonzi Lon]

I had to go back and read the entire thread to see what I had commented on back in 08. It was just completed with tags but without insurance.

Speaking of rich college students, when attended my first McPherson College Car Show, these two 'kids' parked by me.

Bonzi Lon

[Travel'n Man]

I have actually had cars ride side by side with me at 60MPH and the drivers pull our their cell phones and start clicking pictures! You gotta love it!

[deadflo]

I had a funny story that happened after I started this thread. I was cruising on the "Palouse" a very hilly, rural, agricultural area south of Spokane. In the distance I glimpsed what I thought was a new VW Beetle that disappeared behind one of the little hills. As I rounded a very tight curve, I saw it was a Porsche 911 Turbo coming towards me. We only were in sight of each other for a few seconds. He saw I was in a 240-Z, and gave me a quick thumbs up. As I rounded the next tight corner, there was another very nice 911, and the guy flashed his lights at me as we passed. Then I rounded the corner and was on a long straightaway, about a mile long. There, in the oncoming lane were about ten more Porsches,of various models, but none as nice as the first two I encountered. I was the only other car on the road, in this area surrounded by wheat fields. As I passed the 944's, and 924's, not a single one of the other drivers even gave me a second look.