Mike B

I had thought the blue coil on my 5/72 must be a replacement as well, since I had never heard anyone mention that they were blue on the 72's. I thought they might be similar to the blue replacement air cleaner boxes that we see on some cars. At the Zcon this summer I saw Mark Lambert's 4,400 mile 5/72 and it has the same blue coil. I actually replaced mine with a black Nissan coil, so I still need to switch it back. Here are a couple of pictures of the coil on Mark's car and mine. The first two are of Mark's and the second two are mine. -Mike

I think what you are seeing is a combination of the black rubber reflecting the orange paint in a couple of spots and just some dust on a couple of others. I don't think you can conclude it has been repainted based on the pictures shown. Low mileage cars can still need a repaint after 40 years, especially colors like reds and orange that seem to fade more quickly than other colors. My 40K mile red 1972 was repainted before I got it and Arne repainted his red car with 50 or 60K miles. The bidding is up to $12,200 now with 5 days left, so it looks like the seller has a pretty high reserve and the interest is also pretty high. Hopefully it sells for a good price. I would go look at the car in person if someone on the site was seriously interested, but I'll be out of town for the weekend and probably won't have time next week before the auction ends. -Mike

What specifically makes you question the mileage and think it has been repainted? Even it was repainted, that wouldn't necessarily decrease the value if it was done well. -Mike

I just saw this one listed on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Datsun-Z-Series-240-1972-Datsun-Orange-240Z-Immaculate-Mint-Condition-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem4152df2d8aQQitemZ280563232138QQptZUSQ5fCarsQ5fTrucks. It looks totally stock and in great shape. I'll be interested to see what it sells for, if it meets the buyers reserve price. -Mike

Chris, if you want to buy something from that seller let me know and I can help you out. -Mike

Here is an entire linkage/gas pedal/balance tube set from a 1972 listed on ebay now http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-1971-1972-1973-Datsun-240Z-SU-Carburetor-Linkage-/150494128287?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item230a26289f. No knowledge of the seller, etc.... -Mike

I was surprised there was only a first place trophy awarded for stock 240Zs. I take that to mean there was only one 240Z entered in the stock class, which is really surprising given the number of cars a the convention this year. I think people must have entered into other classes like Daily Driver, Street Modified, or People's Choice instead. If that it the case, does it mean that anyone with a 240Z could have gotten a 2nd or 3rd place trophy just by entering in the stock class? It's pretty sad if that is the case. -Mike

John, You should contact Les at CDM and see if he has new door seals yet. He posted about new rubber parts a few days ago in another thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=338491&postcount=40. -Mike

It looks like you click on "Purchase" on the left hand side menu, then click the "Add to cart" button, which takes you to the checkout/payment process. -Mike

Not trying to offend you WingZr0, but I guess after 2 yrs the owner didn't want to wait any longer for you to decide if you wanted it. It is good to see that it is finally out of the field at least. I doubt they will get $3,000 for it though, either whole or in parts. If you think that price is high, it's a pretty good deal compared to the $10K they have had it list for on ebay the last couple of months http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1970-Datsun-240Z-Parts-Car-3490-/400135191707?pt=Salvage_Parts_Cars&hash=item5d29ea7c9b. -Mike

I would say that you have a 1976 280Z based on the VIN on the firewall and the look of the car. No one can say for sure if the engine matches (is original to the car) without the original engine bay data plate, which you don't have. If you have the owners manual or original documents like the window sticker the original engine number might be listed on there. The engine number (L28-084935) does look like it is correct for a 1976 280Z though. The engine bay and door jamb VIN plates you have are from a 1972 (1/72 production) 240Z. As far as getting it fixed. I guess the only way would be to call your local DMV and see what they say. You might not like the answer though. I guess the best scenario would be if they check out the VINs (both 1972 and 1976) and if they are not from stolen or salvaged cars they might be able to correct the title, but I wouldn't count on it. -Mike

Springs replaced the straps under 240Z seats early in the 1972 model year, around 1/72. A 7/72 production car like Gary's should definitely have springs unless the seats have been replaced. My 5/72 has springs. -Mike

Hi Kats, thanks for taking a look at the writing. It was very unexpected to find. I enjoy seeing these kind of hidden "graffitos". My car thanks you for the complement. I think it will be really nice once it is finished. Since the original hood was damaged I was able to get a used hood from a 1/70 car so that it would be correct for this early car. A working oscillator would be great. I will keep my fingers crossed and thanks again! -Mike

Last weekend I took the fenders off a 1/70 car that I am parting out and found what looked like some thin wood debris on the top of the right side inner fender. After looking it at more closely I could see some writing on it, so I grabbed all the pieces, gently washed them off and took these pictures. I remembered this old thread and it looks like this is another wooden tag like the one shown. I can't really make out what mine says. It looks like 03 at the top, and maybe some other numbers or letters on the bottom. Nothing seems to match up with the VIN or paint code like the one Mike W posted a picture of, but it seems to be made of the same kind of thin wood. -Mike

The Datsun Comp patch looks good. What size is it? I hope you got the BRE patches directly from BRE since they sell them http://www.bre2.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=B&Product_Code=patch_bre&Category_Code=patches and they still own all the BRE trademarks. -Mike

From the post I linked to in #7 above - "four small trees has fallen on the car since, busting out the glass and messing up the roof" Steve, I like low VIN cars as much as anyone, but I came to realize when I tried to sell HLS30-00331 that not every low VIN car needs to be saved or can be for a reasonable price. I did my best to sell it. I reached out to several low VIN owners to see what they thought about the car and no one thought it was worth saving. I posted a thread about it and put classified ads here and on zcar.com for a month with ZERO replies to either the thread http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31769 or the ad. I also posted it on craigslist for a month, I got a couple of emails from the craigslist ads, but no one serious, so finally I just parted it out and scrapped it. I needed some of the early parts from it for my #237 car, so it wasn't a total loss in my opinion. It is easy to say "someone should save that car" and totally different to actually do it. Also, remember that those pictures posted in the ad are at least 2 1/2 years old and before the four trees fell on it. -Mike

Another car claiming to be a 1969 production car is on ebay now http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220665695095&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWAX%3AIT. It says it is #00525 (HLS30-00525 I assume). It looks like there are several 1969 production HLS30 cars with VINs in the low 500's on zhome.com, so I guess that is possible. It looks like it has many aftermarket and parts from later cars on it. I thought the weird shift handle looked like it belonged on an automatic, but the seller says it has a 5 speed. Too bad the seller doesn't say anything about being numbers matching or show any engine bay pics or potential rust areas. -Mike

After reading the last post in the old thread it sounds like the car is in even worse shape now http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=307177&postcount=81. At least the seller has dropped his price from a $1,000 reserve to $300. The seller should have taken the $511 bid when it was first listed on ebay a couple years ago. If it wasn't a parts car before, the four trees falling on it have probably sealed its fate. There may be a few early parts on it, or at least some series one parts worth saving. It looks like AWC and EvilC were both interested in it at some point. Maybe one of them will buy it. -Mike

Looks like the same pictures as the last time it was listed for sale almost three years ago http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29076. I guess things haven't changed (for the better at least) since then. -Mike

I don't really know what the value would be. I am sure the seller would expect a premium over a similar condition LHD car. Jim Frederick in Tampa has one. You could contact him and see what it would take to buy his. A guy had a silver one at the Zcon this year and I think there is one in kind of rough shape in the Seattle area. Those are the only ones I know of personally. I am sure there are others, but probably not a lot. -Mike

John, Like you mentioned, sometimes the tint is hard to detect under different lighting. The best way to tell is by the number etched in the glass. Non-tinted glass is M-214 for everything but the windshield. The windshield is M-34G. Tinted glass is M-224 for the doors and quarter windows and the hatch is M-2243 (on my 5/72 at least). The windshield is M-35G. Check the date on the spare when you get a chance. I am curious if it is dated 8/70 or earlier. I was basing my comment about the tire on this old post by Carl Beck http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/showpost.php?p=164453&postcount=14. Maybe his dates are off a bit. If you can get the car running and then resell it for a decent price that might be the way to go. I bought a 1970 this spring that I was hoping to do the same to (after swapping out a few parts I needed), but after I got it home the rust was just too bad, so I parted it out. -Mike

I am confused. You a talking about a right hand drive 1970 model, correct? Have you already found one that you plan to purchase, or are you looking for one? Your statement "I will be buying a RH S1 by next spring" made me think that you have one in mind, but then you say "I want a very good to excellent original car, no irreversible mods. Green or lime would be a plus". That sounds like you are looking for one. Either way, there aren't many RHD S30s in the US, so the 1970 model year would probably be the most difficult to find here. -Mike

Looks like a great find and definitely restorable from what the pictures show. Is this the same car you were looking at last fall? The bumper overriders are aftermarket (AMCO). Are you sure the glass is non-tinted? I have only seen non-tinted glass on 1969 and maybe some early Jan 1970 production cars (for the North American market - JDM cars had clear glass for base models). I have also never seen a defroster with clear glass. All the ones I have seen had either clear glass with no defroster, or tinted glass with the defroster. I am also a bit surprised to see a Superspeed radial spare. I thought they switched to the RD-150 by 1971. Tell your wife it could be worse. You could have 4 like me. -Mike

Gary, It looks like you can get just the Datsun rear spoiler decal from BRE for $19.95 shipped http://www.bre2.net/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=B&Product_Code=decal_240Z_rear_spoiler&Category_Code=decals_sub_240Z. I don't find it to be much of a problem. You can get some waxes that are clear and don't leave a white residue. You can also use a toothbrush or something like that to clean around them. I have even heard of some people taking them off to wax the car, but I personally wouldn't go that far. -Mike

The colors were way off on the ones that Too Intense sold in my opinion. Its too bad that the supplier Esprist used couldn't sell just the lenses and chrome strips separately. They seem to be very accurate reproductions, except some of the original lettering is missing (maybe just the original manufacturer's name?). Selling those parts separately would have brought the cost down and probably had a lot more interest. -Mike