Hi all,

I'm mostly a lurker on here and am trying to learn more about 911s and Porsche in general, but I thought I'd share with you all.

I've owned a few Zs, my last being this 1975 with L28ET and MS2 that I sold in July of last year. I had a thread about it on here that some may remember.



Miss that car, but couldn't stand to let it sit out in rainy weather and rust after I moved down here in Corpus Christi.

This past December, I found out that I was moving to Japan this coming November, so my NSX aspirations were put on hold after I had found the most perfect 1992 Comptech supercharged black on ivory NSX up in New Hampshire (telling that guy I couldn't buy his car almost literally hurt) . My last NSX for kicks:



Miss that car dearly as well, more than the Z.

I've been in a sportscar void for about a year now after getting sensible and buying a decent 2002 Accord to DD back and forth to base. Thought about getting an S2000 to have fun before I left for Japan. Then people started putting this crazy idea in my head about shipping an old car to Japan, to drive and possibly sell, because the Japanese go nuts for anything they can't have, just like us (a la Skyline).

So I've been casually looking through old Datsun Z and Porsche 911 classifieds. Came close on one 911 down in Georgia, but the owner couldn't get me the info I needed (apparently older Porsches before the 1980's VINs did not have a month of manufacture stamped on the body?...Needed to get a certificate of authenticity? anyway...very important for Japan and some here cautioned away from the '76 911S I was thinking about for their potential issues). Ended up stumbling across an ad in Ohio for a 240Z advertised as "one owner". I inquired.

What I found was probably the most perfect, original 240Z in the United States. This lady bought the car brand new in 1970 having just come off the boat. After some time, she drove the car less and less and let a good family friend take care of the car for her, the person I originally contacted. It has 59K original miles, and the rust-problem was widespread enough by this time (July 1970) that the dealer took the car to a local shop to completely rust proof the bottom as brand new, and it looks like it.

This car is so perfect, I'm starting to have trouble thinking about possibly taking it to Japan, but I know that it would probably survive better there than here. It may just need to go to a museum.

I present to you 1970 Datsun 240Z Series 1 #7356, white on blue interior.





Floorpan.




The only drawbacks I see is that the car shows some evidence of sitting. The bottom has some surface rust on the suspension components as well as some dry rotted bushings. It was just not driven all that often (maybe once a month). Doing all the fluids and replacing the bushings with urethane.
Then I'm getting in contact with a government vehicle processing center to prepare for the move to Japan. I'm going to need the amber turn signals lenses for the rear and the speedo changed to KPH, but it's gonna be well worth it.

Alot of people think shipping an old car to Japan is a PITA. It'll cost me about $1K to register it there (which is a drop in the bucket compared to say your '96 993 which would be about $5K), but I think just being able to say you drove an old Z, left hand drive 240Z at that, in Japan is priceless. It really is.

More updates to come. Thanks for reading my diatribe.

 

Wow, what a time machine!

 

Absolutely love the 240Z. What a find - enjoy it over there.

 

Thanks! I'll definitely enjoy her.

 

Absolutely beautiful Z. I just saw one driving around that looked just like yours. I miss my 74' 620.

 

Ugh, this car is amazing. It pains me that I do not own it. Congrats and have fun with it!

 

Looks like many of us had one of these great cars. Still a big fan. Enjoy

 

Very nice!

I'm currently looking at a '72 that's been stored for the past 12 years.

 

240Z's are a legend very nice!

 

Wow, I haven't updated this thread in quite awhile.

Brought the car home and cleaned it up a bit. Dealt with a few issues with bad gas and rust collecting in the lines. Went back and forth about whether or not to take the car to Japan and sell, but after having the car for a half year before I left, I decided that I wanted to keep it for myself. I left it with my parents and brother in TN who are keeping it for me currently.

Here's a few pics of how I found it and how it sits today:




Ownership!


The drive home from Ohio:



The gracious use of my parents' truck


Back home in TN


Had a problem:




My brother taking it to shows and meets while I've been gone:




The most rewarding experience of car ownership: Reminiscence

 

The hubcaps on the car were chromed, so I set out to find and purchase some of the original black and dark grey caps from someone who was selling some locally. I was in luck because they are difficult to find.

After buying the car, I sought out and bought a couple sets of classic wheels for the car. Haven't mounted any tires on them yet.

Some original Ansen Sprints (most guys know these as 5 slot mags)


and some genuine ARE/Shelby Libres with bad tires

 

From a member of The Cleveland Z Club, that is one nice example of a 240Z. You should take it to the Midwest Heritage Z meet this weekend in Nashville, IN (Indiana). I'm sure it would get a lot of praise (as it should).

Check out the link for more info...http://www.midwestzheritage.com/

 

Absolutely gorgeous man! Grats on the purchase!! I'm jealous

 

Wish I had seen this sooner. Would have liked to have had my brother take it up there, but he was busy this weekend. I don't remember when the national Nissan meet is in Smyrna, TN, but we will try to get the car out there if you will be around.

Thanks!

In the year that I've had this car, I've probably driven it fewer than 10 times. I'm enjoying Japan and my newly acquired '89 GT-R, but there's just something about a drive in a classic Z that's timeless. Can't wait to get behind the wheel again (left hand drive already seems odd to go back to!).

Thanks!

 

That car is such a rare find. WOW. Brings me back to my early teens in which a neighbor had an orange 240z- probably a '72. And this was in the early 70's at that time. This really takes me back.

Thanks for posting this!!