1970 Datsun Z-Series

240 Hatchback

6 - Cyl.

Manual

HLS30-05549

Gasoline

Well, it needs to be done. This car deserves an owner with the time to love and care for her. Unfortunately, we bought my dream car too hastily... It just doesn't make sense to neglect this awesome machine. We don't have the space or time, and really need the money after paying for our wedding. Really, I have wanted this car for so long, that when I found her, I made a hasty decision. There is nothing major wrong with this car. Like any 39 year old car, she has her quirks. But trust me, shes a wildcat. The Good: -She is one of the first off the line. 1970 is the first year this car was introduced. Her VIN is in the 5,000s. -Her engine is original, and runs without a hitch. You might adjust the carbs to your liking... I've got her running lean for now. -I've had side mirrors added for safety, a radio not from the 70's (pioneer cd player, tuner, mp3 compatability), new brake pads, new seat belts. The dash is a plastic replacement (thus no cracks). The lining was replaced recently, new clutch line. One new headlight. We pretty much added some minor updates to make this daily driver a more pleasant one. The Bad: -Only the speedometer works. (isn't that all you need?). The other gauges are definitely fixable (just low on the totem pole of restoration for me). Miles are exempt (the odometer has frozen at 55,000) As far as the gas tank is concerned, I play a little roulette. You just get to know her. -VERY small amount of surface rust. maybe a dime size on the driver side door. -We put in air conditioning. Come on, it's Florida! Not that great of an idea. You have to have the vents on high at all times to keep it from freezing up and dripping on the passenger later when it thaws. (This can be a problem sometimes). And, the vents don't exactly send a hurricane of refreshment your way... although Brent from Z-docs said he's got a guy working on that. The other good: -This car is sick. It turns heads. I call her "MadCat," we just scream right along. An absolute pleasure to drive. Crank up the radio. You just have so much fun in this little car... it always feels like you are going fast because you are so low to the ground. So, if you are like me, you can really shift quick and get up there, maybe a little more, at the starting lines (red lights and stop signs), before letting off in keeping with the speed limit. Even though you aren't breaking records, you get a little pep and feel like you are. -We bought this car in Tampa. We had no problem finding specialists for mechanical needs. -This car was considered the "poor mans sports car." That's cool. That's fine. Trust me, once a Z fanatic-always a Z fanatic! -We have two official appraisals for this car. The latest one is from November 2008. There are two points in adding this: the first is that it'll help you get an antique plate on it. I think we paid $300 for six months in insurance. The second point is this: the appraised value of the car at that time was $11,000. Now, we understand that with an antique, the value is only as much as someone is willing to pay for it. I wont say how much we paid, but suffice it to say, we are only looking to get our money back. Even if we have to take a little hit in the pocket, well, it was worth it. We are definitely open to talking as far as the price goes. In a perfect world, anyone who loves their car hopes that it is going to a good home. If it's going to a good home, the new owner will understand it's value. The main reason this car is worth $11,000 is because it is one of the firsts off the assembly line. Maybe only a collector could appreciate that. Or maybe there is someone out there like me who is obsessed with the Z series Datsun. Or maybe, with this posting, a new fever takes over.