1974 Datsun Z-Series

Manual

GRLS30016625

1974 Datsun 260Z 2+2 Coupe 143K miles. My daily driver for the past four years, it has been stone-solid reliable and save for the odd dead battery over the years, never failed me. I am selling her only because I’ve moved to Texas, live in an apartment now and lack the shop space I need to keep a classic like this in road-ready shape, and don’t have the space to just store her away. As much as I hate to say goodbye to her, it's time to let the next owner enjoy her ample charms!I have about $11,000 invested in her, and most of the hard work has been done. Driving this car is a throwback to the days when driving a sports car meant you were actually operating a *machine*. And you feel that, from the moment you turn the key one click and hear the big Holley fuel pump start up, then you keep turning and the starter engages, bringing the original OHC six to life with a roar from the Hooker muffler, until she settles down int a rumbling idle. You ride low in an S30 Z, and this one is about two inches lower than stock. The ride is firm, and the cornering grip is great, thanks to the stiff Tokicos and meaty Falken tires. She'll cruise all day long at 80 on the highway and won't miss a beat along the way. I wouldn't be afraid to drive her across the country now, with a couple minor caveats.So, here’s the whole rundown on the car, the good, the bad and the ugly: Exterior: The car was refinished in 2008. The entire body was stripped to bare metal and phosphate-primed before paint. Colors are BMW Titanium Silver, with BMW Space gray LeMans-type stripe. Body rust issues are insignificant, and the underneath is solid! NOS 260Z emblems were installed, and the chrome is good. Lighting is via Autopal Multiple Reflector (Euro) type running standard H4-type bulbs. Engine: Original L26 block and head.Head rebuilt Nov 2010 and installed over a NISMO .6mm headgasket. Timing chain & tensioners replaced when head was off. Intake is via Arizona Z-Car 4-bbl manifold and Holley 390 cfm 4-bbl carburetor, both brand new in June of 2010. Fuel feed via a Holley “red” fuel pump. Ignition is via 280ZX electronic ignition, MSI Blaster coil and MSI wires. Exhaust is via MSA 6-1 header and 2 3/4” tubing exiting through a Hooker Aero-Chamber Muffler with a plain slash tip.Transmission: The original auto tranny was scrapped in favor of a 280Z 5-Speed, with the correct Z hydraulic clutch mechanism. This has been a trouble free conversion since done three years ago and has completely transformed the character of the car. Suspension, Wheels & Tires: The car is lowered on Tokico Springs and running Tokiko Blue struts. Most of the bushings have been replaced with polyurethane, except the sway bars. The brakes are brand eight months ago: Master Cylinder, Calipers, Rotors, Pads, wheel cylinders, shoes and brand new MSA stainless steel hoses. Only the drums are not brand new. The wheels are Konig Rewinds, also new last year and in beautiful, unmarked condition. They look stunning on the car and the grey wheels set off the stripes perfectly. Tires are Falken Ziex 512s in 225/50-16s and in excellent condition with less than 15K miles. Interior: The dash wears an MSA full Dash cap which looks perfect. The steering wheel is a period-correct Nardi mahogany wheel with a Datsun logo horn button. There’s a cheap tach on the column counting revs, the original tach works fine, just not with the ZX dizzy output. The bad/ugly... Want her to be perfect? Then this list needs attention: The diff whines pretty loud between 45 and 60 mph. It's a K-type R180 with a 3.545 ratio, solid mounted to the frame. Needs to be brought back into tolerance, or replaced with an R200, if you prefer. Or, you could just live with the whine, I have for over two years! The A/C components have gone missing out of the car and the entire HVAC vacuum system needs sorting. The harmonic balancer is cracked and will need replacement soon, so for now I’m keeping her under 5500 RPM. The odometer quit a while back, but I have faithfully logged the mileage and maintenance in a notebook from the day it quit until present, keeping track of fuel mileage all along the way (BTW, she gets around 16 mpg in town and low 20’s on the highway). The paint is showing its low-bidder shop origins, cracking in a few places (mostly where the MSA fiberglass parts meet the body panels). There is some minor damage around the right rear wheel well from a tire blow out where the flying steel belts roughed up the fiberglass on the MSA parts and scuffed the paint around the wheel arch a bit as they came apart. There are several parking lot dings. There is road rash on the front spoiler. The temp gauge and clock are non-operable. The windshield glass is showing signs of delamination at the perimeter and will need replacement eventually, but that could be several years down the road. The carpeting is tatty and needs replacement. The driver’s seat has split seams and could use a replacement cover, but is currently holding up well with black Gorilla Tape over the splits. Lastly, the turn-signal switchgear needs replacement, so it’s hand signals only until that is replaced. Of course you could just drive her as is (just replace that harmonic balancer soon) and leave the rest alone. She looks and drives fine as is, turns heads wherever you go, and sounds fantastic. I’ll even include a set of unused 1974 Texas YOM plates I bought and was going to register the car under, if I decided to keep it here in TX. Note the following please!You may see and drive this car in Plano, TX. I have a clear (Florida) title in hand, that I will sign it over upon receipt of final payment. The reserve will not be disclosed, but it is very reasonableBidders with less than 5 positive feedback please email me before placing a bid or I will cancel your bid.Deposit $500 by Paypal is required within 24 hours of auction closing. Balance to be paid in cash or certified funds only, within 7 days of closing. Please email with any and all questions. A personal inspection is strongly encouraged PRIOR to bidding. Remember, you are bidding to buy, not to look. Lastly, to the scammers out there, don't even try, I have heard them all.