New NSX stablemate...240Z

[blodi]

On Friday I just picked up another car I've wanted for a long long time. Yet another Japanese 2 seat, 6 cylinder. A 1971 240Z.
Always wanted one and always wanted one in orange. My friend from work bought this one locally about 2 years ago and I've bugged him about it since. Finally he was ready to let it go since he didn't have time for it. The owner previous to him spent a lot of money on restoring it and it really shows. Exterior, interior and undercarriage are all like new. The one thing that stinks is that it's an automatic. I've already found a 5 speed for it though and will swap it eventually this year. Other plans include coilovers and some wheels.
Didn't realize that I'm creating a bit of a Japanese icons theme in my garage between the NSX, 240Z and my 74 Kawasaki Z1. I'll have to take some pics of the NSX and Z together once my car is back from LoveFab.

image by blodi, on Flickr
image (1) by blodi, on Flickr
image (3) by blodi, on Flickr
image (2) by blodi, on Flickr

 

[tle]

So clean! :smile: Always wanted to own one as well. Great pick up! Maybe some watanabes? lol

 

[sca037]

Sweet!

Brian

 

[blodi]

So clean! :smile: Always wanted to own one as well. Great pick up! Maybe some watanabes? lol

Definitely some wantanbes or at least replicas!

 

[pjr300]

Rota makes a great replica....

 

[Cozmo]

Looks badass man. You need a bigger garage for more toys

 

[blodi]

Rota makes a great replica....

Exactly the ones I'm thinking of Patrick! :smile:. Those or the Konig Rewinds, but the Konig's are narrower.

Looks badass man. You need a bigger garage for more toys

I can fit 3 comfortably. Once the NSX comes back I'm gonna have to get creative though. But I don't mind parking one of the DD's outside for the summer.

 

[Aero]

Nice Z and color. I have an orange 73 240z that has the older bumpers on it. My car was an automatic too when I got it but I didn't mind as I got it to put a LS1/T56 in. On my 73 the pedal box for the auto was the same as the manual just without the clutch pedal (and a different brake pedal). You'll hear/read you need to swap the whole pedal box but you only need the clutch pedal (and the manual brake pedal) and add it to your box which is pretty easy. I bought a pre72 whole box thinking that and discovered the 73+ pedal boxes are different anyway so I have the pedals if you need them and I'll sell them to you cheap.

 

[blodi]

Nice Z and color. I have an orange 73 240z that has the older bumpers on it. My car was an automatic too when I got it but I didn't mind as I got it to put a LS1/T56 in. On my 73 the pedal box for the auto was the same as the manual just without the clutch pedal (and a different brake pedal). You'll hear/read you need to swap the whole pedal box but you only need the clutch pedal (and the manual brake pedal) and add it to your box which is pretty easy. I bought a pre72 whole box thinking that and discovered the 73+ pedal boxes are different anyway so I have the pedals if you need them and I'll sell them to you cheap.

The previous owner actually already had the full manual pedal box so that makes it even easier. One less thing I have to track down at least haha. Looking forward to the swap!

 

[LuckyM]

Sir, you have great taste!

 

[steveny]

Wow exact year and color combo of the first car I ever owned. Mine was a five speed though and a barn had fallen on it. Bought it for cheap and fixed it up from the age of 12 through 16, never actually got it on the road though. we lived, what was at the time, way out in the country so I did drive it here and there a few times.... With no doors on it.. Lol.

Was it Paul Newman racing who sold tons of after market stuff for the Z's? I remember getting some catalog in the mail that was Z only stuff which I couldn't afford but dreamed about endlessly.

 

[condumbwerkz]

Excellent choice! Looks badda$$

 

[sca037]

Was it Paul Newman racing who sold tons of after market stuff for the Z's? I remember getting some catalog in the mail that was Z only stuff which I couldn't afford but dreamed about endlessly.

Paul ran with Bob Sharp Racing back then, maybe it was their catalog of fun stuff?

Brian

 

[usafdarkhorse]

I couldn't pass up this thread without stopping by.

Nice pickup Blodi! Looks to be in fantastic shape. Guessing your VIN is somewhere in the 20,000ish range. Do you mind snapping a pic of the manufacturer plate in the driver's side door jamb so I can see what month it was made in '71?

Nice Z and color. I have an orange 73 240z that has the older bumpers on it. My car was an automatic too when I got it but I didn't mind as I got it to put a LS1/T56 in. On my 73 the pedal box for the auto was the same as the manual just without the clutch pedal (and a different brake pedal). You'll hear/read you need to swap the whole pedal box but you only need the clutch pedal (and the manual brake pedal) and add it to your box which is pretty easy. I bought a pre72 whole box thinking that and discovered the 73+ pedal boxes are different anyway so I have the pedals if you need them and I'll sell them to you cheap.

Glad to see you still have yours Aero! I sold my '75 back in summer of 2011. I should have kept those fender mirrors you tipped me off to because it was a huge pain finding another set even here in Japan...but I did.

I've had a number of these cars and would like to put them next to another NSX like you've done there, Blodi.

I purchased my white '70 from the original owner in May of 2012.

I'm also in the middle of tearing down a lime green '72 back in the US for a pretty involved buildup that might take me awhile.

Congrats on the purchase!

 

[whiteNSXs]

Great score. The original Fairlady Z is on my bucket list. Just have not seen one in the condition I want. May be when I retire in 10 years that I will have time to restore one to my liking. Looking at this gorgeous car, I have no idea why the current Z and the GTR need to look like tumors.
Steve

 

[blodi]

I Guessing your VIN is somewhere in the 20,000ish range. Do you mind snapping a pic of the manufacturer plate in the driver's side door jamb so I can see what month it was made in '71?

The VIN is actually 43319 and build date of 9/71.

 

[toddat]

So awesome! My family owned a '76 280Z for 21 years. My dad, mom and then me each drove it for seven years. Had 320K miles by the end all on the same clutch. I'm not sure I've ever had as much fun with 175 HP since.

 

[DocL]

Nice looking car. I love the first 240z-280z cars. My father had one and I can still remember the smell of that car the day he picked up. I fell in love with manual transmissions and Z cars because of it.

 

[PainIs4ThaWeak]

Definitely a nice find. The early Z is another timeless car, in my humble opinion.

Its rare to find a B-/C+ grade example in the NC area, much less one that looks to be in a B+/A-, such as yours. Truly a unicorn.

 

[Valhalla]

That car is in fantastic shape. I had a '74 260 and drove the wheels off it. Had triple side drafts and the car would run with big block Corvettes back then. By the time I sold it, she had over 365,000 miles on the gauge and still ran like a beast. The only real problem was very iffy sheet metal. Had to replace fenders, hood(s) and back hatch. Florida humidity was not it's friend.

 

[blodi]

Thanks guys. Yeah, its really in awesome shape, no rust anywhere..I guess it was a cali car for most of it's life and I vow to do my best to keep it nice and dry here in Michigan.
Did some little stuff over the weekend, e brake boot, new glove box door (old one had a little crack in it and worn badge). It's hilarious how cheap (most) parts are for these things coming from an NSX..exedy clutch? $150. 5 speed trans? $200. haha. Love it. On the other hand, I need a new ash tray since mine has a missing door and the only one I can find is over $400...

Broke down and ordered these just now too.....

 

[ThumperAC]

love it, a family friend has a blue one (not sure of the year) that I would love to buy someday.

 

[RYU]

fantastic! congrats! i got the itch and picked up a car i've wanted for a while too. E36 Alpine White M3 Sedan. hehe

510, 240Z, RX-3, FD RX-7... so many cars I want to own some day

 

[Aero]

It's hilarious how cheap (most) parts are for these things coming from an NSX..exedy clutch? $150. 5 speed trans? $200. haha. Love it. On the other hand, I need a new ash tray since mine has a missing door and the only one I can find is over $400...

Yeah I thought the same thing on a lot of parts. You should posted a wanted for the ash tray door on a few datsun Z sites. Lots of people parting out rust bucket cars and can get parts cheap.
Check here (mostly for V8 Zs but a lot of info on stock ones and parts too). http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php

 

[blodi]

Yeah I thought the same thing on a lot of parts. You should posted a wanted for the ash tray door on a few datsun Z sites. Lots of people parting out rust bucket cars and can get parts cheap.
Check here (mostly for V8 Zs but a lot of info on stock ones and parts too). http://forums.hybridz.org/index.php

Yup, already posted up there and have been looking around...lots of great forums for the Z's. There is an ashtray now listed on ebay, but it's missing the handle....can't win One will pop up eventually. Certainly not a pressing issue.